chefsos
01-20-2006, 12:11 AM
Not really Chiefs related other than the Herm angle, but it once again makes me glad we're not the Jets, and of course there's potential for poop in Shanahan's punchbowl.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/20/sports/football/20jets.html
Assistant for Jets Wants Out of Contract
By KAREN CROUSE
Published: January 20, 2006
Just when the Jets seemed ready to start anew, they appeared to find themselves bogged down in another coaching morass, this one involving their offensive coordinator, Mike Heimerdinger.
The Jets, through their spokesman, Ron Colangelo, said last night that Heimerdinger had been retained to run the offense under the new coach, Eric Mangini. But Heimerdinger's agent said his client wished to be released from his contract and was being kept on the Jets' staff against his will.
"That is what is so incredulous to me, because this just doesn't add up," Heimerdinger's agent, Bob LaMonte, said last night. "I just hope we can get beyond this."
A year ago yesterday, Heimerdinger, 53, walked away from a contract extension with the Tennessee Titans to double his salary with the Jets. At the time, he said he was lured to New York not just by the $1 million-a-year salary but also by the promise of working under Coach Herman Edwards.
But days after the conclusion of the Jets' 4-12 season, Edwards was released from the final two years of his contract so he could pursue the head-coaching job in Kansas City. The Jets essentially traded Edwards to the Chiefs for a fourth-round draft pick less than two months after the owner, Woody Johnson, had been effusive in his praise of Edwards, his fifth-year coach.
It is accepted as the nature of the N.F.L. that the seismic event that is a head coach's departure is always followed by aftershocks, with coordinators and coaches being dismissed or leaving for other jobs. It is considered unusual for a holdover coach to be held to his contract, especially if he had interviewed for the head-coaching job, as Heimerdinger had.
Mangini, whose six years in New England were spent entirely on the defensive side of the ball, could conceivably learn much by plugging into Heimerdinger's expertise with N.F.L. offenses. Heimerdinger has been in coaching for 25 years and has spent 11 seasons in the league. He was the receivers coach in Denver for five years and the offensive coordinator in Tennessee for five more before joining the Jets, where the deep-passing offense he installed in training camp had to be scrapped after the lineup was gutted by injuries.
Heimerdinger, through his agent, declined an interview request yesterday. If he desires a fresh start, there are good reasons. The tie that bound him to the Jets was Edwards. And he was passed over for the top job in favor of Mangini, who is younger and less experienced.
Heimerdinger's stance, according to two people close to him who were granted anonymity because they were revealing details from private conversations, is basically this: If the Jets did not consider him valuable enough to promote, why do they want him to stay?
If Heimerdinger were to leave the Jets, he could end up back with the Denver Broncos, working on the staff of Mike Shanahan, who was Heimerdinger's college roommate at Eastern Illinois. He would be a candidate to replace Gary Kubiak, the Broncos' offensive coordinator, who is expected to be named the Texans' coach once Denver's season ends.
While Heimerdinger was retained, at least for the time being, the Jets' defensive coordinator, Donnie Henderson, who was also a candidate to replace Edwards, was not. He was released from his contract yesterday, as were the receivers coach, Pep Hamilton, and the tight ends coach, John Zernhelt.
The Jets are expected to announce that Bob Sutton, the linebackers coach, is being promoted to defensive coordinator. He will continue to work with the defensive backs coach, Corwin Brown, and the defensive line coach, Denny Marcin, who were retained.
Sutton, 54, a holdover from Al Groh's staff, has been coaching the linebackers for six seasons. Before that, he spent nine years as the coach at Army.
Mike Westhoff, 58, the assistant head coach in charge of special teams, is in a position similar to Heimerdinger's. He also interviewed for the head-coaching job and has been retained.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/20/sports/football/20jets.html
Assistant for Jets Wants Out of Contract
By KAREN CROUSE
Published: January 20, 2006
Just when the Jets seemed ready to start anew, they appeared to find themselves bogged down in another coaching morass, this one involving their offensive coordinator, Mike Heimerdinger.
The Jets, through their spokesman, Ron Colangelo, said last night that Heimerdinger had been retained to run the offense under the new coach, Eric Mangini. But Heimerdinger's agent said his client wished to be released from his contract and was being kept on the Jets' staff against his will.
"That is what is so incredulous to me, because this just doesn't add up," Heimerdinger's agent, Bob LaMonte, said last night. "I just hope we can get beyond this."
A year ago yesterday, Heimerdinger, 53, walked away from a contract extension with the Tennessee Titans to double his salary with the Jets. At the time, he said he was lured to New York not just by the $1 million-a-year salary but also by the promise of working under Coach Herman Edwards.
But days after the conclusion of the Jets' 4-12 season, Edwards was released from the final two years of his contract so he could pursue the head-coaching job in Kansas City. The Jets essentially traded Edwards to the Chiefs for a fourth-round draft pick less than two months after the owner, Woody Johnson, had been effusive in his praise of Edwards, his fifth-year coach.
It is accepted as the nature of the N.F.L. that the seismic event that is a head coach's departure is always followed by aftershocks, with coordinators and coaches being dismissed or leaving for other jobs. It is considered unusual for a holdover coach to be held to his contract, especially if he had interviewed for the head-coaching job, as Heimerdinger had.
Mangini, whose six years in New England were spent entirely on the defensive side of the ball, could conceivably learn much by plugging into Heimerdinger's expertise with N.F.L. offenses. Heimerdinger has been in coaching for 25 years and has spent 11 seasons in the league. He was the receivers coach in Denver for five years and the offensive coordinator in Tennessee for five more before joining the Jets, where the deep-passing offense he installed in training camp had to be scrapped after the lineup was gutted by injuries.
Heimerdinger, through his agent, declined an interview request yesterday. If he desires a fresh start, there are good reasons. The tie that bound him to the Jets was Edwards. And he was passed over for the top job in favor of Mangini, who is younger and less experienced.
Heimerdinger's stance, according to two people close to him who were granted anonymity because they were revealing details from private conversations, is basically this: If the Jets did not consider him valuable enough to promote, why do they want him to stay?
If Heimerdinger were to leave the Jets, he could end up back with the Denver Broncos, working on the staff of Mike Shanahan, who was Heimerdinger's college roommate at Eastern Illinois. He would be a candidate to replace Gary Kubiak, the Broncos' offensive coordinator, who is expected to be named the Texans' coach once Denver's season ends.
While Heimerdinger was retained, at least for the time being, the Jets' defensive coordinator, Donnie Henderson, who was also a candidate to replace Edwards, was not. He was released from his contract yesterday, as were the receivers coach, Pep Hamilton, and the tight ends coach, John Zernhelt.
The Jets are expected to announce that Bob Sutton, the linebackers coach, is being promoted to defensive coordinator. He will continue to work with the defensive backs coach, Corwin Brown, and the defensive line coach, Denny Marcin, who were retained.
Sutton, 54, a holdover from Al Groh's staff, has been coaching the linebackers for six seasons. Before that, he spent nine years as the coach at Army.
Mike Westhoff, 58, the assistant head coach in charge of special teams, is in a position similar to Heimerdinger's. He also interviewed for the head-coaching job and has been retained.