Will Grimm Get A Sniff?
January 5th, 2012
Being a head coach in the NFL is completely different from any other coaching job. Some guys can make the leap; some can’t. Some would be great head coaches but poor coordinators.
Joe’s not about to pretend he’s got a can’t-miss candidate for the Bucs’ opening. If Team Glazer wants to let Joe in on the interview/vetting process, sure, then Joe would be happy to make a call. But for all Joe knows some of these hot candidates come off clueless or wacky in interviews, are burned out, or have all kinds of baggage no fan or media-type would every know of.
That written, it’s still fun to speculate and handicap the field. Justin “The Commish” Pawlowski, the Buccaneers Radio Network pre- and post-game host, has done just that in a new article for 620wdae.com. The Commish fires off names with pros and cons. Joe suggests you check it out.
One name Pawlowski highlights is Hall of Famer and Cardinals coach Russ Grimm, Cody’s dad.
Russ Grimm
Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator Arizona CardinalsPros: Like Winston Moss, Grimm has been groomed to be a head coach under some top head coaches in the NFL. Grimm was a finalist to become the Bears and Steelers next head coaches, but was passed up both times. Grimm was one of the best offensive lineman the NFL has ever seen, and has become one of the top offensive line coaches in the NFL. He is an aggressive minded coach who has good connections throughout the NFL. Grimm would thrive with the offensive and defensive lines already in place with the Bucs. On a side storyline, it would be interesting to see father (Russ) coach son (Cody) in the NFL.
Cons: I’d like to see Grimm in an interview. He must be doing something right to be a finalist for the Bears and Steelers jobs, but must be doing something slightly wrong to get passed up both times and then to not be a legitimate candidate since then. I would question how Grimm would handle a roster as young as the Buccaneers and groom a quarterback like Josh Freeman. I’m not as high on Russ Grimm for the Bucs as others are. Picking a head coach is finding the right fit, and I’m not sure Grimm is a good fit here.
Joe admits that Grimm intrigues him very much. He would bring instant credibility — and surely some old school discipline — to young Buccaneers with his playing and coaching resume. Plus he coached for years in the Steelers organization, and Team Glazer and rockstar GM Mark Dominik seem to be enamoured with the “Steeler Way.”
Joe suspects Grimm would demand nothing less than an extreme physicality to his football team that would be such a welcome change. Though it could be a positive or a negative, Joe finds it interesting that he’d have a family mole on his team in the form of Cody Grimm.
Will Grimm get a sniff? Does he have baggage that’s kept him from the head coaching ranks? Joe has no clue.
January 5th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Count me in on that!
Id like to see Dom tell this guy he can’t get a free agent!
And imagine when K-2 runs a half ass route!
January 5th, 2012 at 11:13 am
Someone needs to explain why always a groomsman, never a groom. He always gets a sniff, never a taste!
January 5th, 2012 at 11:15 am
Same could be said for Tony Dungy!
January 5th, 2012 at 11:27 am
Finally someone mentions Russ Grimm. Yeee Haaw
January 5th, 2012 at 11:29 am
There is actually a great bit of mystery on the Steeler job. Supposedly he was offered a contract and confirmed it to someone and then the NFL reminded the Steelers about the ROONEY rule. So they pulled the rug out from under him and gave it to Tomlin (Who was just as much qualified!).
Would LOVE to have Grimm here. He’s been a winner everywhere he went…
January 5th, 2012 at 11:29 am
This is probably the only non HC/OC/DC candidates I’d be ok with.
January 5th, 2012 at 11:30 am
How was Arizona’s Run Game this past year?
24th in the League?
Next…
January 5th, 2012 at 11:37 am
Sounds like a great option.
But his son is on the football team, that would kind of concern me. It’d be kind of an awkward/uncomfortable situation. What if he had to cut him?
January 5th, 2012 at 11:39 am
Buc, Hurt Beanie Wells and Kolb and Skelton as Qbs and playing from behind all contribute to that number. I would at least give him and Bissacia (bitchslapya) interviews
January 5th, 2012 at 11:41 am
Looking at Justin’s list I think I’d be happy with Grimm or Bisaccia…..color me un-enamored with Jeff Fisher. Don’t really understand the hub bub around him.
Still…my vote right now would be for Herm Edwards but there’s a few guys out there I’d be happy with. I’ll say this: DO NOT HIRE MIKE SHERMAN
January 5th, 2012 at 11:42 am
I thought Beanie and co. had a much better year than 24th… I know Beanie had a few huge games but one came against St. Louis. I would take Grimm over Sherman but still prefer Tom Clements, Bill O’Brian, or Rob Chudzinski
January 5th, 2012 at 11:43 am
First think he’d do is cut Jeff Faine. Guarantee it.
January 5th, 2012 at 11:53 am
I heard Chuckies brother is leading candidate for Jacksonville.
Not really a disciplinarian, but i bet Josh would love playing for the guy.
Too ironic to merit serious consideration I suppose and only one year as coordinator.
Russ had some great rushers at Pitt to offset the 24th ranking last year. And wasnt he there when the Cards made that Super Bowl run?
January 5th, 2012 at 11:53 am
I cant see the article to see if it mentions Mike Zimmer. Someone do some research on the guy. Bengals fans are praying they dont lose him as a HC.
The Guy has produced very well in a 3-4 Defense under Bill Parcells and a 4-3. He has posted top 5 and top 10 Defenses with some regularity.
He also has had very good results in Run Defense and Pass Defense.
He appears to be a ball Buster as well … But a teacher too .. He gets tremendous respect from all his players.
He was voted Assistant coach of the year in 2009 by multiple sources. He also coached a game that year days after his wife died unexpectedly.
Just my gut. But this could be the dude.
January 5th, 2012 at 11:56 am
Joe, what are your thoughts on Bill O’Brien of New England?
January 5th, 2012 at 11:58 am
Official rankings measure how often you run, not how well you do. Arizona had one of the best run success rates in football.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:02 pm
are we settling for supposed up & comers? Go get cowher
January 5th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Thanks for the link. great article by Justin! Joe, I’d be very interested in hearing your take/comments on Rich Bisaccia. This is the first time I’ve really seen his name pop up.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Cowher is not coaching, get over it
January 5th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
What is the facination with Cowher ??
The guy is much more laid back now too .. been out of the game for tooo long now
January 5th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
I am fascinated with winning football.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
In other news … CBS Sports reports Raheem Morris spotted dining with Redskins Brass
January 5th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Ok, i like the idea of Russ Grimm(if he can get Spags as a DC), Fisher hasnt proved squat to me, and Sherman is washed up(reminds me of Shanahan coaching the Skins). Out of the pool of coaches out there, my top 3 are: Marty Schott, Russ Grimm, and Bill Obrien.
January 5th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
The Rooney rule was probably the reason Grimm was 2nd to Tomlin and Lovie…
January 5th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
God enough already with the Rooney rule….it only requires that a minority candidate be INTERVIEWED, not hired. I guarantee that neither team would have invested all the time and money in Lovie or Tomlin if they were considered less qualified or a worse fit than Russ Grimm. And btw, Lovie took the Bears to a Superbowl and has them near the top of the division year in and year out. Tomlin has won one Superbowl,and taken the Steelers to another while having them playing smart physical football almost every single week. Stop blaming the success of black coaches on the Rooney rule…..give it a rest. If Grimm was deemed a superior candidate after the interview process, he would’ve gotten one job or the other. End of story.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
I can tell you why he was passed by by the Steelers. The color of his skin. It seems petty, but it is the case.
The owner had told him he had the job, abd they were going to announce it the following day.
The NFL offices (Goodell?) called Rooney and told him that since the rule was named after him, he should hired a black coach. So Tomlin got the job.
The two were equally qualified anyway, but Grimm actually lost it because of the color of his skin. If it had been the other way around, we would have seen fines and lawsuits.
This is a true story…not making a word of it up.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
The photo is misleading…he’s coaching for the Steelers.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
The order of preference for my would be:
1) Russ Grimm
2) Tom Clements
3) Winston Moss
4) Chip Kelly
Cowher’s out because he isn’t returning to coach, Fisher is outclassed in today’s game, sad to say. You watch what happens if the Dolphins or Rams get him.
Chudzinski has been completely unimpressive to me…as have the Panthers.
Mike Mularkey is over-rated. He might be good, he might not be. He had good moments and bad moments. Too unproven for my tastes. I don’t care if he developed Ryan…it isn’t enough.
Mike Sherman is out for obvious reasons.
Rich Bisaccia could grow on me. My concern though is that the Glazers would not put up or shut up where money is concerned for him.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Hey even if he was second to Tomlin, thats a good enorsement in my book, from a team that has great football people, unlike ours.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Hey even if he was second to Tomlin, thats a good enorsement in my book, from a team that has great football people, unlike ours.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
– Lovie was tied to Angelo through the Bucs
– Tomlin was THE rooney rule hire, period
I would not be crying if Grimm was hired – he’d bring great credidentials as a former player and you have to love an “old school” guy
January 5th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
What about this:
Russ Grimm HC
Todd Haley OC
Steve Spangulo DC,
if MD can get us some nice free agents and draft picks, i see playoffs first year with this group.
January 5th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
eric:
Joe would raise a glass of Bushmills if the Bucs hired Russ Grimm.
January 5th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
This is exactly the kind of thinking that made it so bad on the fans this past season…expecting too much.
Even if we get a new HC, the team is at least another full season away from being good.
January 5th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
That’s not all that would raise for me…
January 5th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Pete:
Everything Joe has heard was that Wiz (Whisenhunt) had the job and if he turned it down Grimm was next in line. But the Rooneys granted Tomlin an interview after Father Dungy called them and lobbied for an interview, telling the Rooneys they would regret not interviewing him for years to come, that Dungy really believed Tomlin was something special. Tomlin came in and blew the Rooneys away in the interview, so much so that Dan Rooney changed his mind.
The Rooneys are hardly puppets of Goodell. If anything it’s the other way around.
January 5th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Grimm to Talib, “What are you still doing here?”
January 5th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
@ REAL Bucs Fan
the photo is not misleading, he is NOT coaching for the Steelers. he DID coach for the Steelers….but when Whisenhunt took the Arizona job, he took Grimm along with him. pay attention buddy, u might learn a thing or 2.
January 5th, 2012 at 4:47 pm
Remember when we played Arizona and there was all the talk about Cody and his dad?? Definitely coaches at Arizona. I wouldn’t mind Grimm as a coach at all. I prefer him way above Fisher.
January 5th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
@joe,
I would be right there with you my friend!
January 5th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
@joe,
I would be right there with you my friend!
January 5th, 2012 at 6:10 pm
MIKE ZIMMER
January 5th, 2012 at 7:00 pm
GRIMM!!!!!!