Your top HC Candidates

[Gabeking]

Oh God.. NO. Rex Ryan would destroy us forever man.

But gene chizik would be better right?

[Mr. Scot]

What Fox did that helped him quite a bit was hire an assistant (Dan Henning) with prior head coaching experience to help him learn the details and nuances of the job. That's one of the big reasons Rivera is failing. There's no one like that on his staff.

We don't need to have a guy with prior head coaching experience in the driver's seat. We just need to have an experienced driver on staff to help him learn what to do.

[Kevin Greene]

This is really starting to bug me. Why do people keep saying "we need a coach with HC experience?" Just because Rivera is a shoddy coach doesn't mean all coordinators and assistants will suddenly be bad HCs.

John Harbaugh? Wasn't a HC prior

Mike Tomlin? Same

Rex Ryan? Same (and contrary to what media will tell you, Rex is a good HC, his team is just untalented; Rex's only issue is he talks too much)

John Fox was not a HC before he came to Carolina and he did great here until like 2007

Lovie Smith? Same as above

Jim Schwartz? Same (though not sure if he is a bad HC or not)

Mike McCarthy? Same

Mike Smith? Same

Sean Payton? Same

Tom Coughlin wasn't a HC before he got to Jax and look how good he was there.

Andy Reid was not a HC before he got to Philly. Was amazing for years there

Fisher wasn't a HC before he got to the Titans

Ken Whisenhunt is the same as above and I still think he's a good HC. Just needs to stop messing around and draft a QB. But his team is always competitive.

No, we don't need to draft an NFL retread. How many of those work out anyway? And tell me, how many ex-NFL HCs are out there that, 1) want to come back and 2) were any good? It's just annoying reading that. There are still plenty of coordinators out there who could be great HCs such as Clements.

But Rob Ryan certainly isn't one of them. IMO he's actually a pretty overrated DC and seems like one of those guys too stubborn for change.

You realize Coughlin and a guy you left off the list Belichek are both retreads right?

As well as Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden and Dick Vermeil.

Please go investigate how many recent Super Bowls these coaches have won.

kthanxby

[Gabeking]

You realize Coughlin and a guy you left off the list Belichek are both retreads right?

As well as Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden and Dick Vermeil.

Please go investigate how many recent Super Bowls these coaches have won.

kthanxby

Alright so that means we have options on both sides of the plate, no big deal but some of the specific suggestions for first timers are ridiculous (*ahem* chizik *cough* *cough* saban)

[Verge]

Or

[KillerKat]

Bruce Arians

Mike Zimmer

Tom Clements

If we're looking for a retread, Tony Dungy or Bill Cowher.

No Ryan brother assholes or Mike fuging McCoy or college coaches.

[Mage]

You realize Coughlin and a guy you left off the list Belichek are both retreads right?

As well as Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden and Dick Vermeil.

Please go investigate how many recent Super Bowls these coaches have won.

kthanxby

OK, Belichick is ONE retread out of how many coaches in the NFL right now? Better yet, you tell me. How many retreads actually have been successful in their 2nd run? And besides, Belichick didn't do anything until he got Brady, an all-time great QB. Not saying Belichick isn't great but you don't think it is a bit of a coincidence?

And Gruden, Vermeil, Dungy, Coughlin were all good HCs in their first, second, whatever run. They were not fired because they sucked.

Now, answer my question. How many possible retreads are out there right now who...

1) Were good in their first run like Gruden (and really, Gruden relied on old players in Oakland and didn't do anything outside of 2002 in Tampa), Vermeil, Dungy, Coughlin?

2) Want to coach?

Gruden is the only one who COULD classify. I don't know how long it'll take people here to realize Cowher is done coaching. Dungy is done coaching. So I'm not seeing any other retreads.

Unless you want Reid or the other crappy coaches who will get fired at seasons end.

Just because you were a HC before doesn't mean you'll be good at it again. And if you weren't good the first go around, you probably won't be good the second go around. Belichick proved to be the exception, not the rule.

[Mr. Scot]

As to some of the candidates mentioned...

Mike McCoy? No. That's Peyton's offense. Not his.

Want a guy who knows the pro game and knows it well, so none of the college names interest me.

I see Bruce Arians producing some positives out in Colt-land, but I'd have to be talked into that one.

Big "h--l no" to anybody with the last name of 'Ryan'.

Not a fan of Andy Reid, but even if I were I'd say the man needs a year off (and is in a good position to take one).

To Cowher, Gruden and any other retread, no. Ditto anyone from the current staff.

Josh McDaniels? Good grief no! He was lousy before, and the Belichick coaching tree has Dutch Elm Disease.

Could see Perry Fewell getting a look, but he's not my top choice. There are other options I could see getting a look, but not the job.

Pretty much the only guy who piques my interest is Mike Zimmer.

[Kevin Greene]

OK, Belichick is ONE retread out of how many coaches in the NFL right now...blah blah blah

This is really starting to bug me. Why do people keep saying "we need a coach with HC experience?" Just because Rivera is a shoddy coach doesn't mean all coordinators and assistants will suddenly be bad HCs.

Because history clearly tells us otherwise.

[Mage]

My point is, can people stop with this, we NEED a former HC? We don't NEED that. We NEED to hire the best man for the job. Damn near (as in, not all) of the best teams in the NFL right now have coaches who are first time HCs. So I don't know why some are under the belief that it is a must to have been a former HC to be successful.

[Mage]

Because history clearly tells us otherwise.

Because Rivera sucks means that all coordinators will suck as a HC? Sound logic!

No, history does not tell us otherwise. McCarthy isn't a retread. Harbaugh (baltimore) isn't a retread. 49ers Harbaugh didn't have HC NFL experience before he got to 49ers. Neither did Tomlin. Or Lovie. Or Mike Smith. Or Reid. Or Pagano (or Arians, whoever you want to credit for Colts success). Or Kubiak. Or Schwartz. Or Ryan. All coaches who have led their team to success.

History doesn't tell us a damn thing outside of the fact we made a bad choice for HC with Rivera.

If anything, what it shows us is a team is only as strong as their general manager.

[Mr. Scot]

Sad truth: Timing sucks on this, for a couple of reasons.

First off, we'll have to get a GM in place before we can think about hiring a head coach. And unless we do that in near record time, there's a chance the best head coaching candidates will already be snapped up elsewhere.

For that matter, I'm not really seeing all that many great candidates out there anyway. I seriously doubt the Panthers will be the only team hiring. And more than one of the teams expected to be putting out a 'help wanted' sign will be considered significantly more attractive options than Carolina.

Regardless of who the best option is, our chances of getting him aren't good.

[Gabeking]

I guess he made sure the team had enough iced Gatorade.

And I guess he's the dolphins HC now and has more wins than us

[Swaggasaurus]

Marty Schottenheimer with Herm Edwards as DC. Someone with no ego can be OC and force feed Stew and Tolbert