The Washington Commanders are now the last team in the NFL still searching for a head coach. This comes after the Seattle Seahawks just announced that they were going to hire Mike Macdonald.
So, what is taking so long? Who could Washington hire? Let’s take a look.
Failing to Get Ben Johnson
One big event that took place earlier this week was failing to get Ben Johnson from the Detroit Lions. He was their offensive coordinator who helped lead the Lions to an NFC Championship appearance. For a while, it looked like he was going to be a strong candidate for this head coach position.
Washington officials reportedly were flying out to Detroit to meet him along with Lions DC Aaron Glenn. However, Johnson revealed that he was going to stay with Detroit rather than take a head coach position for another team. Considering that the Commanders are now the last team left that needs a head coach, one could suspect that Johnson was likely their first choice to fill the position.
GM But No Head Coach
Weeks ago, Washington hired Adam Peters to be their next general manager. He was the assistant GM of the San Francisco 49ers. Considering the 49ers are still alive in the playoffs and about to compete in a Super Bowl, it is possible that Peters is waiting for certain personnel from that staff to become fully available.
Considering Eric Bieniemy?
If Ben Johnson was Washington’s first choice, perhaps they would now look at an offensive coordinator on their own coaching staff. Eric Bieniemy has an extensive history as an offensive coordinator. Plus, he managed to do a lot with QB Sam Howell despite having one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. Despite allowing the second-most sacks in the NFL, Howell ranked in the top half of quarterbacks when it comes to passing yards and touchdown passes.
Notable Coaches Still Available
You can argue that there has been a bit of a youth movement when it comes to new head coaches. With that in mind, some very notable veteran coaches still do not have jobs. So, who are these coaches?
Two of the most legendary coaches are still available. That includes Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. Plus, we cannot forget that Pete Carroll is still on the market as well.
Then, we have a couple of notable coordinators. One of them is Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. He was surprisingly not chosen for the Seattle head coach position. Yet, he has apparently had multiple interviews with Washington. We will have to see if that means he is going to coach the Commanders.
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