Birds Add Lovie to List, Deny Gruden Report
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Birds Add Lovie to List, Deny Gruden Report
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Updating the Eagles' head coaching search, the Eagles announced Tuesday they will talk Thursday with former Bears head coach Lovie Smith. They also denied a report that they have a Wednesday interview set up with Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jay Gruden.
That last part is a little odd, in that the Eagles asked for and received permission to talk to Gruden. Maybe they're doing it today? Or they've pushed it down the line, since Gruden's team is out of the playoffs, and he is hardly Chip Kelly, in the NFL hiring hierarchy?
Gruden didn't seem to be exactly anticipating getting a head-coaching job when he spoke with Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer Tuesday.
Asked about turning down interviews last year, but accepting them this time, Gruden said: "I figured I'd better say 'yes,' or they'll quit asking me. I think it will be a great experience and it's exciting. I have every intention of coming back here. We've got a great group of guys here. We''re excited for the future here; win 19 games in two years with a young group, with a rookie quarterback two years ago, rookie receiver ... the future is very, very bright here."
No word still on when the interview with Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is going to happen. Has to be this week, before the Seahawks visit the Falcons on Sunday.
Smith, 54, was 81-63 as the Bears' head coach, but was fired after the 10-6 team missed the playoffs this season. despite having gone 7-1 through the first eight games.
Smith, who has a defensive background, is hardly the young innovator Jeffrey Lurie spoke of when asked what he was looking for in a coach, the day Lurie fired Andy Reid. But that template might have been built to fit Kelly and Penn State coach Bill O'Brien, who both have decided to stick with the college game.
It's also possible the Eagles aren't really that focused on Smith, but when a veteran head coach with a decent resume comes available, and you know you aren't getting your top targets, you feel like you have to at least kick the tires.
I'm sorry but most coaches interviewing for hea coaching jobs know that they have a good chance of being successful if they are going into a situation where a good QB is already there or if they have a high draft pick in a draft with promising QB(s).
It's all about the quarterback when turning an organization around and having success. Bill Walsh drafted Montana when he took over, Jimmy Johnson took Aikman, Mora drafted Manning, Bellichik got lucky with Brady but turned NE around, Green Bay got Favre then Rodgers, Atlanta got Matt Ryan,the Giants got Eli, the Saints went out and signed Brees, and even the Eagles and McNabb (say what you will). All the teams above had losing season(s) the year they either drafted or signed the QB who turned a losing team around. It's proven. And when you don't have/get/draft that QB you lose your job; just this year Reid and Vick, Jax and Gabbert, Gailey and Fitzpatrick, Crennel and Cassel, Smith and Cutler, Shurmur and Weeden, etc. etc.
With all this being said, I don't think many head coaching prospects see alot in Foles and most definitely don't want to fall victim to having to start off their coaching careers with Michael Vick.
Think about it, if you are a coach and you are not sure about Foles, you could be thinking that it would be wiser to wait it out another year or two as their will be a few more promising QBs available in the draft instead of taking a risk this year.— DegoPower- I'd rather have the OC from Houston over Jay Gruden, and since Rob Ryan just got fired I'd take him over Lovie Smith. Lovie is a good head coach but he would need a genius to help Foles along.— James40
- No coach worth his salt wants to come here; they'll avoid it like the plague.
Loser players
Loser owner
Loser GM
Loser sports "journalists"— eyesell - Would be a few good years of Gilligan's Island jokes, at the very least...— ghostofozark
- Norv Turner makes more sense than anybody else that you losers have suggested...well except for maybe Chuckie?— pevans1
- the NFL is all about the QB. belichik sucked before he hooked up with brady. you still win SB's with an elite QB and a good defense. coaching really isn't all that important. you just want a guy who can keep his guys motivated and make decent game-day decisions.— The Boston Strangler
- Mr. Roseman, please try to egt this one right... JON Gruden, not JAY Gruden. Sheesh... We can also look up "Swamp Fox"— ricciaje
- lovie would not be horrible. he would fix the defense and with a reasonably solid OC that could work well.— djack10
