49ers Fire Jim Tomsula
The 49ers have fired head coach Jim Tomsula after one year on the job, according to team CEO Jed York, who issued a statement Sunday night (link via the club’s website):
“Jimmy has been a valuable member of the 49ers organization for the last nine years. We all know he is a man of high 
character, and his contributions on the field and in our community have always been greatly appreciated. This entire organization is proud and grateful to have worked so closely alongside Jimmy. We all wish him and his family great success in the future.”
Last offseason, after interviewing a slew of candidates to replace the departed Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco elected to promote Tomsula – its defensive line coach from 2007-14 – signing him to a four-year, $14MM contract ($10.5MM of which still has to be paid out). However, the Tomsula era didn’t go nearly as well as Harbaugh’s reign, which included a 44-19-1 regular-season record and three playoff appearances in four years. The Tomsula-led Niners finished the 2015-16 campaign 5-11 (the franchise’s worst mark since 2007) and suffered nine losses by double-digit deficits. They defeated the NFC West rival Rams, 19-16, to snap a three-game losing streak on Sunday, but it obviously wasn’t enough to save Tomsula.
As the 49ers begin searching for the 20th head coach in their history, one possibility general manager Trent Baalke could look to is Chip Kelly, according to both CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link) and Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). Another is the Saints’ Sean Payton, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Both Kelly and Payton are offensive minds, which the 49ers are seeking, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports. In addition to Kelly and Payton, Maiocco names Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson as someone who could be on the 49ers’ radar. Whether the team’s next head coach is Kelly, Payton, Jackson or someone else, he’ll have the freedom to keep or fire any of its current assistant coaches, per Maiocco (Twitter link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Coaching Rumors: Payton, Browns, Titans, Kelly
The Eagles will pursue head coach Sean Payton if he and the Saints agree to part ways Monday, sources tell Paul Domowitch of Philly.com (Twitter link). Payton is under contract for two more years in New Orleans, which might present a problem for the Eagles, as Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk writes. The Saints will want compensation for Payton, possibly in the form of a second-round pick, and the Eagles don’t have one this year.
More coaching rumors from around the NFL:
- In addition to the previously reported Teryl Austin and Adam Gase (links: 1; 2), the Browns are also requesting an interview with Jacksonville assistant Doug Marrone, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).
- The presence of quarterback Marcus Mariota might not be enough to make the Titans’ head coaching job appealing to potential candidates, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Concerns over a lack of stability with respect to the franchise’s ownership could ultimately lead to the promotion of interim head coach Mike Mularkey to the full-time role.
- Two college head coaches, Jim Mora Jr. (UCLA) and Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M), are hoping to land head coaching jobs in the pros, tweets Michael Silver of NFL.com. Mora was previously at the helm in Atlanta (2004-06) and Seattle (’09), going a combined 31-33 with one playoff appearance.
- Chip Kelly isn’t a lock to get another head coaching job this offseason, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio writes that some teams might be hesitant to give Kelly a shot because of a fear that he’d eventually try to parlay his role as a head coach into that of a football czar, too, as he did in Philadelphia.
Latest On Sean Payton, Saints
The Saints capped off their 2015 season with a victory over the Falcons, but now the real uncertainty begins. Rumors abound about the fate and future of head coach Sean Payton, including whether he’ll stay in New Orleans, be released, or perhaps be traded. One place he won’t end up is Miami, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link), who reports that if Payton does leave the Saints, the Dolphins won’t be his destination.
There’s a lot to unpack here, and the report, while informative, does still leave quite a few unanswered questions. For one, it’s unclear whether the Dolphins are not interested in Payton, or whether Payton is not interested in heading to South Beach. Miami hired Chris Grier as its new general manager earlier today, and it’s possible that he and football czar Mike Tannenbaum have already ruled out a pursuit of Payton. But it’s just as reasonable to think that Payton doesn’t see the Dolphins as an enticing destination.
According to Larry Holder of NOLA.com (Twitter link), many Saints players expressed a desire for Payton to stay with the team following today’s game. When asked if he’d like to remain in New Orleans if Payton departs, quarterback Drew Brees dodged the question. “I want to be here, I want to play for the Saints, I don’t want to play for anybody else,” he told Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “But there’s no reason to talk about it until we all know for certain.”
In a separate piece, Florio lists several potential landing spots for Payton, including the 49ers, Colts, and Giants. We should learrn more tomorrow, as Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis are expected to meet tomorrow to discuss the former’s future.
Cole’s Latest: Colts, Giants, Saban, Raiders
Let’s take a look at the latest from Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole (all video links):
- The presence of Andrew Luck could lead several high-profile names to be interested in the Colts‘ potential head-coaching vacancy, per Cole, who reports that Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, and Sean Payton could all have varying levels of interest in the position. The key question, according to Cole, is how much roster/personnel control owner Jim Irsay is willing to hand over.
- Luck makes the Colts job very attractive, but the most desirable landing spot on the market? The Giants, says Cole, due to ownership’s “hand-off” approach. Plus, the combination of Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. is very enticing to candidates.
- Despite interest from numerous teams, Alabama head coach Nick Saban is not expected to make the leap to the NFL. Saban, who does have NFL experience with the Dolphins, is quite comfortable in Tuscaloosa, and he doesn’t want to take any attention away from his team’s looming championship game against Clemson on January 11.
- Sources tell Cole that billionaire Larry Ellison (founder of Oracle Corporation) has spoken with Raiders owner Mark Davis about buying a portion of the team. While nothing is close, the mere presence of Ellison could potentially attract other investors, per Cole, and ultimately help the club make the move to Los Angeles.
Sunday Roundup: Mularkey, Gase, McDaniels
As we roll into the final week of the regular season, let’s round up some news and notes from around the league:
- We learned earlier today that Titans interim head coach Mike Mularkey will receive serious consideration to be the team’s permanent head coach, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports explains that although there are aspects of the Tennessee top job that make it appealing, questions about ownership could force some big name candidates to steer clear. If Mularkey does get the job, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (via Twitter) expects the team to make changes to the rest of its coaching staff.
- La Canfora was busy on Twitter this afternoon, reporting that the Browns, Dolphins, and Eagles all have serious interest in making Bears OC Adam Gase their next head coach, and that the Titans and Giants head coaching jobs would be the most appealing to Patriots OC Josh McDaniels (Twitter links).
- La Canfora also tweets that Mike Holmgren‘s reported interest in the 49ers‘ head coaching position should not be discounted, though he also tweets that San Francisco will give strong consideration to Chip Kelly if and when Jim Tomsula is fired. Mike Silver of NFL.com tweets that Kelly himself has reached out to express his interest in the job, along with Mike Shanahan. As Silver notes (via Twitter) the 49ers’ head coaching job is much more appealing than is commonly perceived.
- Jenna Laine of SportsTalkFlorida.com tweets that Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has received interest from at least one club looking for a new head coach.
- Hall-of-Fame executive Ron Wolf had lunch with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam several weeks ago, but per Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, Wolf denied that Haslam asked him to serve as a consultant for the club. Wolf said he has had no contact with Haslam since that lunch. Wolf’s son, Eliot, currently works as the Packers‘ director of player personnel and is rumored to be Cleveland’s top choice to fill its soon-to-be-vacant GM role.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com) writes that the Raiders, Chargers, and Rams will all apply for relocation in advance of Monday’s deadline, with the expected relocation fee to be a whopping $550MM per team that relocates. The league will assist whatever club or clubs that get left out of the LA sweepstakes to secure a new home.
Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis To Meet Monday
Citing Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune writes that Saints head coach Sean Payton is set to meet with GM Mickey Loomis tomorrow to discuss Payton’s future with the club. Rumors as to whether 2015 could be Payton’s last season in New Orleans have been gaining traction in recent weeks, and Glazer’s report will only add to that speculation. Glazer adds that it is no sure thing that Payton will leave the Saints, but if Loomis wants to keep Payton happy, the GM may need to “change certain things,” though Glazer does not indicate what those changes might entail.
Meanwhile, Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune, citing ESPN’s Adam Schefter, tweets that if the Saints can work out compensation details with another NFL club, Payton could be on his way out of New Orleans. That report in and of itself is not news, of course, but given that it was made at the same time Payton’s impending meeting with Loomis was reported, it is very easy to connect the dots and to predict that the Saints will try to trade the head coach that led them to a Super Bowl title and an 86-52 overall record. We detailed the logistics of such a trade back in November, though Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Fritz Pollard Alliance will take it up with the league if a team trades for a head coach without what the Alliance believes is a fair interview process for minority candidates.
Given the demand for Payton’s services, it is difficult to guess as to where he might land if he is traded, or what type of compensation the Saints might receive in return. However, Rapoport tweets that Payton would be interested in the 49ers’ job–assuming it become available–and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that Payton would also have interest in the impending Giants opening, though it is unclear whether Big Blue would consider trading for a head coach.
Coaching Updates: 1/3/16
After learning this morning that the 49ers are expected to fire Jim Tomsula and that Jim Caldwell is more likely than not to return to the Lions in 2016, let’s dive into a few more notes on the league’s head coaching carousel:
- A “plugged-in source” tells Pro Football Talk that Chip Kelly could be headed to the Browns (Twitter link).
- Before that somewhat mysterious tweet from PFT, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted out a list of a few candidates the Browns are expected to interview in the coming days after they formally fire Mike Pettine. That list includes popular targets Adam Gase, Teryl Austin, and Doug Marrone. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the team is especially interested in Gase and has already laid the groundwork for an interview with the Bears’ offensive coordinator. It was something of a surprise that Gase did not land a head coaching job last year, but it looks like 2016 will find him in charge of his own club.
- Rapoport also passes on some news on the Colts (via Conor Orr of NFL.com), reporting that if Indianapolis parts ways with Chuck Pagano, the team will make Sean Payton and Nick Saban say no before turning its search in another direction. Although the presence of franchise quarterback Andrew Luck could alter his thinking somewhat, Saban, as Rapoport tweets, has been approached by NFL clubs countless times in recent years and always says no.
- Current Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson is “a name to watch” as the Eagles attempt to fill their new head coaching vacancy, per Albert Breer of the NFL Network, who adds that the team would have to do some “fence-mending” to lure Sean McDermott, one of the hottest head coaching candidates, away from Carolina (Twitter links). ESPN.com news services confirms the team’s interest in Pederson, who spent four seasons as an offensive assistant under Andy Reid in Philadelphia, and adds that interim head coach Pat Shumur has not been ruled out.
- The Titans will look at interim head coach Mike Mularkey as a legitimate candidate to become the team’s permanent head coach, as Rapoport writes in his Black Monday primer.
- In the same piece, Rapoport writes that Mike McCoy has a much better chance to stay with the Chargers than originally anticipated. The NFL.com scribe reports that San Diego brass will step back and look at factors like the injuries the team has endured, the close losses it has suffered, and the omnipresent Los Angles dilemma before making a final decision. While McCoy could still be fired, it appears as though he will at least get a thorough evaluation before that happens.
East Notes: Dolphins, Giants, Eagles, Cowboys
Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell, whose short stint is almost sure to end Sunday, spoke about his tenure to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald.
On what he’ll do differently if given another opportunity in the future, Campbell said, “I would do a better job of holding everyone more accountable, from staff to players.”
Going forward, Campbell believes the Dolphins need more leadership from quarterback Ryan Tannehill and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
“Certainly, those are two guys that you’d love to see grow more into that area, and it would help,” he stated.
Campbell also used the word “frustration” to describe the Dolphins’ 5-10 season (and 4-7 mark under his reign). He’ll try to go out with a win Sunday as the Dolphins host AFC East rival New England.
- With the Giants’ Tom Coughlin era seemingly on the verge of ending, the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacchiano wrote Friday that the team should pursue the Saints’ Sean Payton and Alabama’s Nick Saban as possible successors. In addition to Payton and Saban, Vacchiano listed more potential candidates Saturday. Featured prominently: New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, current Giants O-coordinator Ben McAdoo – though Vacchiano argues that he’d be tough to sell to their fan base – as well as college head coaches Brian Kelly (Notre Dame) and David Shaw (Stanford). There’s also Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, a pair of Carolina assistants in OC Mike Shula and D-coordinator Sean McDermott, two more O-coordinators (Pittsburgh’s Todd Haley and Cincinnati’s Hue Jackson), and Jacksonville assistant Doug Marrone. Haley, Jackson and Marrone were all mixed bags in their prior head coaching stops, while Spagnuolo and McDaniels flamed out in epic fashion in St. Louis and Denver, respectively.
- The Dolphins’ Olivier Vernon, who leads the team in sacks (seven), could be playing his last game with the team Sunday, ESPN’s James Walker writes. Vernon, 25, stands to cash in as a pending free agent. Thus, he might not fit within the Dolphins’ budget. Vernon does want to stay in Miami, though. “I’d like to be here,” Vernon told Walker. “But at the end of the day, business is business. So if this is my last game and I enter free agency, then I’m going to see how that goes.”
- As we learned Saturday afternoon, the Eagles interviewed running backs coach Duce Staley for their vacant head coaching job. Whether they’re truly serious about him remains to be seen, but the interview means they’ve already fulfilled the Rooney Rule because Staley is a minority candidate. That means they could hire Chicago offensive coordinator Adam Gase, whom they’re interested in, as early as Monday. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that won’t happen. Gase will bide his time and explore all options, per Florio.
- Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee will lose out on $2MM extra if he doesn’t play Sunday against Washington, Brandon George of SportsDay writes. Lee, whose status is up in the air because of a hamstring injury, has incentives in his contract that will kick his 2015-16 salary from $3MM to $5MM if he plays 80 percent of snaps on the season. He’s currently at 82.1.
Coaching Rumors: Giants, Browns, Dolphins, Eagles
If the Giants go the expected route and fire longtime head coach Tom Coughlin in the coming days, his act will be a tough one to follow in New York. Coughlin’s 12-year run with the Giants has been fruitful, likely Hall of Fame-worthy, with the 69-year-old having helped the franchise to 102 regular-season victories and a pair of Super Bowl titles. The Giants’ next coach should be someone capable of that type of success, someone to enliven a disenchanted fan base, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Vacchiano suggests Giants owner John Mara should take a swing-for-the-fences approach and target either Saints coach Sean Payton or Alabama’s Nick Saban to succeed Coughlin.
Vacchiano doesn’t believe the Giants are in position to hire a neophyte as their next coach, though he acknowledges that neither Payton nor Saban will be easy to land. Payton is still under contract with the Saints for two more years and makes over $8MM per annum, but it’s possible he’ll seek another opportunity this offseason. If so, the team that hires Payton will need to give him a similar contract in terms of value and send compensation to New Orleans in the form of one or more draft picks. Saban is similarly paid at $7MM a year. A large price tag shouldn’t stand in the way of hiring either for the big-market Giants, Vacchiano opines.
Elsewhere on the coaching landscape. . .
- Browns head coach Mike Pettine‘s short tenure with the team is likely to end after Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh, Rand Getlin of NFL.com reports (Twitter link).
- If the Browns do fire Pettine, they could replace him with Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Cleveland has done its homework on Gase, as have the Dolphins, according to La Canfora. The Eagles are another possibility for his services.
- Speaking of the Eagles, Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther is an under-the-radar candidate for Chip Kelly‘s former job, per Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic (Twitter link). Guenther, 48, is a native Pennsylvanian whose defense leads the league in points per game allowed (17.5).
Coaching Notes: McCoy, Giants, Titans, Dolphins
With “Black Monday” approaching, there should be a number of decisions made on coaches across the league. Kevin Acee of the Union-Times San Diego argues that Chargers head coach Mike McCoy should among those fired at season’s end.
Here are some other notes from around NFL head coaching positions:
- Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly may have taken himself out of the running for the Giants’ head coaching job, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. He said he’d be unlikely to give up full control unless an NFL team was able to offer him the same privileges.
- The Giants haven’t fired Tom Coughlin yet, but the head coach hasn’t turned to the media to make a case for himself, writes Kevin Armstrong of the New York Daily News. Rather than talk about his future, he’d rather focus on winning in Week 17.
- While the Titans are exploring their next head coaching candidates, Alex Marvez of Fox Sports 1 has picked out three potential fits among former NFL head coaches. He writes that Jim Schwartz, Chip Kelly, and Mike Smith would all be fits in Tennessee.
- Greg Cote of the Miami Herald plays a similar game as Marvez, picking out potential head coaches for the Dolphins. He puts Sean Payton and Chip Kelly at the top of his wish list.
- Speaking of the Dolphins job, if Chuck Pagano is fired in Indianapolis, Stephen Holder of IndyStar.com believes that Pagano could be a fit in Miami (via Twitter).
- The Eagles have obstacles to climb in order to find a new head coach, as they are looking for a new leader without a quarterback of the future and without a second-round pick, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. If they beat the Giants, they won’t have a top-10 pick in this draft either.