Mike McCarthy - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Have Reached Out To Mike McCarthy

December 30th, 2018 at 9:34pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

One of the league’s most high profile coaching candidates has already been contacted by the Browns. Cleveland has reached out to former Packers coach Mike McCarthy about their vacancy, a source told John Kryk of the Toronto Sun.

With a franchise quarterback in place and a roster full of young talent, the Browns have one of the most attractive head coaching openings of the past few years. Plenty of candidates will be interested, and the Browns are reportedly planning on conducting an exhaustive search. Current interim coach Gregg Williams is expected to get an interview, but isn’t viewed by most to be a realistic option for the full time job.

As soon as Green Bay canned McCarthy, he became the hottest candidate around. He’s been linked to virtually every opening, although one report earlier today said McCarthy is likely to sit out the 2019 season. There were other reports that he was interested in the job in Arizona, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said recently that McCarthy “has been connected most to” the opening in Tampa Bay. While this is just a preliminary action, it seems like there’s a decent chance McCarthy could be pairing up with Baker Mayfield. While he was the subject of a lot of criticism the past few years, he’s still one of the most successful coaches to hit the open market in recent memory.

The Browns finished the 2018 season on quite a roll, going 5-3 after firing Hue Jackson, and became relevant nationally for the first time in many years. They’ll be one of the most buzzed about teams this offseason, and will have high expectations in 2019. They’ve also been linked to Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Iowa State coach Matt Campbell, and Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus recently.

Mike McCarthy Not Interested In Cardinals’ HC Job; Latest On GM Steve Keim

December 30th, 2018 at 8:53am CST by Rory Parks

We learned earlier this week that former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is interested in the Cardinals’ head coaching job, which is expected to become available in short order. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that McCarthy does not want the gig after all, and that he is likely to sit out the 2019 campaign.

If that is the case, it is not for a lack of trying on the Cardinals’ part. La Canfora says that Arizona offered McCarthy control over personnel as well as the on-field product, but McCarthy is content to wait for the perfect opportunity, and it does not appear that the Cardinals’ job is particularly attractive at the moment. There is concern in coaching circles about quarterback Josh Rosen‘s long-term future, and the roster as a whole does not engender much optimism.

Of course, if McCarthy were to accept Arizona’s overtures, current GM Steve Keim would be fired. However, since the Cardinals are not likely to attract McCarthy or any other coach that would be a legitimate candidate to also run the personnel side of things, La Canfora says Keim is likely to return in 2019. Indeed, Keim has already been putting together a list of head coaching candidates in preparation for the upcoming hiring cycle.

One name on Keim’s list could be Jim Caldwell, whom the Packers have already interviewed for McCarthy’s former post. Albert Breer of SI.com reports that Caldwell is likely to be considered for the Cardinals’ job, and even if the team does the unexpected and retains current HC Steve Wilks, Arizona would be interested in Caldwell as a coordinator on Wilks’ staff, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Extra Points: Millen, Long, Bears, McCarthy, Bucs, Koetter, Licht

December 25th, 2018 at 11:27am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We heard yesterday that Mike McCarthy was interested in the Cardinals’ head coaching job, assuming Steve Wilks is fired as is expected, but McCarthy might actually have his sights set on a different destination. While there is still a chance Dirk Koetter retains his job in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers’ gig is the one McCarthy “has been connected most to”, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. While Breer writes that Koetter is likely to be gone, he says that Tampa GM Jason Licht’s job status is “murkier.”

It’ll be a pivotal offseason for the Buccaneers, as they have to decide on what to do with their coaching staff, their front office, and their quarterback. Right now it seems likely that Jameis Winston is back in 2019, but that’s not a guarantee. McCarthy will seemingly have his pick of a couple of jobs, and will likely want to go somewhere with a quarterback in place. If he does go to the Bucs, that could be an indication the team plans on sticking with Winston.

Here’s more from around the league:

We heard recently that ex-Lions GM Matt Millen was having serious health issues, and now we have an update. The former four-time Super Bowl champion and Penn State star had been in need of a heart transplant, and finally was able to receive one. After months in the hospital waiting, Millen had successful heart transplant surgery, according to Peter King of NBC Sports. The heart was a “perfect match” and Millen is recovering well. Since leaving the Lions, Millen has worked for NBC, ESPN, FOX, and NFL Network as a commentator. It’s great news, and everyone here at PFR is wishing Millen the best.
The Bears have already clinched the NFC North, but are still fighting for a first round by and the two seed. They’ll be getting a boost on offense, as it appears that starting right guard Kyle Long may return for their Week 17 game against the Vikings. Long has been on injured reserve since early November with a foot injury, but coach Matt Nagy said he’s “cautiously optimistic” Long will play this week, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times. Mitchell Trubisky has struggled at times in recent weeks, so getting Long back will be good for him.
In case you missed it, Adam Gase isn’t necessarily safe in Miami, but the Dolphins won’t be pursuing Jim Harbaugh.

Mike McCarthy Interested In Cardinals HC Job

December 24th, 2018 at 9:59am CST by Ben Levine

We learned yesterday that former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was already “receiving overtures from NFL teams considering head-coaching changes.” Well, it sounds like the 55-year-old may have his eye on one potential gig. Peter King writes that McCarthy would be “interested in exploring” the Cardinals head coaching job. The reporter adds that there’s mutual interest from the organization.

It doesn’t sound like current Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks for be sticking around for a second season. We heard yesterday that the organization was planning on firing Wilks, although the current head coach has the support of his players, including veteran wideout Larry Fitzgerald. It also sounds like owner Michael Bidwill hasn’t made a final decision regarding a head coaching change. At the very least, the coaching staff is expected to see some major changes.

There were previous whispers that McCarthy might have interest in the Arizona job. ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote yesterday that many Packers coaches thought McCarthy was going to leave Green Bay for the Cardinals gig last offseason. The Browns have also been rumored as a potential landing spot for the coach. McCarthy hasn’t made a decision on whether he’ll return to the NFL in 2019, but it sounds like he’d be interested if the right opportunity presented itself.

McCarthy was fired by the Packers earlier this month after guiding the Packers to an underwhelming 4-7-1 record. The head coach finished his tenure in Green Bay with a 125-77-2 record, including eight campaigns with at least 10 wins. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have only made the playoffs four times in the past 20 seasons.

La Canfora’s Latest: Paton, Coughlin, McCarthy

December 9th, 2018 at 11:40am CST by Rory Parks

Vikings assistant GM George Paton has seen his name come up a great deal over the past couple of years as rival clubs sought new general managers, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that Paton remains one of the top candidates for teams that will be looking for a GM in 2019. The fact that Paton has withdrawn his name from consideration for GM jobs in the past have suggested to some that he does not want to leave Minnesota, but La Canfora says Paton is indeed open to taking over a franchise next year. Although he declined to interview with the Dolphins in the past, Miami would be a potential landing spot if the team were to make front office changes this offseason.

Now for more from La Canfora’s typically abundant supply of Sunday reports:

There have been rumblings that Jaguars team president Tom Coughlin could return to the sidelines and become Jacksonville’s head coach (again) in 2019. La Canfora noted last week that Coughlin could take over as the Jags’ HC, and the fact that the team’s 2018 campaign has been tarnished by fights, suspensions, and lack of discipline could convince Coughlin, a noted disciplinarian, to take the reins. JLC says that there is a “growing perception” around the league that Coughlin will at least consider that move.
It has been obvious for some time that 2018 would be Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie‘s last year with the team, and La Canfora reaffirmed as much this morning. In addition to their GM, the Raiders will also be replacing several other members of their scouting and football operations staff, per La Canfora.
The Chiefs and Chargers will play each other in a pivotal Week 15 bout this Thursday. La Canfora tweets that Kansas City safety Eric Berry and Los Angeles running back Melvin Gordon will both be on the field for that game, although both are inactive today.
La Canfora confirms that former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy will be “very judicious” about his next opportunity and may not return to the sidelines in 2019 if the right opportunity does not present itself. We have already heard that the Jets‘ opening may not be especially appealing to McCarthy, and although his connection with Cleveland GM John Dorsey has led to plenty of speculation that McCarthy could take over as the Browns‘ HC, La Canfora says the Panthers and Ravens gigs — should they open up — are more intriguing to McCarthy. Sources close to McCarthy say they do not expect him to land in Cleveland.
Former Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt is undergoing counseling for anger management and alcohol use, and he is also being mentored by a pastor and attending women’s group sessions as he attempts to prove to the league that he is ready for another opportunity. La Canfora says that no one is expected to sign Hunt until the league announces his suspension for three separate incidents, but that several teams have already reached out to him and will continue to monitor his progress and recovery. JLC’s sources say they expect Hunt to play in 2019, and Hunt himself is reportedly eager to assist the league in its investigations.

Latest On Ex-Packers HC Mike McCarthy

December 6th, 2018 at 8:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although reports earlier this week indicated former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy intends to coach in 2019, that may not be the case. McCarthy is still deciding whether to take head coaching interviews or instead remain in the Green Bay area for another year, a source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

McCarthy didn’t say he won’t coach next season, but did indicate he plans to “lay low and try to finish this professional chapter on the high road.” He has five children, four of whom are still school-aged, so leaving Green Bay may not be an easy decision. Over 13 seasons with the Packers, McCarthy posted a 125-77-2 record during the regular season and a 10-8 mark (including a Super Bowl victory) in the playoffs.

Now that’s no longer tied to Green Bay, McCarthy can freely speak to other teams about their vacancies. In addition, he can reach out to contacts around the league in an effort to formulate a potential staff. Both of those factors could give him an edge over other head coaching candidates who are still employed.

A clearer picture of where McCarthy could end up in 2019 won’t fully develop until more head coaching openings are created, but there is already conjecture on his destination. The Jets have been mentioned as possible suitor if Todd Bowles is fired, while the Browns also make sense as a landing spot given the presence of former Packers executives — John Dorsey, Eliot Wolf, Alonzo Highsmith — in Cleveland’s front office.

Mike McCarthy Wants To Coach In 2019

December 5th, 2018 at 8:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy‘s “early preference” is to continue coaching in 2019, according to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (Twitter link).

That doesn’t necessarily mean McCarthy will be back on the sidelines next season, but some clubs have already reached out to express interest, per Wood. McCarthy’s firing was deemed nearly “unprecedented” given that he’s only the second Super Bowl winning coach to be let go in the middle of a season, but there’s an argument to made that McCarthy’s early termination could be beneficial to his future job prospects.

Now that’s no longer tied to Green Bay, McCarthy can freely speak to other teams about their vacancies. In addition, he can reach out to contacts around the league in an effort to formulate a potential staff. Both of those factors could give him an edge over other head coaching candidates who are still employed.

A clearer picture of where McCarthy could end up in 2019 won’t fully develop until more head coaching openings are created, but there is already conjecture on his destination. The Jets have been mentioned as possible suitor if Todd Bowles is fired, while the Browns also make sense as a landing spot given the presence of former Packers executives — John Dorsey, Eliot Wolf, Alonzo Highsmith — in Cleveland’s front office.

AFC Notes: Jets, Browns, Harris, Ravens

December 3rd, 2018 at 8:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike McCarthy may well have options going into this coming hiring period, but the Jets might not be a great fit. The status of GM Mike Maccagnan will likely be a deterrent for a coach with other options — in the likely event Todd Bowles is fired soon — multiple NFL executives told Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv. The New York GM has just one more season remaining on his deal and is not expected to follow Bowles out the door. A lame-duck decision-maker could spook McCarthy. With former Packers execs John Dorsey, Alonzo Highsmith and Eliot Wolf in Cleveland, many people around the league believe McCarthy will end up with the Browns, Vacchiano notes. The Browns also have a young quarterback and are projected to possess more than $86MM in cap space. While that’s not on the Jets’ level ($106MM-plus), Vacchiano adds McCarthy is known as being a bit sensitive to criticism. That might be an issue in jumping from the league’s smallest market to its biggest.

Here’s more from the Jets and the latest from the AFC:

Josh McCown received another start for the Jets on Sunday, doing so despite Sam Darnold being at or close to 100 percent. The rookie quarterback lobbied to play against the Titans during warmups, Albert Breer of SI.com notes, but Bowles stuck with McCown. Bowles would not commit to Darnold starting against the Bills in Week 14, but Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports Darnold showed he was healthy in practice and will likely return Sunday.
On the subject of possible quarterback switches, the Ravens may be able to put off their decision for another week. Joe Flacco was not moving too well this week, walking with a noticeable limp, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets. While the Ravens could be forced into a choice of benching Lamar Jackson (3-0 as a starter) and returning to Flacco for a pivotal game in Kansas City, this call might be tabled. The possibility of Flacco returning as the starter at some point this month is not out of the question, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, but Jackson may see more work off the bench than he previously did when Flacco was healthy. The difficult prospect of preparing for the quarterbacks’ disparate skill sets intrigues John Harbaugh, per Rapoport, so the Ravens may keep it quiet if they do intend to pivot back to Flacco.
Although the Broncos improved to 6-6 Sunday, it came at a cost. Denver lost one of its top players in Chris Harris to a fractured fibula. However, the All-Pro cornerback is not going to be placed on IR and has a goal of returning before a potential playoff game. The eighth-year defender wants to return by Week 17, when the Broncos play the Chargers in what could be a key game — if Denver wins out and receives help — for Vance Joseph‘s team. “I always heal fast,” Harris told Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com.“I’ve got the right people around me to help me get back fast and I’ll work night and day to get back. My goal is three weeks, but they said four. My goal is three weeks because I want to play against [the Chargers].” Harris’ other notable injury (a torn ACL) came against the Chargers in a 2013 divisional playoff game, but the corner returned by Week 1 in 2014.
By intercepting three passes, Harris already cashed in $200K of the incentive package he agreed to in the offseason. But another key financial bump is tied to playing time. Despite standing to miss perhaps the rest of the regular season, Harris can still earn an additional $300K if his 736 snaps end up being 65 percent of Denver’s season total, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic notes (subscription required), adding that scenario is in play.

Reactions To Mike McCarthy’s Firing

December 2nd, 2018 at 9:36pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Immediately after their shocking home loss to the Cardinals, the Packers fired coach Mike McCarthy. While McCarthy was widely believed to be on the hot seat, it’s still somewhat of surprise the team made the move in-season because of his winning history with the team. The move could have a massive ripple effect on the rest of the league, and reactions and opinion pieces immediately began pouring in.

We’ve compiled the most interesting observations and responses below:

Assuming the Jets fire Todd Bowles, McCarthy should be at the top of the list in New York’s coaching search, argues Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. Vacchiano writes that McCarthy is “exactly what the Jets need”, and thinks that the Jets’ next coach needs to be someone like McCarthy, who is used to being in the spotlight, in order to handle the intense media pressure of being the Jets’ coach. Vacchiano thinks McCarthy would be a nice fit with Sam Darnold, and compares him to Andy Reid, who was fired after a long run in Philadelphia and has gone on to have great success with the Chiefs. It’s not the best comparison since Reid has been widely hailed for his innovation while McCarthy has been criticized for being overly-conservative, but it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the Jets are interested.
Because of the new structure of the Packers’ organization, it’ll be team CEO Mark Murphy who is making the call on who to hire as McCarthy’s replacement and not GM Brian Gutekunst, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. While Florio thinks Gutekunst will have a role in the process, it’ll be Murphy making the final call now, which is a change for the team. Previously, GM Ted Thompson would’ve had the decision making authority in situations like this. For what it’s worth, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets that the decision to fire McCarthy was a joint one made by both Murphy and Gutekunst.
The move to fire McCarthy before the end of the season was “almost unprecedented”, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Schefter notes that this is just the second time in league history where a Super Bowl winning coach was let go in the middle of the year, with the only other time being when the Colts fired Don McCafferty in 1972. It underscores how surprising it was that they didn’t wait until after the season out of respect for McCarthy, and helps explain why McCarthy was reportedly blindsided by the decision.
The team made the right call letting McCarthy go early, according to Pete Dougherty of Packersnews.com. Dougherty argues that it’ll give the Packers a head start in their search for a new coach, and as such give them a leg up on all the other teams who will be looking for a new coach. Dougherty also writes that “former general manager Ted Thompson would never have done it during the season and might never have let McCarthy go” at all.
Ryan Wood of Packersnews.com took a look back at the McCarthy-era, and ranked the highs and lows of his tenure. Among the highs, of course, was the Super Bowl victory, as well as a streak of eight years in a row of making the playoffs, while the lows include today’s loss to the Cardinals and the history of losing in the NFC Championship game.

Packers Fire Mike McCarthy

December 2nd, 2018 at 6:03pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Packers have made a shocking mid-season change, firing head coach Mike McCarthy, the team announced in a statement posted to Twitter.

The team also announced that offensive coordinator Joe Philbin would take over as interim coach. While McCarthy was widely known to be on the hot seat, an in-season change is still a surprise because of his history with the team. The change comes immediately after the Packers’ embarrassing home loss to the Cardinals, where they lost as massive favorites.

A source told Adam Schefter of ESPN that the team brought McCarthy in immediately after the game and let him go, and that McCarthy was “not expecting it” (Twitter link). The “writing was on the wall” already, but today’s loss was the “final straw” for McCarthy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link), who notes that McCarthy will be “very desirable” as a free agent.

McCarthy has been linked to the Browns’ opening in recent weeks, and he should be considered a strong candidate for that job. This was the 13th season in Green Bay for McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl with the team back in 2010. There have been rumors for a couple years now that McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers haven’t seen eye-to-eye, and things appeared to reach a boiling point in recent weeks with multiple tough losses. First-year Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has already made a ton of changes, and was never as loyal to McCarthy as longtime GM Ted Thompson was. Philbin is in his first year back in Green Bay after coordinating the offense from 2007 to 2011. While he’ll be a stable presence for the time being, he probably isn’t a serious candidate for the full-time job.