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Redskins Ready to Talk to Rhodes
Seahawks' Season Over for Coach
By Mark Maske and Leonard Shapiro
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, January 5, 2004; Page D09
Washington Redskins officials hope to interview Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes for their head-coaching vacancy in the next day or two.
The Redskins planned to get in touch with Rhodes late last night or today, after he returned to Seattle. The Seahawks' season ended with an overtime loss in Green Bay in the first round of the NFC playoffs.
Rhodes declined to comment after the game. A Seahawks source said that Rhodes was uncertain if he wanted to interview with the Redskins, but added that members of the organization probably would urge him to seek the job. The Seahawks already have granted the Redskins' request to interview Rhodes.
Rhodes has expressed satisfaction with being a defensive coordinator since head-coaching stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Packers ended bitterly. He was fired by Green Bay after only one season. When he served as the Redskins' defensive coordinator in the 2000 season, he said he was content being an assistant.
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder offered Rhodes the head-coaching job after firing Norv Turner with three games remaining in that season. But Rhodes refused, saying that taking the job would have been disloyal to Turner. He left the Redskins in a dispute with incoming coach Marty Schottenheimer and served as Denver's defensive coordinator before moving on to Seattle. He remains a favorite of Snyder's, but the owner probably would have to persuade him to seek the job.
Snyder and Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' vice president of football operations, remained on the West Coast after interviewing former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel and former Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green in San Francisco in recent days. Green spent about 12 hours with Snyder and Cerrato over a two-day span. Green interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals last week and is scheduled to meet with Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis today.
"I thought [the Redskins interview] went well,'' Green said in a telephone interview yesterday. "I met with [Snyder] Friday and Saturday, and we had a great exchange of ideas. There was no offer made. I'm going to Oakland [today] to talk to them.''
Sources said the Redskins were convinced after meeting with Green that they could work out a system with him for making player-related decisions if they want him to be their coach. Green has said in the past that he would want the final say on player moves, but Snyder and Cerrato do not seem prepared to step out of the process. Green had only kind words about the franchise yesterday.
"I think Washington is a great organization," Green said. "They have the ability to get unrestricted free agents. You look at their top 25 players, there are a lot of number one and number two draft choices. It does appeal to me and because it's the nation's capital, you've got 80,000 people in the stadium and everyone in Washington Redskins country loves the Redskins. They're number one in everything that can take place outside the game -- their revenue, their marketing, their ticket sales. If you can get good on the field, you've got everything you could possibly want.''
Fassel is scheduled to interview with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday and perhaps Wednesday. He interviewed with Arizona last week, and NFL sources said the Cardinals were mulling over making an offer as early as today. There is some sentiment around the league that Fassel is the favorite to be offered the Redskins job, and offers from other teams perhaps would force a resolution of the matter late this week.
The Redskins plan to reevaluate their options around midweek, sources said. Team officials put Fassel, Green and Rhodes at or near the top of their list just after Steve Spurrier resigned Tuesday, but said they would consider other candidates. New England Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel could be next in line if the Redskins expand their search to other assistant coaches around the league.
Shapiro reported from Green Bay, Wis.
Redskins Ready to Talk to Rhodes
Seahawks' Season Over for Coach
By Mark Maske and Leonard Shapiro
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, January 5, 2004; Page D09
Washington Redskins officials hope to interview Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes for their head-coaching vacancy in the next day or two.
The Redskins planned to get in touch with Rhodes late last night or today, after he returned to Seattle. The Seahawks' season ended with an overtime loss in Green Bay in the first round of the NFC playoffs.
Rhodes declined to comment after the game. A Seahawks source said that Rhodes was uncertain if he wanted to interview with the Redskins, but added that members of the organization probably would urge him to seek the job. The Seahawks already have granted the Redskins' request to interview Rhodes.
Rhodes has expressed satisfaction with being a defensive coordinator since head-coaching stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Packers ended bitterly. He was fired by Green Bay after only one season. When he served as the Redskins' defensive coordinator in the 2000 season, he said he was content being an assistant.
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder offered Rhodes the head-coaching job after firing Norv Turner with three games remaining in that season. But Rhodes refused, saying that taking the job would have been disloyal to Turner. He left the Redskins in a dispute with incoming coach Marty Schottenheimer and served as Denver's defensive coordinator before moving on to Seattle. He remains a favorite of Snyder's, but the owner probably would have to persuade him to seek the job.
Snyder and Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' vice president of football operations, remained on the West Coast after interviewing former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel and former Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green in San Francisco in recent days. Green spent about 12 hours with Snyder and Cerrato over a two-day span. Green interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals last week and is scheduled to meet with Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis today.
"I thought [the Redskins interview] went well,'' Green said in a telephone interview yesterday. "I met with [Snyder] Friday and Saturday, and we had a great exchange of ideas. There was no offer made. I'm going to Oakland [today] to talk to them.''
Sources said the Redskins were convinced after meeting with Green that they could work out a system with him for making player-related decisions if they want him to be their coach. Green has said in the past that he would want the final say on player moves, but Snyder and Cerrato do not seem prepared to step out of the process. Green had only kind words about the franchise yesterday.
"I think Washington is a great organization," Green said. "They have the ability to get unrestricted free agents. You look at their top 25 players, there are a lot of number one and number two draft choices. It does appeal to me and because it's the nation's capital, you've got 80,000 people in the stadium and everyone in Washington Redskins country loves the Redskins. They're number one in everything that can take place outside the game -- their revenue, their marketing, their ticket sales. If you can get good on the field, you've got everything you could possibly want.''
Fassel is scheduled to interview with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday and perhaps Wednesday. He interviewed with Arizona last week, and NFL sources said the Cardinals were mulling over making an offer as early as today. There is some sentiment around the league that Fassel is the favorite to be offered the Redskins job, and offers from other teams perhaps would force a resolution of the matter late this week.
The Redskins plan to reevaluate their options around midweek, sources said. Team officials put Fassel, Green and Rhodes at or near the top of their list just after Steve Spurrier resigned Tuesday, but said they would consider other candidates. New England Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel could be next in line if the Redskins expand their search to other assistant coaches around the league.
Shapiro reported from Green Bay, Wis.
