As the Chicago Cubs begin to look for their next manager, one name continues to come up in speculation - David Ross.

But would he accept the job if the team called? 

The likely leader in the clubhouse for the position, Ross has good relationships with several key Cubs players and has remained tight with the team since he retired in 2016.

On Baseball Tonight Sunday Ross, who currently works as a special assistant for the Cubs and as a commentator for ESPN, said "the interest would be there" for him to follow in Maddon's footsteps. 

"I think my heart is drawn to that dugout a little bit," he said.

"I’ve got a lot of thinking to do if this gets presented to me as everyone says will happen," Ross later added. "I’m sure waiting for that phone call." 

If he is in fact interested, Ross, who played for Maddon and the Cubs in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, has to be looked at as one of, if not the, favorite to land it.

After the news first broke of Maddon's departure, he posted a photo to his Twitter feed thanking Maddon for his contributions to the team’s legacy. 

“It was an honor having the opportunity to play for Joe Maddon and winning a championship with him during one of the greatest runs in the history of the Chicago Cubs,” Ross said. “I learned a tremendous amount from him and wish him continued success in this game.”

Still, there's a wide variety of options for the Cubs to choose from, whether they want to go with an experienced veteran like Joe Girardi, a newcomer like Will Venable or Sam Fuld, or a person with deep connections to the team like Ross or Mark Loretta.

Players on the team praised Maddon following the news of his departure, but said they had no indication of the direction the team was heading next. 

"Whoever that guy is, if it is Rossy, then I’m sure we’ll butt heads just like I butted heads with Joe but at the same time I’d respect the hell out of him," said pitcher Jon Lester.