Frank Schwab, an NFL reporter for Yahoo Sports, reacts to the news that Tennessee will hunt for a new coach after six seasons, three playoff appearances, and a squad primed for a transition phase.
Report: Chargers desire to interview Wilks for the head coaching post.
Report: Chargers seek to interview Wilks for head-coaching opening first appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area.
After Steve Wilks’ outstanding first regular season as 49ers defensive coordinator, the 54-year-old allegedly has received interest from one AFC team looking for a head coach.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Los Angeles Chargers have requested an interview with Wilks for the coaching position that was left empty after the team dismissed Brandon Staley shortly before Christmas.
According to Garafolo, Wilks directed a 49ers defense that finished third in the NFL in points allowed and sixth in yards in 2023. After being elevated to interim coach by the Carolina Panthers on October 9 of the 2022 NFL season, he led the 1-4 team to a 7-10 record before joining San Francisco in the offseason.
The DC’s strong conclusion to the 49ers’ 2023 regular season, in which the team claimed the NFC’s top playoff spot, was not without challenges. Wilks faced criticism during the 49ers’ three-game losing skid before their Week 9 bye, as an underperforming defense exacerbated their offensive issues.
However, the transfer from the coordinator’s booth to the sideline appeared to work well, and Wilks may be able to return to coaching next season. If Wilks accepts the position, he will become the third 49ers defensive coordinator to leave San Francisco for a head coaching job, following Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans.
Wilks isn’t the only one garnering the Chargers’ attention; Los Angeles has also been linked to Jim Harbaugh, a former 49er who currently coaches Michigan. Under Staley, the underperforming Chargers finished last in the AFC West this season after quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a season-ending finger injury with four games remaining.
As the 49ers prepare for their fourth NFL postseason appearance in five seasons, Wilks may not be thinking about a head coaching position. But there’s no doubt that his performance this season with San Francisco shows he’s up for the challenge.
Jim Harbaugh wins the NCAA championship; will “unfinished business” in the NFL follow?
Jim Harbaugh has propelled his old mater to the summit of college football’s mountain. Will he try again to climb a larger one?
With Michigan winning the national championship in his ninth year as head coach, Harbaugh will undoubtedly be interested in returning to the NFL. He has admitted to having “unfinished business” in the professional game. He sees winning the Super Bowl as more important than what he did tonight.
He is likely to become one of the top candidates for an NFL position. Hotter than he was in 2022, when he thought he’d be hired by the Vikings, and 2023, when he interviewed with the Broncos.
Last year, he expressed interest in the Chargers job. But the Chargers did not make any changes. This time, the position is open.
The Raiders are also seeking for a coach. Harbaugh began his coaching career as an assistant over 20 years ago. Other teams are searching, including the Commanders, Falcons, and Panthers. Michigan will be interested in keeping him. He’ll have more choices than he ever has.
And with good reason. He can coach well. In 2011, he promptly turned things around for the 49ers. And he’s doing well in a NIL era where it’s more difficult for players to set “I” aside and focus on “team.”
Is he difficult to get along with? Yes. There are many of terrific coaches. They are demanding. They are impatient. They want to win. They want to be surrounded by individuals who want to win as much as they do and are willing to put in the same effort.
Harbaugh to Los Angeles? Belichick to the Falcons? Assessing NFL head coaching prospects
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Harbaugh maintains his will-he-won’t-he relationship with professional football. Last year, he stated after an interview with the Minnesota Vikings that it would be the “last time” he spoke with an NFL organization, before placing an exit provision into his Michigan contract that allowed him to transition from college to the pros whenever he saw fit.
It’s worth noting that before returning to Michigan to lead his team to a national championship, before his (many) NCAA infractions and a sign-stealing incident, Harbaugh believed he was on his way back to the NFL permanently. Harbaugh was measuring draperies in Minnesota after interviewing for the Vikings job in the 2022 cycle. Harbaugh mistakenly believed he had agreed to take the Vikings job before Minnesota hired then-Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell.
With his work at Michigan finished, Harbaugh will once again be at the top of the candidate lists. The 60-year-old has been connected to the Los Angeles Chargers job, where he would be responsible for unlocking Justin Herbert’s potential. The Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders have both indicated interest. Some owners will have no want to cope with Harbaugh’s quirks. But he stays at the forefront of offensive football, and he wins wherever he goes.
Predicted Next Move: Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach
Bill Belichick, New England Patriots.
Belichick has left New England. But the 71-year-old has made no hint that he intends to retire. If the greatest coach in history claims he still wants to coach, someone will be willing to take a chance on his finding some of his old magic. The question is: who? And how much power will an owner delegate to Belichick? Will they insist on Belichick working with a general manager, or will they give the franchise to the best architect of the modern era?
New Owner Syndrome suggests that Washington will choose a big name to usher in a new era for the franchise. You can’t rule out Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper chasing the shiniest toy on the shelf. The Chargers have also expressed interest, as long as Belichick is a free agent and no trade is required to gain his services. Given everything he’s done for the Patriots, it’s likely that the team’s owner, Robert Kraft, will release Belichick from his contract, allowing him to choose where he works without having to worry about trade terms.
Related: From #1 to nowhere: Was Trevor Lawrence to blame for the Jaguars’ playoff failure?
Belichick may also sit out the first round of the hiring process, waiting to see which postseason performers decide to split ways with their coach. If the Dallas Cowboys struggle early on, Jerry Jones may turn to Belichick to help them win the championship.
Predicted next move: Atlanta Falcons’ head coach.
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings
“Innovative” is an overused term in football. Some trainers discover subtle methods to iterate. Others capitalize on trends at the appropriate time. Most “innovations” are simply a result of the game’s cyclical nature; what was old becomes fresh again.
Flores is unique. He is coaching on a different planet, with a different atmosphere and gravity than everyone else. His most recent feat: transforming a mediocre Vikings defense into a Top 10 unit by DVOA, an accomplishment that should get him a presidential award, let alone a head coaching position.
This season, the former Miami Dolphins head coach has done something truly innovative in Minnesota. He’s combined two opposing styles in a way that no one has ever seen before – at any level. If a coach’s role is to offer his side an on-field advantage, few do it better than Flores.
Nonetheless, Flores’ tenure in Miami was tumultuous. He has a rough demeanor that rubs some players, teammates, and executives the wrong way. He struts around with an I-know-best attitude, mostly because he does. In 2022, he sued the league and three teams, claiming racism in their employment practices. After launching the lawsuit, it appeared that his chances of becoming a head coach again were over; the issue is still pending in the courts. It may have even ruled him out of any high-profile positions. But when Flores was given the keys to a team again, he did what he does best: teach championship-level defense.
Flores is worthy of a second chance. It is unclear whether he will be granted one.
Predicted next move: Stays with Vikings.
Daniel Quinn, Dallas Cowboys
Quinn has topped the head-coaches-in-waiting charts for several cycles, but has elected to skip the circus in favor of staying with the Cowboys. In Dallas, he was the primary architect of the team’s stifling defense.
Barring a postseason setback, Quinn is likely to return to the head coaching ranks this year. Some concerning indicators peppered his prior stint in the top job, in Atlanta. Quinn frequently fell victim to the standard coordinator-to-head-coach narrative, believing he needed to play a cartoon capital-C coach rather than focusing on game management. His in-game management was bad; once Kyle Shanahan left, he struggled to put together a decent offensive.
Quinn will have another shot at the top position. But he might be destined to be a brilliant defensive coordinator but never make it as a head coach.
Predicted next move: Promoted to Cowboys head coach.
Raheem Morris, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams’ defense has been this season’s most pleasant surprise. Some commentators (you may be reading one) were calling for congressional hearings throughout the preseason due to the hand the franchise had dealt Morris. The Rams opened the season with only four first- and second-round draft picks on defense.
Morris, who performed admirably the previous year despite difficult circumstances, was given another dud. But, as always, he made the most of the few resources. The Rams concluded the season with the 20th highest EPA per play on defense, a feat comparable to Michelangelo’s David or blasting a dog into space.
Morris is knowledgeable, self-assured, and at ease in his own skin, all of which are hallmarks of successful head coaches. He transformed a barren defensive roster into a successful team, guiding a group of youngsters to league-average performances. He is also rare in that he has coached on both sides of the ball and has previously served as a head coach.
Morris will not be a splashy hire. He doesn’t have an A-list name. Morris, on the other hand, would be a perfect candidate to coach a young squad in need of a harsh reset.
Predicted future move: Continues with the Rams.
Mike MacDonald, Baltimore Ravens
Still only 36 years old, Macdonald is to defensive football what Sean McVay was on the offensive side six years ago. He is likely to be the top choice for the majority of teams this season. For the majority of his coaching tenure, he has been in close contact with Harbaugh. He worked with Jim Harbaugh at the Baltimore Ravens before joining him at Michigan and rebuilding the defense, putting the team on track for a national championship. After finishing his duties there, Harbaugh Sr. called him back to the Ravens.
Macdonald has been a proponent of the meta-defensive trends that have emerged in the game to slow an era of offense. Unlike other defensive czars, Macdonald is not dogmatic. What he developed with Baltimore was not a revolution, but rather a refinement of what had previously worked. He’s demonstrated the ability to adapt his strategy based on the talent available and the resistance he faces. If there is one organizational concept that underpins Macdonald’s defense philosophy, it is intelligent chaos.
A wise organization will turn to the DeMeco Ryans-CJ Stroud model, which the Houston Texans have perfected by matching one of the most brilliant defensive coaches with a rising young quarterback.
Predicted next move: Matt Eberflus will be out of Chicago; Macdonald takes his place.
Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions.
Johnson led one of the league’s most impressive offenses in Detroit. He’s worked to temper some of Jared Goff’s worst inclinations and has developed an unconventional run game that has driven most of the Lions’ success. Johnson rejected down head coach interviews last season to stay with the Lions, and he appears to be more interested in waiting for the right job (read: the right quarterback) than accepting the first or greatest offer.
Johnson will likely be the most sought-after coach in the league this year, as there are few options with great offensive credentials.
Predicted next move: Washington Commanders’ head coach.
Frank Smith, Miami Dolphins
When Miami signed Mike McDaniel, they took Kyle Shanahan’s run-game specialist. So, who’s going to pinch the guru’s guru? Smith, the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator, has overseen the team’s explosive explosion during the last 24 months.
According to a recent NFLPA poll, 1,700 players named Smith the league’s best offensive coordinator. If you’re searching for wacky offensive designs – *cough* the Falcons *cough* – Smith is your guy.
However, the distinction between the coordinator’s chair and the head coach’s office is significant. You shift from thinking about play concepts and game preparations to worrying about flights, staffing, and how to please a guard who is disgruntled because your center is generating more money.
Smith has established himself as a gameplanner and play designer, but, like the other coordinator contenders, it’s unclear whether he has the ability to manage an entire team.
Predicted next move: Stay with the Dolphins.
Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots.
Sometimes you know a coach has it. When DeMeco Ryans rose through the ranks, it was evident he possessed the secret sauce. Likewise with Dan Campbell. The same is true for Mayo. He exudes charisma and bravado.
The young linebacker coach has collaborated with Belichick to develop a competent defense as the rest of Foxborough has declined. Belichick remains the defensive leader, but players praise Mayo’s attention to detail and day-to-day technique teaching. Throughout his time with the Patriots, Mayo has routinely turned down offers to work elsewhere.
Some will be turned off by the flops from Belichick’s coaching tree of the past, and there are some warning signs: Mayo hasn’t worked outside of the Belichick system; he played with the Patriots for eight seasons; there has been a sense within the organization that he expects too much from his players. There may be no better personification of the Patriot Way than Mayo, and it’s a philosophy that hasn’t fared well when applied elsewhere. However, for a series in need of a reboot, Mayo will be the perfect fit.
If Mayo isn’t coveted outside of New England, he might take Belichick’s spot if the Kraft family decides to keep the Patriots job within the franchise.
Predicted next move: Mike Vrabel takes the Patriots’ head coaching job, and Mayo succeeds him in Tennessee.
Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans
Bobby Slowik is up next on Kyle Shanahan’s conveyor belt. Slowik was a member of the renowned 2011-13 Washington coaching staff that featured Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel, and Shanahan. He moved outside the Shanahan vortex this season to protect his own reputation, settling in Houston with Ryans (with whom he previously worked in San Francisco) and assisting pilot Stroud throughout his rookie season.
Given the scarcity of young offensive-minded coaches on the market this year, Slowik may likely be considered – McDaniel’s success in Miami will undoubtedly help. However, Slowik has just one year of experience running an offense in Houston, and he did so with a terrific talent in Stroud. Together, the two created the NFL’s most savvy offensive. But how does Slowik’s early success differ from Stroud’s?
Predicted next move: Continues with the Texans
Eric Bieniemy, Washington Commanders.
Perhaps Bieniemy’s best case is what occurred to the Chiefs’ offense after he left town, rather than what happened to the Commanders this season. The Chiefs’ troubles are primarily due to a lack of quality at receiver and some questionable personnel decisions along the offensive line, but they have provided Bieniemy with some intriguing statistics for his PowerPoint presentation.
Bieniemy is likely to return to Kansas City following the playoffs. Despite a poor year in Washington, he may still earn some head coach attention after spending a year apart from Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, the biggest blemish on his on-field résumé in previous seasons.
Predicted future move: Returns to Chiefs as assistant head coach.
Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions.
Glenn serves as a timely reminder that the alchemy that produces a great head coach is not the same as that of a good coordinator. Glenn has been outstanding in Detroit, assembling a cohesive, ferocious defense despite some deficiencies at all three levels. But he isn’t a schematic maverick. He focuses on the intricacies, drills them into his team, and extracts every ounce of talent from his players as possible. Glenn has gotten more out of the Lions roster by decluttering; he realized he was asking too much schematically in his early days in Detroit and pulled back.
That sense of self-awareness, of being able to create something that fits your roster rather than highlighting your own brilliance, of being able to teach it repeatedly until your players are murmuring the buzzwords in their sleep, is what prepares someone to be a head coach.
Culture is an ambiguous phrase that is more easily recognized than defined. The Dan Campbell Show is entertaining, but the actual heart of the Lions’ culture stems from the team’s determination to improve behaviors, and Glenn has been the driving force behind that success on defense.
The Commanders have already requested an interview with Glenn. Glenn would be an excellent match for the team’s young, revamped lineup.
Predicted future move: Continues with the Lions.
Rob Gronkowski predicts Belichick’s future with the Patriots.
The post Rob Gronkowski predicts Belichick’s future with the Patriots originally appeared on NBC Sports. Boston
The future of Bill Belichick as head coach of the New England Patriots will be one of the NFL’s biggest storylines until team ownership decides whether to keep the six-time Super Bowl champion or fire him.
Belichick is under contract, as he made clear in his video conference call with reporters Monday, so for him to quit, he’d have to be fired or agree to stand down.
What are the chances that Belichick stays?
Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski spoke with NBC’s Today on Monday about his new Super Bowl commercial, his old team’s disappointing 2023 season, and Belichick’s future in New England.
Gronkowski even predicted how the situation with Belichick would unfold.
“I know Coach Belichick definitely wants to stay with the New England Patriots,” Gronkowski stated in a statement. “He is a patriot for life. He is a six-time Super Bowl champion. He’s been grandfathered in. I believe it is entirely up to Mr. (Robert) Kraft to determine where he wants to take the New England Patriots. In the end, I believe he will maintain Coach Bill Belichick as head coach for at least another year.
When asked about the Patriots’ troubles this season, including a 4-13 record at the bottom of the AFC standings, and whether that could lead to Belichick’s departure, Gronkowski supported his former coach.
“I mean, it happens,” Gronkowski explained. “It’s the NFL; it’s quite competitive. Everyone is good out there. There is a salary cap, and it is a fair league. This happens. He’ll recover. He’s still an outstanding coach. He understands how to make the most of his abilities on the field. He simply needs to go out there this offseason and sign some offensive players, and he’ll be good.”
You could make a compelling case for or against Belichick remaining with the Patriots.
The case for keeping Belichick is straightforward: he is the best coach in league history and deserves the opportunity to put the team back on track. He has constructed six Super Bowl-winning teams and can rebuild the present one. The case against keeping Belichick boils down to his being accountable for the franchise’s current crisis as a result of his poor roster decisions (trades, free agents), failure to assemble a strong coaching staff, and poor drafting.
