Clayton: Cowher says no to jets
 

By John Clayton
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: December 30, 2008, 10:53 AM ET

Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who rejected a chance to become head coach of the Browns over the weekend, is not going to interview for the head coaching position of the New York Jets, according to multiple sources.


Cowher, according to a source, has been contacted by the Jets. Although he is interested in the Jets job, he told them he won't be a candidate because he would like to have the ability to bring in his own personnel person. Jets owner Woody Johnson plans to keep Mike Tannenbaum as his general manager after firing Eric Mangini as head coach Monday.

With Tannenbaum as the general manager, Cowher is willing to pass on the Jets opportunity, stay in broadcasting for another year and wait to come back to coaching in 2010.

Cowher has told friends the Jets job interested him for several reasons. First, Cowher would love to be coaching in the New York market. Second, two of his daughters are either going to school or working in the New York-New Jersey area.

Cowher does plan to coach in 2010. In 2009, though, he was only willing to return if every situation was right for him. He wanted to have a two-year break from coaching to be with family and recharge his energy. Over the weekend, Cowher met with Browns owner Randy Lerner, who asked him what it would take financially for him to be the Browns head coach. Having a close relationship with the Rooney family in Pittsburgh and still wanting more time with the family, Cowher didn't give Lerner a price and said no.

He recently extended his television contract for another season.

John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3799959

We deserve Cowher!!

Watch Tennenbaum get wacked in the next day or so then.

There is no way that Johnson can value Tannenbaum that much to lose out on someone like Cowher.

Well, sounds very much like it's not going to happen for KC, then. I really don't see Clark Hunt given Cowher complete control and the ability to bring in his own personnel guy.

PFT
 

REPORT: TANNENBAUM’S PRESENCE CAUSES COWHER TO PASS ON JETS
Posted by Mike Florio on December 30, 2008, 11:01 a.m. EST
Bill Cowher’s flirtation with the Jets apparently didn’t last too long.

According to ESPN’s John Clayton, Cowher was interested. He even had some preliminary discussions with the Jets regarding their head-coaching vacancy.

But the discussions, per Clayton, fell apart because ”there wasn’t a front-office configuration that interests him.”

In other words, the decision of owner Woody Johnson to fire only coach Eric Mangini and not G.M. Mike Tannenbaum has prevented the Jets from landing Cowher.

Cowher would have wanted final say over the roster. And Cowher would have wanted to bring Kevin Colbert and/or Omar Khan from the Steelers to run the personnel side of the business.

But Tannenbaum wasn’t going anywhere, so Cowher isn’t coming to town.

And that’s precisely the way Jets fans need to view this one. Johnson chose Tannenbaum over Cowher.

Johnson chose Tannenbaum, a lawyer who cozied up to Bill Parcells and became a salary-cap wizard and scratched the right backs and kissed the right asses and climbed over guys like Terry Bradway until Tannenbaum occupied a position where he could squander millions on overhyped veterans and suffer no consequences when they failed to succeed.

Johnson chose Tannenbaum over Cowher, a 15-year head coach who followed a living legend in Pittsburgh, led the Steelers to six AFC title game appearances, two Super Bowl berths, and won the same number of Lombardi Trophies that the Jets have claimed in the entire history of the franchise.

Who would you choose? Tannenbaum or Cowher?

Meanwhile, we’re amazed by the fact that the New York media has yet to focus on Tannenbaum’s responsibility for the current status of the team.

Tannenbaum signed Calvin Pace. Tannenbaum signed Damien Woody. Tannenbaum drafted Vernon Gholston. Tannenbaum traded for Brett Favre. Tannenbaum traded away John Abraham.

Johnson could have traded Tannenbaum for Cowher.

And didn’t.

Jets fans should be enraged.

Cowher's a luckier version of Marty. Most of his Pittsburgh teams under-achieved too.

He could bring in his own personnel guy in K.C. IF it were an option, which I'm not sure it is.

Cowher as HC and GM with Doug Whaley as his personnel person?

Eh why not lol.

He does. Woody and Tannenbaum are on the same page. They both claimed they really want Favre to return next year. They are basically handicapping any legit GM by insisting that the guy keep Favre.

LMAO

Stupid Jets.

Maybe Clark will bring Cowher in now?

Clay - you need to join me on the Cowher coming to KC wagon. Just think how nice it would be if we could agree on something - anything - from the beginning...:D

After reading this I'm now more convinced than ever that Herm will be here for 1 more season and things will be in place to get Cowher next year...I'd so just rather do it NOW and NOT have to endure HERM ****ING EDWARDS IV.

THe Jets are suppose to be tetering on cap hell
with al the vets Tannenbaum brought in
they owe the Pack a third rounder for Favre

he has more success in the playoffs. but it does bother me that people trumpet his super bowl when it was blatantly given to them by the most lopsided officiating in super bowl in history

I don't know about that...

It was POOR officiating...but in now way was Seattle the better team...it's not like the Denver/San Diego game where the game was over and Hochule gave Denver another chance...Seattle never had that game won...

I'll take Marty + Cowher + F.O.B. over Pioli...but I'm just a fan with an opinion.

This is interesting. With this story, Cowher has essentially telegraphed his terms to any team that would want his services. Teams minus a GM will now need to make a choice if they want to make a run at Cowher. I do not believe the Chiefs will be amongst them...

Pay attention to any team that suddenly dismisses their personnel guy...

you need to go back and re-watch that game.

and check the stats of the two teams involved. Seattle was 13-3, and the Steelers snuck into the playoffs as the 6 seed.