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.

Bob Glauber from Newsday on ESPNEWS says that Jets owner won't fire the GM Tannebaum he totally backs him, also speculates that the owner would also have to fire personnel director Terry Bradway and that won't happen mostly because of support for the GM

Also says Marty is now the top choice on the list because of his no nonsense approach and he could keep his son Brian on as OC.

you're insane

i'll take the accomplishments of marty's organizations over the ones Pioli has been associated with

pick up your true fan badge at the arrowhead ticket office

Pioli if possible.

Cowher ? If he re-upped his TV contract .....

When I clicked on this thread, I thought it was going to be Claythan telling Cowher to say no to the Jets :)

ESPN updates the story: Cowher still interested
 

This is from ESPN.

"The door to the New York Jets' opening might not be closed for Bill Cowher just yet after all.

A high-ranking Jets official told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that the team is still planning to speak to Cowher about its vacant head coaching job. No time or place for the interview has been set, but the official says the Jets would be willing to do "whatever is necessary" to land Cowher if he is truly interested in taking the job.

Cowher plans to speak publicly for the first time about the Jets' opening and other coaching opportunities during CBS' wild-card pregame show on Sunday, a source told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.

Initially, ESPN.com's John Clayton reported Cowher told the Jets he was not interested because he wanted his own personnel person. The Jets official's response indicates the team is willing to let Cowher replace current general manager Mike Tannenbaum with his own candidate.

A Jets source also said Tannenbaum says he's willing to adjust his position to accommodate Cowher.

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

If Cowher doesn't take an open NFL head coaching job this offseason, he does plan to coach in 2010, sources told Clayton. In 2009, though, he is willing to return only if every situation is right for him. He wanted to have a two-year break from coaching to be with family and recharge.

Last 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 family, Cowher didn't give Lerner a price, and said no.

Cowher recently extended his contract with CBS for another season."

Let this be true.

On that day Seattle was the much better team, they were screwed like no other team in NFL HISTORY!!

Tannenbaum might have to relinquish some power. Cowher wants to bring in his own personnel people.

I would rather have Rex Ryan and keep Tannenbaum.

Barring whoever Hamas considers to be God in these matters, Whaley and Chin would at least give me some hope that I could end up Jizzing In My Pants sooner rather than later.