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Top 10 NFL Head Coaching Prospects for 2009

In Dallas Cowboys, National Football League, New England Patriots, New York Giants on December 2, 2008 at 1:21 am
New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is one of the brightest head coaching prospects in football.

New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is one of the brightest head coaching prospects in football.

Also check out the Top 10 NFL Head Coaching Vacancies for 2009.

10. Mike Heimerdinger, Offensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans

Heimerdinger has a solid reputation for his abilities on the offensive side of the ball. He’s worked under Mike Shanahan twice, helping develop Jay Cutler at quarterback. The Titans’ offense ranks sixth in rushing yards and seventh in points scored in the league.

9. Jim Caldwell, Associate Head Coach and Quarterbacks Coach, Indianapolis Colts

Caldwell coached in the college ranks for 20 years and was head coach for eight at Wake Forest. He’s helped develop quarterbacks and passing games in the NFL.

8. Bill Cowher, Former Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers

Cowher sets an aggressive tone with his teams. He has a Super Bowl championship under his belt, two AFC championships, and was named AP Coach of the Year in 1992. Cowher is best with a veteran team.

7. Mike Martz, Offensive Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers

His accomplishments speak for themselves. The former Rams head coach is a great offensive mind. What seems to limit Martz is a reputation for not meshing well with others.

6. Ron Rivera, Defensive Coordinator, San Diego Chargers

The Bears defense fell off in 2007 with Rivera’s departure. He helped lead one of the most dominant defenses while defensive coordinator in Chicago. He has a solid background from his days in Philadelphia.

5. Jim Schwartz, Defensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans

Schwartz has learned under Jeff Fisher and Bill Belichick. The Titan’s impressive start this year is primarily due to a resurgent defensive unit that has lost many players in recent offseasons due to salary cap restrictions.

4. Rex Ryan, Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Baltimore Ravens

Ryan has helped lead one of the best defensive units in nine seasons with the Ravens. In his three seasons as coordinator, Ryan’s defense has ranked among the top six in the league each year. Baltimore was No. 1 in the NFL in 2006, surrendering the fewest points.

3. Josh McDaniels, Offensive Coordinator, New England Patriots

What McDaniels has been able to achieve this season without Tom Brady is remarkable. He’s learned under one of the best in the business in Belichick. He’s considered a good evaluator of talent.

2. Jason Garrett, Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have one of the league’s most dangerous offensive units. Garrett is the type of coach that’s perfect for a team looking to rebuild and develop young players. He’s unproven, however—this is only his second season as coordinator.

1. Steve Spagnuolo, Defensive Coordinator, New York Giants

Spagnuolo is the architect of a defense that applied relentless pressure on the Patriots’ record-setting offense in Super Bowl XVII. He’s turned around a defensive unit that ranked 25th in the league before his arrival, now ranked No. 3 overall in the NFL.

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Top 10 Possible NFL Head Coaching Vacancies for 2009

In Dallas Cowboys, National Football League on December 2, 2008 at 1:00 am
Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is on the hot seat.

Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is on the hot seat.

Also check out the Top 10 NFL Head Coaching Prospects in 2009.

10. Dallas Cowboys

If the playoffs started today, the Cowboys wouldn’t qualify. If Wade Phillips doesn’t lead the team into postseason play, owner Jerry Jones may decide to part ways. He may be influenced by having hot commodity offensive coordinator Jason Garrett on staff.

9. Philadelphia Eagles

Despite Andy Reid’s impressive record with the Eagles, the team will miss the playoffs this season and is in decline. Reid is also in charge of football operations with final say on personnel matters—the players that he’s assembled simply aren’t good enough to compete for a championship.

8. Kansas City Chiefs

This season is shaping up as the Chiefs’ worst season since Lamar Hunt founded the franchise in 1960. Fans are rightfully growing impatient with Herman Edwards, although the team is one of the youngest in the league.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jack Del Rio may be on the hot seat. The Jaguars were widely picked as a Super Bowl contender this year. The players have aged and younger players haven’t emerged to replace them. The Jaguars have drafted only one Pro Bowl player since Del Rio was hired.

6. San Diego Chargers

It’s difficult to understand how Norv Turner continues to have a coaching position in the league. Coming off a season in which the Chargers where a game away from reaching the Super Bowl, the team is languishing in one of the worst divisions in the league and will miss the playoffs.

5. St. Louis Rams

The Rams may fire Jim Haslett after the season. He possess a meager .458 career win percentage as a head coach. The team might take this chance to bring in an entirely new staff and completely retool.

4. Oakland Raiders

It’s unlikely that owner and general manager Al Davis will keep interim coach Tom Cable. Cable lacks high level head coaching experience prior to this season. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is widely considered head coach material, but Davis passed on him after firing Lane Kiffin.

3. Detroit Lions

Most teams will give a coach three years to turn around a team. Rod Marinelli is now in his third season, he has a 10-33 career record, and the Lions may become the first winless team in NFL history.

2. Cleveland Browns

Now in his fourth season, Romeo Crennel has had one winning season in Cleveland. Despite the team’s lack of success against the Steelers in recent seasons, analysts wrongly predicted the Browns would be one of the up-and-coming teams, following a 10-6 campaign last year. The team has regressed badly this season.

1. Cincinnati Bengals

In six seasons with the Bengals, coach Marvin Lewis has had one winning season. The Bengals have some of the league’s most potent offensive players. The negative locker room culture has been widely documented. Although Lewis isn’t the one making the executive decisions, for better or for worse, he’s the ringleader.

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Bill Parcells Is The Best Football Mind Of The NFL Modern Era

In Bill Parcells, Dallas Cowboys, National Football League, New England Patriots, New York Giants on November 25, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Bill Parcells, now heading football operations in Miami, is one tough SOB and the most brilliant football mind of the NFL's modern era.

Bill Parcells, now heading football operations in Miami, is one tough SOB and the most brilliant football mind of the NFL's modern era.

Bill Parcells is one of the best football minds in National Football League history. He ranks alongside legendary coaches like Chuck Noll, Tom Landry, Don Shula, and Bill Walsh.

In the modern era, however, his accomplishments are unrivaled.

Parcells is a tough, blue-collar guy from New Jersey. Known for speaking his mind, his former players and coaches either love him or hate him, but all will say that he brought out the best out of each and every one of them.

He knows which buttons to push and when. He wasn’t a locker room speech motivator. Parcells was a psychological master who developed some of the great NFL players of the past 30 years. He antagonized players, believing that adversity forges toughness and character.

Parcells is simply proficient with building winning teams.

He won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, retired, returned to lead the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl before building the New York Jets into a contender, retired for another two years, then led the Dallas Cowboys, where he became the only coach in NFL history to take four different teams to the playoffs.

He is now in charge of football operations for the Miami Dolphins.

Coaching Tree

Walsh has a more extensive coaching tree, but Parcells’ is more impressive.

Sean Payton, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and Tony Sparano are head coaches in the NFL. Charlie Weiss coaches at Notre Dame. Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin competed against each other in the last Super Bowl.

Pro Bowl Players

Parcells’ notable draft selections with the Giants include defensive back Terry Kinard and defensive tackle Leonard Marshall (‘83); linebacker Carl Banks, guard William Roberts, and quarterback Jeff Hostetler (‘84); linebacker Pepper Johnson (‘86); left tackle Jumbo Elliott (‘88); running back Dave Meggett (‘89); running back Rodney Hampton and kicker Matt Stover (‘90).

For the Patriots, his draft picks included quarterback Drew Bledsoe, linebacker Chris Slade, and wide receiver Troy Brown (‘93); linebacker Willie McGinest (‘94); defensive back Ty Law, running back Curtis Martin, and place kicker Adam Vinateri (‘95); strong safety Lawyer Milloy and linebacker Tedy Bruschi (‘96).

With the Jets, he selected linebacker James Farrior (‘97).

Parcells’ selections with the Cowboys include defensive back Terrence Newman, tight end Jason Whitten, and quarterback Tony Romo (undrafted) (‘03); linebacker DeMarcus Ware and running back Marion Barber (‘05).

New York Giants

Parcells took over a team with only one winning season in the previous decade. He won three games in his first year. He recognized the talent of linebacker Lawrence Taylor, maximizing his pass rushing skills by changing from a typical 4-3 defensive formation to a 3-4.

The Giants’ record improved in the next two years, earning the team consecutive playoff appearances since the early ’60s.

Parcells led the 14-2 Giants to its first Super Bowl title in ‘86 and the first of three division titles. He helped build one of the most dominate defenses in NFL history.

He led the injury-riddled Giants to a second Super Bowl in ‘90. The Giants began the season 10-0, but lost quarterback Phil Simms. With backup Hostetler and 12-year running back Ottis Anderson, Parcells led a dramatic playoff run. The Giants beat a San Francisco 49ers team going for a third consecutive Super Bowl on a last-minute field goal, and edged the high-scoring Buffalo Bills after they missed a last-second field goal attempt.

The pressure of football and poor nutrition and sleep habits forced Parcells to retire.

New England Patriots

Parcells returned to the NFL to coach the Patriots in ‘93. In two years, he led the team to its first playoff game in eight years. He guided the Patriots to a Super Bowl, losing to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

At New England, Parcells solidified his reputation as a mentor. He developed the talented but erratic Bledsoe into a Pro Bowl quarterback and took mid-level picks on defense and honed their skills.

Parcells left the Patriots over a dispute with owner Robert Kraft about player personnel decisions.

New York Jets

In possibly his greatest achievement as head coach, Parcells transformed the Jets into instant winners. In his first year with the Jets, the team just missed the playoffs. In ‘98, the 12-4 Jets lost to John Elway and the Super Bowl-champion Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game.

The following season, quarterback Vinny Testaverde ruptured his Achilles tendon in the home opening game crippling the team’s title hopes.

Parcells would once again take time off over health concerns.

Dallas Cowboys

After three straight five-win seasons, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hired Parcells as head coach. In his first year, he led the team to the playoffs, losing to the NFC champion Carolina Panthers.

The following season, quarterback Quincy Carter was terminated for alleged drug use. Parcells brought in 40-year old Testaverde, but he proved ineffective. The Cowboys finished with six wins. They would also miss the playoffs by a game in ‘05.

The Cowboys would lose to the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs the following year on a botched hold from Romo on a field-goal attempt.

Parcells retired for the third time over disagreements with Jones on decision-making. While detractors say he didn’t deliver a playoff victory, Parcells left the Cowboys better than he found them and achieved as much, if not more, with the team then the current roster that includes 12 Pro Bowl players.

Miami Dolphins

Parcells’ legacy is far from over. He still has work to do in Miami.

The Dolphins are currently tied for second place in their division and are in playoff contention after a 1-15 campaign only one season ago.

Coaching Legacy

Parcells retired from coaching with the ninth most wins in NFL history and a 183-138-1 record. The teams he’s led had losing records before he arrived, but all were in the playoffs by his second season. Parcells coached for 19 seasons with only four losing campaigns, including the ‘87 strike year.

His teams always play the game the right way—they commit few penalties and mental mistakes. Opponents must beat his teams because they don’t beat themselves.

He’s a master of convincing players that winning is the top priority and not individual stats. His teams dominate the line of scrimmage on offense and defense. They run the ball efficiently, especially in the fourth quarter when the game’s on the line.

Parcells’ teams are built on solid role players over star players. This is his blueprint.

Does it still work in today’s NFL?

Ask Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin.