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Dan Quinn

Coach Notes: Quinn, Bears, Cowboys, Bills

January 14th, 2015 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

Teams considering waiting for Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to become available are wary about the possibility that, despite what they’re saying, the Dolphins could hire Quinn to replace Joe Philbin, given the presence of Mike Tannenbaum, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). Prior to joining the Dolphins’ front office in an official capacity, Tannenbaum was Quinn’s agent, and according to La Canfora, that connection concerned the Jets to some degree.

However, a source tells La Canfora that there’s no chance Miami will hire Quinn if he’s available next month — if another team wants to wait on him, that club should have a shot at him (Twitter link). That team isn’t likely to be the 49ers though, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, who tweets that San Francisco hasn’t talked about Quinn in several days. All signs are pointing to Adam Gase for the 49ers, per Cole.

Let’s check in on a few more coaching-related items….

  • John Fox‘s interview with the Bears is happening today, tweets Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. Meanwhile, a source tells Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune that Kyle Shanahan will be one of Fox’s top offensive coordinator choices if he lands the Bears’ job.
  • According to La Canfora (Twitter link), the Falcons “love” Josh McDaniels, but the Patriots offensive coordinator still seems unlikely to leave New England.
  • Scott Linehan‘s deal with the Cowboys hasn’t been completed yet, a league source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). He’s waiting for his deal to get done before considering taking interviews and the sense is that it will be finalized soon (link). Linehan currently serves as Dallas’ passing game coordinator.
  • It’s not clear yet if Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan will return to the Cowboys, writes Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News, who says that eight teams have expressed interest in Callahan. With Linehan now handling the offensive playcalls in Dallas, it’s unlikely that Callahan will be back, in George’s view.
  • Tony Sparano won’t be staying with the Raiders now that he didn’t get the team’s head coaching job, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link) hears from sources that Jack Del Rio, who is expected to become Oakland’s coach, has been recruiting Marc Trestman for his offensive staff.
  • Jay Glazer of FOX Sports joined Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on PFT Live to discuss the events that led to the divorce of John Fox and the Broncos. Glazer explains that the breakup, while shocking on the outside, has actually been a long time coming. Glazer sensed back at last year’s Senior Bowl that it would be a “one and done” for Fox, unless he could win a Super Bowl this season.
  • Former Jets defensive line coach Karl Dunbar is joining Rex Ryan on the Bills‘ staff, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jordan Raanan of NJ.com adds (via Twitter) that Pepper Johnson has been told there’s a spot for him on Ryan’s coaching staff if the Giants‘ defensive coordinator position doesn’t pan out for him. Speaking of Ryan, he said today at his introductory press conference that it’s not true that he preferred the Falcons and 49ers jobs to the Bills position, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Coach Notes: Jets, Bowles, Austin, Lynn

January 13th, 2015 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Jets continue to search for Rex Ryan‘s replacement, the team’s focus seems to be shifting from Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. According to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Arizona (Twitter link), he’s hearing that things could be “heating up” between the Jets and Bowles, with the Cards DC reaching out to potential staff members. Bowles still has a second interview lined up with the Falcons tomorrow, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Jets make him an offer before that meeting.

A few more coaching-related updates, as the carousel turns:

  • If the Jets decide not to wait for Quinn, it appears he’ll still have interest from other clubs, including the Falcons, Bears, and 49ers, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). According to Cole, it doesn’t appear is if Quinn is leaning a certain direction at this point.
  • Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has finished his visit with the Bears and remains on track to meet with the Falcons later this week, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). La Canfora adds that Austin is still “very much in the mix” for the Atlanta job.
  • Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn has a busy schedule these days. Per ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link), Lynn is scheduled to interview for the Browns‘ offensive coordinator job next Tuesday. The Jaguars have also received permission to speak to Lynn about their OC opening, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
  • Under new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the Bills are on the lookout for an offensive line coach. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports (via Twitter) that Buffalo has asked for permission to interview 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari, while Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that the Bills have been granted permission to interview Washington OL coach Chris Foerster.

Coach Rumors: Bears, Jets, Falcons, 49ers

January 13th, 2015 at 8:08am CST by Luke Adams

Two days after after coaching his final game for the Broncos, and one day after formally parting ways with the team, John Fox has an interview lined up with another club, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com, who reports that the veteran coach will meet with the Bears. While Mortensen cautions that Fox isn’t a lock for the Chicago opening, he appears to be a strong candidate, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that it’s the job Fox wants.

Per Mortensen, the Bears have been impressed with candidates Todd Bowles, Dan Quinn, Adam Gase, and Teryl Austin, but Bowles is considered a favorite for the Falcons, while the 49ers are reportedly making a push for Gase, and Quinn has a handful of suitors.

With six head coaching positions still available around the NFL, we could see plenty of movement this week, with multiple teams making hires. Here are the latest updates on those vacancies:

  • The Jets and Falcons appear to be emerging as the finalists for Bowles, the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. One source tells Florio that Bowles is “very likely” to land in New York, while another source believes he prefers Atlanta. Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Bowles, who has second interviews scheduled with both clubs, will now meet with the Jets first, rather than the Falcons, which could be a sign that New York is the current frontrunner to hire him. Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com tweets that Bowles will meet with Mike Maccagnan, who has yet to be officially announced as the Jets’ new general manager.
  • As Seth Walder of the New York Daily News details, Seahawks defensive coordinator Quinn has long been viewed as the Jets‘ top choice, but the team is exploring other options, with Quinn potentially tied up for the next several weeks. In Florio’s previously-linked piece, the PFT scribe notes that Quinn’s interest in the Jets may not be as strong as previously believed.
  • Peter King of The MMQB.com agrees that the Jets‘ focus appears to be shifting from Quinn to Bowles, and speculates that the Seahawks DC has another position lined up — perhaps with the Falcons, who seem to be targeting Quinn and Bowles. Weighing in on the other open positions, King says he continues to hear Jack Del Rio over Tony Sparano as the top candidate for the Raiders, and that the 49ers‘ choice may come down to Gase, Vic Fangio, or Jim Tomsula.
  • Despite the fact that Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has said he intends to stay in Baltimore, the Broncos will seek permission to interview him for their head coaching opening, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
  • Washington would like to wrap up its defensive coordinator interviews within the next couple days and make a hire by week’s end, tweets Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. The club is speaking to Raheem Morris about the position today.
  • New Bills coach Rex Ryan will retain special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, according to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link).

Coach Updates: Spags, Quinn, LeBeau, Tucker

January 12th, 2015 at 6:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Giants will interview Ravens assistant (and former employee) Steve Spagnuolo for their defensive coordinator position this week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Facebook link). Spagnuolo, 55, was New York’s DC from 2007-08. Per Schefter, the club also spoke with its own defensive backs coach, David Merritt, about the job. Here’s more news on the coaching front…

  • After parting ways with John Fox earlier today, the Broncos want to interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, tweets Schefter. Quinn is viewed as the favorite for the Jets head coaching position, and has also been linked to the vacancies in Atlanta, Chicago, and San Francisco.
  • We heard earlier today that the Jets wanted to bring in Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles for a second interview, and now Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets that the meeting will take place on Wednesday, the same day Bowles will speak with the Falcons for a second time. The Atlanta interview will happen first, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
  • Cowboys offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Bill Callahan is a popular man, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). He’s drawing interest elsewhere, which could lead to a promotion of Scott Linehan. Bills head coach Rex Ryan is among those with interest, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
  • LSU has been in contact with Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker about their opening at the same position, according to Ross Dellenger and Scott Rabalais of The Advocate. Tucker, who was rumored to be on the hot seat in Chicago, remains under contract with the team.
  • While ex-Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has discussed joining the Cardinals coaching staff (Twitter link via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), it will not be as DC, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910, who adds that LeBeau could be brought aboard in something of an advising capacity.
  • Meanwhile, the Steelers have not met with any outside candidates to replace LeBeau, meaning it’s increasingly likely that linebackers coach Keith Butler will be promoted to DC, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Butler has been in his current role since 2003.
  • The Giants met with Washington secondary coach Raheem Morris on Friday about their open DC position, but will go in another direction, according to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 (Twitter link). Per Russini, Morris will now interview for Washington’s defensive coordinator job.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: Canty, Ravens, Jets, Bills, Dolphins

January 11th, 2015 at 10:35pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ravens defensive lineman Chris Canty is considering retirement following the team’s 35-31 loss to the Patriots yesterday, reports Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. The 32-year old veteran has one year remaining on his contract.

“I love being a part of the National Football League, but obviously, there’s another side to it,” said Canty. “You have to think about your future. You have to think, ‘Can your body take the pounding going through a regular season and being able to stay healthy?’ The last couple of years I’ve been pretty banged up, so it’s a situation where I’ll take some time away from the game, spend some time with my family and make a decision when we have to make a decision.”

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

  • The Ravens could lose defensive backs coach Steve Spagnuolo, who is a candidate for the Giants’ defensive coordinator opening, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Zrebiec notes that the offensive coaching staff should stay in tact.
  • The Jets are still looking to fill their head coaching vacancy, and the team has targeted Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, reports Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that as long as Jets owner Woody Johnson is content waiting for Quinn to become available, he will be the team’s next head coach (via Twitter). Quinn will join new Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan in this rebuilding project.
  • Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has not decided whether he would be interested in staying with the team, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). Schwartz will meet with Rex Ryan once his deal is finalized.
  • Dolphins’ wide receiver Brian Hartline is under contract for 2015, but it isn’t certain the team will bring him back, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. “I understand there’s a business side,” Hartline said. “So when there is transition, you have to find out if you’re part of that transition or you’re not. Because of that, there’s probably a little bit of unrest that’s new to me that I haven’t experienced before.” Hartline would like to remain with the team.

Coaching Updates: Bowles, Kubiak, Austin

January 11th, 2015 at 8:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 49ers may have lost head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, but they are very interested in Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com. Bowles interviewed for their vacancy on Friday, and although nothing has been scheduled officially, he is expected to be asked back for a second interview (via Twitter).

Here are some more updates on potential head coaches this Sunday:

  • New Bears general manager Ryan Pace’s first task is to find a new head coach, and he plans on pursuing Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, writes Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com. Kubiak had not interviewed for any jobs with the team’s season continuing, but now could be an option to fill vacancies. Reports had it that Kubiak may elect to stay in Baltimore.
  • The Bears are scheduled to interview Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin for their head coaching position on Tuesday, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • The Raiders have expressed interest in Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, and after the team was eliminated from the playoffs earlier today, the process of landing the former Jaguars head coach may have accelerated, writes Jerry McDonald of the San Jose Mercury News.
  • For the 49ers, only two of their potential head coaching candidates are still in playoffs, in Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.

Falcons Narrow HC Search; Bowles Favorite

January 11th, 2015 at 2:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After the Falcons fired Mike Smith, many viewed Rex Ryan as the favorite to land the Atlanta head coaching position — Ryan, too, felt that he and the Falcons were a good match, but the two sides never scheduled a second interview, and Ryan signed on with the Bills. However, the club does appear to have narrowed its candidate pool, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that Atlanta is zeroing in Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn; per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, Bowles is viewed as the leading contender to fill the Falcons vacancy.

Atlanta met with Bowles for five hours on Saturday, writes McClure, and though no second interview is scheduled, owner Arthur Blank will look to visit with the finalists a second time before making a decision. Bowles, Arizona’s DC for the past two seasons, has also interviewed with the Bears, Jets, and 49ers — as we learned earlier today, he has a second meeting scheduled with San Francisco. If he is hired in Atlanta, Bowles would look bring in Cardinals quarterbacks coach Freddie Kitchens as his offensive coordinator, per McClure.

Quinn, meanwhile, is just as popular as Bowles on the head coaching circuit, having been linked to every available vacancy except for Oakland’s. The Jets appear to have the most serious interest, as owner Woody Johnson was reportedly set to fly to Seattle to hire Quinn had the Seahawks lost last night. Instead, Quinn, who met with the Falcons during the first wave of interviews, won’t be available to meet with other clubs again until Seattle is eliminated from the playoffs. If the Hawks make an extended postseason run, it’s fair to wonder if interested teams will give the edge to Bowles, if only to end the hiring process quicker.

The Falcons recently restructured their front office, narrowing general manager Thomas Dimitroff’s responsibilities while expanding the role of assistant GM Scott Pioli. While it’s unclear how the move affects the head coaching search — the club’s press release stated the changes weren’t related to the hunt — the shuffling of duties has to have some impact on the process. Blank appears to be taking a more active role in football operations and will probably have final say over who is named HC. Additionally, while Dimitroff will retain control over free agency and the draft, it’s uncertain who will determine the 53-man roster. Giving a new head coach that control could be an added level of enticement.

With this latest development (and Buffalo’s hiring of Ryan), the head coaching picture has clarified a bit, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links) give his best guess as to how the vacancies will be filled: Bowles to the Falcons, Quinn to the Jets, Gary Kubiak or Mike Shanahan to the Bears, Jack Del Rio or Tony Sparano to the Raiders, and an internal candidate taking over the 49ers.

East Notes: Quinn, Spagnuolo, Hartline

January 11th, 2015 at 10:49am CST by Rory Parks

It’s been a busy morning in the AFC East, as the Bills have tabbed Rex Ryan as their new head coach and Greg Roman as their new offensive coordinator, and the Jets are set to name Mike Maccagnan as their new GM. Let’s take a look at some other news from the league’s east divisions this morning:

  • If the Seahawks had lost to Carolina last night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the Jets were prepared to fly to Seattle to offer Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn their head coaching job.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork takes a look at how the Ryan hiring affects the Jets‘ roster and staffing.
  • The Giants would have been interested in Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to fill the same position with Big Blue, but with Schwartz apparently set to remain in Buffalo, Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes that New York will interview Bills defensive line coach Pepper Johnson to fill its vacant defensive coordinator job.
  • Despite the Giants‘ interest in Johnson, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that all signs point towards the team’s hiring Ravens secondary coach Steve Spagnuolo as the team’s new defensive coordinator. Spagnulo, of course, won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2007 before becoming head coach of the Rams in 2009. Raanan names former Falcons head coach Mike Smith as a dark horse candidate for the position.
  • New Washington GM Scot McCloughlan says that head coach Jay Gruden will have complete control in hiring a new defensive coordinator, writes Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. “The head coach hires the coaches,” McCloughlan said.
  • Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald says the Dolphins owe Brian Hartline a quick decision as to whether the team will retain him, release him, or ask him to take a pay cut. In a separate piece, Salguero looks at the uncertainty facing the entire Miami receiving corps.

Poll: Top Head Coaching Candidate?

January 10th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by Luke Adams

It has been nearly two weeks since the 2014 regular season ended, but none of the six teams looking for a new head coach have made a hire yet. The slow process can be partially attributed to the fact that several strong head coaching candidates are still alive in the postseason, but there are plenty of viable targets available now.

Of course, many of this year’s noteworthy candidates are talented coordinators who don’t have any previous head coaching experience, so it’s not necessarily easy to identify the top options. Rex Ryan, Mike Shanahan, and Doug Marrone have had varying degrees of success in past head coaching roles, while Dan Quinn (Seahawks), Todd Bowles (Cardinals), and Teryl Austin (Lions) led three of the league’s best defensive units this season. Throw in Adam Gase, whose Broncos offense has ranked in the top three in DVOA for three consecutive seasons, and there are a number of intriguing coaches out there interviewing for multiple job openings.

So what do you think? If you were running an NFL franchise and tasked with hiring a new head coach, which of these candidates would you make your top priority? We’ve limited our poll to the eight aforementioned names, but feel free to weigh in below in the comments section if you feel strongly about a coach not listed here.

AFC Coaching Notes: McDaniels, Kubiak, Jets

January 10th, 2015 at 4:34pm CST by Rob DiRe

We have already looked at some of the NFC’s biggest coaching stories, and to follow up here are some of the most important AFC rumors:

  • The early game today features a pair of offensive minds that could have head coaching opportunities this offseason, in Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, writes Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). McDaniels has drawn interest from the Falcons and 49ers, while Kubiak has ties to both the Jets and Bears.
  • Kubiak has not interviewed yet, choosing to wait until the team’s season is over. However, even if Baltimore is eliminated, Kubiak may not interview for a head coaching job. He loves the Ravens and has friends with the organization, reports Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • As former Jets head coach Rex Ryan interviews for potential head coaching jobs, one question teams are curious about is who he plans to bring in as an offensive coordinator. Ryan is pitching a potential union with former Bears coach Marc Trestman, reports Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • Trestman and Raiders quarterback coach John DeFilippo are in the running to replace Kyle Shanahan as the Browns‘ offensive coordinator, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Fowler writes that the most important qualities Cleveland is looking for in an offensive coordinator are the ability to work with Johnny Manziel and scheme flexibility in case the team moves on from its young quarterback.
  • The Browns have also asked for permission to interview Raiders assistant coach Al Saunders, who has experience as an offensive coordinator and head coach during his 30 years in the NFL, reports Steve Corkran of the San Jose Mercury News.
  • If former Bills coach Doug Marrone cannot land another head coaching job this year, he would likely be welcome to join the Texans’ staff as a consultant, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Twitter). Marrone is close with Texans coach Bill O’Brien.
  • The Jets could be waiting for Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but owner Woody Johnson should be worried about his ability to get the in-demand Seahawks assistant, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com. If the Jets wait on Quinn and loses him to another suitor, it could leave the team in a bad spot.
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