8:15pm: It sounds like Holmgren’s visit may not have been related to the coaching vacancy after all, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes.
“It was nice. [GM Reggie McKenzie] had him come in and have him watch some film and take a look what’s gone on,” Sparano said. “It’s all part of our self analysis. Reggie wanted to bounce some things off of him. I got a chance to talk to him, as did some of our other coaches. It’s good to get a different set of eyes on the tape, someone to give another perspective on things. Mike is a guy who has been through it before and knows how to deal with these types of things.”
12:17pm: Florio provides a partial transcript of Holmgren’s chat:
“Yeah, I did go down there,” Holmgren told KJR host Mitch Levy. “A couple of years ago, I had met with [owner] Mark [Davis] about possibly working with the Raiders, and it didn’t work out. . . . And [G.M.] Reggie McKenzie did work with me in Green Bay for many, many years. So I do have a relationship with him, those are all true. So they phoned me up, I went down there for a day and looked at some film. They had the bye after the London game. And just to float some ideas, and get another opinion of the team and what was going on. No jobs were discussed. Nothing like that, it was more just a pop in and pop out, and that’s what I did.”
11:40am: Mike Holmgren told KJR Radio in Seattle that he met with the Raiders last week, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). Holmgren went on to say that he “probably” won’t be the team’s next coach, KJR Radio tweets.
Last week, Florio heard rumblings that Holmgren had a meeting with Oakland brass, but that was never confirmed. Interim coach Tony Sparano is said to have a chance at taking the permanent post if he is able to turn this around this season. However, if owner Mark Davis is anything like his late father, he’ll have an affinity for an even bigger name. Holmgren would fit the bill for that, especially if they can’t get their reported No. 1 target in Jon Gruden.
Back in July, the 66-year-old spoke with Greg Bishop of MMQB and he sounded like someone who wanted to get back in the game.
“I know guys who coached after 65. I thought I would. The more I’m moving away from it, it’s flattering when you get a call from somebody. It strokes your ego. Then you start to think, Hey, I could do that! I mean, I miss it. I miss the coaching. I miss it,” said the 66-year-old, before adding that he’s “semi-retired.”
For his career, Holmgren has a coaching record of 161-111 in the regular season and 13-11 in the postseason. Those numbers were hurt by his three years in Cleveland as the Browns went 14-34.