It’s no secret that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross will aim high and make a run at the top head coaching candidates available on the market – Bill Cowher, Jeff Fisher and Jon Gruden among them.
When the Dolphins fired Tony Sparano two weeks ago, the Dolphins’ job looked pretty good next to the other two vacancies, Jacksonville and Kansas City. Miami has a better roster than those two, and a better location, too.
But as the regular season comes to a close and the coaching market becomes clearer, the Dolphins job is looking less and less attractive.
According to a thorough and fascinating report last night from the San Diego Union-Tribune, several moves are set to be made in San Diego and St. Louis, which would directly concern the Dolphins.
According to the report, Chargers coach Norv Turner will be fired after Sunday’s game with his team a disappointing 7-8. The Chargers are also deciding on the fate of general manager A.J. Smith.
If Smith is let go in San Diego, the report states that Rams owner Stan Kroenke is set to fire his general manager (Billy Devaney) and head coach (Steve Spagnuolo) and bring Smith to St. Louis to run the Rams. And that along with Smith will come ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, who “has decided to return to coaching in 2012 and that his current employer, ESPN, is already preparing for his departure,” according to the report. Also in the report, “it is well-known in league circles that the relationship between Smith and Gruden is a solid one.”
If the Chargers completely clean house and fire Smith, they likely will beat out the Dolphins for any of the top hires. Their quarterback situation (Philip Rivers) is far more attractive than the Dolphins’ (Matt Moore? Someone else?) for coaches like Cowher, who has stated several times that he intends to stay at CBS next year, or Fisher, who also happens to be a Southern California native. And Gruden could potentially go to San Diego if Smith remains as general manager, given their strong relationship.
The Rams’ job, too, is more attractive than the Dolphins’ right now, despite their 2-13 record and train wreck of a season. The Rams have a young franchise quarterback in place (Sam Bradford), have the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in this April’s draft, and have a projected $45 million in salary cap space for the 2013 season, which gives the new coach and general manager tremendous flexibility to re-shape the roster. Even if they don’t land Smith or Gruden, the Rams are expected to make a strong run at Fisher, according to NFL Network.
So right now, the Dolphins are running a clear No. 3 behind the Chargers and Rams as far as having the most attractive coaching situation. And if jobs become available in Indianapolis and New York, the Dolphins’ job will look even less attractive to the top coaches.
Why would Gruden, Fisher or Cowher come to Miami, with its unsettled quarterback situation and unproven owner and general manager, when they could work for well-respected owner Jim Irsay in Indianapolis and potentially coach Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning or Robert Griffin III? Why come to Miami, which has had 17 quarterbacks, five football bosses and four head coaches since Dan Marino retired 12 years ago, when they can coach Eli Manning and work in the nation’s biggest media market in New York?
Ross should be aiming for the top candidates, because that’s what his fan base deserves after the last three frustrating seasons under Sparano, Jeff Ireland and Bill Parcells. But Ross better have contingency plans for when Cowher, Fisher and Gruden ultimately say “no” to Miami.
