Proudiddy

I'm pie'ing, not for Sean going there, but the overall sentiment. I don't have a particular favorite, but I also don't think Sean will lose, even if he goes there. That being said, regardless what happens I agree with you about their franchise and that fanbase. I hope that franchise occupies the 7th level of fan hell for eternity. They deserve every bit of it for exactly what you said. I hope their organization is cursed for what they did to Cam and what the NFL let them get away with.

I liked Lance's potential and physicals coming out, but if Shanahan can't make you look good, then you aren't gonna look good anywhere else. Period. No thanks.

In all honesty, i would be excited until he have me a reason not to be.

Watching them, I don't get it. It's not like a Cam carrying an entire staff and team to a Superbowl. We barely made the playoffs outside of 2015 because Rivera's coaching was that bad. From what I've seen of the Bengals, they are good - both personnel and coaching. If that's the results of backing into a particular hire, sign me up. Meanwhile, we managed almost 9 years under a guy who just sat the QB who was winning him games for the bust they traded for who had already been benched for his abysmal play on his third team in 3 years, got blown out by a horrible team, then admitted he didn't know that loss essentially eliminated them from the playoffs. Tell Bengals fans to come talk to us.

I really like Kafka. I also think Dorsey is getting shortchanged and is solid as well. I honestly would be happy with Payton, Kafka, Dorsey, or Steichen in no order. I just hope we act pretty quickly.

I am worried about the same. But I will say, if memory serves correctly, I believe the Eagles backed into Sirriani. Bengals might have with Taylor too. At this point, with Tepper, we're gonna have to hope that luck kicks in at some point, like right now.

I think my issue with him, if memory serves me correctly, was his time with the Dolphins. Wasn't he the guy that asked Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute and his father was her pimp? And if that was him, I don't think he had too hot of a tenure in Miami from a success standpoint either.

No doubt. I love his analysis. And again, I think Wilks is a hell of a football coach, but we just can't go with a defensive minded coach on this hire.

Ireland sucks.

Both guys that not only Greg knows and is close to via his career, but also guys with strong roots in the community which Olsen calls home as well, so I love him, but I don't think Olsen is super objective on this...

I agree. I've thought about your last point too. Again, if I can get it out of my mind that it's some kind of ulterior motive from him to screw us over, I can see that maybe, just maybe, he has an axe to grind with NO, and thus, he has extra incentive to come here rather than anywhere else to make their lives hell... and I would absolutely love that. And as you pointed out, I also think the division, regardless of his previous history with it or NO, is much more attractive because it is completely in flux and up for grabs for the next decade, combine that with the flexibility our team offers with good young pieces and the positioning to add more quickly... to me it just makes the most sense for any coach considering the two jobs.

I just mentioned it in the other thread, but that sounds like the same thing that happened with Tepper and Rhule, when Tepper outbid himself for Rhule and then Rhule took the offer back to the Giants, like the slimeball he is, and asked if they'd match it and they didnt. But the difference here is, I don't think Rhule really cared about the state of the franchise he was undertaking or any of that, he just wanted to swindle one for the most money he could get and then try to spitball it as he went along. Whereas, Payton knows what he's doing and has a criteria he is looking for. And as I mentioned elsewhere, he has made his living off scheming the middle of the field open. Denver is married to Wilson for at least 3 more years, IIRC, and his biggest weakness is seeing the middle of the field - which is why many have speculated he played so badly this year under Hackett. Payton has also laid out in his interviews what his preferences are in a job... If he wants a heavy amount of sway in personnel and control, would he rather take a job where he has to figure it out with a QB that doesn't play to the strengths of his system for the next 3 years? Or would he rather take a job where he gets to pick his own guy and mold the offense to his system and preferences? Also, if his interest is legitimately genuine here, I also think as a competitor, would you rather take a job with a team that already has an established winning history (ahem, cheating), or would you rather take over a team that hasn't won it all yet, where you would be making the legacy all yours? I just don't see the Denver job as attractive at all, objectively. And anyway, fug them.

On second thought though... unless he's a tremendous actor, Payton sounded pretty detached from NO and Loomis in that Cowherd interview. I expected more "well, he's a friend" type stuff, but he seemed very removed from Loomis and the Saints, and only spoke about him in a professional sense. So, maybe it's not a ploy?

Huddle gonna Huddle.

I was trying to figure out how he could screw us over yesterday with this, but hadn't fully fleshed it out, but it looks like you did... until we have him officially hired, I don't trust him one bit. I always felt he had a deep-seated hatred for us that was personal... so until the ink is dry, and even then, I would still need a month or two to believe it, I am very suspicious of all of this. I also mentioned in another thread yesterday that local radio here in Raleigh was talking about it and said Tepper essentially has the reputation of being a mark around the league. And your theory here would fall into that description perfectly. I also mentioned how that reputation was well-earned after he essentially outbid himself for Rhule bc he was scared the Giants were going to get him, then the Rhule took the offer back to the Giants to match and they rejected him, and then Tepper essentially doing the same in directing them to go get Darnold. I really hope he doesn't embarrass us again...

I do NOT want him to end up in ATL. I'd really love for us to make a run at him, honestly. It's gonna be interesting to see if we do indeed hire Payton, if he feels Lamar is the guy. The idea of Brady could be cool, but Lamar has a lot more in the tank.

We only had this once, back in 2015, and it was only because of Cam's otherworldly talent. We became that team that older, great vets knew gave them a legitimate shot at competing for a Superbowl. Peanut, Jared Allen, Cortland Finnegan, etc. But again, Gettleman's dumbass closed that door as soon as it opened. This on the other hand, will double those odds because Payton is respected league-wide as a tactician and strategist and then obviously if Brady comes, now you have the on-field component and cache that he brings where guys will come just to play with him/for him because they know it will get them closer than they've ever been. I can't even run down the list of names that signed with the Bucs for that "last run" type of deal, but it features several future HOFers.

No offense to you, but I can't stand stats like this... they are meaningless. When you extrapolate it across all these decades of pro football, account for all the variables and factors in place that led to coaches not winning at a second stop, it makes zero fuging sense. It's a lot like those "Team X has not won a game at Team Y's stadium in 57 years." Or "Team X has never won when down 10 points in 30 degree weather in January." At some point, the poo is coincidental. Across all those years, all those coaches, all those teams, there is a lot of poo that conflates to the point that it finally becomes a "stat" even though it's just coincidence. Just like Boston not winning a World Series for 90+ years or whatever it was - UNTIL THEY DID. Same thing with the Cubs not winning one for as long as they did - UNTIL THEY DID. And during that period, people convinced themselves it was a curse, and it was because they didn't wear their lucky boxers, or Babe Ruth, or someone sold a goat, or whatever asinine bullshit there is... when in fact, the stars just never aligned, until they did. It's the same poo with this coaches not winning a Super Bowl at two different stops, until someone does. It's like nmin today's age, hypothetically, if someone interviews to be the Lions or Browns HC, and that would be like a candidate saying, "Nah, I'm gonna pass because you guys haven't won a Superbowl before in your long, storied existence." So youre gonna pass up the opportunity because it hasnt happened yet? Lol. A lot of the examples that people cite are also poor because a lot of the coaches who hired on elsewhere were past their prime or shouldn't have been coaching anymore. That's not Payton. Also, ask yourself... what are the statistical odds of winning a Superbowl one time as a head coach, anywhere? Now what are the odds of winning a second one, even in the same place? See why that's a dumbass stat. I'd much rather hire a guy with a proven track record that gives us a chance of even competing for one in the first place than whatever the alternative is (and the alternative is usually a middling .500-ish defensive-minded coach, which we've always preferred).

And if he turns us into instant winners that pick will be a lot closer to a 2nd rounder.

I've read it elsewhere too, can't remember where, but it's why I have never taken the Payton to Denver stuff serious no matter what they throw at him. They are stuck with Wilson for the foreseeable future after him looking like absolute poo this year, and the philosophy just doesn't match up for a coach who has made his living with mostly scheming passes over the middle of the field with a QB whose biggest weakness is seeing the middle of the field.

I was just thinking that Payton would try to do a solid to his former organization and make sure they get good comp for him, but then I also think that him as a competitor is not gonna want to give something up that's gonna hinder his ability to win, especially to a division rival, even if it is his former employer. So this will be interesting... but as someone else said, it's entirely possible the asking price isn't the anticipated first rounder bc if NO makes it a haggle, Payton can always just decide to sit out another year snd they get nothing as his contract expires.

I would love to cross that bridge when we get there. I think it's entirely possible to build an immediate winner now while having the plan in place to win once that 2 or 3 year window is over.

I said it elsewhere but I don't think this time is much different than when Payton took over in NO. They didn't have a QB from the previous year, they went out and got Brees. This is setup very similarly... although I think Carr is more likely and a great fit. But interestingly enough, I heard the closing statement from Brady's postgame presser last night, and he is definitely gone from Tampa. He essentially thanked the media for their relationship while he's been there and sounded like he isn't done, appreciated his time there, but goodbye.

Nah. I think he's waiting to be the next commish.

Imagine everyone getting all emotional about Johnson pulling out of consideration, Payton being the perceived frontrunner while the other numerous young OCs await their interviews, and then we announce we hired Reich as the new HC.