Head Coach
Jim Harbaugh
Is the head coach of the Stanford Cardinal football team. He is also a former quarterback who played for the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, and San Diego Chargers of the NFL. He was selected by the Bears with the 26th pick in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan.
Harbaugh was an assistant coach with the Oakland Raiders in 2002–2003. In 2002 he was an offensive assistant coach, and in 2003 he was the quarterbacks coach.
Prior to the 2004 season, Harbaugh was named head football coach at the University of San Diego. In his first year, he directed the Toreros to an overall mark of 7–4, including 5 straight wins to end the season. The following year, the team improved to 11–1 and won the 2005 Pioneer Football League Championship. In 2006, USD again went 11–1 winning their second consecutive Pioneer League title in the process.
Harbaugh was named the head football coach at Stanford University in December 2006, replacing Walt Harris. Harbaugh's father, Jack, was Stanford's defensive coordinator from 1980–1981, while Harbaugh attended Palo Alto High School, located directly across the street from Stanford Stadium.
In January 2009, Harbaugh was confirmed to have been interviewed by the New York Jets for the head coach position, although the job was eventually offered to Rex Ryan.
In 2009, the Cardinal had a comeback season, finishing the regular season at 8–4, finishing #21 in the polls, and receiving an invitation to play in the 2009 Sun Bowl, the Cardinal's first bowl appearance since 2001. Running back Toby Gerhart was named a Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing second to Mark Ingram in the closest margin of voting in Heisman history. On December 13, 2009, Harbaugh was rewarded with a three-year contract extension through the 2014 season.
The 2010 season brought more success for Harbaugh and the Cardinal who went 11–1 in the regular season, with their only loss coming from Oregon, a team that ultimately remained undefeated and went to the National Championship Game. This marked the first 11 win season in program history, earning Stanford a #4 BCS ranking a BCS bowl invitation to the Orange Bowl, where they will play against Virginia Tech. Second year starting quarterback Andrew Luck was named a Heisman Trophy finalist, the second year in a row that a finalist was from Stanford.
My View: I think Harbaugh is a real possibility as the Broncos head coach. He has agreed to stay on with Stanford and they will throw a ton of cash at him to keep him. But an NFL head coaching job may be intriguing to him.
Perry Fewell1985-1986 North Carolina Tar Heels was a special assistant, 1987 Army Black Knights was a assistant coach, 1988-1991 Kent State Golden Flashes served as defensive assistant, 1992-1994 Army Black Knights was a defensive assistant, 1995-1997 Vanderbilt Commodores was a assistant head coach and defensive backs coach, in 1998-2002 was with Jacksonville Jaguars as a defensive backs coach,
2003-2004 St. Louis Rams was a defensive backs coach, 2005 Chicago Bears was a defensive backs coach.
Fewell was hired as defensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills in 2006 and served in the position through Week 10 of the 2009 season. After a disappointing start, the Bills fired head coach Dick Jauron and Fewell was appointed interim head coach, leading Buffalo to a 3-4 finish. Following the season finale, the Bills fired their entire coaching staff, including Fewell.
In what was statistically their best season under Fewell, the 2008 Bills defense ranked 2nd in the AFC in negative yardage plays, recorded 7 games of holding opposing offenses to less than 100 yards rushing, finished 4th in the NFL in red zone defense (41.8%), and allowed just 14 passing TDs all year.
On January 14, 2010, Fewell was hired as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. Fewell will serve under head coach Tom Coughlin, under whom Fewell previously worked during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
My View: I like Fewell as a defensive minded Head coach, who could be a good choice but of course lacks HC experience and would be a risk. I would like him as a DC but I doubt he would make a lateral move like that from the Giants.
Jon Gruden
Immediately after graduating with a degree in communications, Gruden started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee during the 1986 season. He found his way as the quarterbacks coach at Southeast Missouri State for two years. He then moved to the University of the Pacific in 1989 as offensive assistant as the tight ends coach, where he coached Scott Lubow who was second team All Conference. He became the wide receivers coach for the University of Pittsburgh in 1991. Walt Harris was the offensive coodinator at Tennessee, where Gruden was one of his graduate assistant coaches, and later hired him at Pacific.
In 1990, Gruden's father Jim set up an interview with Mike Holmgren, who was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. Gruden impressed Holmgren with his knowledge of the game for such a young man. Holmgren hired Gruden as one of the first quality control coaches in the NFL.
He quickly ascended through the ranks of NFL coaching by learning the famous West Coast offense pioneered by longtime NFL coach Bill Walsh. When Holmgren left the 49ers to become head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1992, he took the promising young Gruden with him to become the team's wide receivers coach. After three seasons in Green Bay, Gruden moved on to become the offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles under former Packers assistant coach Ray Rhodes. Gruden then was chosen by the owner and general manager of the Oakland Raiders, Al Davis, to be the Raiders' new head coach for the 1998 season.
Under Gruden, the Raiders posted consecutive 8–8 seasons in 1998 and 1999, and leapt out of last place in the AFC West. After uniting with journeyman quarterback Rich Gannon, Gruden led the Raiders to the top of the AFC West and made the playoffs three straight seasons. Oakland finished 12–4 in the 2000 season, the team's most successful in a decade, and its first division title since 1990, ultimately reaching the AFC Championship, where they lost 16–3 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.
After compiling a 40–28 win-loss record (including playoffs) in four seasons with the Raiders, Gruden replaced the fired Tony Dungy as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002.
Immediately after arriving in Tampa, Gruden significantly retooled the offense with the addition of numerous free agents. His determination to fix the under-performing offense so often maligned during Dungy's tenure inspired the Bucs defense to another #1 ranking, which helped the team to a 12–4 season and a win over Gruden's old team in Super Bowl XXXVII. Despite the Super Bowl win, there were many, including players on the Buccaneers like Warren Sapp, who attributed Gruden's win primarily to the defense that coach Tony Dungy and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin had created during Dungy's tenure with the Bucs. Gruden publicly and graciously thanked Dungy for his contributions upon accepting the Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl XXXVII postgame ceremony.
In the two years following Gruden's Super Bowl win, the Bucs went 7–9 and 5–11 respectively, implying to many Dungy supporters that Gruden had simply taken over a strong team and then driven it into the ground. However, the high draft picks sacrificed by the team to acquire Gruden, along with salary-cap issues and failed draft choices forced upon him by the now-departed Rich McKay (with whom Gruden had an bitter relationship) limited Gruden's ability to field the teams he wanted after that successful Super Bowl-winning season.
Also in 2005 marked a return to the playoffs, as the Bucs' posted a surprising 11–5 record, despite the loss of starting quarterback Brian Griese and some controversial coaching decisions, including a two-point conversion in the final seconds to defeat the Washington Redskins, who would later return to Tampa and eliminate the Bucs from the wild-card round of the playoffs.
In 2006, Gruden led the Buccaneers to a 4–12 season. It was his worst record as a head coach and the first time a Tampa Bay team had not won more than four games since 1991.
In 2007, the team finally cleared itself of salary cap constraints and united Gruden with a mobile West Coast quarterback in former Pro Bowler and Grey Cup winner Jeff Garcia. The team posted a 9–7 record with five division wins (after resting starters for the final two games).
In 2008, Gruden was rewarded with a contract extension through the 2011 season. On November 30, Gruden earned his 100th win, against the New Orleans Saints. Going into December the Buccaneers were on pace to make the playoffs, claim a bye week and have home field advantage. However the Buccaneers went winless in the month of December, and on December 28 the Buccaneers were eliminated from making the playoffs by the Oakland Raiders, the team Gruden left for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers ended the season with four losses in a row.
Jon Gruden was fired by the Buccaneers on January 16, 2009, after seven seasons with the team.
Gruden has demonstrated he still knows NFL football very well by his wonderful commentary on MNF. What adds intrigue is that he’s a defensive based coach (the direction that many argued the Broncos should have gone instead of hiring McDaniels) and he is all buddy buddy with Tebow (as seen by “Gruden’s QB camp” in the preseason.
My View: I worry about Gruden, I think he is a good coach, but won the superbowl with a team Dungy had built. I like he can work with a GM and that he likes Tebow (a lot) but I worry about reports that he alienated enough one in his locker room (more than McD). The biggest issue with his signing as HC would be dollars.
Brian Billick
Is a National Football League game analyst for Fox, and is also an analyst for the network's Bowl Championship Series coverage. He was previously an NFL coach, most recently with the Baltimore Ravens from January 19, 1999 to December 31, 2007. Billick led the Ravens to a 34–7 victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, the franchise's only Super Bowl appearance. He was also notable for being the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings (1992-1998) when they broke the then scoring record in the 1998 season.In 1977, after being cut by the San Francisco 49ers, Billick returned to his hometown of Redlands, Calif., and served as a volunteer wide receivers coach for the University of Redlands football team (NAIA), under coach Frank Serrao. That season, he also split time as an assistant coach at Redlands High School.
Billick worked as a graduate assistant at Brigham Young for one season (1978) before joining the 49ers as the assistant director of public relations for two years (1979–1980).
Billick was then hired as the assistant head coach and tight ends coach at Stanford by Dennis Green, serving both roles for three seasons (1989–91).
The Vikings made the playoffs during six of the seven seasons (1992–1998) that Billick spent with the team, and set several offensive records in the process. In 1998, Minnesota set a then-NFL record for most points scored in a season (556), and set a team record with 41 touchdown passes. His work under Minnesota head coach Dennis Green put Billick in the Sid Gillman coaching tree.
Billick became the second coach in Ravens history on January 19, 1999, when he was hired to replace Ted Marchibroda. He had a 85–67 record in nine seasons (1999–2007) with the team, including 5–3 in the playoffs.
In his first season with the Ravens, Billick led the team to its first non-losing record (8–8) in the franchise's brief four-year history.
The next season, Baltimore finished with a 12–4 record and earned its first playoff berth. The Ravens took advantage of their vaunted defense, which allowed an NFL record-low 165 points in the regular season (for a point differential of 168; the Ravens also led the league in turnover differential at plus-23), during the playoffs to advance to and win Super Bowl XXXV.
Billick led the Ravens to a 10–6 record and a victory over the Miami Dolphins in a 2001 wild card playoff game before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round. Baltimore finished 7–9 and missed the playoffs in 2002, but bounced back in 2003 with a 10-6 record and the franchise's first division title; the key game of this season was a wild 44–41 overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks in which the Ravens scored 20 unanswered points from the 10:14 mark of the fourth quarter through overtime; the win launched the then 5–5 Ravens into the division title. The Ravens lost to the Titans, 20–17, in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
The Ravens missed the playoffs in 2004 (9–7) and 2005 (6–10) before bouncing back in the 2006 season. Billick fired offensive coordinator Jim Fassel on October 17, 2006, assuming the role for the remainder of the season, as the Ravens earned a franchise best 13–3 record, won the AFC North and earned the first playoff bye in team history. Baltimore, however, lost to eventual Super Bowl champions, the Indianapolis Colts, 15–6, in the divisional round.
Billick was fired from his position as head coach on December 31, 2007. This came after a season in which the team went 5–11, including 1–5 in the division.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti described the decision to fire Billick as the toughest decision he has ever had to make. Billick, in a short statement, said Bisciotti did what he believed was best for the Ravens, and asserted that the two men are and will remain friends.
My Take: Billick is a great coach and would be really good on this team. But I have read by the time of Billick’s fire he was hated by everyone in Baltimore (McD?). Again dollars will be an issue.
Bill CowherCowher began his coaching career in 1985 at age 28 under Marty Schottenheimer with the Cleveland Browns. He was the Browns' special teams coach in 1985–86 and secondary coach in 1987–88 before following Schottenheimer to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989 as defensive coordinator.
He became the fifteenth head coach in Steelers history when he succeeded Chuck Noll on January 21, 1992 – but only the second head coach since the NFL merger in 1970. Under Cowher, the Steelers showed an immediate improvement from the disappointing 7-9 season the year before, going 11-5 and earning home field advantage in the AFC after the Steelers had missed the playoffs six times out of the previous seven years. In 1995, at age 38, he became the youngest coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl. Cowher is only the second coach in NFL history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first six seasons as head coach, joining Pro Football Hall of Fame member Paul Brown.
In Cowher’s 15 seasons, the Steelers captured eight division titles, earned ten postseason playoff berths, played in 21 playoff games, advanced to six AFC Championship games and made two Super Bowl appearances. He is one of only six coaches in NFL history to claim at least seven division titles. It has become an article of faith among NFL pundits that the Steelers do not have a bad team two years in a row – they have never lost 10 or more games in consecutive years since the 1970 NFL merger. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers had the best record of any team in the National Football League since Cowher was hired as head coach.
On February 5, 2006, Cowher's Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL by defeating the Seattle Seahawks 21-10, giving Cowher his first Super Bowl ring. Through the Super Bowl, Cowher's team had compiled a record of 108–1–1 in games in which they built a lead of at least eleven points.
During the following season, there was talk about Cowher leaving the Steelers, ostensibly to spend more time with his family. On January 5, 2007, Cowher stepped down after 15 years at the helm of the franchise. The Steelers hired former Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin as Cowher's successor.
Cowher's record as a head coach is 149-90-1 (161-99-1 including playoff games).
My Take: Is probably the best coach on this list. But he wants complete control of the team which I don’t think the Broncos will give up. And there is a real issue with cash to get him.
Troy Calhoun.
Calhoun started as an assistant coach with AFA 20 years ago, in 1990, and moved onto Ohio University to be the QBs coach in 1995. Within two years, Calhoun had moved up to the offensive coordinator position, which he held until 2001, when he moved up to Wake Forest University as their OC.Then, in 2003, Calhoun was brought onto the Broncos’ staff as a defensive assistant and he later worked with both the offense and special teams as well.
In 2006, Gary Kubiak brought Calhoun with him to Houston to be the offensive coordinator and QBs coach, just before Calhoun took the head coaching job at Air Force in 2006.
Calhoun was hired on December 22, 2006 to be the head football coach for Air Force, replacing DeBerry who retired after 23 years as the Falcons' head coach. In his first season as head coach of the Falcons, he took the team to a 9-3 record, and a spot in the Armed Forces Bowl against Cal. On December 4, 2007, Calhoun was named Mountain West Coach of the year for 2007. In his four seasons with the Falcons, the team has gone a combined 33-18, with bowl appearances each season.
Air Force’s head man that is one of the frontrunners for the Broncos head coaching job. His move from Colorado Springs to Denver would be about an hour long drive.
My Take: I find Calhoun interesting, I think he is much like Harbaugh, a great college coach. And could be a real good coach at the next level. But again he like Harbaugh has been extended and offered more by his current position. He is also an unproven risk like Harbaugh. But I like him to be our HC.
Leslie Frazier
In 1999 Frazier joined first time Head Coach Andy Reid as Defensive Backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. It was there that Frazier worked as a fellow assistant with the Vikings future Head Coach, Brad Childress. The Eagles defense improved steadily in the four years that Frazier was there.
He was defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals from 2003-2004 where he helped turn the unit into a group that increased takeaways from 24 in 2003 to 36 in 2004. The Bengals' 36 takeaways ranked 3rd in the NFL in 2004. The 2004 Bengals notched 20 interceptions, the most since 1996. The Bengals' defense improved from 28th in the league in total yards allowed in 2003 to 19th in 2004, and declined in the two years following his dismissal.
In 2005, Frazier was hired by Tony Dungy as a defensive assistant for the Indianapolis Colts, receiving the title of Special Assistant to the Head Coach as well as Defensive Backs Coach. He was specifically brought in by Dungy to help the Colts' young corps of defensive backs. During his time in Indy the Colts passing defense improved from 15th in 2005 to 2nd in 2006. On February 4, 2007 the Colts beat Frazier's former team, the Chicago Bears, in Super Bowl XLI. Four days later, on February 8, 2007, he became the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings following the hiring of Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin by the Pittsburgh Steelers as their head coach.
On November 22, 2010, the Vikings fired head coach Brad Childress and named Frazier the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2010 season.
My Take: Would be a good HC, but I doubt the Vikings let him go.
Tony Dungy
Dungy was signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League as a defensive back, where he played as a reserve and special teams player for the Steelers in 1977 and the Super Bowl champion 1978 season, leading the team in interceptions in the latter campaign. In 1979 Dungy was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, then finished his career a year later in the training camp of the New York Giants in 1980.Following his NFL experience as a player, Dungy was invited to become an assistant coach for his alma mater, the University of Minnesota in 1980. After one season in charge of defensive backs, he was asked to come back to the NFL as a coach. He was hired as an assistant coach with the Steelers by Chuck Noll, his former coach, in 1981. His work under Noll put Dungy in the Sid Gillman coaching tree.
In 1982, he was named defensive backfield coach, and was promoted in 1984 to defensive coordinator. He left the Steelers in 1989 to become the defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, and took over the defensive coordinator position for the Minnesota Vikings under Dennis Green in 1992. While at Minnesota, Dungy's defense was ranked first in the NFL.
Dungy achieved his dream of being an NFL head coach when he was hired by Rich McKay to reform the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team well-known for its lack of success, on January 22, 1996. Dungy installed his version of the Cover 2 defense with Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin with a few new wrinkles now known as the famous Tampa 2.
Despite losing the first few games in 1996, the Buccaneers finished strong and showed signs of developing into a winning team. After a home win versus the Raiders, the Buccaneers fell to a quick 14–0 hole to the Chargers in San Diego, where the Buccaneers had not won on the west coast in over 15 years. Instead of folding, the team fought to a hard win. Many feel that was the game in which the team turned the corner.
In 1997, the Buccaneers finished second in the NFC Central division, Tampa Bay's first winning season since 1982 after starting the season 5-0 matching the only time the Bucs were ever undefeated with as many wins in the 1979 season.
Under Dungy's watch, the Buccaneers made four playoff appearances and won their division in 1999 only to lose to the St. Louis Rams in the NFC Championship Game. However, Tampa Bay under Dungy struggled to reach the playoffs in 1998. They went on to reach the playoffs again in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Also, in his last three playoff games, Tampa Bay was offensively shut out. Constant changes to the offensive coordinator position despite a successful 2000 offensive ranking were often to blame, as QB Shaun King had to work with 3 different coordinators in 3 years. Dungy was fired by the team on January 14, 2002 due to the club's repeated losses in the playoffs including two lopsided defeats (in 2000 and 2001) to the Philadelphia Eagles; and because it was determined by the team's higher management that the conservative offense that Dungy ran was too inconsistent against NFL teams.
On January 22, 2002, Dungy was hired as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, a team that at the time was very potent offensively, but very weak defensively. He installed his "Tampa 2" defense immediately and continued to retool the Colts' defense to his liking during his tenure. After joining the Colts, Dungy left the high-powered offense previously installed there by Jim Mora, in both playing style and in personnel, virtually unchanged. Dungy was reunited with Tom Moore, who was retained as offensive coordinator. Moore and Dungy had previously worked together at Minnesota and Pittsburgh.
During his early tenure in Indianapolis, Dungy struggled to fix the Colts' defense and had mixed results in the postseason. In his first season at Indianapolis the Colts were shut out 41–0 by the New York Jets in a first-round playoff game, and the team lost postseason games to the New England Patriots in both 2003 (in the AFC championship game) and 2004 (in the second round of the playoffs). Dungy signed a three-year contract extension in October 2005 for US$ 5 million per year.
The Colts focused on defensive improvements during the 2005 offseason, signing five-year defensive tackle Corey Simon. Widely expected to be a Super Bowl contender, the Colts won their first 13 games, prompting much speculation about the possibility of the Colts becoming the NFL's first team to finish the season undefeated since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
Their thirteenth win guaranteed the Colts home field advantage throughout the playoffs. With nothing to play for except the chance to go unbeaten, the Colts lost their 14th game to the San Diego Chargers. The Colts only played their starters sparingly in the last two games. The Colts lost in their first playoff game to the eventual Super Bowl winner Pittsburgh Steelers. This loss made the Colts the first team to ever start a season 13–0 and not reach the Super Bowl.
The Colts' 2006 playoff run was characterized by a marked improvement in defensive play, as the Colts defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, holding one of the NFL's best running backs to less than 50 yards, and upset the favored Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round. On January 21, 2007, after trailing 21-3, the Colts defeated the New England Patriots to become AFC Champions and advanced to Super Bowl XLI. This was the largest comeback in conference title game history.
On February 4, 2007, Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts won Super Bowl XLI 29–17 over Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears at Dolphin Stadium in Miami.
On January 21, 2008, Dungy announced that he would return at least for the 2008 season.
On January 12, 2009, Jim Caldwell (the former Wake Forest head coach) was chosen as the new head coach for the Indianapolis Colts after being named Dungy's future successor a year earlier. On November 1, 2010, the Colts added Tony Dungy's name to the Colts Ring of Honor located on the middle balcony on the east side of Lucas Oil Stadium.
On offense, Dungy's strategy involved a conservative, ball-control offense based primarily around running the ball and short, high-percentage passes when he was at Tampa Bay. At Indianapolis, he inherited and kept the offense designed by offensive coordinator Tom Moore because the offense was in the hands of someone he knew and trusted. In both cases, most of the offensive planning has been handled by his offensive coordinators.
On defense, Dungy uses a stifling "Cover 2" style zone defense, which is usually based on a formation with 4 linemen, 3 linebackers, and 4 defensive backs. The "Cover 2" defense Dungy uses involves having his linemen rushing the passer, the cornerbacks covering the passing flat area, the linebackers covering the middle of the field, and the safeties providing deep coverage on each half of their respective zones. While the Cover 2 defense is not a new concept, Dungy "systemized" it into a every down defense. The personnel and techniques that Dungy uses in this defense is very specific, and as a result, his style of defense has earned the moniker of the "Tampa 2" around the NFL.
66% win percentage.
My Take: If we get Dungy then he will completely change our defensive scheme, unless he brings in a DC like Phillips. He also needs an OC that can attack and not be conservative. Also a big fan of Tebow. I like Dungy but he would want complete control of the team like Cowher. This would be an interesting pick up as HC. Dungy could also possibly serve as the GM and bring in a HC like Frazier.
Jeff FisherFisher entered the NFL as a 7th round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 1980 and appeared in 49 games as a defensive back and return specialist in five seasons.
He earned a Super Bowl ring after Chicago’s 1985 Super Bowl season, despite spending the year on injured reserve with an ankle injury that prematurely ended his playing career. In 1983, Fisher had suffered a broken leg on a punt return when he was tackled by then-Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Cowher, the future head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coincidentally the two became rivals as head coaches beginning in the AFC Central in 1995; Fisher's Oilers/Titans squads came out with an 11-7 record against Cowher's Steelers.
Realizing his playing days were over, and not content to be idle, Fisher wanted to still be involved with professional football. In 1985, the Bears put him on injured reserve, so during this time he became a defensive assistant to Buddy Ryan, the Bears' defensive coordinator. After the 1985 Bears won Super Bowl XX, Ryan left Chicago to become the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Fisher went with him. He joined the Eagles as a defensive backs coach and in 1988 was promoted to defensive coordinator at the age of 30, becoming the youngest one in the league at that point. Fisher found great success despite his youth, and the 1989 Eagles defense led the NFL in interceptions (30) and sacks (62). The 1990 squad led the League in rushing defense and was second in sacks.
In 1991, Fisher headed west to be reunited with his college coach John Robinson, serving as the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator for one season. The next two seasons, he served as the defensive backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers. These years as an assistant to George Seifert placed Fisher in the Bill Walsh coaching tree. On February 9, 1994, Fisher again became a defensive coordinator, this time for the Houston Oilers under Jack Pardee. Fisher succeeded his one-time mentor Ryan, who left the post to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
On November 14, 1994, Pardee was fired, and Fisher was promoted to replace him for the last six games of the season. The Oilers retained Fisher as head coach, and the Oilers drafted quarterback Steve McNair in the 1995 NFL Draft. The new coach did not disappoint, leading the team to a 7–9 record in 1995, tied for second place in the division. The following year the Oilers added Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George, and they achieved an 8–8 record. However, an inability to get a new stadium deal in Houston caused owner Bud Adams to relocate the team to Tennessee for the 1997 season.
In the team's first two seasons in Tennessee the Oilers compiled a two-year record of 16-16.
The 1999 season, which saw the renaming of the team to the Tennessee Titans, proved the doubters wrong. Fisher led the Titans to a surprising 13–3 regular season record, leading them deep into the playoffs (thanks to the Music City Miracle), all the way to Super Bowl XXXIV. Fisher's team fell to the St. Louis Rams, 23–16; wideout Kevin Dyson was tackled one yard short of the end zone with no time remaining. This play became known as "The Tackle" in football lore. Tennessee achieved the same record the next year, but were defeated in the AFC playoffs by the Baltimore Ravens who would go on to win Super Bowl XXXV.
The 2001 season was a disappointing one for the Titans, as they could only muster a 7–9 showing. The beginning of the next season proved to be even worse, with the franchise starting off with a 1–4 record. Following one home loss, owner Bud Adams made the comment to reporters that perhaps the Titans "were getting outcoached." This provided a spark the team needed, and they finished the season with a 11–5 record and made it to the AFC Championship Game.
The 2003 season saw more success, with yet another trip to the playoffs and McNair winning the League MVP award. Again, they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, but the team's progress did not go unnoticed. The 2004 season, however, was plagued by injuries from the start, and Fisher's worst record as head coach (4–12) was the result. Following the season, many veteran players (such as Samari Rolle and Derrick Mason) were cut in an effort to comply with the strict salary cap. The relative youth of the team resulted in a disappointing 2005 season as well. Before the 2005 season, Fisher hired Norm Chow out of USC to be his offensive coordinator.
In 2006, the Titans finished a better-than-expected 8–8. Quarterback Steve McNair was released and Vince Young was drafted, but began the season as backup to veteran Kerry Collins. The season began slowly at 0-3 before Collins was replaced by Young. The team ultimately started 2-7, but following a 27-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and McNair, the Titans erupted to win six straight games, including a 24-point rally to beat the Giants. With this promising record the Titans exercised their right to extend his contract by a year, keeping him as the head coach through the 2007 NFL season season.
In 2007, he led the Titans to a 10-6 record and made the AFC playoffs as the 6th seed, but lost in the opening round to the San Diego Chargers.
In 2008, Fisher led the Titans to a 10-0 undefeated streak only to be upset by Brett Favre and the New York Jets midway through the 2008 season. Young was benched after the first game due to emotional stress and replaced by Collins. The Titans finished 13-3 and secured the number 1 seed in the AFC, yet lost in the second round of the 2008 NFL Playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens.
Fisher is among the relatively few NFL head coaches to have started out as an interim head coach and then to have gone on to enjoy a successful tenure.
Fisher was rumored as a possible head coach of the USC Trojans in 2010, but did not voice interest in the position.
55% win rate.
My Take: As a coach I would prefer one of the other guys, I am not a fan of the teams he puts together. He will cost a lot though.
John FoxIn 2002 Fox was signed as the third head coach of the Panthers, whose previous coach George Seifert had led the team to a disastrous 1-15 record in 2001. Fox's first regular season game was a 10-7 victory over the Baltimore Ravens which ended the Panthers' 15-game losing streak dating to the previous season. Fox and the Panthers posted a 7-9 record for the 2002 season (his first with the team), demonstrating a drastic improvement over the previous season.
In the 2003 season Fox led the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII, losing 32-29 to the New England Patriots on a last-minute field goal by Adam Vinatieri. In taking the Panthers to the Super Bowl, Fox joined Vince Lombardi as the only coaches to inherit a team that had won only one game in the season immediately prior to their hiring, and then took that team to the Super Bowl. John Fox took the Carolina Panthers to the NFC Championship game in the 2005 season, but they were defeated by the Seattle Seahawks.
The 2006 season was disappointing for Fox and the Panthers, as a team that had Super Bowl aspirations fell out of the playoffs.
The 2007 season saw the team finish with a record of 7-9, before finishing with a 12-4 record in the 2008 season, again heading to the playoffs in which they were routed by the Arizona Cardinals.
Carolina continues to struggle only winning 1 game so far in 2010.
52% game win record.
My Take: Again like Fisher, I would prefer one of the other guys and not a fan of the teams he puts together.
Eric StudesvilleIn 2001, he was hired as the New York Giants running backs coach. There, he guided running back Tiki Barber to two consecutive 1,000 yard rushing seasons and paved the way for Barber to become one of the best offensive weapons for the Giants in the coming years. In 2002, Barber recorded 1,387 rushing yards which was not only a career high for the running back, but the second-most total in Giants franchise history.
He left the Giants in 2004 and joined the Buffalo Bills as their running backs coach. In his first year, he helped 2003 first-round draft choice Willis McGahee to reach 1,000 yards rushing. The following year in 2005, McGahee again rushed for over 1,000 yards. In 2006, McGahee fell 10 yards short of his third consecutive 1,000 yard season as he finished the year with 990 rushing yards.
In 2007, the Bills selected running back Marshawn Lynch with the 12th overall pick. Studesville guided Lynch to a total of 1,115 rushing yards, making Lynch the fifth rookie in team history to reach the 1,000 yard milestone.
Studesville was promoted to running backs coordinator in 2008. That year, he helped Lynch earn a Pro Bowl selection with his second consecutive 1,000 yard rushing year, rushing for 1,036 yards. The following year, however, an injury to Lynch opened the door to undrafted running back Fred Jackson who rushed for 1,082 total yards.
In January of 2010, Studesville was hired by the Broncos as the running backs coach. By week 13 of the 2010 season, starting running back Knowshon Moreno had rushed for 633 yards and 4 total touchdowns for a 4.3 yards-per-carry average, including rushing for a career high 161 yards that week in a loss against the Kansas City Chiefs.
On December 6, 2010, then-Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels was fired by owner Pat Bowlen and Studesville was promoted to interim head coach in his place. The choice of Studesville to replace McDaniels was viewed by some as a surprise: for example, ESPN.com columnist John Clayton wrote, "Eric Studesville of the Denver Broncos might be one of the most surprising names to emerge as an interim coach in many, many years.
My Take: Won’t be the HC, but keeping him on as the RB coach is an option.
Russ GrimmDuring his 11 seasons as the Redskins' starting guard, Russ Grimm helped lead his team to 4 Super Bowl appearances and 3 Super Bowl victories (Super Bowl XVII in 1983, Super Bowl XXII in 1988, and Super Bowl XXVI in 1992). Along the way, Grimm was selected to 4 consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (1983 through 1986). He was named an All-Pro in each of those years as well.
According to Mark May, a teammate both at Pittsburgh and on the Redskins, no one lived up to the "Hog" persona more than Grimm: "He was a blue collar stiff and proud of it." In his 2005 memoir, May recalled a Christmas party at his house in 1982: "I iced down a keg of beer and stationed it on the landing between the first floor and basement. Russ turned the landing into his headquarters for the evening. He grabbed a chair and a Hog shot glass (a 60-ounce pitcher) and parked his butt on the landing next to the keg. Except for an occasional trip to the bathroom, we didn't see Russ on the first level all night..."
Grimm was a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, and a finalist in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010. The bust of Grimm, sculpted by Scott Myers, was unveiled at the Enshrinement Ceremony on August 8, 2010.
After hanging up his player's cleats, Grimm returned to the Redskins as a tight end coach (from 1992 through 1996, and offensive line coach from 1997 through 2000, during which he was instrumental in the development of tackles Chris Samuels and Jon Jansen. After his coaching stint with the Redskins, Grimm joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as offensive line coach in September 2000. In 2004 he was promoted to Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line.
In 2004, after the Chicago Bears fired Dick Jauron, Bears management considered Grimm as a top candidate for the job. The job eventually went to then St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.
In 2005, Grimm added another Super Bowl ring (totalling 4) to his résumé as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers' coaching staff (Offensive Line Coach).Under Grimm guidance in 2005, the Super Bowl champion Steelers averaged nearly 140 yards rushing per game during the regular season to rank fifth in the NFL while also grinding out 181 rushing yards in their Super Bowl XL victory over the Seattle Seahawks. In 2006 Steelers offensive line helped pave the way for running back Willie Parker to gain 1,494 yards and 13 touchdowns on 337 carries with 4.4 yard avg. and earn his first Pro Bowl selection. Pittsburgh offense finished the 2006 season with the 10th best rushing attack in the NFL, helping to give the Steelers the 7th ranked total offense in the league. Parker finished the season with the second and third top rushing performances of the year in the NFL with 223 rushing yards 32 att., TD against Cleveland Browns and 213 yards with 22 att, 2 TD vs. New Orleans Saints.
On January 5, 2007, Bill Cowher resigned as head coach of the Steelers. In the press conference that followed, Steeler's President Art Rooney II announced Russ Grimm as one of the candidates for the job. On January 15, 2007, he was named as a finalist for the job along with Ken Whisenhunt and Mike Tomlin. The Steelers would end up hiring Tomlin as their head coach. Shortly after, Whisenhunt was hired by the Arizona Cardinals to be their new head coach, and Grimm followed him to serve as their assistant head coach/offensive line coach. In his first season in Arizona, his offensive line allowed only 24 sacks, 6th best in the NFL and the fewest given up by the Cardinals since 1978 with 22. Grimm’s offensive line also paved the way for running back Edgerrin James to rush for 1,222 yards, the fifth best total in team history. The Cardinals offense finished with the 5th best passing attack in the NFL and threw for a team record 32 touchdowns.
Russ Grimm is believed to be one of the potential candidates to take over the head coaching position for the Carolina Panthers for the 2011 season. Current coach, John Fox is not expected to have his contract renewed.
My take: Russ would be an unproven HC, but he brings a hard nose style, which I like. Would be a great DC but I doubt the lateral move. Is an interesting prospect though.
Steve MariucciHe began his coaching career at his alma mater (1978–79), and moved to Cal State Fullerton (1980–82) and Louisville (1983–84). Mariucci's first pro position was as a receivers coach for the USFL's Orlando Renegades in 1985. Later that fall, he had a brief stint with the Los Angeles Rams as quality control coach.
He joined the USC staff in 1986 and then moved to the coaching staff at California in 1987. In 1990–91, he served as the Golden Bears' Offensive Coordinator before being appointed as QB coach for the Green Bay Packers.
After four years as quarterback coach for the Green Bay Packers, Mariucci returned to Cal as Head Coach in 1996 where the team finished 6-6, including a loss in the Aloha Bowl to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Following his season with the Golden Bears, Mariucci was considered a leading candidate for several NFL coaching positions, and was hired to coach the San Francisco 49ers.
Mariucci's 1997 team went 13–3 during the regular season, earning home-field advantage in the NFC. After defeating the Minnesota Vikings in the Divisional Playoffs, San Francisco hosted the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game, but lost 23–10 in a muddy, rainy contest at Candlestick Park. The defeat was the 49ers fourth NFC title loss of the 1990s, following losses to the New York Giants in 1990 and the Dallas Cowboys in 1992 and 1993. In 1998, the 49ers posted a 12–4 record and returned to the playoffs as a wild card team, but lost 20-18 in the divisional round to the eventual NFC champion Atlanta Falcons. Two losing seasons followed, but in 2001, the 49ers returned to the playoffs after a 12–4 season, once again to be eliminated by the Packers.
Mariucci's final season in San Francisco was 2002. The 49ers won the NFC West with a 10-6 record and beat the New York Giants in a controversial wild-card game, posting the second-biggest comeback playoff victory in NFL history. However, they were crushed 31–6 by the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round. On January 15, 2003, the 49ers fired Mariucci, reportedly after the coach lost a power struggle with general manager Terry Donahue. As San Francisco's coach, he compiled a 60–43 (.583) record, while his teams earned playoff berths four times.
Mariucci was named the Lions' 22nd head coach on February 4, 2003, and was fired on November 28, 2005. In his 2+ years in Detroit, he compiled a disappointing 15-28 record. Mariucci's troubles in Detroit were partially attributed to poor personnel evaluations by then Lions' General Manager Matt Millen, who had signed Mariucci to a five-year $25 million guaranteed contract, the NFL's highest coaching contract at the time. During his time in Detroit, the Lions never finished higher than third in their division and never contended for a playoff berth. The decision to fire Mariucci came after a 27–7 blowout loss on national television on Thanksgiving Day to the Atlanta Falcons.
During the Brett Favre–Green Bay Packers dispute throughout the 2008 off-season, Favre discredited the Packers for not interviewing Mariucci for their head coaching job in 2006. Mariucci, who previously worked with Favre, was figured to be a great candidate for the West Coast Offense style played in Green Bay.
Mariucci is one of thirteen head coaches since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970 to lead his team to a division title in his first season. Mariucci established an NFL mark for consecutive wins by a rookie head coach with an 11-game winning streak, which has since been trumped by Jim Caldwell's 14-0 start with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2009 season.
During coverage for NFL Combine, he had been mocked for cutting Jerry Rice and Kurt Warner.
51% game win rate.
My Take: Mariucci is an interesting idea as an HC, I doubt he gives up his day job but it would not surprise me to see him in there.
Brian SchottenheimerBrian played college football as a quarterback at University of Kansas and then as backup to Danny Wuerffel at the University of Florida from 1994 to 1996, and he was a member of the Gators' 1996 national championship team. He graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree in sports management in 1997. During his career, he completed 25-of-38 passes (65.8%) for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns, and also ran for a TD.
Schottenheimer was an assistant coach with the St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Syracuse Orange, USC Trojans and Washington Redskins from 1997 to 2001, before becoming an assistant coach with the Chargers. He was an assistant under his father, Marty Schottenheimer, in three of those coaching positions: Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers.
In early 2007, Schottenheimer's name was floated around as being a possible replacement for the departed Nick Saban as the Miami Dolphins head coach. He later removed his name from consideration for the Dolphins head coaching position, preferring to stay in New York.
After the 2008 NFL season, when coach Eric Mangini was fired, Schottenheimer was one of the first candidates to interview for the open head coaching position. However, he eventually lost out to Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan
On January 13, 2009, Schottenheimer announced that he was staying with the Jets and would not interview for the head coaching vacancy in Buffalo.
My Take: An up and coming OC that could be McD 2.0? Is a risk as an HC. But he will be high on the list of candidates.
Marty SchottenheimerIn 1980, he was hired as the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. Schottenheimer became Cleveland's head coach midway through the 1984 season, replacing fired head coach Sam Rutigliano. Schottenheimer would remain with the Browns until 1988, amassing a 44-27 (.620) regular-season record and a 2-4 (.333) mark in the playoffs, including four playoff appearances, three AFC Central Division titles, and two trips to the AFC Championship Game (both against the Denver Broncos).
Schottenheimer spent 10 seasons as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989 to 1998 recording an impressive 101-58-1 regular season record (.634) including three division titles, seven playoff appearances, and a trip to the AFC Championship game in 1993, losing to the Buffalo Bills. After a disappointing 7–9 season in 1998, Schottenheimer resigned as Chiefs head coach on January 11, 1999.
After working as a football analyst for ESPN from 1999 to 2000, Schottenheimer was hired as head coach of the Washington Redskins for the 2001 season.
Schottenheimer's Redskins became the first team in NFL history to win five consecutive games immediately after losing its first five games. The Redskins would win eight of their final eleven games to narrowly miss the post season. Despite this momentum, in a controversial move, Daniel Snyder, the owner of the Redskins, fired Schottenheimer on January 13, 2002 after just one 8–8 season to make room for former University of Florida head coach Steve Spurrier, under whom Washington went 12-20 in the next two seasons.
The San Diego Chargers hired Schottenheimer as their 13th head coach on January 29, 2002. Schottenheimer posted a 47–33 record (.588) with the Chargers. His success didn't come immediately, as the team posted a 4–12 record in 2003, thereby "earning" the first overall pick in the draft (this was the last time that a team with the worst record in the NFL kept its head coach the following season, even considering the 3 other 4–12 teams that season replaced their head coaches, Oakland, Arizona, and the New York Giants hiring Norv Turner, Dennis Green, and Tom Coughlin, respectively). He was named NFL Coach of the Year for the 2004 NFL season. Schottenheimer led the team to 2 playoff appearances, his 12th and 13th as a head coach. However, both appearances resulted in disappointing losses to the underdog New York Jets in overtime in 2005 and the New England Patriots in 2007, bringing his playoff record to 5–13.
Schottenheimer was abruptly fired by San Diego on February 12, 2007. Reasons for his firing include a strained relationship with general manager A.J. Smith, which reached a breaking point when 4 assistants (Cam Cameron, Wade Phillips, Rob Chudzinski and Greg Manusky) left for positions with other teams. It should be noted that these coaches left to pursue higher level opportunities with other teams, instead of merely making a lateral move to another team in which they would be doing the very same thing they were doing at San Diego.
61% game win rate.
My Take: Marty is an interesting option, though beginning a former Charger I am not a huge fan of this idea.
Ron RiveraIn the 1984 NFL Draft, Rivera was selected in the second round by the Chicago Bears, becoming the first Puerto Rican/Mexican to play in the NFL. During the 1985 Season, Rivera played in Super Bowl XX, where the Bears beat the New England Patriots, 46-10. He thus became the first Puerto Rican to play on a Super Bowl Championship Team. Rivera played for the Bears for a total of nine seasons (1984–1992).
In 1993, Rivera went to work for a WGN-TV and SportsChannel in Chicago as a TV analyst covering the Bears and college football. In 1996, he became a defense quality control coach for the Bears.
In 1999, Rivera was named linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. During his tenure the Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship for three consecutive seasons. He is credited with developing linebacker Jeremiah Trotter into a two-time Pro Bowl performer.
On January 23, 2004, Rivera was named the Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator, becoming the first Puerto Rican/ Mexican in the history of the NFL to hold such a position. In 2005, the Chicago Bears defense was rated second-best in the NFL. The Bears qualified for the NFC playoffs losing in the 2nd Round to the Carolina Panthers 29-21. The 2005 season output of the Chicago Bears earned him consideration for Head Coach assignments from several NFL teams.
In 2006, the Bears’ defensive efforts failed to match the success of their 2005 season. Nevertheless, the team was still a notable presence in league, finishing with the league’s third ranked and conference’s top-ranked points allowed category. The defense’s success earned Rivera recognition among franchises looking for new head coaches. The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers interviewed him in January 2007. He was a candidate for the vacant Dallas Cowboys head coaching position, a job that ultimately went to San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. Rivera was named as a potential candidate to replace the fired Marty Schottenheimer in San Diego, but the job was filled by Norv Turner, the brother of fellow offensive coordinator, Ron Turner, Rivera's offensive counterpart in Chicago. After the announcement, ESPN reported that the Bears were considering letting Rivera go. This came after several other teams interviewed him, and the negotiations between his representatives and the Bears were making little progress. On February 19, 2007, it was announced that Ron Rivera's contract with the Bears would not be renewed.
The San Diego Chargers hired Rivera as team's inside linebackers coach after he left the Bears. On October 28, 2008, Rivera was promoted to defensive coordinator with the Chargers after the team released former defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell.
My Take: Again an interesting prospect, but a former Charger. Maybe??? I don’t know…
Rob RyanIn 1999, they were ranked 10th in the nation in total defense. In 1998, they were second in the nation with 41 sacks. In his first season at Oklahoma State, the Cowboys defense finished among the nation top-20 in turnover margin, rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense, allowing just 302.7 yards per game. It was an over 100-yard improvement per game from the year before and helped the Cowboys produce an 8–4 mark and an Alamo Bowl berth.
In 2003, Ryan's squad helped the Patriots defense rank first in the NFL in fewest points allowed 238 while ranking seventh overall in the NFL in total defense. Ryan's unit also contributed to one of the best scoring defenses in franchise history in 2001, as the Patriots allowed just 17 points per game and produced Pro Bowlers Willie McGinest and Tedy Bruschi.
Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini named Ryan as his defensive coordinator on January 14, 2009.
My Take: Not a huge fan of Rex Ryan as a person, but is a good HC. His brother may be the same, Rob could be a good HC with the right GM of course.
Dom CapersAfter a stint in the USFL, he began his NFL career as an assistant with the New Orleans Saints and was named defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1992, including a trip to the AFC Championship game in 1994. He remained with the Steelers until becoming head coach of the expansion Carolina Panthers in 1995. After 1995's 7–9 season, a record breaking mark for an expansion team, the Panthers went to the NFC Championship game in 1996. Continuing to spend against the salary cap, and eventually taking control of personnel matters in 1997, the Panthers went 7–9, followed by a dismal 4–12 season in 1998, at the end of which he was terminated.
After being let go from the Panthers, he served as an assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars until becoming the head coach of the expansion Houston Texans on January 21, 2001. After starting out 4–12 (2002) and 5–11 (2003) in his first two seasons in Houston, the Texans posted a 7–9 mark in 2004.
Capers was known for his abilities as a defensive coach, and for his conservative play-calling on offense. Several TV announcers were known to predict Texans plays on occasion. He was also famous because he kept a 17 hour per day work schedule and sleeping just five hours per night, often on a couch in his office.
The Texans announced in 2005 following their record of 2-14 (worst in NFL) that Capers would be fired January 2, 2006.
On January 23, 2006, the Miami Dolphins announced the hiring of Dom Capers as the team's defensive coordinator. There, he served as assistant head coach. With an annual salary of $2.6 million, Capers was the highest paid assistant coach in the NFL, alongside Washington Redskins assistant head coach Gregg Williams. On Thursday, January 3, 2008, Dom Capers was fired along with all offensive and defensive coaches. It was said that the new head coach may hire the assistants back.
On January 29, 2008, Capers interviewed with the Dallas Cowboys for the vacant linebackers coach position. It is rumored that he was offered the defensive coordinator or defensive consultant position.
On February 21, 2008, Capers was hired by the Patriots as their secondary coach/special assistant, replacing Joel Collier.
On January 19, 2009, Capers was named the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator by head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson, where he replaced the 4-3 defense Green Bay has used since 1992 with the 3-4 he used in Miami. Green Bay's defensive ranking in his first year improved to second in the league in 2009, from twenty-first in the league in 2008. While the defensive ranking for the Packers stood at 14th as of week 9 of the 2010 season, his work was considered stellar in light of the number of injuries the Packers had experienced to that point in the season.
37% game win rate.
My Take: Capers is a great DC but an average HC, but I would not mind giving him ago as long as he brings a good defense with him.
Jim FasselFassel played quarterback at California State University, Long Beach after playing at USC in 1969. He was drafted in the 7th round by the Chicago Bears in the 1972 NFL Draft. He played briefly with The Hawaiians of the WFL in 1974, and became an assistant coach during the 1974 WFL season when the team brought New York Giants quarterback Randy Johnson in from the NFL. He left the WFL after the '74 season, and was working in air conditioning in Utah when the Hawaiians needed a quarterback late in the 1975 season. He played in the final game of the WFL for the Hawaiians, throwing the last pass in the league's history as the WFL folded three days later on October 22, 1975. Jim Fassel's total passing stats with the Hawaiians for 1974 and 1975 were 16 completions out of 39 attempts for 205 yards. He did not throw any touchdowns and was intercepted four times.
Fassel began his career with assistant coaching stints at Utah State University and Stanford University, working with John Elway at Stanford. He also served as head coach of Utah.
Fassel has a long record of offensive success. He tutored prominent quarterbacks Phil Simms and John Elway. Prior to becoming New York Giants head coach, Fassel served as an assistant coach with the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Oakland Raiders. Jim Fassel's first pro coaching job was with the Hawaiians of the World Football League in 1974. He played QB and then moved to the sidelines. Fassel was an offensive assistant coach under Mike Giddings.
During Fassel's time as Giants head coach, his teams were known for numerous post-season runs in December and for winning big games, such as against the previously undefeated Denver Broncos in 1998. In 1997, he was named NFL coach of the year. He resurrected the career of quarterback Kerry Collins and received acclaim for his "playoff guarantee" in the 2000 season, during which he led the Giants to an improbable Super Bowl appearance.
However, his legacy as head coach for the Giants is mixed. Fassel's Giants were known for their disappointments against inferior teams in the regular season, as well as in the playoffs. The most notable loss was a shocking 39-38 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2002 postseason, in which they blew a 38-14 third quarter lead. During the 2003 season, injuries decimated the Giants and he was fired amidst some controversy.
Critics of Fassel have pointed to his lack of success after two seasons with the Ravens, in 2004 and 2005. During that time, the Ravens ranked near the bottom of the league in offense.
In January 2009, Fassel was named coach of the Las Vegas entrant into the United Football League. The Locos finished the regular season 4-2 and defeated the 6-0 Florida Tuskers in the first UFL Championship Game.
Jim Fassel returned to the Locos in 2010 and repeated as champions, again defeating the Tuskers in the 2010 UFL Championship Game.
My Take: Fassel is an interesting prospect for a head coach, he has experience and the connection with Elway. This may be possible and is an interesting idea, the more I think about it.
Mike Mularkey
Mularkey started his coaching career in 1994 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a Quality Control coach for both the offense and defense. In 1995 he was promoted to Tight End Coach and held the position for one season.Mularkey was hired as the Pittsburgh Steelers tight ends coach in 1996 and held the position until the conclusion of the 2000 season, when he replaced Kevin Gilbride as the team's offensive coordinator. He has a reputation for being an offense-oriented head coach with a penchant for trick plays. His skill for creating special packages to utilize multi-dimensional players such as Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El earned him the nickname "Inspector Gadget" . Even with his creative imagination, his philosophy of being the most physical punishing offense helped the Steelers average 10+ wins a year during his 3 years as offensive coordinator.
In 2004, Mularkey left the Steelers and was hired by the Buffalo Bills to succeed Gregg Williams as the team's head coach. Mularkey started out his first campaign as Bills head coach with a record of 0–4. He rallied his team to a 9–7 record by the end of the season, however, sparked by a six-game winning streak during which the Bills scored more points than in any other similar stretch in franchise history. This has been their last winning season to date.
His second season in Buffalo was far less successful. Dogged by a quarterback controversy between J.P. Losman and Kelly Holcomb and a series of defensive personnel problems, Mularkey led the team to a 5–11 finish and a sixth consecutive year out of the playoffs - the longest such active streak in the AFC. Mularkey's offensive schemes continued to be touted by then general manager Tom Donahoe, despite the lack of production; Mularkey's schemes proved to be predictable, and the Bills finished 28th in total offense.
On January 12, 2006, Mularkey resigned as head coach of the Bills, citing a disagreement in the direction of the organization, which had recently hired new management including ex-coach Marv Levy.
On January 22, 2006, Mularkey was hired to be the Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator. As the offensive coordinator under Miami's coach, Nick Saban, Mularkey had an unsuccessful season with injuries to his first string quarterback, Daunte Culpepper, and running back, Ronnie Brown. The Dolphins only scored 16.3 points per game, ranking 29th in the NFL. Following the season, it was announced Saban had resigned as Dolphins head coach and he accepted the position of head coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide on January 3, 2007.
Upon the hiring of former San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron as Dolphins head coach on January 19, 2007, it was announced that Mularkey would no longer serve as offensive coordinator but would remain with the team in another capacity. On March 15, 2007 it was officially announced that Cameron himself would call the offensive plays in 2007, leaving Mularkey to serve as tight ends coach.
On January 3 it was announced that Mularkey was let go from his tight ends coach position, as were all other coaches for the Miami Dolphins.
On January 25, 2008 it was announced that he would become the next offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. In his first season at Atlanta , Mularkey helped the offense to be the second place in the league with 152.5 rushing yards per game, also finished 10th in scoring with 24.4 (up from 29th in 2007) and 6th in yards with 361.2 per game , Mularkey was being considered for an interview with the Detroit Lions for their head coaching vacancy.
My Take: Not a fan, not aggressive enough play calling for my liking.
Offensive Coordinators
Urban MeyerAfter two seasons at Bowling Green, he took the job at Utah in 2003. In his first year there, Meyer was named the Mountain West Conference's Coach of the Year with a 10–2 record, the best ever for a coach's first season at Utah. He also earned honors as The Sporting News National Coach of the Year, the first Utes coach to do so. Meyer's success can be attributed to his unique offensive system, which is an offshoot of Bill Walsh's West Coast Offense, relying on short pass routes. Meyer's base offense spreads three receivers and puts the quarterback in shotgun formation. Then, he introduces motion in the backfield and turns it into an option attack, adding elements of the traditional run-oriented option offense.
In 2004, Meyer led the undefeated Utes to a Bowl Championship Series bid, something that had not been done by a team from a non-automatically qualifying BCS conference since the formation of the BCS in 1998 He remained at Utah long enough to coach the team to a Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh, capping off the Utes' first perfect season (12–0) since 1930.
Meyer has been criticized by some commentators because thirty of his players have been arrested during his nearly six years as the Gators' coach. The seriousness of the charges has varied widely among the thirty players, from seemingly minor offenses such as possession of alcohol by a minor to the very serious charge of possession of a concealed weapon, and many of the charges were ultimately dismissed. Meyer's punishments have also varied with the severity of the charge, with some players never missing game time and others being kicked off the team.
In 2005, his first season at Florida, Meyer's Gators team finished the season 9–3 (5–3 in the Southeastern Conference). The season included an undefeated record at home and a bowl victory against Iowa in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida. The Gators would have faced LSU in the SEC Championship Game, but they lost to South Carolina and former Florida coach Steve Spurrier in the SEC regular season finale. Instead, the Gators' rival, the Georgia Bulldogs, took the SEC Eastern Division title to the championship game, ultimately defeating LSU.
In 2006, Meyer coached the Gators to a 13–1 (8–1 in the SEC) record. After clinching the SEC East, the Gators won the SEC Championship Game on December 2 over Arkansas by a score of 38–28. The Gators defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes, 41–14, in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game to win the national championship. It was the first BCS bowl berth for the Gators since the Orange Bowl that capped off the 2001 campaign, and Florida's first national championship appearance and victory since winning the 1997 Sugar Bowl.
Meyer has been known for winning big games. In addition to his 5–1 record in bowl games (as of 2008) at Florida, Meyer has an 11–1 record (through the end of 2008) against three of the Gators' biggest opponents—Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida State—and a 14–2 home record.
The Gators managed a 9–3 regular season record in 2007, including blowout wins over rivals Tennessee and FSU. Quarterback Tim Tebow also became Coach Meyer's first Heisman Trophy winner. The team led the conference in scoring, but struggles on defense made it difficult for the Gators to reach a BCS bowl game. The Gators lost the Capital One Bowl to Michigan 41–35 on January 1, 2008. Meyer served as a pre-game and halftime analyst for the 2008 BCS National Championship Game.
In 2008, Meyer led the Gators to a 13–1 overall record and the BCS National Championship over Oklahoma, including wins over six ranked teams. The team's lone defeat came at the hands of Mississippi on September 27, 2008, a game in which Florida led in time of possession and passing yards, but turned the ball over three times. Eleven of the Gators' twelve wins in the 2008 regular season were by 20 points or more. On December 6, 2008, Meyer led the Gators to a 31–20 victory over then No. 1 ranked Alabama in the SEC title game. Leading in time of possession, rushing yards, and passing yards, the Gators would come from behind after a third quarter deficit to score two touchdowns and hold Alabama scoreless in the fourth quarter. The victory would vault Florida to No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll, No. 2 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, and No. 2 in the BCS rankings, setting up a showdown against Oklahoma in the BCS Championship Game on January 8, 2009, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida.
In 2009, Meyer's Gators began the season ranked No. 1 by the largest margin in the history of the AP preseason poll. Though the team struggled on offense at times and quarterback Tim Tebow suffered a scary concussion in a September victory over Kentucky, Florida finished the regular season 12–0 and still ranked No. 1. But the winning streak ended in the SEC Championship Game, when they lost 32–13 to Alabama.
Florida was selected to play the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats in the 2010 Sugar Bowl. The Gators won 51–24 to finish the season with a 13-1 record for the second consecutive year.
With his victory over Kentucky on September 25, 2010, Urban Meyer achieved his 100th career win as a coach. With that win, his record was at 100–18 over the course of 10 seasons. He became the sixth fastest NCAA coach to reach that record, following Gil Dobie (108 games), George Woodruff (109 games), Bud Wilkinson (111 games), Fielding Yost (114 games), and Knute Rockne (117 games). He was also the second-fastest to reach 100 wins since Wilkinson in 1945.
My View: I doubt Meyer comes to the Broncos, there is that connection with Tebow, but I don’t see him as a HC in the NFL. He would be a risk to pick. I would prefer him as an OC that could run his offense and let Tebow excel.
Gary KubiakKubiak was selected in the eighth round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, the same year quarterback John Elway was drafted No. 1 overall by the Baltimore Colts before forcing a trade to Denver. Kubiak played his entire career for the Broncos as a backup for Elway, a Hall of Famer.[2] In nine seasons, Kubiak went 3-2 as a starter, throwing for 14 touchdowns, 16 interceptions and 1,920 yards while part of three AFC championship teams.
Kubiak began his coaching career at Texas AM, his alma mater, serving as the running backs coach for two seasons (1992–1993). He worked extensively with All-American running back Greg Hill, who was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 1994 draft.
He served as the quarterbacks coach for the San Francisco 49ers in 1994, guiding Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young to one of his best seasons. Young received his second NFL MVP and captured Super Bowl XXIX MVP honors by throwing a record six touchdowns in San Francisco’s 49–26 win over the San Diego Chargers.
Kubiak returned to the Broncos the following season when Mike Shanahan, who was previously the 49ers offensive coordinator, became Denver's head coach. In 11 seasons (1995-2005) as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Kubiak helped lead Denver to two Super Bowl titles.
In his 11 seasons with the team, the Broncos amassed 66,501 total yards and 465 touchdowns, the most in the NFL during that span. He coached 14 different Broncos that made the Pro Bowl, including running back Terrell Davis, who was named the NFL MVP in 1998.
Kubiak was named the second head coach in Houston Texans history on Jan. 26, 2006, replacing the fired Dom Capers. In his first season with the team, Houston finished fourth in the AFC South with a 6–10 record. The Texans ended the 2007 season at 8–8, the first time in team history they finished with at least a .500 record. On February 2, 2010, with a year left on the original deal he signed, the Texans' signed Kubiak to a three year contract extension through 2012, replacing the old one.
My Take: If Kubiak is sacked by the Texans then I don’t think he deserves another HC job. But I absolutely love the idea of Kubee as a OC. If he is sacked by the Texans he has to be our OC. But that is up to the new HC to pick his staff.
Rich Dennison
After spending 24 years in Denver as a player and assistant coach, Broncos offensive line coach Rick Dennison is leaving to become the Texans’ new offensive coordinator. Dennison, 51, was reunited with coach Gary Kubiak. They played together for eight years (1983-90) and coached together for 11 (1995-05).
When Kubiak left the Broncos for the Texans in 2006, he tried to bring Dennison with him to oversee the running game, but then-coach Mike Shanahan refused. Gibbs came out of retirement to take over that role.
Shanahan tried to hire Dennison this week, but the Broncos refused to grant them permission to interview him. They could have blocked the Texans but didn’t because Dennison will be the offensive coordinator and will call plays.
Dennison, who played at Colorado State, played linebacker (1982-90) for the Broncos. He began his coaching career as an offensive assistant, then moved to special teams before switching to the offensive line under Gibbs. Dennison spent nine years (2001-09) coaching the Broncos’ offensive line.
My Take: As a HC I say no. Doesn’t have the experience yet, maybe in a few more years he will can go for an HC position but at the moment I don’t think so. But as an OC that is possible, would prefer Kubee though.
Jeremy BatesHe was the New York Jets' quarterbacks coach in 2005; due to a series of injuries the team fielded five different quarterbacks that season, notably Brooks Bollinger.
He joined the Denver Broncos in 2006; in his first season he served as an offensive assistant, helping Offensive Coordinator Rick Dennison coach the offensive line. In 2007 he served as wide receivers/quarterbacks coach, and in 2008 as quarterbacks coach, both seasons working closely with quarterback Jay Cutler. In 2008, Bates called the offensive plays for the Denver Broncos, helping Cutler become a Pro Bowl selection and the Broncos to have the NFL's second-most productive offense (1st in the AFC).
At the end of the 2008 NFL regular season, longtime head coach Mike Shanahan was fired and replaced by Josh McDaniels; due to the uncertainty, Bates began looking for a new position.
On January 19, 2009, USC Trojans' head coach Pete Carroll hired Bates to replace outgoing coach Carl Smith, who had only taken the quarterbacks job two weeks earlier before moving back to the NFL; Smith had replaced Steve Sarkisian, who had taken the head coaching position of the Washington Huskies after serving as both quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator; John Morton had been promoted to offensive coordinator. Bates calls plays from the field while Morton works from the coaches' booth in the press box, similar to a previous arrangement run by the Trojans during the 2005-2006 seasons between Sarkisian and Lane Kiffin, respectively.
On January 12, 2010, former USC Trojans' head coach Pete Carroll was introduced as the head coach and executive vice-president of the Seattle Seahawks. It was reported shortly after that Bates would join Carroll's staff as offensive coordinator.
My Take: Bates is an interesting option, but as an HC I say no, but as a OC that would not be an issue. Tebow would benefit with Bates calling plays, needs to find a way to score in the red zone though.
Defensive Coordinators
Wade PhillipsPhillips began his professional coaching career in Houston as the linebackers coach in 1976 for the team coached by his father, as well as defensive line coach in 1977–1980. He remained on his father's staff as the pair headed for New Orleans. Bum stepped down as head coach of a struggling Saints team in late 1985, and Wade stepped in as interim head coach. He spent the next three years as the defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles and then four more in the same position for the Denver Broncos. Phillips replaced Dan Reeves as head coach for the Broncos in 1993, but was fired after a mediocre 1994 season in which management felt he lost control of the team.
The most successful coaching stop for Phillips was at Buffalo. He always kept the team competitive and in the playoff hunt. A loss to the Titans in the 1999 playoffs haunted Phillips for the rest of his time at Buffalo. Prior to the game, Wade caused a controversy when he inserted Rob Johnson as starting quarterback, after Doug Flutie was the starter the whole year and led the team to the playoffs.
On February 8, 2007, he was named the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, replacing the retired Bill Parcells. In the 2007 NFL Playoffs, he led the Cowboys to another playoff loss, making his playoff record 1–5. The Cowboys failed to make the playoffs in 2008, as the season ended with a 44–6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, preventing a wild card playoff berth.
Prior to the 2009 season, Phillips also took over as defensive coordinator, replacing the fired Brian Stewart. Phillips called defensive plays for the final 10 games of the 2008 season after Stewart was stripped of the responsibilities. On January 9, 2010, Phillips's Cowboys defeated the Eagles in the wild card round, ending the club's 12 year playoff win drought (6 games total, Phillips was only coach for one of those losses) and earning Phillips his first playoff win. Following the 2009 season, Phillips signed a contract extension through the 2011 season. However, he was fired by the Cowboys on November 8, 2010 following the second worst start in franchise history (one win in their first eight games) punctuated by a 45–7 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
58% win rate.
My Take: Phillips is a great DC, but a terrible head coach. After being fired by the Cowboys I don’t think he warrants another HC job. But as a DC for the 3-4 I think would be a great addition to the coaching staff.
Mike NolanThe son of former San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints head coach, Dick Nolan, he signed with the 49ers in 2005 to be head coach, following in his father's footsteps. Nolan joined San Francisco after establishing himself as the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, a position he held with three other teams: New York Jets (2000), Washington Redskins (1997–99), and New York Giants (1993–96).
Nolan finished the 2005 season with a 4–12 record. Nolan led a late season run and the 49ers improved in 2006 to 7–9. That led to expectations for the 2007 season, which included at least 9 wins and a playoff appearance. The season started well at 2–0, but an 8 game losing streak ended all hope of a playoff run. Nolan had been under intense scrutiny in the Bay Area. After the season, Nolan lost his general manager position and on October 20, 2008, Nolan was fired and replaced by his assistant head coach Mike Singletary.
In early 2009 Mike Nolan became the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos under Josh McDaniels. With a new 3-4 defense the Denver Broncos gave up the fewest points in the NFL (66) during the first six games of the season, and made their way to their first 6-0 start since the 1998 season in which they won Super Bowl XXXIII. The Broncos went 2 and 8 the rest of the way, and missed the playoffs. On January 18, 2010 Mike Nolan and Josh McDaniels mutually decided Nolan would resign as the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos.
On January 19, 2010, Nolan was hired by the Miami Dolphins as Defensive Coordinator.
32% win record.
Mike Nolan has been linked to more than one coaching tree. He was a defensive coordinator for Brian Billick (who is part of the Sid Gillman/Bill Walsh coaching tree), Al Groh (who is part of the Bill Parcells coaching tree), and Norv Turner (part of the Jimmy Johnson tree). However, Nolan is most directly related to Dan Reeves. Reeves brought Nolan with him from Denver (where he was linebackers coach) to be the New York Giants defensive coordinator in 1993. Nolan excelled at the position and his success served as a springboard for later success with other teams.
My Take: Nolan is a terrible HC, enough said. But as a DC he is great, see Wade Phillips. I would not mind bringing him back.
Gregg WilliamsFrom 1997-2000, Williams was promoted to Defensive Coordinator of the now Tennessee Titans after the Oilers moved out of Houston. As the Defensive Coordinator, the Titans led the league in total defense and only gave up 191 points, the third fewest in the NFL since the league adopted the 16-game schedule in 1978. The defense also helped lead the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV where they lost to the St. Louis Rams.
He earned his first head coaching position with the Buffalo Bills. As the Bills' head coach, his team was known for highly conservative calls, especially on offense. He was the inspiration for Gregg Easterbrook's designation of "the maroon zone" by frequently punting in opponent territory. Williams was 17-31 as the Bills' coach, and was fired after a 6-10 record in the 2003 season.
After his release from Buffalo, Williams was at the top of several NFL teams' list for the position of defensive coordinator. Williams quickly signed with the Washington Redskins, the only team with which he interviewed, because Head Coach Joe Gibbs offered him total autonomy over his defensive players and defensive coaching staff.
In Washington, with Williams' aggressive defensive scheme, the Redskins' defense ranked third in the NFL in 2004 and ninth in 2005.
On January 3, 2006, Williams signed a three year extension to remain with the Redskins, which made him the highest paid assistant coach in the NFL.
In 2006, however, his status as a great defensive coach was somewhat diminished due to his team's poor play. Specifically, following the sixteenth week of the season, the Redskins' defense was ranked last in the NFC and 30th overall in the league.
The 2007 season was a vast improvement for Williams. The defense ranked within the top ten in the NFC, and the team finished 9-7, with a loss in the wildcard round to the Seattle Seahawks. Williams had established a particularly close relationship with 24-year-old free safety Sean Taylor, calling him "the best player [he'd] ever coached." When Taylor was murdered mid-season on November 27, 2007, Williams was deeply affected. In tribute to Taylor, Williams called a defensive play with only ten men for the first play of the Redskins' first game after the tragedy, a November 30, 2007 game against the Buffalo Bills. For the remainder of the season, Williams ran an inspired defense which performed, along with the rest of the team, to honor Taylor's memory, highlighted by holding star running back Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings to 27 yards on December 23, 2007, and allowing a franchise-low one yard rushing to the Dallas Cowboys on December 30, 2007, sealing a playoff seed.
After Joe Gibbs retired, Williams was considered to be the most popular candidate to take over as Head Coach of the Washington Redskins. He interviewed four times with team owner Dan Snyder. However, on January 26, 2008, Williams was fired, along with Assistant Head Coach–Offense Al Saunders. On February 6, 2008, Williams became the new defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The position was vacated by Mike Smith who was hired to coach the Atlanta Falcons.
Williams was hired by the New Orleans Saints on January 15, 2009. Head coach Sean Payton, who was heavily involved in the effort to recruit Williams to the team, raved about Williams “because he was so impressive and prepared” in his interview. In fact, Williams was so impressive that Payton offered and took a voluntary $250,000 cut in salary to help facilitate his signing with the team. He took over a Saints defense ranked 23rd in the NFL in yards allowed and tied for 26th in points allowed in 2008.
Williams' contributions to the Saints' defense in 2009 were one of the primary ingredients for the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance and victory in SB XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts.
My take: Williams is a good DC, but I personally ain’t a fan of his defense. But as a HC, again an unproven and risk guy. He won’t make the move from the Saints DC to the Broncos DC though.
General Manager
Bill ParcellsParcells was approached once by Perkins to join the Giants' staff as an assistant coach, and Parcells accepted the offer. As defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, he was allowed to change the team's 4-3 defense to a 3-4 system. When Perkins announced on December 15, 1982, that he was leaving the Giants at the end of the season to become head coach and athletic director at the University of Alabama, the Giants announced that Parcells would succeed him as head coach.
When Parcells took over in 1983, the New York Giants were a team that had posted just one winning season in the previous ten years. In his first year, he made a controversial decision to bench Phil Simms in favor of Scott Brunner. The result was a disastrous 3–12–1 season during which the Giants seriously considered bringing in University of Miami head coach Howard Schnellenberger to replace Parcells.
After this dismal first season, Parcells made Simms the starter again. The team's record improved to 9–7 and 10–6 over the next two years, and earned them their first back-to-back playoff appearances since 1961–1963. In 1986, he led the Giants to the first of two Super Bowls. In the 1986 season, the Giants compiled a franchise best 14-2 record and the first of three division titles. Parcells, whose stifling 3-4 defense (known as the Big Blue Wrecking Crew) led by Lawrence Taylor, Carl Banks, Harry Carson, and Leonard Marshall, and an offense under the direction of Phil Simms, knocked off the San Francisco 49ers 49–3, and the Washington Redskins 17–0, in the playoffs before routing the Denver Broncos, 39–20, in Super Bowl XXI. Parcells was the first coach to be dunked with Gatorade at the end of the game and at the end of a Super Bowl which led to a Super Bowl Gatorade dunking tradition.
Parcells led the Giants to a second Super Bowl in 1990. The Giants began the 1990 season 10–0, and finished 13–3, but lost Simms to injury late in the season. Playing with a back-up quarterback in Jeff Hostetler and a 33-year-old veteran running back in Ottis Anderson, the Giants overcame the Chicago Bears in the divisional playoff, 31–3, and won in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion over San Francisco, 15–13, in the NFC Championship on a last-second 41-yard field goal by Matt Bahr which was set-up by a Roger Craig fumble caused by the formidable Big Blue defense. Super Bowl XXV proved equally exciting as the Giants used tough defense, and a ball-control and power-running Erhardt - Perkins style offense to stop the Buffalo Bills, 20–19, whose own last-second 47-yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood missed wide right. Parcells retired from football after Super Bowl XXV due to health problems. During his tenure, the Giants had secured three division titles (1986, 1989, 1990), had only two losing seasons (the Giants went 6–9 during the strike year of 1987) and tallied an 8–3 playoff record.
After a two-year hiatus, Parcells returned to the NFL in 1993 as the head coach for the New England Patriots. Within two years, he coached the team to a 10–6 record and its first playoff game in eight years. In 1996, he guided the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI but lost to the Green Bay Packers, 35–21, in New Orleans.
Parcells left the Patriots after disagreements with owner Robert Kraft; Parcells felt he did not have enough input in player personnel decisions. Upon his departure, Parcells famously stated: "They want you to cook the dinner; at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries. Okay?" This was mainly in reference to an incident in the Patriots' war room during the 1996 Draft where Parcells, who wanted to draft a defensive player with their first-round choice, was vetoed by Kraft, and the Patriots selected Ohio State WR Terry Glenn.
Parcells again instrumented a remarkable turnaround in his first year with the Jets. In his first season with the Jets, the team barely missed the playoffs with a record of 9–7. In 1998, the Jets went to the playoffs with a 12–4 record, which was good enough for second place in the conference and earned the Jets their third home playoff game since moving to New Jersey in 1984 (their first home playoff game was against the New England Patriots following the 1985 season), but lost to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
In 1999, expectations were high for the Jets to go to the Super Bowl. However, quarterback Vinny Testaverde ruptured his achilles tendon in the Jets home opener and the season went downhill from there. After starting the season 1–6, the Jets won three straight and faced the Indianapolis Colts. Parcells emphasized the importance of not obtaining a "7th loss" but they did lose to the Colts and then to the New York Giants the following week. At 4–8, the Jets were in danger of finishing below .500. The Jets would finish 8–8, but out of the playoffs. In 1999, Bill Parcells retired from football for the second time, vowing that he would not coach again. He remained with the Jets one more year as general manager.
Following three straight 5–11 seasons, Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones lured Bill Parcells out of retirement and made him the head coach in 2003.
In his first season with the Cowboys, he led them to the playoffs with a 10–6 record (losing to the eventual NFC Champion Carolina Panthers in the opening round), thus making him the first head coach in NFL history to guide four different teams to the playoffs.
The 2004 season was one of turmoil. The Cowboys started strong, with victories against the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, but injuries, older personnel, spotty play calling, and persistent penalties hobbled the Cowboys, and they quickly fell off to a 3–5 record by midseason, finishing the season 6–10.
The Cowboys improved their defense before the 2005 season with the additions of first round draft picks Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears. Parcells drafted these players in hopes of jumpstarting the team's transition from the traditional 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense, which Parcells had run in all of his previous stops. In 2005, the Cowboys went 9–7, missing the playoffs by one game.
In 2006 the Cowboys signed controversial former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens. In week 7 of the 2006 season, Parcells decided to replace veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe with fourth year quarterback Tony Romo. The Cowboys were 6–4 with Romo as the starter. They finished the season with a 9–7 overall record.
Parcells would finish his Dallas stint with a 34–32 record and no playoff wins.
On January 22, 2007, he announced his retirement as head coach of the Cowboys after 4 years, apparently ending his coaching career.
On December 19, 2007, the Miami Herald reported that Parcells had agreed to become the new Executive Vice President of Football Operations of the Miami Dolphins. ESPN reported the following day that he signed a four year contract.
In the first season as Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Parcells fired head coach Cam Cameron, GM Randy Mueller, along with a few assistant coaches, after a 1–15 finish in the 2007 season. With vacancies at the GM and head coaching spots, he brought in Jeff Ireland to be the general manager and signed Tony Sparano as head coach.
The new front office under Parcells then signed over 20 little-known players in the free-agent market.
In the 2008 draft, they drafted offensive tackle Jake Long with the #1 overall pick, along with Phillip Merling, Kendall Langford, Chad Henne, Lex Hilliard, and Donald Thomas. They also signed undrafted free agents Dan Carpenter and Davone Bess.
They also released fan favorite Zach Thomas, who would end up signing with the Dallas Cowboys, and traded star defensive end Jason Taylor to the Washington Redskins for a second round pick in the 2009 draft.
The Dolphins then went on to sign quarterback Chad Pennington (drafted by Parcells in his Jets days), who was cut by the Jets to make room for Brett Favre.
The Dolphins finished the 2008 season 11–5 and became AFC East champions when Pennington and the Dolphins defeated Favre and the Jets in the final game of the season. They finished with a 10 game improvement, tying the 1999 Indianapolis Colts for the best improvement ever. It was also the first time since 2001 the Dolphins made the playoffs. They were routed in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens 27–9.
56% total win rate.
My Take: I love the idea of Parcells as a GM, not an HC. He could retool our team and get as back to our winning ways. The problem with Parcells is he doesn’t hang around, in 3 years we will need to find another GM. Dollars will be a problem.
Ozzie NewsomeNewsome played in 198 consecutive games as a Brown. Newsome also caught at least one pass in 150 consecutive games, which was the second longest streak in the NFL when he retired.
He finished his career with 662 receptions and 7,980 yards, both Cleveland franchise records, and 47 touchdowns.
In 1999 Newsome was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
On November 22, 2002, Newsome was named general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, making him the first African-American to occupy that position in the NFL. His administrative experience started with his former organization when he was the Ravens' vice president of player personnel. Newsome is very well-respected and is considered one of the best general managers of the NFL. His philosophy is "Right player, right price."
Newsome is also rumored to eventually be the next Athletic Director at the University of Alabama, after current AD Mal Moore retires. When asked about this Newsome has even said, "People keep talking about me being the AD. If there's the opportunity to come back maybe to be the janitor at the University of Alabama, hey, I'll take that."
My Take: I thought Newsome may be an interesting idea as an GM, as he has done a great job with the Ravens. But I think the Broncos are at the bottom of his list of things to do.
Ted Sundquist
Sundquist joined the Broncos in 1993 as a scout following his head coaching tenure at the Air Force Academy Prep School. He spent his first ten years with the organization in college scouting, and the final six as General Manager.Starting at the age of 33 (one of the youngest front office figures in the NFL at the time), he served as College Scouting Director and was in that role during the Broncos' back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 1997 and 1998. He supervised pro and college scouting, and was responsible for salary cap and contract analysis.
Sundquist was promoted to GM in 2002 by owner Pat Bowlen after being pursued by both the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons organizations. He was also a finalist for the President position with the Seattle Seahawks in 2004. He started at GM with five consecutive winning seasons, a franchise record. Sundquist left the Broncos following a 7-9 record in 2007 Denver Broncos season.
During his 16 year tenure in the NFL, Sundquist served on numerous committees with the League and other clubs including the National Football Scouting Executive Committee and Board of Directors, the National Invitational Camp (better known as the NFL Combine) Selection Committee, the NFLEL (Europe League) Advisory Committee and the Underclass Advisory Committee.
Sundquist changed the way Denver used technology and scouting structure in putting together a personnel department that supplied the talent to an organization that has won 58 games over 14 years. Sundquist and his personnel department put the Broncos' financial house back in order during his tenure as GM. From 2002-2007, the organization was ranked 26th in total committed cash while posting a 5th (tied) overall winning record with 58 wins and 38 losses, three playoff appearances, and an AFC Championship appearance in 2005. Despite the misunderstanding that the Denver Broncos were big spenders in the league, they were ranked 19th in signing bonuses, 22nd in base salaries with many minimum salary players making the rosters, 19th for “in-season incentives” and 15th in “off-season incentives.”
During his tenure in Denver, Sundquist helped Denver land players such as John Lynch, Daniel Graham, Al Wilson, John Mobley, Brandon Marshall, Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary, Clinton Portis (WAS), Reggie Hayward (JAX), Trevor Pryce (BAL), Brian Griese (TB), Deltha O'Neal (NE), and Nick Harris (DET). He also made trades such as the one with the Washington Redskins to acquire Champ Bailey, and another to obtain Dre Bly from the Detroit Lions. Sundquist also facilitated a draft-day deal with St. Louis in 2006, allowing Denver to trade up four spots to select Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler with the 11th overall pick.
In early 2009, Sundquist was mentioned in several general manager searches across the National Football League, and it was reported that he was interested in interviewing with Cleveland Cleveland Browns for their open General Manager position.
My Take: Ted is an interesting option, Shanny got rid of him so he could have more power. But I like Ted though there are issues about him. For the simple fact know one else wanted to hirer him.
Eric DeCostaNamed as one of the most powerful people in sports under the age of 35, DeCosta has played a strong role in the drafting of Pro Bowl players like Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Jamal Lewis, Bart Scott, Le'Ron McClain, Haloti Ngata, and Ray Rice along with significant contributors Tony Weaver, Mark Clayton, Chester Taylor, Ed Hartwell, Dawan Landry, Jason Brown, Jared Gaither, Ben Grubbs, Sam Koch, and Lardarius Webb.
In April, 2008, DeCosta and the Ravens traded the 8th pick in the 2008 Draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 26th pick in the first round and other picks. The Ravens then traded the 26th overall pick and their third round pick to the Houston Texans for the 18th pick, where the Ravens then selected 2008 Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Year winner, QB Joe Flacco from the University of Delaware. In his first season as Ravens starting quarterback, Flacco led the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
The next year, in April, 2009, DeCosta and Newsome traded the 26th pick in the 2009 Draft and another pick to the New England Patriots for the 23rd pick in the first round.[1] The Ravens then selected 2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up Michael Oher, OT, from Ole Miss.
In January, 2010, after reportedly being a finalist for the Seattle Seahawks General Manager position, DeCosta removed his name from consideration prior to interviewing for the position
My Take: We need this guy, he would be huge for us.
Final Thoughts
Head Coach
The best option that I can see for a head coach is a manager/leader type. A guy that will let his coordinates have good input into their sections and let them run those sections. Be more of a leader of the team then taking on too much.The guys I like for this position are:
Jim Harbaugh, Troy Calhoun, Jim Fassel, Leslie Frazier
Offensive Coordinate
The problem will be that the new HC will want to bring in his guys, but I think if it can be done, Ellis and Elway need to have a say on who is a part of the stuff. For OC I would like someone with previous Broncos experience and has a good fire in his offensive play calling.My top pick would be Gary Kubiak (Who had worked with Calhoun before). Dennison and Bates could be options also.
Defensive Coordinate
This is simple I want a 3-4 DC, and my pick would be Phillips or Nolan.General Manager
I like the idea of Dungy or Parcells as GM but my favourite option is Eric DeCosta. I would also like to keep Xanders (X-man) as he knows this roster, we don’t want them trading away a fan favourite like Squid or Decker.I think putting together a team like this would really set the Broncos up for good things in the future. That is all I got ~ Aussie Out!
Like I said this is huge, if you want skip to the final thoughts bit go ahead haha.
ReplyDeleteThat is a pretty large amount of information. I don't understand your logic for having Wade Phillips in the mix. I think the Broncos could go places fast with a coach like Gruden or Mariuchi. Better snag 'em quick!
ReplyDeletePhillips is a great DC (I would have him only as a DC) and runs the 3-4, he knows how to put a 3-4 together and dominate with it. That is why I have Phillips in there.
ReplyDeleteAs for Gruden and Mariucci, I like them both, but Gruden will cost a lot and I am unsure of the fact that I have read that he alienated everyone in his locker room and that Dungy built his team.
And Mariucci is an interesting idea, that should be watched closely.
But going somewhere fast may be possible. With a good FA and draft this team could be heading to the playoffs. But I guess wait and see at the moment.