Why in the world would they interview Wade frickin Phillips??For what it's worth, the latest story from Packersnews.com on candidates does not include Wade Phillips. We can rest easy for now, it seems.
Posted Jan. 04, 2006
Thompson has a pack of candidates
GM’s list of interviews kicks off with Eagles’ Childress
By Pete Dougherty (
[email protected])
PackersNews.com
Ted Thompson appears to be casting a wide net in his search for a coach for the Green Bay Packers.
In a frenzied market, the Packers’ general manager will interview at least five candidates and reportedly has interest in several others to replace Mike Sherman, whom he fired Monday.
Various NFL sources said Thompson has set up interviews with Philadelphia offensive coordinator Brad Childress, Packers defensive coordinator Jim Bates, Dallas assistant head coach Sean Payton, Cleveland offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon and Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.
Several media outlets have reported that Thompson also has contacted the New York Giants about interviewing defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, who played cornerback for the Packers from 1983 to 1986, and is interested in two Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coaches, offensive line coach Russ Grimm and offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.
Thompson also is known to think highly of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, but Ferentz had not yet emerged as a candidate as of Tuesday evening. University of Iowa athletics director Robert Bowlsby said Ferentz’s contract requires him to inform the school before discussions about employment outside the university, and that Ferentz had not said anything to him about talking to any NFL team as of Tuesday evening.
“There’s been no contact and no change in the current situation,” Bowlsby told the Des Moines Register.
Also, the agent for former Detroit coach Steve Mariucci said the Packers have not contacted him about his client.
With eight NFL coaching jobs open, Tuesday opened a free-for-all for teams searching for coaches. The other franchises on searches are Minnesota, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans and Oakland.
Childress interviewed with the Vikings early this week and could be in Green Bay as soon as today for an interview with Thompson. He could be an attractive candidate to Thompson because he’s been raised in the NFL in a Packers-type organizational system. Philadelphia coach Andy Reid was a Packers assistant from 1992 to 1998 and has patterned the Eagles’ operation after former GM Ron Wolf and former coach Mike Holmgren.
Childress has been an Eagles assistant since 1999 and was with the University of Wisconsin before that, from 1991 to 1998.
It’s unclear whether Thompson prefers an offensive or defensive coach — he’s set up interviews with coaches on both sides of the ball — though his mentor Wolf’s most successful hires were offensive coaches. Thompson might be looking for a head coach to work with quarterback Brett Favre (http://www.forecaster.info/packersnews/football/player.cgi?0489) if Favre returns next season and also develop first-round draft pick Aaron Rodgers (http://www.forecaster.info/packersnews/football/player.cgi?7705) as Favre’s successor.
Childress’ agent, Bob LaMonte, was unavailable for comment.
Thompson is scheduled to interview Bates late next week, and Bates’ agent, Gary O’Hagen, is pushing his client hard for a head-coaching position. O’Hagen said at least two other teams are interested in talking to Bates, but he wouldn’t identify them because they have not set up interviews.
Bates, 59, just finished his first season as the Packers’ defensive coordinator and made major headway with a unit that finished 25th in yards allowed and 23rd in points in 2004. This season, the Packers finished seventh and tied for 19th, respectively, in those categories.
“I think the real football people in the NFL, they know how good Bates is,” O’Hagen said. “Here’s what Bates brings: That rare combination of being a strict disciplinarian, fundamentally sound coach, but he’s a players’ coach also. It’s a rare combination.”
Bates also has some NFL head-coaching experience — he went 3-4 as Miami’s interim coach for the final seven games of 2004.
“(Bates) is very good at explaining logically what needs to be done and not appeasing anybody,” O’Hagen said. “’If you want to play, here’s the way you’re going to have to do it.’ He gets the guys to buy in to his system. I remember (former Pro Bowl defensive end) Trace Armstrong when he was with the Raiders, he’d played under Jim in Miami, and he told me some coaches you go into a game with a game plan and you know there’s a few holes out there, and if the other team finds them, you’re going to get torched. He said with Bates, there were never any holes.”
O’Hagen also represents Mariucci and said the Packers have not contacted him about the former Packers quarterbacks coach, who was fired by Lions President Matt Millen after 11 games this season.
Payton, 42, is an up-and-coming offensive coach who could become attractive if he interviews well and Thompson wants a coach from that side of the ball. Payton has been with Dallas coach Bill Parcells for the past three seasons — in his first two seasons he was an assistant head coach-quarterbacks coach, and this year he was assistant head coach-passing game coordinator.
An NFL source said the Packers have contacted Payton but did not know when the interview will take place.
Carthon and Rivera are minorities, so interviewing either or both will fulfill the Packers’ requirements to interview at least one minority candidate.
Carthon, who played and coached under Parcells, will interview with the Lions on Thursday and the Packers on Friday. The New Orleans Saints also have contacted him.
Carthon just finished his fourth season as an NFL offensive coordinator, including his first under new Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel. He also was offensive coordinator for Detroit in 2002 and Dallas in 2003-04.
Cleveland finished 26th in the NFL in yards and 32nd in points this past season but is going through a major transition in personnel with its change last year at both coach and general manager. The Browns defeated the Packers 26-24 at Lambeau Field in the second game of the season.
“It’s naturally an honor to even go up there and interview with the Packers,” said Carthon, 44. “I’ve watched them for years and had a lot of admiration for the organization over the years as a player playing against them and coaching against them when I was in the (NFC North) Division, and this year going up there and winning. I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited about it.”
Rivera, who turns 44 this week, has become a head-coaching candidate this year after running a Chicago defense that finished second in the NFL in fewest yards allowed and first in fewest points. The Bears also finished 11-5 and won the NFC North.
The Bears have a bye in the playoffs this week, so teams have until Friday to interview him or wait until the Bears’ season is finished. He’s scheduled to interview with St. Louis on Thursday and is considered a top candidate for that job.
Mike Singletary, the assistant head coach-linebackers coach with the San Francisco 49ers, said the Packers had not contacted him about their job opening as of Tuesday evening. Singletary said he has an interview scheduled with Detroit.