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Report: 49ers ask permission to interview Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles

AP

The 49ers are in the market for a new head coach and their list of candidates will reportedly include a pair of defensive coordinators who they have seen quite a bit of in the last two years.

Josina Anderson of ESPN reports that the 49ers have requested permission to interview Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Both men moved into their current positions before the 2013 season, so the 49ers have faced them multiple times over the last two years.

Both coordinators are expected to be popular candidates around the league after building defenses that have been among the league’s best over the last two seasons. If the interviews do get scheduled, Quinn would be available to speak to the 49ers this week because the Seahawks have a bye in the first round of the playoffs while Bowles will have to wait until after Arizona faces the Panthers this weekend.

The 49ers have also reportedly asked for permission to speak with Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, which suggests they aren’t locked into a coach from one side of the ball as they look for Jim Harbaugh’s successor.

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45 Responses to “Report: 49ers ask permission to interview Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles”
  1. higheriqthanyou says: Dec 29, 2014 1:52 PM

    Sorry Niners.

    Seasons not over for these two.

  2. RomoIsGod says: Dec 29, 2014 1:54 PM

    Further proof that the Rooney Rule is no longer needed in today’s NFL. Time to put it to bed.

  3. gashmr says: Dec 29, 2014 1:54 PM

    Why a defensive coordinator? They already seem to have a good one there? they need to get that offense untracked right?

  4. sf69ers says: Dec 29, 2014 1:56 PM

    Bowles makes sense, but Quinn runs a completely different defensive scheme than what the 49ers are currently built for. Offense is the issue, not defense. As a 49ers fan, bad start.

  5. thereisfootballwestofjersey says: Dec 29, 2014 1:58 PM

    Please hire Dan Quinn so he can bring the Seahawks medication program with him! Schneider and Pete the Cheat have developed 4th, 5th and 6th round talent (as well as undrafted players) into man-eating pro bowlers and sub 4.4 guys all on a regimen of 8 hours sleep and oatmeal! Right?

    Does anyone else kind of wonder how Seattle went from having the most drug positives in the league in 2011/2012 to not having ONE drug related suspension in 2013 and 2014? Doesn;t that strike you as odd? And while we’re at it, when the rest of the league is hobbled with crippling injuries this time of year, how do the Seahawks get healthier down the stretch?

    That oatmeal and 8 hours of sleep program is bulletproof!

  6. pau49ers says: Dec 29, 2014 1:58 PM

    Holmgren, Holmgren, Holmgren. He’s from SF, he was a coach when the Niners won superbowls. He grew up a fan of the team. It’s his dream job – GET HIM!

  7. xpensivewinos says: Dec 29, 2014 2:00 PM

    Miami should have made Bowles the head coach when he was on the Dolphins staff a few years ago instead of wasting their time with pathetic losers like Joe Philbin-Aponte.

  8. ayyyjayyy says: Dec 29, 2014 2:02 PM

    higheriqthanyou says:
    Dec 29, 2014 1:52 PM
    Sorry Niners.

    Seasons not over for these two.

    ——————–

    Congratulations! Now I see you’re starting to learn football. Good for you since2012ers.

  9. whenwilliteverend says: Dec 29, 2014 2:02 PM

    Good luck to any coach who goes into that environment of petty squabbling and stupidity. They already ran off a coach that turned that franchise around. What can they possibly do to the next one? The 49ers front office could turn into the Raiders-east.

    What coach would want that job now anyway? First, you have that GM who’s delusional. Secondly, you’re probably stuck with Kaepernick and if his play this year is an indication, that’s not an idea situation. Third, that team has had a lot of injuries and some older players. Unless they get an infusion of talent and youth, it’s gonna be a problem.

    Too bad. I liked the 49ers when they hired Harbaugh. They really turned the corner. It just goes to show how a front office can ruin a franchise.

  10. badburro says: Dec 29, 2014 2:05 PM

    Talking to Todd Bowles is for the Rooney Rule. The Niners aren’t interested in any DC for HC. They’re kicking the tires and then will promote from within because it will be cheaper. Had they promoted within during the season they could’ve bypassed the Rooney Rule. Regardless, Baalke is looking for someone that will kiss his behind and good coaches don’t do that (Harbaugh). So it looks like back to the cellar for us Niners fans.

  11. shotgunnoblitz says: Dec 29, 2014 2:09 PM

    Honestly, the nfl needs to step in and say that teams arent allowed to interview coaches until after the Super Bowl. Every year its the same, some coach gets interviewed and leaves the team for a few days while they are supposed to be getting prepared for the game. This is mucking up teams ability to perform.

  12. braceyourselffor12 says: Dec 29, 2014 2:09 PM

    Talk is emerging in the Bay that Vic Fangio is a possible successor to Harbaugh which would at least be reassuring since he has been an OC and DC before. So if they are going after Bowles I hope it’s to replace him as DC. Like someone mentioned above Quinn is someone we could do without as the defensive scheme they run is different.

    Still upset about the Niner front office running off the best coach we’ve had in the last 12 years. Friggin’ mooks.

  13. basilmarinerchase says: Dec 29, 2014 2:10 PM

    I have to imagine this is at least in part an effort to further bolster the images of Bowles and Quinn. If the 49ers value them more, other teams will value them more, and it increases the chances a division rival will lose a coordinator to someone else.

    The 49ers have got to be aiming for an offensive coach and keeping their current coordinator and system in place. If they have any sense. Which is…a questionable assumption.

  14. pau49ers says: Dec 29, 2014 2:13 PM

    I’ll add to my Holmgren reasoning. He is also an offensive coach. The assistant to the guru we call Bill Walsh. He called the offense on multiple superbowl winning teams. He went to Seattle and flipped that organization and took them to a superbowl. Niners have a front office problem, great he is an executive and professional running the Browns. He can come in and put the muzzle on Jed York and handle the organization in a much more professional manner. When all this madness started he came out and said he hadn’t shut the door on coaching, He definitely wants the Niners job more than any other job out there. He fits the bill with offensive genius, front office experience, a tradition of winning, and a history with the 49ers. He keeps Vangio and this team will be tough to beat next year.

  15. pau49ers says: Dec 29, 2014 2:22 PM

    shotgunnoblitz says:
    Dec 29, 2014 2:09 PM

    Honestly, the nfl needs to step in and say that teams arent allowed to interview coaches until after the Super Bowl. Every year its the same, some coach gets interviewed and leaves the team for a few days while they are supposed to be getting prepared for the game. This is mucking up teams ability to perform.
    _______________________________
    Not really, they meet the guy on Monday, the day off. Also, the teams have to ask permission so all parties know what they are getting into. Plus, NFL teams can’t wait too long. The hiring process takes a while and starting in the middle of February with the draft 6-8 weeks away you need to know what kind of system you are drafting for. Playoff teams don’t fire coaches so you would be punishing teams that didn’t make the playoffs and need help.

  16. f1restarter says: Dec 29, 2014 2:22 PM

    Todd Bowles is this year’s requisite Rooney Rule candidate. Multiple teams will interview him to keep the Jesse Jacksons off their backs, then hire who they really want.

    What a silly game.

  17. thebirdofprey2 says: Dec 29, 2014 2:22 PM

    thereisfootballwestofjersey says: Dec 29, 2014 1:58 PM

    Please hire Dan Quinn so he can bring the Seahawks medication program with him! Schneider and Pete the Cheat have developed 4th, 5th and 6th round talent (as well as undrafted players) into man-eating pro bowlers and sub 4.4 guys all on a regimen of 8 hours sleep and oatmeal! Right?

    —————————————-

    I understand there is bitterness for your team’s season being over but how about top tier coaching at each position with guys like Ken Norton Jr – Linebackers ., Kris Richard & Pete -Secondary, Travis Jones & Quinn on the defensive line.
    49ers defensive coordinator has one of the strongest schemes in the NFL for 4 years running.

  18. deeznutzinyamouth says: Dec 29, 2014 2:22 PM

    I would avoid hiring coordinators as HC’s. 9 out of 10 times they don’t pan out.

    See: Joe Philbin, Tony Sparano, Eric Mangini

  19. sdbolts says: Dec 29, 2014 2:24 PM

    pau49ers says:
    Dec 29, 2014 1:58 PM
    Holmgren, Holmgren, Holmgren. He’s from SF, he was a coach when the Niners won superbowls. He grew up a fan of the team. It’s his dream job – GET HIM!
    ___________________________________

    By seeking permission to talk with all these coordinators, the 49ers are showing they don’t want to pay big money (Harbaugh money, or anything approaching it), and they want someone Baalke can control. Holmgren won’t work for peanuts, and won’t work under Baalke.

  20. quadya says: Dec 29, 2014 2:25 PM

    T. Bowles should have been a HC a long time ago. Wish the phins would have hired him.

  21. cafetero1075 says: Dec 29, 2014 2:26 PM

    Quinn is who I wanted for my Dolphins.

  22. Dogsweat says: Dec 29, 2014 2:27 PM

    1. Lou Dobbs

  23. pau49ers says: Dec 29, 2014 2:28 PM

    But every head coach starts out as a coordinator. Never heard of a guy never coaching and then being a head coach…….. Every single coach was once a coordinator.

  24. bassplucker says: Dec 29, 2014 2:28 PM

    This is going to be an interesting process to watch. In certain respects it’s a plum gig… new stadium, great area to live, and plenty of good young talent on both sides of the ball (especially in the trenches). On the other hand, anybody who doesn’t come in and deliver at least a playoff berth (and more realistically, a division championship) in Year 1 is going to be seen as a bad hire.

    It’s a unique situation because it’s pretty much a turn-key situation talent wise, but that only means the expectations out of the gate will be correspondingly high.

  25. RegisHawk says: Dec 29, 2014 2:34 PM

    Bowles & Quinn are interviewing for the HC position. They would not take a sideways move. In fact, I think franchises put wording into contracts to prevent just that type of deal…the person can move upwards only.

    I like how since Harbaugh is a failure it must be because everyone else is cheating in some way, shape or form. He had his share of substance/domestic abusers and even had his own DUI, but you’re willing to overlook all that in order to excuse his inability to win the big game.

    Rumor still points to Tomsula, so these could just be “filler” interviews, done to fulfill Rooney and due-diligence requirements. In addition, promoting Tomsula would probably also mean keeping most of the current staff, which wouldn’t necessarily be the case if you brought in someone from outside – they would want their own people.

  26. pau49ers says: Dec 29, 2014 2:35 PM

    By seeking permission to talk with all these coordinators, the 49ers are showing they don’t want to pay big money (Harbaugh money, or anything approaching it), and they want someone Baalke can control. Holmgren won’t work for peanuts, and won’t work under Baalke.
    ________________________________
    Listen Baalke still reports to the executives above him. You think he has more pull when it comes to a head coach then he really does. York reluctantly promoted him to GM when Harbaugh took over. The 49ers were looking for someone else to be the GM and couldn’t find anyone so promoted him from within. This isn’t Bill Parcels we’re talking about. This is Baalke’s first GM position and the reality is that he’s York’s whipping boy more than anything else.

  27. roanboon says: Dec 29, 2014 2:40 PM

    I get very nervous when a playoff team’s coordinators start interviewing before the season is done.

  28. gashmr says: Dec 29, 2014 2:43 PM

    If the 49ers want a good head coach they should go after the guy that Michigan hired.

    I miss him already…Hawks fan

  29. 11inthebox says: Dec 29, 2014 2:55 PM

    RomoIsGod:

    Further proof that the Rooney Rule is no longer needed in today’s NFL. Time to put it to bed.
    ———————————————
    Interesting point. But I disagree. While I believe there are many (white) executives—in and out of sport—who hire people of color, there are many others—like Jerry Jones or Donald Trump, who would never even consider a person of color for a position of authority.

    Think about it for a second. Have the Cowboys even had a coordinator who wasn’t white?

  30. kennyb3441 says: Dec 29, 2014 2:59 PM

    They should go all in on jay gruden.

  31. imsaneinthebrain says: Dec 29, 2014 3:00 PM

    If Dan Quinn goes to the 9ers. I’m done watching football

  32. skawh says: Dec 29, 2014 3:01 PM

    “Further proof that the Rooney Rule is no longer needed in today’s NFL. Time to put it to bed.”

    $$$$$

    Couldn’t disagree more strongly. The fact that there aren’t more black head coaches in the league, and its front office management is a reflection of why the rule is needed.

    However, teams have found ways around the rule forever, that’s reality.

  33. greysolon says: Dec 29, 2014 3:01 PM

    And the Niners downhill slide begins….

  34. kennyb3441 says: Dec 29, 2014 3:04 PM

    They need Tim Tebow as qb coach to mentor kapernick.

  35. kennyb3441 says: Dec 29, 2014 3:07 PM

    Maybe Lou holtz. Just saying

  36. 7ftgriff says: Dec 29, 2014 3:08 PM

    It’s smart to interview a lot of candidates, especially ones that have had success at what they currently are doing.

    Interviewing doesn’t mean they’re hiring either one of these guys, why would the 49ers limit themselves and potentially miss out on interviewing the next great football mind?

    This doesn’t mean they won’t also be interviewing Gase, Shanahan, Holmgren, Hamilton, Fangio, Tomsula, etc… People freaking out over who’s getting interview requests is stupid, and it’s way to early for analysis.

  37. fumblenuts says: Dec 29, 2014 3:18 PM

    Interesting about Dan Quinn…..problem is, he’s not bringing Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Maxwell and others with him.

  38. broncofanssuck says: Dec 29, 2014 3:19 PM

    Our defense is fine (assuming Fangio stays) we need a good O coordinator

  39. seabrawk12 says: Dec 29, 2014 3:20 PM

    Rex Ryan would look great in Santa Clara.

  40. oldlthrneck says: Dec 29, 2014 3:22 PM

    imsaneinthebrain says:Dec 29, 2014 3:00 PM

    If Dan Quinn goes to the 9ers. I’m done watching football
    ______________________________

    I’m not sure what to make of this statement. Could you elaborate? He is an excellant DC and has great schemes. He is a great motivator and and an outstanding coach. I hate to make assumptions on why you would say this, but I have my suspicions.

  41. Marshawn Lunch says: Dec 29, 2014 3:26 PM

    “Does anyone else kind of wonder how Seattle went from having the most drug positives..And..rest of the league is hobbled..how do the Seahawks get healthier down the stretch?”

    First of all, The Seahawks dealt with some bad eggs taking PEDs. That is all in the past. They got caught, got punished, got shunned, and ultimately had to adjust their personality to remain with the team. Clearly you only know what has been reported on this website so it’s not worth going any further about it. Bottom line is the Seahawks play with passion. Not PEDs. It’s not surprising that you wouldn’t know what passionate play from your team looks like.

    Second, the Seahawks players aren’t all healthy. Check the injury report.

    49ers would be lucky to have Dan Quinn as their HC. But, it won’t happen.

  42. petecarrollempire says: Dec 29, 2014 3:47 PM

    49ers burning down the town!!!!

    Trying to relive past dreams of empires built that have crumbled with time……… time changes all things. Something money can’t buy!!!

  43. phelbin says: Dec 29, 2014 4:31 PM

    fumblenuts says:

    Interesting about Dan Quinn…..problem is, he’s not bringing Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Maxwell and others with him.

    – – – – – – –

    But he’d be working with Justin Smith, Navorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Ahmad Brooks, Aldon Smith, Aaron Lynch, and Eric Reid.

  44. lesliehoerwinkle says: Dec 29, 2014 7:58 PM

    Bowles should go to the Raiders. Mark Davis needs a new bowl for his haircuts.

  45. swagger52 says: Dec 30, 2014 10:02 AM

    They need to bring in Tim Tebow as the team Chaplain and pray that the NFL moves them out of the NFC West and instead puts them into the AFC East – the perpetual machine of no competition.

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