The Fritz Pollard Alliance, an organization that works with the NFL to ensure that minority candidates are considered – and hired – for coaching and front office jobs, has put out its list of recommendations for this offseason, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
As Tomasson outlines, the group’s top six picks for head coaching candidates this winter are Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards, Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin, Bills running backs coach and assistant head coach Anthony Lynn, and Cowboys secondary coach Jerome Henderson.
Jackson and Austin are viewed as particularly strong candidates, with both men having scheduled multiple interviews with teams seeking new head coaches. Lynn and Henderson have also lined up HC interviews, so we’ll see if Edwards and Goodwin can follow suit.
Here are more of today’s coaching notes and rumors:
- Reports indicated that Doug Marrone and Sean McDermott were both on the Browns‘ interview schedule for today, but only the Jaguars assistant head coach actually met with the team. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Panthers defensive coordinator will now interview on Sunday, which is shaping up to be a busy day for Cleveland — the Browns are also scheduled to meet with Bengals assistants Paul Guenther and Hue Jackson on Sunday.
- Within that same piece, Kabot cites sources who say there’s some concern among Browns players about the possibility of Marrone landing the job, since he’s not considered a players’ coach. Joe Thomas has indicated he may ask for a trade if he’s not happy with Cleveland’s new head coach, and fellow offensive linemen Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz could both depart in free agency, so the Browns may want to proceed with some caution.
- The Giants have officially confirmed that they interviewed Teryl Austin for their head coaching job today, bringing their total number of interviewees so far up to three, as our tracker shows. Adam Gase and Marrone also have meetings lined up this week with Big Blue, with Jackson and McDermott potentially in the mix for interviews as well.
- Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter was upset by the sudden firing of Lovie Smith, sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. Koetter also may have more interest in a head coaching job in the Pacific Northwest, where he grew up, but he “relishes” coaching Jameis Winston, so if he gets the opportunity to land the Bucs’ HC job, he could be a good fit. Mortensen adds that, while the Bucs tried to hire Chip Kelly back in 2012, the former Eagles head coach probably won’t be a candidate this time around.
I am a little surprised that Steelers OC Todd Haley hasn’t been mentioned. Done a tremendous job with the offense and considering some other coaches have been given second chances why not him.
Agreed. He was mentioned earlier in the week as a potential candidate for the Dolphins, but haven’t heard anything on him since then. Maybe he’ll get an interview or two after Wild Card weekend, when he’s free to talk to teams — Bucs, Titans, and Niners haven’t even started interviews yet, so there should still be a few jobs open next week.