The rumbling gets stronger. In reality, everyone knows this The mood of the fans is largely irrelevant when it comes to decision-making in stable organizations. Nevertheless, the The screams of San Francisco 49ers fans are getting louder Those who are tired of disappointments in the big game can now use an even more disappointing regular season as ammunition. After their second straight 25-point loss dropped them to 5-7 on the season, Kyle Shanahan's head is being called for by a minority but vocal portion of the 49ers fan base.
Trust and believe if that 49ers ever made that move, the team he was able to register as a co-owner would jump at the opportunity. For this reason, it wouldn't be fair not to put Shanahan on the watch list of potential replacements for the fall Dallas Cowboys In January we part ways with Mike McCarthy.
While Jerry Jones hinted at this is not committed to moving on from McCarthy and a two-game winning streak has gotten the Cowboys back into the league greatly reduced view of the playoff imageThere will almost certainly be a new coach on the sidelines in 2025. Here's a look at our weekly rankings of who should be considered.
Honorable Mentions:
Liam Coen, OK, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Last week: Honorable mention
Ryan Grubb, OC of the Seattle Seahawks | Last week: Honorable mention
Ejiro Evero, Carolina Panthers, DC | Last week: Honorable mention
Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers, DC | Last week: Honorable mention
Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos, DC | Last week: Honorable mention
Lincoln Riley, USC, HC | Last week: Honorable mention
Adam Stenovich, OC of the Green Bay Packers | Last week: Honorable mention
Kirby Smart, head coach at University of Georgia | Last week: Honorable mention
September 26, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (right) laughs with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
One name that is rarely discussed but probably should be is former heir to the throne Kellen Moore. Moore was Jason Garrett 2.0; was added to the coaching staff as a prodigy who was highly valued by the Jones family. He took over the offensive coordinator position from Garrett to McCarthy. Opening the door in 2023 after a playoff failure, when McCarthy promised to take over the play-calling again, would take the offense to a new level.
This happened for a year before bottoming out in 2024, before all the injuries hit. Meanwhile, Moore joined Brandon Staley's sinking ship in LA for a year, but has revitalized his reputation thanks to the arrival of Saquon Barkley in Phiadelphia. The Eagles are 10-2 and their offense focuses on running to set up the pass.
January 9, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores watches from the sideline during the second quarter of the game against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Will Flores get another chance at a head coaching job? He was dropped by the Dolphins when their owner tried to lure Sean Payton and Tom Brady to South Beach. The revelation about the attempt to have a coach for the tank games may have lifted the curtain on the inner workings of the league, but it probably didn't do Flores any great favors. What has succeeded, however, is the work he has done to right the ship in Minnesota with their defense.
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel reacts to a penalty by the Titans against the Seattle Seahawks during their game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023. Vrabel was fired by owner Amy Adams Strunk on Monday after two losing seasons had -towards the back.
Vrabel is a defensive-minded head coach who found great success at Tennessee with a veteran quarterback who wasn't well-regarded before their time together (Ryan Tannehill). Pairing him with Dak Prescott, who is known as a disciplinarian, would require finding the next big thing as offensive coordinator.
With Brian Daboll traveling in New York, this feels like a great combination.
September 30, 2018; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they face the Miami Dolphins in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
For better or worse, the clubhouse leader. Belichick is a big Prescott fan, Jerry Jones is a big proponent of retreads, and it would be interesting to see if there was a competent front office…oh, wait.
November 2, 2023; Frankfurt, Germany; Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith at the press conference at PSD Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Grabbing from a fruitful tree is always a smart idea, and snagging Smith under Mike McDaniel as part of the Kyle Shanahan limb system seems like a smart decision. Dallas rarely uses movement at the snap and isn't particularly good at it; and that is literally Smith's strength. However, he currently has no play-calling duties, which could be viewed as a disadvantage.
Dec 31, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik on the sidelines during the game against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Slowik is extremely fascinating for several reasons. He just auditioned for Jones on Monday night, throwing a 77-yard touchdown on the opening play to announce his arrival.
Slowik's stock has fallen over the past month as CJ Stroud has struggled to shine without his top targets. Slowik comes from the Shanahan coaching staff that has achieved incredible success at the NFL level, and perhaps most importantly, he previously served as a defensive line coach. This combination just seems like a great hire. What the offense looks like moving forward will say a lot about his prospects.
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn watches practice during OTAs on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at the Detroit Lions headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park.
Glenn obviously has ties to Dallas, having played two of his 15 seasons with the organization, but the growth of the Lions' defense under his guidance has been impressive in its own right. In 2020, they ranked 32nd in defensive DVOA. Since Glenn joined, they have moved up to 29th, 27th, 13th and are in 2nd place heading into Week 14.
He is consistently highlighted by his players as a phenomenal men's leader.
September 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory attribution: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It seems that Kingsbury's absence after the disaster in Arizona did him a lot of good. The offense he put together in DC for rookie Jayden Daniels is quite impressive and a stark contrast to what he did with Kyler Murray in the desert.
That change could result in him being given a second chance that isn't always afforded to him, but Washington's recent decline came behind an injured Daniels and an offense that couldn't get around those limitations. Things have been stagnant (political pun intended) in Washington, but they head into their bye after being the only team to score 40 or more points in Week 13.
July 27, 2023; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) smiles at a fan with Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken in the background after practice at the Under Armor Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports
The evolution of the Ravens' passing attack and the autonomy under center imposed on Lamar Jackson over the last season and a half has been incredible. As a QB, he's one of the best, but Monken deserves a lot of credit for recognizing how to unlock this team.
After adding Derrick Henry to the mix in 2024, the Ravens now have a historic offense in terms of DVOA. Their 34.1% rating over 13 weeks is among the best ever for a team with that record (8-5). If Baltimore had its usual defense, this team would be going to the AFC Championship game.
August 30, 2018; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on the sidelines against the Los Angeles Chargers in the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Shanahan is unlikely to be fired from San Francisco. Jerry Jones probably won't pay what Shanahan would charge even if he did. But we'll dream a little dream that the stars will align (pun intended) and the designer of all the misery that has destroyed the Dallas franchise might be available to put the pieces back together.
No one can diagnose what needs fixing in Dallas better than the guy who broke it.
Once the 49ers win again, we'll move Shanahan down the rankings to a more realistic decision point. But now? He sits at the top.
November 30, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders (right) speaks with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
After great success at Jackson State with back-to-back SWAC championships, Sanders quickly moved Colorado from obscurity to prominence. After going 1-11 the season before, Sanders took them to 4-9 as a freshman and is 9-3 this season.
Sanders has always been given credence in this area as a real possibility. And now, The…
January 8, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach Joe Brady poses for a photo with fans before the game against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
After a strong stint at LSU with Joe Burrow, Brady has made waves in the NFL over the past three seasons as coordinator of the Josh Allen Buffalo Bills. The Bills ranked second in offensive DVOA in 2022, third in 2023 and are currently second in 2024. What they did to the 49ers in the snow over the weekend was eerily reminiscent of the beating they dealt Dallas last season.
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson looks on as he warms up before the Dallas Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, December 30, 2023.
What Ben Johnson's offense and his guidance could do for Jared Goff was amazing. In the Stafford trade, Goff was supposed to be a placeholder until the Lions recruited their guy. Now the significantly limited passer runs one of the best and most innovative offenses in the league. The Lions have the best record in the NFC, and coordinating a comeback win in Week 10 on Sunday night despite Jared Goff throwing five interceptions was icing on the cake.
There's a rumor that Johnson demanded $15 million per season last cycle. That could be a base number, or it could have been a number he gave to a franchise he wasn't really interested in. Fans should be wary of accepting such reports without the unavailable context.
