Mr. Scot

Texans are only a game out from the #1 pick and look terrible.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him back with the Saints in some capacity. He was well liked there and taking a step or two back down the ladder would probably be a good idea for his long-term career prospects. Also, while I would agree he had some deficient players, the truth is Brady wasn't very good at what he did either. For example, remember Robby Anderson pointing out that he had some obvious opportunities for adjustments and didn't call them. Coming up with a scheme is relatively easy (hell, Mike Shula can do that). It's knowing how to implement it and adjust on the fly that makes a truly great OC. Brady wasn't up to it. Truthfully, Brady was a case of getting a job too fast too soon and winding up in over his head, which is ironic given that the same can be said of the head coach who hired him.

Also saw where someone pointed out that going into just his third game since returning, Newton now has a different coordinator.

Similar thought from Josh Klein (via Zack at Roaring Riot)...

Also requires us beating the Bills

My big worry with Harbaugh is that I'm not sure you can maintain his style of coaching at the professional level for very long. On the flipside, the things I've read about how he teaches and connects with today's players have made me a big fan of Nathaniel Hackett.

There are...were five coaches on staff who had no direct or indirect connection to Matt Rhule. Brady was the highest ranking of them. The others are Meyer (OL) Angelichio (TEs) Blackburn (ST) and Don Johnson (Pass Rush Specialist, the only defensive coach). Johnson probably survives. I seriously doubt Meyer does. Blackburn is probably about 50-50, maybe less given that he's got a Baylor guy in line behind him. Angelichio has Gilbride waiting in the wings too so...

Tepper didn't make the decision to move on from Bridgewater. What he did do was make disparaging comments about Bridgewater that made it extremely difficult to keep him.

Same as it is with every other team in the NFL.

I have zero problems with head coaches hiring guys they like or who have worked for them before if those guys are also qualified for / good at their jobs. When the head coach isn't good at his, that lessens the likelihood that the assistants will be.

Marty stuck around here for the same reason Howie Roseman stays in Philly. Both Marty and Howie are guys that are willing to let the owners dictate moves and then act like a scapegoat when those moves fail. Richardson valued loyalty over ability. How do you think a cheerleader wound up Chief Operating Officer? And that's the thing: Even if Richardson miraculously were to let go of Marty, you're gonna get another guy just like him. The one guy who wouldn't do that got fired despite the fact we were winning more consistently than ever. So no, having Jerry back wasn't an option. Nor should it have been. Is Tepper better? Not yet, but at least there's a chance.

The Jerry Richardson who oversaw three winning seasons from 2002 to 2012, then fired the guy who produced that many winning seasons and division titles in five years in favor of bringing back the prior guy, only to watch that guy not produce even one more? That's the guy you're saying wouldn't tolerate mediocrity? Yeah...no, dude. As to the thing with his sons, Richardson didn't exactly fire them "for performance reasons". It was because of family issues. Hell, Jon didn't even have anything to do with team performance. He was in charge of stadium operations.

Don't really know that much can be learned from a single game sample where the words "under head coach Matt Patricia" are applicable. Regardless, I don't know whether Sean Ryan would make a good OC. I don't know whether Jeff Nixon is going to make a good OC yet either. I just know that if you're going strictly by resumés, Ryan's is better.

Gantt said on numerous occasions that Marty was GM for life if he wanted to be. The only reason he was let go in the first place was because he volunteered in order to save Rivera's job. And then a few years later, he was back.

Beat me to it...

Oh Lord, no. We'd still have Marty Hurney as GM.

It's not.

From a profile of Matt Rhule by Joe Person in The Athletic... Rhule also liked the friendships that were forged on a football field, some of which last a lifetime. Jeff Nixon, State College’s star running back and Rhule’s best friend, is the Panthers’ running backs coach on Rhule’s first NFL staff. Link

One other thing to consider... If we do draft a quarterback next April, whoever is in charge will not only be the ones that choose who that is. They'll also be the ones in charge of his early development. Who do you trust to do those things?

If you search "NFL head coach hot seat" articles, you'll find Matt Rhule's name in every one.

Building an offensive line around "versatility" was a massive mistake.

The David Tepper decision to hire Matt Rhule cost us more than any other choice did. That one sits at the root of all the others.

I wouldn't bet on that.

Sean Ryan's actually got more pro level experience (14 years to 9) as well as a more diversified pro skill set (quarterbacks, runningbacks and receivers vs runningbacks and tight ends). Nixon's technically been a coordinator, but it was actually a co-coordinator, and even that only for three seasons at the college level.