Career Development Advisory Panel has list of coaching candidates ready to go

Posted by Mike Florio on December 26, 2018, 5:08 PM EST
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The annual coaching carousel soon will spin, and the league has been working to compile a list of recommended candidates for the looming array of vacancies.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the first tier of coaching candidates consists, in no particular order, of Cowboys defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Kris Richard, Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt (a two-time former head coach), Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak (former coach of the Titans), Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (former Broncos head coach), former Packers coach Mike McCarthy, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, and former Colts and Lions coach Jim Caldwell.

The second tier consists of Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen (former Raiders coach), Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley (former Jaguars head coach), Saints assistant head coach/tight ends coach Dan Campbell, Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale, and Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

Packets for each candidate will be made available to the teams that will be hiring a head coach without the use of an outside consultant. (The Packers, for example, aren’t using a consultant.) The Career Development Advisory Panel for 2019 consists of Bruce Arians, Bill Cowher, Dick Daniels, James “Shack” Harris, Charley Casserly, John Madden, and Jimmy Raye III.

Madden is a highly influential voice on the panel, given his ongoing relationship with the NFL’s coaches. Arians is an intriguing presence, given that he has openly stumped for the vacancy in Cleveland.

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44 responses to “Career Development Advisory Panel has list of coaching candidates ready to go”

  3. Ken Whisenhunt? REALLY?? On what basis could they possibly consider Whisenhunt a top tier candidate? What a joke.

  5. Soooo, Bruce Arians is on the panel but has also put his name out for the Browns job? Has he officially removed himself from consideration for any HC position or is he walking the line?

  8. When you look at what Jim Caldwell did with the Lions you have to be kind of impressed. Stafford had far and away his best years under Caldwell. They went 11-5 one year. They went 9-7 twice. And look what’s happened since, they’ve fallen back to being the Lions. Imagine what he could to with a real NFL team.

  9. Please don’t take Munchak from the Steelers. This guy has been turning UDFAs into quality players the past couple years and drafted players into starters.

  14. Wait… the genius that coached a team to 3-36-1 was left off??? Obviously Michel Silver isn’t part of this process.

  16. Little known fact: They used to include a fictional name in the list just to see if anybody had actually read the full list but had to stop when the fictional guy got as many offers as any of the real candidates they’d named.

  17. Oh God. Now you have to “consult” billionaire owners on who to hire for head coaches? These guys are not working for free.
    If the Browns don’t give Gregg Williams the head coaching job I WILL BURN JERSEYS.

  24. Charley Casserly potentially advising Maccagnan on who to look at. Charley is the reason the Jets are in the Maccagnan mess to begin with. Maccagnan must have pulled out some card tricks or something to sway the Jets in his interview. Talk about drab, lifeless personality. Terrible at his job. May as well give him more authority; what else can go wrong. Maccagnan probably asked Casserly to call the Johnsons and explain “the process” to them and that Maccagnan needs more time with a new coach. The current one is of no use after the knife wounds Maccagnan has inflicted through the media. Maccagnnan: “I picked Adams and discovered Darnold – anything else-see Todd Bowles. “

  26. Don’t forget Jeff Fisher as well. Jeff would be a joke of a hire as many others. Why would any team owner look to that panel for any reference to do anything. How did Peter King’s name not get mentioned for anything in this article. I think, I think, King can do it all!

  28. If I am an owner I don’t give a rip who “the league” thinks should be my candidates. I will hire who I want for whatever reason I want. After all, it is MY team.

  29. lol Dennis Allen

    To any team tempted to hire him: I will put on a visor and stand on the sidelines looking stupid while doing absolutely nothing else of note for half of what you’ll have to pay him. The results will be the same.

  30. “Career Development Advisory Panel”

    My firstbthought was “the what?!l”

    If I am hiring someone I am going to compile my own info thank you very much.

  31. And people wonder why Tomlin and a dozen other coaches haven’t been replaced. Who the heck out there would do any better than the coaches most of these teams already have? Very few of those names would give me any confidence as a fan that the coaching has been improved.

  34. Please explain this tier system and why it’s needed? The job of organization is to find the best candidate. Why do they need a outside entity putting together information packets lol. Part of this game is hiring the head coach. Some teams do a better job then others. Stay out of it and let them do the research it takes to make the best decision.

  35. Saints defense was so bad 2014-16 Dennis Allen at least deserves some recognition for turning it into a Top 10 or 11 unit.

  36. There’s some fascinating young up-and-comers on the list, Eric Bienemy, Kris Richard, and others. What’s this “advisory panel” about? Who appointed them? Why? Won’t they just cause fights with the Fritz Pollard people? How does one get picked to be a guy who judges potential coaches?

    And who is Dick Daniels, and who’s Jimmy Raye III?

  39. Why do former head coaches need “career development?” Perhaps some could develop a career in another field. Any who the hell is Kris Richard’s agent? This guy was fired as the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator just last season, and yet he shows up on every list of potential hot head coaching candidates.

  41. venomraider says:
    December 26, 2018 at 5:20 pm
    Ken Whisenhunt? REALLY?? On what basis could they possibly consider Whisenhunt a top tier candidate?

    ————

    He’s a top OC currently and has previously coached in 2 Super Bowls as a coordinator and a head coach. How many other people actually have that on their resume?

    I like him better as an OC than a HC too, but just answering your question.

  43. “Career Development Advisory Panel has list of coaching candidates* ready to go”

    * guys who know where the bodies are buried.

  44. I’m as big a Pats fan as there is and even I’m not sure why Brian Flores is considered a “top tier” candidate. Technically he’s not even our defensive coordinator. Even if he was, it’s not like our D has been lights out. I suppose you could do worse though. Weird list.

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