Worst Of Potential Coach Openings
December 19th, 2018
Looks at Bucs’ job.
The chatter behind the scenes in league circles is that the expected opening for a head coach position with the Bucs is no less than a poisonous job and only the desperate and unqualified will entertain thoughts of becoming Dirk Koetter’s successor.
That’s the word from mock draft-scowling, L.L. Bean-wearing, Second Amendment abolitionist, Mike Florio-arguing, parrot-insensitive, chewing-with-his-mouth-open, soup-gulping, California train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal picture-taking, video game-playing, Taylor Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, craft beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training social activist Peter King.
Making his weekly appearance Tuesday on “Pro Football Talk Live,” which intelligent football fans enjoy weekday mornings on the NBC Sports Network hosted by the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio.
The duo was going over coaching hot seats when the subject turned to the Bucs.
In no uncertain terms, based on intel he is getting from agents, King excoriated the expected job opening in Tampa Bay and all but suggested based on that same intel from his agent friends/sources that only a demented man would want to come to Tampa Bay and take over the Bucs.
Mike Florio: Dirk Koetter, 19-27 with the Buccaneers. They are not winning. People are not showing up to the games even when they give away free tickets. It sure looks like the Bucs are going to be looking elsewhere. I think the question in Tampa is, does GM Jason Licht go as well?
Peter King: It is a great question. And look, right now the Tampa job is just south of the Cincinnati job on the Watch-Out-What-Job-You-Take coaching line right now. When you talk to agents of coaches, none of them are excited about the Tampa Bay job. Unless you had a guy who has wanted to be a head coach for so long that he will take a job anywhere. To me, it is hard to find somebody good to take Cincinnati [job] and almost as hard this year to go in Tampa because; a, you don’t know who your quarterback is going to be necessarily. Do you want to pay Jameis Winston a lot of money? He certainly hasn’t demonstrated that he has earned that money yet and that, and plus the fact you don’t know what the general manager’s situation is going to be. I think that could be a clean sweep in Tampa, Mike.
First, let Joe point out that King stated he was basing his comments on feedback he was getting from agents. But some additional background:
The segment opened with King saying Cardinals general manager Steve Keim is in deep s(p)it in Arizona. King hammered Keim for his personnel moves the past two years and claimed it is likely Keim is launched along with coach Steve Wilks, who King said is another Keim mistake.
So, the Bucs may be a radioactive job because Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht’s job is not safe, but the same fear factor doesn’t apply with Arizona?
Just before he offered his views on the Bucs, King, a former Bengals beat writer, tore apart Cincinnati owner Mike Brown and all but said he doesn’t know anything about the NFL in the 21st century and who in their right mind would work for the aloof 83-year old shot-caller who micro-manages the Bengals with an iron fist? Yet King seems to think that working for Team Glazer would be less desirable than working for Brown?
So Joe is doing math here and can only conclude agents are floating the idea no coach wants to come within a five-mile radius of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
Is he really that awful, that the likes of Joe Flacco, Mike Glennon and/or Brock Osweiler are preferable to coaches than Jameis? Really?
Or could it be agents are using King in an effort to jam Team Glazer for more loot?
As far as Jameis’ salary, why is that even a factor? That is of no business of a coach. That’s between ownership, the general manager and the player’s agent. When is the last time you heard of a coach accepting/turning down an NFL job based on one player’s salary? That borders on idiotic which leads Joe to believe King is being used as a pawn.
As far as the Bucs being a repulsive job, Joe dismisses this notion entirely for a couple of reasons.
One is Joe was talking with a Bucs assistant roughly a month ago and asked him if Team Glazer was ramping up the heat on the coaches. He told Joe, no. In fact, he said Team Glazer takes a hands-off approach to coaches and allows them to do their jobs without outside interference.
In what job in America would an employee not enjoy that same type of freedom, knowing they won’t have their bosses giving them the evil eye at every turn or sticking their noses in game plans, personnel groupings, etc.?
Another reason Joe doesn’t believe the Bucs job is awful is that in a recent Ringer.com podcast, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi said it is known throughout the league that Team Glazer has no issue cutting large checks with many zeros. Now what coaching candidate or candidate’s agent would that not intrigue?
Hell, Chucky, former Bucs commander Greg Schiano and inept Lovie Smith made a fortune not working for Team Glazer.
Besides, the history of the NFL is littered with examples of coaches who were either blacklisted, passed over, were secondary options or came from obscure, small colleges who took over obscenely moribund teams and tuned the franchises around. Bill Walsh, Father Dungy and Don Coryell spring to mind as a few examples.
So if King is not being used by agents — always a very real possibility — and the Bucs cannot lure A-list coaching candidates, that does not mean in any way Team Glazer cannot hire a good football man.
December 19th, 2018 at 12:45 am
No one wants to coach a small market irrelevant franchise with horrible owners and a long history of failure. Winners stay winners by avoiding losers. Glazers are losers
December 19th, 2018 at 12:52 am
Potential candidates for Bucs coach are aware of the quality players on this team.Any reasonable candidate will believe that they can produce a winner in Tampa.Call me crazy,but I feel a winning season coming next year!!!!
December 19th, 2018 at 1:11 am
The situations between Cincinnati and Tampa are actually pretty similar; perennial 1,000 yard receiver, Pro Bowl 3-techs, Top 5-10 linebackers, enigmatic quarterbacks due bigtime money, Young talented TE’s, aging-yet-still-productive pass rusher, young and underwhelming secondary that ranks among the league’s worst in overall points and yards allowed, average-to-below average offensive lines… The difference between them is ownership. Would you rather coach for an owner that is infamous for NOT firing his coach for 15 years despite consistently average to poor results, or for an owner(s) that fires one every 2 years like clockwork? It’s really not that complicated, Peter. Any coach worth his merit can look at this underachieving Buc squad and know it has something to do with an absolutely inept coaching staff; something that a coach worth his merit would also have confidence he can improve upon (hence the merit).
December 19th, 2018 at 1:18 am
Hmmm
This is what I’ve been saying all year
December 19th, 2018 at 1:43 am
King is an admitted “social activist” meaning he lost his liberal mind and ability to think and reason a long time ago…why should his opinions on one of the most talent laiden offenses in the league actually matter, he’s no fukn coach. And btw “king,” u, jim carrey, and the rest of ur brain dead liberal mob come and try to take my 2nd amendment away from and we’ll show u just how lost ur mind really is when we separate it from ur shoulders.
December 19th, 2018 at 1:50 am
Face it. We are a great place to live but a horrible sports town. The Bucs history of failures and being inept will keep top prospects away. The Glazers, who are proving to be terrible owners of any sports(look at man-u as of late) are not smart enough to find a diamond in the rough like Mcvay or Nagy. Those are guys that would come to a team like the Bucs as it Is their first coaching gig. Get ready for another lost decade. The Bucs are the worst franchise in pro sports……..and it doesn’t look like it is going to get better.
December 19th, 2018 at 1:55 am
Small tv market? We are the 11th overall: ahead of franchises such as the following: Phoenix, Seattle, Detroit, Miami, Denver, Minny, Vegas is 39. Do some research for a minute what we trail.
TMAX is obviously in advertising and marketing for a national company:(
December 19th, 2018 at 2:16 am
Anyone who is a longtime fan of the Bucs shouldn’t be surprised by this assessment. Of course we love our team, and as such seem to view it in the best possible light, but this is what outsiders (non Buc fans) think of our team. For many years now, every time ownership conducts a search, don’t you ever wonder why we get turned down by the owner’s first, second, sometimes third choices? We’ve always had the sun and the weather. We’ve always had the no state income tax. Why then? Perhaps we see the best ideal of what we want the team to be. And perhaps those we want in charge, see the truth.
December 19th, 2018 at 2:19 am
Like many have said previously and me included for years: Let’s please hire a competent President of Football Operations for once, take this out of the Glazers hands and go from there moving forward. We have a number of competent parts and pieces at various positions, we need some real experienced leadership.
I do not have a particular name, however I would look at the Ravens organization first…
December 19th, 2018 at 2:43 am
So no-one can see a reputable coach who would want to hitch their wagon to Jameis “The Coach Killa” Winston? Maybe JW shouldn’t be a prerequisite to hire a quality coach. Are we even sure we’d get a better coach than Koetter? Just like Joe’s argument about letting Jameis go because of the uncertainty of who would be better. Well, the same could be said about running off Koetter. just a thought
December 19th, 2018 at 3:37 am
“As far as Jameis’ salary, why is that even a factor? That is of no business of a coach.”
When it means $20M less in cap space to spend on other players or to extend guys already here, you’re delusional if you think it doesn’t factor into a coach’s decision making.
December 19th, 2018 at 3:54 am
First off, I believe a clean sweep of the coaches and GM is in order.
I think the allure of the Buc’s job depends on what kind of power structure the Glazers want to have here. If a GM is hired first, it is safe to assume he will be in power and possibly have a hand in the HC hiring.
However this job may become more appealing to a well experienced head coach if he is hired before the GM.
Personally IDGAF, I just want to win. I don’t care if the coach is black, white, purple, blind, experienced, or brand freaking new. I just want to win.
When people ask me “oh what team is on your coffee cup”, I want to answer “it’s the MF Bucs” and not “ it’s the Bucs, ya I know we freakin suck.”
December 19th, 2018 at 3:57 am
I’d be worried about my quarterback being permanently banned by the league, if I were looking at this job
December 19th, 2018 at 3:59 am
Where are all these free tickets at? I’ve never seen them – ever. If someone has some free club seats for me, let me know. But club seats only, don’t bother me with some peasant upper deckers.
December 19th, 2018 at 4:20 am
The Bucs job is probably preferable to the Cincy job, Arizona, and Detroit if South Padre Patricia is cut loose but all the other jobs will be preferable. Lots of takes from Buc fans and most are thoughtful but like clockwork the trolls post their negativity for the thousandth time yet consider the fact that if he or she was not trolling the Joe site he would probably be out in an ice cream truck cruising or doing something else that is far more detrimental than posting negative junk here. I just do not get the trolls posting if they hate the franchise so much unless the only joy a troll can get in life is trying to drag positive people down to their sad basement in life….. Hopefully Peter King misses the mark again and he Bucs actually get a real xs and os coach who will clean the cancers out of the locker room.
December 19th, 2018 at 4:23 am
No one wants us. It’s a Bucs Life
December 19th, 2018 at 4:45 am
They are not bad owners, they have continually opened the checkbook
They just don’t know how to pick a coach, and/or allow a coach to pick his own GM (twice)
I forgot what the article was about I just can’t stop 🤔
Our scouting department needs a major upgrade
Who watched M.J. Stewart and thought he would make a good nickel — he runs like a SAM LB – Alex Cappa, really? What a joke – could name 10 of these under Jason
ROJO fooled a lot of people – but we just have poor evaluation of talent overall followed up by knee jerk drafting and a horribly weak minded HC
Burn it down and start completely over top to bottom
December 19th, 2018 at 6:00 am
‘Social activist’ Peter King misses the mark quite often IMO, BUT … he’s not necessarily wrong in this case when he wrote “When you talk to agents of coaches, none of them are excited about the Tampa Bay job” and “I think that could be a clean sweep in Tampa”.
If I was a HC candidate, my first consideration in looking at Tampa would be the resources that I’d be starting with. IOW, could I be successful relatively quickly in Tampa? Is the team ripe for a quick turnaround? Short answer? Very unlikely. Offensively: Tenuous QB situation, mediocre RB situation, mediocre OLine situation, favorable WR & TE situation. Defensively: Average DLine situation, average-to-below-average LB situation, mediocre Secondary. Special teams: meh. Depth: close to non-existent.
Harsh assessment I know, compared to so many who keep saying ‘We’re so close’ but we’re not close at all IMO … with this roster provided by Jason Licht. Far too many starting & key rotational weaknesses in a number of position groups for one thing. For another, we lack key players with strong LEADERSHIP skills. We’ve got SOME decent talent in-place, but virtually none of those are providing the FIELD LEADERSHIP this team so desperately needs. And no Joe, not even Jameis at the present time.
I personally hope that Peter King is right. That we have a ‘clean sweep in Tampa’. That’s the only chance a new coach would have to get the resources he’ll need to turn this franchise around. Given a choice, I’d get rid of Jason Licht long before I’d throw Dirk Koetter to the curb. Given a more talented roster & some true field leadership, Dirk would’ve had a much better chance of turning this team into a contender.
December 19th, 2018 at 6:38 am
Bring em in, wine and dine them at Berns….take them out to Mons Venus…..and then over to Pablo for some table dances…..they will be hooked (hookered)
December 19th, 2018 at 7:14 am
Joe, Winston’s salary is an issue because we don’t know what the Glazers will offer him. Given his record, it could be a low number or short term which Winston won’t accept, so a prospective HC faces uncertainty at his most important position.
December 19th, 2018 at 7:23 am
I disagree. You can look at from both sides.
Defensive minded coach thinks I just need to tweak a few thinks on defense and add a few stud players in my system and let the offense be the offense
Offensive minded coach thinks how much fun it would be to have all these weapons at receiver and tight end to make up new plays no one has ever seen before and put up 35 a game. Hire defense coordinator with solid history that just got bounced from another team blown up like Bucs.
December 19th, 2018 at 7:36 am
No one wants to come here and work with one of the worst GM’s in the NFL or to work with a third-tier quarterback. I said it yesterday that if this team is as talented as people say it is, then this job would be the most desired job in the NFL.
December 19th, 2018 at 7:46 am
King has it right. Joe doesn’t.
December 19th, 2018 at 7:52 am
Dumb comments by Peter King..
EVERY SINGLE YEAR since the beginning of time in the NFL, there have been teams that are badly struggling that need a coaching change. — Those teams sure as hell did not look attractive at the time either.
Someone is going to come in here and turn things around.
Peter King has always had a propensity for exaggeration.
December 19th, 2018 at 7:55 am
John B Says:
“They are not bad owners, they have continually opened the checkbook
They just don’t know how to pick a coach, and/or allow a coach to pick his own GM (twice)
Our scouting department needs a major upgrade
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree with these points, John B. — I have never felt that the Glazers are not trying. They have swung and missed, but have tried to do the right things. They need to hit a home run this time.
December 19th, 2018 at 8:04 am
Coaching here is like taking a job at Temple — just a stop on the way to a real job.
December 19th, 2018 at 8:17 am
Always funny to me to read national people that act like they know local situations. I’m sure guys like King worked hard to get where they are with national audiences, but I am sure there is a little luck involved, too. He is not a reliable a source and a pawn(as Joe stated) for agents, players he likes, and owners. He and Florio work hard but rely on local beat writers just like I do for news about any specific team. Unattractive coaching positions in the NFL is laughable. There is only 32 jobs in the NFL that pay coaches millions in the world. Coaches fall over themselves for the chance every time. Glazers need to look at results for coaches new to situations, like the Colts defense, or personnel guys who routinely scout consistently. Keep Greenberg the contract guy. Find guys that relate to players and have results. Plenty relate to players without results, like Dirk. Dirk’s results were very proven before, he got here with inconsistency on wins. Find the guys, Glazers.
December 19th, 2018 at 8:19 am
I swear, Joe, I get excited when I see Peter King’s picture on your website because I know the hilarious descriptor before his name is coming….. LMAO
December 19th, 2018 at 8:22 am
@newtampachris… actually its not, its the opposite. Its where coaches go to die. Head coaches can’t win here, so they are done and don’t get other jobs. No one wants to come here. If it was a pitt stop like temple,where you could move to a better job, then wed get some quality.
December 19th, 2018 at 8:24 am
Been saying this for a while now. It’s not the team as much as the organization that is a dumpster fire
December 19th, 2018 at 8:34 am
I’m not sure how we made the leap from King talking about coaching destinations to taking away the 2nd Amendment!
Thanks for that Buc4lyfe! Way to feed into the fear-mongering.
As to the Bucs, look at the leadership. It is NOT a football culture, and most assuredly not a winning culture. You’d have to think long and hard before taking THIS on.
December 19th, 2018 at 8:46 am
NewTampaChris Says:
“Coaching here is like taking a job at Temple — just a stop on the way to a real job.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
You are right that College jobs are viewed that way (stepping stones), but not NFL jobs. No one takes a job coaching the NY Jets or the TB Buccaneers saying “One day this will get me to the Pittsburgh Steelers!”
December 19th, 2018 at 8:52 am
They should go young this time with pro experience working under solid teams that have been in the playoffs. Really doesn’t matter, interview all the best coordinators from teams that have made the turnaround from struggling teams to now very relevent and are division leaders:
Chicago-Rams-Chargers.
About the time Koetter took the Bucs job we were better than all of the above teams. They found the way to climb back out of the bottom, so if you pick guys from their staffs, you already are going to be working with turnaround coaches. Thats what we need, get them young and smart.
We’ve hired experience the past 3 HC’s: Shiano, Smith and Koetter. All middle to older coaches with average resumes. Lets take the next step and get some younger guys that can work closer with the players and be able to teach them how to climb out of this hole they are in.
December 19th, 2018 at 9:19 am
Joe I beg of you please stop with the long intro for Peter King. Its charm went away threads ago.
December 19th, 2018 at 9:22 am
On a side note, the picture art (above) is making me REALLY thirsty.
December 19th, 2018 at 9:27 am
Joe sounds like one of those parents of the kids that murdered someone. He’s still my son and I love him. This job is garbage. Blame the Glazers for creating this mess.
#firetheglazers
December 19th, 2018 at 9:28 am
downinthedirt
i agree…..
theirs a good well respected quailed coach out there that wants the opportunity to show what he can do and would view tampa as the perfect destination….
the right coach can have us in the playoffs next year…..bears are a perfect example….we beat them badly, they were picking ahead of us in the draft and with the right coach, they look like the most dangerous team in the NFC wrapping up their division with 10win with still 2 games to play…..
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!….#ADIOSDIRK!!!…GO BUCS!!!
December 19th, 2018 at 9:30 am
ed
i agree….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!….#ADIOSDIRK!!!…GO BUCS!!!
December 19th, 2018 at 9:42 am
Right on!!! @ tmaxcon
December 19th, 2018 at 10:02 am
Joe, your Winston homerism pervades almost every blog post.
he’s ranked 27th in passer rating so far this year. He’s a polarizing distraction.
And somehow you’re debating that a prospective coaches wouldn’t be turned off by that lol.
December 19th, 2018 at 10:14 am
ANY coaching job is bad if you have an incompetent GM, PERIOD!
December 19th, 2018 at 10:51 am
Bring on the President of Football Operations. The Glazers should not be making football decisions about head coaches. The general manager does have to have football knowledge but he needs good business management skills also.
____________________
Go Bucs Sh*t!!!!!!!
December 19th, 2018 at 10:52 am
Hello McFly. Hello. Someone post a picture of Chip Kelly here. He agreed to coach the Bucs. Then he rethought it when he looked at some tape of Josh Freeman. Winston has tons of athleticism. He has failed to progress to an elite level. He doesn’t read defenses well and his accuracy is suspect game to game. Against mediocre teams he looks awesome. Against good to excellent defenses he is horrible. What Coach is going to be willing to accept that type of player. What King and Florio got wrong is the issue with Winston isn’t about money. It’s about coachability. That is going to be the conundrum the Glazerhouse Boys are going to have finding a new coach. This will all be a moot point for the Glazerhouse Boys when they cut Bait and release Winston.
December 19th, 2018 at 11:02 am
“No one wants to coach a small market irrelevant franchise with horrible owners and a long history of failure. Winners stay winners by avoiding losers. Glazers are losers”
A longstanding history of poor ownership and a losing tradition. Plus you only get 2 years to make the playoffs which we are not lined up to do. We are the worst team, with the worst QB and defense in the division. It will be difficult to get top coaching talent to come here.
December 19th, 2018 at 11:16 am
Joe says:
“In fact, he said Team Glazer takes a hands-off approach to coaches and allows them to do their jobs without outside interference.
In what job in America would an employee not enjoy that same type of freedom, knowing they won’t have their bosses giving them the evil eye at every turn”
——————————————
Maybe Mike Brown needs a little less micro managing and the Glazers need a little more? The hands off approach here seems to have led to the “cats away” mentality.
Gonna have to hire somebody dripping with integrity as Pres of Ops…then the rest will fall in line.
December 19th, 2018 at 11:55 am
Reminds me of that meme that went around years ago:
Chip Kelly walks in, takes one look at Josh Freeman, and walks right out…
December 19th, 2018 at 1:30 pm
The Bucs have no success at GM, Head Coach, and the QB position is a complete nightmare on and off the field. The last two “potential franchise” QB picks are knucklechucks off the field, who the hell signs off on this during draft? The Glazer family deserves all bad that comes their way.
December 19th, 2018 at 1:32 pm
The Bucs suck at getting GM’s, head coaches, and absolutely blow at the QB position at the draft. The two “potential franchise” QB’s they drafted were absolutely knucklechucks off the field, who the hell signs off on this during the draft process? Fire everyone from the top down and clean out the roster. But the Glazer family deserves everything bad that comes their way.
December 19th, 2018 at 1:47 pm
@MHBuc25,
Those last 2 posts are WAY too similar, man.
(just kiddin)
December 19th, 2018 at 2:04 pm
Spin it anyway you’d like, nobody cares about this team.
Winston’s failure to launch is a huge reason as far as perspective goes.
December 19th, 2018 at 2:10 pm
^ Every single year, the fans of every single team that is struggling feel the same way. – This is nothing unique. We just need to get it turned around.
December 19th, 2018 at 2:39 pm
Thanks for noticing Tampa Bay Demon! The original post wasn’t showing.
December 19th, 2018 at 2:41 pm
Also Tampa Bay Demon…. Joe loves blocking me for innocent stuff that pertains to QB Knucklehead #3. So he’s making it challenging to hold the right people accountable, and you can bet there’s many others. Censorship is probably fun for those in the background though. Imagine holding the title: VP of Censorship, don’t knock it.
December 19th, 2018 at 3:29 pm
The anti-Winston dopes talked about nothing but turnovers – but it turns out when the defense actually keeps the Bucs in the game that Winston isn’t who they say he is – so now he’s a guy that suddenly can’t make plays after two games in the rain with WR’s dropping every other pass. LOL! That’s why you dopes are fake news, you have literally zero interest in legitimate conversation, you’re just triggered by Winston so no matter what he does you’ll just whine and complain, because that’s what dopes do.
Fun fact: Winston is literally the best QB in team history. Meanwhile you morons spent the entire first half of the season talking about how we need to lock up Fitz to a long term contract. You’re idiots.
December 19th, 2018 at 3:35 pm
“Winston is literally the best QB in team history.”
And we are the #1 offense…neither one of those things mean squat
December 19th, 2018 at 7:34 pm
i think it would be very entertaining and quite crazy if we hired warren sapp as the head coach…it would make for a wild scene at all times…keep duff for the d…monken for the o…and sapp running the show and whippin dudes and game officials alike…how do you put a crazy azz team on the field???…hire a crazy azz coach…it might just be time for crazy in bucs land
December 19th, 2018 at 7:36 pm
sapp for head coach…lets get crazy by the bay
December 19th, 2018 at 7:44 pm
Sapp may never be hired as any type of coach in the NFL.