Jim Tressel Controversy: Could He Be an NFL Coach in 2011?

Jim Tressel has been the head coach at Ohio State since 2001, but his resignation earlier today means he must move on. Will he move on to the NFL?

If Tressel moves to another university, sanctions may follow him there, making that a decision he should avoid. He could find a much better situation with an NFL team. 

Tressel has coached quarterbacks, running backs and receivers in the past, making him an attractive option for any team in need.

In fact, he was the running back coach for Ohio State in 1984 when Keith Byars finished second in Heisman voting. He tallied a then-school record 1,764 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. He was a unanimous All-American and Big 10 MVP. 

He also coached quarterback Mike Tomczak at Ohio State, who would play for the Super Bowl winning Chicago Bears in his rookie season.

The Cleveland Browns would seem to be the favorite to sign Jim Tressel at this point. He was born in a suburb of Cleveland and developed a close friendship with his neighbor, Lou Groza. Groza is an Ohio State and Cleveland Brown legend. He was a nine-time Pro-Bowler and passed away in 2000. It would make sense for Tressel to honor his good friend by coaching in Cleveland if an opportunity arises.

Currently, the Browns have no openings on their staff though. There are openings available in Baltimore, Cincinnati and Jacksonville.

In Baltimore, Tressel would likely jump at the opportunity to coach quarterback Joe Flacco, the rocket-armed star. He undoubtedly would enjoy coaching rookie Tyrod Taylor as well. He has seen the success of Taylor at Virginia Tech and would welcome the challenge of making him into a consistent passer. Head Coach John Harbaugh was also born in Ohio and attended Miami (OH) while Tressel was a coach there.  

In Cincinnati, Tressel could remain very close to home, but it is questionable whether he would want to join a rival of the Cleveland Browns. In Cincinnati, he could join the staff as a Receivers Coach. The Bengals drafted A.J. Green in April's draft and have an assortment of other great receivers, including Pro-Bowlers Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens. Getting Tressel on board may positively affect the future of Johnson in Cincinnati. 

In Jacksonville, Tressel would become the Receivers Coach as well. This has been a weakness of the team, so I'm sure they would welcome the experienced coach to their staff. 

Don't count him out for a job as a coordinator in 2012, though. Tressel is a great coach with loads of experience. The Browns' staff is mostly unproven, so Tressel could certainly wait it out a year and join the staff later on.