EDEN PRAIRIE (AP) &045; Minnesota Vikings owner Red McCombs has an option on coach Mike Tice’s contract for 2005, and McCombs reiterated Wednesday that it will be addressed after this season.

That has been his stance since the summer. However, in a story in this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated, McCombs said he’ll pick up Tice’s 2005 option regardless of what happens this season &045; and then look into a longer-term extension.

That was apparently news to Tice.

&uot;I do not discuss my contract with Red,&uot; the coach said. &uot;I have a job to do and goals to reach.&uot;

McCombs, speaking from his San Antonio office, offered his support of Tice, who’s in the final year of his original three-year contract.

&uot;I am very pleased with him as a coach, and I see no reason why he wouldn’t be coaching the Vikings as long as he wants to,&uot; McCombs said.

After last season, when the Vikings lost seven of their last 10 games and missed the playoffs with a last-second loss at lowly Arizona, McCombs remained mum on Tice’s status until promising two days later he would return in 2004.

Before training camp began, Tice insisted he felt no pressure without his future secured &045; but did admit to having some confusion.

&uot;I look at what I’ve done in this organization, for this organization, since we’ve taken over,&uot; Tice said then. &uot;Just go back and look at every angle. Look at scouting, look at relationship with the media, look at relationship with marketing, look at fields, look at indoor fields, look at the building, look at the atmosphere, look at everything. And then I guess you just get a little confused.&uot;

MOSS WATCH: Randy Moss was back at practice Wednesday, yapping away and joking with his teammates.

He’s closer to being his old self on the field, too.

Moss was limited in practice, and coach Mike Tice said he’ll likely be limited again Thursday.