12/21/24
October 19, 2009
Sources: Shanahan turned down Redskins coaching job: According to a report on Fanhouse, the Washington Redskins tried to hire Mike Shanahan to replace Jim Zorn, but the former Broncos coach refused. However, the "sources" also said that Shanahan did not rule out reconsidering the offer in the offseason. Apparently Shanahan turned down the offer because he believes that there's very little he could do to reverse the Skins fortunes at this stage of the season, and that mid-season coaching changes rarely work. Why doesn't Dan Snyder just fire Zorn and get it over with.
posted by cletus7777 to football at 08:28 PM - 13 comments
What they need is a coach with GM experience to seek better players. However, Bill Parcells is too smart to fall for that one.
posted by jjzucal at 08:54 PM on October 19, 2009
I don't see it as pointless to join mid-season. While there may not be much you can do to salvage the overall record for the season, you essentially get 10 games to evaluate your talent. I could see how that could definitely give the coach an edge going into the off-season and preparing for player movement. Not only the players, but you would get to evaluate the inherited coaches too.
I think Shanahan's decision was strictly to leave his options open for the off-season, when multiple teams may be looking for a coach and with the demand high, so too will be the salaries offered.
posted by BoKnows at 09:27 PM on October 19, 2009
I totally agree with you BoKnows. I think Shanahan knows there's going to be a lot of opportunities in the offseason (Buffalo, Tennessee, Cleveland, Washington, etc.) that he wants to wait and get the most cash and the best situation. And that probably doesn't include Dan Snyder in any way, shape for form.
posted by cletus7777 at 09:56 PM on October 19, 2009
Hey Cletus, don't leave my Cowboys out of the mix. The despised Jerry Jones still has a pretty fat wallet and Wade is gonna make a fine defensive coordinator. Does anybody really think that Jason Garret would really be a succesor to Wade? I think that has always been a fantasy.
posted by kerrycindy at 10:06 PM on October 19, 2009
Yeah, to tell you the truth kerrycindy, I forgot about Bum's kid there in Dallas. I'm probably like most people...Wade's just keeping the seat warm for Garrett. But I can totally see Jerruh Jones and his checkbook making a run at a Shanahan, or Gruden, or Holmgren, or (insert unemployed big name coaching prospect here)...
posted by cletus7777 at 11:11 PM on October 19, 2009
Or maybe Shanahan just has no real desire to work for a tyrannical midget?
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:21 AM on October 20, 2009
I don't think the Washington job is very appealing. While the owner spends lots of money, Vinny Cerrato makes all the personnel decisions, and he is not good at his job. This last coaching change, they hired coordinators before hiring a head coach. Zorn is taking the fall and he didn't even pick his own defensive coordinator. Also, the organization and the whole town have little patience, and not all that much football knowledge. They don't even try to have any stability at offensive line. They make no real effort to build the team through the draft. They pay well though. Zorn is going to make $15 million.
posted by bperk at 10:31 AM on October 20, 2009
tyrannical midget
Amazingly, that's my name for my reproductive apparatus.
posted by tahoemoj at 11:10 AM on October 20, 2009
I just died a little tahoemoj!
I wonder if the Washingtons are falling into Raiders territory in that they won't easily be able to attract quality management and will spend large sums of money on sizzle not steak players in vain attempts to regain the glory.
Or maybe Joe Gibbs will come out of retirement again.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:42 AM on October 20, 2009
I agree that taking over mid season is difficult but it think it would have immediate advantages to the team and the new coach regardless of the record at the end of the season. If the team is committed to change then a change in coaching immediately sends a strong message to the players and the sooner the better. Unfortunately for Washington, Shanahan is no dummy and if he is going to get back into coaching, there will be way more opportunities, money, and choices at the end of the year.
posted by Atheist at 12:03 PM on October 20, 2009
Cowher??? Of course, the whole "only Vinny makes personnel decisions" would have to be axed before anyone of Shanny or Cowher's ilk would come to coach.
I wonder if the bottleneck is actually there, not Snyder. I know Snyder isn't a good guy, but if you combine a good gm with his money, how can it fail? Maybe the biggest issue to on-field success is a poor gm.
posted by brainofdtrain at 12:52 PM on October 20, 2009
tyrannical midget
Amazingly, that's my name for my reproductive apparatus.
Funny, I call mine "Dan Snyder".
posted by LostInDaJungle at 02:21 PM on October 20, 2009
To answer the question, it's probably because the season is a loss by now, and putting in what would clearly just be an interim coach would be pointless. If it were an interim coach who might be auditioning for the job (e.g. Mike Singletary last season), that would be one thing, but Snyder clearly wants a big-name guy, and none of them are going to be willing to take over mid-season. So you can lose with Zorn or lose with someone else...might as well just stick with the loser you already have.