Falcons' New HC: Bobby Petrino

[Evil Ash]

How'd that work out for Miami?

It worked out well for Alabama

 

[Renz]

Who was the minority that they interviewed?

Mike Singletary.

 

[ajcardfan]

If Whisenhunt does'nt take a HC job somewhere, he will stay as PIT OC. I like our chances of landing Whisenhunt right now. If I am MB and RG I am on the phone with Whisenhunt right now offering him the job.

Why? I thought we were firmly second to his desire to coach Pittsburgh. I'd tell him to go pound sand.

(Which is why it's good I'm not a GM!)

 

[Mitch]

Who was the minority that they interviewed?

Mike Singletary...whose interview in Atlanta was today, according to NFL Network.

 

[40yearfan]

Mike Singletary...whose interview in Atlanta was today, according to NFL Network.

I wonder what kind of coach Mike would make? He was one of the most intense players I ever watched. If he coaches like he used to play, he might be pretty good.

 

[Stout]

I wonder if the grumblings are true that Petrino will get to make the decision on Mike Vick. I bet he is, and that was a condition of his hiring.

Earlier today on ESPN Radio, I heard the Falcons were close to hiring a head coach, and that Arthur Blanc told the candidate that he would have carte blanche in keeping or getting rid of Vick.

 

[PAQ77]

He signed a 10 year 25 million dollar contract with Louisville at the beginning of the season and is leaving for a 5 year 24 million dollar contract with Atlanta. Too bad these coaches dont have to pay their former employers to get out of their contracts.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2723700

So how does that work? Do the Falcons have to compensate Louisville?

 

[Evil Ash]

So how does that work? Do the Falcons have to compensate Louisville?

Nope, he just resigns meaning they don't have to pay him

 

[ItsInTheCards]

Who was the minority that they interviewed?

they interviewed Ron Rivera on Friday, Mike Singletary was just an add on

 

[PAQ77]

Nope, he just resigns meaning they don't have to pay him

Wow, I can't believe they can just up and walk like that. Contracts mean nothing nowadays.

 

[ItsInTheCards]

Wow, I can't believe they can just up and walk like that. Contracts mean nothing nowadays.

some do, some dont.

last year, Charlie Weis had a million dollar buyout at Notre Dame. Then he signed an extension and supposedly the buyout went up.

I'm sure that Carroll has one. I believe Saban had one coming out of LSU, but didnt have one while leaving Miami

 

[joeshmo]

On the Atlanta Message boards they are all sick about this. They hate it.

Also he will be getting paid a little under 5 mill a year. Expect that to be the baseline amount for any good coach to sign with us.

 

[BigRedArk]

Does anyone know the last time that a college coach successfully transitioned as a head coach into the NFL?

The last one I remember was Jimmy Johnson going from Miami U to da' boys.

 

[Dan H]

"He signed a 10 year 25 million dollar contract with Louisville at the beginning of the season and is leaving for a 5 year 24 million dollar contract with Atlanta. Too bad these coaches dont have to pay their former employers to get out of their contracts."

IIRC when Louisville won their Bowl Game Petrino's contract was voided.

 

[joeshmo]

Got this from someone on a Falcons board and I think it makes a little sense.

I dont think he will have any say on Vick IMO. Petrino is known as a QB's coach coaching including coaching Brunell to his best 3 season of his career, and IMO this isnt a HC signing it is a QB baby sitter for Vick.

Even if it isnt true it is a little funny.

 

[Billy Flynt]

Don't be shocked if the Falcons try to trade Mike Vick...there are many in the organization who are very high on Matt Schaub...

Mitch- ususally you are right on on most assessments but Home Depot Man, Arthur Blank, loves Vick way too much to let him go.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

This may start a wave of college coaches heading to the NFL...intriguing possibilities:

PIT: Greg Schiano (hey, they hired Bill Cowher when he was 39)

MIA: Urban Meyer (imagine what his stock would be if they win the NCAA Championship?)

NYG: Charlie Weis (this is the job Weis would leave ND for)

OAK: Jeff Tedford (Al Davis could get smart and hire a QB guru to groom what is likely to be the new QBOF: JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn or Brian Brohm)

Cowher was younger...he was 34.

 

[nurnay]

Got this from someone on a Falcons board and I think it makes a little sense.

I dont think he will have any say on Vick IMO. Petrino is known as a QB's coach coaching including coaching Brunell to his best 3 season of his career, and IMO this isnt a HC signing it is a QB baby sitter for Vick.

Even if it isnt true it is a little funny.

PFT is saying this:

FALCONS "NOT NECESSARILY MARRIED" TO VICK​

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports on a Saturday version of Sunday NFL Countdown that the Atlanta Falcons are telling coaching candidates that they are "not necessarily married" to running back Michael Vick.​

Wow.​

It's a stunning disclosure, which in our view deserved lead of the show treatment.​

The Falcons, via an enormous contract carrying a big cap burden, have made Vick the face of the franchise. The stadium is full because of him. And all those black shirts in Georgia with a "7" on the front don't have the name "Roethlisberger" on the back.​

If Mort's report is on the money, we applaud the Falcons for having the flexibility to at least consider getting rid of the coach killer. Yeah, they were stoopid for giving Vick so much money before he had proven that he can do anything except run really fast. But at least they have apparently begun to figure out that Vick might never be the guy they thought he was.​

And here's another factor to consider. How can owner Arthur Blank expect to get a high-end head coach when it's obvious that Vick's attitude and dearth of leadership skills is an impediment? By telling candidates that the team is willing to side with the coach, Vick loses all of the sway that we all thought he still had.​

That's why it's such a big story. Vick no longer has Arthur Blank by the short hairs.​

We can't wait to hear what Vick thinks of that one.​

 

[Stout]

Knowing we have our franchise QB, I will sit back and giggle like crazy if he becomes available. Can you imagine the Chinese fire drill if the Falcons are willing to trade him? I think Al Davis would have a heart attack.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

So, how many games has Matt Schaub won in Atlanta? I'm not a Mike Vick fan but people want to annoint Schaub as a great,young QB. I'd at least like to see him win a game first.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

5 years, 24 million. No way the Cards would even sniff paying that for him. Can't say i blame them either. What do you think it would cost to get Carroll if Petrino got that? 6 years, 35-40 million is my guess.

 

[jmt]

Wow, I can't believe they can just up and walk like that. Contracts mean nothing nowadays.

Not necessarily, may be an escape clause allowing him to go the pros or otherwise move.

 

[Totally_Red]

On the Atlanta Message boards they are all sick about this. They hate it.

Also he will be getting paid a little under 5 mill a year. Expect that to be the baseline amount for any good coach to sign with us.

I'm not sure that's the case. Petruno was already well-paid at Louisville. Most of these assistants we're considering would be getting a huge raise at 2.5 to 3 million per. In other words, Denny Green type money.
Most interesting to me will be the actual length of the contract.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

So, how many games has Matt Schaub won in Atlanta? I'm not a Mike Vick fan but people want to annoint Schaub as a great,young QB. I'd at least like to see him win a game first.

"Everyone should put away their annointing oils." B.P.

 

[Southpaw]

Tom Coughlin has been one of the few college coach to NFL coach success stories.

After the 1990 season, Coughlin returned to Boston College to take on his first job as a head coach. In three seasons at BC, he turned the program into a consistent winner. Coughlin's tenure was capped with a 41-39 victory over #1 ranked Notre Dame who BC has beaten in 5 straight games.

Coughlin's success at Bostn College led to his subsequent hiring as the first head coach of the NFL's expansion Jacksonville Jaguars. In 8 seasons at Jacksonville, he helmed the most successful expansion team in league history, leading the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game twice, the first time being only the second year of the team's existence, 1996, where he lost to Bill Parcells and the New England Patriots, but was named NFL Coach of the Year by United Press International. Coughlin would again take the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game in 1999 after a 14-2 regular season before the Jags were bested by Tennessee Titans, the team that had beaten them twice in the regular season, and the only team to beat them all year.

Coughlin compiled a 68-60 regular season record and a 4-4 playoff record in 8 seasons as the Jaguars head coach, but his remarkable early success eventually gave way to a disappointing final three seasons in Jacksonville. After a 6-10 finish in 2002, the Jaguars fired Coughlin.