Kris Richard - Pro Football Rumors

Colts To Interview Kris Richard On Friday

January 3rd, 2018 at 6:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard will interview with the Colts for their head coaching job on Friday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Indianapolis first requested an interview with Richard on New Year’s Day.

Richard has been in this position before, having interviewed for the Bills’ opening last year. Ultimately, that job went to former Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. This time around, he’s going up against McDermott’s replacement in Steve Wilks. The other known candidates for the position are Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Chiefs OC Matt Nagy, and Texans DC Mike Vrabel.

The Seahawks defense didn’t exactly shine under Richard, but the team was also plagued injuries to several key players including Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman. The Colts may be inclined to go with an offensive-minded coach to keep Andrew Luck on the right track (once he’s healthy), but they could also use some serious help on the other side of the ball. In 2017, the Colts finished near the bottom in points and yards allowed.

Richard spent the last eleven seasons with the Seahawks when counting his eight years as a coach and three years as a cornerback. He played his college ball at USC under Pete Carroll, who later brought him on board as an assistant and promoted him to DC following the departure of Dan Quinn in 2015. That’s about as strong of an endorsement as a head coaching hopeful could have.

Colts Request To Interview Hawks’ Richard

January 1st, 2018 at 8:57pm CST by Micah Powell

The Colts were busy adding names to their head-coaching wish list on Monday, the latest being Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard, the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (Twitter link).

Richard joins a list of potential interviewees that so far includes Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. In 2017, Richard interviewed for the Bills opening but returned to Seattle.

Richard took over after the departure of Dan Quinn in 2015 and fielded back-to-back top-five scoring defenses in his first two seasons. The Seahawks had a down season in his third campaign, but were plagued by injuries to their secondary in Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman. Richard has been with team as a defensive backs coach since 2011 and oversaw the team’s “Legion of Boom” secondary rise to prominence.

The Colts could use plenty of help on the defensive side of the ball. In 2017, the team finished 30th in both points and yards allowed.

Latest On Bills’ Head Coaching Search

January 8th, 2017 at 3:34pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bills will interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard for their open head coaching position tonight, reports Peter Schrager of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds that Buffalo’s decision-makers are currently on their way to Seattle. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier today (Twitter link) that the Bills were likely to meet with Richard as soon as today. As PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, Richard is part of a long list of candidates for Buffalo’s top job.

One of those candidates, Anthony Lynn, who has been considered the Bills’ first choice, might not even want the job, as we learned last week. But according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), Bills ownership apologized to Lynn for telling him to bench quarterback Tyrod Taylor in Week 17. Lynn likes Taylor, so perhaps the apology was issued as an attempt to smooth over a source of resentment for Lynn and to convince him to stay in Buffalo (although the Bills, of course, do intend to move on from Taylor if they can).

But Schefter reports that whoever the new head coach is, he will have more power within the organization. Although ownership is apparently a fan of general manager Doug Whaley, the fact remains that the Bills’ next head coach will be the third during Whaley’s tenure, and his stint as GM has not been a successful one. So while Whaley will keep his job for at least one more season, he apparently will not have as much autonomy with respect to roster construction as he has enjoyed in the past.

In addition to Lynn, the Bills have already interviewed Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin and Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, both of whom are popular head coaching targets this offseason.

Coaching Notes: Browns, Bills, Shanahan, Rex

January 6th, 2017 at 5:40pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Browns’ firing of defensive coordinator Ray Horton is not yet official, but the team is leaning toward making a change, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com was among those to report (Twitter link). Should Horton get the ax, Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams would be in prime position to succeed him in Cleveland. The Browns have given Williams until Monday to accept the job, according to Sporting News’ Alex Marvez (Twitter link).

More coaching-related info:

The Bills have requested an interview with Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Panthers D-coordinator Sean McDermott‘s Wednesday meeting with the Bills went very well, notes Garafolo (Twitter links).
Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan‘s head coaching interviews with the Jaguars and 49ers took place Friday, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Shanahan will meet Saturday with the Broncos, relays Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post (Twitter link). The 37-year-old reportedly prefers the Broncos’ job to the other openings around the league.
The Redskins, in search of a defensive coordinator, have received the Panthers’ permission to interview assistant head coach/defensive backs coach Steve Wilks, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Rapoport connected Wilks to the Redskins on Thursday, noting the coach’s relationship with ex-Panthers and now-Redskins cornerback Josh Norman.
Unsurprisingly, Rex Ryan won’t work anywhere as an assistant next season, reports Chick Hernandez of CSN Washington (Twitter link). The two-time head coach will wait for a third opportunity to come along in 2018; in the meantime, he’s likely to take a job as a television analyst.
Check out PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker to keep up with all the latest interviews.

Coaching Notes: Joseph, Bills, Rams

January 2nd, 2017 at 8:54pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s been a busy day around the NFL, especially when it comes to coaching rumors. We’re keeping track of all of those interviews, and you can find our tracker here.

In the meantime, let’s take a look at some more coaching whispers from around the NFL…

The Rams, Bills, and Chargers are requesting permission to speak with Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). We learned earlier today that the 49ers have also expressed interest in Joseph.
If Joseph indeed gets a head coaching gig, linebackers coach Matt Burke is likely to replace him as the Dolphins defensive coordinator, Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com tweets. Burke joined the Dolphins last offseason after having previously served as the linebackers coach with the Bengals and Lions.
The Bills are expected to interview Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich for their head coaching opening, sources tell Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (via Twitter). Prior to his time in Philly, Reich was the offensive coordinator for the Chargers.
The Bills have done some homework on Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard, Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports tweets. Richard just completed his second season in that role.
All Rams assistants have been told they are free to seek other employment, freelance NFL reporter Michael Silver tweets. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise since the next coach in L.A. will probably want to bring in a lot of his own guys. Even if the next head coach wants to keep some of the current assistants, it wouldn’t be fair to hamstring them while the search continues.
The Rams, Jaguars, Broncos, and 49ers will all interview Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan between Friday and Saturday, reports Rapoport (via Twitter).
The Rams are planning on interviewing Panthers secondary coach and assistant head coach Steve Wilks for their head coaching gig, reports Rapoport (via Twitter). The 47-year-old has been in the NFL since 2008, and he’s also coached for the Bears and Chargers.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Sunday Roundup: Richard, Sanchez, Sherman, L.A.

May 31st, 2015 at 8:54pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier today Rory Parks rounded up a few stories to pass along that came across the ticker. Here are a few more Sunday stories that are worth checking out:

Sam Bradford has been anointed the presumed starter in Philadelphia, but his road to the job won’t come without competition. Mark Sanchez has made it clear that he wants to be the Eagles’ starter, and Phil Sheridan of ESPN believes he will have a chance to win it.
Kris Richard is settling into his new role as Seahawks defensive coordinator, and he has made it clear that he is taking over Dan Quinn’s defense with a “if it’s not broke. don’t fix it” approach, according to the team’s official website. Working under Quinn, Gus Bradley, and Pete Carroll has given him a unique perspective on how to run a defense.
Mike Sherman has left the NFL for the amatuer ranks, becoming the head coach at Nauset Regional High School in North Eastham, Massachusetts, reports Kevin Patra of NFL.com. Sherman, who has recently served as offensive coordinator for the Dolphins, and amassed a 59-37 record during his six years as head coach of the Packers from 2000 to 2005.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com has a note for any fans in Los Angeles hoping for an NFL team, the Hollywood Park grandstand was demolished today (via Twitter). The proposed NFL stadium is planned to take its place. Austin Knoblauch of the Los Angeles Times has the full story of the demolition.

Seahawks Promote Kris Richard To DC

February 9th, 2015 at 8:00pm CST by Zachary Links

8:00pm: The Seahawks also named Michael Barrow as their linebackers coach, Brennan Carroll as an assistant offensive line coach, and added Lofa Tatupu as an assistant linebackers coach, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter).

6:40pm: The Seahawks announced that they have promoted secondary coach Kris Richard to defensive coordinator, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (on Twitter). The move has been long rumored but it was not official until Seattle’s Monday night press release.

Richard was a popular man this offseason as new Falcons coach Dan Quinn tried to get Richard to come to Atlanta. Ultimately, Richard declined to follow his friend to the Falcons and one has to imagine he had a pretty good idea a promotion was coming his way.

Richard has long been a member of the Seahawks family, having first arrived in Seattle as a third-round choice in 2002. The cornerback only played for the Seahawks for three seasons before having stints with the Dolphins, 49ers, and Raiders, but he would later join up with Pete Carroll as an assistant on his USC staff. Later on, he followed his coach and mentor to the Seahawks. Seattle, of course, has been known for one of the toughest (if not the toughest) secondaries in the league under Richard’s watch.

Ken Norton Jr. was also considered to be a strong in-house candidate, but he was recently scooped up by the Raiders to be their defensive coordinator.

West Notes: Kris Richard, D. Thomas, Chiefs

February 5th, 2015 at 9:49am CST by Dallas Robinson

As we’ve heard previously, it sounds like Kris Richard is the favorite to become the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who reported last month that Richard was likely to become a DC in Seattle or Atlanta, agrees. Had Richard joined the Falcons, he would’ve followed ex-Seahawks DC Dan Quinn, whom Florio adds did in fact offer Richard a role on the Atlanta staff. But Richard, currently Seattle’s secondary coach, turned Quinn down, ostensibly because the Falcons have already hired a defensive coordinator in Richard Smith.

Here’s more from the West divisions:

Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas is one of two elite pass-catching options who could be available on the free agent market, writes Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News. Along with Dez Bryant, Thomas should be able to top the average annual values of Mike Wallace ($12MM) and Percy Harvin‘s ($12.9MM) contracts, but it will be tough for the duo to match the ~$16MM AAV earned by Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. Rather, Thomas and Bryant could aim to set a new second-tier of WR deals at around $14MM per year, per Fitzgerald.
In a piece for Over the Cap, Fitzgerald examines the offseason outlook for the Chiefs, who are currently projected at roughly $1.7MM over the cap. While labeling free agent linebacker Justin Houston a “must-sign,” Fitzgerald opines that Dwayne Bowe and Tamba Hali are candidates for pay cuts, if not outright release.
A new budget wrinkle proposed by President Obama could end up costing the Chargers as they attempt to build a new stadium, write Roger Showley and Lori Weisberg of U-T San Diego. Per the plan, clubs will no longer be able to use low-cost, tax-exempt municipal bonds to finance stadiums, meaning the Chargers could be forced to shoulder much of the financial burden themselves.

Coaching Notes: Seahawks, Cardinals, Washington, Falcons

February 2nd, 2015 at 8:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Following the Falcons hiring of former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, a former league executive wondered what could have been. Former Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik said that he twice tried to hire Quinn to become Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator, according to Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com (via Twitter). Instead, Dominik settled for Bill Sheridan and Raheem Morris.

Let’s check out some more coaching notes from around the league…

The Seahawks plan is to promote defensive backs coach Kris Richard to fill their defensive coordinator vacancy, but they may conduct a wider search first, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
The Falcons will hire Seahawks assistant offensive line coach Chris Morgan as their new offensive line coach, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Morgan, of course, is following friend Dan Quinn to Atlanta.
The Cardinals are scheduled to hire Bob Sanders as one of their linebacker coaches, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 AM (on Twitter). Sanders 61, served as the defensive coordinator of the Packers from 2006-08. He spent last year on the Raiders‘ staff.
Washington (on Twitter) announced the hiring of Robb Akey as their defensive line coach. Akey, who has 26 years of coaching experience, served as the assistant defensive line coach for the Vikings in 2014.
Furthermore, Washington is likely finished adding defensive assistants, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Falcons To Hire Raheem Morris, Richard Smith

February 2nd, 2015 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 2, 4:26pm: According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links), Smith will indeed have the defensive coordinator title in Atlanta. The Falcons also plan to hire a secondary coach separate of Morris and a linebackers coach separate of Smith, with the intention of building a big staff like Pete Carroll‘s in Seattle.

JANUARY 26, 1:18pm: While the team has yet to formally announce anything yet, Morris and Smith have both accepted positions with the Falcons, per reports from Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter) and Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Klis says Smith will have a “senior defensive position” in Atlanta, so it’s still not entirely clear whether he’ll have the DC title.

9:48am: The only team in the NFL without a head coach officially in place is expected to formally install Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn in that role a week from now, and is already moving toward putting together its staff. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Falcons intend to hire Washington secondary coach Raheem Morris and Broncos linebackers coach Richard Smith.

While multiple reports over the weekend indicated that Morris was expected to land with the Falcons, the team’s interest in Smith is new information, and is corroborated by Albert Breer of the NFL Network (all Twitter links). According to Breer, Smith will likely handle the run defense in Atlanta, while Morris will be in charge of the pass defense. Breer adds that Morris’ title is expected to be assistant head coach, which should mean that Smith will be named the club’s defensive coordinator.

With Quinn still focused on preparing Seattle’s defense for this Sunday’s game against the Patriots, neither Morris’ deal nor Smith’s has been finalized yet, but it appears they’ll both join a staff that’s expected to be a “big one in numbers,” per Breer, who notes that Quinn also figures to bring a Seahawks assistant or two with him to Atlanta. We heard on Friday that Seattle defensive backs coach Kris Richard was a good bet to land a defensive coordinator job with either the Falcons or Seahawks, so perhaps with Morris and Smith expected to lead Atlanta’s unit, Seattle will promote Richard to replace Quinn.

Until the Falcons officially name Quinn their new head coach, there will be several moving parts in play here, so we likely won’t get any resolution until next week. Still, it appears that the staff in Atlanta is starting to come together.