Spherical this time remaining yr, teams with head-coaching vacancies had been permitted to interview candidates on completely different staffs. These interviews may occur all through the remaining two weeks of the frequent season, nevertheless the guinea pig franchise proper right here — the Jaguars — encountered blended outcomes referring to early interview summons.
The Jaguars had been the one workforce with a vacancy at this degree remaining yr, and they also did end up speaking to a few HC candidates — Kellen Moore, Byron Leftwich, Todd Bowles — sooner than the frequent season ended. Completely different candidates — like Dan Quinn, Nathaniel Hackett, Matt Eberflus — opted to bypass the early interview circuit. Hackett and Eberflus waited for an interview with the Jags until after their teams’ frequent seasons ended; Quinn did not interview. The NFL will transfer on this choice this yr.
The Colts and Panthers isn’t going to have a possibility to speak with candidates presently on staff, with CBS Sports activities actions’ Jonathan Jones reporting homeowners voted to not renew the strategy. Ultimate yr, the Jags had been allowed to request interviews and meet with candidates — so long as the assistants’ teams OK’d it. The Panthers and Colts may wish to wait until the frequent season ends to conduct interviews with coaches presently under contract.
Carolina and Indianapolis can interview coaches not throughout the league now. The Jaguars ended up discovering their current HC this fashion. Doug Pederson interviewed with Jacksonville all through Week 17 of ultimate season. Jim Caldwell moreover met with the in-season workforce. Jacksonville’s search course of ended up lasting into late January, that features some twists and turns, nevertheless Pederson landed the gig.
It’s going to be fascinating to see if the Panthers or Colts try to conduct interviews sooner than their interim hires’ auditions end. Steve Wilks and Jeff Saturday are believed to be true candidates to take over on a full-time basis, although no interim HC has earned such a promotion as a result of the Jags modified Doug Marrone‘s title virtually six years previously.
Saturday’s interim appointment generated considerable pushback from the educating group and media, and the Fritz Pollard Alliance often called on the NFL to maneuver interim hires under the Rooney Rule umbrella. That will not happen, on the very least not this yr. Although the NFL has steadily expanded the Rooney Rule recently, Jones tweets the league is sticking with its current setup. Teams isn’t going to should interview a minority candidate sooner than naming an interim coach. Teams will nonetheless wish to fulfill with two exterior minority candidates sooner than making a full-time lease, nonetheless.