Theismann links Schottenheimer to Falcons on 680TheFan
Brian Schottenhiemer was the offensive coordinator the past six seasons for the New York Jets. By Kathy Willens, AP
Could Brian Schottenheimer, formerly of the New York Jets, be the Falcons new offensive coordinator?
NFL Network’s Joe Theismann, who knows Schottenheimer from his days coaching with the Washington Redskins, linked him to the Falcons in a radio interview this morning on 680TheFan’s morning show, the Rude Awakening with Chris Rude, Sandra Golden and Perry Laurentino.
Here’s part of the interview:
“[Brian] felt like he was saddled and limited by what Mark Sanchez can do in New York,” Theisman said. “Mark is really not that good. He’s a hard-working kid. He wants to be good. But he doesn’t understand the game of football the way Matt does.
“You have to play the position with the knowledge of where you are on the field, what the score is in the game. What [you] can do. What [you] can’t do. What are the things that are required of me. Really, the only route that Mark throws effectively is the quick post. He’s going to have a whole lot more to work with, with Matt Ryan.”
They asked him to clarify his comments.
“I’ve [unaudible] Brian was going to be the offensive coordinator.”
The Falcons have stated that they would do their search privately, but we have a call into them to see if they’ll comment on Schottenheimer. (Expecting a no comment).
We have calls into the Theismann to see if he will expound on his knowledge of the Atlanta search.
Either way, I’m going to revise my working list of candidates to replace Mike Mularkey. Smith said he wants a balanced attack and doesn’t believe you can be one-dimensional.
1. Dirk Koetter
2. Brian Schottenheimer
3. Terry Robiskie
4. Hue Jackson
5. Brian Billick
*Removed: Mike Martz, the architect of the “World’s Greatest Show of Turf.” He’s chillaxing at his home in San Diego. If his phone rings, he’d answer it. Word is that he’d be interested in talking about the post.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
Get instant updates on Twitter at AJCFalcons and you can join the Facebook Fan page at AJC Falcons.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
259 comments Add your comment
Patrick
January 12th, 2012
9:52 am
First?
SC FALCON FAN
January 12th, 2012
9:53 am
1ST
SC FALCON FAN
January 12th, 2012
9:54 am
2ND
Joe
January 12th, 2012
9:58 am
Anyone named Dirk is 1st on my list…
Section242
January 12th, 2012
10:00 am
Hire Spagnuolo to be DC coordinator – QUICK!
kevin
January 12th, 2012
10:02 am
what About Tod Haley?
Joe
January 12th, 2012
10:02 am
Keep up on ur current events Section242
True Falcon Fan
January 12th, 2012
10:03 am
That will could happen only if Daddy doesn’t get the Buc’s gig —- But junior would be a good fit in the Falcons coaching staff, also a real plus in the development of MR2
Go Falcons
89viking
January 12th, 2012
10:04 am
Martz would be real damm intriguing but i think his ego would be wayyyyy to big and tear the team apart,,,,he would lose a battle with Coach Smith over power after wanting everything “his way”….
True Falcon Fan
January 12th, 2012
10:05 am
Cyberspace cadet XKC —- nope won’t happen!!!!
Joey
January 12th, 2012
10:05 am
“Smith said he wants a balanced attack and doesn’t believe you can be one-dimensional.”
**********************************************
So, the Saints, Packers, and Pats are just lucky?
Better open up your eyes, Coach, and realize that a dynamic, downfield passing attack makes a defense vulnerable to the run.
That, antique, run-first mentality is gonna keep that zero in your playoff record, currently 0-3.
True Falcon Fan
January 12th, 2012
10:06 am
MMartz you got it right he’s “A VIRUS”!!!!
D. Orlando Ledbetter
January 12th, 2012
10:06 am
89viking — Maybe he would defer or just be the passing game coordinator.
Brian Billick
January 12th, 2012
10:06 am
Yes I will take the job…..please call me. I even have a ring…..
FalconFreak
January 12th, 2012
10:07 am
Yeah, the Jets looked good this year, right? lol
Weaseal
January 12th, 2012
10:07 am
Have you seen the youtube video-Angry Atlanta Fan- Says what we all think
E Harmony keeps matching me with fat chicks
January 12th, 2012
10:08 am
\”Chillaxing\”?
Really?
You\’re college educated. Please use discourse consistent with a college educated person.
Shame.
Section242
January 12th, 2012
10:08 am
Do we really think Billick will give up his job with fox for an OC position? His last football job was 9 years as HC for Ravens. It has been since 98 that he was an OC with the Vikes. Not exactly a great career move.
Crabkilla
January 12th, 2012
10:08 am
What makes Dirk Koetter so great? I read his bio. A little success at Boise, medicore at Arizona St and zilch as a Jaguar. He passed in college and they run the ball in Jacksonville. Not impressed. Somebody explain this.
Joey
January 12th, 2012
10:11 am
89viking, I don’t about all that, but no way would Martz come be the OC under Smith’s, “run, run, pass” offensive (and it truely is offensive) philosophy.
Martz did a great job with the Bears, until he lost Cutler, then his RB.
Just my opinion . . .
Brian Billick
January 12th, 2012
10:12 am
I have a ring. I can show you guys how to get one.
bama fan
January 12th, 2012
10:13 am
First two candidates have also both interviewed for Bama’s opening
truthbtold
January 12th, 2012
10:13 am
Schottenheimer would be a good choice, but Matt Ryan has about the same skill set as Mark Sanchez. Any quarterback in today’s league that cannot escape from a pass rush will be limited in their effectiveness. Plus Sanchez can run better than Matt Ryan, and he has won some playoff games (taking them to 2 AFC Championships). I don’t think the Falcons would be a step up for Schottenheimer vs what he had with the Jets – just something different. The biggest challenge would be working within a system comprised of the conservative play calling of Mike Smith.
cowboys67
January 12th, 2012
10:14 am
ok lets look at matt ryan. below avg but accurate arm he has quick physical receivers who can run and get allot of “YAC” that equals west coast off all day.
True Falcon Fan
January 12th, 2012
10:15 am
Good or Bad —- Dirk takes instructions well & he understands the meaning of balanced attack. He’s also very much a “team” coach!!!! That being said —- in my opinion MR2 is light years ahead of Dirk Koetter, so this guy would NOT be a fit!!!
Go Falcons
Brian Friel
January 12th, 2012
10:15 am
The Fall of the St. Louis Rams being Mike Martz’ fault is the equivalent as The Fall of Rome being the fault of lead poison.
anyone but Martz….
**Frederick(Bailey)Douglass**
January 12th, 2012
10:18 am
A nice list DOL.
I’m beginning to think that the Birds need to get REALLY real with themselves. If you want to NOW go the promised land (SUPER BOWL), you need folks around that have been there. Has Mike Smith been as a head coach/coordinator? NO. Has Matt Ryan been? NO. Turner? NO. Lofton? NO. Jones? NO. White? NO. Babs? NO.
Bring in two coordinators that have that kind of experience:
1. Spagnuolo
2. Brian Billick/Mike Martz
The Birds need a reality check on both sides of the ball. Is Matt Ryan a franchise QB? Can running the offense through Turner get you to the SUPER BOWL? Is Lofton a 3rd down MLB? Does #23 need to be replaced? Is DeCoud fast enough to play FS in the NFL? Does P. Jerry need to be cut? How do we maximize our talent to create matchup problems? Also:
How in the world might we run a damn screen play on offense????????
Falcons need urgency, accountability, honesty. Smitty says the right things. Great. Bring in some folks that know what they are talking about through big game experience. See the Steelers for a model.
FBD
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
10:19 am
” Matt Ryan has about the same skill set as Mark Sanchez.”
Physically, maybe, but Ryan reads defenses a lot better than Sanchez. For that matter, Redman probably reads defenses better than Sanchez. Ryan, for all his faults, is an above average player at his position. Sanchez is well below average.
That said, Jets fans feel exactly the same about Schottenheimer as Falcons fans feel about Mularkey.
ken herock
January 12th, 2012
10:19 am
Pat Yasinkas, the NFC South blogger on ESPN.xcom, thinks the Falcons will take the easy route and promote QB coach Bob Bratkowski to OC. Yasinkas endorsed it but I wouldn’t be a big fan of that move..
ken herock
January 12th, 2012
10:20 am
Yasinkas was on Ckuck and Chernoff on 680 yesterday afternoon.
ibelieve
January 12th, 2012
10:20 am
Enter your comments here
abby normal
January 12th, 2012
10:21 am
Dirk Koetter? No way. He was just OK at Arizona State and a big nothing at Jacksonville. Shottenheimer has to be a better choice.
Rusty Scrufart
January 12th, 2012
10:21 am
I vote for Batman
ibelieve
January 12th, 2012
10:21 am
Chillaxing is defines as the ultimate form of relaxation and chill. Urban dictionary.
PMC
January 12th, 2012
10:24 am
Of all the people that would know information, I would trust Joe Theismann the least.
Michael
January 12th, 2012
10:24 am
What about Tom Clements from Green Bay? Credited with the development of Aaron Rogers and Matt Flynn! Has been an NFL coach for 19 years, so maybe it’s his time to shine with a good offensive team that has some talent to work with instead of when he was an OC for Kansas City and Buffalo (I think it was with Buffalo).
True Falcon Fan
January 12th, 2012
10:26 am
10:19 Excellent point
Veedub
January 12th, 2012
10:27 am
D Led!!!! Chillaxing, I like it!!!! Mike Martz would definitely be intriguing to get Matt Ryan to settle down in the pocket, receivers running more crisp routes and putting the ball in windows that rely on timing. He also utilized quick slants to adjust to blitzes. Hope they at least interview him!!!
Mr. Phil
January 12th, 2012
10:28 am
I was expecting a realistic list. Any list with Brian Billick on it is worthless on its face. Why the heck would he sign on as OC? Why would Smith put himself in position to be looking over his shoulder at a potential replacement? Come on. Billick has a ring as a HC. Smith [as much as I want to stick with him] doesn’t. The minute the Falcons lose a tough game to ANYBODY I would be calling on Billick as a replacement. Good grief. DOL let’s try to be serious here and not get the masses foaming. In-law or no in-law. Billick ain’t coming here [or anywhere I can think of] to be an OC. Believe that.
True Falcon Fan
January 12th, 2012
10:28 am
10:19 Both of U
However JSS would not agree on the second one though!!!
ibelieve
January 12th, 2012
10:32 am
Go and get Pete Carmichael Jr. OC and Chief asst. to the headcoach. Same title for BB if he would come out of the booth.
Michael
January 12th, 2012
10:34 am
Mike Martz hates Tight Ends…..check his history! We have a Hall of Fame TE with Gonzalez, so guess who trumps! Brian Billick is the brother-in-law to Mike Smith, so for more than one reason this would not happen. Personally, I like Mike Nolan has DC, with Coach Spagnnuolo as the second choice
Reggie
January 12th, 2012
10:35 am
If Brian felt sad about how limited Sanchez was…wait till he sees Matt Ryan try to throw the ball over 15 yards….that dude will be on suicide watch
Falconitis
January 12th, 2012
10:36 am
Tom Clements is a winner!
DP
January 12th, 2012
10:36 am
Crabkilla, Jacksonville was pretty good offensively under Koetter with a mediocre NFL QB (David Garrard), as high as 7th in the NFL in yardage in his first year. But this year they cut Garrard and stuck Koetter with rookie Blaine Gabbert. Reports are that Nick Saban is interviewing Koetter for the OC job at Alabama so the Falcons are the only ones who think highly of him. Brian Schottenheimer is also reported to be a candidate for the Alabama job.
Coordinators have to operate under constraints. They don’t choose the personnel, they might have to operate in a dysfunctional environment (Rex Ryan, Jacksonville ownership), they work for head coaches who might dictate who plays and/or offensive philosophy, etc.
Truth Teller
January 12th, 2012
10:37 am
Anyone in favor of this is out of their mind.
YOU REALLY WANT TO EMULATE THE JETS OFFENSE?
Theismann is stuck in the 1980s. This team has too many weapons to still be trying to run the ball 40 times a game. THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER.
NYJ did not win those playoff games because of their offense, they won because of their defense! Jets fans wanted him OUT. If Blank and TD hire this clown, you can kiss most fans support GOODBYE and get ready for Ryan to end up like Sanchez.
JD
January 12th, 2012
10:40 am
Mr. Phil – Billick needs a little image rehab if he really wants to be an HC again. He needs to show that after 5 years off field, he still has the org and coaching skills to relate to today’s players and get them to perform. His last 2 yrs in Baltimore undercut that a little. His fastest track to a HC job would be to come in too an established team and show he has what it takes to put them over the hump- Falcons are a great fit for that.
Billick and Mike Nolan fulfill the new blood requirement – and probably line up well with Smitty’s coaching philosophy. Ravens under Billick, Dolphins defense this year – conservative, effective stout units – generally speaking.
Truth Teller
January 12th, 2012
10:41 am
And oh yeah, Mike Martz? FOH. That dude gets all of his QBs killed because he doesn’t believe in pass protection. Ryan will be on injured reserve by Week 6.
Why do people have this emfatuation with big names? Do some damn research on their recent success/failures before you get all hot and bothered over coordinators ust because they were in bigger markets.
Bird is the Word
January 12th, 2012
10:44 am
I think I would hire either New Orleans or Green Bay’s OC and Baltimore’s DC and then Mike Smith and TD could screw up all they wanted to and I think we could over come their mistakes. 5 DRAFT CHOICES?
D'ville Phil
January 12th, 2012
10:45 am
D-Led, your list is garbage – here’s a list:
1) Todd Haley (former KC HC, former Arizona OC for SB Runner-Up)
2) Tom Clements (GB QB coach)
3) Pete Carmichael (Saints OC)
Notice a theme? these are coaches on teams that know how to effectively pass the ball. Our offenses greatest assets are Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White – we need an offensive coach that can run an effective passing system. Mularkey was a failure in this regard.