Posts Tagged ‘John Fox’

Discussion: Hot seat coaches beginning to take shape

The NFL isn’t known for being a stable organization, especially when it comes to its coaches and players, as those individuals are all too familiar with the league changing around them in a moment’s notice. So it goes without saying that each year typically brings a bevy of coaching changes, some expected and others not, opening the doors for plenty of speculation as the regular season gets closer to the finish line.

I opened up a discussion on which coaches are likely to be on the hot seat a few weeks back, but given the amount of rumors flying around these days surrounding multiple teams and individual coaches, I thought it would be good to bring the subject back to the forefront and see how things have changed.

So far there are at least eight different teams that could potentially be on the hunt for a new head coach this off-season, and while several of those openings will be highly dependent on how well the current coach performs down the stretch, most of the positions are a virtual lock at this point to be available.

For now, I’ll be focusing on the teams I think are most certain of having a new head coach next season. As the regular season comes to a close, I’ll add in more names when they become available.

1. Washington Redskins | Jim Zorn

To be honest, Zorn probably has a better chance of being struck by lightning while standing on the sidelines then he does of keeping his job next season. The Redskins have been one of the decade’s most universally disappointing teams, with millions of dollars spent on pricey free agent acquisitions and nothing to show for it.

A lot of that instability has come from team owner Dan Snyder, as he’s constantly trying to land the next big name player or coach. In the end though, the responsibility for winning and losing each week falls squarely on the shoulders of the head coach, which is why Zorn is guaranteed of a one way ticket out of town in a few weeks.

Given Snyder’s propensity for trying to go big with his head coaching hires, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pull out all the stops to lure one of the marquee names out there, like Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, or possibly even Jon Gruden. Shanahan would be the most likely of those three to be interested in the position, as Cowher and Gruden have both made it clear they’ve got other fish to fry, but you can never be completely sure, especially with the kind of money Snyder will likely throw out there to get his guy in the fold. Keep an eye on former Ravens head coach Brian Billick as well… he has plenty of connections in the area and could be a solid hire for the Redskins.

2. Buffalo Bills | Perry Fewell

The Bills have already dumped their head coach this season, firing Dick Jauron half way through the year for his pathetic performance with a reasonably talented team. Fewell is well liked within the organization and seems to have his players working much harder each week to win, so it’s definitely possible that he sticks around after the season is complete, especially if Buffalo can’t find another coach they like to come in and run the show.

The hard part though lies with the location and current roster composition, as Buffalo certainly isn’t the most desirable spot to be, especially in the dead of winter, but that could be overcome if the team had a stable situation at key positions. Unfortunately, their biggest issues seem to be at both quarterback and offensive tackle, which will make for a longer rebuilding process unless the team goes out and gets legitimate players to fill those spots this off-season.

Mike Shanahan has already spent close to seven hours in discussion with the front office, but seems to have moved on for the time being, waiting to see what opportunities will be available before making a decision. The rest of the big names out there have all said no thank you to the Bills, so while Buffalo could call an audible and go after a rising assistant like Leslie Frazier (Vikings) or Brian Schottenheimer (Jets), at this point it’s looking more and more likely that Fewell will be the best option in the future.

(more…)

Cowher, Redskins not a good match

There is a growing consensus around the league that believes that former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher is ready to make a return to the sidelines next fall, and while there have been several speculative reports with him potentially landing in Chicago, Carolina, and Washington, thus far Cowher isn’t talking.

But according to Redskins beat reporter Chris Russell, sources close to Cowher have indicated that he would not be interested at this point in working for Redskins owner Dan Snyder, taking Washington out of the mix for his services and increasing the likelihood of a deal to coach the Panthers in the future (H/T to Football News Now)

We previously discussed a Cowher to Carolina deal last month, breaking down a multitude of factors that could positively impact the Panthers chances of landing Cowher, if they decide to remove current head coach John Fox from his position. At the time, it seemed as though all the right things were falling into place for Cowher to make his come back with Carolina, but depending on what the Bears decide to do with Lovie Smith, Chicago could definitely make a strong push to get Cowher into the fold and running the show.

As always, we’ll keep you posted when more information breaks on this and the other stories we’re following.

Cowher says thanks but no thanks; holding out for Carolina?

The Bills in-season coaching search took another turn tonight, this time in the wrong direction, as former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher rebuffed Buffalo owner Ralph Wilson and his overtures to bring Cowher in for an interview with the club.

This comes on the heels of reports that indicated a push by the Bills to bring in former Denver head coach Mike Shanahan, along with several intriguing rumors surrounding Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis and a potential fit for him in Buffalo. For the time being, the Bills are remaining tight lipped on their search, but given all the leaks springing up across the board, there’s no doubt that something big is afoot in western New York.

Cowher has repeatedly declined offers to return to the NFL as a head coach, preferring instead to focus on his family and his position with CBS’ The NFL Today on Sunday afternoon. That said, those close to the coach have said that the desire to coach again still burns deep within Cowher, and it’s simply a matter of him wanting to find the best opportunity possible for himself and his family.

One such locale would be Carolina, as Panthers head coach John Fox certainly isn’t out of the woods as of yet in terms of retaining his job. If he is removed from the position, you can bet that the first person to be called will be Cowher, who holds strong ties to the area with his permanent home being located reasonably close to Charlotte in Raleigh, NC.

(more…)


Official logos are copyright © of their respective agencies (NFL teams, NFL)

NFLNR is an unofficial source of news, and is not affiliated with the National Football League (NFL)

Site Map | Blog for NFLNR | About NFLNR | Privacy Policy | Contact

New Blackberry phones on sale | Thanks to Business Opportunity, Highest CD Rates and Registry Software
SEO Powered by Platinum SEO from Techblissonline
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Facebook