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POSTED 10:16 p.m. EST; UPDATED 10:23 p.m. EST, January 1, 2007
CAPERS TO GET A THIRD CHANCE?
There's talk in league circles that one of the possible candidates to replace Steelers coach Bill Cowher when/if/when he leaves is Dolphins defensive coordinator Dom Capers.
Capers was Cowher's first defensive coordinator, and Capers also was the first head coach of the Carolina Panthers. After being fired by the Panthers, he later became the first head coach of the Houston Texans.
Capers' biggest success as a head coach came in 1996, when he led the fledgling Panthers to the NFC Championship Game.
He also has a terrible toupee/weave/combover.
COWHER TO "RESIGN" INSTEAD OF "RETIRE"?
There's some speculation in league and media circles that, when/if/when Steelers coach Bill Cowher calls it quits in the 'Burgh it might be a resignation instead of a retirement.
In other words, there's a school of thought that Cowher might quickly be enticed to take a job with another NFL team, if the price is right.
But since the Steelers hold his rights through the 2007 season, any new team that would be interested in hiring him also would be required to compensate the Steelers with draft picks.
An industry source has pointed to the Giants and the Falcons as teams with which Cowher could land.
Another name we're now hearing for Atlanta is former 49ers and Lions coach Steve Mariucci. If, however, Jim Mora couldn't get Mike Vick to perform in a West Coast offense, we can't imagine Mooch pulling it off, either.
SIX NAMES ON CARDS' INITIAL INTERVIEW LIST
A league source has shared with us the initial list of guys who will be interviewed for the head coaching job in Arizona.
The half-dozen candidates are: Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow; Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera; Texans assistant head coach Mike Sherman; Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt; Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm; and Colts assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell.
This doesn't mean that one of those six assistant coaches will be the successor to Dennis Green. It only means that they're the first six to be interviewed.
POSTED 10:44 p.m. EST; UPDATED 10:54 p.m. EST, January 1, 2007
SABAN SAYING "SEE-YA" TO SOUTH FLORIDA?
Here's a quick update as to the ongoing soap opera regarding Dolphins coach Nick Saban.
The tea leaves currently are suggesting that Saban will accept the offer that the Tide made on Monday.
We're told that Saban's agent, Jimmy Sexton, has tried to leverage the Alabama offer into another year and/or a raise for Saban with the Dolphins. But we're also told that Miami owner Wayne Huizenga has declined to provide Saban anything beyond the terms to which he agreed two years ago.
Which means that Saban either will stay put under his current deal, or accept the offer from Alabama.
Which means that Saban will, we believe, accept the offer from Alabama.
There's still a question as to whether Saban's contract allows him to walk away, with or without a buyout. Though college coaches routinely jump from one program to another without incident, NFL franchises typically don't allow contracts to be brazenly breached.
Our guess? Saban and Sexton apparently are confident that Saban can wriggle free. And if there were a silver bullet in the Miami contract that would force Saban to coach either the Fins or no one, we have a feeling that someone from the organization would have leaked the details to the media.
CRENNEL MUST OVERHAUL STAFF
Talk in league circles is that Browns coach Romeo Crennel might have to release and replace up to half of his coaching staff in order to have a chance at staying with the team.
All of the staff, we're told, signed two-year contracts with the team when hired prior to the 2005 season. Now that those contracts have expired, it'll be easier -- and cheaper -- to part ways.
Stay tuned.
CAPERS TO GET A THIRD CHANCE?
There's talk in league circles that one of the possible candidates to replace Steelers coach Bill Cowher when/if/when he leaves is Dolphins defensive coordinator Dom Capers.
Capers was Cowher's first defensive coordinator, and Capers also was the first head coach of the Carolina Panthers. After being fired by the Panthers, he later became the first head coach of the Houston Texans.
Capers' biggest success as a head coach came in 1996, when he led the fledgling Panthers to the NFC Championship Game.
He also has a terrible toupee/weave/combover.
COWHER TO "RESIGN" INSTEAD OF "RETIRE"?
There's some speculation in league and media circles that, when/if/when Steelers coach Bill Cowher calls it quits in the 'Burgh it might be a resignation instead of a retirement.
In other words, there's a school of thought that Cowher might quickly be enticed to take a job with another NFL team, if the price is right.
But since the Steelers hold his rights through the 2007 season, any new team that would be interested in hiring him also would be required to compensate the Steelers with draft picks.
An industry source has pointed to the Giants and the Falcons as teams with which Cowher could land.
Another name we're now hearing for Atlanta is former 49ers and Lions coach Steve Mariucci. If, however, Jim Mora couldn't get Mike Vick to perform in a West Coast offense, we can't imagine Mooch pulling it off, either.
SIX NAMES ON CARDS' INITIAL INTERVIEW LIST
A league source has shared with us the initial list of guys who will be interviewed for the head coaching job in Arizona.
The half-dozen candidates are: Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow; Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera; Texans assistant head coach Mike Sherman; Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt; Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm; and Colts assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell.
This doesn't mean that one of those six assistant coaches will be the successor to Dennis Green. It only means that they're the first six to be interviewed.
POSTED 10:44 p.m. EST; UPDATED 10:54 p.m. EST, January 1, 2007
SABAN SAYING "SEE-YA" TO SOUTH FLORIDA?
Here's a quick update as to the ongoing soap opera regarding Dolphins coach Nick Saban.
The tea leaves currently are suggesting that Saban will accept the offer that the Tide made on Monday.
We're told that Saban's agent, Jimmy Sexton, has tried to leverage the Alabama offer into another year and/or a raise for Saban with the Dolphins. But we're also told that Miami owner Wayne Huizenga has declined to provide Saban anything beyond the terms to which he agreed two years ago.
Which means that Saban either will stay put under his current deal, or accept the offer from Alabama.
Which means that Saban will, we believe, accept the offer from Alabama.
There's still a question as to whether Saban's contract allows him to walk away, with or without a buyout. Though college coaches routinely jump from one program to another without incident, NFL franchises typically don't allow contracts to be brazenly breached.
Our guess? Saban and Sexton apparently are confident that Saban can wriggle free. And if there were a silver bullet in the Miami contract that would force Saban to coach either the Fins or no one, we have a feeling that someone from the organization would have leaked the details to the media.
CRENNEL MUST OVERHAUL STAFF
Talk in league circles is that Browns coach Romeo Crennel might have to release and replace up to half of his coaching staff in order to have a chance at staying with the team.
All of the staff, we're told, signed two-year contracts with the team when hired prior to the 2005 season. Now that those contracts have expired, it'll be easier -- and cheaper -- to part ways.
Stay tuned.
