John Fox

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).

Extra Points: Fox, Bears, Ogbuehi, Gurley, Colts

January 12th, 2015 at 10:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

There’s been plenty of speculation linking deposed Broncos coach John Fox to the Bears vacancy, and now a source tells Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune that Fox would indeed have some interest in coaching in Chicago. As previously noted, Fox has a personal relationship with Bears advisor Ernie Accorsi, and shares a mutual friend in Saints head coach Sean Payton with new Chicago GM Ryan Pace. Here are some more notes from around the league:

Although Fox will probably be a candidate for the Bears job, don’t expect him to enter into the Falcons’ pool of options, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who notes that Atlanta is already well along in its coaching search. We’ve heard previously that the Falcons are focusing on defensive coaches, and have zeroed in on Todd Bowles.
Sad news from the college front, as Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link) that Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi has tore his ACL in the Liberty Bowl on December 29. Ogbuehi was projected to be among the best lineman available — ESPN’s Todd McShay had him going No. 11 in his most recent mock draft. Needless to say, this injury will likely push him down draft boards.
Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports has signed Georgia running back Todd Gurley as a client, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com (via Twitter). It’ll just be Roc Nation representing the standout tailback, not a split with CAA. Ari Nissim will be the lead agent for Gurley (link).
After the Colts‘ playoff victory over the Broncos, Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay took the opportunity to gloat a little bit. “I knew it was the right thing to do for the Colts,” Irsay said of his decision years ago to move on from Peyton Manning and replace him with top pick Andrew Luck (via ESPN.com).
The Titans should look to hire Dick LeBeau as a consultant, opines Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, who argues that the veteran DC could help the club in its second year as a 3-4 unit.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Coach Rumors: Fox, Bowles, Browns, Morris

January 12th, 2015 at 8:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ve already posted one roundup of the latest news on the coaching front, but even more items have surfaced. Let’s dive in…

Correcting an earlier report, ESPN’s Adam Schefter says (via Twitter) that the Jets have not in fact requested an interview with ex-Broncos coach John Fox. That doesn’t mean a request won’t be made at some point soon, but as of yet, New York hasn’t been in contact with Fox.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is set to have a busy week — he’ll meet for a second time with the Falcons and Jets on Wednesday, and now the Bears are seeking a second interview with Bowles sometime this week, sources tell the Chicago Sun-Times. Bowles first interviewed with Chicago on Thursday, on what was new general manager Ryan Pace’s first day.
The Browns have requested permission to interview two Cowboys offensive assistants — OC/offensive line coach Bill Callahan, and passing game coordinator Scott Linehan, tweets Schefter. Callahan, who doesn’t call the plays in Dallas (Linehan’s duty), has a relationship with Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine. The Browns tried to hire Callahan last year but Jerry Jones blocked the move, per Schefter (Twitter link). According to Schefter, the Jaguars have also requested to meet with Callahan, but Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union speculates that Jacksonille wants Callahan for its line coach position, not as an OC.
We heard earlier that Raheem Morris would interview for the Washington defensive coordinator job sometime this week, and John Keim of ESPN.com reports that the meeting will take place on Tuesday (Twitter link).
Before the news broke that Adam Gase was the frontrunner for the 49ers head coaching job, league insiders believed that defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was the favorite for the gig, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Meanwhile, if Gase does secure the San Francisco position, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle doesn’t believe that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will stick around (via Twitter).

AFC East Notes: Fox, Jets, Schwartz, Bills, Fins

January 12th, 2015 at 7:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Ex-Broncos head coach John Fox has declined to interview for the Jets’ head coaching vacancy, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). As Schefter notes, Fox probably wouldn’t turn down a chance at a HC job unless he another opportunity already lined up. Such an opportunity might exist in Chicago, where Fox friend Ernie Accorsi is advising the Bears’ head coaching search. The Jets will presumably remain focused on Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is believed to be their top choice. Here’s more from the AFC East…

Jim Schwartz won’t return as the Bills defensive coordinator, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Schwartz, who led a Buffalo defense that finished second in DVOA, was expected to be offered a spot on the club’s coaching staff by incoming head coach Rex Ryan, but apparently that fell through. The news coincides with Rich Cimini of ESPN.com’s report (Twitter link) that Ryan will look to bring many of his Jets assistants with him, including defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman. It’s just my speculation, but two NFC East teams — the Cowboys and the Giants — could be among those with interest in Schwartz.
Defensive coordinator isn’t the only Bills position that will be filled by a new face in 2015, and Mike Rodak of ESPN.com looks at the changes in store for the Buffalo staff next season.
There aren’t any legitimate candidates for the franchise tag on the Dolphins’ roster, opines James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker points to tight end Charles Clay and defensive lineman Jared Odrick as two options who might be franchised, but ultimately concludes that the price tag ($8.2MM for Clay, $11MM for Odrick) is too steep.
The Dolphins‘ chain of command following the addition of former Jets exec Mike Tannenbaum is a bit complicated, as Mike Tanier of Bleacher Report writes.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Fallout From John Fox, Broncos Parting Ways

January 12th, 2015 at 6:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Broncos general manager John Elway and ex-head coach John Fox have released a statement in the wake of the news that the two parties would be parting ways. “John Fox and I met for more than an hour on Monday afternoon to discuss the 2014 season and our goals for the future,” said Elway, via Mike Klis of the Denver Post. “During our open and candid conversation, it became clear that it was best for both the Denver Broncos and Coach Fox to move on and make this change.” Like Elway, Fox was thankful and complementary, but also gave a hint about his plans for the future. “I am eager to continue my coaching career and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead,” said Fox, indicating that he’s open to other jobs.

Let’s take a look at the fallout from and reaction to the shakeup, and how it affects the Broncos, Fox, and the rest of the team’s coaching staff.

The Broncos had not considered moving on from Fox until a report surfaced yesterday from Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, a friend of Fox’s, indicating that Fox could be out, per Klis. The club worried that Fox was “keeping his options open” with regard to other coaching vacancies, which led to today’s meeting.
Elway was reportedly unhappy with the Broncos’ mental toughness, and was especially disappointed with how the club performed in the postseason, writes Klis. For his part, Fox wanted more control over personnel, and preferred to have a say over the draft and the roster.
Fox could be an option to replace Marc Trestman with the Bears, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). The link between Fox and Chicago is clear, as Fox has a close relationship with Ernie Accorsi, who is advising the Bears’ head coaching search, tweets Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post. Additionally, Fox’s best friend in the NFL is Saints head coach Sean Payton, who worked with new Chicago GM Ryan Pace, meaning Fox should be well-informed about where the Bears stand, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Appearing on The Michael Kay Show, Jets advisor Charley Casserly declined to speak on whether Gang Green would be interested in Fox, according to Kimberley Martin of Newsday (Twitter link).
On the Broncos side, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com doesn’t expect the club to hire a big-name coach, noting that Denver’s coaching budget “is far from expansive” (Twitter link).
Gary Kubiak was the Broncos offensive coordinator from 2003-05, and Ed Werder of ESPN speculates (via Twitter) that the club could be interested in a reunion. However, in response to a report that the Bears were pursuing him, Kubiak released a statement yesterday saying he would remain with the Ravens, and a Baltimore source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter) that he’d be shocked if Kubiak now reversed course.
The most obvious candidate for the Broncos job could be offensive coordinator Adam Gase, whom the 49ers will meet with tonight in an effort to hire him as their head coach. There are conflicting reports on whether Gase will be a candidate for Denver’s top job, however, as Florio tweets that Gase will in fact be an option, while Klis writes that the OC is not considered likely to be promoted.
Given Mike Shanahan’s relationship with Elway, it would’ve been fair to wonder if a reunion was in order. However, Klis reports that Shanahan is not a candidate for the Broncos vacancy.
Meanwhile, one candidate who probably will garner an interview is Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville, who was the club’s interim head coach in 2010 following Josh McDaniels’ firing, per La Canfora (Twitter link).

Broncos, John Fox To Part Ways

January 12th, 2015 at 4:58pm CST by Zachary Links

4:58pm: Vic Lombardi of CBS4 (via Twitter) hears that the entire Broncos coaching staff has been let go. That would include offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who was presumed by many as a candidate to fill Fox’s old position.

4:18pm: The Broncos and coach John Fox will part ways, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The decision came after Fox and team president John Elway met earlier this afternoon, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

On Sunday, the Broncos’ playoff run ended at the hands of Andrew Luck and the Colts. Immediately after the game, speculation began to fly about the job security of Fox. The phrasing of today’s news, however, would lead one to believe that this was something of a mutual decision. After all, with a number of vacancies around the NFL, including intriguing teams like the Falcons and Bears, Fox could be very open to a change. Peyton Manning had a quality season on the whole, but his performance in Sunday’s defeat could signal that the aging quarterback is in the decline phase of his career. On top of that, the Broncos have several key players set to hit the open market, including wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas.

Meanwhile, Elway will have many interesting options to choose from as he looks to replace Fox. Offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who has earned a strong reputation around football in recent years, could be a top candidate for the position. There are also a pair of veteran options with ties to the organization out there: Mike Shanahan and Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. Kubiak has already said that he’ll remain in Baltimore, but one has to wonder if the opportunity to take over as the head coach in Denver would change his mind.

In four seasons as the head coach on the Broncos, Fox recorded an impressive 46-18 record. His previous stint with the Panthers produced a 73-71 mark.

With the new head coaching vacancy in Denver, there are now six teams looking for a head coach.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Broncos Notes: Manning, Fox, Talib

January 11th, 2015 at 9:37pm CST by Rob DiRe

In the wake of the Broncos 24-13 loss to the Colts tonight, questions regarding Peyton Manning‘s future began to surface. Manning himself was non-committal about returning in 2015, according to Burt Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter). “I need to process this game, and we’ll meet tomorrow,” said Manning.

Here are some other rumors after the Broncos elimination:

Manning is set to make $19MM in 2015, and for that reason Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes he will be back next year (via Twitter). At the same time, he notes that his colleague Marc Sessler has thought Manning could retire after the season since September.
Manning’s full salary will be guaranteed on the last day of the league year in March, reports Joel Corry of the National Football Post (via Twitter). If he retires, Denver will have a $5MM in dead money on its 2015 cap.
The Broncos will save $16.5MM if they move on from Manning this offseason, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).
Money aside, Aaron Nagler of SI Now wonders if Manning would even want to start over again if head coach John Fox is fired and offensive coordinator Adam Gase finds employment elsewhere this offseason (via Twitter).
Despite those reports that Fox’s job was on the line today, the Broncos head coach was adamant about staying with the team, according to Around the NFL (via Twitter). “My intentions are to be a Denver Bronco,” said Fox.
Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com notes that with the Broncos out of the playoffs, Gase and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio are now available to sign as head coaches elsewhere right away (via Twitter). The Raiders have been interested in Del Rio, and Gase has drawn interest from a number of teams.
As he did upon the Cowboys’ loss to the Packers earlier, Field Yates of ESPN looks into some important offseason decisions facing the Broncos (ESPN Insider Link). Among the most important free agents, Yates writes the team needs to bring back Demaryius Thomas and Terrance Knighton, make a decision on Julius Thomas, and add to their offensive line and linebacking crews.
Corry also notes that the team could move on from oft-injured cornerback Aqib Talib, who has a cap number of $7MM in 2015 (via Twitter). That will leave $4MM in dead money on Denver’s cap sheet.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com put together a list of the Broncos free agents heading into this offseason and their current average salaries, and also addresses some salary cap and contract issues that the team will face with or without their quarterback..

John Fox To Be Fired If Broncos Lose?

January 11th, 2015 at 12:37pm CST by Rory Parks

Citing Fox NFL Insider Jay Glazer, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that, if the Broncos lose their Divisional Round matchup against Indianapolis today, Denver head coach John Fox could be fired. Cole, in fact, believes there is a “pretty good chance” Fox would get the ax if the Broncos fall today.

Fox has led the Broncos to the playoffs in each of his four seasons in Denver, including a Super Bowl appearance last season. However, after an embarrassing performance in the Super Bowl, which followed a surprising upset at the hands of the eventual-champion Ravens the year before, Fox may be coaching for his job today. Another home upset in the second round of the playoffs may be too much for the Denver front office to take, especially considering the talent on the team’s roster.

Fox, though, recently signed an extension with the Broncos through the 2016 season, so a firing at this point would seem unlikely. However, if it did happen, he would immediately become the most desirable candidate on the head coaching market.

Broncos, John Fox Agree To Extension

April 4th, 2014 at 10:12pm CST by Peter Sowards

10:12pm: Fox’s deal is worth between $5MM to $6MM per year, reports Ryan Parker of The Denver Post.

9:10pm: Rapoport’s sources describe the deal as “fair and generous” (via Twitter).

8:33pm: The Broncos and head coach John Fox have agreed to a new three-year extension, reports FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer (via Twitter). As Glazer notes in his tweet, both Super Bowl head coaches — Fox and Seattle’s Pete Carroll — have agreed to new deals in a 24-hour span. It’s a “completely new” three-year deal, meaning the four-year, $14MM contract he signed in in 2011 was proverbially torn up.

Extending Fox’s contract was a top offseason priority for the Broncos, reported CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora in December. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweeted in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII that negotiations were to begin after the big game.

The Broncos are 34-14 in three seasons under Fox’s tutelage, winning the AFC West each year. Before moving on to Denver, Fox coached the Carolina Panthers for nine seasons, including a Super Bowl appearance in February 2004.

Broncos Willing To Spend

February 22nd, 2014 at 3:44pm CST by Rob DiRe

Broncos’ general manager John Elway has invigorated the team since winning the battle for Peyton Manning two years ago. He quickly created a roster that dominated the AFC en route to a Super Bowl appearance. Despite the disappointing performance in the big game, Elway is focused on bringing back some of the team’s top talent in order to make another run at a championship.

Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the team has shown a willingness to spend under the leadership of Elway. Presumably, the entire organization understands that there is urgency to bring a Super Bowl trophy to Denver now, with Manning under center. That only gives them two or three more seasons to realistically contend as currently constructed. However, a willingness to spend doesn’t necessarily equal an improved roster due to the amount the team has already spent and their situation in regard to the salary cap.

While the team is expected to have enough cap room to maneuver this offseason, Elway did say that he believes Manning would be willing to restructure his deal if the team needed some extra flexibility. “I think we’ll be fine,” Elway said. “I don’t think (Manning) would have any problem, if we needed to find some cap room, that he wouldn’t help us out.”

Klis writes that Elway and head coach John Fox will begin discussing a contract extension. Retaining the head coach is thought to be a top priority. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio has already received a two-year contract extension after optimizing a defense that was without its best player, Von Miller, for almost all of the season, due to suspension and injury. Del Rio also filled in admirably during Fox’s absence when his health forced him to miss games in the middle of the season.

Another urgent matter for Elway is the status of Champ Bailey‘s contract. He is scheduled to make $10MM in 2014, but due to his advanced age and declining ability it is unlikely the team would be willing to bring him back at that number. He will most likely be cut or take a pay cut to stay with the team.

As for the current Broncos about to hit free agency, Elway said the team would allow them to hit the market. While he would like to bring back many of the team’s own talent, Elway knows with some of their other key players requiring new contracts after next season that they cannot commit all of their future cap space to this season’s group of free agents.

He does note that the team wants Decker back, and that Decker expressed interest in returning as well. Even still, it could be difficult for the team to match an offer in the open market.

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