AFC Coaching Notes: Jaguars, Broncos, Jets, Raiders
It hasn’t been the best two-to-three weeks for the Bills organization. The team fired Rex Ryan in late December, and general manager Doug Whaley held a subsequent news conference that left some questioning his competence. Then there’s the whole Tyrod Taylor fiasco, as the organization could potentially be stuck with the quarterback’s $27.5MM salary.
Following the hiring of Sean McDermott as their new head coach, Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula made it clear that their organization is not dysfunctional.
“I know how I run my life, run our business,” Terry Pegula told Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. “I know how we treat people, and I know the people we have in our organization. You can’t pin 17 years [out of the playoffs] on the Pegulas. We’ve been around for X-number of years.
“There’s no foundation, no truth to this dysfunctional talk. I consider it an insult to our organization and the Bills and the good people with the Sabres. They can’t be real happy to hear that.”
Let’s take a look at some more coaching notes coming out of the AFC…
- The Jaguars have hired Joe DeCamillis as their new special teams coordinator, reports Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter). DeCamillis, 51, spent the past two seasons serving in the same role with the Broncos, and he previously served as coordinator for the Bears and Cowboys. This will be a reunion of sorts for DeCamillis, who served as a special teams coach with the Jaguars from 2007 through 2008.
- With all of the changes to the Broncos coaching staff, there will be at least one member sticking around. Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post reports (via Twitter) that Tyke Tolbert will continue on as the team’s wide receivers coach. Tolbert reportedly turned down an offer from the Titans for the same role.
- Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville has already interviewed for the Jets offensive coordinator vacancy, reports ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini (via Twitter). The writer notes that the organization has “strong interest” in the long-time coach.
- League sources tell Brian Costello of the New York Post that the Jets will have a tough time convincing “any candidate with options” to take their offensive coordinator gig. The writer notes that Todd Bowles‘ lack of job security and the Jets’ questionable quarterback depth may scare some potential candidates away.
- The Raiders are making some coaching changes under new offensive coordinator Todd Downing. Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reports (via Twitter) that the team will be promoting senior offensive assistant Jake Peetz to quarterbacks coach. Peetz has spent seven years coaching in the NFL.
Jets To Interview Broncos RB Coach Eric Studesville For OC Job
Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville has an interview scheduled with the Jets for their offensive coordinator position, a source tells Mike Klis of 9NEWS (on Twitter). 
Studesville served as the Bills’ offensive coordinator from 2004 until 2008. When Buffalo replaced him as OC, he remained on staff as the running backs coach. In 2010, he joined up with the Broncos under the same role and but he spent four games that year as interim head coach after Josh McDaniels was canned. After serving as running backs coach under three different Denver coaches, Studesville would like to move back up in the coaching world.
The Broncos are interviewing Mike McCoy and Bill Musgrave for their OC job today. So far, we haven’t gotten any word of Studesville being considered for the position.
Fallout From John Fox, Broncos Parting Ways
Broncos general manager John Elway and ex-head coach John Fox have released a statement in the wake of the news that the two parties would be parting ways. “John Fox and I met for more than an hour on Monday afternoon to discuss the 2014 season and our goals for the future,” said Elway, via Mike Klis of the Denver Post. “During our open and candid conversation, it became clear that it was best for both the Denver Broncos and Coach Fox to move on and make this change.” Like Elway, Fox was thankful and complementary, but also gave a hint about his plans for the future. “I am eager to continue my coaching career and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead,” said Fox, indicating that he’s open to other jobs.
Let’s take a look at the fallout from and reaction to the shakeup, and how it affects the Broncos, Fox, and the rest of the team’s coaching staff.
- The Broncos had not considered moving on from Fox until a report surfaced yesterday from Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, a friend of Fox’s, indicating that Fox could be out, per Klis. The club worried that Fox was “keeping his options open” with regard to other coaching vacancies, which led to today’s meeting.
- Elway was reportedly unhappy with the Broncos’ mental toughness, and was especially disappointed with how the club performed in the postseason, writes Klis. For his part, Fox wanted more control over personnel, and preferred to have a say over the draft and the roster.
- Fox could be an option to replace Marc Trestman with the Bears, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). The link between Fox and Chicago is clear, as Fox has a close relationship with Ernie Accorsi, who is advising the Bears’ head coaching search, tweets Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post. Additionally, Fox’s best friend in the NFL is Saints head coach Sean Payton, who worked with new Chicago GM Ryan Pace, meaning Fox should be well-informed about where the Bears stand, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Appearing on The Michael Kay Show, Jets advisor Charley Casserly declined to speak on whether Gang Green would be interested in Fox, according to Kimberley Martin of Newsday (Twitter link).
- On the Broncos side, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com doesn’t expect the club to hire a big-name coach, noting that Denver’s coaching budget “is far from expansive” (Twitter link).
- Gary Kubiak was the Broncos offensive coordinator from 2003-05, and Ed Werder of ESPN speculates (via Twitter) that the club could be interested in a reunion. However, in response to a report that the Bears were pursuing him, Kubiak released a statement yesterday saying he would remain with the Ravens, and a Baltimore source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter) that he’d be shocked if Kubiak now reversed course.
- The most obvious candidate for the Broncos job could be offensive coordinator Adam Gase, whom the 49ers will meet with tonight in an effort to hire him as their head coach. There are conflicting reports on whether Gase will be a candidate for Denver’s top job, however, as Florio tweets that Gase will in fact be an option, while Klis writes that the OC is not considered likely to be promoted.
- Given Mike Shanahan’s relationship with Elway, it would’ve been fair to wonder if a reunion was in order. However, Klis reports that Shanahan is not a candidate for the Broncos vacancy.
- Meanwhile, one candidate who probably will garner an interview is Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville, who was the club’s interim head coach in 2010 following Josh McDaniels’ firing, per La Canfora (Twitter link).