Adam Gase - Pro Football Rumors

West Notes: Shanahan, Gase, 49ers, Fangio

January 1st, 2015 at 12:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Adam Gase and Mike Shanahan have several striking similarities — both are sharp offensive minds, have been employed by the Broncos, and most newsworthy, will be interviewed by the 49ers for their head coaching vacancy this weekend. According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Gase, Denver’s offensive coordinator, will meet with the Niners and the Falcons on Friday, before interviewing for the Bears’ HC position on Sunday. San Francisco’s decision-makers, owner Jed York and GM Trent Baalke, will also visit with Shanahan, who resides in the Denver area. Here’s more from the West divisions…

The 49ers have a busy weekend ahead of them, as the club will also interview former Jets head coach Rex Ryan on Sunday, according to Kimberly Jones of NFL.com (via Twitter). Ryan, who is also a candidate for the Falcons job, could have leg up for the SF gig because he “loves” Colin Kaepernick, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
While their focus is on finding a new head coach, the 49ers could be on the verge of losing several key assistants. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio would like to be a head coach, and could opt to pursue other options if he’s passed over for the San Francisco job, reports Matt Barrows of the San Francisco Bee (via Twitter). Washington is interested in interviewing Fangio for its vacant DC position, but as he’s still in the mix for SF’s top job, they haven’t yet been granted permission to speak with him, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Washington wanted to meet with Fangio last year regarding its HC gig, but didn’t get the opportunity because of San Francisco’s extended playoff run, per Barrows (on Twitter).
Meanwhile, Washington has been granted permission to speak to two other assistant coaches about its defensive coordinator job, and both are currently employed by West division clubs. Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry and 49ers secondary coach Ed Donatell will meet with Washington as the team looks to replace Jim Haslett, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula is a candidate for the team’s head coaching position, and if he is promoted to the top job, he’ll look to bring in Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver for the same position in San Francisco, reports Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News (via Twitter), who notes that Fangio wouldn’t be interested in remaining on staff under Tomsula.
Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters, including Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, that he doesn’t expect to make any changes to his coaching staff.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

Coach Notes: Bears, Quinn, Marrone, Ryan

December 31st, 2014 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

The Bears are eyeing a pair of Ravens employees, according to Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report, who reports (via Twitter) that Chicago has expressed interest in Eric DeCosta for the team’s general manager job and offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak for its head coaching opening. Both men have drawn interest from the Jets as well, and we detailed yesterday why DeCosta may be reluctant to pursue any GM jobs, given the nice situation he’s in with the Ravens. Still, it looks as if the Bears will kick the tires and try to schedule an interview.

Here’s more on the head coaching searches from around the NFL:

Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has interviews scheduled with the Jets and Bears on Friday, and the Falcons on Saturday, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
Most Bills assistant coaches are only signed for one more season, and head coach Doug Marrone would like some more stability from ownership for his staff, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, as of this morning, those Bills coaches aren’t sure whether or not Marrone will opt out of his contract, says Caplan (via Twitter). Mike Rodak of ESPN.com took a look this morning at why Marrone would consider using his opt-out, which has a deadline of today.
Refuting an earlier report, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes that the Dolphins did not make an offer to Rex Ryan to be their defensive coordinator.
Adam Gase‘s interviews with the 49ers, Falcons, and Bears are scheduled to take place this Friday and Saturday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
This is our second round-up of coaching news and rumors today — you can find the first right here.

Coach Notes: Jets, Ryan, McDaniels, 49ers

December 30th, 2014 at 8:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Not long after he was fired by the Jets, Rex Ryan jumped on a plane to Florida to watch his son’s Clemson Tigers play in the Russell Athletic Bowl, as Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post writes. When asked what it was like to speak with his players for the final time, Ryan said, “It was rough, man. But hey, that’s the way it is.’’ With a vacancy in New York and others elsewhere, here’s a look at the latest coaching rumors..

Charley Casserly, who is now consulting the Jets, inquired about UCLA head coach Jim Mora‘s buyout clause and contract language last week, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter).
Former Jets coach Rex Ryan has interviews scheduled with the Falcons and 49ers for their openings, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will interview with the Falcons and 49ers this week, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
The 49ers will interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn tonight, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
There may not be a head coaching candidate more sought after this offseason than Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles — according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter), every team with a head coaching vacancy has contacted the Cards about interviewing Bowles. That includes the Raiders and Bears, which hadn’t been previously reported. Since Arizona plays in the Wild Card round, Bowles won’t be able to interview with any teams until next week.
The Bears are the third team to request permission to speak to Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The Falcons and 49ers had previously asked to interview Gase, who can talk to clubs during Denver’s bye week.
The Titans‘ and Jaguars‘ coaching staffs will participate in the Senior Bowl game, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The 2-14 Buccaneers passed on the opportunity, and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) is curious about the team’s motives, considering the benefits of participating in the game. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that he heard last week from one Jaguars official that the Bucs may pass on the Senior Bowl because they’d be busy looking for an offensive coordinator — of course, as of today, the Jags are in the same boat.

Coaching Rumors: Harbaugh, Coughlin, Gase

December 29th, 2014 at 11:41am CST by Luke Adams

There has been plenty of action since our first round of coaching rumors this morning, with five teams – the 49ers, Raiders, Jets, Falcons, and Bears – now in the market for new head coaches. We’ve had enough news and rumors since then to warrant another round-up of the latest coaching-related updates, so let’s dive in….

Although an agreement appears to be in place between Jim Harbaugh and the University of Michigan, NFL teams like the Bears, Jets, and Raiders continue to make overtures to try to change his mind, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report confirms (via Twitter) that the Raiders are still making a push to try to land Harbaugh, even if it looks like a long shot at this point.
Giants head coach Tom Coughlin has been told he’ll be back to coach the team in 2015, but has a meeting scheduled for this afternoon with co-owner John Mara to discuss possible changes to the coaching staff, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
The Falcons and 49ers have already requested permission to speak to Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Coaches who currently work for playoff teams with first-round byes are allowed to interview for jobs this week, so Gase is one coordinator whose name figures to surface frequently in the next few days.
In addition to Gase, the Falcons may also look to talk to Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has several tidbits for us, tweeting that Jack Del Rio could emerge as a coaching candidate for the Raiders, the Falcons will contact Rex Ryan, and Mike Shanahan could have interest in the Bears‘ job.
Former 49ers head coach Mike Singletary, who currently serves as an advisor to NFL executive Troy Vincent, would have interest in interviewing for the Bears‘ head coaching job, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

NFC Notes: 49ers, Bears, Giants, Eagles

December 28th, 2014 at 3:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Once Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers inevitably part ways at some point this week, the club will need to begin its search to find his replacement as head coach. Appearing on FOX Sports, Jay Glazer (Twitter link via his colleague, Mike Garafolo) listed several candidates that San Francisco will likely interview: Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles, Jim Tomsula, Teryl Austin, Adam Gase, Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, and interestingly, UCLA head coach Jim Mora. Mora, who’s held head coaching positions with both the Falcons and Seahawks, was also mentioned as an NCAA coach likely to jump to the NFL by Albert Breer of NFL.com on Daniel Jeremiah’s Move the Sticks podcast two weeks ago. Here’s more from the NFC…

Bears assistant coaches believe they will believe they will be fired after today’s game, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who notes that “wholesale changes” could be coming to Chicago. In the same vein, David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune examined what the future holds for the Bears, who are expected to fire head coach Marc Trestman and possibly GM Phil Emery.
Tom Coughlin hasn’t been made aware of his status for 2015, but the expectation is that he will return to coach the Giants next year, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has been unequivocal in explaining that he won’t give New York a deal when it a comes to negotiations, and today he offered an even stronger, and quotable, declaration of his feelings. “Do you give discounts?” he asked Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (Twitter link). “Do you get discounts when you go to Macy’s?”
Eagles FB/TE James Casey is due $4MM next season, and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter) doubts that he’ll return to Philly next season. Per Berman, Casey signed on with the Eagles in the hopes of getting extensive time on offense, but he’s become more of a special teams player.
49ers linebacker Dan Skuta is a free agent at season’s end, and Cam Inman of the Mercury News believes (Twitter link) that he’ll follow current San Francisco defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to his next stop.

Mike Smith To Be Fired After 2014 Season

December 21st, 2014 at 9:17am CST by Rory Parks

Falcons owner Arthur Blank is prepared to fire head coach Mike Smith after this season, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Blank has reportedly confided his plans to “multiple parties,” and only an unforeseen playoff run will change his mind.

The Falcons have benefited from playing in a historically-weak NFC South in 2014, as they are still in the hunt for a playoff berth despite their 5-9 record. However, even if they were to win the division, such a performance would not be enough for Blank, who believes major changes are necessary after watching his club underachieve for two consecutive years following its NFC Championship Game appearance in 2012.

Smith came to the Falcons in 2008 along with quarterback Matt Ryan, who was the No. 3 overall pick in that year’s draft. Atlanta compiled an 11-5 record in 2008 en route to a surprise playoff appearance and Smith earned AP Coach of the Year and NFL Coach of the Year honors that season. The Smith-Ryan marriage remained a largely successful one after 2008, though the team has managed just one playoff win in four trips to the postseason.

But the Falcons have gone just 9-21 since the start of the 2013 campaign, and though the blame for that performance should fall primarily upon a roster that has stagnated, the fact remains that Smith has failed to get the most out of his club for two consecutive seasons, a club that appeared to have legitimate championship aspirations in each of those years.

As for the man who has been tasked with building the roster, GM Thomas Dimitroff, Blank has indicated that he expects Dimitroff to return, though that could change during the process of finding a new head coach. La Canfora writes that the team is doing its “due diligence” on such head coaching candidates as Adam Gase, Josh McDaniels, and current Stanford coach David Shaw.

Ian Rapoport On Jim Harbaugh’s Future

December 20th, 2014 at 2:38pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier today, our own Ben Levine put together a few notes on Jim Harbaugh’s future, whether it be in the NFL or going back to coach in college. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com takes an interesting look at the timeline involved with Harbaugh’s decision in a series of tweets.

Although the University of Michigan would like an answer sooner rather than later, Harbaugh will wait until his season is over before entertaining future options. He will meet with key members of the organization after he meets with the players once the season is over, which will likely be next Monday or Tuesday (via Twitter).

We already know from a number of reports that Harbaugh is conflicted about whether he should pursue another NFL job or go to Michigan. The reports are that his heart is in NFL, but Rapoport writes that he is surprised by how hard his alma mater is pursuing him (via Twitter).

Although the reports are out there on Michigan’s interest in their former quarterback, Rapoport also notes that Harbaugh has yet to speak directly with the university. He has not had any face-to-face meetings with Michigan officials, and all contact so far has come through intermediaries (via Twitter).

When he does meet with the 49ers’ officials on next Monday or Tuesday, as Rapoport predicts, he will likely tell the team what he has decided. At that time, he will let them know whether he has decided to leave for Michigan, or whether they should explore a trade with another NFL team (via Twitter). He believes Harbaugh already has a good idea of which NFL teams would be interested in acquiring his services (via Twitter).

Assuming Harbaugh leaves, Rapoport believes that the 49ers’ top in-house candidate would be defensive line coach Jim Tomsula (via Twitter). He also notes that head coaching candidates outside the organization would include top offensive assistants Adam Gase of the Broncos and Josh McDaniels of the Patriots.

Latest on Jim Harbaugh

December 20th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Ben Levine

We learned yesterday that 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was seriously considering Michigan’s job offer, with his family pushing him to take the college gig. However, reports suggest that Harbaugh wants to stay in the NFL, or at least explore the options that will open up following the season.

Of course, the Harbaugh rumblings have continued as everyone awaits the head coach’s decision. Let’s check out some of the notable whispers…

As Harbaugh debates whether he wants to accept the job at Michigan or stay in the NFL, the Wolverines are anxiously awaiting the decision. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the head coach is likely waiting to see which NFL opportunities open up. Meanwhile, Michigan would like to fill their head coaching vacancy before the top candidates sign elsewhere.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports opines that Harbaugh will stay in the NFL, and he points to the Raiders as the likeliest landing spot (via Twitter). The writer adds that Harbaugh is “10,000 percent” leaving the 49ers.
ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson writes that Harbaugh will surely be allowed to bring his own general manager if he signs with the Raiders. Williamson suggests Eagles Vice President of Player Personnel Tom Gamble and Patriots coaching assistant Michael Lombardi as a fit.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com believes the top candidate from outside the 49ers organization to replace Harbaugh would be Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The writer notes that McDaniels turned down a chance to interview with San Francisco in 2011 (via Twitter).
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen also suggests McDaniels, and he mentions another candidate to replace Harbaugh: Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase (via Florio).

Coaching Updates: Coughlin, Philbin, Broncos

December 14th, 2014 at 11:09am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at a few items regarding two head coaches who are on the hot seat and two more who might join the head coaching ranks in 2015:

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Giants head coach Tom Coughlin wants to coach for another season, and there is no guarantee that New York will fire its long-time sideline general. Steve Serby of the New York Post adds that it is not time for Coughlin to be replaced.
Rapoport tweets that Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin‘s fate will be determined by how his team finishes the 2014 season. If Miami suffers another December swoon, Philbin’s job will be in jeopardy. Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that if Philbin is fired, the team does not plan to pursue Jim Harbaugh, contrary to numerous reports stating otherwise.
Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the Broncos can expect to replace both offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio after this season, as both are prime candidates to land head coaching gigs.

Poll: Best Head Coaching Candidates

November 14th, 2014 at 11:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

Colts‘ offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and Browns‘ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan have accomplished plenty on their offenses this season, with each team currently leading its current division through nine games. Those performances could lead to big paydays as head coaches next season.

They are not the only coordinators being rumored for head coaching jobs. Giants‘ offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo has been talked about as a possible successor for Tom Coughlin. Broncos‘ offensive coordinator Adam Gase could follow the path of his predecessor, Mike McCoy, who jumped from a record-setting Peyton Manning-led offense to the top job for the Chargers.

The defending champion Seahawks have taken a step back from last season, but the market may not have cooled on both of their coordinators. Both offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn have both been talked about as head coaching candidates, with particular interest coming from the Jets if general manager John Idzik is retained in New York and head coach Rex Ryan is fired.

Todd Bowles has helped put together a great defense in Arizona, as the Cardinals have gone 8-1 despite injuries on the defense. Lions‘ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin could be in a similar position, as his team is currently leading it’s division based on the strength of the defense.

Add to the mix the possibility of Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher returning to the sidelines, or even the possibility of a college coach like David Shaw of Stanford jumping to the NFL, and teams will have a number of options should they decide to pursue a new coach in 2015. That list does not include the head coaches that will lose their jobs at the end of the season, a number of them will hit the open market with impressive records of success. That list could include Ryan, Mike Smith, and Jim Harbaugh, among others.