Mike McCarthy - Pro Football Rumors

Giants To Interview Mike McCarthy

December 31st, 2019 at 11:13am CST by Rory Parks

The Giants are casting a wide net in their search for a new head coach. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the club is expected to interview former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy this weekend (Twitter link). The club is also set to interview Cowboys passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Kris Richard, and they have requested an interview with Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy.

Baylor head coach Matt Rhule is said to be New York’s top choice, but ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports that McCarthy has a lot of support in the organization (Twitter link). McCarthy is certainly a popular candidate in this year’s cycle, as he has interviewed with the Panthers twice already and has attracted the interest of the Browns.

McCarthy was fired by the Packers in December 2018, and though he did interview for the Jets’ head coaching job shortly thereafter, he has spent the 2019 season studying film and designing plays in preparation for his next opportunity, as Peter King detailed in a recent Football Morning in America column. In his 13 years in Green Bay, McCarthy posted a 135-85-2 record, including a 10-8 mark in the playoffs, and he led the team to the Super Bowl XLV title.

Of course, did have Hall-of-Famer Brett Favre and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers at quarterback for nearly the entirety of his stint in Green Bay, and there were rumors that his and Rodgers’ relationship deteriorated over time. His play-calling was also called into question towards the latter stages of his tenure, though he is trying to stay ahead of the curve in that regard, and the Giants have a promising QB of their own in Daniel Jones.

In addition to McCarthy et al., the Giants have also requested an interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Martindale has no head coaching experience, but he has guided Baltimore’s top-rated defense in each of the past two seasons and has been generating some HC buzz as a result. We heard yesterday that Martindale, if hired, would target LSU passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Joe Brady as his offensive coordinator, which Rapoport confirmed.

The Giants have not asked for an interview with Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, but they have requested one with New England special teams coordinator/WRs coach Joe Judge, as Schefter tweets. Judge is well-respected for his work, and he was a candidate to join McDaniels on his would-be staff with the Colts in 2018 and Matt Patricia‘s staff with the Lions, but the Patriots were able to retain him. This appears to be the first time someone has requested an interview with Judge, 38, but he was mentioned as a possible HC candidate earlier this year.

With respect to Giants assistant coaches still under contract, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv tweets that they have the freedom to pursue other opportunities, though the new head coach will be able to hire them if he so chooses.

Black Monday Rumors: McDaniels, Bieniemy, Browns

December 30th, 2019 at 11:41am CST by Rory Parks

The Giants have fired head coach Pat Shumur, the Browns have fired head coach Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland GM John Dorsey‘s fate is up in the air, Bruce Allen is out with the Redskins, Ron Rivera looks like he’s in, and we have a lot more to pass along:

The Giants are rumored to be targeting Baylor head coach Matt Rhule, but they have requested an interview with Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter) that the Panthers have also requested a summit with Bieniemy, a branch of the fruitful Andy Reid coaching tree whom Reid feels is ready for an HC job.
We heard this morning that the Browns have requested an interview with Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, and they also want to interview Ravens OC Greg Roman, per Schefter (via Twitter). Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets that Cleveland is expected to interview Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski again. Stefanski was a finalist for the Browns’ HC job last year before they elected to hire Kitchens.
Schefter says the Browns have asked permission to interview 49ers DC Robert Saleh (Twitter link), and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the team plans to interview Mike McCarthy as well (Twitter link). Cleveland had an interview scheduled with McCarthy last year, but by that time, the club had already zeroed in on Kitchens, so the interview never happened. McCarthy and Dorsey worked together in Green Bay, so Dorsey may be rooting for a McCarthy hire.
In addition to the Browns, the Giants and Panthers have also requested interviews with McDaniels, as Schefter tweets.
Despite recent reports indicating that he wants to stay in Baltimore, Ravens DC Don “Wink” Martindale is generating a great deal of HC buzz, as Rapoport tweets. If he is hired, Martindale would want to pluck LSU passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Joe Brady from the collegiate ranks to be his OC. If you’ve watched college football this year, you can’t blame Martindale for that choice.
Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone will meet with owner Shad Khan tomorrow to discuss his fate, as NFL insider Adam Caplan tweets.

Head Coach Search Updates: Rivera, McCarthy, Panthers, Candidates

December 28th, 2019 at 8:21pm CST by Marc Delucchi

Former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera will not be unemployed for long. An earlier report noted that Washington had “strong interest” and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that sources close to Rivera expect an agreement to form quickly and could even come together in the next couple days. Aside from Washington, Rapoport notes that some teams that are considering firing their head coach (like the Giants) have Rivera circled as a top target if they do create an opening.

Rivera served as the head coach in Carolina from 2011-2019 and led the team to a 73-63-1 regular season record and a 3-4 postseason record. A linebacker in his playing days with the historic 1980s Bears defenses, Rivera has always been a defensive-minded coach. Prior to his time with the Panthers, he had served as a linebackers coach with the Eagles and Chargers and as the defensive coordinator for the Bears and Chargers.

Here’s some more notes from the NFL coaching carousel:

As the Panthers look to replace Rivera, former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has emerged as a one of the leading candidates to take over in Carolina. According to Rapoport, McCarthy has already interviewed with the Panthers twice and did very well. Given the strong reputation of Rivera, a candidate like McCarthy, with a long resume (that includes a Super Bowl title) may be more desirable to franchise brass. With that said, Rapoport noted that Carolina plans to interview some younger coaches as well including Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Baylor head coach Matt Rhule, and Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy among others.
While some teams have already begun their head coaching searches, the hiring search process will heat up as soon as teams complete the regular season. For an in-depth primer on the wide variety of coaches that could be in line to become head coaches this season, take a look at Rapoport and Tom Pelissero’s detailed list of coaches to know, which includes short descriptions on the most prominent names. The list breaks candidates into categories from former NFL head coaches to first-timers and even examines some college coaches.

Panthers Interview Mike McCarthy

December 23rd, 2019 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The first candidate to replace Ron Rivera as Panthers head coach has surfaced. The Panthers interviewed ex-Packers HC Mike McCarthy after their game against the Colts on Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

This marks a step back toward the sideline for the 13-season Packers leader, who interviewed for the Jets’ and Browns’ coaching positions during the 2019 hiring period. McCarthy was mentioned as a possibility for the Panthers’ vacancy, with new owner David Tepper‘s top priority believed to be a coach who is a strong manager of people. Tepper fired Rivera early to hit the ground running on the search for his replacement; the Panthers are unable to meet with active NFL assistants until after the season.

After firing Rivera, Tepper made comments that made it sound like the Panthers would be focusing on an offensive-minded head coach. That is the expectation. While McCarthy does not fit the analytically geared coach the second-year owner seeks, the Panthers have gone all-defense in their 25-season history, moving from Dom Capers to George Seifert to John Fox to Rivera.

McCarthy has taken the 2019 season off, doing so after enduring a similar fate to Rivera in 2018. The Packers fired McCarthy on Dec. 2, 2018. He went 204-125 as Green Bay’s head coach, piloting the Packers to nine playoff berths in that span. While McCarthy did have Hall of Famer Brett Favre and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers calling the signals for nearly the entirety of his tenure, he is a Super Bowl-winning coach who is on the market. This might not be the 56-year-old Pittsburgh native’s only interview of this cycle.

A detailed report surfaced in April indicating McCarthy and Rodgers butted heads about the Packers’ offense, which was often the subject of criticism during the latter years of McCarthy’s Green Bay stay. But McCarthy was there during Rodgers’ developmental tenure and certainly helped the all-time great grow into the player he became.

The Panthers have a high-profile quarterback of their own in Cam Newton, albeit one who is not certain to be on their 2020 roster. Prior to his Packers years, McCarthy served as OC in New Orleans (during most of Aaron Brooks‘ run) and San Francisco.

Panthers Notes: Newton, HC Candidates, Bradberry

December 8th, 2019 at 10:43am CST by Rory Parks

Panthers QB Cam Newton will undergo foot surgery, and as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, Newton is expected to be fully ready and able by March. Rapoport says Carolina has not ruled out retaining Newton — not that the team would publicly say anything different — but the expectation remains that the Panthers will look to trade the former No. 1 overall pick,

The QB market may be unusually robust in 2020, and Newton may be the most desirable piece. The Panthers will not give Newton away, but if they “get a large deal to make it worth their while,” they will pull the trigger.

Now for more out of Charlotte:

Of course, what the Panthers do with Newton may depend on who they hire as their permanent head coach. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reiterates his view that the Panthers will seek an offensive-minded or QB-driven coach, and what that person thinks of Newton, Kyle Allen, and Will Grier could impact the club’s offseason plans in a big way.
In the same piece linked above, Rapoport suggests that owner David Tepper will of course be on the lookout for a top-flight coordinator and someone who is unafraid to embrace analytics, but he suggests that Tepper’s top priority will be a strong manager of people. RapSheet names ex-Packers coach Mike McCarthy, 49ers DC Robert Saleh, and Ravens OC Greg Roman as just a few of the possibilities.
Even if the Panthers retain GM Marty Hurney — which is not a guarantee — Adam Schefter of ESPN.com says Tepper, the former minority owner of the Steelers, could look to bring familiar faces from Pittsburgh to Carolina. Tepper plans to name an assistant general manager to focus on pro personnel evaluation and a vice president of football operations, and sources say he could be eyeing Steelers GM Kevin Colbert — whose contract is up at the end of the season — and/or vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan.
The Panthers have 28 players eligible for free agency this offseason, and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic examines the decisions that the team will have to make with respect to a few of those players. The club just signed LB Shaq Thompson to a four-year extension, and Rodrigue’s source says the Panthers have made CB James Bradberry their next top priority.

Kevin O’Connell Serious Candidate For Redskins’ HC Job

October 8th, 2019 at 7:44pm CST by Rory Parks

Redskins offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell is expected to receive serious consideration for the team’s head coaching post, as Mark Maske of the Washington Post writes. O’Connell, 34, has been with Washington since 2017, and this season is his first as the Redskins’ OC.

Before Washington elevated him from passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach in January, O’Connell garnered interest from multiple other teams. For all of the Redskins’ problems, they have had a number of young and talented coaches rise through their ranks — Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, and Kyle Shanahan, to name a few — and apparently there is a belief that O’Connell can follow in their footsteps.

Washington is near the bottom of the league in points per game and yards per game this year, but the offense is largely bereft of talent at the skill positions and along the O-line, so it would be difficult to hold the performance of O’Connell’s unit against him. As Maske notes, the real question will be whether O’Connell, interim HC Bill Callahan, or an outside candidate will be best-suited to maximize Dwayne Haskins‘ potential.

Owner Dan Snyder has not had much problem luring big-name head coaches to the nation’s capital; the problem has been making it work once those coaches arrive. Plus, team president Bruce Allen could be an obstacle. One of Maske’s sources, an agent who represents coaches, said that no coach worth his salt will accept an HC job with the Redskins as long as Allen is in charge of personnel.

In addition to O’Connell, Maske names Gregg Williams, Marvin Lewis, and Mike McCarthy as big names who could attract Snyder’s interest.

NFC North Notes: Packers, Vikings, Lions

April 5th, 2019 at 7:59pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

After surprisingly getting canned by the Packers midseason, Mike McCarthy had remained conspicuously quiet. Until now. If you haven’t read it yet, you should check out Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com‘s recent interview with McCarthy. McCarthy finally dished on everything related to his firing, and expressed his displeasure with how it was handled. McCarthy was apparently blindsided by the decision to fire him midseason, and said it “couldn’t have been handled any worse” by Green Bay’s management.

Notably published just one day before the explosive reports of dysfunction within the organization from Bleacher Report, McCarthy downplayed any tension between him and Aaron Rodgers. All McCarthy did to acknowledge a potential strain in their relationship was saying “to think you can be in a relationship that long and not have any frustrations, that’s unrealistic.” McCarthy also told Demovsky that he 100 percent plans to continue coaching in 2020. The longtime Packers coach was reportedly a candidate for the Jets and Browns openings, and it’s still unclear if he pulled himself out of the running or if he just wasn’t able to land a job.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

With Trevor Siemian bolting for the Jets, the Vikings are still trying to figure out their backup quarterback situation. They met with quarterback David Fales on Friday, per a team announcement. Fales spent last year as Miami’s number three quarterback behind Ryan Tannehill and Brock Osweiler. Minnesota also hosted former Rams backup Sean Mannion on a visit last week, but he left without a contract. Even though there was no agreement, Mannion is still “VERY much on the Vikings radar,” tweets Darren Wolfson of 5News Minneapolis. As of this writing, Kyle Sloter is the only other QB on the roster behind Kirk Cousins.
When T.J. Lang opted to retire, he left a big hole on the right side of the Lions’ offensive line. But Detroit is apparently confident they’ll be able to replace him, according to recent comments head coach Matt Patricia made, via Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website. As Twentyman and Patricia broke down, the team has a number of options. They have Joe Dahl and Kenny Wiggins returning from last year, and they added Oday Aboushi this offseason. Patricia also said that second-year offensive tackle Tyrell Crosby could play some guard.
Speaking of the Lions and holes, they had a massive one at tight end last year after Eric Ebron left. They got virtually nothing from the position last year, so it won’t be surprising if they draft one early in this year’s draft. To that end, the team hosted Alabama tight end Irv Smith Jr. for a visit on Thursday, according to a tweet from Josh Norris of Rotoworld. Smith Jr. is most analyst’s third-rated tight end, and could go as high as the first round. He caught 44 passes for 710 yards and seven touchdowns for the Crimson Tide last season.

Jets Rumors: Gase, Harbaugh, McCarthy

January 16th, 2019 at 12:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets’ coaching search technically started with the firing of Todd Bowles on Dec. 30, but they were mulling their options much earlier than that, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY hears. Although Bowles had a contract through the 2020 season, the Jets started doing their homework in mid-November after an embarrassing 41-10 home loss to the Bills.

Despite their denials, the Jets had early interest in Jim Harbaugh, Vacchiano hears. The Jets did background work on the Michigan head coach, but ultimately concluded that he wasn’t the right fit, possibly due to his desire for too much power, too much money, or a lack of desire to leave Ann Arbor.

Here’s more on how the Jets’ coaching search unfolded, plus other news out of New York/New Jersey:

The Jets started asking around about Mike McCarthy after he was fired by the Packers in December, but they were concerned about his sensitivity to criticism and how it might be amplified by the New York press, Vacchiano hears. There were also reports that McCarthy would consider sitting out the 2019 season, which may have given the Jets additional pause. McCarthy’s interview was not bad, per se, but Vacchiano hears that he did not hit it out of the park.
Adam Gase, on the other hand, leaped over McCarthy with a strong interview in which he displayed the energetic personality that the Jets wanted. Even though Gase went 23-25 in three years with the Dolphins, the Jets did not forget about his reputation as a hot offensive assistant just three years ago, Vacchiano writes.
New Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has agreed to a three-year deal with the club, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Before the Jets hired him, the Redskins made a push to land him as their DC.

Coaching Rumors: Vikings, Kubiak, Dolphins

January 14th, 2019 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Here are the latest coaching rumors from around the NFL:

The Vikings are in play for Gary Kubiak, according to Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The OC job is already occupied by Kevin Stefanski, but Kubiak could work with him on that side of the ball. Kubiak’s son, Klint, was on the Vikings’ staff in 2013-14 and worked with Stefanski during that time, so there’s some degree of familiarity there.
Jim Caldwell is expected to join the Dolphins‘ staff in some capacity, though it won’t necessarily be as offensive coordinator, Albert Breer of The MMQB hears. The Dolphins could go with a younger coordinator and have Caldwell serve in a mentor-type role, but Caldwell could also don the headset after Miami missed out on guys like Greg Roman and Kliff Kingsbury.
Christopher Johnson says the report the Jets tried to tell Matt Rhule or Mike McCarthy who to hire is completely untrue (Twitter link via Connor Hughes of The Athletic). If he is to be believed, then new head coach Adam Gase will have a good degree of freedom to fill out his staff. If you choose to believe the reports, then Gase will probably have to work off of a limited list of options provided by GM Mike Maccagnan and the rest of the front office.

Mike McCarthy Won’t Coach In 2019

January 9th, 2019 at 7:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After losing out on the Jets’ head coaching job, former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy won’t be on the sidelines in 2019, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link), who reports McCarthy is preparing for the 2020 hiring cycle.

McCarthy was selective throughout the head coaching search process; with young children in the Green Bay Area, McCarthy turned down interest from the Cardinals’ and never officially interviewed with the Browns despite a planned meeting. Recent reports had indicated McCarthy was focused solely on the Jets’ job, one that’s no longer available following the hire of Adam Gase.

As PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker indicates, only two jobs — the Bengals and the Dolphins — remain vacant. McCarthy never interviewed with either club, and there’s no indication either club was interested (or vice versa).