Let’s get one thing straight — Dan Quinn working for the Seahawks in the past isn’t the reason why he’s a legit candidate to replace Pete Carroll.
Every time his name is mentioned it’s nearly always noted that he could be a ‘continuity’ candidate, that he would help carry on Carroll’s ‘culture’ and not much would change.
Some have even suggested Carroll could have an influence on the hire. It’s been made absolutely clear that John Schneider is in control of the next appointment. Carroll has said himself he has no sway. Last week he was fired. The statement, revealing he would be an advisor, was a gentle way of parting with a popular coach who is part of Seattle sports folklore. He also had a year left on his contract and now they can pay that off over 12 months instead of right away, while retaining a contact line to Carroll if it’s ever needed.
This is Schneider’s call. As discussed on Friday, it’ll be interesting to see what his vision is. I think there’s a good chance, with his Green Bay DNA, the future will include an offensive-minded Head Coach and the drafting of a new quarterback. I don’t think he wants ‘continuity’ — I think he wants a total fresh start.
But I also think Quinn will be a strong contender in his own right, regardless of his history with the team.
One thing I’ve been doing over the last few days is running through various interviews, mic’d up segments and press conferences to get a feel for candidates as people. How are they at public speaking? Do they command a room?
It’s a tedious exercise but one that feels necessary to discuss this hire properly. The next Head Coach can’t just be a coordinator who steps into a top job. They need to have CEO qualities. They need to be able to communicate well and they need to be able to lead.
Coaches do this differently. Kyle Shanahan isn’t the most charismatic individual but his schemes are so productive, buy-in as players is automatic. There aren’t many Shanahan’s out there, though.
Quinn is without a doubt the most impressive public speaker I’ve observed over the last few days. There’s real clarity in the way he speaks. He has a wisdom that comes with experience. It’s very easy to imagine him standing in front of a huge room of players on day one of training camp and everyone listening intently.
I mentioned the other day that I spoke to a former Seahawks player to get his views on Quinn. He was described as a great communicator with a phenomenal ability to connect with players.
This is the first reason why Quinn warrants more respect than simply being described as ‘continuity Carroll’. It’s really hard to appoint someone who can be a true leader of men. Quinn fits the bill.
There’s another thing that comes with experience and that’s the ability to recruit a great staff.
One of the reasons for Carroll’s downfall has been his coordinator and staff appointments. His last three defensive coordinators were all flops, having been promoted or re-hired from within the Carroll circle. He also failed with his offensive coordinators, at least in terms of the success and/or consistency they had in Seattle.
Quinn was the last of Carroll’s coaches to be poached to lead a franchise. That was in 2015. It’s been nine long years since anyone working for Carroll has got a sniff at such an opportunity. Serious questions had to be asked about the support staff and positional coaches too after an underwhelming run culminating in a problematic 2023 season.
There’s evidence to suggest Quinn can succeed where Carroll failed. He’s highly respected with a rich contacts list. He’s worked with various different people in Seattle, Atlanta and Dallas. He’s not permanently attached to ‘his guys’.
He empowers people when he appoints them. He gave Kyle Shanahan the offensive coordinator’s job in Atlanta and he was able to build his own offensive staff — bringing in Matt LaFleur, Mike LaFleur and Mike McDaniel. There were no sons or loyal servants forced on Shanahan.
Unlike Carroll, he can also offer full control of the offense. It never felt like the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator job was particularly attractive, or that a ‘big name’ would ever be sought. Quinn is going to be hands-off on offense and appoint the best person he can get, then let them crack on. With the weapons on the roster, that’s an attractive sell for a play-caller.
Although Quinn struggled to replace Shanahan in Atlanta, he did a good job overall identifying people for his staff. He brought in Raheem Morris as Assistant Head Coach and he’s now one of the trendier candidates in the current coaching cycle, having worked for Sean McVay for the last few years. He poached Marquand Manuel from Seattle’s staff and took him to Atlanta and he has developed into a well-regarded coach, currently working in Philadelphia. Doug Mallory, a defensive analyst currently working for Jim Harbaugh in Michigan, got his first break in the NFL when Quinn took the Falcons job.
When you look at the Cowboys defensive staff, you see a lot of promise. Al Harris is a great presence on the sideline and could be a candidate to join Quinn as defensive coordinator. Others such as Joe Whitt Jr (DB’s, passing game coordinator) and Scott McCurley (linebackers) have done an excellent job as position coaches and could also be part of Quinn’s staff.
Ever since he left Atlanta, Quinn has been preparing for his next opportunity to be a Head Coach. Who goes with him, how he wants the operation to look, what did he learn since leaving Atlanta — all of this will be shaping a plan which is easy to imagine could be quite convincing during job interviews.
There should be very little doubt that if you appoint Quinn as Head Coach, he’ll have clarity on his staff and his vision. As excited as I would be for a younger candidate like Bobby Slowik or Mike Macdonald, they might have a harder time building a staff.
It’s not impossible. Sean McVay marched into his job interview with the Rams, pulled his phone out and told Les Snead, “Wade Phillips will be my defensive coordinator. Here’s his number. He’s expecting the call.” That was a boss move from McVay, immediately eliminating any concern about his inexperience or ability to build a staff.
Slowik or Macdonald may well be able to do something similar but their experience is limited and they might have limited pulling power.
Slowik worked in Washington for two years between 2011 and 2013 then was out of coaching, taking a job as an analyst for PFF. He returned in 2017 with the 49ers, stayed their until a year ago and was then appointed to the Texans’ staff.
Aside from a short stint as an assistant at Georgia a decade ago, Macdonald has only worked for the Harbaugh’s in Baltimore and Michigan. If John Harbaugh loses coordinators in the current cycle, he might appoint from within — making it harder for Macdonald to claim Baltimore’s best position coaches for his staff. Jim Harbaugh, meanwhile, will likely be constructing a whole new staff when he takes a job in the NFL — again potentially limiting Macdonald’s contact pool.
It’s not the be-all and end-all and clearly there are ways around this. John Schneider can lean on his contacts to support a younger coach. Money talks, too. With the way Slowik has coached Houston’s offense and Macdonald Baltimore’s defense this year, they might be suitably brilliant to not worry too much about this. On Slowik in particular, I’d recommend checking out Jeff Simmons’ timeline today. He’s highlighting some great examples of why Slowik should be a strong contender for the Seahawks.
It is a feather in Quinn’s cap though that he will almost certainly be better positioned to put a strong staff together.
The one question for Quinn in this regard would be the offensive coordinator and admittedly, that’s the biggest question moving forward for Seattle. Who calls the plays offensively? The Seahawks have to get this right, whether that man is the Head Coach or merely a coordinator. The feeling that a defensive coach is only as good as his offensive play-caller — highlighted emphatically by Quinn’s time in Atlanta with and without Shanahan — is one that really rings true.
Here’s a point that I think needs to be made. There are experienced offensive coordinators who will be available in this cycle. Kellen Moore is going to leave the Chargers and has worked with Quinn in Dallas. When Ben Johnson is appointed as Head Coach by the Commanders, which feels inevitable, Eric Bieniemy will not remain as offensive coordinator.
There are other names out there, such as Jim Caldwell, who could provide experience without the threat of losing them to another team. You could also be creative by offering Brian Callahan or Mike LaFleur the title of ‘Assistant Head Coach’, a big pay increase and the opportunity to call plays. That would constitute a promotion for both, plus control and authority they don’t currently have working for offensive Head Coaches in Cincinnati and LA.
Pairing someone appealing with Quinn is plausible. However, it’s harder to identify experienced, convincing candidates to coach defense. There aren’t any Wade Phillips types out there, who can act as a mentor as well as lead the defense.
Last year the likes of Brian Flores, Vic Fangio, Jim Schwartz, Vance Joseph, Ejiro Evero and Steve Wilks were all available. Any would’ve been really attractive to pair with a bright offensive mind. This year, it’s slim pickings in that regard.
Brandon Staley might be the best bet, given he’s been a Head Coach. How would he transition back to being a coordinator though and is it something he wants to jump straight back into?
Mike Macdonald has shown there are talented, young defensive-minded coaches out there who can hit the ground running. There might be a name not common to those outside the league who is actually really highly rated.
It feels easier, though, to pair someone like Quinn (or Macdonald) with an offensive coordinator with some history of production than it would be to hire a young offensive mind and get them the Wade Phillips they might need.
The final point I want to raise is about Quinn’s schematic flexibility. He’s admitted that in Atlanta he was too rigid in using the ‘Carroll’ defense and it’s something he’s rectified in Dallas.
This article by Cody Alexander discusses some of the ways he’s shifted from pure Cover 3 to find ways to keep opponents guessing:
Changing the coverage contour post-snap forces offenses to guess the coverage. Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn likes to run opposite looks on most downs in Dallas. Against the Bengals, Quinn featured two-high looks on early downs, only to snap to Cover 3 post-snap flooding the intermediate passing lanes. Quinn opted for a Cover 3 look on middle downs and snapped to Tampa coverage post-snap.
The constant cat-and-mouse game is needed as most offenses have locked in on “beaters” for most coverages. Using rotations post-snap applies more pressure on the QB, who has to recalibrate his vision post-snap. With premier EDGEs in Dallas, holding the ball can spell disaster for most QBs.
Though Quinn carries more of a zone-match Cover 3 philosophy, he loves to run Cover 1. Until this past season, Quinn has run man-free coverages as a dominant scheme alongside Cover 3. Going from man-match to zone principles helps Quinn keep the playbook simple.
There’s also this piece from Mauricio Rodriguez:
Quinn has always been known for his Cover 3 and Cover 1 schemes that feature one safety up high. It’s what “made him” when he rose through the coaching ranks by being a part of the Legion of Boom defense of the Seattle Seahawks. Recently, however, the rise of the RPO among other things has made those defensive looks much more vulnerable.
That’s why in 2022, the Cowboys defensive coordinator became a “quarters” coverage coach. While different coaches will give you different definitions, think mostly about Cover 4 and Cover 2 varieties where opponents attempt to take the opponents’ deep passing game away.
This forces offenses to be patient with two safeties up high and several deep defenders. Instead of going over the top of the defense, teams have to find a way to attack underneath and pound the rock.
It’s a very significant and encouraging change for Quinn. Not only is he having success with what’s always worked for him, but he’s also showing he’s willing to adapt to the tides of the NFL. The best part is he’s done so efficiently as the Cowboys remained one of the best defenses last year.
Carroll was hardly stuck in his ways and it’s well publicised that he’s moved around different defensive alignments and ideas. Even so, it became tiring watching Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan seemingly find the same weak spots repeatedly whenever they faced the Carroll defense. Quinn seems to be well on top of league trends and attempting to throw questions back at the creative play-callers dominating the league, rather than simply aiming to limit the damage.
The results speak for themselves. The Cowboys had the #5 defense in 2023, having previously ranked fourth in 2021 and 2022. As with Robert Salah and the Jets, Quinn has found a way to consistently deliver a productive defense. And as with Salah, the success or failure of his operation will rest on the ability of his quarterback and offensive play-caller to make the most of it. The Jets consistently fail in that regard, although the Aaron Rodgers experiment was an attempt to change their fortunes. The Cowboys succeed with Dak Prescott.
Give Quinn a good offensive coordinator and quarterback combo and there’s no reason why the Seahawks can’t be a strong team.
Again, let me stress, all of this doesn’t mean I think Quinn is the guy. I’ve made it clear that Ben Johnson is my preferred candidate, based on the research I did for this article about him. The reports that Adam Peters and Johnson are in agreement to work together — and Peters’ appointment in Washington — has killed off most of the hope I had that Johnson will end up in Seattle.
Generally I’m open-minded about alternatives. I’d prefer an offensive-minded Head Coach because I think the roster, in its current state, is tilted towards Seattle’s talented skill players. Getting the most from them is critical and it can shape the identity of the team moving forward. Plus, the likelihood of drafting a quarterback soon makes an offensive leader more appealing. If Slowik leaves Houston after one year, for example, that could impact C.J. Stroud. You don’t want to have to go through that. Plus we saw what happened to Quinn’s Falcons when he lost his hot-shot play-caller. That’s the constant danger you live with when you have a defensive-minded coach.
Slowik’s play-calling performance against Cleveland — DVOA’s #2 ranked defense — was highly impressive. It felt like you were watching Shanahan. For what it’s worth, Slowik is a good communicator too. I asked someone in the league about him and was given this review: “Constantly setup Stroud for success. Has schemed up wide open explosives in nearly every game. Great cohesion to his system.” The question marks are his ability to build a staff and whether he’s ready to lead a team as the main man — questions we likely won’t be able to answer given we’re not in the room when he’s being interviewed and can’t talk to his players and coaching colleagues.
I have reservations about Quinn too. He was 24-29 without Shanahan in Atlanta. He’s had a lot of success with the LOB and Micah Parsons, yet with the Falcons — where he had no stars — his unit was consistently average. It was difficult watching Shanahan destroy the Cowboys earlier this season to the tune of a 42-10 defeat. At a time when it feels like you have to fight fire with fire in the NFC West, I’m not sure Quinn is capable of being the solution to Shanahan and McVay dominating the Seahawks.
In an ideal world you appoint a great offensive mind then go and get a defensive coordinator like Quinn at a time when the Cowboys did — experienced yet keen to rebuild his career, with fresh perspective and a willingness to adapt. As noted though, short of Brandon Staley, it’s hard to imagine who fits that bill.
These are the challenges that face any team leading a coaching search. High-profile coaches like Jim Harbaugh don’t carry these concerns — but he doesn’t seem like even a remote possibility in Seattle. The idea that John Schneider finally gets full control of football operations and his first move is to appoint the one man most likely to argue every single day about every single decision he makes is fanciful. If you wanted Harbaugh, you likely needed a complete clean-break with him getting serious control over personnel.
One final thing I’d say is that patience is required. I think there’s a few dominos still to fall. There’s continuing chatter that other teams could join the coaching search depending on how the playoffs play out.
Jerry Jones is said to be ready to move off Mike McCarthy if Dallas flops in the post-season. That would put an attractive rival job on the market and it could be a situation where Quinn is convinced to stay with the Cowboys.
Mike Tomlin is said to be considering a change of scenery, placing a question mark over Pittsburgh’s future. Things have collapsed so quickly in Philadelphia, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility Nick Sirianni could lose his job given how ruthless Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie can be. There’s even talk that Andy Reid might retire. Working with Patrick Mahomes would make the Chiefs the #1 destination for any offensive-minded coach.
There’s also always room for a surprise too. Miami’s Mike McDaniel is under renewed pressure after the Dolphins’ playoff defeat yesterday and you could forgive Kevin Stefanski for being fed-up with the constant drama and upcoming cap-hell in Cleveland.
This is going to be a process that takes time. Some candidates can’t even be interviewed yet because they’re still in the playoffs. Some candidates won’t want to rush the situation and will wait to see what emerges over the next fortnight. There might not be a new coach in Seattle by the Senior Bowl later this month and people should be prepared for that possibility.
There’s no quick-fix. The only thing anyone should be hoping for is that once the Seahawks identify their #1 target, they make sure they don’t go anywhere else.
Edit: The Cowboys were trounced by the Packers today in the playoffs. There’s a lot of blame to go around for the performance but Quinn was part of it. It’ll be a harder sell, off the back of that game, to convince anyone that the Seahawks’ next direction should be led by anyone involved in that meltdown.
Robbie, Adam and I did a live stream today, discussing everything to do with the Seahawks coaching search. If you missed it, check it out here:
Rob, you’re a facking machine! I’m not sure what I’d do without your stellar coverage – five years sober this week. The blog and this community has helped keep me sane and in line. Keep up the excellent work and thank you!
Congrats on the five-year mark, that’s a great achievement! I can’t tell you how much it means that the blog has played a small part in that. And thank you for the kind words.
Rob,
I like your point. We don’t need more de facto hiring from within (or formerly within). Hire on merit-period. If Quinn is that-great.
And Brad. What you are doing is brave and is not easy. Keep up the fight. We are behind you.
Well done Brad
Great to hear Brad! Keep working at it every day man.
Damn impressive work Brad. Stay strong and keep it up!
https://twitter.com/DavisHsuSeattle/status/1746229099134357732?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Rob, what do you think about this tweet?
Unfortunately, it’s likely we won’t be in play for Ben Johnson. So that leaves Callahan and Slowik (if Slowik decides to move on from the Texans). Bienemy not getting any buzz, something is up with that.
I think that tweet is probably right — but I would add two things:
— You can’t force point #1 if a defensive candidate is far more convincing during this process
— The second point will likely be dictated by the GM’s moves to focus resources on the trenches
There are a collection of offensive coaches out there they could turn to, some not as obvious as others. They could interview Mike Kafka, Mike LaFleur, Alex Van Pelt and others.
I think there are also potential surprises or twists to come during these playoffs that could have consequences on the coaching cycle
I’m torn between drafting a QB with our first pick or addressing the trenches first. The O line is a bigger problem than we think. Cross doesn’t look like the future LT. Lucas injury history, Lewis could be gone, Brown is not the future Center, and Bradford is not a good pass blocker. On the defensive side, we need to run stuffers and a premier pass rusher. But we also need to replace Geno.
It’s a big problem/decision to address.
While there is talent on the team, there are still significant holes to fill, with limited resources to do so.
Which is why this will take a couple of years to do, best case.
I think the answer to your question is… *If* there is a QB we are in a position to take (anywhere in the draft) that JS is sold on (in the way he was with Mahomes and Allen, apparently), then take the QB.
But don’t force it if you aren’t convinced.
If not, go offensive line in the 1st round ( and probably in the 3rd round, as well… along with LB or DL.
I hope Schneider can adjust. That’s been the issue on offense, defense, and in drafting and player development – when any individual piece is off schedule, we fall apart. From the Collier pick to the run game in the playoffs against Dallas all the way around to watching the Adams trade set the place on fire, to the Nwosu injury causing it to burn to the ground, we have been unable to adjust.
What about current Hawks coaches one would like to see kept?
The only one that pops to mind for me is BT Jordan… some of the DEs are making some good progress and improving during the season in both pressure and sacks. Forgive me for not attriytgat progress to Hurtt!
Izzo
He’s the special team’s guy right? If so I’m in full agreement
Maybe the Defensive Backs coach from Minny. I don’t think he has free reign to do his thing, so I’m not tarring him with the same brush as Hurtt.
But maybe nobody other than the pass rush specialist and Izzo. Our STs was decent.
Special teams
Waldron. He looks pretty creative for a guy who wasn’t allowed to throw inside the hashes and had to force the ball to whoever Pete thought should catch more screen passes.
Edit: I understand he’ll likely have a new job before we have a new head coach
Love every article Rob, well done.
I like that every day the fans dare to say what they have feared for a long time, Pete Carroll had too much ego, saying what he said about the owner has been simply AWFUL
It was clearly a dig at Jody. He would never have said that about Paul. Because it’s not true. It might be true about Jody. She might not know football. But she’s not stupid and she knows bad football and lame excuses when she sees it.
I get the distinct impression Carroll doesn’t think he’s done as a HC. I doubt he gets or wants another pro gig, but I could see him landing in a college program.
The comment was simply sour grapes. There may have been a slight tinge of sexism in it too.
The plain fact is, “Football people” had consistently solved Pete Carroll’s game plans with ease. Particularly down the stretch this year. Run the ball until they stop you.
Even amateurs like me could point out the other teams’ weaknesses and accurately asses what the Seahawks needed to do.
So again, I say, just a parting shot by Pete.
Get over yourselves.
I don’t see anything wrong with Cha’s comment. It was a poor remark from Carroll, patronising at best and speaks to his mindset. He says he had trouble explaining it to ‘non football people’ what was going wrong. We could all see what was wrong, including ownership. And he consistently couldn’t fix it. That’s why he lost his job, it’s nothing to do with perceived expertise.
I might spot you the “even amateurs” part, but there are 32 NFL team owners and none of them are “football people” by any of Pete’s definitions. I wasn’t ready to fire Pete because I’m afraid the next HC is a placeholder until new ownership brings in their own staff, but football people should be insulted when Pete suggests it’s not about the ROI.
Maybe this gives us a small insight into why Pete didn’t seem to think the Jamal Adams tweets were as serious an issue as many others did.
I think jamal adams’ tweet was probably a big issue for Jody Allen..
She probably questioned the culture he was allowing.. why else would he make other comments about non football people listening to the media..
In Pete’s defense, I don’t believe Adams played another down somewhere around the time of his dumbass tweets. On the other hand, I’m pretty sure Adams (Diggs, too) had the dirt on Pete because those restructures were coerced.
This wasn’t the first time that Pete has had a bit of an attitude when being interviewed (say, with Brock and Salk), or during his press conferences, when he doesn’t “appreciate” a question.
For all Pete’s positivity and “bringing people together” attitude… he can get pissy when he feels he’s being questioned or pressed.
Agreed and very well said. I think there is more asshole in Pete than typically seen. I thought the talk after the win vs Denver/Russ was immature and probably the first time I saw Pete as being a prick.
I don’t know to what extent this is true but watching his body language during the weekly 710 show, when Brock wasn’t in the room, was interesting
You mean like most human beings. One look at any sports comment board shows rampant “pissyness”.
Thanks!
If we go for MacDonald, I would like a MacDonald + Zac Robinson tandem, what do you think?
I am pleasantly surprised by the org’s willingness to make the bold, decisive move of giving the reins to Schneider and sending Carroll off. It gives me hope that they will perform a diligent and thorough search to replace him.
I agree Schneider will likely favor an offensive minded candidate, and I acknowledge that, like the draft, the best available option might reduce to someone like Quinn or Macdonald.
I’m not opposed to Quinn, more unenthused. But after reading this article, well written and reasoned, I can see the upside to him. Respected, experienced, adaptable, current and in demand. Compare that to Slowik, who is no doubt an up and coming coach, but lacks Quinn’s decade of connections from which to recruit a staff. Plus you gotta wonder about his ability to lead an entire team, even if it’s been done before by the likes of McVay.
Speaking of Slowik and that phenomenal performance vs the Browns’ top defense, how about DeMeco Ryans’ defense! They utterly destroyed the Browns offense. Ravens style.
I wonder if Slowik could be poached for the ‘Assistant HC’ position and big pay increase. With Johnson all but locked in with Washington, and after watching the Texans rip through the Browns’ top rated defense like hot snot through wet tissue, he’s my top choice to call the shots for the Seahawks offense. I could get pretty excited about a Quinn/Slowik pairing,
Can’t believe Quinn will be the guy after today’s debacle.
This makes a couple historically bad losses in the playoffs for Dan.
Dak wasn’t much help either, especially early. It was a team loss, not just the D.
During GB’s first possession, Dallas had GB 3rd and long (maybe 2nd and long, but pretty sure 3rd) and committed some BS penalty for five yards, but an automatic first down for GB. The game was over right then. I watched the rest because what else are you going to do when it’s -27 F (I don’t know, -2 C or whatever, definitely colder in Fahrenheit)? That was a system meltdown and I don’t want anything to do with any of it.
Great article Rob! Love the content. Happy viewer from Toronto 🇨🇦.
Thanks Jen!
A big point in favor of Staley if he’s ready to jump back into the pool:
2019-Rams’ defense under Wade Phillips was #17 in scoring, #19 in rush D, #12 in pass D. They had a full season of Aaron Donald, but only 9 games of Jalen Ramsey, but got 19.5 sacks out of Dante Fowler and Clay Matthews. (Staley was a LB coach in Denver)
2020-Philips fired/Staley hired. Fowler and Matthews were gone, Leonard Floyd was signed. They got full seasons from Donald and Ramsey. The Rams skyrocketed to #1 in scoring, #3 in rush D, #1 in pass D.
2021-Staley leaves for the Charges/Raheem Morris hired. They got full seasons from Donald and Ramsey, and added Von Miler. They finished #15 in scoring, #6 in rush D, #22 in pass D. (they won the Super Bowl).
Now, to be fair, Staley did not transform the Charger defense despite what he had to work with as Head Coach. He had Renaldo Hill and Derrick Ansley as his DC’s and nobody is beating down their doors for a top job. It is possible his failure was what Rob discussed – not being able to put a good staff together (and coach it to a cohesive unit), and less so with his acumen as a DC.
If the Seahawks can be convinced the qualities that made the Rams have a stunning turnaround can shine through as their DC, I’d have no issue signing off on him as the DC paired with a young offensive-minded Head Coach.
I think if we hired someone like Slowik, it would be a nice pairing with Staley if he’s willing to take a DC job.
Invaluable insight on Macdonald in regards to the harbaughs and building a staff.
For the same reason you mentioned about the OC leaving creating a mess has me hesitant on Quinn. His problem in atl was not promoting one of shanahan’s guys ( Matt LaFleur, Mike LaFleur and Mike McDaniel) to OC. The continuity can continue if that OC does you a solid and identifies who should be promoted and doesn’t take him with him.
I think the Seahawks need to buck past history and try the young promising guy in Slowik as head coach. Like rob said, the offensive weapons should offset the inexperience in yr 1 as he gets his head coaching bearings. Slowik Is from northern Wisconsin so ties might be present with Schneider. DC Jim Leohnard would be a cool pairing that might have us with the next great defensive and offensive mind. Leonhard was a longtime backup safety and has been killing it in college at Wisconsin before now being a consultant waiting for a college HC gig, but I think he’d pivot for a nfl DC job like Quinn did from Florida back to Seattle.
My choice
1a. Slowik + DC leonhard or an experienced DC
2. Quinn + OC Callahan or Moore
Yeah.
If it ends up being Quinn then I hope he learns from his mistake in Atlanta. Hiring Shanahan was great. But you need back ups. He needs to fill the cupboard with other quality offensive coaches.
The Texans are electric. There’s just something about them. Reminds me of the Hawks during the beginning of their run. I almost want Slowik to stay so they can continue rising.
If we bring in D head coach, I like Mike LaFleur as OC.
Rob, I have been a long-time reader of your blog and very much appreciate your nuanced views on all Seahawks related topics. With this article you’ve taken it up a notch! I love the fact that you are not only evaluating these coaches’ work, but also listening to their interviews to see how they come across as leaders. I don’t think that can be understated.
That’s why I think whether they come from offensive or defensive backgrounds is less important than how they can lead young men. I think that’s why Pete got so much out of his players. I think that’s why Mike Tomlin is such a good coach. I do understand that if we hire a defensive coach then his OC is more likely to be poached if he does well, but that’s just the nature of the game and, hopefully, the HC will have a built-in successor on his staff.
So I’m not opposed to bringing in Dan Quinn, if he’s the best candidate. Having said that though, I do have a big crush on Ben Johnson and would be thrilled if he was to view Seattle as a better opportunity than Washington. John assuredly has his candidates in mind already; just hoping to find out sooner than later.
Thanks OC Hawk!
Thanks for a well laid out overview of who Quinn us Rob. Very thorough.
As you and others have stated in the past, he and Carroll are close friends. Because of that, I worry a great deal that he would mostly be “continuity Carroll”. Psychologically speaking, since Carroll was in large part responsible for Quinn’s rise up the coaching ladder in the NFL at least to the HC position on Atlanta, that “big brother/little brother” type of dynamic might make it all to possible that he’d acquiesce to Carroll (in the background) and that Carroll would still have not just his fingers in the Seahawks pie, but his whole hand. Because of this even being a possibility in my opinion, I only would be in favor of Quinn if Carroll leaves the organization completely.
Some folks might make the argument that Quinn wouldn’t be that much of a namby pamby to Carroll, and they may well be correct. I for one am not in favor of even taking that chance.
@Big Mike
I agree with your take.
I’d also posit that based upon Pete’s words and reaction since the “amicable decision”… that its more likely that Pete will not be “advising” anyone within the Seahawks organization, going forward.
Apparently Pete has the secret solution to the defensive running game issues already, but is keeping it to himself. Perhaps he will utilize it at his next coaching gig?
Thanks Mike!
Hard time seeing ownership wanting Pete hanging around condescending to them after his recent comments. Hard to see Schneider wanting him hanging around at all. Nothing personal mind you. It’s just business, and business often works best with a singular vision.
Also hard to see Pete hanging around at all, let alone under these circumstances. He ran the whole show for 14 years. He wanted to remain in that position. I just don’t see him interested in the crumbs falling from his old dinner bowl. Plus there’s his “I’m not done yet” attitude.
I of course sincerely hope you’re correct. Logically it makes total sense.
Well… it might be a *little* bit personal.
Listening to past interviews and clips of potential coaches makes you the James Brown of Sports Journalism: the hardest working man in the industry. Well done, thanks for all your efforts!
If the Seattle job does go to Quinn, Kellen Moore might be a strong OC candidate given his reputation and his local ties – he is from Washington. What about Moore as a HC? I don’t necessarily mean in Seattle, but in the NFL in general. He seems to be highly respected and has been talked about as an up and coming future HC for a few years. Is he still too inexperienced to sit in the big chair?
I’m not sure what his appeal is. Dak and the Cowboys offense is better without him, and he didn’t get the best out of Herbert.
I’ve been more impressed watching his brother call plays at Mizzou instead of him as an OC in the NFL.
What did Moore do at LAC this season for him to be considered? Having a 509 area code in high school isn’t enough for me.
I’m not advocating for him. Just asking a question. I don’t know that I watched any Chargers games this year, so can’t comment on their offensive performance. The only reason I am bringing him up is because over the past few years, people have referred to him as an up and coming OC and potential future HC.
It would seem that Dan Quinn has likely made initial contact with a number of guys who might be interested in filling the OC spot. To his credit, he had the foresight to hire McShanahan and followed him up with Sark. He’s not going to meddle with whatever his OC is doing. I would also suspect he has the best interview, gives the most complete vision and likely lands the job, unless the Cowboys gag against Green Bay later, which might get him the Cowboys’ HC gig.
I’d still rather see a Johnson or Slowik because there are generally a number of DC candidates each season who seem to fall through the cracks, just missing other jobs. Last year it was Flores. Staley’s out there right now just waiting for his next chance and you can probably sign Slowik, Staley and your choice of “OC” for about what Pete alone made last season. I’d love to see that combination for the Seahawks. And the bar in Seattle for the new DC isn’t that high right now – just be better than Hurtt Norton Jr. – know your assignments before Week 12, tackling is not optional. It seems hard to believe that it could get worse.
I believe it’s Quinn’s job to lose, though. Hopefully he has his own version of Tater to keep him in line.
I think Staley is a good call. We know he is a great defensive mind. I think it’s going to take a few seasons for him to rebuild his stock so I won’t be afraid of losing him.
I am interested in the Mike LaFleur connection. I think he’ll come with very interesting assistants.
A defensive minded head coach has to have a long term plan with in-house options for offensive coordinators in my opinion.
Hopefully he lost it today, horrible performance
If Quinn becomes the HC I’d add Ryan Grubb to the OC candidate list for several reasons.
#1 That Husky offense was fun as hell.
#2 With no pro resume it would potentially take longer for him to build up the momentum to bail should the wins come in as hoped.
#3 It would keep him away from Alabama for the second year in a row & allow him to spread his wings beyond a lifetime in DeBoer’s shadow.
We could do worse
Reported today he’s going to Bama with DeBoer.
https://sports.yahoo.com/washington-oc-ryan-grubb-reportedly-set-to-join-alabama-staff-after-saying-he-wont-be-huskies-next-coach-141215329.html
That’s fine & expected for the moment. Just make sure your contract does not include a buyout Ryan!
As I have stated before a Quinn hire to me would be very “meh” to me. Wouldn’t hate it, wouldn’t love it, but the ability to build a staff is a valid argument for those pounding the desk for him.
That being said give me a young, innovative offensive mind. Even if it bombs I would rather take a chance than go with something that feels safe. My desire for something fresh and new is strong!
Thanks for churning out the content, Rob!
I’m coming around to it.
I don’t like people saying Quinn is Pete Caroll 2.0. I don’t think he is. I think he’ll learn from his own mistakes and Pete’s mistakes.
In our season opener against the Rams, motion easily identified our coverages and the post-snap adjustments were nonexistent.
It didn’t get better as the season went on.
Rob great article once again.got a question for you if JJ McCarthy falls to round 3 do you think he might worth a shot at that point
I wouldn’t draft him
I’m not drafting him in round 7. I’d rather go with Lock.
I don’t want someone that the team has actively hidden in games.
Jedd Fisch to replace DeBoer at UW
That was quick. I thought Fisch did a nice job with the Wildcats.
This is probably the best case for UW.
Arizona had a really good season last year. Fischer can probably bring over some of his Arizona staff and players.
If UW lands Arizona’s Jedd Fisch will QB Noah Fifita join him?
My hardcore husky fan cousin is hopeful of that.
I appreciate this deep dive into Quinn, and I think he’s the public frontrunner, but his success and ability to lead speak for themselves.
Sure, there’s downsides and it wouldn’t be the splashy hire that takes the franchise in a whole new direction–or would it?
I wasn’t a fan of the Pete hire way back when–he was a failed NFL coach and USC seemed to win thanks to more talent–but that hire worked out okay.
The notion that Pete would somehow be behind the curtains is not realistic. It’s not like Quinn owes his career success to Pete. Coaches move around a ton and the best ones continually move up the ranks as they go from job to job, and that’s what Quinn did when he became the Hawks DC (after his first go-round as our D-line coach). He wasn’t a constant fixture of Pete’s staff, so it’s not like Pete’s the one guy after whom he models his coaching philosophies.
Whether he’s got the ability to beat the offensive minds in our division is up for debate and that’s the key question–not whether he’ll maintain any status quo. Like most great coaches, they learn from each coach they work under and I doubt he’d try to be Pete 2.0 since the Falcons weren’t really “Seahawks south” when he was their coach, and Dallas’ defense isn’t the Texas LOB. There’s probably some familiarity, and maybe he’s got a good working relationship with John–but those are net positives. He certainly can build a staff and lead a team. Hopefully he can identify good offensive coordinators.
14-0 Packers……
McCarthy might get the boot tonight if the Cowboys continue to lay an egg.
I can’t be the only one watching the Packers carve up Quinn’s defense right now thinking it looks all too reminiscent of Carroll’s defenses the last few years
Indeed
He literally dropped Micah Parsons in coverage on a 3rd and 9 and I swear my eye twitched.
Good Lord smdh
Man Love has improved light years since the beginning of the season. Another team I’m jealous of their youth and QB (along with Houston)
This, to me, is evidence again of why having a really good, young offensive coach from that McVay/Shanahan tree is a good idea
Rob, I disagree. He seems brilliant but he’s a rookie OC so he’s not as experienced as other candidates. If he was appointed HC, he would most likely fail and finish 3-14 or 4-13. Bring in Ben Johnson if you can or a duo of Mike Macdonald and Brian Callahan or Eric bieniemy.
Who? Slowik?
I don’t see how anyone can look at what he’s done and say 3-14 is forthcoming
Cha, that was a seizure.
Exactly. If you’re Schneider, how can you get up on that platform as the newly-empowered GM of the Hawks and sell Quinn after this sh*t show? Just awful defense, against a less than awesome team.
Seen enough of that recently….
Do you care enough one way or the other about Quinn coaching Seattle to want a particular outcome in this game?
I think McCarthy has to make the conference championship to keep his job, or lose a close one in the divisional round for a reason beyond his control like an injury or a blown call.
Also I wonder if Quinn wouldn’t prefer the Allen family to Jerruh if given a choice.
I just don’t want the 49ers to win the SB
Anything else is cool 😂
Just go and get Ben Johnson
No 49ers, Cowboys, Chiefs or Steelers for me. I am fine with anyone else winning. Particularly rooting for Detroit in the NFC and Buffalo in the AFC.
No cowposers or stealers for me. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter.
I would like Buffalo to win the SB
Always liked their vibe, the fans deserve it
Yeah it’s a really great town for football and after 4 losses in the 90s it would be great to see them get one.
Bills fans are like Prometheus having their liver torn out every day.
A Buffalo vs. Detroit SB would be excellent! No matter who wins, a deserving and hungry fanbase would finally get a championship.
On the choice between Quinn and Mcdonald, it looks like Ravens have a lot of good defensive ufa’s while Dallas doesn’t, wonder if that makes a difference
Unpopular not sexy option, rich bisaccia green bay special teams coordinator and assistant head coach. Lead raiders to their last playoff birth after gruden left due to mid season scandal.
Interesting.
Rob how would you feel if we hired Bill Belichick ? Patriots defense was good just had poor QB play .
Not for me
It’s been chaos in NE the last two years. Shambles with his offensive staff, system, handling of the QB’s and the toxic atmosphere couldn’t survive not having Tom Brady to make everything right
I know it might not mean anything but Mike McDonald is a GA native and interviewed with the Falcons. He also interviewed with the Chargers. But then again the Chargers are also meeting with Harbaugh soon.
I guess some things are happening.
He’s also got a playoff game to coach next weekend and possibly beyond — so nothing’s getting decided with Macdonald for a long while yet
Very true.
Hey Kevin,
Dallas fans rushing the doors isn’t to get out of the cold. They have tons of standing room only seats at the Jerry Dome. How do you not know that?
*watches DAL/GB game*
Ummmm…… still a ways to go but if this is the D that Quinn would bring to Seattle, how about we look elsewhere.
Well certainly that blitz just now didn’t work.
If this continues, Quinn and McCarthy might both be available as a team. Quinn HC, McCarthy OC? (I jest)
Cowboys are getting absolutely stomped right now. I am not upset about it.
Hard Hard pass on Dan Quinn. And if John Schneider even considers Mike McCarthy if he is fired in Dallas, I will spit nails.
Jerry has a tough choice between McCarthy and Quinn.
Hope John sits this one out.
If this continues then Jerry is going to clean house. Red Wedding style…
Dear Mr. Quinn,
I want to thank you for your interest in the Head Coaching position with the Seattle Seahawks, as well as the time you devoted to the interview process. Although your skills and accomplishments were very impressive, we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates.
Best of luck in your future endeavors,
Utah Gross MaToast
Winner
Perfect
Schneider on the phone with his cell provider changing his number.
I literally LOL’d
Teams Dallas has beat this year: 80-124
Teams who Dallas lost to this year: 49-36
Avg margin of score in losses: 14.5 points
Tale as old as time. Dallas feasts on a weak NFCE and their outside schedule and wilts against tough playoff teams.
The Dolphins just called they don’t like your post
I think jerry jones is gonna have a heart attack..
I wouldnt put too much on DQ.. an int gave them good field positions… the coverages are not looking so hot atm..
Hopefully this blowout loss to the Packers continues and puts a rest to Quinn as the next HC in Seattle.
Jedd Fischer hired as Washington head coach
Though I truly understand the reason to change the WAS football team name it’s times literally like this where the huskies and the commanders weren’t splitting interests.
That’s a darn great signing.
About to start the stream guys FYI.
Might as well watch because this playoff game looks done before HT…
https://www.youtube.com/live/1FrAw6_8ong?si=TBuIuMLFv7CBV7lT
After a packers olinemen said “we beat their butts up and down the field,” after *scoreboard* we won the nfc championship game I really don’t like the packers…
But enemy of my enemy and all that. Anything to see jerruh lower than a grasshoppers belly makes a great game for me.
Packers are much easier to root for now that Rodgers is gone. I loved them in the Lomabardi days (yes I am old).
Rodgers being gone is also the reason I am not against the Packers winning it this year. He is a first grade asshat and it would be hilarious if they went and won it with Jordan Love after they flamed out two straight years in the playoffs after going 13-3 with Rodgers.
Love is fun to watch too. I liked him when he came out (especially for our situation at the time….).
I’m happy he’s working out and making Rodger’s forgettable.
Agreed. Aaron Rodgers really put a damper on them. Now I’m pretty ambivalent.
Texans though…
I bought a share of the Packers in their last offering. And Dallas losing and Jerry and the fans eating their young is just about the best bloodsport in the NFL.
So, yeah.
McCarthy is so predictable on second down..
I was hoping for a Packer’s victory so that McCarthy would get fired and Quinn would be promoted to HC in Dallas. Then, I remembered that I just hate the Cowboys and always root against them, no matter who they play, and don’t really need any other reason than that.
More fun with AI.
To Microsoft Co-Pilot – Write me a childrens story about a little boy and his dog trying to get home in a snowstorm in the tone of Bill Belichic.
Microsoft Co-Pilot reply – Sure, here’s a story in the style of Bill Belichick, known for his straightforward and focused approach:
Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Timmy and his loyal dog, Spike. They found themselves in the middle of a snowstorm, far from their warm home.
“Alright, Spike,” Timmy said, squinting through the swirling snow. “We’ve got a job to do. We need to get home.”
Spike barked in agreement, his breath frosting in the frigid air. They started their journey, trudging through the deep snow. The wind howled around them, but they didn’t let it distract them. They had a clear goal: get home.
They encountered obstacles along the way. A fallen tree blocked their path, and the snow was piling up quickly. But Timmy and Spike didn’t panic. They assessed the situation, found a way around the tree, and continued on their path.
“We’re not there yet, Spike,” Timmy said, patting his dog’s head. “But we’re making progress. One step at a time.”
As they neared their home, the lights flickered in the distance, a beacon in the storm. They pushed on, their determination unwavering.
Finally, they reached their front door. Timmy turned the knob, and they stepped into the warmth of their home. They had made it.
“Good job, Spike,” Timmy said, giving his dog a hug. “We did our job.”
And so, they had. Through focus, determination, and teamwork, Timmy and Spike had faced the snowstorm and made it home. Just like Bill Belichick would say, “Do your job,” and that’s exactly what they did.
Philip K. Dick is laughing at us from his grave.
LMAO.
I did one for Rob, too.
A gifted 15 yd on a penalty, then they don’t call the guard flinching before the TD, then another 10 yd on a facemask when Prescott was already down.
And while officials try everything possibly to keep the Cowgirls in the game, Pack stops the run and LaFleur retaliates in cold-blooded creative fashion.
This is what I want the Seahawks to be.
This defensive performance just isn’t good enough to compete with the 49rs and Rams. Dallas has way better defensive talent and this is still a stomping thus far.
If we’re going with a Defensive HC, they need to be truly an X-factor and Quinn is showing he’s not it in this game.
I wouldn’t have much confidence of closing the gap in the division with Quinn at the Helm.
Hopefully Schneider is watching closely, but it’s hard to miss the beat down Dallas’ defense is taking today. Please pass on Quinn and go another direction!!
I agree.
In today’s NFL, if you are going all in on defense, you better have a brilliant defensive mind as a coach or coordinator.
Quinn may be a good coach… but he isn’t going to build an amazing defense.
He just isn’t.
If the Cowboys were playing North Korea, I’d root for North Korea.
Likewise tho if it’s the stealers they’re playing….well let’s just say I’m rooting for a meteor
Hey, if North Korea wins they get to eat.
Well, Kimmie gets to eat, but I’m sure some crumbs will trickle down
Green Bay dominating them on the ground too.
Yeah please no Quinn
Big “no” to Quinn…..
And now a blown coverage to go with getting their ass kicked on the ground
Nick Sirianni might lose his job if he does not do well in playoffs. Seems to have lost the players.
Mike McDaniel is good but not good enough. If Jim Harbaugh goes to Miami in a surprise, he will be available otherwise in a season or two later.
Daboll will be available next season probably and a good OC.
Bob slowik or Ben Johnson with Brandon Staley as DC or Mike Mcdonald with Jake peetz (Rams) as OC
McDaniel will be kept in Miami. They would be nowhere the playoffs without him. Tua is done, IMO. Cannot extend plays, one-trick-pony. Ideal parking lot for a guy like Penix.
Harbaugh is being interviewed by Bolts and Raiders.
That’s my impression as well. McDaniel can only get so much out of Tua. A QB who cant read defenses can only go so far in the NFL. Same with Justin Fields. Geno to some extent.
This has to put a damper on the potential Quinn hire. Looks just like Pete’s defense!
I sure hope so. His defense is getting dismantled in a playoff game, at home no less! Blown coverages, poor tackling, not enough pressure, everything going wrong. Is this who you want to be your next head coach?
Add this “performance” to the 49ers game and no way in heck…
Dallas getting pose pumped. So much for Quinn being our coach after this debacle. Dallas D does it even exist?
Quinn is not a win
Looks like the Carrol Defense family tree against the Shanahan Offense family tree.
Time to start considering Adam stenavich. Absolutely great game plan from the Packers offense today
What is his influence compared to LaFleur, though?
I’ve always thought with his OL/RB background he was a nice complement to LaFleur but not necessarily an innovative offensive mind rather than the muscle to go with the flash
This raises the question of what is the influence of Dan Campbell v Ben Johnson on the Detroit offensive success.
As a Washington fan who is hoping for either a Jim Harbaugh or Ben Johnson HC hire, I watched last night’s game intently.
I like and appreciate all you have had to say about Johnson, but (not that it necessarily means all that much) last Campbell seemed to be getting all the praise and credit from the announcers for Detroit’s and Goff’s turnaround . I don’t think I heard Johnson’s named mentioned once, whereas in the Houston game Slowik was singled out at least a couple of times.
Also, what do you think of Slowik?
Campbell is a figurehead. Johnson calls plays, gameplans etc.
When Campbell had Anthony Lynn as OC, they ranked 29th per DVOA. Since Johnson took over, it’s #8 and #5 in the last two seasons.
I wouldn’t read too much into the broadcasters hyping Campbell
I really like Slowik
Thanks!
(I don’t read too much into announcers comments, it was just curious that with Johnson being at or near the top of so many wish lists he got no love )
How do you like Harbaugh v Johnson as a fit for DC?
It won’t be Harbaugh — he won’t be the next Seahawks HC
What about Joe Barry if you want a defensive coach?
All my packer friends never have anything nice to say about berry.
Joe Berry’s defense allowed 30 points to the Panthers this year. He’s probably the worst coordinator in the NFL
Hiring Quinn after this horrible playoff game would be pretty demoralizing. His playoff success without Shanahan has been less than impressive.
You think John Schneider fancied Jordan Love?
I think this game is more on McCarthy than it is Quinn. Defense gave them some opportunities first half but offense couldn’t stay on the field and gave free points to green bay
Love – perfect QB rating, PERFECT
Jones – 111 rushing on less than 20 carries
Yeah, I will pass on Dan Quinn.
Pass every down.
This loss does not give great confidence about Quinn. McCarthy is gone for sure. I don’t see how Jerry wants Quinn around as well. We’ll see. Dare we say Harbaugh to Dallas?
Now look folks the Dallas defense only gave up 41 of those points let’s be fair here
/sarcasm
Let’s go Lions!!
Basically every Cowboys forum calling for Quinn to be fired.
Please, John, that should tell you all you need to know. Don’t hire the guy who’s own fans don’t want him.
My friend who is a Dallas fan even said he’d be open to firing Quinn and keeping McCarthy!
Harbaugh would actually be a really good hire for the Cowboys I think
If for no other reason to watch Jones and Harbough go at it constantly.
Hopefully JS and Quinn don’t already have an “agreement”, behind the scenes.
We all know that JS is a man of his word.
What the hell happened to Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons this weekend?
LaFleur and Slowik happened, seemingly
After the massive egg that was laid in Dallas, the HC might be out and DQ becomes the new HC. Mike McCarthy has to be on the hot seat now, the very hot seat with JJ breathing down his neck.
Said earlier that I was jealous of the Packers having a great young quarterback in Love and the Texans having a great young quarterback in Stroud but I’m even more jealous of the Lions offensive line.
I really enjoyed watching Stroud and Love this weekend. Beautiful passing. So many long passes thrown effortlessly with no big windup. That left me wondering if they have a baseball background.
It also left me quite jealous.
Rob this is why we cannot hire Quinn, Dallas losses against Arizona , GB, SF all elements of west coast system . Mcvay and Shanahan will continue torch us if we have Quinn
Based on what I have seen so far. I think the difference in this game will probably be the Lions’ pass rush. After all the scripted plays are over, sooner or later they are going to get home.
I’m so glad I spent so much time writing a balanced 3200 word article discussing the merits of Dan Quinn only for that playoff game to happen meaning nobody will want to even consider him now 😂
Appoint Ben Johnson
I think it is safe to say that offence’s are winning games now, defences can’t keep up, please let’s get johnson or slowik or someother whiz kid
So who else don’t we want so you know who to write about next? Maybe a super positive article on why Harbaugh is the right man for the job?
But Rob, we appreciate the effort anyway. You try to cover all angles and that’s a good thing. I could even make a joke about a bad angle and Jamal Adams but will let that go because your efforts really are appreciated.
^This.
Life is moving fast right now.
I am very much on the Ben Johnson bandwagon if Jodie and John can convince him to come. I have a feeling he will be a hot name, although one of those teams might snap up McCarthy.
Since Johnson seems very unlikely who are your 3 next on your lst you wish to have as next head coach.
Watching this, don’t take no for an answer from Johnson
Such is life 😆
sorry Rob! damn Daniel, your defense shit the bed. It’s clear we need an offensive mind to update this scheme and team. They need to be prepared every week and not have all the excuses the Pete Carroll teams made every week the last 5 years.
Dear John Schneider,
Please look at Ben Johnson or Bobby Slowik as the next HC. And please do whatever you can to sway either of them away from other teams. Thank you!
Best,
Joseph
I’m curious to know what smart people here understand about Macdonald’s defense.
Like what exactly did he do against the 49ners? Is there something unique and special about his defensive scheme that the NFL needs to solve? Seems like critical questions if teams intend to go with him over an OC.
I think the biggest thing is tendencies. If Shanahan knows what your tendencies are then he’s going to have a field day. He gets to dictate the defense. You only beat him if you confuse him. With Pete — he always wants to line up and out-execute you.
The Ravens run so many different fronts and looks. They have Kyle Hamilton who is their nickle, safety, and linebacker sometimes. He moves around and confuses the heck out of offenses. The Ravens this year were really good on 1st and 2nd downs. This helped them get into a lot of 3rd and long situations. McDonald had a lot of creative stunts and simulated pressures to go along with that.
Yeah somehow or another, he made Madubuike and Queen 2nd team all-pro, Roquan Smith a 1st teamer and Kyle Hamilton a top safety, though I quite liked him coming out of the draft.
I wonder if the Hawks D has similar pieces that he can get more out of than Pete could.
The closest thing to a chess piece is Devon Witherspoon.
Very well done article, Rob, but I’m glad the Cowboys defense got torched. Like you, I think we can do better than Quinn, and now (hopefully) will.
If John Schneider doesn’t read this blog, my bet is that Jim Nagy does. Please forward, Jim.Thank you.
His office is at 151 Dauphin Street in Mobile. I could swing by and ask after checking out the Senior Bowl museum. It’s right on the corner of the Mardi Gras parade route.
It would take me about an hour.
Can’t judge Quinn on 1 game. The great Ben Johnson was only able to score enough against the Quinn defense earlier this year. That 1 game against Dallas is not a judgement against Johnson who is a fine coach. I think Schneider deserves some benefit of the doubt in whoever he brings in.
Ok, how about judging him on his entire record in Atlanta (24-29 without Shanahan) and noting that his defense succeeded this year against bad QB’s and got destroyed by good offenses.
They had the 30th ranked schedule
This is more than one game
Quinn is boring and predictable. I am ready to live dangerously.
How about two historic end of game Super Bowl collapses? There’s a track record and when it matters most, it’s not a pretty one.
#2 defense blown out. #5 defense blown out. I’m further convinced an offensive head coach in today’s NFL is the only way to go. Spags has done a great job with the Chiefs though, shutting down the Miami offense. He also has Mahomes. And McDonald has Lamar Jacksan. QB will always be #1 to me, but pair that with an offensive mind and it makes them and the team deadly. Really the only way to go.
Was it the #2 KC defense or the weather that shut down the Miami #1 offense (by yards)? Makes me wonder. The Browns technically had the #1 defense (by yard, though only #13 by scoring), which as you stated, got blown out. I do question the validity of judging defenses by yards. The #3 and #4 defense (Jets and Panthers) didn’t even make the playoffs this year and one of them finished with the worst record. In contrast, the top 7 scoring defenses (i.e. by points) all made the playoffs.
I’m going by DVOA. Didn’t get a chance to watch KC/Miami so you may be correct there. A Miami team going to KC is a definite advantage to KC
Jody and JS, just ask Ben Johnson to set his salary and buy him and his family a nice house on Hunt’s Point
From ESPN:
Troubling trend: Quinn does not want to see offenses from the Kyle Shanahan tree. Packers coach Matt LaFleur might have been on Quinn’s staff in Atlanta, but he picked up his offense from Shanahan, now 49ers coach. Shanahan has beat the Cowboys in each of the past three seasons, including 42-10 this season at San Francisco. Miami’s Mike McDaniel, who coached under Shanahan in San Francisco, was able to get the best of Quinn in December. LaFleur had Quinn’s defense on a string all day, whether the Cowboys were in man or zone coverage or whether they blitzed or played coverage. — Todd Archer
Hope JS reads this
Fix your shitty officiating NFL it’s tiresome.
And this make up call doesn’t make up for your mistake
Awful from the refs again
A perfect example of why a sky judge would work all they would have to do is calm down and say the call was incorrect it should have been offside Rams
*call
I CANNOT believe how many people talk about Dave Canales.
Unbelievable.
Carroll guy 2009-22. One year in the NFC South. Does a decent, not spectacular job in Tampa Bay (20th best offense per DVOA).
And people think John Schneider is going to go with this in the biggest decision of his career
Come on
In journalism these days, laziness is a virtue
I hope John watched the Cowboys today. Quinn is more of the same, should of just kept Pete if he goes this route
So jealous of the Rams having McVay
Johnson going toe to toe. Hope John gets him
Exactly what we need
Calling it here, Belichick to the Boys!
Or Jim harbaugh?
Florio thinks so too. I don’t see him putting up with Jerruh but stranger marriages have happened
I will take Ben Johnson and this, please.
PFN Sim
33. Sedrick VanPran, C, Georgia
50. Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina
65. McKinley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M
76. Cole Bishop, S, Utah
79. Zak Zinter, G, Michigan
81. Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State
114. Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
130. Dewayne Carter, DT, Duke
207. Sione Vaki, S, Utah
Indeed!
Remember when the Lions traded down right after we took Devon Witherspoon?
Yeeeeeaaaaah, that’s going to be a priority in this upcoming draft.
Sign me up for that.
2 safeties. I see what you did there.
Rattler is underrated on PFN.
Just about every player I picked on that list is underrated by PFN.
Caleb Williams still has not declared for draft… drama and chaos going to happen this year?
He could sell a lot of cars on Ventura Boulevard.
Literally, a lot.
How demoralizing to a fan base would it be to find out Dan Quinn is going to be your head coach after that game? Nevermind Quinn sucked as a head coach without Shanahan, nevermind Shanahan owns him, etc. I don’t understand how he can be a “hot” candidate after that. No clue. There’s too much of a Quinn body of work (24-14, 28-3) to think this is just a fluke one time thing. Unreal.
Is this a bad time to mention Jay Glazer is tight with JS?
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/jay-glazer-cowboys-dc-dan-quinn-still-top-candidate-for-head-coach-jobs-despite-loss
Is his agent Jimmy Sexton?
What a weird thing to “leak”.
Where, exactly, did it come from?
I highly doubt that JS immediately let this out after the game.
…though, if he did… why?
I suspect it came from Quinn’s agent
Or Glazer checking in and people saying, ‘sure we are still interested’
It’s not about JS letting anything out so much as it’s just a note that a well sourced reporter is saying what’s in that link
Makes sense.
Also, I could imagine JS doing Quinn a “solid”, in a show of support.
Even if he goes in a different direction, I’m sure he would want Quinn to have other opportunities.
There’s been a sea change on Seahawks twitter in the last couple of days about (a) the need for change and letting Pete go, and more recently (b) the best candidate to replace him is one of Ben Johnson, Bob Slowik or Mike Macdonald.
I still see a couple of old grumps bitching about how we’re gonna regret moving on from Pete. But overwhelmingly the consensus is as above.
I’d add Mike LaFleur to the list watching them tonight. They always seem to play better than the sum of their parts on offense. I realize McVay has something to do with that, but it’s not all him. I worry a little about how long it might take him to get the entire team up to snuff because it took his brother a few seasons to get things right in Green Bay.
Lions defense does a lot of hitting, but not much tackling.
Finally a close and entertaining game this weekend.
Of course I enjoyed the packers blow out of the cowposers so that was entertaining too.
Stafford trying to kill his receivers tonight
Puca Nacua would get mugged less if he were drunk in Flint.
Throwing high on crossing routes is a death sentence.
OK Ben, OK Goff, OK Lions oline, here’s your chance.
I hate to say this, but the playoffs have been so much more enjoyable with the Rams and Packers in them than a Seahawks team peddling more false hope and getting blown out.
Without a doubt
💯 cha
If I was a Rams fan I would be proud of their game tonight. They got beat by a better team, but fought hard and pushed them to the limit.
It may have been Dan Campbell’s call, but it was Ben Johnson’s play that sealed the win.
pretty frustrating to watch more and more players half ass things on defense for the seahawks.
As a person born in November, in Macomb County, Michigan, and a Navy brat, I salute the Detroit Lions for ending the curse.
The gales of November did not come early this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vST6hVRj2A
Gordon Lightfoot, RIP.
I know.
I saw him….Spokane, around 1980. Good show.
No more Pete, replaced by Ben Johnson, and Aaron Donald retires. One can only hope.
Jim Harbaugh is meeting with the Chokers this week…… Would be a shame if they screw that up…..
Not against Ben Campbell or any of the hot shot up/coming OCs, but I think you truly need to interview to see how they’ll build their staff. As referenced, the ability to build a strong & diverse staff depends on that coaches personal connections, which tends to be weaker for coaches with less years of experience (i.e. all these young OCs in their mid 30s). Sean McVay, as referenced in the article, went in prepared with Wade Phillips on dock. Kyle Shanahan as I recall also went into the HC rank prepared. He supposedly had a whole program in place that he slowly developed over the years from his various jobs.
Also not mentioned as much is that while Shanahan and McVay both rose up fast as young hot shot OCs, their connections with the NFL technically go back farther than their experience in the league. For Kyle, Mike Shanahan could help ring up some of his connections to help Kyle build a staff. For Sean, his grandfather John McVay was essentially the GM of the 49ers during their dynasty years during the 80s and 90s. Not sure the other young OCs have that advantage. Those OCs’ connections truly will be the years they’ve worked in the NFL.
In addition, for every Kyle/Sean, you could also have a Brian Daboll who was undoubtedly the hottest OC when he was about to rise up the ranks. The fact that the offense actually regressed from the #18 scoring offense to #30 is pretty concerning (even more so for Kafka who is the OC under Daboll).
Slownik has plenty of connections around the league.
– He was on the vaunted 2012 Washington Redskins Coaching staff as a defensive assistant under his father.
– His father is Bob Slownik who was in the league for 20 years (92 to 2013)
– He was on the 49’ers since 2017, and came over with DeMaco Ryans who saw fit to make him his Offensive Coordinator.
With respect to Bobby Slowik, that isn’t evidence of great connections. It’s a pretty limited set of working environments. And his dad hasn’t coached in the league in a long long time
Slownik has plenty of connections around the league.
– He was on the vaunted 2012 Washington Redskins Coaching staff as a defensive assistant under his father.
– His father is Bob Slownik who was in the league for 20 years (92 to 2013)
– He was on the 49’ers since 2017, and came over with DeMaco Ryans who saw fit to make him his Offensive Coordinator.
JS has his one chance now, if he screws this up he goes with the coach. Hope he is looking for the next Sean and Kyle.
Reading earlier comments about PC saying ‘not football people’ if this attitude/belief was shown in the meeting with JA along with the abject performances this season – then no wounder PC was pushed to one side and i would bet this would have a bearing on the hiring of the new HC. – i have a gut feeling the new HC will have zero connections with PC whether offensive or defensive. Just hope PC has no distraction to the team next season as sometimes having an ex-legend so soon like Pete sitting in the stands can hard for the incoming coaching staff.
I doubt he will ever sit in the stands. I don’t think he will attend any games in 2024. He was fired. The ‘advisor’ thing is just a way to pay him over a year vs one lump sum
This had to be done by “non-football people”. Can you imagine them making JS do it? What it would do to their relationship? They knew they had to move on ( with JS possibly or probably in the know) and I think they did all they could to make this end as well as possible. Seems like Pete was never going to retire on his own or get the team back on track.
Imagine choosing the guy who would eventually fire/retire you? Kinda brutal when you think about it. But hey it’s a game and they’re millionaires, they’ll live.
In all the drives Love was in for, the Packers had a potential 445 yards until the end zone. They gained 407 yards. They gained 91.5% of all yards they could have potentially have gained (minus penalties).
This is an interesting stat I’ve never heard mentioned before. It’s a good one. What is it called in metrics?
Here is Bob Slowik, father of Bobby Slowik’s resume. He and John Schneider clearly knew each other.
Dallas Cowboys (1992)
Defensive assistant
Chicago Bears (1993–1998)
Defensive coordinator
Cleveland Browns (1999)
Defensive coordinator
Green Bay Packers (2000–2003)
Defensive backs coach
Green Bay Packers (2004)
Defensive coordinator
Denver Broncos (2005–2007)
Defensive backs coach
Denver Broncos (2007–2008)
Defensive coordinator
Washington Redskins (2010–2011)
Defensive backs coach
Washington Redskins (2012–2013)
Linebackers coach
Bobby Slowik was in high school while his dad was in Green Bay, I rank the possibility that John Schneider knew a young Bobby Slowik as probable.
I also think it is important to realize that these second generation coaches have connections. I haven’t looked to see the staffs that his dad coached on or the players his dad coached.
Day late and a dollar short to this thread. Sorry.
I’m not sure someone who last coached 11 years ago in the NFL will be that connected
Disagree slightly.
Much is made of the Mcvay tree. But really it’s the Mike Shannahan tree. Coaching for better or worse is a big fraternity. I’m sure someone will know better than me but I wasn’t readily able to find the direct working link between Mcvay and Phillips.
Just doing a very cursory look from when Slowik, the senior, was last coaching to now I can count quite few names still employed in the NFL. Obviously I doubt he knows all of them.
But if we look at these cross connections even of our own team I’m not sure that a ton of people knew that John had worked for Seattle almost a decade and a different coach prior to being the GM here.
I stand by my original comment though. Slowik Senior is hardly going to be a great resource of contacts. And I think McVay convinced Phillips because let’s be right, he is incredibly charismatic and a genius. Is Slowik that? Who knows. But McVay is pretty unique.
I think it’s right to have reservations about Slowik’s staff hiring credentials while acknowledging he’s an exciting schemer and play caller
I wasn’t so much stating that as much of his dad can come in and be his DC, but his dad’s history is (was) a data point that bears consideration. Bobby got his start with the Redskins, while his dad was a coach there.
We don’t know how much control he had in hiring his guys in Houston, but assume some since Ryans is a D Coach (*indicates Slowik hire):
Assistant HC/RB Coach: Danny Barrett (retained RB coach), well considered coach, same Dolphins staff as Ben Johnson
Senior Offensive Assistant: Shane Day* (formerly of SD), developed Herbert, QB coach the year that Garapolo won comeback player, same Dolphins staff as Ben Johnson
Offensive Assistant: Jarrod James (retained), 2nd season, coached K9 at Michigan State before this
QB Coach: Jerrod Johnson* (Vikes prior), a player often mentioned as an OC candidate for teams, considered a rising star
Senior Offensive assistant: Bill Lazor* (Multiple stops, typically with rookie QBs) clear investment in making sure Stroud worked
WR Coach/Passing Game Coordinator: Ben McDaniels (retained), longstanding WR coach, ties to Harbaugh
Offensive Assistant: DeNarius McGhee (retained) credited by Tunsil as helping him with his game.
TE Coach: Jake Moreland* (Broncos), don’t know much about him.
OL Coach: Chris Strausser* (Colts), I was shocked he was let go by Colts
Assistant OL Coach: Cole Popovich* (journeyman so far) stops in Rams, NE, Panthers, Falcons
OQC Coach: Leander Wallace, don’t know anything about him.
It is a fair question to ask about Slowik, but I’m less concerned with him than I would be with other candidates.
I know. My point is, his dad’s not coached in the league for over a decade. The chances are he has no serious contacts or aid to offer his son at this point.
Quinn? …Absoulutely NOT!..that will be a mistake if it happens.
Considering Atl Falcons SB capitulation …..and now 6TD giveaway defeat on home turf against a team who only just made the play offs!!
Seahawks need a new and fresh direction imo.
B Slowik or M Macdonald would be my preference by a country mile.
After watching Green Bay drop 48 points on Dan Quinn’s vaunted defense. That says it all I need to know.
The Green Bay Packers clearly out-coached the Dallas Cowboys. Also now we know why Green Bay drafted Jordan Love in the firs round. Jordan Love was fantastic. When the game was still in doubt Jordan Love came up with some big time throws.
I know what C.J. Stroud is doing is amazing. But Jordan Love had to wait until his third season before he took over. The point is many QBs in the NFL start before they are ready. And then they bomb because they were thrown into the fire before they were ready. So Kudos to Green Bay.
It’s almost like having a backup plan or having a young, talented kid to develop along the way is a smart idea. Why didn’t we ever try that?
I loved his talent coming out. I texted my little brother (Packers fan) “I told you so” about him.
There is no scenario in my mind where John Schneider stakes his career and his reputation on hiring Dan Quinn to lead this team. He was already a ‘meh’ choice for most of the fanbase and, after yesterday’s debacle, it would now be a full blown PR nightmare.
As Rob and many others here have already pointed out, Quinn’s defenses have a disturbing habit of collapsing against good teams. Like epic collapses. Shanahan and McVay would eat him alive.
I believe John has an ace up his sleeve and there is someone that he has targeted for a while as an alternative to Pete. I find it difficult to believe that’s Dan Quinn. Please John, don’t prove me wrong on this.
Rob, here on Overreaction Monday, would you please address the wisdom, or lack thereof, of seeing a HC candidate’s stock rise or fall based on their performance in one game? How much should one game, good or bad, matter?
I think everything should be considered
Quinn’s issues are not just based on one game. It’s his time in Atlanta and games against good opponents this season
The “only one game” narrative has been spreading like wildfire this morning.
That’s the biggest reason I feel he doesn’t go with Pete 2.0
Rob, do you think the potential sale of the team— whenever that may happen— could negatively influence a head coach’s decision to accept an offer? I hope we don’t lose out on a great candidate because of this.
To be honest I doubt it
Apparently it’s some way off yet because Paul has so many assets to be sold off first and the feeling is the Seahawks will be last because of the increasing value of NFL teams
Peter King in his FMIA article this morning pontificates that Vrabel would be a good fit in Seattle.
Wellllll, he would be better than Quinn, but so would my wife (who barely knows what a first down is).
I mean 6 Packers’ TDs in their first 7 possessions. Yeah, that’s who we want as a “defensive minded” HC. Geez Louise Jody, you simply have to know better.
Interesting how little buzz there has been around Vrabel
Did he burn too many bridges getting rid of a GM (or was it 2 of them?).
Maybe he is just as toxic a personality as rumored? He and Bieniemy on the same staff would make for an interesting season of Hard Knocks.
Adam Schefter said the same thing on the Dan Patrick show today. Said Vrable and JS have been good friends for years. Make of that what you will. I think Vrable is a good coach but not what Seattle needs and should be looking for. Time for a new direction. Hire a coach that fits the talent we have (offense) and the opponents we need to beat (SF,LA, AR).
Great article Rob – simply the best around.
I wouldn’t hate the hire if we went with Vrabel. I would prefer one of the OC’s mentioned but it seems to me that the one thing Vrabel would bring is more of the bully and tough guy atmosphere that JS has been craving.
Quinn’s a great DC when playing underperforming offenses.
Does Vrabel for sure get a HC gig? Shouldn’t he be having to go back to DC for a little bit like Quinn and others have did?
With that, I would love for a young O coordinator to get the job and bring in Vrabel to be assistant coach and DC. Similar to how Rob has talked about Staley.
KC
Steelers
Eagles
For Vrabel. Vrabels’s not my guy. For all that’s made about his streaky coaching run in TENN he had tannehill, others, and one of the worst GM’s to work with.
Three points in the second half against that weak Ram’s squad. The Lions were probably somewhat fortunate Stafford was racking up the injuries during the game.
I know this place is extremely high on Ben Johnson, but I really need to see his offense against that 49ers defense in the playoffs.
That will be the acid test.
The 49ers defense isn’t even that great. I don’t think their run defense ranking is accurate either because they get out to early leads so teams run the ball less.
They are very hit or miss in games.
Does anyone know the source being talked about on Redskins blogs that Johnson is said to be down to two teams already, the Commies and one other suitor?
They are all talking about it and trying to sleuth out who the team is. I just want to see who reported it.
I really liked this quote from Ben Johnson discussing why he decided to stay another year in Detroit, passing head coaching jobs up:
It feels like something the Seahawks can replicate better than say Washington can.
The stability and vision of the Allens, Burt Kolde, John Schneider, and the VMAC facilities, the talent and the Lumen atmosphere could all be great selling points for the Seahawks.
This is what you print off, read to him in the interview, and then play clips of the home playoff games before the Super Bowls. Then you tell him that we are returning back to this. Do you want to be the one leading the team out for a game like this? Do you want to be the one that stays on the field until the stadium is empty, drinking in the feeling of being at the top?
We’ve done it, we’re going to do it again. We want you not not be a part of it, but to lead it.
Seahawks are conspicuous in their absence on this list.
The “glass half empty” side of me views this as his knowing that he’s the “Emergency Contingency” hire in Seattle, should JS lose out on all his preferred options.
Certainly hope that is misplaced cynicism….
That’s whats been my gut all along that JS would like to blaze a new trail but if he can’t get who he wants he’ll settle on Quinn. I’m not excited about Quinn personally but I’d give him a chance.
I’m about ready to assume all the bad desperation moves the Seahawks have made the past few years have all been Pete’s doing after hearing news like this
My guess is each of these interviews was set up prior to Sunday’s loss and they are going to honor them. Doesn’t mean there’s enthusiasm for his candidacy. Teams need to be ready for multiple contingencies.
Also, Seattle not being on the list may mean that John Schneider doesn’t need to set something up yet. He knows he can get the interview in time.
Plus, he knows Quinn as well as anybody.
If the plan is to hire him, I doubt he needs an interview.
If you’re going to commit tens of millions, the future of the team, the future of your own job, and to get ownership on board, yes, you’re going to interview him.
What I meant is, if JS and Quinn are as chummy as it seems, they may already have spoken about all this, behind the scenes.
And *if* there has been a long term “plan” that when Pete leaves, Quinn is who JS wants, then the interview may just be a formality.
That would be tampering.
And besides, the last time they tried that they got Mora. JS wasn’t around then but it would be nuts to think he would not shop around.
Anyway it’s moot. News just broke they’ve requested Quinn and Frank Smith for interviews so far.
Would DQ even want to come back?
This is the one place that every defense he produces will be compared directly to his LOB days, and it’s going to be hard to replicate that group.
Does he really want those questions…. maybe he thinks he can get there again, but it probably takes time and fans/media will be looking for LOBdeux Day 1.
I could see him wanting a cleaner slate somewhere new.
What does the Seahawks not requesting interviews yet tell us? Could it be a sign that their preferred candidates are still in the playoffs or how can we understand this?
I’m interested in Rob’s take, but I don’t read too much into it. Zoom meetings are perfunctory.
Also, I don’t think he’s Schneider’s first choice. I think he wants his own HC.
I don’t think they want to do zoom interviews
So when are in-person interviews allowed? Is it after their team is out of the playoffs?
Yep
Solved.
While I think the HC hire is extremely important, I still feel like getting the right qb is priority 1 for the franchise. If I’m John most of the questions I would ask in interviews pertains to how they view qbs, what kind they like, how they would scheme plays for different styles of qb, and what staff can you build to develop a qb? As much credit as Pete gets, without Russ that vaunted LOB defense and hard pounding beast mode doesn’t see a championship. Russ and his big arm were intangibly valuable to those 2 superbowl runs and all of Petes regular season sucess that followed. Belicheck doesn’t coach for over 20 years without Brady. Andy Reid had McNabb then Mahomes. Even the great Bill Walsh had Montana. Get the qb right and the coach just has to keep the trains running on time. Get it wrong and it takes a great coach like Shannahan coaching absolute outerworld football with the Jimmy G’s of the world to succeed. (We’ll see if Purdy is the real deal in time. I think he might be honestly) I’m not saying anything new around here these points have been made before but it makes me less pessimistic about Quinn.
And if I were a HC candidate the first question out of my mouth would be “What are your plans for the QB position in 2024 and 2025?”
Thats a great point. And a huge selling point would be saying we’ll get aggressive and try to trade up this year or next to get who you like. Suppose John will have to make sure they’re on the same page. The only drawback is there will be a lot of dead money this year and some next. Then only a year before the 22 class starts needing paid. I still have a lot of faith in those guys.
It’s workable. Esp if they have a 2024 draft like 2023 and 2022.
Matt Hasselbeck, “I wouldn’t have got rid of Pete Carroll.”
Me, “I wouldn’t have got rid of Trent Dilfer.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0lKSJH0–w
This is why I struggle so hard to take players who turn media guys seriously.
A popular, well-liked player will get cut and they shake their heads and wag their tongues about ‘it’s not fair, I hate it and the team did them wrong but the NFL is cutthroat’ and then a day, several days, a week go by and that popular player doesn’t get a single phone call. And rarely if ever do you hear those same former player analysts backing up their words spoken within days of the cut with ‘I can’t believe he is still available. What in the world is the NFL thinking?’
Nope. They’re onto the young guy that very team just made room for, gushing about his style and attitude.
Me: I wouldn’t have got rid of the mushroom double swiss at Burger King
Quinn’s in
More names forthcoming
https://x.com/tompelissero/status/1746999741378941251?s=46&t=QnF6gJmc6OM1fOYBLmUnjg
Evero
Raheem Morris
“Gert me the hell outta here Pleeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzz !!!”
Evero
Does Evero seem a little left field?
It sucks but it might just be to comply with the Rooney rule.
I like left field
If anything, maybe Evero could fix Dre’Mont Jones. He was the DC in Denver in 2022 when Jones had 6.5 sacks and a decent year
The Frank Smith write up in the Athletic is glowing. Not that I need the next guy to be like Pete, but he has a lot of similar philosophies that I appreciate. Pretty cool the relationship he and Darren Waller have. He’s from Wisconsin like Schneider too. Wonder if they know each other.
It’d be unexpected, but I’m not really opposed at all. Wonder if he could pull Fangio along finally.
If we had Dan Quin, and Pete Carroll as couch, we could have the team to win, like we had before
Don’t forget the Rooney rule…..
Hey Rob what your opinon on Mike Vrabel , will you be happy if we hired him?
I don’t know what I think about Vrabel. There was a time when the Titans were motoring where I thought he was the real deal. Then it went sour. All this season he looked a bit too angry and agitated all the time. Not sure.
Are the names that were reported for an interview only people not coaching in the playoffs anymore?
More names to be revealed later?
New post up from Rob….