Perfect Climate For Byron Leftwich To Be Hired This Week
January 9th, 2022
Were rising NFL coaching stars Nick Sirianni and Zac Taylo more qualified to be head coaches than Byron Leftwich is right now?
For those who care little about teams outside Tampa, 40-year-old Sirianni is the Eagles’ first-year head coach. He got the job after a few years as offensive coordinator under Colts head coach/playcaller Frank Reich. Sirianni was a Division II wide receiver during his playing days. Now Sirianni has the Eagles in the playoffs against the Bucs.
As for Taylor, he’s the 38-year-old former Sean McVay protégé who just won the AFC North in his third year with the dangerous young Bengals.
The NFL has always been into copycat-style hires, and Leftwich, 42, sure has a more impressive resumé than those guys did when they got head coaching jobs. So Joe thinks the time is ripe for Leftwich to get a job quickly as the hiring season begins this week.
Leftwich interviewed for the Jacksonville job last week, as did Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.
With the Jaguars shocking the NFL world today with their pounding of the Colts, and their young quarterback Trevor Lawrence having his best outing of the season, Joe has to believe the Jags are leaning more toward hiring the best QB mentor they can find.
Maybe that’s Leftwich, who certainly fits into the young-offensive-guru box that appears to be the flavor of the day for NFL owners.
It certainly didn’t hurt Leftwich’s cause to see 42-year-old playcaller/head coach Kyle Shanahan find his way back to the playoffs today, while young offensive minds lead the playoff-bound Packers and Cardinals.
If Leftwich can’t get a head coach gig this month, it tells Joe he’s not giving a good answer when asked to name the key assistant coaches he’ll bring to a new job.
January 9th, 2022 at 11:46 pm
He should wear the superbowl ring and a nice suit and nice shoes.
January 9th, 2022 at 11:47 pm
Let Brady call the game from the LOS, and we’ll put up 50 a game.
January 9th, 2022 at 11:48 pm
Holy moly with this Raiders – Chargers game. Do the right thing and let it be a tie. Both teams should decide to let it end in a tie.
January 9th, 2022 at 11:48 pm
This Raiders-Chargers game is fantastic.
January 9th, 2022 at 11:48 pm
Agreed Rod. Brady needs to be the OC for the most part.
January 9th, 2022 at 11:50 pm
cmurda – NOOOO… Raiders need to win this, keeps all 3 of my SB bets alive…
Pats vs Bucs
Raiders vs Bucs
Steelers vs Bucs
I didn’t put a lot on the games, but still, it helps make the most season more fun if they’re all alive.
January 9th, 2022 at 11:54 pm
I put a whopping $2 on Raiders vs Bucs for the SB, wins $280. Also put $2 on the Steelers vs Bucs, that wins $200. Finally, the big money bet, Pats vs Bucs in the SB, I bet $5, wins $275.
January 9th, 2022 at 11:59 pm
Wow, the Bucs open -10 vs the Eagles.
Humm, that’s a tough one.
But it is at home, and it’s not in prime time, and the Bucs, on Sunday afternoons at home put up like 40 a game.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:03 am
Can ANYone believe what the Chargers are doing right Now???!!!
January 10th, 2022 at 12:04 am
Unfortunately, interviewing for a head coach position requires better command of the language and the ability to answer questions insightfully. Those things don’t appear to be Lefty’s strengths. If his interviews go anything like his media sessions, the dude doesn’t stand a chance.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:08 am
I can’t see it happening. He is just too young and green. He needs more time.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:10 am
32 to 32 with 222 left. Steelers right now are going insane
January 10th, 2022 at 12:11 am
Yeah David. I think Big Ben went to bed already.
Chargers D HAS to know if they don’t allow a FG they go to the POs
January 10th, 2022 at 12:13 am
If I’m the Chargers and the Raiders, I just collude to end the game in a tie.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:14 am
It looks like this is done on purpose man that’s worng lol 😆 😂!!
January 10th, 2022 at 12:15 am
They need to stop these ties in the NFL
January 10th, 2022 at 12:15 am
The Raiders want to win the game because they then face the Bengals instead of the Chiefs.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:15 am
Wow. Raiders gave the Chargers the tie and the defense was too bad to tackle and take it. Thats absurd. Terrible defense Chargers.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:16 am
WOW. Just WOW
January 10th, 2022 at 12:16 am
WOW, the Chargers are DONE!
What idiots, using their TO… although, in fairness, I suspect they used their TO in order to give their guys a rest to stop them on 3rd down.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:16 am
They should have done that at the beginning. The Raiders were inexplicably letting the clock go down but the Chargers laughably bad defense would not tackle Jacobs to stop the easier kick. I’m beside myself. You stink defense.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:17 am
That was a hell of a game. All the nuthuggers who went to bed at 11 missed one of the most fun games I’ve ever seen.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:18 am
cmurda – Chargers have, I believe, the worst run defense in the game. Everyone runs all over them. I do think that timeout was just to give their guys a rest – not how they framed it on TV that they wanted the ball back. Pretty sure if they stop them they just let the clock run out.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:20 am
If the Bucs were the Chargers in that game, there is no way I’d have made it to the end. Those are really fun to watch when your team isn’t involved.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:22 am
I promise you Bissachia was trying to throw the Chargers and their crappy coach a bone and let it end in a tie but the Chargers not good defense would not tackle . Chargers coach has to be the dumbest dude in history. A timeout with 2 seconds left. You moron. The Raiders may have let you have the tie if you don’t call the timeout. That was humiliating for the young coach. I think he’s a good OC but not a good Head Coach.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:23 am
All they had to do was tackle Jacobs and they would have let the clock run out.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:25 am
There was some amazing football today… Steelers and Ravens go to OT with a playoff spot probably on the line – minus a tie in the night game… 49ers and Rams go to OT with a playoff spot on the line… Raiders and Chargers go to OT, winner takes all, loser leaves town – unless there is a tie, then they both win…
Come on, how was today not scripted? That’s as good of a drama as there is on TV, and it all just happened naturally? Give me a break.
BTW morons, I’m being sarcastic, I don’t actually think the NFL wrote out what would happen today….
I think the owners who sent the refs the most money determined what would happen.
BTW morons, I’m still kidding.
Mostly.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:28 am
cmurda – There wasn’t 2 seconds left, there was like 35 seconds left, and about 18 seconds on the play clock, so the Raiders are running that play either way. The reason, I think, the Chargers called the timeout, is, as I said, to give their guys a rest because they knew the Raiders would run, and the Chargers needed to stop them. The Raiders called a TO with 2 seconds left to kick the FG.
But the play was run was being called either way. If the Chargers stop the Raiders, then the Raiders just run out the clock, I do not believe the Chargers call a TO and make them punt, it would make no sense to do so.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:44 am
Yeah maybe Rod but either way all you have to do is tackle Jacobs and the Raiders were willing to let it go down. You can see way before that play that they weren’t in any rush to get yards. Terrible ole by that Chargers defense. At least the Chargers know that their defense is priority number 1 in the draft followed closely by OL
January 10th, 2022 at 12:49 am
cmurda – well yeah, but I think the reason they called the TO was to increase their chances of making the tackle. While the Chargers stuffed them on 1st down, I think they gave up like 5 or 6 on 2nd down. The Raiders were running the ball just to see what would happen, if they broke something, if they wanted to, the Raiders could have just taken a knee, they weren’t, so you still have to play.
I’m seeing on Twitter people lighting up the Chargers for the TO, and I don’t understand why, unless the Chargers really were trying to get the ball back, which makes no sense, since they’d have like 25 seconds left with no timeouts, and zero to gain from winning (their playoff seed / matchup was locked with tie and win). On TV they gave the impression that the Chargers were trying to get the ball back as well, but again, I don’t see how that is possible.
Now, if I’m wrong, if the Chargers really were trying to get the ball back, then wow, fire the coach, because he’s an idiot. But I assume he’s just going to say what I said.
January 10th, 2022 at 1:05 am
Yeah that was crazy. I’m assuming like you that the timeout was to try and make sure they didnt whiff.. everyone was exhausted.. but they did anyways. Chances are it still ends ho the same way if they hadn’t taken it
January 10th, 2022 at 1:08 am
Lol at some of the comments here…. Good thing none of you own an NFL team or there would never be a Coach Leftwich or Bowles. Heck if you people had your way there would never have been a Coach Dungy. Fortunately these men have earned their opportunities and proven to those who actually own teams that they are qualified.
January 10th, 2022 at 1:49 am
LOL as IF anyone would listen to someone who won’t list their name!
Get somewhere!
January 10th, 2022 at 5:51 am
The difference was clear when Brady wad calling the plays and Byron. I hope Brady takes over the playcalling
January 10th, 2022 at 6:54 am
IMO.. he is not ready
January 10th, 2022 at 7:41 am
Tom Brady doesn’t want to be a assistant coach. What QB did he mentor again??? The Chargers coach should be fired, he lost the KC game because he didn’t kick a FG 4th & 4 and went for two at the end of the game. The TO was stupid and he still had a TO he didn’t use to freeze the kicker. Anonymous, there’s always one that has to cry racial discrimination. Dungy was a SB winning coach not a assistant and Bowles failed as a HC. If Lefty doesn’t get the Jags job he either interviewed poorly or Jags decided they didn’t want the first round draft pick again next season. Offense and especially D was not prepared for the Carolina game and this explains it Bucs coaches are preparing for interviews. GO BUCS!
January 10th, 2022 at 7:54 am
The Rooney Rule will get Leftwich & Bowles lots of interviews….but not necessarily the jobs.
January 10th, 2022 at 8:16 am
Wisdom is using the experiences of others to learn rather than starting from scratch yourself.
With that in mind…
Coaches should be interviewing the teams as much as the teams are interviewing them.
There are some franchises that coaches should use extra caution when pursuing. Few head coaches get more than one shot, so choose that first HC gig carefully.
Would you rather be a stud coordinator who gets to focus on football under a HC that respects you… or be a HC for a team that has seen multiple coaches over the past decade go up in flames and spend a good chunk of your time doing media explaining why your team doesn’t totally suck.
Last soap box moment: If the pandemic has taught us anything… F the money and do what you love. It worked out for Monte Kiffin
January 10th, 2022 at 8:31 am
There are only a handful of jobs, why can’t it just go to the one the team feels most comfortable with? He or she can be white, black, Espanic, Asian, old, young or pink. To be honest it should be Doug Peterson or Bill O’brien the most experienced with young QB’s.
January 10th, 2022 at 8:53 am
I think if I’m the Jags, I’m looking at a coach that has shown success at grooming a young QB. The OCs for the Cowboys, Chiefs and Chargers come to mind…..Peterson makes sense assuming he wants that job. Leftwich hasn’t groomed anyone….his biggest accomplishment was a 30/30 season with Winston that was a losing season. I just dont think you give Leftwich much credit for anything with Tom Brady. Brady goes in hurry up mode and he’s running the show. This offense routinely comes out flat and stagnant based on Leftwich’s game planning the scripted plays. But…the Jags job isn’t the most desireable and maybe it falls to Leftwich.
January 10th, 2022 at 8:59 am
Bowles > Leftwich as HC potential.
If Bowles leaves and Zimmer is fired, maybe BA can get Zimmer.
If Bissacia is not retained, maybe BA can improve the ST coach position.
January 10th, 2022 at 9:39 am
Leftwich has been blessed with a quarterback that wins games no matter what Byron says or does. I loved the Bucs offense in the second half but that was mostly no huddle hurry up which Brady does best. The same plays that were run all season were run. About the only adjustment I saw was running some shorter stuff to Mike Evans which worked. The Bucs are still going to have to run the ball vs their next few opponents and Leftwich doesn’t do that.
Brady makes them all look good including Leftwich. If he becomes head coach of Jacksonville and has them in the playoffs in 3 years I will eat my words but I still think his playcalling is OK but very predictable. Thankfully Mike Evans and Gronk were beasts yesterday but you cannot expect them to dominate every single game, better teams with better coordinators can figure this offense out.
The hurry-up stuff works well though.
January 10th, 2022 at 9:56 am
“Tom will you plzz come to the interview with me?”
January 10th, 2022 at 9:58 am
“What was I supposed to say??? Uhh…Oh yeah, he’s legit man.”- Brady
January 10th, 2022 at 10:40 am
Take him, please.
January 10th, 2022 at 10:44 am
Players aren’t allowed to interview during the season or playoffs, why can coaches? Talk about a distraction. What do you think the prep has to be for a HC position in the NFL, a multimillion dollar job?? I would put the next game on the back burner if I were interviewing. This showed in preparation the last two games. Good thing Brady says FU, I’m not going out this way.
January 10th, 2022 at 11:48 am
what you talkin bout willis???
January 10th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
SB Says:
January 10th, 2022 at 1:49 am
LOL as IF anyone would listen to someone who won’t list their name!
Get somewhere!
——————————
Unless your Mother named you SB perhaps you should go somewhere. My name is Christopher, you need an address and phone number too?
January 10th, 2022 at 12:29 pm
While you people have lots of jaded opinions, none of you own a team so I don’t think Coach Leftwich has to worry what you think of his credentials as a head coaching candidate. If it were up to you he would never get an opportunity, fortunately it’s not even remotely up to you.
January 10th, 2022 at 12:59 pm
Agree one thousand percent with you Anonymous. Some here think nobody deserves a HC job. Leftwich will get his shot somewhere having worked under Arians.