Who Wants to Coach? NFL 2022

There's about eight coaching spots to fill in the NFL. It all started before the season ended Las Vegas, but firings came with Jacksonville firing first year Urban Meyer. Pretty much lost the locker room. Then came the avalanche after the final week of the season. Denver got rid of Vic Fangio. Then immediately came the firings of Minnesota's Mike Zimmer, Chicago's Matt Nagy, and the surprise of Miami's Brian Flores. After that was New York Giants' Joe Judge and Houston's David Culley. Las Vegas is up in the air as Jon Gruden did resign in October and if Rich Bisaccia retains being the coach.

Jacksonville was a mess and not getting along with Trevor Lawrence among other players pretty much got Meyer let go. Not to mention his behavior. Zimmer's teams in Minnesota were never consistent and his specialty in defense were up to snuff. Great offenses when healthy. Nagy always had offense problems in Chicago. Different quarterbacks, inconsistent running. Defense can't always save an offense. Flores had problems with some players similar to Meyer. I'd also wager Miami blowing opportunities to get into the playoffs this year and last year. Since 2002, they have only made the playoffs twice (2008, 2016)

Denver hasn't been the same over the last six seasons. Fangio's defenses were underwhelming and the offense was always changing. Struggled after starting well this season. Judge could not work with the pieces he was given on offense for New York once his key guys were hurt. Three coaches in six years for the team. Culley got put in a bad situation. No DeShaun Watson and no defense. The mess of Bill O'Brien still lingers. The situation regarding Gruden, he ain't coaching again. Bisaccia kept his composure to get only Vegas' second playoff berth in the last 20 years.

Dallas seemed like a question mark, but sounds like they are going to keep Mike McCarthy as their coach. Chicago has an interest in Brian Flores, though offense should be a priority. Minnesota should be a better fit for him New York needs an offensive minded guy. I wouldn't mind seeing Bisaccia get a crack at being the full time coach for Las Vegas. I don't know what direction you go with Denver and Jacksonville. The former needs to get out of the hump and back to some form of relevancy and the latter needs a winning formula with someone who can get the pieces together and win. I'm not sure Houston fixes their almost two year old mess.

Who has a good chance to be a coach again? Share you thoughts.

The Bold Giant

A heart attack claimed the life of former NFL coach Jim Fassel on Monday. I'm not sure how much you can really say about the 71 year old's legacy altogether. For an emphasis on offense, he found himself in situations that anyone would have given up. It is also a little surprising he never got a second head coach opportunity in the NFL given today's pass happy approach. But it all has to begin back 30 years ago. 

Stats from Pro Football Reference don't lie. Fassel was a quarterback coach in 1991 with the New York Giants. A fight for whether Phil Simms or Jeff Hostetler would be the number one guy. Upgrade to offensive coordinator in 92. Gave Rodney Hampton his best year rushing at the time and had four quarterbacks start. A move to Denver a year later. Gave John Elway his best year in yards thrown and a run game that could score despite yards rushing not being like the Giants. Got good stuff out of Arizona in 96 with the passing game but low tiered rushing. With Baltimore from 2004 through 06, it wasn't pretty, but he did get good use of Steve McNair and Jamal Lewis in 06.

If you're going to remember him, it will mostly be his time as the Giant coach from 1997 through 2003. Keep in mind the franchise had been struggling since their Super Bowl win. One playoff year since, but also the changing of the guard. A lot of fresh faces and very young vets. The defense performed well under John Fox's schemes and a consistent ground game put the team atop of the NFC East in 97. But QB issues hampered a bit with 1999 being bad offensively in both facets despite a 7 and 9 record. Sean Payton becomes the offensive coordinator in 2000. They stick to Kerry Collins, who was there the year prior, and revitalize his sagging career. Tiki Barber is given proper usage. The Giants do well to begin the season and go 7 and 2 to start.

Two straight losses lead to the press conference of Fassel and his biggest moment. The claim of going to the playoffs led to a resurgence. End the season 12 and 4. Beat Philadelphia and shut out Minnesota to a Super Bowl, losing to the Baltimore Ravens. A down year for 01, rebounding in 02 and one of the biggest referee screw ups in the playoffs. Payton leaves and the team implodes in 2003. Fassel is gone after the season is over.

Fassel's overall record is 58-53-1. It is a bit of a shock he never got a chance to coach again in the NFL. Maybe the way offenses changed over the years dictated where the league was going? Teams wanting a revival possibly liking ideas he may have? Regardless, he put his name on the league and did things that would lead to future success in Denver and New York. He may not have won it all, but it carved a path for his successors to win Super Bowls.

Who Wants to Coach? NFL 2020

Another year, another set of coaches that got let go. Not as big compared to last year, but some names will be propped up.

Carolina and Washington got rid of their guys before the season ended. Ron Rivera had struggled the past two seasons following a turnaround 2017 season. Quarterback issues and a mediocre defense hurt the end of his tenure. And obviously Washington had enough of Jay Gruden. There was always a problem with the team and this year included everything. Since I've been around in 1992, they've been to the playoffs six times. And the GM Bruce Allen was let go too. I don't know if anyone of my generation will see DC win a Lombardi trophy anytime soon.

Not a huge surprise Giant coach Pat Shurmur was fired. Kind of was expecting a return, but even that was a low expectation. Turnovers and defensive issues hurt his two year tenure. Chicago got rid of four coaches while retaining Matt Nagy as the head coach. Make or break for 2020 if they want a return to glory like 2018. Surprised Freddie Kitchens was fired from Cleveland. Eleven coaches since 1999 for the team. Too much constant change. Whoever takes the job should have it somewhat easy, but needs to make them consistent. GM John Dorsey also parted ways so who know what they'll draft.

Jacksonville retained Doug Marrone after stories sounded like he would be fired. Like Nagy, this will be make or break. Playoffs for 2020 or else he's let go. They need a stable quarterback, draft some defensive guys, and get the ground game back to being good. That's what I predict. And Dallas at this moment has not made their decision on Jason Garrett. I think he'll be fired. Why delay the inevitable? As some said, Jerry Jones is putting on a show. Garrett has great talent on the field, but no results. Two playoff wins in his tenure. Until Jones is gone, I don't think we'll see Dallas win another Super Bowl. Nothing is ever good for him.

The most coveted job is going to be in Carolina and New York. I would add Dallas, but it's a risk taking one solely because of how Jones wants to run the team. Same with Cleveland, but too much ineptitude is the reason. Washington is a last ditch effort unless someone thinks they can turn them around for good. See what happens, I guess.

Blowhard Francesa

In a profession I went to college for, I find most radio personalities and broadcasters to be annoying. I would put Mike Francesa near or at the top. This is the radio version of Nancy Grace. Obnoxious, rude, always interrupting. There is no redeeming qualities. At least Grace can say she's done well in solving crimes. Francesa has nothing. And this beef with the New York Football Giants is an example of his obnoxious attitude.

It's one thing to criticize moves. That's something any radio show will do. But to go on petty stuff and call the team and everyone losers is beyond normal. Why WFAN allows Francesa to keep doing things freely, I don't know. We won't know about Daniel Jones until a couple years later after Eli Manning is gone. Odell Beckham was a headcase for the team. There's a reason why they traded him to Cleveland. Forget talent. It was obvious he hurt the team and when he was hurt, they played much better at the end of the year. Landon Collins always has injuries. Would he have been nice to keep? Sure, but health is also a factor in this whole thing.

This is obviously a personal beef Francesa has and he won't give up on that grudge. I don't blame the Giants for not wanting him to show up or even cancel appearances to talk to him. I think he would have turned it into a "me, me, me" affair and try to stir controversy before the first game of the season in September. Why couldn't he just stay retired? Francesa is a blowhard moronic loser. Guys like him make it easy to turn off radios.

NY Enemy No. 1.

If yesterday's responses mean anything with the overwhelmingly negative responses, it means Eli Manning is probably the most loved guy by people who played for him. Amidst a very forgettable season where the New York Football Giants are 2 and 9, he had started every game this year. That will change late Sunday afternoon when the decision was made to bench him in favor of backup Geno Smith. That will mean his 210 consecutive game streak as a starter is over, leaving him second all-time for quarterbacks behind Brett Favre, who had 297. Ironically, the first game Favre did not start in when it ended was when the Minnesota Vikings faced the Giants in 2010.

I think it says a lot that a number of responses showed a lot of support for Manning and the way things have been handled by coach Ben McAdoo and the management of the Giants. Former players who were with the signal caller voiced extreme displeasure such as center Shaun O'Hara (Part of the 07 Super Bowl team) and Justin Tuck (07 and 11). Others like Plaxico Buress, (07)and Antrel Rolle (11) showed disappointment. Even radio color commentary man Carl Banks, who has called games since 2007, showed a lot of anger. Outside of the team, there's London Fletcher showing the disappointment. Marshawn Lynch even said his thoughts about it, and also mocked his time in Seattle with his former team's Super Bowl gaffe a few years ago.

McAdoo has said to the media about evaluating the positions. I think theoretically, he is looking to the future, whether or not owner John Mara keeps him on as coach. Come next year, he could be gone along possibly with GM Jerry Reese. The question was asked to Manning about starting the game for a half, but he declined to start. I think it says a lot on Manning's character. You can tell from his talk to the media how hard it was for him to know that he was going to be benched and that there was no point to playing a half just to be gone for the second half.

Something tells me the Giants will have a new guy under center for the 2018 season. Who it is, I don't know. I could see Smith being a starter, but only as a temporary guy until either rookie Davis Webb gets his due, or they draft a quarterback for the upcoming NFL Draft and have him back up Webb. The odds of Manning being back are there, but options could be set to see him in another organization. Some think the Jacksonville Jaguars would be a place to go to. It helps that there is some New York personnel there, including former Giant coach Tom Coughlin, who was there at the start of Manning's career, and current coach Doug Marrone, who coached Syracuse football and the Buffalo Bills. Coughlin talked to the media and was upset and showed a lot of praise for his former QB.

This year was supposed to be a hyped one for the Giants. At first it was offense, and then defense that showed issues. Losing practically the entire receiving corps in early October didn't help. Manning has had nobody for almost two months. Still, his stats aren't as bad as the record. He's thrown for 2,400 yards, 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, which will be the lowest for him in a season as a full starter. When it's all said and done, he has shattered a lot of team records that won't be broken for a long time. The Super Bowls will be remembered because of the late heroics and throws that cement his legacy. Odds are Manning will be in good company with quarterbacks Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, and receiver Larry Fitzgerald, all of which were part of that 2004 draft. (Manning was first overall, Fitzgerald third, and Rivers fourth) All four will be in the Hall of Fame when their careers end.

Phil Simms' last game ever was an embarrassing loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 1993 playoffs. I don't think Manning is finished yet, but if Thanksgiving is to be his last game as a Giant, it marks an end of an era that has been a big roller coaster ride that has gone way downhill this year. The next five games will determine who is in and out. Any way you slice it, management is going to clean house and possibly set up a new coach, general manager, and a new set of players with a different style of play.