HEADLINES

Marc Trestman

Coaching Notes: Raiders, Giants, Browns

January 10th, 2015 at 9:29am CST by Ben Levine

Let’s check out some notable coaching rumors as we start off the weekend…

  • Raiders owner Mark Davis “loves” Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. However, it’s uncertain whether the organization is willing to wait for Del Rio to finish up his playoff run with Denver.
  • According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Giants have requested permission to interview Bills defensive line coach Pepper Johnson for their defensive coordinator opening. Johnson has coached since 2000, but he has yet to hold a coordinator position.
  • The Browns have requested permission to interview a trio of NFL coaches for their offensive coordinator opening (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter): 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Raiders offensive assistant Al Saunders and current Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. The organization is also set to interview former Bears head coach Marc Trestman,
  • Rapoport tweets that Roman’s interview with the Browns is on Monday, so a hiring shouldn’t be expected this weekend.
  • Bills running back coach Tyrone Wheatley will be joining Jim Harbaugh‘s staff at Michigan, tweets John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. Wheatley was previously a coach at Syracuse, Ohio Northern and Eastern Michigan.

AFC North Notes: Harbaugh, Browns, Maualuga

January 9th, 2015 at 1:06pm CST by Ben Levine

When John Harbaugh was originally interviewing for the Ravens head coaching position, he received a bit of help from one of his colleagues. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gave owner Steve Bisciotti a call, endorsing the former Eagles special teams coach for the opening. Harbaugh eventually got the job, and as Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes, the coach still appreciates the recommendation from his upcoming playoff opponent:

“It meant everything. As far as probably getting the job, it didn’t hurt. You have to ask Steve and Ozzie [Newsome] if it made the difference or not. But the fact that he was willing to do that at the time, I was stunned when I heard the story much later.

“I would describe the relationship as very good, great admiration for coach. I’ve never worked with him, specifically, but for whatever reason he has been always willing to kind of take me under his wing in a way and give me time and insight and things like that.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC North…

  • Former Bears quarterback coach Matt Cavanaugh is on the Browns “radar” for the offensive coordinator opening, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cavanaugh previously worked with coach Mike Pettine at the University of Pittsburgh, and they reunited again in the NFL with the Ravens and Jets.
  • Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com takes a look at some other potential candidates for the Browns offensive coordinator opening. His list includes Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, former college coach/NFL coordinator Charlie Weis, former Bears coach Marc Trestman and Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan.
  • Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther believes upcoming free agent linebacker Rey Maualuga will ultimately return to the Bengals. “I believe he does,” Guenther said (via ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey). “You saw when he came back the effect he had on us.”
  • Harvey also focuses on five major questions surrounding the Bengals entering the offseason, including the future of tight end Jermaine Gresham.

Coach Notes: Philbin, Ryan, Bowles, Trestman

January 8th, 2015 at 12:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced last month that the team would be retaining head coach Joe Philbin for the 2015 season, and the next step is to lock up Philbin with an extension. As Aramando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins will indeed make an extension offer to Philbin, to ensure that he doesn’t enter 2015 as a lame-duck coach, and to make sure his price tag doesn’t go up if Miami has a strong ’15 campaign. Of course, if the Dolphins take a step back next season, Philbin could still be dismissed — Ross and the team would just have to eat the remaining cost of his deal.

Here are a few more Thursday coaching updates from across the league:

  • Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle is hearing that Rex Ryan‘s first choice is the 49ers, followed by the Falcons (Twitter link). However, it’s not clear if Ryan would be atop the Niners’ list as well.
  • The Falcons pushed their interviews for Teryl Austin and Todd Bowles back to Friday and Saturday, respectively, due to the passing of Molly Blank, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. That’s why Bowles is meeting with the Bears today instead of Saturday.
  • Meanwhile, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says (via Twitter) that the Raiders have been “knocked off” Bowles’ list, while Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears the Cardinals defensive coordinator is making a “very strong impression” in his head coaching interviews. Bowles met with the Jets yesterday, and had the Bears on tap today, before he moves on to the 49ers on Friday and Falcons on Saturday.
  • Following Kyle Shanahan‘s departure from the Browns, Marc Trestman‘s name has come up as Cleveland considers new candidates, and the former Bears head coach would be interested in talking to the team, tweets Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
  • The Jaguars, on the other hand, aren’t leaning toward Trestman to be their new offensive coordinator, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
  • The Giants have requested permission to interview Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris for their defensive coordinator position, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • Noting that the contract of Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver expires in less than two weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) says Tarver is a DC target for some head coaching candidates around the league. The Raiders would like to keep him, but Tarver could choose to pursue a DC job under a new head coach for another team, depending on who lands where.

Extra Points: Shanahan, Trestman, Ryan

January 6th, 2015 at 9:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will consider leaving the Browns, even for a lateral move, because of friction within the organization, writes Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. Shanahan is aiming to become a head coach somewhere (perhaps in Buffalo) but he’d also like to reunite with his father, Mike Shanahan. The 49ers, Raiders, and Bills are have interest in hiring Mike as a head coach with Kyle as the offensive coordinator. More from around the NFL..

  • Washington interviewed Rod Graves on Monday for their GM position, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). By interviewing Graves, Washington has satisfied the Rooney Rule, so that is not a roadblock in their talks with Scot McCloughan.
  • Former Bears head coach Marc Trestman will interview for the Jaguars‘ offensive coordinator position, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Trestman has already interviewed with the Buccaneers.
  • Rex Ryan will be meeting with CBS executives tomorrow to discuss a possible TV role if he doesn’t land a head coaching job, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
  • The Eagles have requested permission to interview recently promoted Packers exec Eliot Wolf for their personnel opening, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Wolf was recently promoted by Green Bay, ostensibly to keep him in-house as the heir apparent to their own GM job.
  • The Eagles requested GM interviews with Chris Grier (Dolphins), Chris Polian (Jaguars), and Brian Gaine (Texans), sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • The Texans might have interest in former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli, according to Dan Pompei of Sports On Earth (on Twitter).
  • Vikings running backs coach Kirby Wilson is scheduled to interview with the Jaguars for their offensive coordinator position on Thursday, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • Gaine and Lake Dawson, the Titans‘ vice president of player personnel, completed their interviews with the Bears for their GM opening, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune.
  • Saints GM Mickey Loomis says that the team will take linebacker Junior Galette‘s arrest “very seriously,” as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes. “If at some point we deem it necessary for the club to take some action, we’ll do that,” Loomis said.
  • Loomis feels that the Saints are in better shape financially, Evan Woodbery of The Times Picayune (on Twitter). “I would say we’re in a better situation than we were a year ago — on pure salary cap.” He also scoffed at a recent report indicating that he will move into a new role with the team (link).

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.

NFC South Notes: Bucs, Trestman, Draft

January 1st, 2015 at 10:32am CST by Rob DiRe

The Buccaneers had a disastrous 2014, but with the New Year hope they will be able to turn things around quickly. Among their top priorities are landing an improvement at quarterback and finding an offensive coordinator to replace Jeff Tedford, who missed the season after having a heart procedure in August, according to the Associated Press in USA Today.

  • Buccaneers current quarterback Josh McCown has pushed for the team to hire Marc Trestman as the offensive coordinator, reports Conor Orr of NFL.com. He mentioned his affinity for Trestman to the media, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. “I think Marc is an outstanding coach and an outstanding person and he has a great sense of offensive football, especially quarterback play,” said McCown. “I just know that, for me personally, I played my best football in my career under him. So obviously I have good things to say. But I’ve been around a bunch of different guys over the course of my career, and he was probably the most detailed with game plans and things like that. I really felt like he was on top of it.’’
  • Today the Oregon Ducks will play the Florida State Seminoles in the Rose Bowl, and the Buccaneers will be watching that game closely according to Martin Fennelly of the Tampa Tribune. The Buccaneers top need is quarterback, and they are expected to draft one with the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Their options will likely be either Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston, the past two Heisman Trophy winners. General manager Jason Licht will be in attendance for the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and will probably be watching his team’s franchise quarterback one way or the other.
  • The Falcons also have had a close eye on bowl games since missing the playoffs, with general manager Thomas Dimitroff and assistant general manager Scott Pioli in attendance for the Peach Bowl between TCU and Ole Miss on New Year’s Eve, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
  • The Saints have 11 players set to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. Woodbery writes that none of the 11 will have huge markets for themselves, except maybe Mark Ingram if another NFL team is in desperate need of a starting running back.

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.

Jaguars Fire OC Jedd Fisch

December 30th, 2014 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of a 3-13 season, the Jaguars have parted ways with offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (via Twitter). At this point, it’s the only notable change to the team’s coaching staff or front office.

Fisch, 38, was hired in January 2013, just two days after Gus Bradley was named Jacksonville’s new head coach. During his two years in Jacksonville’s Fisch’s offense has been perhaps the league’s worst — according to Football Outsiders, the Jags ranked 32nd in offensive DVOA in 2013, and placed 31st in 2014, ahead of only the 2-14 Buccaneers. Led by rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, Jacksonville’s offense also finished 31st in pass yards, with the club averaging an NFL-worst 15.6 points per game.

As Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union observes (via Twitter), Bradley has become close with Marc Trestman, who was fired by the Bears yesterday. In O’Halloran’s view, Trestman could be a top candidate for the Jaguars’ newly-opened offensive coordinator position.

Bears Fire Phil Emery, Marc Trestman

December 29th, 2014 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

9:14am: Offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer has also been fired by the Bears, according to Yates (Twitter link via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com).

8:38am: The Bears have made a major change in their front office, according to Adam Schefter and Field Yates of ESPN.com, who report (via Twitter) that the club has parted ways with general manager Phil Emery. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk had tweeted earlier this morning that word was “trickling out” of Chicago indicating that Emery had gotten the axe. In addition to firing Emery, the team has also let go of head coach Marc Trestman, per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter).

Hired by the Bears in January 2012, Emery oversaw a solid 10-6 season in his first year with the club, but the team’s record slipped to 8-8 in 2013 and 5-11 in 2014, resulting in his ouster today. Along the way, Emery made a number of questionable decisions, including locking up quarterback Jay Cutler to a seven-year, $126MM contract extension that included a sizable chunk of guaranteed money. Additionally, no team was more active in free agency this past offseason than the Bears, and the results of the team’s spending spree weren’t overly impressive.

The hiring of Trestman can also be viewed as one of the decisions that ultimately led to Emery’s dismissal. The former head coach of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes was considered an offensive – and quarterback – guru, but struggled to find success with Cutler, particularly during the 2014 season. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets that Trestman could be a highly-regarded offensive coordinator candidate this winter, adding that if he were a head coaching candidate like Todd Bowles, he’d give Trestman a call.

In his two seasons at the helm in Chicago, Trestman compiled an overall record of 13-19 (.406), and failed to earn a playoff berth.

Coaching Rumors: Ryan, Falcons, Bears, 49ers

December 29th, 2014 at 7:54am CST by Luke Adams

Black Monday is underway, and a handful of teams are expected to make announcements today regarding changes to their coaching staffs and/or front offices. Here are a few of the latest rumors to start off the day:

  • The Jets were the first team to formally announce the firing of a head coach this morning, and Rex Ryan appreciated the quick, definitive decision from owner Woody Johnson, since he feels as if he has a chance at another head coaching job, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. Per Mehta (Twitter links), Ryan will explore head coaching opportunities, and if he doesn’t land a job, he believes his next role will be with ESPN — he doesn’t have interest in any defensive coordinator positions.
  • Mike Smith is “absolutely done” in Atlanta, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That coincides with what we’ve heard in recent weeks, and is no surprise, considering how the Falcons finished their regular season yesterday. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicates (via Twitter) that while Smith’s tenure with the Falcons is “on life support,” the same doesn’t appear to be true for general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
  • While multiple reports have suggested the Bears will likely part ways with head coach Marc Trestman, Trestman himself is preparing as if he’ll return for the 2015 season, writes Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. Rapoport tweets that the Bears head coach figures to make a “strong case” to save his job, perhaps pointing to the performance by quarterbacks not named Jay Cutler in his system. Still, it’s hard to imagine the club bringing Trestman back for another year.
  • The 49ers are in no hurry to name their next head coach, according to Rapoport, who tweets that the search is expected to be “lengthy and methodical.” One in-house candidate, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, won’t be joining Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor, says Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. As for Harbaugh’s offer from Michigan, Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that it could ultimately get up to $9MM per year, since there was some “quiet bidding” over the weekend.
  • The Raiders were “truly in the mix” for Harbaugh before he decided to go to Michigan, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, adding that Harbaugh was the Raiders’ top choice and they were disappointed not to land him. Oakland is now expected to cast a wide net as the club attempts to identify its next coach, though if it were up to the players, perhaps interim coach Tony Sparano would be the top choice, says Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group. Sparano will have the opportunity to interview for the permanent job, tweets Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com.
  • Titans CEO Tommy Smith reiterated yesterday that head coach Ken Whisenhunt and GM Ruston Webster will both be back for the 2015 season, writes Terry McCormick of 247Sports.com.
Load More Posts