Maurice Jones-Drew on the top coaching candidates
Yahoo Sports host Andrew Siciliano and former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew discuss who the top coaching candidates are and what MDJ looks for in an ideal head coach. Check out the full conversation on "Inside Coverage" - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
All right, so there are nine openings now, which is just bonkers.
Uh, insane!
Mike Tomlin being, I, insane, uh, Mike Tomlin being the ninth.
If you, Maurice Jones-Drew, We're running a team, running an organization, and had to hire a coach.
Who would you hire?
Had to hire a head coach.
Let's see, um...
Putting you on the spot.
Yeah, yeah, no, I'm just trying to think.
Like, if I'm Atlanta, I'm hiring an offensive guru.
That's what I'm hiring for two reasons.
I think the team depends on it.
If I'm Baltimore, I'm hiring Klint Kubiak.
I, I would hire.
Um, a guy from that tree.
Now, I'd probably hire Mike LaFleur or Klint Kubiak first.
He would be one of my top two guys.
Um, the reason being is younger guys haven't been head coaches before, so they're gonna need help, and for me, As an organization, I can help mold my coach, very similar to what the Rams Right?
Um, what about just a leader of men?
Like, it...
I know the coordinating thing is a huge deal.
Obviously.
Yeah...
Right?
You don't want to hire... An offensive head coach, maybe.
It doesn't fit with the personnel you have or whatever, but, Like, leader of men.
Art Rooney today, the Steelers owner's on the podium, they say, "What are you looking for?"
He said, A leader, somebody who can command the room.
Ben Johnson clearly has that.
But I remember last year, there were people saying, "Well, Ben's the mad scientist, has the OC, but can he really command the room?
Hell yeah, he can.
That's evident.
Is that the most important thing?
Mm, I don't know.
I, I...
The NFL is based on winning and losing, Right?
So, Ben Johnson, you're commanding the room, Because you're winning.
You know what I mean?
Like, Pete Carroll's a leader of men, and Pete.
True.
Carroll can command a room, but it's hard to command a room when you're 2 and 14.
Right?
Like, I don't care what room you're in, It's the last game of the year.
You've been eliminated.
You're trying to get your guys to Go out and play.
That doesn't mean you're a good head.
Coach.
I, I, I, I, I, I love the cliches that people Talk about, like, leader of men, and, oh, this... Like, to me, This is a bottom-line business.
You get paid an, An extraordinary amount.
My agent used to tell me this all the time, You get paid a king's ransom to play a kid's game.
Mm-hmm.
I need you to win.
And so, winning, and the way you go about winning, is the most important thing.
