Both Bengals Coordinators Involved In Head Coaching Rumors

When a team turns around from 4-12 in one year to 9-7 in the next year and makes the playoffs, people around the league turn their heads and looks at the coaches. That’s great for our coaches and all, but it also means that we may lose either defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer or offensive coordinator Jay Gruden to head coaching opportunities elsewhere. And when that same team goes from 4-12 one year to winning in the playoffs the next year, the league snaps it’s head around even harder.

At least, that’s what Adam Schefter has been saying on ESPN’s NFL Live the past few days. Schefter believes that if the Bengals win against Houston this weekend, Mike Zimmer’s chances of being offered head coaching jobs somewhere else in the league increase greatly. Teams around the league view Zimmer’s defense as the heart of the Bengals team, and the main reason that the Bengals have 9 wins this year. And they probably like Zimmer even more because he did it with a bunch of no name players.

Unfortunately, Jay Gruden isn’t safe either. With a coaching vacancy in Jacksonville, NFL Network’s Albert Breer reports on Twitter that:

"I also have heard continually that Jay Gruden is the favorite to land the Jaguars job."

Gruden spent 15 years living in Northern Florida (when he lived in Orlando), and is widely respected around the league for his management of Andy Dalton. That’s why Gruden is linked so often to the Jaguars job. What’s more is that new Jags owner Shahid Khan has a top priority of finding an offensive minded head coach who can develop their rookie QB, Blaine Gabbert.

EDIT: More rumors from Albert Breer on Jay Gruden:

"The Jacksonville Jaguars have contacted Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden about their head coach vacancy, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.Gruden told the Jaguars that while he’s interested, he wants to focus on Saturday’s AFC Wild Card Game against the Houston Texans. The Jaguars are still expected to bring Gruden in for an interview, but the coach is aware of the risk he is taking in waiting. Gruden was told he’s a strong candidate for the opening, according to sources."

PS- You can check out my argument here for why both Zimmer and Gruden should (and will) stay for at least one more year.