Raiders last team standing
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Monday, January 19th, 2009 at 11:58 am in Oakland Raiders.
With the news that Rex Ryan has apparently accepted the position of head coach with the Jets, the Raiders are left as the only team yet to name its leader for 2009.
The Jets haven’t announced Ryan’s hiring yet, but the NFL Network, the Associated Press and others are reporting it as a done deal and a Jets spokesman has yet to say that it was merely an interview to be the defensive coordinator and had nothing to do with the job of head coach.
Unless new Chiefs exec Scott Pioli cans Herman Edwards, or Jerry Jones changes his mind on Wade Phillips, only the Raiders remain.
If we’re to take the Raiders at their word, there remain only three candidates _ interim coach Tom Cable, Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and Packers assistant head coach and linebackers coach Winston Moss.
The only one not to generate any real buzz about a potential hiring is Moss, who could end up being considered for defensive coordinator or linebackers coach in Oakland.
Green Bay has called a press conference for today where they’re expected to to announce Dom Capers as defensive coordinator, and there’ s always the possibility Capers will be given the opportunity to remake some of the remaining defensive staff.
Where Don Martindale fits in with the Raiders is not clear. Amid reports that Martindale had positioned himself as a Raiders head coaching candidate following an impressive interview Saturday, spokesman John Herrera, who speaks for the organization and on behalf of Al Davis, said it was not true.
The two talked defensive football, Herrera said.
Martindale could be pursued on Rex Ryan’s staff as a coordinator or linebackers coach. The two coached together at the University of Cincinnati, and Martindale in some ways qualifies as the long-lost triplet of Rob and Rex. That’s how close he is to the family.
Fiercely loyal to Davis, you wonder how Martindale will take the Raiders’ statement of his non-candidacy. I’m guessing Martindale walked out of that interview thinking he was a candidate to be the head coach, only have the club say he wasn’t.
As much as the Raiders catch heat for denying everything, it’s hard to imagine Davis telling Herrera to relay the message that Martindale was not a candidate, only to turn around and hire him as head coach a week or so later.
In any event, the only way this thing gets done quickly is if the Raiders bypass the whole press conference with a simple announcement naming a head coach.
There are coaches (including Tom Cable) and scouts in Mobile, Ala., this week for the Senior Bowl. A dead-week hire in the Week before the Super Bowl is a possibility.
Unless of course, the Davis wants to talk with Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley and gets smoke signals that suggest he’s interested.
Then we’re looking at Februrary.
As for the front-office hire Davis hinted at back on Sept. 30, it’s clear that position will be filled after a staff is already in place, rather than vice-versa.
