3 months ago
ESPN.COM is reporting the Buffalo Bills are trying to arrange a meeting with former Denver Broncos' head coach Mike Shanahan.
Shanahan won two Super Bowls as head coach of the Broncos and is considered an offensive genius.
Meantime, Retired head coach Marty Schottenheimer tells 2 On Your Side that his coaching career is over, and has no interest in coaching the Buffalo Bills.
Schottenheimer was a linebacker for the team in the 1960s before embarking upon a successful coaching career with stints in Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington and San Diego.
"I love Buffalo and had a wonderful time there," Schottenheimer said. "However, I have concluded my coaching career."
Schottenheimer also told 2 On Your Side that he's also not interested in becoming a general manager, but that he'd be happy to talk to Bills Owner Ralph Wilson to offer a advice on how to turn around the struggling franchise.
With Schottenheimer apparently removing himself from consideration, that leaves a short list of available prospects to coach the Bills. NFL.com senior writer Vic Carucci said the prime coaching candidates for the Bills would be former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.
Carucci does not believe Shanahan or Holmgren will end up in Buffalo.
"I don't think Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan would be likely," Carucci said. "I think they're both sort of earmarked in other places and are probably looking to do different things with different teams, but not necessarily seeing Buffalo as a good fit for them."
Carucci also does not believe either former Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden or former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy would coach in Buffalo next season. He said that ESPN paid Gruden a handsome amount of money to remain in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth for at least another season. As for Dungy, Carucci believes Buffalo would be too far from his family in Tampa, Florida.
Carucci did reveal a dark horse candidate from the coaching ranks. He said former New England Patriots offensive coordinator and current Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis would be a great fit in Buffalo.
REPORTER: Why would the Bills be interested in a guy who, by most accounts, isn't really cutting it as a college coach?
CARUCCI: Well, he hasn't cut it at Notre Dame because of the standard at Notre Dame being very, very high... He is a great offensive mind. This is why I think this works. He is the perfect guy to develop the quarterback. He's the guy who would take that young quarterback and make something of him.
