Coach interviews wind down

Unless he adds a new name to his list, Ted Thompson has only one more interview for the Green Bay Packers’ head-coaching job, though he won’t get to that until late this week.

Thompson, the Green Bay Packers’ general manager, interviewed New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis on Monday and Packers defensive coordinator Jim Bates on Tuesday. That leaves Russ Grimm as the eighth, and perhaps final, candidate for him to meet. Grimm is preparing for a playoff game this weekend as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line coach, and Steelers coach Bill Cowher has given him parts of Thursday and Friday to interview for head-coaching jobs.

Per NFL rules, Grimm can’t leave Pittsburgh to travel, and he can’t be offered a job until the Steelers’ season ends. Detroit team President Matt Millen was a teammate of Grimm’s in Washington in 1991 and will interview him also. Cowher said New Orleans also has called about Grimm.



“I don’t think it will be a distraction to our team at all,” Cowher said in a press conference Tuesday. “Having gone through the process myself, if anything, it is inspiring to know that there is a potential opportunity for (him).”

League-wide sources said Thompson didn’t appear to have zeroed in on a candidate or group of candidates through the weekend, but after he talked to Bates on Tuesday, he should have a short list. Several sources speculated he might even bring in a candidate or two for a second interview, and they also wouldn’t rule out him adding a new candidate with today and possibly Thursday open in his schedule.

Thompson has interviewed seven candidates: Dallas assistant head coach/passing game coordinator Sean Payton; Cleveland offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon; Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera; San Francisco offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy; San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips; Lewis and Bates.

Bates, 58, has to be considered a strong contender because Thompson is known to respect the job he did with the Packers’ defense in his first season with the team. Bates had a full week to prepare for the interview, so the meeting likely went well, though the main issue probably will be what kind of candidates he can attract as his offensive coordinator. He and Thompson are sure to have discussed that topic thoroughly.

Bates has been coaching in the NFL since 1991 and had an extremely successful five-year tenure as Miami’s defensive coordinator before joining the Packers this year. He also has a little experience as a head coach and did well enough, going 3-4 after taking over the demoralized and injury depleted Dolphins as interim head coach for the final seven games of 2004. In his five seasons with the Dolphins, his defenses ranked in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed every year: sixth in 2000, fifth in 2001, third in 2002, 10th in 2003 and eighth in 2004.

Bates has worked for five NFL teams— the Packers, Dolphins, Cleveland, Atlanta and Dallas — so when it comes to hiring an offensive coaching staff, he has working relationships with assistant coaches spread throughout the league. Bill Belichick is among the head coaches he worked for, in Cleveland from 1991 through 1993, and again in 1995.

One name that’s come up as a possible offensive coordinator for Bates is former Packers quarterbacks coach Steve Mariucci, who was fired as Detroit’s head coach last season. But the two have never worked together, and Mariucci has given no indication he plans on coaching this year, let alone as an assistant, so that’s pure speculation.

Lewis, 44, not only is a former Packers cornerback but also has a connection to Thompson via his brother, Will Lewis, the Seattle Seahawks’ director of pro personnel. Thompson was the Packers’ director of player personnel when Will Lewis joined the team as a pro scout from 1997 through May 1999. Will Lewis then went to Seattle as director of player personnel in 1999, and Thompson again became his boss in 2000 as Seattle’s vice president of football operations.
Thompson’s interview schedule changed over the weekend when the Giants lost to Carolina, making Tim Lewis available for interviews Monday. Thompson met with him in New York on Monday, then came back to Green Bay to interview Bates on Tuesday. Lewis also interviewed with the St. Louis Rams on Monday. Detroit and New Orleans reportedly are interested in him also.

Lewis’ promising career as a cornerback with the Packers was cut short in his fourth season (1986) when had to retire because of a neck injury. He went into coaching as a graduate assistant with Texas A&M the next year.

He was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive coordinator from 2000 through 2003, and Steelers’ defense ranked seventh in yards allowed in 2000, first in 2001, seventh in 2002 and ninth in 2003. Cowher fired him after the 2003 season, and the Giants’ Tom Coughlin quickly hired him. In Lewis’ two seasons in New York, the Giants ranked 13th in yards allowed and 17th in points allowed in 2004, and 24th and 14th, respectively, this year.

Last year, he interviewed for the San Francisco 49ers’ head-coaching position.
source : packersnews.com