Doomsday101
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Adam Schefter's "Around the League" reports and commentaries can be seen regularly on NFL Total Access.
(Jan. 24, 2007) -- No class is any more famous than the quarterbacks from 1983. But the coaching class of 2008 has the potential to rival it.
Next offseason, teams in search of head coaches could be choosing from a field that includes former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher, Tennessee's Jeff Fisher, Chicago's Lovie Smith, San Diego's Marty Schottenheimer, maybe Bill Parcells and possibly even New England's Bill Belichick.
Cowher is free to sign with any team after next season, one year after Pittsburgh did not offer him fair market value.
Fisher, according to a source, is not expected to get a contract extension with Tennessee, which would make him a free agent after next season.
Smith and the Bears have been talking, but nothing has materialized and there's no reason for Chicago's coach to sell himself short when he has a Super Bowl on his resume.
Schottenheimer and the Chargers are a divorce waiting to happen after San Diego offered its coach a $4.5 million contract that included a $1 million buyout.
Parcells is apt to return to coaching at any time, as his history indicates.
And maybe, most interesting, multiple sources around the league believe that Belichick's contract, which does have three years remaining on it, is filled with mutual options that could allow him or the team to nullify the deal as early as next year.
Wow.
Not only are these coaches' contractual situations looming over next season, they loom over this one as well. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is aware of the bountiful coaching Class of 2008, and it could impact whom he chooses to coach his team in '07.
Had Parcells stayed for one more year, it would have perfectly positioned Jones for 2008, when the most famous class of coaches would become available. But now Jones is in a holding pattern.
If Jones wanted to hire a caretaker or some type of coach in an experimental role -- such as former Cowboys quarterback Jason Garrett -- then he would be free to hire a big-name coach to help usher in the new stadium he is opening in 2009.
Garrett became the first outside-the-organization candidate to interview with Jones this week. The two met on Jan. 24. It is unclear whether Jones views Garrett more as a head coaching candidate or the offensive coordinator, but it is confirmed that the Cowboys owner knows he must hire somebody who is going to continue to develop his Pro Bowl quarterback, Tony Romo. This is imperative to Jones.
But he also might find it imperative to attack the Class of 2008, the same way the Giants, Commanders, Panthers, Browns and Chargers could.
Right now, the NFL is wrapping up one of its most successful postseasons. But next offseason already is looming as one of the most intriguing in its history.
And here's one last thought on the topic that's not entirely outlandish to ponder: Just how much money would Commanders owner Daniel Snyder pay for a guy like Belichick? Enough to alter the coaching salary structure, that's for sure.
THE TOLL OF T.O.
Jones has said he would like to bring back wide receiver Terrell Owens in 2007.
But when T.O.'s contract is broken down, it's clear that the Cowboys have little financial obligation to do so.
If the Cowboys were to cut T.O. at any point before June, they would save about $6.4 million in salary-cap space and $8 million in cash. T.O. has a $3 million roster bonus due in June and a $5 million base salary in 2007.
His prior signing bonus prorates to about $1.6 million, so that is a salary-cap number of $9.6 million for 2007. If you add both signing prorates together and subtract from the $9.6 million, you come out with $6.4 million worth of cap savings.
And a big decision looming for the Cowboys.
IF I HAD A BOAT
To all those Cowboys fans calling for Jones to pursue his former head coach Jimmy Johnson, forget it.
Nancy Bernstein, an NFL Network colleague who worked with Johnson for a long time at FOX, spoke to the former Cowboys coach and he could not have been any more clear in his words and whether he would be interested in reuniting with Jones.
Johnson will not coach this year. Nor next year. Nor any year. Anywhere. Why would he, when he goes through life never having to wear shoes -- other than on the airplane to fly to FOX's set in Los Angeles?
Short of that, Johnson lives the ultimate life of leisure. He is, as many of his coaching brethren would attest, the envy of many.
SPICE BOYS
Ordinarily, the Pro Bowl is a laid-back game, with very little spice to it. Not this year.
This year, the AFC coach is expected to be Belichick. The AFC team is littered with Chargers, including the San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who questioned the amount of class Belichick had.
Tomlinson predicted that he and Belichick wouldn't say two words to each other. If nothing else, it creates a nice subplot for a game that usually doesn't have any.
http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9952226
(Jan. 24, 2007) -- No class is any more famous than the quarterbacks from 1983. But the coaching class of 2008 has the potential to rival it.
Next offseason, teams in search of head coaches could be choosing from a field that includes former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher, Tennessee's Jeff Fisher, Chicago's Lovie Smith, San Diego's Marty Schottenheimer, maybe Bill Parcells and possibly even New England's Bill Belichick.
Cowher is free to sign with any team after next season, one year after Pittsburgh did not offer him fair market value.
Fisher, according to a source, is not expected to get a contract extension with Tennessee, which would make him a free agent after next season.
Smith and the Bears have been talking, but nothing has materialized and there's no reason for Chicago's coach to sell himself short when he has a Super Bowl on his resume.
Schottenheimer and the Chargers are a divorce waiting to happen after San Diego offered its coach a $4.5 million contract that included a $1 million buyout.
Parcells is apt to return to coaching at any time, as his history indicates.
And maybe, most interesting, multiple sources around the league believe that Belichick's contract, which does have three years remaining on it, is filled with mutual options that could allow him or the team to nullify the deal as early as next year.
Wow.
Not only are these coaches' contractual situations looming over next season, they loom over this one as well. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is aware of the bountiful coaching Class of 2008, and it could impact whom he chooses to coach his team in '07.
Had Parcells stayed for one more year, it would have perfectly positioned Jones for 2008, when the most famous class of coaches would become available. But now Jones is in a holding pattern.
If Jones wanted to hire a caretaker or some type of coach in an experimental role -- such as former Cowboys quarterback Jason Garrett -- then he would be free to hire a big-name coach to help usher in the new stadium he is opening in 2009.
Garrett became the first outside-the-organization candidate to interview with Jones this week. The two met on Jan. 24. It is unclear whether Jones views Garrett more as a head coaching candidate or the offensive coordinator, but it is confirmed that the Cowboys owner knows he must hire somebody who is going to continue to develop his Pro Bowl quarterback, Tony Romo. This is imperative to Jones.
But he also might find it imperative to attack the Class of 2008, the same way the Giants, Commanders, Panthers, Browns and Chargers could.
Right now, the NFL is wrapping up one of its most successful postseasons. But next offseason already is looming as one of the most intriguing in its history.
And here's one last thought on the topic that's not entirely outlandish to ponder: Just how much money would Commanders owner Daniel Snyder pay for a guy like Belichick? Enough to alter the coaching salary structure, that's for sure.
THE TOLL OF T.O.
Jones has said he would like to bring back wide receiver Terrell Owens in 2007.
But when T.O.'s contract is broken down, it's clear that the Cowboys have little financial obligation to do so.
If the Cowboys were to cut T.O. at any point before June, they would save about $6.4 million in salary-cap space and $8 million in cash. T.O. has a $3 million roster bonus due in June and a $5 million base salary in 2007.
His prior signing bonus prorates to about $1.6 million, so that is a salary-cap number of $9.6 million for 2007. If you add both signing prorates together and subtract from the $9.6 million, you come out with $6.4 million worth of cap savings.
And a big decision looming for the Cowboys.
IF I HAD A BOAT
To all those Cowboys fans calling for Jones to pursue his former head coach Jimmy Johnson, forget it.
Nancy Bernstein, an NFL Network colleague who worked with Johnson for a long time at FOX, spoke to the former Cowboys coach and he could not have been any more clear in his words and whether he would be interested in reuniting with Jones.
Johnson will not coach this year. Nor next year. Nor any year. Anywhere. Why would he, when he goes through life never having to wear shoes -- other than on the airplane to fly to FOX's set in Los Angeles?
Short of that, Johnson lives the ultimate life of leisure. He is, as many of his coaching brethren would attest, the envy of many.
SPICE BOYS
Ordinarily, the Pro Bowl is a laid-back game, with very little spice to it. Not this year.
This year, the AFC coach is expected to be Belichick. The AFC team is littered with Chargers, including the San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who questioned the amount of class Belichick had.
Tomlinson predicted that he and Belichick wouldn't say two words to each other. If nothing else, it creates a nice subplot for a game that usually doesn't have any.
http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9952226
