2024 NFL Head Coaching Carousel

Interesting to hear David Shaw interviewed with the Chargers. There was a time, before things went south at Stanford, was that it was when not if he'd get an NFL HC gig. Throw in that he was Harbaugh's OC while he was at Stanford - and it would be an interesting play. Either as HC or OC. Always wanted him for the Raider gig - since that is where he and Harbaugh first crossed paths. Too many teams want the "hot name" - to win the press conference. There are a lot of great coaches out there. I understand the GM or owners don't want to have to "explain" a hire - but Shaw would be a great addition to whatever NFL sideline he ends up on.

 

I love Tomlin, here's why:

“I love to hear coaches resist the responsibility of coaching,” Tomlin said. “They’ll talk negatively about a dude that can’t learn and blah, blah. Man, if everybody could learn, we’d need less coaches, right? If the group didn’t need management, then we wouldn’t make as much.

“I love reading draft evals and somebody’s talking about anything other than pedigree, talking about how poor somebody’s hand usage is. Well, that’s coaching. I don’t run away from coaching. I run to coaching. It all is in line with not seeking comfort because when you’re a coach that’s talking about ‘Somebody can’t learn,’ you’re seeking comfort because your teaching is struggling.”

Overlay that with quotes from coaches who have flamed out. He speaks the truth.

 

Tomlin is an excellent communicator. He clearly isn't afraid to take on players who are immature or raw.

The bit about evaluations is interesting. That's one way to look at it, but it is still valid to point out what a player does not do well at that point. It also points to the failings of Tomlin and his staff with some players, especially quarterbacks. Roethlisberger was there before Tomlin. Nobody they have drafted since has panned out. Rudolph didn't show much during his first five seasons before putting together a few good games this past season. Pickett regressed in his second season. Maybe he just doesn't have it, but when a player regresses, doesn't that fall on coaching?

 

QB is a very tough find. Who has Pitt invested in? Pickett was a late 1st? Rudolph was what a 3rd? I guess you’d say Love was late 1st but he didn’t look very good until mid season of his 3rd season? Shanahan is excellent but before Purdy he missed with Beatherd, Mullens, Lance, etc.

 

Quarterback is definitely difficult. My biggest issue is the way they have mishandled Pickett. He showed flashes as a rookie, making tough throws under pressure and coming through with games on the line. This season, he still showed he could come through with the game on the line, but he seemed to lose his aggressiveness. He took few shots down the field and often bailed from the pocket too soon. Was some of that Tomlin and his staff pushing Pickett to take care of the ball at all costs? I think so. Was keeping Matt Canada for this season part of the issue? No doubt, as evidenced by the team firing him during the season. That's something extremely unusual for the Steelers, which tells you just how bad of a job they got from Canada. Holding on to a terrible offensive coordinator for Pickett's second season was a big mistake.

 

Tomlin is a defensive coach. Always has been. Perhaps Bill O’Brien wouldn’t have been the right fit, but he needs someone like that who’s very strong on that side of the ball. Kind of like what Ditka had with Buddy Ryan. They obv despised each other, but Ditka could focus on the offense and know Ryan had the defense figured out.

 

I wonder if a QB loses some aggressiveness in the second season. Its like you come in and just make throws, but in the second season, you know what to expect and the game slows down and then you start to overthink.

 

The longer it takes for Atlanta to announce that they’ve hired Belichick, the more I’m convinced that they have dicked this up in every way imaginable.

 

I just can’t see Belichick sitting out for a year but if he did wait, there’s a chance the Giants, the Eagles and (I know) the Jets open up.

 

Pierce losing the interim tag in Vegas.

 

Not sure if it's the right move, but it seemed inevitable.

 

Not the dumbest move Davis has made - or could have made. Interested in who the GM will be. For the record, no interim has ever gone on to win a Super Bowl. But, Bill Parcells was elevated from assistant after Ray Perkins left for Bama after '82.