The Steelers are in a similar boat (although they're rebuilding currently), and I just can't see either organization firing Harbaugh or Tomlin. I think both could blow up their offensive staffs, though. Both of those organizations seem to take too much pride in their stability to just fire great head coaches out of what amounts to boredom.
i guess i will believe an owner will choose his coach over his superstar qb when it happens* *though i guess it sort of happened last year with russ wilson eh
Lamar is sort of an outlier. If they didn't have any concerns about his longevity, he would already be the highest paid player ever.
i haven't followed it too closely but i thought the issue was re: guaranteed money and not years/total money. i guess guaranteed money is sort of the same thing as longevity concerns as you don't have an exit later in the contract but i though it was, like, cash flow things. i think some sort of trade is the most fun as an impartial fan but i'm not sure i'd be eager to enter qb purgatory if i'm Baltimore
Any chance Miami opens with their constant attempts to murder their QB? Seems like someone is going to have to get fired there.
He’s a mouthy Ohio State alum. The Denver job has to be one of the least attractive gigs in recent memory. For him to suggest Harbaugh makes sense there is patently ridiculous.
Agreed that the Denver job is absolute trash. But if Harbaugh wants the NFL is there any other team that would actually want him? He's at his peak value rn.
I imagine there’ll always be Indianapolis scuttlebutt, but there’s absolutely no way he’d walk into that Denver situation.
I don't think the Denver situation is as bad as it's portrayed and I hate the Broncos. Russ isn't what he used to be but I don't think he's nearly as bad as he was this year. They have a very good defense as well.
The entire Harbaugh write up is just lazy. I can't believe people are still stupid enough to believe the "Harbaugh gets immediate results but he wears on people and has to leave" bit. It's hilarious to me that people watched Baalke and York blow up that franchise with an ACME dynamite kit during and after Harbaugh's run, and 6-8 years later people still sit there like "you know, I still believe they were the smart ones in that scenario".
Colts/Broncos is about what you want out of your NFL job. The Colts play in a much easier division and have decent talent. The Broncos have more talent but are stuck with Russ and play in the same division as Mahomes and (soon) Herbert in their primes. I'd probably rather have Denver, but neither is particularly appealing in the short term. I'd bet decent money Harbaugh would be more intrigued by Denver than Indy, although I guess some of that might depend on if he tried to get the band back together with Fangio, who I'm assuming wouldn't go with him to Denver but might to Indy.
From The Atheltic - Broncos beat writer. To pass the time this morning... Broncos head coach candidates: Sean Payton, Dan Quinn, Ejiro Evero, others Spoiler By Nick Kosmider Dec 26, 2022 138 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos are searching for a new head coach for the fourth time since they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy as winners of Super Bowl 50 seven years ago. Nathaniel Hackett was fired Monday, a day after the team’s embarrassing 51-14 loss to the Rams on national television. Hackett, in less than one full season as Broncos head coach, guided Denver to a 4-11 record while producing one of the NFL’s worst offenses. The Broncos have scored just 232 points, the fewest of any team in franchise history through 15 games. ADVERTISEMENT Perhaps the biggest indictment of Hackett was an inability to pull even average play out of Russell Wilson, the quarterback for whom the Broncos traded five draft picks and three players to acquire from Seattle 10 months ago. But it is impossible to put all of the blame for the struggles of Wilson and the offense he has piloted on Hackett alone. Injuries were a significant issue, and they revealed deficiencies in the composition of the roster. And Wilson himself shoulders much of the blame for the least efficient season of his 11-year career. GO DEEPER Broncos 2023 roster projections: Who returns to build around Russell Wilson? Wilson remains a central part of the equation as the Broncos reconfigure their vision once again, at least for now. It would be too cost-prohibitive to wiggle out of his contract after just one season, and the Broncos would feel a major squeeze if they tried to do so even after 2023. Their best path forward is to pull play out of Wilson that resembles what he produced for the bulk of his 10 seasons in Seattle. Whether that’s an achievable goal is to be determined, but the Broncos have little choice but to continue down the path they forged less than one year ago with a new head coach leading the way. So who will be the best fit for that massive challenge? A 10-candidate interview process this time last year gives insight into who the Broncos might have their eyes on from the beginning, but there are new candidates to consider, too. Team CEO Greg Penner said in the statement announcing Hackett’s firing that he will lead the search with support from general manager George Paton, in whom he expressed confidence. How different will the search be compared to last time, when Paton led the way? How attractive is the top job with a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2015? Those are the unknowns of the search process ahead, but here are 13 candidates who could figure into the franchise’s consideration: Dan Quinn, Cowboys defensive coordinator Quinn was a finalist for the Broncos in their previous search. He and Paton have a longstanding relationship that dates back to their time as colleagues with the Miami Dolphins from 2005 to 2006. When Quinn didn’t get the Broncos job, he declined other head-coaching offers in order to return to Dallas as its defensive coordinator. His work with the Cowboys continues to be impressive. Since the start of the 2021 season, Dallas ranks third in total defensive EPA (expected points added), first in takeaways (64), fourth in sack rate (7.5 percent) and seventh in opponent scoring (20.7 points per game). Quinn has overseen the development of young standouts like Micah Parsons, the defensive rookie of the year in 2021 who has repeatedly praised Quinn’s coaching style. Quinn also has familiarity working with Russell Wilson. He was Seattle’s defensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014, Wilson’s second and third seasons in the league, matching up with the young quarterback every day during competitive practices. Perhaps most importantly, Quinn would bring winning experience as a head coach. He posted a 46-44 record during his five-plus seasons with the Falcons (2015 to 2020). He led Atlanta to an NFC championship in 2016 and got the Falcons back to the divisional round of the playoffs in 2017. Quinn will likely be at the top of shortlists for every team with a head-coach vacancy in this cycle given that aforementioned experience and his success molding the Cowboys’ young, dynamic defense. Sean Payton, former Saints head coach There has been reporting over the years that suggests Wilson views Payton as an ideal head coach to work with, in part because of his work with Drew Brees, a sub-6-foot, future Hall of Fame quarterback who thrived in a New Orleans system designed to accentuate his strengths. But is the feeling mutual? ADVERTISEMENT In a recent interview with the New York Post, Payton had this to say when asked about Wilson’s pronounced struggles in 2022: “Well, there’s a lot of things that they’re not doing well, and there’s probably a lot of mud on a lot of people’s hands, including himself.” That doesn’t exactly sound like someone who is chomping at the bit to coach a 34-year-old quarterback who bears little resemblance, at least right now, to the worthy NFC adversary Wilson was to Payton’s Saints during the quarterback’s days in Seattle. Still, Payton, if he decides to return to coaching in 2023, will be hotly pursued by a number of teams with openings and Denver should involve itself in that pursuit. Because the Saints own Payton’s rights through 2024, a team wanting to hire Payton would likely have to surrender draft compensation. That could be a small price to pay for a coach who led the Saints to nine playoff appearances and one Super Bowl title in 15 seasons in New Orleans. There is no guarantee Payton will be ready to leave his role as a Fox analyst and commit to another head-coaching job in 2023, but teams around the league will be closely watching his decision. GO DEEPER Sean Payton plans to coach again. Where? He'll be picky, avoid 'a lot of dysfunctional teams' Leslie Frazier, Bills assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Frazier and Paton worked together for seven seasons in Minnesota from 2007 to 2013. Paton served as director of player personnel and later, assistant general manager during Frazier’s three seasons as head coach of the Vikings (2011 to 2013). Frazier, 63, has bolstered his candidacy as a second-chance head coach with the work he’s done in Buffalo, where he has guided the Bills’ defense since 2017. Only the Patriots and Ravens have surrendered fewer points in that span, and only New England (158) has produced more takeaways than Frazier’s Buffalo unit (155). ADVERTISEMENT Frazier, who interviewed for the Giants’ vacancy last cycle and the Texans’ opening in 2020, is in his 24th NFL season as a coach and has been a part of numerous winning organizations. That includes a Super Bowl ring with Peyton Manning and the Colts in 2006 when Frazier was the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach. “Everything Leslie does is with a foundation of respect built into it,” Bills coach Sean McDermott told the Buffalo News earlier this season. “That comes from the person he is and his high level of integrity, but he also played and he can add that to the mix of, ‘Hey, what does a player really need in this situation?'” David Shaw recently resigned after 12 years as Stanford’s head coach. (Tom Hauck / Getty Images) David Shaw, former Stanford head coach As Stanford alums, co-owners Greg Penner, Carrie Walton-Penner and Condoleeza Rice are surely familiar with Shaw’s work during his 12 years as head coach of the Cardinal, a run that included a school-record 96 wins and eight bowl game appearances, including three trips to the Rose Bowl. With Stanford ill-equipped to compete for transfer talent in the era of name, image and likeness, Shaw resigned from the school in late November after back-to-back 3-9 seasons. In announcing his resignation after a season-ending loss, Shaw told reporters that he is “not burned out by any stretch of the imagination,” a signal that he could seek another opportunity as a head coach sooner rather than later. Whether Shaw would seek an opportunity in the NFL remains to be seen, but the tough, physical identity he was able to produce with the Cardinal year after year (think a Pac-12 version of Mike Vrabel’s Titans) could be an appealing trait for an ownership group trying to reset a losing culture. GO DEEPER David Shaw’s end at Stanford: Lost identity, complacency derail a golden run Jim Harbaugh, Michigan head coach Speaking of that Stanford connection, Harbaugh coached in Palo Alto from 2007 to 2010 before then jumping to the NFL and leading the 49ers to a 44-19-1 record, two NFC West titles and one Super Bowl appearance in just four seasons. Harbaugh returned to the college ranks in 2015 to take the job at Michigan, his alma mater, and he has led the Wolverines to at least eight wins in each of his seven full seasons there. (Michigan went 2-4 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.) He has led Michigan to a 24-2 record over the past two seasons and has the school in the College Football Playoff for the second straight year. There are few resumes in coaching stronger than what Harbaugh can boast, and his previous flirtations with the NFL — including an interview with the Vikings last year — make his possible return to the pro game a consistent offseason storyline. As long as that door is cracked open, every NFL team that needs a head coach should be trying to pull Harbaugh through it. A lack of stability at quarterback defined Frank Reich’s time as Colts head coach. (Don Juan Moore / Getty Images) Frank Reich, former Colts head coach Reich couldn’t survive a slide in Indianapolis that began with two straight losses to end the 2021 season to bounce Indianapolis from playoff contention and continued with a 3-5-1 start in 2022. But to pin all those problems on Reich, when he was forced by impulsive owner Jim Irsay to bench veteran Matt Ryan in favor of the inexperienced and overmatched Sam Ehlinger, would be to ignore all the other issues within the organization. Reich led the Colts to a 40-33-1 record and two playoff appearances in four-plus seasons. He did that while navigating a constant revolving door at quarterback, which began after Andrew Luck’s abrupt retirement in 2019. He helped steady the Colts franchise after that seismic shift and is well-respected around the league for his ability to reach players. Jonathan Gannon, Eagles defensive coordinator The Broncos interviewed Gannon last season as part of their extensive search. He worked with Paton for four seasons in Minnesota (2014 to 2017), and the two have remained connected since. Like Quinn, Gannon has made the most of his two seasons at the controls of an NFC East defense. Since the start of 2021, the Eagles rank 10th in total defensive EPA, third in yards per play allowed (5.01), 13th in takeaways (42) and 11th in opponent scoring (21.66 points allowed per game). Gannon got deep into the interview process with the Texans last season before Houston ultimately decided to promote defensive coordinator Lovie Smith into the role of head coach. Gannon has only bolstered his prospects since then as part of an Eagles coaching staff that has molded what looks like a Super Bowl contender. Frank Smith, Dolphins offensive coordinator If the Broncos want continuity with their offensive scheme after moving on from Hackett, Smith could be an intriguing option. He has helped head coach and play-caller Mike McDaniel develop an offensive attack — heavily influenced by the Kyle Shanahan system in San Francisco — that has made Miami one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL this season. That group has helped turn Tua Tagovailoa, a third-year quarterback who faced questions about his long-term viability as a starter, into one of the NFL’s most productive quarterbacks this season. Despite their current four-game losing streak, the Dolphins are still tied for ninth in scoring (24.3 points per game) and rank 10th in red-zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns on 60 percent of their red-zone trips. The addition of all-world wide receiver Tyreek Hill, to partner with speedy second-year target Jaylen Waddle, has been a major boost, but the Dolphins have also protected better than a season ago, and Smith, who was the run game coordinator and offensive line coach with the Chargers in 2021, has had a major hand in that improvement. The 41-year-old began the NFL portion of his coaching career as an assistant offensive line coach with the Saints in 2010 and has also worked with the Bears (2015 to 2017) and Raiders (2018 to 2020) as a tight ends coach. Raiders tight end Darren Waller is among the players who have praised Smith’s coaching style, saying in a 2020 interview: “I never had a relationship with a coach like I do with Frank. … We can be real and honest with each other about everything. That’s so important to me.” Brian Callahan, Bengals offensive coordinator Another on a long list of Broncos interview candidates last year, Callahan only bolstered his opportunity for interviews in this cycle by helping to guide Cincinnati’s high-powered offense to the Super Bowl. In 2022, quarterback Joe Burrow is second in the NFL with 34 touchdown passes, and the Bengals rank sixth in offensive EPA per game. The offense continues to hum, and Callahan and head coach Zac Taylor have continued to create new ways to utilize a talented cast of weapons on that side of the ball. Callahan, 38, served as an offensive assistant in various capacities with the Broncos from 2010 (his first season in the NFL) through 2015. He has talked often about the impact working alongside quarterback Peyton Manning has had on his view of the game. GO DEEPER From Tim Tebow to Joe Burrow, QBs have shaped Bengals coordinator Brian Callahan's style Ejiro Evero, Broncos defensive coordinator In his first season as a defensive coordinator, Evero has called plays for a unit that ranks fifth in points allowed per drive (1.64) and third in red zone efficiency (44.7 percent opponent touchdown rate). Evero has learned under some of the NFL’s most revered defensive coaches in Dom Capers, Wade Phillips, Monte Kiffin and Vic Fangio, and he helped call a Rams defense in 2021 that propelled Los Angeles to a Super Bowl title. Those experiences have helped mold his play-calling style, but his measured approach to teaching is what resonated most with Broncos players this season. “I’ve really enjoyed him so far,” Broncos linebacker Josey Jewell said of Evero in November. “This is probably the most fun I’ve had since I’ve been in the league, playing this type of defense and this amount of control. It’s been fun to play for him and just to hear his insight. (Evero is) very vocal about it, and he’ll talk about every single small, little thing and there’s no miscommunication there. It’s fun to talk to him. He’s an open book on the defense and a great teacher.” The biggest impediment for Evero when it comes to potentially landing a head-coaching gig in 2023 is his association with the mess that has been the 2022 Broncos. But he’s trending toward getting a shot at the top job in the league. GO DEEPER Broncos DC Ejiro Evero pulled from defensive luminaries but has style all his own Shane Steichen, Eagles offensive coordinator Steichen shared play-calling duties with head coach Nick Sirianni during the 2021 season, and the Eagles’ surged at the midway point of that campaign as Steichen took on more of that responsibility. As the unquestioned play-caller in 2022, Steichen has helped quarterback Jalen Hurts orchestrate an offense that ranks second in points per drive (2.64). Steichen has experience developing young quarterbacks in Hurts and Justin Herbert, whom he coached during Herbert’s rookie season in 2020 as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, but he also worked with Philip Rivers from 2014 to 2019 as a quality control coach, quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator. The Broncos would want to know how Steichen would use that combination of experiences to approach a new relationship with Wilson. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebackers coach The Broncos came away impressed in the last cycle after their head-coaching interview with Mayo, the 36-year-old defensive assistant who has played a hand in building up a New England defense that ranks third in EPA per drive. Mayo has also interviewed with the Raiders and the Eagles across the past two cycles. Front office decision-makers are intrigued by the leadership qualities that Mayo has brought to the table as a coach after exhibiting them as a former All-Pro linebacker with the Patriots, and New England’s continued defensive success this season has only strengthened his case. Mayo doesn’t have a defensive coordinator title with the Patriots, but he plays a significant role in orchestrating that side of the ball for New England. “I just like to develop players,” Mayo said at the start of training camp in August, “and help those guys get where they need to be.” Eric Bieniemy has been the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator since 2018. (Mark Brown / Getty Images) Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator The collective choice NFL teams have made to not hire Bieniemy in recent seasons has continued to benefit the Chiefs. As Kansas City’s offensive coordinator since 2018, Bieniemy has helped head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes consistently produce one of the league’s best offenses. That has been the case again this season, even after the Chiefs traded playmaker extraordinaire Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins. Paton and Bieniemy crossed paths for four seasons in Minnesota (2007-2010), and Paton said at the NFL scouting combine in early March that he considers the former University of Colorado running back “a good friend.” “He’s a great coach. He’s got a lot of energy, a lot of passion,” Paton said. “Eric should be a head coach in this league, that’s for sure.”
Hackett was very well liked in Green Bay but I feel like he was more of a key cog in the machine than a leadership here. If he was able to rebuild the SOP they had in Green Bay with buy in from players he could work as a head coach but his/LaFleur's offense is a horrible fit for Russ and with those failures he was never going to get off of the ground.
if you torch the franchise right now, it'd be far less embarrassing than having it die the slow death it currently is experiencing.
Since Brady’s wife left him he might play until he’s 56 so congrats on your long term solution #New Orleans Saints
Florio with a conspiracy theory post for the purposes of legitimizing a previous conspiracy theory post written by him. I'm shocked he would do such a thing.
The story from that tweet links a previous Florio story from 3 weeks ago about the same thing. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...nd-tom-brady-getting-another-team-in-trouble/ But yes, the only reason I give this report any chance of being accurate is Florio obviously had some kind of source with knowledge of Brady/Payton last offseason.
Yes, Payton does love him. Not sure on the payment, our cap has been a clusterfuck for years. Hoping a year away from oxys cleared payton's head.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35355268/sources-broncos-ownership-ultra-aggressive-hc-hiring denver is going take a huge swing at harbaugh imo, desperately want a huge splash
I think some in this thread are vastly overstating how important current roster is vs other things when it comes to coaches determining nfl jobs to take. Think most would say ownership/resources and power are more important. Some also definitely value the profile of the job more too, most these guys have huge egos.
I'll believe it when it happens but I would have to imagine Michigan tries to stay in house if Harbaugh left. Maybe give Sherrone Moore a shot?
Yeah moore, then i think jim and um work on getting most the infrastructure to stay like nd didd with freeman.
I don't know what Michigan would do, but I would be pretty surprised if it wasn't Moore or Hart. And I'm only mentioning Hart because last year he seemed to be first in line of the people on staff based on reports.
If Harbaugh leaves, he's not going to drop everything in order to leave everything at Michigan in one piece for the next person. He's probably going to try to bring at least 3-5 of the coaches with him, plus several personnel people. Because why wouldn't he?