2024 NFL Season Thread

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

I grew up in New England, and I've lived in the Chicago area for 25 years now and I'm going to disagree. Chicago's a strong sports town, no doubt, but I don't feel the fans are as difficult/rabid as Boston, or that the situation is as challenging as the fan base + exposure of the New York market. I have less experience with Philly, but those fans just seem insane.

I think people take some strong rivalry feelings (Bears vs. Packers, Sox vs. Cubs, etc...) and extrapolate that into Chicago being full of unreasonable fanbases. I don't see the evidence so much around me. Yes, Bears fans are routinely down on their franchise, including QBs & HCs, but not without justification, IMO. And it says something that the ownership of every major franchise runs the gamut from "offensively incompetent" to "downright evil".

The fans are incredibly pessimistic about the football team right now and have been for years.

There was a time, fairly recently, where most Bears fans wanted to win with great defense and a strong running game. Winning any other way just wasn't winning. At this point Bears fans mostly just want to win but they expect a franchise that's been down for years with a front office that was probably 20 years behind the times to get turned around instantly. They're 2 years removed from a compete tear down of the roster. While I agree the fanbase hasn't reached Boston levels they're not close to rational or realistic either. They're sitting in this weird bubble of eternal pessimism and high expectations.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

It's wild to me that more hay hasn't been made out of the fact the Bears can only hire coaches represented by Trace Armstrong. Is this normal for any other NFL team?

How agents impact coaching searches, and why the NFL cares - ESPN

[Atocep]

The Jets hire Aaron Glenn and the Jags fire GM Baalke after no coach wanted to work for a GM the owner said may still get fired.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

How agents impact coaching searches, and why the NFL cares - ESPN

So I guess coaches/GMs that are comfortable with each other / know each other should be allowed to work together.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

So I guess coaches/GMs that are comfortable with each other / know each other should be allowed to work together.

Per ESPN's data, four teams went into 2024 with the same agent representing the head coach and two coordinators at the time the club hired them: Cincinnati (Lamonte) Cleveland (Sexton), Miami (Flowers) and the New York Jets (Flowers).

They can though we generally tell people that they don't have to be comfortable with or know each other to work well together and be successful together. Correlation/causation, small sample size etc accepted, the 2024 seasons of any of these teams in addition to the Bears suggest that packages deals are not the way to go. The Bears have decided not to shop at Armstrong's agency for their new head coach. We shall see how that goes.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

They can though we generally tell people that they don't have to be comfortable with or know each other to work well together and be successful together.

But that's really what is being bitched about for the usual absurd whining reasons.

The NFL is such a complete shitshow, it's not like I have expectations of anything else from the league but damn, this particular thing becoming a topic is pretty pathetic even by their low standards.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by Atocep

The Jets hire Aaron Glenn and the Jags fire GM Baalke after no coach wanted to work for a GM the owner said may still get fired.

So after all the "big" coaching name got snatched up, they finally got rid of Baalke. Brilliant.

[Ksyrup]

I wonder if Coen inking a deal to stay with TB as OC and a big raise is linked to the Jags firing the GM (I don't know, I haven't read any of the articles). I thought he was on the shortlist for Jax, and then he stays with TB and Baalke gets fired soon after.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I wonder if Coen inking a deal to stay with TB as OC and a big raise is linked to the Jags firing the GM (I don't know, I haven't read any of the articles). I thought he was on the shortlist for Jax, and then he stays with TB and Baalke gets fired soon after.

Nothing official has come out but that is the impression many people seem to have in the media. It sounds like three of the top names on their shortlist withdrew from consideration. I assume they did so after hearing that Trent Baalke was definitely staying. My guess is Tony Khan told his dad Shad that no coach worth having would take the job as long as Baalke kept his so Baalke got the boot.

[Danny]

Disappointing to not get Ben Johnson but happy to get my top choice for GM in Spytek.

[albionmoonlight]

Cowboys seem to be landing on . . . Brian Schottenheimer--their current OC.

What a bland and uninspiring choice. Just a comfortable face who won't take any attention away from Jerry.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Cowboys seem to be landing on . . . Brian Schottenheimer--their current OC.

What a bland and uninspiring choice. Just a comfortable face who won't take any attention away from Jerry.

Talk about failing upward.

[CrimsonFox]

Jets with a new coach. Right. As if the coach is the main problem

[JPhillips]

SB matchups in order of my preference:

BUF-WAS
BUF-PHI
KC-WAS
KC-PHI

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sources - Liam Coen now talking to Jaguars after GM Baalke's exit - ESPN

If I'm the Bucs, I make it known through the usual back channels that I'm already seeking my new OC and would no longer be offering the contract extension.

It's a push/pull I guess though. You want Jax to spend as much as possible to get him, but you also don't want to reward Coen's double-dealing.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Sources - Liam Coen now talking to Jaguars after GM Baalke's exit - ESPN

If I'm the Bucs, I make it known through the usual back channels that I'm already seeking my new OC and would no longer be offering the contract extension.

It's a push/pull I guess though. You want Jax to spend as much as possible to get him, but you also don't want to reward Coen's double-dealing.

I get the sentiment but that would only make sense if it was super important to keep him from being the Jags HC. By rule, the Bucs can't prevent him from attempting to get a job higher up the org chart. The Bucs can go ahead and raid someone's else organization for a coach that committed to that other organization a couple of weeks ago. The game is the game.

[Danny]

Spytek officially signed his contract. Some last minute social media panic with Coen going to Jacksonville that Spytek would go with him. Now bring in coach Pete leaving Harbaugh as the only AFC west coach without a Superbowl trophy.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I get the sentiment but that would only make sense if it was super important to keep him from being the Jags HC. By rule, the Bucs can't prevent him from attempting to get a job higher up the org chart. The Bucs can go ahead and raid someone's else organization for a coach that committed to that other organization a couple of weeks ago. The game is the game.

That wouldn't be attempting to prevent him from getting the job. Not at all.
That's simply making it clear that he better HOPE he gets it, cause he ain't got the old one to come running back to.

If he loses leverage with his new employer over it? Oh well, them's the breaks.

[Ksyrup]

I'm with miami_fan on this one. I understand your penchant for punishment/"just desserts" JIMGA, but that's not the way the calculus normally works in business situations like this (inside or outside of sports). The team's primary motivation is to protect/improve itself, not retribution. Now, if there's something in the dealings where the front office feels like Coen went back on his word and made it a personal betrayal, I get that someone might feel that way. But the simplest answer here is that he didn't want the job with the current GM, at the time he went back to TB that GM still had his job, and when that dynamic changed, so did his willingness to re-engage with Jax. All of that would make sense to most people in a sports franchise front office, and not lead to some sort of bad blood (unless he purposely strung out negotiations for whatever reason and kept them in limbo from moving to fill the position).

Certainly, they want a quick decision so they can move on, but they've surely already started vetting replacements and will move quickly to fill the job. If for some reason the Jax job falls through (and it doesn't appear it will), you're suggesting TB would choose to let him go rather than bring him back because of how the Jax organization handled its own business with the GM? No frickin' way, absent some sort of unusual "burning of bridges" situation I don't think has come to the surface.

[Danny]

I dont know if true, but I read he was ghosting TB and then gave the excuse of his kid being sick while secretly flying to Jacksonville.

[miami_fan]

Coen to the Jags.

Sources - Bucs' Liam Coen agrees to Jaguars head coach deal - ESPN

I am comfortable saying that Coen gave the Jags ownership an ultimatum of it's either Baalke or me. It still boggles my mind that it is possible that Khan wouldn't fire Baalke for Vrabel or Ben Johnson but did so for their presumed third choice on the candidate list.

[Danny]

Shefter reporting Pete Carroll agrees to coach the Raiders.

I think Pete is the right hire for this organization at this time. Hopefully Pete will build up the culture and make us respectable and we can target a young hot shot in a few years when hes ready to retire.

[Ksyrup]

I don't pay a ton of attention to in-depth coaching search news, but I'm kinda surprised Carroll is getting another job. Although he comes off as younger/less cranky than Belichick, he's actually older than Bill. I just kinda figured the NFL was moving on from the old guard, regardless of the cologne you spice them up with.

[Danny]

I was enamored with Ben J but in general I think Pete is a better hire than all these young guys for a franchise which has been utter crap for 20 years. I dont expect Pete to be there 10 years or win a superbowl but he is great at building a culture and respectability which is what the franchise needs. Given most of their coaches have lasted 1-2 seasons id be thrilled with a few from Carroll.

[albionmoonlight]

Yeah. Carroll would not be the right coach for a lot of teams. But I low key love him to the Raiders.

[bhlloy]

One of Pete's strengths if not his main strength has been his ability to energize and connect with his players and have them run through brick walls for him. Whether he can still do it (and wants to and is able to do it) at his age and with a totally new generation of players will presumably be the key factor in whether he succeeds or not - even as one of his bigger fans I think it's an odd hire.

[Ksyrup]

They gonna go get Russell Wilson as a one-year stop gap? I've already seen one article hint as much. But I thought Carroll was one of the people within Seattle that wanted him gone.

[bhlloy]

Yes, they majorly fell out in Seattle. Either something has changed or that's just lazy reporting.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

One of Pete's strengths if not his main strength has been his ability to energize and connect with his players and have them run through brick walls for him. Whether he can still do it (and wants to and is able to do it) at his age and with a totally new generation of players will presumably be the key factor in whether he succeeds or not - even as one of his bigger fans I think it's an odd hire.

Its not like hes been out of the league for 10 years. He just had back to back winning season in 2022 and 2023 (9-8) with a mid level roster. I realize thats not winning the superbowl but as a Raiders fan frankly id take that level of success while establishing competency to the team before trying to pounce on a younger coach to then take the next step after him.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Danny

I was enamored with Ben J but in general I think Pete is a better hire than all these young guys for a franchise which has been utter crap for 20 years. I dont expect Pete to be there 10 years or win a superbowl but he is great at building a culture and respectability which is what the franchise needs. Given most of their coaches have lasted 1-2 seasons id be thrilled with a few from Carroll.

Fairly sure he won’t be there in 10 years - he’s 73 already!

It’s a really interesting hire - what has he got left (in football terms)?

[Atocep]

Crazy that Waldron and Slowik were to of the hottest OC names last offseason and both are out of jobs now.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Danny

Its not like hes been out of the league for 10 years. He just had back to back winning season in 2022 and 2023 (9-8) with a mid level roster. I realize thats not winning the superbowl but as a Raiders fan frankly id take that level of success while establishing competency to the team before trying to pounce on a younger coach to then take the next step after him.

I agree with you. Just as there is value in having a good bridge QB to get you from horrible to competent, there is also value in having a bridge head coach to do the same. I don't think that Pete is winning any more Super Bowls. But three years of steady improvement on the field while helping Tom Brady and the new GM build the proper foundation is a win for the Raiders IMO.

[GrantDawg]

Brian Schottenheimer official named Cowboys head coach. Does he last 3 years?

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[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Brian Schottenheimer official named Cowboys head coach. Does he last 3 years?

I gotta think that's long odds. Does he survive more than one season might be a better question IMO.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Brian Schottenheimer official named Cowboys head coach. Does he last 3 years?

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Jerry's cheap about coaches. Hasn't fired one since Wade Phillips. He'll last his 4 years, then he'll give it to Jason Witten.

[Solecismic]

Only three current coaches have been in their positions more than eight seasons, and all three have won Super Bowls. Kevin Stefanski sits at ninth in the tenure with his team department, at five seasons.

My perception is that the threshold for firing head coaches has dropped a lot in the last 2-3 years. That seems unwise to me, especially given the number of upsets in the playoffs every year. This may be part of the reason parity dropped considerably this season.

There's probably a lot of potential value in the retreads right now. Not that I'm advocating Mike Patricia for the Saints or anything like that.

[Ksyrup]

I just saw a notification of an article (maybe from ESPN?) about Dan Snyder's view of the Commanders' success from the outside. Is there any less sympathetic person and person you least care about hearing his perspective than Dan Snyder? Who thought this article was a good idea? I ain't reading that shit!