The Lions think that defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has a good chance of getting a head coaching job and coach Jim Caldwell said that multiple teams had requested permission to speak with him about their openings.
We now know of two teams sniffing around Austin. He said Thursday, via Tim Twentyman of the team’s website, that the Falcons and 49ers have both reached out to express their interest in meeting in the near future. The Falcons’ interest had been previously reported and the Niners have been casting a wide net in their effort to find a replacement for Jim Harbaugh on their sideline.
Austin can’t interview before the Lions face the Cowboys on Sunday. On Thursday, he was asked about the interest and gave the well-worn answer that he’s flattered by the interest while keeping all of his focus on the task at hand.
If Austin were to land a head coaching job, it would be a rapid rise up the ladder for a coach who hasn’t finished his first year as an NFL coordinator and has just one other year as a college coordinator on his resume to go with extensive experience coaching defensive backs.