NFL Rumors: Jim Harbaugh, Jeff Fisher and the Offseason Coaching Carousel
Snow is in the air, and the NFL playoffs are set to begin this weekend.
You know what that means?
It's time to ride the coaching carousel!
Of course, everyone knows that this particular carousel doesn't have fancifully painted ponies bobbing up and down on golden spiral poles. Rather, those who dare ride must sit atop scapegoats, bucking Broncos, toothless Panthers and...errr...deep Browns?
Oh, here it comes again! Quick, let's hop on and see who's up next for a spin!
Jim Harbaugh to...Every Team With a Coaching Vacancy
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The Stanford coach is far and away the hottest name on the open market of coaches this offseason.
In other news, the sun rose this morning, and North Korea still isn't free.
Sarcasm aside, teams are lining up as we speak to break the bank for the Cardinal head coach, who just may ride along the successful coattails of quarterback Andrew Luck, father Jack and brother John Harbaugh all the way to, say, $6 million per year.
Pretty good money for a guy whose NFL coaching experience consists of a short stint as the quarterbacks coach of the Oakland Raiders after the team's Super Bowl run in 2002.
Regardless, Harbaugh is being pursued by anyone and everyone, with or without an actual vacancy, including the Carolina Panthers, the Cleveland Browns and the Miami Dolphins.
As of now, it appears as though the San Francisco 49ers have the inside track on landing Harbaugh, whose family lives in the Bay Area.
Though don't count out Michigan as a possible destination for the former Wolverine.
Where, Oh Where, Will Bill Cowher Go?
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Strange to think that Bill Cowher is only the second-hottest commodity on the job market in the NFL right now.
After all, the long-time Steelers coach has 149 victories, two AFC Championships and a Super Bowl ring in 2005 under his belt and seems refreshed and ready to coach again after a four-year hiatus from the sidelines.
Then again, there's certainly no guarantee that the current talking head for CBS's NFL Today is necessarily going to jump back in head first, given the opportunities that are currently available.
As a native of North Carolina, Cowher has been linked to the Panthers job now that John Fox is out, though most would assume that Cowher would prefer a more high-profile job.
Like the one that doesn't yet exist in Miami. Should the Dolphins strike out with Jim Harbaugh, they may be inclined to give Cowher a ring.
Or maybe Cowher really does enjoy living without the 24/7/365 stresses of being a head coach in the NFL.
Only time will tell.
John Fox Getting Looks from Giants and Browns
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John Fox may have been fired by the Carolina Panthers, but the move certainly hasn't sullied his name enough for him to not be considered for still other gigs in the NFL.
Rumor has it that Mike Holmgren is interested in bringing Fox in as Eric Mangini's replacement in Cleveland.
Others have suggested that the New York Giants might also pursue Fox, though as a coach-in-waiting to replace the aging Tom Coughlin when that fateful day comes at the New Meadowlands. After all, Fox spent five years as the defensive coordinator in New York before moving on to Carolina and was reportedly a favorite of the Giants-owning Mara family.
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New York Giants Taking It Slow with Tom Coughlin
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As mentioned with regard to John Fox, Tom Coughlin's days as the head coach of the New York Football Giants may be numbered.
Though perhaps into the 700s.
Despite the Giants missing the playoffs this year, co-owner John Mara affirmed his support of Coughlin to the media, though he hesitated to confirm or deny anything about a longer-term extension.
However, Mara has shown a tendency in the past to make sure his coaches aren't working as lame ducks, suggesting that an extension of some sort is imminent.
Whether that means multiple years or just one more, as was the case following the 2006 season in which the Giants also missed the playoffs, is unknown. If New York does, in fact, decide to go the successor route, don't expect Coughlin to be at the helm too much longer, particularly given the fact that he will be 65 at the end of August.
Vince Young Out in Tennessee; Is Jeff Fisher Next?
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Jeff Fisher can only wish Titans management supported him as well as Giants management supports Coughlin.
Despite 17 years as the head coach in both Nashville and Houston for the franchise, Fisher looks to be on thin ice after two sub-par seasons following a 13-3 finish in 2008.
Some think that Fisher is actually in decent shape, considering that ownership let go of bust-boy wonder Vince Young, with whom Fisher butted heads on many an occasion.
Others, however, point to the fact that Titans owner Bud Adams took so long to endorse Fisher due to the owner's strange love affair with Vince Young.
If Fisher does, in fact, get canned, he will jump to the top of several team's wish lists across the NFL landscape.
Marvin Lewis Staying Put in Cincy
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While Fisher's continuing tenure in Tennessee has only been confirmed by "sources," the Bengals have officially announced that Marvin Lewis, long thought to be among those most firmly planted on the hot seat, would be retained as the head coach in Cincinnati by way of a new two-year deal.
This despite a 4-12 finish in 2010 and a perpetual history of disciplinary problems under his regime.
Then again, firing Lewis would've been a rather abrupt move for Bengals management, considering he led the team to the AFC North division title just last year.
Lewis' extension would seem to signal that the folks in charge in Cincy think the team as currently constituted, with Carson Palmer at quarterback, still has some quality seasons left in it, but simply underperformed in 2010.
Is Mike Holmgren Due for a Sideline Return in Cleveland?
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Staying in the state of Ohio, the Cleveland Browns are once again in a state of flux following the firing of Eric "the Man-genius" Mangini after two whole seasons with him at the helm.
No one expected Mangini to last long with Mike Holmgren as team president, which now begs the question, is Holmgren going to coach the team?
That was the question on everyone's mind when Holmgren first took the gig in Cleveland in December of 2009, and you can bet fans in Cleveland want him to take on the challenge of reviving the Browns himself.
After all, there are few names in the game of football today that command more respect than Mike Holmgren's, after becoming the first coach in NFL history to lead to separate franchises—the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks—to Super Bowl appearances, including a win in 1996 with Brett Favre under center.
Perhaps the more important question is, does he want to do it?
Mike Mularkey Cancels on Broncos, Still Scheduled To Meet with Browns
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Among those whom Holmgren would rather have coach the Browns is former Buffalo Bills head man Mike Mularkey.
Mularkey has spent the last three years reviving his reputation in Atlanta, where he has served as the Falcons' offensive coordinator under head coach Mike Smith.
Fans in Buffalo will recall the fiasco that Mularkey's short-lived tenure became, with him resigning in January of 2006 after a rough second season in 2005 and a series of disagreements with new management, including ex-coach Marv Levy.
Now that the Falcons have become such a success story, with Matt Ryan under center and Michael Turner in the backfield, Mularkey's name has become a hot commodity once again.
Mularkey had previously been scheduled for a meeting with Denver Broncos brass, including John Elway, on Friday but cancelled, citing a commitment to preparing the Falcons offense for the playoffs.
But, apparently, Mularkey won't be busy enough to skip out on a meeting with Holmgren and company in Cleveland on Saturday, leading many to assume that Mularkey has no interest in coaching in Denver.
Jason Garrett Staying on in Dallas
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One "offensive genius" who will be staying put is Jason Garrett, now that owner Jerry Jones has removed the "interim" tag from his title as Cowboys head coach.
Garrett has long been a favorite of Jones to take over the coaching duties in Dallas, as he was Troy Aikman's backup during the team's glory years in the 1990s.
Additionally, the Cowboys finished 5-3 under Garrett after a 1-7 start prior to the firing of Wade Phillips, with the players seemingly responding much more positively to Garrett's coaching style.
With Tony Romo set to return from injury, expect Dallas to make some serious noise in the NFL next year.
Tom Cable Gets The Axe in Oakland
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It wasn't so long ago that Tom Cable was the interim guy in Oakland, after Lane Kiffin quickly wore out his welcome as the Raiders' "Golden Boy."
However, Cable now is without any title whatsoever after being shown the door by Raiders owner Al Davis.
The move shocked many around the team and in the football world in general, as Cable had Oakland in playoff contention for much of the season and led the team to an 8-8 finish, giving the franchise its first non-losing record since the 2002 AFC Championship squad.
Who the Raiders pursue now is anybody's guess, but don't expect Cable, a respected offensive mind, to stay unemployed for long.
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