Sean Payton - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Giants’ Head Coaching Search

January 6th, 2016 at 8:12am CST by Luke Adams

With the Giants having formally said goodbye to head coach Tom Coughlin at a Tuesday press conference, the team is now moving on to identifying his replacement. Let’s round up the known candidates so far for Big Blue, including the latest updates on each of them….

Ben McAdoo / Steve Spagnuolo (Giants):

The two Giants’ coordinators were the first two candidates confirmed to have interviews scheduled for the team’s newly-opened head coaching position, and according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, McAdoo’s interview took place on Tuesday, the same day as Coughlin’s farewell presser. While the offensive coordinator has already sat down with the Giants, the defensive coordinator has not done so yet — Raanan says Spagnuolo’s interview will take place later this week.

Sean McDermott (Panthers):

The Carolina defensive coordinator is free to interview for head coaching jobs during the Panthers’ bye week, and it seems he’ll do so. A report on Tuesday night indicated that the Giants intend to meet with him, though Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets that, as of about 10 hours ago, nothing had been formally set up yet. The two sides will have until Sunday to have their meeting, since McDermott won’t be eligible to interview next week.

Doug Marrone (Jaguars):

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported on Tuesday that the Giants had requested an interview with the Jaguars’ offensive line coach, and he tweets today that permission has been granted — according to Rapoport (Twitter link), Marrone will meet with the Giants on Saturday, a day after he interviews with the Dolphins and two days after his sit-down with the Browns.

Hue Jackson (Bengals):

The Cincinnati offensive coordinator isn’t eligible to interview with teams this week, but he has received multiple requests for next week. According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, Jackson is believed to be among the Giants’ targets, though as of Tuesday night, New York wasn’t among the teams to request a meeting.

Sean Payton (Saints):

A report on Monday indicated that the New Orleans head coach would be monitoring the Giants’ situation closely, and John Mara suggested on Tuesday that he wouldn’t rule out the idea of New York trading a draft pick for a coach. A source tells Vacchiano that the Giants would “absolutely” be interested in Payton as a candidate, but according to that source, the team also believes the price to land him may be too high.

Adam Gase (Bears):

The Giants requested an interview with Gase and it appears to be in the plans, but there doesn’t appear to be a date set yet. It’s a busy week for the Bears’ offensive coordinator, who met with Philadelphia yesterday and also has meetings lined up with the Browns and Dolphins before Friday.

Latest On Sean Payton, Colts

January 5th, 2016 at 12:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Will Sean Payton be coaching the Saints in 2016 or will he be elsewhere? The latest here:

The Colts had interest in Payton before extending Chuck Pagano, according to ESPN and a report from the Terre Haute Tribune Star. According to The Tribune Star, the Colts were in talks with Payton while simultaneously discussing a deal with Pagano. Technically, teams are not allowed to negotiate with Payton while he’s under contract, so the Colts have extra reason to keep those talks secretive.
Nothing has changed with regards to Payton’s status with the Saints so far, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes. He and GM Mickey Loomis met Monday and are expected to continue discussions. A source denied that Payton’s representatives were in negotiations with the Colts, though that’s not a denial of the team expressing interest in him.
It will be the 49ers or the Saints for Payton, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). Rapoport hears that the Colts did not speak with Payton’s agent before re-signing Pagano, so it’s not quite clear what transpired between the Saints coach and Indianapolis.

Coach Rumors: Payton, Giants, Fins, Marrone

January 4th, 2016 at 10:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Coaching-related news and rumors have dominated Pro Football Rumors on the first Monday of the offseason (for 20 teams, at least), and they show no signs of letting up just yet. Here’s the latest from around the NFL on teams with coaching vacancies and candidates to fill those jobs:

The Browns have requested and received permission to interview Patriots‘ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, a league source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Lions have asked for and received permission to interview Patriots director of pro scouting Bob Quinn for their GM job, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is scheduled to interview with the Browns for their head coaching vacancy on Wednesday, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (on Twitter).

Earlier Updates:

Saints head coach Sean Payton is monitoring the Giants‘ situation “very closely,” tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It’s not clear whether Payton would be a top choice for the Giants, or whether the team would be willing to give up a draft pick to land him, but it sounds like the New York job would be at or near the top of Payton’s wish list if he leaves New Orleans.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com also weighs in on the Giants‘ job, tweeting that the club is “fully expected” to include its coordinators in its search. That means OC Ben McAdoo and DC Steve Spagnuolo could both get interviews.
As we speculated earlier today, the Dolphins are meeting with former Falcons head coach Mike Smith to discuss their head coaching opening, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Smith’s interview with the club is happening today.
Doug Marrone‘s interview for the Browns‘ head coaching vacancy will take place on Thursday, not Tuesday, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Matt Lombardo of 97.5 The Fanatic passes along a report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, who says Marrone will also interview with the Eagles (Twitter link).
A report earlier today suggested that Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula didn’t want to interview for any head coaching jobs while Carolina remains alive in the playoffs. However, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter), Shula said this afternoon that he’ll make that decision if and when he receives an invitation to interview for a head coaching position.

Latest On Sean Payton, Saints

January 4th, 2016 at 8:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The meeting between coach Sean Payton and Saints GM Mickey Loomis has concluded, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter links). It’s believed that the meeting went on for a long time because the two sides were discussing compensation at length. Payton’s status is still in limbo, Rapoport adds, it may not be decided tonight.

It is no sure thing that Payton will leave the Saints, but if Loomis wants to keep Payton happy, the GM may need to “change certain things,” according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports. Payton, of course, led the Saints to a Super Bowl title and an 86-52 overall record, but their partnership could be coming to an end. Payton appears to be unhappy about at least a few things in New Orleans and he is a hot name in regards to other coaching vacancies around the NFL. If the Saints decide to part ways with Payton, they can probably pick up some significant compensation in a trade.

For his part, Payton is reportedly be interested in the Giants vacancy and clubs like the 49ers and the Eagles have interest. He has been connected to the Dolphins for a long time but that reportedly will not be his landing spot if he parts ways with New Orleans.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

South Notes: Titans, D. Brown, Colts, Saints

January 4th, 2016 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL appears to believe the Titans‘ ownership structure in the wake of Bud Adams‘ passing may not comply with all the league’s rules and provisions, and litigation could be looming between the team and the league, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, the Titans “strongly disagree” with the NFL’s position on the situation, believing there are several other franchises with “more difficult ownership situations” than Tennessee’s.

As we wait to see how the situation in Tennessee plays out, here’s more from around the NFL’s South divisions:

Texans left tackle Duane Brown will have surgery this Wednesday to repair a torn right quadriceps, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. Brown, who will miss the playoffs, had another solid season in 2015 and probably isn’t going anywhere. Still, it’s worth noting that he’s now in his 30s, and he barely has any dead money left on his contract, which features $9.5MM+ cap hits for the next three years.
Per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter links), the Colts haven’t yet discussed a contract extension with linebacker Jerrell Freeman, who is eligible for free agency this winter. That doesn’t necessarily mean the club won’t make an effort to get something done in the coming weeks or months, but as Holder points out, Indianapolis has explored other options at the position within the last year.
Sean Payton‘s accomplishments over the last 10 years with the Saints speak for themselves, and if he decides he wants to pursue another head coaching opportunity this offseason, GM Mickey Loomis owes it to the coach to allow him that opportunity, writes Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Earlier today, we heard that the Saints may seek a second-round pick as compensation for Payton if they decide to let him go, though there’s some skepticism that the team would get more than a mid-rounder.
Whether Payton stays or goes, a tumultuous offseason is on tap for the Saints, says Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.

Chip Kelly, Mike Shanahan Interested In 49ers’ Job

January 4th, 2016 at 7:40am CST by Luke Adams

Former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has reached out to the 49ers to express interest in San Francisco’s head coaching job, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), and Kelly is far from the only former NFL head coach interested in the position. Per Michael Silver of NFL.com, former Denver and Washington coach Mike Shanahan has also conveyed interest in the job, after interviewing a year ago for the opening.

While it remains to be seen how strongly Kelly’s and Shanahan’s interest in Jim Tomsula‘s old post is reciprocated by the 49ers, it certainly appears as if the team will have no shortage of candidates interested in the role. Former Packers and Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren has also reportedly reached out to San Francisco to let the club know he has interest in the job.

There may be some concern that Shanahan, 63, and Holmgren, 67, could be past their coaching primes, so Kelly could be the most intriguing name of the bunch for the Niners’ decision-makers. A mobile quarterback like Colin Kaepernick could have bounce-back potential under Kelly, who has a strong relationship with 49ers executive Tom Gamble, as Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets.

In addition to Kelly, Shanahan, and Holmgren, Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and Saints head coach Sean Payton have been cited as options for the 49ers, though those two men will be more difficult to interview, with Jackson’s club alive and well in the playoffs, and Payton still under contract with New Orleans.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears that the Saints will likely want a second-round pick to part ways with Payton, which may deter potential suitors like San Francisco. However, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) wouldn’t be surprised if the Saints coach is ultimately dealt for a mid-rounder, since he wouldn’t want his new club to give up much.

So far, it doesn’t appear the 49ers have scheduled any formal interviews as they search for Tomsula’s replacement, but that figures to change very soon.

49ers Fire Jim Tomsula

January 3rd, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers have fired head coach Jim Tomsula after one year on the job, according to team CEO Jed York, who issued a statement Sunday night (link via the club’s website):

“Jimmy has been a valuable member of the 49ers organization for the last nine years. We all know he is a man of high character, and his contributions on the field and in our community have always been greatly appreciated. This entire organization is proud and grateful to have worked so closely alongside Jimmy. We all wish him and his family great success in the future.”

Last offseason, after interviewing a slew of candidates to replace the departed Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco elected to promote Tomsula – its defensive line coach from 2007-14 – signing him to a four-year, $14MM contract ($10.5MM of which still has to be paid out). However, the Tomsula era didn’t go nearly as well as Harbaugh’s reign, which included a 44-19-1 regular-season record and three playoff appearances in four years. The Tomsula-led Niners finished the 2015-16 campaign 5-11 (the franchise’s worst mark since 2007) and suffered nine losses by double-digit deficits. They defeated the NFC West rival Rams, 19-16, to snap a three-game losing streak on Sunday, but it obviously wasn’t enough to save Tomsula.

As the 49ers begin searching for the 20th head coach in their history, one possibility general manager Trent Baalke could look to is Chip Kelly, according to both CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link) and Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). Another is the Saints’ Sean Payton, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Both Kelly and Payton are offensive minds, which the 49ers are seeking, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports. In addition to Kelly and Payton, Maiocco names Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson as someone who could be on the 49ers’ radar. Whether the team’s next head coach is Kelly, Payton, Jackson or someone else, he’ll have the freedom to keep or fire any of its current assistant coaches, per Maiocco (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Coaching Rumors: Payton, Browns, Titans, Kelly

January 3rd, 2016 at 8:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Eagles will pursue head coach Sean Payton if he and the Saints agree to part ways Monday, sources tell Paul Domowitch of Philly.com (Twitter link). Payton is under contract for two more years in New Orleans, which might present a problem for the Eagles, as Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk writes. The Saints will want compensation for Payton, possibly in the form of a second-round pick, and the Eagles don’t have one this year.

More coaching rumors from around the NFL:

In addition to the previously reported Teryl Austin and Adam Gase (links: 1; 2), the Browns are also requesting an interview with Jacksonville assistant Doug Marrone, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).
The presence of quarterback Marcus Mariota might not be enough to make the Titans’ head coaching job appealing to potential candidates, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Concerns over a lack of stability with respect to the franchise’s ownership could ultimately lead to the promotion of interim head coach Mike Mularkey to the full-time role.
Two college head coaches, Jim Mora Jr. (UCLA) and Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M), are hoping to land head coaching jobs in the pros, tweets Michael Silver of NFL.com. Mora was previously at the helm in Atlanta (2004-06) and Seattle (’09), going a combined 31-33 with one playoff appearance.
Chip Kelly isn’t a lock to get another head coaching job this offseason, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio writes that some teams might be hesitant to give Kelly a shot because of a fear that he’d eventually try to parlay his role as a head coach into that of a football czar, too, as he did in Philadelphia.

Latest On Sean Payton, Saints

January 3rd, 2016 at 4:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints capped off their 2015 season with a victory over the Falcons, but now the real uncertainty begins. Rumors abound about the fate and future of head coach Sean Payton, including whether he’ll stay in New Orleans, be released, or perhaps be traded. One place he won’t end up is Miami, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link), who reports that if Payton does leave the Saints, the Dolphins won’t be his destination.

There’s a lot to unpack here, and the report, while informative, does still leave quite a few unanswered questions. For one, it’s unclear whether the Dolphins are not interested in Payton, or whether Payton is not interested in heading to South Beach. Miami hired Chris Grier as its new general manager earlier today, and it’s possible that he and football czar Mike Tannenbaum have already ruled out a pursuit of Payton. But it’s just as reasonable to think that Payton doesn’t see the Dolphins as an enticing destination.

According to Larry Holder of NOLA.com (Twitter link), many Saints players expressed a desire for Payton to stay with the team following today’s game. When asked if he’d like to remain in New Orleans if Payton departs, quarterback Drew Brees dodged the question. “I want to be here, I want to play for the Saints, I don’t want to play for anybody else,” he told Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “But there’s no reason to talk about it until we all know for certain.”

In a separate piece, Florio lists several potential landing spots for Payton, including the 49ers, Colts, and Giants. We should learrn more tomorrow, as Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis are expected to meet tomorrow to discuss the former’s future.

Cole’s Latest: Colts, Giants, Saban, Raiders

January 3rd, 2016 at 3:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at the latest from Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole (all video links):

The presence of Andrew Luck could lead several high-profile names to be interested in the Colts‘ potential head-coaching vacancy, per Cole, who reports that Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, and Sean Payton could all have varying levels of interest in the position. The key question, according to Cole, is how much roster/personnel control owner Jim Irsay is willing to hand over.
Luck makes the Colts job very attractive, but the most desirable landing spot on the market? The Giants, says Cole, due to ownership’s “hand-off” approach. Plus, the combination of Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. is very enticing to candidates.
Despite interest from numerous teams, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is not expected to make the leap to the NFL. Saban, who does have NFL experience with the Dolphins, is quite comfortable in Tuscaloosa, and he doesn’t want to take any attention away from his team’s looming championship game against Clemson on January 11.
Sources tell Cole that billionaire Larry Ellison (founder of Oracle Corporation) has spoken with Raiders owner Mark Davis about buying a portion of the team. While nothing is close, the mere presence of Ellison could potentially attract other investors, per Cole, and ultimately help the club make the move to Los Angeles.