Mike Caldwell - Pro Football Rumors

Coach Notes: 49ers, Jets, Falcons, Raiders

January 14th, 2015 at 9:23pm CST by Ben Levine

After promoting one coach earlier today, it sounds like the 49ers will be parting ways with the rest of their coaching staff. Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez reports (via Twitter) that the organization plans on dismissing all assistants except running backs coach Tom Rathman. A member of that coaching staff told CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco that they are “in the dark” regarding the team’s plans (Twitter link). Its unclear if any of the remaining coordinators, including defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, are safe.

Meanwhile, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee tweets that “several” 49ers assistants will likely join former offensive coordinator Greg Roman with the Bills, while others will likely follow Fangio.

Let’s take a look at some more coaching notes from around the league…

Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is set to interview with the Broncos on Friday, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Austin was late arriving to Atlanta, and D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that his second interview with the Falcons will be pushed back to Thursday.
The Raiders want to talk to Falcons offensive line coach Mike Tice, but Atlanta is denying them permission, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Cardinals linebacker coach Mike Caldwell will likely join Jets head coach Todd Bowles in New York as the team’s assistant head coach, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Phoenix.
ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson says Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio is “aiming high” in his coaching staff search, and the writer notes that Kyle Shanahan could be among the offensive coordinator candidates (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Jets Hire Todd Bowles

January 14th, 2015 at 5:05pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 5:05pm: The Jets (on Twitter) have made it official: Bowles is their new head coach.

TUESDAY, 10:36pm: Dolphins defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers is very likely to be Bowles’ defensive coordinator, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). It’s possible that Caldwell will also join the staff, but maybe in a different role.

10:20pm: Bowles’ choice for defensive coordinator might be linebackers coach Mike Caldwell, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

10:09pm: It’s a four-year deal worth at least $16MM, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). Gailey, he hears, will be hired as Bowles’ offensive coordinator.

9:23pm: The Jets have reached agreement with Todd Bowles to become their next head coach, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a four-year deal, Schefter adds (link).

Gang Green’s contingent of new GM Mike Maccagnan, owner Woody Johnson, and team consultants Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf met with Bowles earlier tonight in the New York area. The Cardinals defensive coordinator was slated to visit with the Falcons on Wednesday, but those plans have ostensibly been 86’d. The Jets were likely concerned about Atlanta beating them too the punch and made their offer quickly.

The new position marks a homecoming in more than one way for Bowles. The 51-year-old is a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, a short drive from the Jets’ Meadowlands home. Bowles also has previous experience with the Jets, having served as their defensive backs coach in the 2000 season. The defensive-minded coach is a disciple of the legendary Bill Parcells, who served as the Jets’ coach from 1997-1999 as as their GM in 2000.

The Jets were impressed with, among other things, the staff ideas Bowles had, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (on Twitter). Former Bills coach Chan Gailey, who has been out of the game for some time, is a strong possibility to be the team’s next offensive coordinator.

Casserly’s fingerprints appear to be all over the Jets’ new hires. Maccagnan worked under Casserly as a scout while Bowles is one of his former players. The Jets coveted Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but the uncertainty over whether they could land him combined with Bowles’ strong interviews led them to this hire, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Quinn can’t accept a job elsewhere until the conclusion of the Seahawks’ season, which might not be until February.

As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes, Bowles is now the Jets’ sixth straight head coach with a defensive background. Rex Ryan, Eric Mangini, Herm Edwards, Al Groh, and Parcells were all defense-first coaches.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Coach Notes: Meyer, Browns, Fangio, Raiders

January 13th, 2015 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

Wins over Alabama and Oregon in the NCAA’s first College Football Playoff created plenty of buzz for Urban Meyer, but the Buckeyes head coach quickly dismissed any speculation that his success at Ohio State would result in a jump to the NFL this offseason. “Not right now. I have a commitment to Ohio State and these players,” Meyer said when asked about the possibility of an NFL job, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

Let’s check in on several coaching situations from around the league, as a handful of teams look to hire new head coaches and/or coordinators….

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links) provide an update on the Browns‘ hunt for an offensive coordinator, with Rapoport noting that Marc Trestman interviews tomorrow and Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo meets with the team on Friday. Per Schefter, the Browns have also requested permission to talk to Jets running backs coach Anthony Lynn about the position.
Raheem Morris‘ meeting with Washington about the team’s defensive coordinator vacancy is expected to be the last of the club’s interviews, tweets Rapoport, who believes either Morris or Joe Barry will land the job.
Michael Silver of NFL Network (Twitter links) hears that the word in coaching circles is that 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio may want to leave the team unless he (or Mike Shanahan) is hired as the head coach. In that case, writes Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, the Raiders should kick the tires on Fangio as a potential head coaching candidate.
Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, who is working on a new deal of his own, says defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has told him he wants to stay with the team, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Per Archer, talks on new contracts for the team’s coaches are ongoing.
In a tweet, Kawakami also suggests keeping an eye on Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver, who has multiple options, and would likely be Jim Tomsula‘s top choice for defensive coordinator if he lands the 49ers‘ head coaching job.
If Todd Bowles is hired as a head coach, he’d like to take Cardinals linebackers coach Mike Caldwell with him as a defensive coordinator, tweets Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910.
The Giants are interested in talking to former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen about their defensive coordinator position, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, adding that it’s not clear whether an interview has been scheduled yet.