 |
Jaguars head coach
Tom Coughlin
|
Call them the Fragile Five — a handful of NFL head coaches whose grip on job
security has become far from solid.
In fact, shortly after Pro Football Weekly's print edition went to press Monday
morning, the Chargers followed through on their widely anticipated decision to fire head
coach Mike Riley, creating the first head-coaching opening of 2002 and paring down the
list of coaches on the hot seat from five to four.
In the following piece, PFW assesses the futures of these coaches, as well as offering
some interesting rumblings on other head-coaching situations around the league where
changes could possibly occur.
Tom Coughlin
Jacksonville Jaguars
For the second straight year, the Jaguars will miss the playoffs. After getting off to
another horrendous start, the rumors about Coughlin’s job security really began to
heat up. There were rumblings that the team would hire a general manager, which would
reduce Coughlin’s control over personnel. That’s something that wouldn’t go
over well with the autocratic Coughlin. However, we’re hearing that talk of
Coughlin’s ouster has died down quite a bit. The fact that his team continues to play
hard and hasn’t given up despite having been eliminated from postseason contention
has been a plus for him. There was also talk that Coughlin had been interested in the
Notre Dame head-coaching job, but the Irish have settled on Stanford's Tyrone Willingham
instead. The general thinking is that Coughlin will return to Jacksonville next season and
will head up a major rebuilding process. Many team observers believe Coughlin will have a
hard time dealing with this, but the coach insists he has the patience to do so. He is
signed through the 2003 season, so it will be interesting to see if he gets an extension
following next season, since no coaches like to enter the final year of their contracts
viewed as lame ducks.
Tony Dungy
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dungy has operated under tremendous scrutiny and pressure this season. This Bucs team
was considered by many people to be a Super Bowl contender. To not make the playoffs would
have been a devastating blow to Dungy’s future in Tampa, but that is no longer an
issue. The mark of Dungy’s era in Tampa has been slow starts and inconsistency. In
the end, that may be his undoing. The players love him. Dungy is as much a father figure
as he is a head football coach. But there is no doubt that if the Bucs had failed to make
the playoffs, he would have been in serious trouble, and quite possibly if they don’t
win a playoff game, Dungy may still be done. That’s reasonable to assume because he
has been given the best team, on paper, the Bucs have ever had. He’s been given all
the weapons he has asked for — a No. 1 wide receiver in Keyshawn Johnson, a veteran
quarterback in Brad Johnson, solid offensive linemen in Jeff Christy and Randall McDaniel
and a struggling but promising left tackle in top draft pick Kenyatta Walker. Despite
that, the Bucs have been eclipsed by Chicago and Green Bay in the NFC Central. The front
office has refused to comment on Dungy’s future. In fact, when his agent, Ray
Anderson, went to Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer at the start of the season and asked for a
contract extension, he was told the matter would be taken care of after the season. The
implication is that Dungy is being judged on this season.
Jim Mora
Indianapolis Colts
Does the word "perennial favorite" mean anything to you? Chances are,
it’s a word that has haunted Jim Mora during his time as the Colts’ head coach.
Mora helped turn this team around in two seasons, putting the Colts in the NFL’s
upper echelon. But disappointing postseason play has soiled their reputation, and the poor
depth behind the Colts’ superstars finally reared its ugly head, knocking them from
the playoff picture for the first time since 1998. After an inspiring first two weeks of
the season, in which the Colts averaged 43.5 points, the wheels came off — quickly.
Losing streaks of three and five games sealed the Colts’ fate. While many people
believe Mora’s job in Indianapolis is history, it’s not so certain. For one
thing, the players, including highly influential QB Peyton Manning, have spoken in support
of Mora. For another, the Colts’ numerous injuries could lead to the front office
giving Mora a pass. Mora could also get a pass based on the inability of Indy’s
personnel department to acquire high-caliber defensive talent, or the possibility the
Colts believe Mora’s better qualified than any potential replacement. Indianapolis
could give Mora another shot with a healthy roster and a better defense. But with their
window of opportunity not getting any wider, they could still make a change.
Mike Riley
San Diego Chargers
As mentioned above, Riley was relieved of his duties Monday after three seasons in
which he compiled a 14-34 record. Following last season’s 1-15 debacle, a positive
5-2 start to this season provided a boost of confidence, but a nine-game skid to close the
season was considered damage beyond repair in regard to his tenure in southern California.
Speculation concerning his job security cropped up much earlier than that, however, and
general manager John Butler has long been rumored to be interested in Jets defensive
coordinator Ted Cottrell, with whom he worked in Buffalo. Other names that have come up as
possibilities in San Diego include Wade Phillips, June Jones and current offensive
coordinator Norv Turner. Riley said he believed he should return for a fourth season
because the team has shown "improvement in almost every phase of the game since a
year ago." But the numbers speak — or should we say, spoke? — for
themselves. Riley's 14-34 record marked the second-worst winning percentage in club
history for a coach with at least one full season at the helm.
George Seifert
Carolina Panthers
Forget the rumors earlier this season that the Panthers’ nightmarish campaign had
Seifert seriously thinking about retiring for the second time in his career. In a team
meeting a few days before the Panthers’ Week 15 loss to the Rams, Seifert told his
players that he had every intention of coming back for another season. Whether or not
Panthers owner Jerry Richardson wants him back, however, remains to be seen. The best
guess is that Richardson and his private counsel will quietly continue to ponder
Seifert’s fate the remainder of the season, with the team’s quality of play
probably having some bearing on the final decision. When the Panthers folded up their
tents without breaking a sweat in the season finale last year against Oakland — a
stomach-turning 52-9 shellacking — it left a bad taste in the Carolinas that lingered
for some time. A similar performance this Sunday in the season wrap-up at home vs. New
England might put Seifert’s future in serious jeopardy.
More coaching buzz
Some interesting things could take place in Washington after the season. There has been
talk that owner Daniel Snyder will pursue a general manager, which would remove some of
head coach Marty Schottenheimer’s control over personnel matters. It remains
to be seen if the coach would stand for such a change. Also, it wouldn’t be
surprising to see the owner attempt to force Schottenheimer to make changes on his
coaching staff. … In Atlanta, it’s believed new owner Arthur Blank has told Dan
Reeves he’d be welcomed back as head coach. As is the case with Schottenheimer
with the Skins, though, Blank still might choose to alter Reeves’ power to some
degree, which could cause some friction. At the very least, a few of Reeves’
assistants could be in danger of losing their jobs, particularly defensive coordinator Don
Blackmon. … Vikings owner Red McCombs recently said Dennis Green would remain
as head coach of the Vikings but did not speculate on Green’s personnel duties being
reduced. Those duties may be spread out, since the Vikings have not had the productive
drafts that other teams in their division, such as the Bears and Packers, have recently
had. Minnesota needs to find more low-priced talent through the draft. Player personnel
coordinator Scott Studwell may be one staff member whose role is increased. Green could
leave the Vikings if he does not maintain complete control of the football operation.
… Don’t listen to the off-base rumors that Bills head coach Gregg
Williams may be on the hot seat after a disappointing first season. Williams has
the full trust of general manager Tom Donahoe, and Donahoe would have to rethink his
entire strategy if he dumped Williams after the first season. … Dick LeBeau
believes his job is safe with the Bengals, despite an overall mark of 9-19 in almost two
full seasons of work. Some of his offensive assistants, however, may not be so lucky. Team
president Mike Brown said he will not talk about any of the Bengals’ coaches’
jobs until after the season. It’s no secret the players support LeBeau, who took over
after Bruce Coslet resigned three games into last season. LeBeau signed a contract
extension last December and is believed to be signed through at least 2002 and possibly
2003.
For other views of the NFL coaching situation, see Hub Arkush's Publisher's Pen and
columns by Jerry Magee and Glenn Dickey in the current print edition (Vol. XVI, No. 26) of
Pro Football Weekly, dated Jan. 7, 2002, on sale at newsstands and bookstores across the
country. Or you can subscribe
online to PFW's print edition, or subscribe by calling 1-800-FOOTBALL (366-8225) and
charging your subscription to a major credit card. |
