Even More Coaching News

Today was another eventful day for coaching changes. Here's what happened...

The Atlanta Falcons are expected to select Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Smith as their next head coach, according to league sources. An announcement could come as soon as Wednesday afternoon. Sources close to Smith told ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli that the Falcons offered Smith the job on Wednesday. Smith, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett (who withdrew from consideration to remain with the Cowboys), and highly-regarded defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, late of the Baltimore Ravens, each interviewed with Dimitroff after the Falcons hired the former New England Patriots college scouting director on Jan. 13.

Cam Cameron was named the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator today, becoming the first hire under new head coach John Harbaugh the Baltimore Sun reported. Cameron, 46, was fired by the Miami Dolphins after they finished 1-15 in his only season as head coach. But Cameron has a reputation for building explosive attacks as offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, who finished in the top 10 in offense between 2004 and 2006.


NFL Network reports that Fassel could be the head coach of the Washington Redskins as soon as Wednesday. Fassel completed his last interview Monday and flew back to his home in Arizona, sources said, and he and Gregg Williams, the Redskins' assistant head coach-defense, are the only people to meet with owner Daniel Snyder more than once.


Dallas Cowboys secondary coach Todd Bowles declined a contract extension with the Cowboys to join the Miami Dolphins' staff in Miami as the assistant head coach. He'll also lead the secondary according to the Miami Herald. Linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni also is expected to be named the Dolphins' new defensive coordinator; several Cowboys employees weren't expecting his return to Dallas as of Tuesday evening. Defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, who had an offer to make a lateral move to coach the same position in Miami, was still mulling his decision. However, it appeared likely as of Tuesday night that he had decided to leave as well. On Tuesday, they also officially named James Saxon as the running backs coach and Evan Marcus as the head strength and conditioning coach. Saxon, who played running back for the Dolphins from 1992 to 1994, was recently fired by the Chiefs after seven seasons in Kansas City. He coached three Pro Bowl players there: Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson and Tony Richardso.

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Coaching News

-In a surprising move this morning, San Diego Chargers head coach Norv Turner fired receivers coach James Lofton the San Diego Union Tribune reported. "I don't have any idea," Lofton said when asked why he was fired. "I was stunned. He just said he was going in a different direction." Lofton, 51, was hired in 2002. The Hall of Famer, who played from 1978-93, has nurtured Chargers receivers Vincent Jackson, Eric Parker and this season worked with Chris Chambers, who recently said, "He's one of the greatest receiving coaches in the game."

-Mike Holmgren is coming back to the Seattle Seahawks for one last season according to the Seattle Times. He confirmed that this afternoon in a news conference at team headquarters, ending all questions about his immediate future. He said the 2008 season will be his last as coach. Holmgren also announced Tuesday that offensive line assistant coach Keith Gilbertson will become receivers coach, replacing Nolan Cromwell. Cromwell left to become offensive coordinator at Texas A&M. Another Seahawks assistant, quality-control coach Gary Reynolds, will also join the Aggies staff as an assistant to coach Mike Sherman.

-Coach Lane Kiffin has discovered he me may the the head coach of the Oakland Raiders but Al Davis runs all things black and silver. Citing a league source, Profootballtalk.com is reporting Kiffin and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan are not on speaking terms. Davis wants Ryan. Kiffin doesn't. Several weeks ago, there were reports that the Raiders were preparing to fire Ryan. It also was reported that Ryan would be landing with the New York Jets. The team issued a strong denial, and all has been quiet since then. It could be that Kiffin is in trouble, and that Davis is waiting for the dust to settle as to other head-coaching jobs or offensive coordinator positions at the NFL and NCAA level before cutting Kiffin loose.

Sources- Profootballtalk.com, Yahoo Sports

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More Coaching Rumors

Citing a league source, Profootballtalk.com is reporting that Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy will step down, and that assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell will take over. Speculation has grown in recent days that Dungy would step down and follow his family to the Tampa area where his youngest children have enrolled in school. Rumor Update: Dungy has told reporters that the article on profootballtalk.com was FALSE and he has not yet decided on his future.

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Cowboys secondary coach Todd Bowles is expected to leave to become the Miami Dolphins' assistant head coach, and Cowboys linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni is expected to become the Dolphins' defensive coordinator. Both Bowles and Pasqualoni first joined the Cowboys staff in 2005, when Bill Parcells was head coach, and both of those moves could be announced soon, although the Dolphins technically can't hire either until their contracts expire next week. And those might not be the last Dallas assistants to leave. It seems likely that tight ends coach John Garrett will follow his brother Jason to either Baltimore or Atlanta.

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Coach Rumors

The Miami Dolphins will interview Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz Monday, but all signs point to Dallas Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano as Cameron's successor once the Cowboys' season is over the Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

The Baltimore Ravens have recently talked with veteran NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer about their head coaching vacancy, Schottenheimer's agent said Friday. "There's been some discussion but nothing substantive," said Trace Armstrong, a former NFL player who represents Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer, 64, is expected to wait until the Ravens are done with the first round of interviews before speaking with them again. The hiring of Schottenheimer would entail the least amount of risk in replacing Brian Billick.

If Marty Schottenheimer is serious about coming out of exile to coach again in the NFL — and there are conflicting reports as to whether he will or not — and if he gets the Baltimore Ravens job there is a good chance recently fired Miami Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron will be there with him as offensive coordinator. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported the St. Louis Rams are interested in Cameron after firing offensive coordinator Greg Olson, but if Sparano and/or Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett land head-coaching jobs, there's speculation Dallas coach Wade Phillips would want Cameron to run his offense. Phillips was the defensive coordinator at San Diego from 2004-06 when Cameron ran the offense.

Source: Yahoo

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