The List Grows
Add another name to the ever expanding Green Bay Packers head coaching search, as it has been reported they are expected to request an interview with Pat Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, head coach for Northwestern, has not given any indication he would interview for the job. If Green Bay were to interview Fitzgerald, it would have to come after Monday’s Holiday Bowl against the University of Utah. Also, even if he were to interview, it would hardly me a slam dunk that he ends up the Green Bay head coach for the 2019/20 season. The Packers have no shortage of coaches drooling over getting a shot at minimally a few prime to semi-prime seasons out of Aaron Rodgers.
You Get An Interview, You Get One, And You As Well, An Interview For All!
The packers have already started the interviewing process, whilst continuing the search party for viable candidates. Former Indianapolis Head Coach Chuck Pagano has already been in, along with former division rival Detroit Lions(and coincidentally the predecessor in Indy before Pagano) head coach Jim Caldwell. One upper hand Fitzgerald may have if he were to get a chance at the job is the history with team CEO and President Mark Murphy. Murphy happened to be the Athletic Director for Northwestern when they made Pat Fitzgerald head coach of his alma mater over ten years ago. Take that for what you want, but it is certainly not a negative for Fitzgerald’s chances if allowed to interview. An interview is something Green Bay seems very loose with, with some reports stating the Packers will interview around twelve candidates!
What Say You Vegas?
Vegas odds had quite a few names on the list from the early part of December, no shortage on big names. Leading the way was Minnesota Vikings Offensive Coordinator John Defilippo, followed by the darling pick, New England Offensive Coordinator(and Bill Belichick protégé) Josh McDaniels. Others making the early odds top-five for the next Green Bay coach were, in order, Miami Head Coach Adam Gase, University of Michigan Head Coach(keep saying it everyone, he’s still not leaving Michigan) Jim Harbaugh, and rounding out the top-five Oklahoma Head Coach Lincoln Riley. I would say it is pretty safe to say Fitzgerald has a much better shot at the job than Vegas gave him, as he did not make the first cut.
Green Bay Packers Head Coach in Week 1 of 2019 Season
These odds were taken from:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/link_hitcount.cfm?LTid=10686
John DeFilippo +200
Josh McDaniels +225
Adam Gase +500
Jim Harbaugh +800
Lincoln Riley +1000
Dave Toub +1500
Zac Taylor +1500
Eric Bieniemy +1500
Bruce Arians +2000
Pete Carmichael Jr. +2000
Jay Gruden +3000
John Harbaugh +4000
David Shaw +5000
Todd Bowles +7500
Dirk Koetter +7500
Gary Kubiak +10000
Kliff Kingsbury +10000
Joe Philbin +10000
Marvin Lewis +20000
Steve Sarkisian +20000
Nick Saban +25000
Brian Kelly +50000
Urban Meyer +50000
Mike Holmgren +100000
Brett Favre +100000
But What About Joe?
Green Bay fired coach Mike McCarthy after an ugly loss to the Arizona Cardinals last month, leading to former Miami Head Coach Joe Philbin taking over on an interim basis for the remainder of this season. Green Bay did look improved, but not to a level where Philbin will garner any real consideration for the full time gig. While Green Bay players, including Aaron Rodgers, basically announced their confidence in Philbin being handed the reins, not many considered him to be a long-term solution for Green Bay. Sadly, Philbin most likely will not be retained by the next coaching staff brought in. The only certainty during the mess Green Bay has on their hands, is the next guy has got some serious work to get this team back to where it should be.
Which is more of this:
