NFL Rumors: Latest Gossip Surrounding 2019 Head Coaching Vacancies

The NFL coaching carousel is spinning at full speed, but the first new hire is still a few days away. 

The eight franchises with coaching vacancies started the interview process Tuesday and Wednesday, and the focus at the moment is on coaches of teams with first-round byes in the playoffs or those made available by firings. 

As always during NFL coaching searches, hot names from the collegiate ranks have appeared in the rumor mill, and one name in particular is generating interest. 

Over the next few days, the top candidates for each job should appear, but right now the majority of the teams are in the exploratory stage, which means plenty of coaches with differing backgrounds are being looked at.

Latest Gossip

Bieniemy is the Hottest Coaching Prospect

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy appears to be a lock to earn one of the eight head coaching roles. 

The former NFL running back interviewed with the New York Jets Wednesday to start his whirlwind tour during the Chiefs' bye week. 

After talking with the Jets, the 49-year-old sat down with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hierarchy Wednesday, per the team's official website.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Bieniemy is interviewing with Cincinnati Thursday and Miami the following day, and he declined a request from the Arizona Cardinals. 

He is one of the most attractive coaching candidates because of the work he's done with Patrick Mahomes in his first year as starter in Kansas City.

David Richard/Associated Press

In addition to the success he achieved on the field, Bieniemy carries an important tag of being a member of the Andy Reid coaching tree. 

With Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy achieving success in Philadelphia and Chicago, respectively, after spending time under Reid, the teams in the hunt for a new head coach are hoping to benefit from going down the same route.

After working with Mahomes for a year, Bieniemy is an intriguing candidate for a team such as the Jets, who are searching for someone to help develop Sam Darnold in his second season. 

The other teams interviewing Bieniemy are hoping he provides a jolt to their respective offenses and finds a way to get more success out of their signal-callers. 

Gase Gaining Traction with Pair of Interviews

Of the eight head coaches who were fired in 2018, Adam Gase appears to have the best chance of leading another team in 2019.

Gase, who was fired by the Miami Dolphins, started his round of interviews with Arizona Wednesday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, and is slated to meet with the New York Jets, according to ESPN's Jeff Darlington. 

The 40-year-old is an intriguing option for both teams because he's considered one of the better offensive minds in the NFL.

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

With young quarterbacks at both franchises, the thought is Gase could help Josh Rosen or Darnold take the next step in becoming one of the league's elite signal-callers. 

Miami handed him the opportunity to do that with Ryan Tannehill, but injuries and the failure to consistently win without the starting quarterback doomed that relationship. 

Gase has the best chance of any of the eight coaches fired because of his age and the promise he brings to a team with a struggling offense. 

The only other recently fired head coach with reported interest from multiple teams is Mike McCarthy, who has interviews set up with the Jets and Cleveland Browns, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky.

Hue Jackson earned an interview with the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Rapoport, and Vance Joseph is scheduled to meet with the Bengals, too, per ESPN's Josina Anderson, but that's the only reported interest in those recently fired coaches. 

Kingsbury Emerging As Surprise Coaching Target

The surprise coaching target to come out of the collegiate ranks was just fired from his first head coaching job. 

Kliff Kingsbury, who took the USC offensive coordinator role after he was let go by Texas Tech, is in line for a pair of NFL interviews. 

Yahoo's Charles Robinson first reported interest in the 39-year-old from the Jets, the Cardinals and two other unidentified teams. 

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Kingsbury is an intriguing option for NFL teams because he helped develop Case Keenum, Baker Mayfield, Johnny Manziel and Mahomes, among others. 

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay gave him an endorsement Wednesday, when he told Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times the former Texas Tech coach is a great offensive mind. 

Kingsbury is the most out-of-the-box name to have been tossed around over the last few days, but in order for him to leave USC, a team has to take a risk on him while passing up others with NFL experience. 

If he impresses in his interviews, he could be a serious candidate to make the leap to the NFL, especially with teams such as the Cardinals and Jets in need of someone to develop their young quarterbacks. 

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