Silver and black
Former Raiders’ head coach and current ESPN analyst Jon Gruden is expected to return to the club for his second stint as head coach.
Jon Gruden says he had a good talk with Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis about returning to the organization for a second stint as coach and believes there is a “good chance” it will happen.
Gruden gave an interview to ESPN Radio on Wednesday to discuss his pursuit of the Raiders job that opened when Jack Del Rio was fired after a disappointing six-win season.
“It’s been a long couple of weeks,” Gruden said. “I know they’ve gone through their process of interviewing candidates and until they’re done I won’t know. I did have a good meeting with Mark. I’ve known him a long time and got a lot of respect for the Raiders football organization.”
Gruden has been out of coaching the past nine years while serving as ESPN’s analyst for “Monday Night Football.” He is scheduled to work the network’s playoff game Saturday in Kansas City between the Chiefs and Tennessee Titans and could come back to the Raiders as soon as next week.
“I think there’s a good chance,” he said. “I’m excited about where I’m at in terms of studying the game and preparing to come back and coach. I just don’t want to sit here and speculate.”
Gruden apparently is already trying to put together a staff.
Packers fire assistant coaches
The Green Bay Packers have announced the departure of veteran defensive coordinator Dom Capers.
Defensive line coach Mike Trgovac and inside linebacker coach Scott McCurley were also let go.
The moves made earlier this week were announced by coach Mike McCarthy on Wednesday.
Capers had been defensive coordinator since 2009. Green Bay was fifth in overall defense in the Super Bowlwinning season in 2010.
But the defense slipped to 22nd in each of the past two seasons despite being stocked with high draft picks.
Bears interview Fangio for head coaching job
The Chicago Bears say they have interviewed defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for their head coaching job.
The interview on Wednesday was the first for the Bears since they fired John Fox two days earlier.
In his three seasons as Chicago’s defensive coordinator, Fangio has helped transform a unit that ranked among the worst in franchise history prior to his arrival. The Bears’ defense ranked 10th overall this season despite injuries to several key players, including linebacker Leonard Floyd.
Fangio was defensive coordinator for Carolina (1995-98), Indianapolis (1999-2001), Houston (200205) and San Francisco (2011-14).
Fox was let go after posting a 14-34 record in three years and a .292 winning percentage that ranks as the second-lowest in franchise history. The Bears were 5-11 this past season.
Seahawks sign kicker
The search for a kicker in Seattle now includes former Jacksonville kicker Jason Myers after he signed a reserve/future contract with the Seahawks.
The deal with Myers was completed Wednesday. Seattle was able to sign Myers now because he was cut by Jacksonville earlier this year and was not with any other team at the conclusion of the regular season.
Seattle appears unlikely to bring back Blair Walsh after he missed eight field goals this season, including missed kicks that played a major role in three Seattle losses.
Rams, Chargers show off new home
The Los Angeles Rams and Chargers have shown off their future new home rising from a very deep hole in suburban Inglewood.
The teams on Wednesday gave news media a hard-hat tour of the construction site about 10 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Extensive excavation has been completed, foundational pillars are rising and some structures are beginning to take shape.
Chargers owner Dean Spanos says it will be world class when completed.
The $2.6 billion, 70,000seat stadium was originally supposed to open for the 2019 season but heavy rains last year delayed excavation and it’s now expected to open in 2020.
In the meantime, the Rams will continue to play at historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Chargers will remain at tiny StubHub Center in suburban Carson.