Who’s Hiring? The time is upon us again, the infamous Black Sunday and Monday for NFL Head Coaches. Jay Gruden and Ron Rivera didn’t make it to this point after being fired mid-season, but for some of their contemporaries this can be a dreaded day. Some coaches like Dan Quinn were able to string together some wins and get a vote of confidence from ownership, while Pat Shurmur and Freddie Kitchens were relieved of duties relatively immediately.
With those jobs and a few others expected to open, what factors should potential candidates look at to be sure it’s the right fit. Candidates should make sure stand a chance to succeed so they don’t become a casualty of Black Sunday & Monday in the not to distant future as well as avoid a 1 and Done situation. (Steve Wilks in Arizona 2018-2019 and Freddie Kitchens 2019-2020)
We believe there are 5 things every coach should consider: GM/Ownership, Location, Roster, Quarterback, and Division. We have graded each of these categories and ranked them by perceived level of importance to assess which coaching situations are the most and least desirable. Here are our rankings for the available jobs from Best Job to Worst.
*K is For Keven, R is for Rashad for their reasoning*
Dallas Cowboys
K: With Dak contract situation looming, I still believe this team has the best QB situation out of all available jobs. With the roster already in place with the likes of Zeke, Cooper (contract looming), Gallup, the OL and an above average defense any coach would be happy given the state of the team. I gave the GM/Owner grade a C because of the involvement of Jerry Jones. He is everything you do not want as a coach because he has so much power in the NFL. I can see big names turning down the Cowboys for this reason alone but in a division so wide open this job takes the cake.
R: The Cowboys, America’s team, is set up great for the future but who will be there to lead them. Jerry and Stephen have put together a deep roster the only major question being how much is Dak Prescott worth. If you don’t mind Jerry lurking and always being in the shadows this is a job you can expect to walk in and win games immediately.
New York Giants
K: The G-Men will be introducing their 3rd coach in 5 years for the 2020 season. Why would this job be 2nd? Well it should not be too hard to turn around. A defensive-minded coach should be lured here with Daniel Jones getting experience as a rookie and multiple weapons they have on offense including a top 4 draft pick, the right coach can quickly get the Giants to the promised land. Just like for the Cowboys, the division is another luring factor, it so wide open I can see the Giants going from 3rd place to 1st similar to the 49ers in the NFC West.
R: After 2 attempts at hiring an offensive minded head coach the New York Giants could be headed in the opposite direction this time around. A solid offensive coordinator to pair with the young core of Daniel Jones, Saquon and young receivers should be enough to keep them headed in the right direction. The defense is where the attention should be. A personable defensive oriented coach who can handle the New York media and mask the shortcomings of talent would be ideal.
Carolina Panthers
K: Panther are here more so because of me than Rashad. Reports say that Panthers prefer an offensive minded coach and that is just what they need. I believe they will draft a QB like Tua from Alabama or keep their signal caller Cam Newton. A coach looking for his QB this is a great scenario because of what scheme they could bring. The defense need some fixing but with guys like DJ Moore and CMC in place the right Coach-QB pairing could get panthers in the mix of things, especially with a 4th place schedule and the 7th pick in the NFL Draft.
R: The Carolina Panthers are in a precarious position. You have a new owner looking to make a splash. Firing Ron Rivera mid-season turned out to be terrible but at least you got a head start on your search. The QB and O Line situation need to be addressed and being in a tough division makes this coaching hire very important.
Jacksonville Jaguars
K: I don’t believe this is a great job, I mean it’s solid. If Marrone is fired, good luck to whoever is next because this roster does have holes. I do like the division, there’s no team who just owns it, hopefully Jags can get back to that magical season of 2017.
R: It feels like a decade has passed since the Jacksonville Jaguars had the Patriots on the ropes in the AFC Championship. A lot has changed in the 2 years since. No more Coughlin, Bortles or All-Pro stud Ramsey. Based on reports, I would guess this team needs a players coach who can manage multiple egos and unfortunately, you have to walk into the QB dilemma of Minshew vs Foles. I guess no State taxes and the warm weather of Florida make this job somewhat appealing. Not to mention, this division always seems to be up for grabs until the last week of the season and you could be walking into a solid young roster.
New York Jets
K: Adam Gase should be fired, beating Bills without their key guys in a meaningless week 17 means nothing. What you seen from Tannehill in Tennessee, DeVante Parker in Miami and Kenyan Drake in Arizona is simple to say Gase doesn’t know what he’s doing on the offensive end. But for a new coach to walk in with a young QB in Sam Darnold, solid weapons and a superstar safety there is something that can be built. The AFC East, with the Patriots dynasty about over, the division is there for the taking. The location of being in New York, young roster and a competent GM, its a solid job to take.
R: This franchise is down right special and I don’t mean that as a compliment. They’ve done everything backwards. Letting a GM conduct a draft just to fire him afterwards makes no sense. Now you’re in search for a coach to pair with a GM and QB in Darnold who’s shown some signs of growth. After the Gase debacle do you go offensive minded again or defensive? If not for injury this defense had some potential. Roster and division will be the biggest challenges to overcome for this incoming coach.
Cleveland Browns
K: “Browns gonna Brown”, a famous saying everyone knows, and to me it is somewhere I just don’t want to be. The GM is better and to be honest was going in the right direction under Hue Jackson. Even with a young QB, superstars at the WR and DE position, if I am a young coach I wouldn’t touch it. A Mature coach? Well that’s different.
R: Expectations killed the Browns this season. Freddie was in way over his head with this one. With so much young talent it’s more imperative now than in years past the Browns get the right guy. It won’t be easy coaching against 2 Future Hall of Famers, managing multiple egos, expectations of fans and media and most importantly installing some discipline and accountability. The Browns were one of the league leaders in penalties and do I even need to mention the Myles Garrett debacle. The coach for this job must be a high character guy, proven winner and somewhat of a disciplinarian.
Washington Redskins
K: All I know is, Daniel Snyder is terrible but they’ll have Chase Young. That is it, that’s my analysis.
R: The nations capital, home of the Washington Redskins has also been the home of dysfunction. From Dan Snyder on down this franchise has had its fair share of bad moments. But entering this new decade there’s a chance to turn it around. The roster is relatively young and has shown flashes of productivity. The division is tough yet winnable as there has not been a repeat champion since the Eagles in 2003-2004. The coach to take this job has to be a believer in Haskins. When Haskins was drafted it was reported the room was divided on him as the guy. If the new coach does not believe in him and doesn’t have a track record of being able to create a winning culture there’s a good chance it’s a bad hire.
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