Kyle Shanahan - Pro Football Rumors

Teams Eyeing Shanahans As Package Deal

January 5th, 2015 at 9:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Former NFL head coach Mike Shanahan and his son, Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, are both candidates to fill vacancies around the league. In fact, both could be in play for the 49ers job — Mike has officially interviewed, while Kyle has been linked to the opening. But several teams are interested in hiring both Shanahans, installing the elder as the head coach and the younger as the OC, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that those very 49ers, the Raiders, and the Bills have considered such an arrangement.

Because teams don’t have to allow coordinators to interview with other clubs unless a promotion to head coach is involved, Cleveland holds Kyle’s fate in its hands, writes Cabot. As he’s still under contract, Kyle would need to be released from his deal, a move the Browns would probably only consider if his new job included the title of assistant head coach (a designation, I would speculate, that Mike would be happy to bestow upon his son to facilitate a union). Despite an impressive showing with a Browns offense devoid of talent for most of the season, Kyle hasn’t received much official head coaching interest so far, so it’s possible that he’d relish the opportunity to work with his father.

If such a move comes to pass, it would resemble the coaching hierarchy seen in Washington from 2010-13, when Mike was the HC and Kyle called the plays. 2012, of course, marked the best season for the duo, as they installed a playbook specific to rookie Robert Griffin III’s strengths, and wound up with the league’s sixth-best offense by DVOA. Mike, of course, is a two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach who’s led the Broncos and Raiders, while Kyle has also worked with the Texans during his NFL tenure.

Both Shanahans have been linked to the Buffalo gig — Mike interviewed yesterday, while the Bills have asked Cleveland for permission to speak with Kyle. For his part, Mike has also met with representatives for the Raiders, and as noted, the 49ers, and has could have interest in the Bears job.

Coach Updates: Pep, Shanahan, Trestman

January 5th, 2015 at 7:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although previous reports indicated that Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton wouldn’t take any interviews this week due to logistical concerns, Hamilton actually did find the time to speak with Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie after Indianapolis’ victory on Sunday night, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the meeting wasn’t a formal interview, but McKenzie was very impressed with Hamilton, and Oakland believes the 40-year-old OC could play a significant role in the development of quarterback Derek Carr (TwitLonger link via Josina Anderson of ESPN). Let’s look at some more notes on head coaching vacancies around the league:

The Bills have requested permission to interview Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan for their head coaching position, per Schefter (Twitter link). Shanahan, 35, has called plays for the Texans and Washington in addition to Cleveland, and although he’s been linked to the 49ers vacancy this offseason, this is the first official interest displayed by another club.
In their search to find a new offensive coordinator, the Buccaneers have interviewed former Bears head coach Marc Trestman, per Rapoport (on Twitter). Trestman, of course, would have some familiarity with Tampa Bay quarterback Josh McCown, who started five games for Chicago in 2013. The Bucs have also met with Greg Roman and Dirk Koetter, two in-limbo play-callers, as they look for their new OC.
The Falcons have interviewed special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong for their head coaching job, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link). The interview, which satisfies the Rooney Rule, could pave the way for Atlanta to hire Rex Ryan after his interview on Tuesday, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who adds that the hiring process could pick up this week.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is one of the most popular head coaching candidates available, and he’ll meet with four teams this week, tweets Rapoport. He’ll do one interview per day starting on Wednesday, starting with the Jets, and finishing the week with the Falcons, 49ers, and Bears. Per Anderson (via TwitLonger), Bowles is open to working with a team that “needs development on either side of the ball,” but wants a strong front office and a few key pieces that he can work with.
Doug Marrone is considered the favorite to land the Jets HC job, but according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), his interview with New York did not go well. This report comes on the heels of Marrone’s assistant head coach from his time at Syracuse calling him “self-centered, selfish, [and] greedy” (link via Seth Walder of the New York Daily News).
Despite rumors to the contrary, La Canfora says (Twitter link) that UCLA head coach Jim Mora Jr. does not have an interview scheduled with the Jets. Speculation has arisen that Mora Jr. is looking to make a return to the NFL, but it sounds like nothing is planned with Gang Green at this time.

Coach Updates: Cowher, Quinn, Jets, Raiders

January 2nd, 2015 at 6:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Shortly after Doug Marrone opted out of his contract with the Bills, former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher was mentioned as a potential target for Buffalo, but appearing today on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Cowher took himself out of the running for the Bills’ job or any other head coaching openings.

“I’m in a really good place. I really enjoy my job at CBS,” Cowher said. “You’re not going to see me on the sidelines. I enjoy it, you miss it, but not enough to get back.”

Here are a few more coaching-related tidbits that have trickled in since our last round-up:

Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has a jam-packed schedule today and tomorrow, according to Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Schefter reports that Quinn interviewed for the Jets‘ head coaching job this morning, and will speak to the Bears tonight, the Falcons tomorrow morning, and the Bills tomorrow night.
In addition to interviewing Quinn, the Jets also completed their interview with Seahawks assistant Tom Cable today, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur interviewed with the Raiders today, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Shurmur is the second candidate to interview with the club, following Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
While the 49ers and Falcons were able to schedule interviews with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels within this week’s allotted window, the Bills were not, says Peter King of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). That doesn’t mean Buffalo couldn’t try to speak to McDaniels later on, but the team may not want to wait.
A pair of potential candidates cited early in the process for the two Bay Area teams have yet to set up interviews — Bill Williamson of ESPN.com tweets that the Raiders haven’t requested permission to speak to Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio yet, while Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says (via Twitter) that the 49ers have yet to set anything up with Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
The Buccaneers interviewed current 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman for Tampa Bay’s OC position today, reports Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears that Vic Fangio‘s interview for the 49ers‘ head coaching position lasted more than six hours and was “very impressive.”
Michael C. Wright and Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com have the details on the coaching recommendations made by the NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel.

Coach Updates: Raiders, Ryan, 49ers, Bucs

December 31st, 2014 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

As they search for a new head coach, the Raiders have requested permission to interview Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Anderson (via Twitter), the Raiders are genuinely intrigued by Hamilton, having heard good things about him. Because Indianapolis has a game this weekend, Hamilton won’t be able to speak to Oakland until next week at the earliest, assuming he has interest in the job.

Here are a few more coaching-related notes from around the NFL:

Reports have suggested that Rex Ryan has no interest in accepting a coordinator job this offseason, but that doesn’t mean that teams won’t try. According to Joe Fortenbaugh of the National Football Post, the Dolphins made an offer to the former Jets head coach to become Miami’s next defensive coordinator. Per Fortenbaugh, the offer was for multiple years and was worth approximately $8MM in total.
A league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that “a perception exists that Rex has been politicking too aggressively” for the Falcons‘ head coaching vacancy, which could rub owner Arthur Blank the wrong way. Ryan is scheduled to interview for the position.
Multiple Shanahans appear to be in the mix for the 49ers‘ head coaching job — Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com indicated that Niners GM Trent Baalke spoke to Mike Shanahan on Tuesday, while Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweeted earlier this week that Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is a candidate for San Francisco. It’s not clear if the team has set up an interview with either coach yet.
The 49ers got their interview process underway yesterday, and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was the first candidate to sit down with the team, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. As we heard last night, Seahawks DC Dan Quinn interviewed later in the day.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Tribune identifies 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman and Jets OC Marty Mornhinweg as likely candidates for the Buccaneers‘ OC job, with the team expected to request interviews for both. Like Dirk Koetter of the Falcons, whose name surfaced yesterday, those coordinators work for teams that recently parted ways with their head coaches. According to Stroud, the Bucs may also pursue ex-Bears head coach Marc Trestman.

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.

North Notes: Rice, Ravens, Shanahan

November 30th, 2014 at 8:38am CST by Rory Parks

Four teams have expressed interest in former Ravens running back Ray Rice, writes ESPN’s Adam Schefter. One of those four teams, the Colts, have recently stated that they are not interested in signing the newly-reinstated Rice at this time. The Saints were the other team identified in Schefter’s report–the other two clubs said to have interest were unnamed–but SportsCenter staff, citing Schefter, later tweeted that the Saints, like the Colts, are not expected to pursue Rice.

Those who believe Rice will not play again this season, if at all, most frequently support their position by citing the obvious public relations ramifications that a team signing Rice would have to face. However, as Schefter points outs, there is also a sizable on-field concern to consider. One AFC running backs coach, speaking to Schefter’s colleague Josina Anderson, noted that the speed with which Rice would pick up a new offense could pose a problem. The coach said:

“Some guys learn faster than others. They just do. I don’t know what kind of shape he’s in. There are a bunch of different things. He’s going to have to get into shape, clearly because he hasn’t been hitting this year. You would think there would be some carryover … but he is a good player. He is a good player.”

So while it still seems more likely than not that Rice will not suit up in 2014, the recent interest in his services suggests that there could still be a match between Rice and a playoff contender.

Now for a few more items from the league’s north divisions:

Although we took a look at this mailbag from ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley yesterday, one item of note that should be passed along is Hensley’s belief that the Ravens will reward surprise contributors Justin Forsett and Will Hill with two- or three-year deals with a modest bonus during the offseason.
Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes that Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will garner at least some interest from the six (or more) teams that will likely be looking for a new head coach after this season. Although it may take another year or two of interviews before Shanahan lands a head coaching job, it does appear that he will make that leap in fairly short order.
Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel, in anticipation of today’s much-anticipated matchup between the Packers and Patriots, describes the different approaches that those two clubs take to roster construction and notes that Green Bay is relying on the type of players that New England head coach Bill Belichick may have already given up on.
Ben Goessling of ESPN.com believes left guard is the spot on the Vikings offensive line where a change is most likely.

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.

Hamilton, Shanahan Head Coaching Candidates

November 14th, 2014 at 7:13pm CST by Rob DiRe

Every offseason, a number of head coaches will lose their jobs after disappointing their fan bases and owners alike, creating turnover among head coaches. Many of these vacancies will be filled by notable head coaches. For example, if Rex Ryan does get fired, as it seems he will, he might be a candidate for another opening around the league.

Even over the last few seasons, former head coaches like Lovie Smith and John Fox were fired from their long time jobs. The coaches had taken the Bears and Panthers to the Super Bowl, and remained competitive in their divisions, but eventually the teams moved on from the highly regarded coaches. Smith took over the Buccaneers this past offseason after only a year away from football, while Fox got the head job for the Broncos and subsequently helped sign Peyton Manning and turning the team’s fortunes around quickly.

You can also bet that Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher will have their names floated for potential head coaching gigs. Another recent Super Bowl loser got a job as a head coach this past offseason in Titans‘ new leader Ken Whisenhunt. However, Whisenhunt first reasserted his value as a coordinator, immediately turning around the fortunes of Philip Rivers and the Chargers‘ offense.

The Chargers’ head coach during Whisenhunt’s lone season with the team, was of course first time head coach Mike McCoy. McCoy, who came off of the record setting Broncos’ staff and coached under Fox, was among the hottest coordinators in the NFL that offseason, and the Chargers could not have been happier with the team’s success in his short tenure there.

Bruce Arians has the Cardinals at 8-1 and in first place in the NFC, after leading the team to a 10-6 record last season and narrowly missing the playoffs. Arians got the job after a year as the offensive coordinator under another first year coach Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis. Pagano, like Arians, has known nothing but success as an NFL head coach.

This offseason, while many teams will kick around the same old names, but a few will be aggressive in going after some of the next group of hot coordinators around the league.

The big name on that list midway through the 2014 NFL season is none other than Colts‘ offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton. Like Arians, Hamilton has taken superstar quarterback Andrew Luck and maximized his talents, producing a efficient and high-powered offense despite lacking an offensive line of pedigree or a reliable running game.

Hamilton has his Colts’ focused, and has not had time to think about his future away from the team, writes Conrad Brunner of 1070theFan.com. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” he said. “I’ve barely had enough time to take a break to step away from watching Patriots film.”

It is that intensity that has him as a rumored favorite for the 49ers’ job should Jim Harbaugh leave the team. Hamilton also could be considered for the Giants job if the team does not retain Tom Coughlin going forward.

Hamilton may be getting most of the hype, but there is plenty of time left in the season for other candidates to emerge or even overtake the top spot. Already, another AFC offensive coordinator is challenging Hamilton in Browns‘ coach Kyle Shanahan, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Shanahan’s ability to squeeze the most out of Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, and now Brian Hoyer has put him in a position to be considered for a premium NFL job.

This offseason a handful of coaches will leave their teams, and some of those jobs will be filled by big name former head coaches. Even still, both Hamilton and Shanahan, as well as other lesser-known coordinators from around the league will get their chances to interview for high profile jobs.

AFC North Notes: Forsett, Steelers, Gresham

October 19th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Rory Parks

After Justin Forsett‘s surprising emergence as the Ravens‘ best running back this season, fans are wondering if he will have a future in Baltimore beyond 2014. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes that it is too early to answer that question, particularly since Forsett is a small back that cannot withstand a big workload and is 29 years old. Hensley notes that Baltimore could certainly give Forsett a “modest” two-year contract at the end of the year, but the team remains high on younger players such as Bernard Pierce and Lorenzo Taliaferro.

In the same piece, Hensley writes that if the Ravens‘ offense continues its upward trajectory under new OC Gary Kubiak, the chances increase that Kubiak will get another crack at a head coaching job in 2015. If that happens, current quarterbacks coach Rick Dennison, Kubiak’s right-hand man, would likely leave with Kubiak, and the Ravens ‘ only other legitimate in-house option would be current offensive line coach Juan Castillo. In other words, if Kubiak leaves, expect Baltimore to bring in an outside candidate to replace him.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that an appeal hearing date has been set in the Ray Rice case, and a final decision could be handed down by mid-November, which means that Rice could be reinstated and eligible to play within the next four weeks. Whether a team would take the risk and sign him is another story, but La Canfora points to the Colts and Patriots as potential landing spots.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that, although the Steelers prefer to “reload” rather than “rebuild,” that strategy has them currently caught in no man’s land: “not good enough to compete for a championship, but not bad enough to select high in the draft.”Although their decision to not entirely rebuild the roster in recent years is understandable, given that they have a franchise quarterback, the declining performance of some of the team’s veterans may soon make Pittsburgh’s front office reevaluate its strategy going forward.
Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal describes how Browns OC Kyle Shanahan, like Kubiak, is reestablishing himself as a viable head coaching candidate as he leads Cleveland’s suddenly potent offense.
With the trade deadline just over a week away, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham, who is in a contract year, could be available for the right price.

AFC Notes: Jags, Raiders, Cody, Browns

October 18th, 2014 at 7:54pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s no secret that GM David Caldwell has overhauled the Jaguars‘ roster since arriving in Jacksonville, and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union has some eye-opening numbers on just how significant that overhaul as been. According to O’Halloran, no team has fewer pre-2013 draftees on its current 53-man roster (and reserve lists) than Jacksonville — the Jags are carrying just six players that they drafted prior to ’13.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Only one team in the NFL has fewer sacks this season than the Raiders‘ five, and free agent signees Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley haven’t helped matters, combining for just one sack so far. As Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, Oakland needs the veteran pass-rushing duo to pick up its game going forward in order to help justify the team’s approach to the offseason.
Defensive tackle Terrence Cody was eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list this week, but he won’t be activated by the Ravens quite yet. Still, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the team has been encouraged by Cody’s progress.
In his latest Browns mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com fields almost exclusively questions about the team’s quarterback situation, as Brian Hoyer‘s performance continues to keep rookie Johnny Manziel sidelined.
While the Browns’ early success has raised questions about Hoyer’s long-term future in Cleveland, it may be doing the same for offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, says Jeff Schudel of the Morning Journal. In Schudel’s view, Shanahan continues to improve his resumé and figures to be considered in January by teams with head coaching openings.