Mike Shanahan hasn't been in the NFL for two seasons after he was the subject of blame for Robert Griffin III's decline and Washington's 3-13 record in 2013, but he's getting "the itch" to return to coaching, according to Albert Breer of NFL Network. And now he's cold calling teams to make it happen.
Mike Shanahan would like to be your NFL team’s head coach
Shanahan’s ready to be your team’s head coach and he’s willing to make some calls to make it happen.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
While Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said he isn’t sure if Shanahan actually wants to coach again, the phone calls he has been making would suggest that he does.
Shanahan, 63, has already reportedly reached out and called at least three teams to express his interest in their coaching vacancies. Per Rapoport, Shanahan called both the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers after the two teams fired Chip Kelly and Jim Tomsula, respectively, in the last week.
His strategy of making calls must be working too, because he is scheduled to interview with the Miami Dolphins for a second time, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, after already interviewing with the team just before Christmas.
A year ago, he came close to landing the head coaching job with the 49ers before the team settled on Tomsula instead. He could possibly get another shot at the gig, too. Shanahan was set to meet with the Niners on Wednesday, but that’s on hold now. The two sides continue to talk, according to ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini.
Another head coaching job for Shanahan would be his fourth after previous stints with the Los Angeles Raiders and Denver Broncos before taking over in Washington. He only lasted 20 games with the Raiders, compiling an 8-12 record, but was much more successful in Denver, coaching the team in two Super Bowl victories and leading the Broncos to a 138-86 record in his tenure.
A rocky start in Washington turned around with the addition of Griffin, who led the team to a 10-6 record in his rookie season, but Shanahan was criticized for his handling of a knee injury for the quarterback that was the beginning of a tailspin that ended with the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year watching the season from the bench.
According to Breer, one of the reasons Shanahan was fired by Washington was because he told upper management he wanted to start Kirk Cousins, and after the 2015 season, it certainly looks like the coach was right all along.
Shanahan has a career record of 170-138 with an 8-6 record in the postseason. Only 11 coaches in NFL history have tallied more career regular season wins.
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