I'm not sure when exactly Dennis Green became known as the coach who would take pretty much any available job left in the NFL, but it was probably after he went to the Cardinals. Either way, Green, who apparently rebuffed the Raiders before they hired Lane Kiffin, hasn't changed his mind about the likely future job opening in Oakland, since Kiffin could literally be fired any day now. From Sporting New Radio.
“It’s obvious that some time during the course of the year, Lane Kiffin is probably going to be dismissed from his job. If that happens and your phone rings and the caller ID says ‘Al Davis,’ do you answer that phone call, Coach?”
Green: “No I do not.”
Obviously, I'm not surprised by Green's response. But it raises an interesting question: Who in their right mind would take the Raiders job?The word on the street is that when Kiffin gets fired, defensive coordinator and longtime Al Davis ally Rob Ryan will get the nod. He'd definitely take it, but I don't see him lasting past the end of this season. Davis will certainly look to hire someone better suited for the job in the offseason. But who?
Right now, we're already well aware that no one with any NFL experience - outside of the Raiders organization - will take the job. That's because taking it would be an automatic career killer, for a former head coach or a coordinator.
Davis also seems to have burned the college bridge as well. Normally, a bad team can seduce a big name college coach who has long had NFL aspirations, but Davis couldn't even do that during the last hiring round - which is how he wound up with Kiffin - who was USC's offensive coordinator.
As much as I hate to say this, I think the only person who would take the Raiders job would be someone who wouldn't view coaching the team as a downgrade or a career killer, which means we're talking about middling assistants at major college programs or coaches at second rate college programs. You could also say - maybe only half-jokingly - that a powerhouse high school coach could be considered too.
Regardless of how things turn, what's clear is this. Until Al Davis cedes control of the Raiders, or kicks the bucket, the only people that are going to walk through the door to coach the Raiders are going to be severely underqualified.
Dennis Green would not pick up that phone if Al Davis calls [Larry Brown Sports] via [Fanhouse]
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