It seems that the general consensus here is that we should move on from Jeff Fisher. I don't know what the Rams will do. Some will say that this thread is premature. You're entitled to that opinion. But this is a message board, so we might as well speculate. Here are the coaches that I'd consider leading candidates for the job along with my thoughts (in no order):
1.
Anthony Lynn OC Buffalo Bills
Pros
- Former NFL player who is reportedly incredibly respected by players in the locker-room
- Diverse coaching tree (coached under Parcells, Del Rio, Ryan, Shanahan, and Crennel)
- Highly successful position coach and successful thus far as an OC
Cons
- No HC experience and very little OC experience
- No clue what sort of staff he'd pull
My Outlook
- I think he's a strong candidate for us because he's offensive-minded and should connect well with players. I have concerns about his lack of experience and ability to pull a top tier staff. However, he does have connections with a ton of different coaching trees, and he's done well it at every step of the way thus far as a coach.
2.
Jim Bob Cooter OC Detroit Lions
Pros
- Offensive-minded coach whose system looks amazing in Detroit
- Experience as a player and a coach is with Quarterbacks (good for Goff)
- Modern offensive scheme
Cons
- Very young (32 years old)
- No HC experience and very little OC experience
- No clue what sort of staff he'd pull as he doesn't have a diverse coaching tree and is very young
My Outlook
- Cooter has really taken the NFL by storm by helping Detroit to first place in the NFC North. He has Stafford playing at the highest level of his career, and his system looks highly effective. Cooter is a much easier sell here if he stuck with Gregg Williams, the defensive staff, and John Fassel (as well as his staff). That would alleviate my concerns about his ability to put together a staff.
3.
Matt Patricia DC New England Patriots
Pros
- Experience coaching both sides of the ball
- Considered to be absolutely brilliant and has been successful as a coordinator
- Seems highly energetic, well-liked by his players, and very enthusiastic about his job
Cons
- No HC experience
- Belichick's assistants have not fared well outside of New England
- What sort of staff will he put together? (limited coaching tree)
My Outlook
- Patricia is an interesting one. Hiring a Belichick assistant scares me, but Patricia is reportedly exceptionally brilliant. What makes him a rarity to me is that exceptionally brilliant coaches generally seem to be the types who don't connect well with players. From my observations, Patricia is very well-liked by the guys who play for him. He reminds me a lot of Mike Zimmer in the energy and passion he brings to games.
4.
Todd Haley OC Pittsburgh Steelers
Pros
- Has some success as a head coach and a lot of success as an OC
- Runs a modern scheme that perfectly fits Goff's game
- Comes from a very diverse coaching tree (should be able to put a good staff together)
Cons
- Failed as a HC the first time; reportedly had issues with the players in the locker-room
- Walked into a stable situation in Pittsburgh with a ton of offensive talent
- He didn't play football in college or the pros
My Outlook
- I like the scheme that Haley brings, and there's no doubt that he's a very bright offensive mind. I do have concerns about his ability to handle the locker-room. It was a struggle for him in Kansas City. He did have a playoff year in KC, but he also got fired. I'm on the fence with him. The most important thing for me with our next coaching hire is that the guys in the locker-room will play for and respect that coach.
5.
Kyle Shanahan OC Atlanta Falcons
Pros
- Long track record of success in a lot of different situations
- Modern offense that would work well with the pieces we have
- Should have the sufficient connections to create a great staff
Cons
- A lot of rumors floating around that players don't like him
- No HC experience
- Young (36 years old)
My Outlook
- If it were strictly Xs and Os, Shanahan would be #1 on my list because I think his scheme perfectly fits our offense. He's a brilliant coordinator. However, I'd avoid hiring him if the rumors are true. The rumors are that he's very arrogant and rubs players the wrong way. This led to players in Washington not liking him and players in Atlanta currently do not like him. I wouldn't want to take a chance on a coach who is not liked by players.
6.
David Shaw HC Stanford University
Pros
- He has 6 years of head coaching experience despite being only 44 years old
- Successful head coach (62-17 record at Stanford)
- Offensive-minded head coach who has shown the ability to adapt to his talent
- Has experience in the NFL working under Jon Gruden and Brian Billick
- Played in college for Bill Walsh and Dennis Green
- Father coached in the NFL for over a decade
Cons
- Has a lot of good reasons to remain at Stanford
- Is a conservative game manager
- Hasn't been able to win a national championship at the college level
My Outlook
- Personally, I think David Shaw is our best option. However, I don't know that he wants to leave Stanford. What makes Shaw a strong option is that he runs a pro style offense that he adapts to his personnel, he has experience working in the NFL, he has a lot of connections in the NFL, and he's a successful head coach already at a young age. He does have a streak of Fisherness in him (tends to be very conservative with the lead), but his offensive philosophy isn't antiquated. I think he'd work well with the personnel we have.
7.
Mike McCarthy HC Green Bay Packers
Pros
- Offensive-minded HC with a Super Bowl ring
- Known as one of the best QB developers in football
- Modern offensive system
- Can put together a strong staff
- Not old for a coach who has 11 years experience and 100+ wins as a HC (53 years old)
Cons
- Is being stubborn with his offensive system in Green Bay
- Things seem to have gotten stale in Green Bay
- Is a conservative game manager
- Unlikely to be fired
My Outlook
- Truth is that it's hard to argue with Mike McCarthy's track record. If he came available, I'd go all in on him. Unfortunately, I think he's highly unlikely to be fired despite what some rumors say.
You might notice that I didn't include a few names. I didn't include Josh McDaniels because I wouldn't consider him for the job. I think you have many of the same issues that you have with Kyle Shanahan (arrogance and disliked by players) without the track record of success in many different situations.(McDaniels has universally failed outside of NE)
I didn't include Jim Schwartz because he feels like much of the same with Fisher. Schwartz is a brilliant DC, but he was too similar of a HC to his mentor, Jeff Fisher. I think we need fresh blood who has a fresh offensive approach.
I didn't include a number of coaches who are retreads in my minds because they already got shots as HC and failed. Some of them failed multiple times. These coaches include Norv Turner, Wade Phillips, Rod Marinelli, John Fox, etc.
I also didn't include coaches who are either too old (ex. Tom Coughlin) or are retired (ex. Jon Gruden). Frankly, I'm just not interesting in trying to relive the past with guys like Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, etc.
What do you guys think? Is there anyone I missed? Who would you like to see hired?(you don't have to agree with me...maybe you want Norv Turner or Jon Gruden; everybody's opinion is welcome)
I want to state at the outset:
This is not a thread to rip Fisher in. We have enough of those already. Let's just focus on who we want moving forward. I know that we may not fire Fisher, but this is a forum. Half of the fun is speculating and playing armchair GM.
