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Yahoo Sports lists 3 B1G coaches as potential NFL candidates
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Every year around this time the rumors begin swirling about college coaches taking a shot at the NFL. With the college football regular season over and the NFL’s winding down, those conversations are beginning to pick up again.
Yahoo! Sports reporter Pete Thamel recently wrote a story naming the 10 college coaches that would be the most-likely candidates for the NFL this year. Three of those names came from the B1G.
Jim Harbaugh, Pat Fitzgerald and Jeff Brohm were the coaches projected to have the best shot at landing a job in the NFL. Harbaugh was slotted No. 4 with Fitzgerald at No. 5. Brohm was a little further down the list, coming in at No. 9.
Here are the reasons Thamel gave behind each potential candidate:
Jim Harbaugh
There are ties to the Dolphins through owner Stephen Ross, one of the school’s most powerful donors. Harbaugh has decreased his antics at Michigan recently after wearing out his welcome in San Francisco, making the NFL seemingly more viable again. Does Urban Meyer’s departure from Ohio State change any dynamics? His NFL record of winning speaks for itself.
Pat Fitzgerald
The new $270 million facility on Lake Michigan makes any departure in the near future highly unlikely. The Bears will also be tied to Fitzgerald the next time that job opens. But for now, it remains difficult to see him leave.
Jeff Brohm
We’ve already had enough Brohm drama this year, so there’s no chance he’d leave Purdue this winter. But down the road, he fits the new NFL paradigm – play-caller and quarterback guru – that franchises will inevitably try and replicate in the wake of the Rams’ success.
All three coaches are currently in pretty good situations. It’s tough to imagine Harbaugh, Fitzgerald or Brohm leaving their jobs.
But if the money and opportunity is right, who knows?
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB