Six now in the mix as NFL coaching vacancies grow
Green Bay Packers GM also stepping aside
Black Monday, indeed.
At least three more NFL head coaching vacancies opened up on New Year’s Day, raising the total to six, just one day after the conclusion of the league’s regular season. There could be more. And one more prominent GM vacancy just opened up, with the surprising report Monday night from NFL Network that the Green Bay Packers’ Ted Thompson is stepping aside. First, the coaches. On Monday morning the Detroit Lions fired Jim Cald- well after four years and 3628 (.563) regular-season and 0-2 playoff records, and the Chicago Bears dumped John Fox after three playoffs- less years and a 14- 34 (. 292) record.
Also, Arizona Cardinals’ Bruce Arians retired after five seasons and a 49- 31 (.613) regular-season record. His 50 wins, including one in the playoffs, are most in the Cardinals franchise’s 98-season history.
On New Year’s Eve, immediately following their teams’ regular- season finales, the Oakland Raiders booted third-year coach Jack Del Rio ( 25-23, .521) record, and the Indianapolis Colts dropped sixth- year coach Chuck Pagano ( 56- 46, .549). On Dec. 4 the New York Giants got the 2018 coaching carousel spinning by dumping second- year man Ben McAdoo, as well as GM Jerry Reese, after a 2-10 start and 13-15 (.464) overall record.
Meantime, Cincinnati Bengals owner/ GM Mike Brown apparently can’t decide what to do with 15th-year head coach Marv Lewis, whose team finished out of the playoffs for the second straight year.
Lewis was left to basically stammer without answers at his season- closing news conference on Monday, what with his contract and that of his assistants all set to expire.
And in Houston, Texans owner Bob McNair was to meet Monday with fourthyear head coach Bill O’Brien about his future. Regardless, the Houston Chronicle reported that O’Brien “definitely” will return in 2018.
GREEN BAY: Although head coach Mike McCarthy appears safe, Thompson’s reassignment f rom GM to some other franchise role (according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Chris Mortensen) not only is a surprise, but probably speaks to the following. With so many head- coaching vacancies, some clubs might want a new GM too. And the Packers have three up- andcomers in their front office widely seen as potentially strong GM candidates, in Eliot Wolf, Brian Gutekunst and Russ Ball. Perhaps one of those men will get Thompson’s job, and the others more say in personnel matters.
INDIANAPOLIS: Candidates to replace Pagano, according to NFL Network, include Carolina defensive coordinator Wilks. CBSSports.com reported that Kansas City offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is a potential strong candidate too.
OAKLAND: The only reported candidate to replace Del Rio is a doozy, of course. Jon Gruden, former Raiders and Buccaneers head coach and longtime Monday Night Football analyst on ESPN.
Weekend reports appear to be gaining steam and credence. Even ESPN reported it’s a real possibility that the 54- year- old Gruden, after all those annual bogus reports, will leave the broadcast booth to return to NFL coaching.
Raiders owner Mark Davis reportedly is trying to woo Gruden with a $ 10- million annual salary (which would make him the highest paid in the NFL) and even a small ownership stake. SAFE, FOR NOW: Although there had been ample speculation that first- year Denver head coach Vance Joseph was a goner, Broncos GM John Elway on Monday announced that Joseph’s job is safe for 2018.
As in Jackson’s case, when your boss has to come out and announce that, no, you’re not being fired just yet, it usually means you’ll be fired soon enough.