It’s cliché, but the coaching carousel is spinning at full speed, just a week and a half after the regular season in the NFL, and the Chiefs and Rams are in the middle of the ride.
I’ll start first in Jacksonville, where former Mizzou quarterback Blaine Gabbert will have a new head coach. The Jaguars named Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey as their head coach. Mularkey has done well with Falcons coach Matt Ryan except for a 24-2 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday where the offense failed to score a single point. Ryan passed for a career-high 4,177 yards and 29 touchdowns. Mularkey will be needed to turn around Blaine Gabbert’s career, the Jaguars’ first-round draft pick who struggled as a rookie.
The Oakland Raiders fired their head coach Hue Jackson after just one season. Soon after officially signing his contract to be the first general manager since owner Al Davis’ death, Reggie McKenzie fired coach Jackson in a bold first move as he looks to give the organization a fresh start. This will be the Raiders ninth coach in the last 15 years.
One of Romeo Crennel’s first duties as Chiefs head coach is to find a new offensive coordinator. The New York Jets let Brian Schottenheimer go yesterday after they failed to make the playoffs. He interviewed for the Jacksonville head coaching job. Perhaps he could be a good fit in KC? I know the Jets struggled only scoring 50 in the last three games, but there were bigger issues in that lockerroom then Schottenheimer’s play calling. The Jets are interested in former Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano or former Chiefs head coach Todd Haley. Schott did a good job with limited skills at the QB position with Mark Sanchez. Perhaps he could do the same with Matt Cassel.
No decision yet from Jeff Fisher on if he wants the Rams head coaching job or Miami’s. The Rams did interview two more for their GM position visiting on Tuesday with Les Snead, the Director of Player Personnel for Atlanta and Lake Dawason, VP of football operations with Tennessee.
