It looks like former New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles is going to get a second crack at being the head honcho of an NFL team. The only question is where?
Since being canned by Gang Green, the talented defensive mind has rebuilt himself in Tampa Bay with the Buccaneers. Not only does he have a Super Bowl championship in his back pocket, but Bowles carries a sterling reputation and leaguewide respect as a leader of men.
That has allowed him to interview for several NFL head coaching jobs already this offseason, but over the weekend he interviewed for another topflight position that he may have a good shot at landing.
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The Inside Scoop
On Saturday the Minnesota Vikings requested permission to interview Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles for their vacant head coaching position.
This is the latest team to express interest in the 58-year-old joining the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Unlike the other two gigs, Bowles has a clear inside track to land this job.
Adam Schefter of ESPN noted that the former Jets head coach and the Vikings’ ownership group share something in common, they hail from the same location.
Bowles and the Wilf family is from Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Bowles was born and raised in New Jersey and ended up going to college right down the road at Temple. He would then go on to enjoy an eight-year career in the NFL as a player before ultimately transitioning to the coaching ranks in 1997 and Bowles has been there ever since.
While this won’t be the reason that he lands the job, if he lands it, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have some common ground with the people who could end up being your bosses.
Jets analyst Joe Caporoso put it best on Twitter that Bowles “merits a second at-bat” to be a head coach, but will have to learn from some of his mistakes from the first time around.
There were two fundamental issues, besides the losing, and that was his game management skills were lacking and the offensive support staff was lackluster. If Bowles figures that out, he has a really good chance of succeeding this time around.
Another One to Keep an Eye out For
Bowles wasn’t the only former Jets coach that received some head coaching interest over the weekend.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers legend and Jets’ offensive assistant Hines Ward officially interviewed with the Houston Texans for their vacant head coaching position.
While the Hall of Fame talent certainly has an impressive track record as a player in the steel city with two Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl MVP award, and fantastic stats, the same can’t be said for his post-football life.
Ward has had only two coaching gigs since hanging up his cleats. He was with the Jets for two years as an offensive assistant from 2019 through 2020. Then most recently Ward has served as the wide receivers coach for Florida Atlantic.
Jumping from FAU to NFL head coach would probably be a steep learning curve, but there are two major takeaways from this.
First off to even get a head coaching interview is a great honor and a tremendous learning experience for future opportunities. Secondly, this could simply be a gateway to bring Ward in for a different lesser role on the next coaching staff for the Texans.
That is something NFL insider Adam Beasley suggested recently on Twitter.
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Ex-Jets Coach Has Inside Track to Top-Flight NFC HC Gig: Report