Our next coach??

What about Grimm's lack of playcalling experience? After Zorn, this doesn't concern people?

i've said it before, but i dont get all the love for Grimm (as our HC here). he's never done a thing to show he would be even remotely successful in a HC job. some fans just dont understand that being a great redskin player under joe Gibbs doesnt equate to being the best HC for this team since Joe Gibbs.

It has to be Russ Grimm. The planets are aligning. This is his destiny.

Redskins history aside, here's his official title with the Arizona Cardinals: "Asst. Head Coach/Running Game Coordinator/Offensive Line."

Perfect, right? Especially considering all those new O-lineman we're gonna have next season. Especially considering the only way we seem to win is when we run the ball. Especially considering Cowher may take the helm in Dallas. Read Grimm's full bio on the Cards' website. Tell me it's not perfect.

I know a lot of people are jaded with coordinators, but we can't keep retreading old coaches. Does anyone on the list of available former HCs inspire total confidence? To me only Cowher is acceptable, but a previous post mentioning his desire to "coach a warm weather team" totally turns me off. I don't want somebody who misses coaching and wants to pick up a few more wins before retiring again. I want somebody who wants THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS to be winners. I want somebody who, when the poop hits the fan (and a rookie O-lineman blocks the wrong guy), doesn't feel buyer's remorse for coming off the golf course, I want somebody who gets PISSED OFF.

It HAS to be Russ Grimm.

My 2010 Head Coach Checklist

RUSS GRIMM
-- NOT previously fired: CHECK
-- NOT coming out of retirement: CHECK
-- NOT inexperienced: CHECK
-- Previous ties to Redskins organization: CHECK
-- Able to physically intimidate front office: CHECK
-- Confirmed badass: CHECK (x2)
-- Super Bowl rings: CHECK (x4)
-- Run/O-line-oriented: CHECK (x1 billion)

Ladies and gentlemen, I humbly submit my nominee for the new head coach of the Washington Redskins, the distinguished gentleman from Western Pennsylvania, Mr. Russ Grimm.

If you want Grimm over Gruden, Cowher, Shannhan, etc... god bless you becasue you are basically hiring a tough guy Jim Zorn.

Look at your check list:

RUSS GRIMM
-- NOT previously fired: CHECK, don't know how that makes him a good HC
-- NOT coming out of retirement: CHECK see above
-- NOT inexperienced: CHECK never been a HC
-- Previous ties to Redskins organization: CHECK ok so what
-- Able to physically intimidate front office: CHECK how do you even know this
-- Confirmed badass: CHECK (x2) ok again how do you know this
-- Super Bowl rings: CHECK (x4) not as a HC
-- Run/O-line-oriented: CHECK (x1 billion) good point

Basically Grimm is a bigger risk then hiring a proven HC, not as big of a risk as Zorn but damn close.

i've said it before, but i dont get all the love for Grimm (as our HC here). he's never done a thing to show he would be even remotely successful in a HC job. some fans just dont understand that being a great redskin player under joe Gibbs doesnt equate to being the best HC for this team since Joe Gibbs.


Thank you!

Now lets talk about getting this Monk guy in here he looks like an awesome HC candidate. J/K

By the way, kind of interesting that Shanahan accepted a chance to speak with the Bills but reportedly Cowher and Holmgren both declined

"some fans just dont understand that being a great redskin player under joe Gibbs doesnt equate to being the best HC for this team since Joe Gibbs."

The criticisms leveled against Grimm as a candidate for HC are very fair (many of the items in my checklist were intended as a joke), but I actually think the risk in picking him is worth the reward. Here are some highlights from his bio that I think are most relevant to the needs of the team (I couldn't post a link because I haven't posted enough threads yet):


He joined the Steelers staff in 2001 as only the second offensive line coach in Bill Cowher's tenure and made an instant impact in developing the Pittsburgh’s offensive line. Grimm's value to the coaching staff was recognized by Cowher, who promoted Grimm to assistant head coach prior to the 2004 season, the only coach to hold that title under Cowher.
In 2008, Grimm’s five regular offensive linemen started all 20 games during the regular season and postseason including Super Bowl XLIII. The offense finished with a top five ranking (4th overall) for the second consecutive season and rookie running back Tim Hightower set a franchise rookie mark with 10 rushing touchdowns.
(In 2007) His offensive line allowed only 24 sacks, 6th best in the NFL and the fewest given up by the Cardinals since 1978 (22). Grimm’s offensive line also paved the way for running back Edgerrin James to rush for 1,222 yards, the fifth best total in team history. The Cardinals offense finished with the 5th best passing attack in the NFL and threw for a team record 32 touchdowns.
The 2006 Steelers offensive line helped pave the way for running back Willie Parker to gain 1,494 yards and 13 touchdowns on 337 carries (4.4 yard avg.) and earn his first Pro Bowl selection. Pittsburgh’s offense finished the 2006 season with the 10th best rushing attack in the NFL, helping to give the Steelers the 7th ranked total offense in the league.
Under Grimm’s guidance in 2005, the Super Bowl champion Steelers averaged nearly 140 yards rushing per game during the regular season to rank fifth in the NFL while also grinding out 181 rushing yards in their Super Bowl XL victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
He is credited with the development of Washington tackles Jon Jansen and five-time Pro Bowler Chris Samuels, who each earned starting spots as rookies on the Redskins' offensive line.


And of his 4 Super Bowl rings: yes, none were earned as a head coach. However, he can inspire players with his rings earned as a player, the fourth ring means he's seen what it takes to coach a Super Bowl winner, and he was only a few plays away from having a fifth ring with the Cardinals.

The Cardinals rise to legitimacy coincided with Kurt Warner's rejuvination, which has to be credited in part to the O-linemen watching his back and the running backs shouldering a huge part of the offensive load. One of those RBs was a past-his prime Edgerrin James! Kurt Warner! Edgerrin James!!!

He's still number one on my list for head coach, but I'll accept offensive coordinator under Cowher, and that's it. Props to the guy who first brought up Grimm as a potential candidate much earlier in this post. I never would have dug deeper.

There may be reasons why Grimm has never been a head coach, but not all of those reasons are necessarily his fault. He has consistently improved the teams he has been a part of. Period. The fact that he is a Washington legend is merely a bonus.

We're going to have an all-new line next season, and our quarterback is going to be Jason Campbell or "the new guy," both needing serious protection. Our running back is going to be Clinton Portis or "the new guy." Why not pick up the man who kept Kurt Warner and Edgerrin James relevant for a few extra seasons?

We can pick up a guy who can hold his clipboard with a ring on every finger except his thumb. We can pick up a guy who can tell stories about what the town and the fans used to be like when we weren't just winning, but other teams were afraid of us. All of the available head coaches coming out of the broadcast booth were either fired, or their fire for being a coach had cooled enough for them to walk away from the game. That doesn't sit well with me. Grimm has never been demoted and he has a solid resume of improving the players under his command.

Nothing I've mentioned except his ability to connect with our current players has anything to do with Joe Gibbs. Since 1992, I've been one of those "next year will be our year" guys. Well, 2010 won't be our year, no matter who we bring in. This isn't about being the next Joe Gibbs. This is about playing the best football we can with the roster we have. I'll say it again: Grimm created an atmosphere of success for Kurt Warner and Edgerrin James. Kurt Warner played in the Super Bowl. In 2009. For the Arizona Cardinals.

Grimm is a solid coach and the best candidate for HC. The only thing that will convince me otherwise is confirmed evidence of communication, intellectual or character defects that would obviously prevent him from being successful.

Your move, Grimm doubters.

You're making a case for Grimm to be offensive line coach it seems.

You're making a case for Grimm to be offensive line coach it seems.

More than anything, I'm convinced Grimm needs to be involved in the rehabilitation of the Redskins program in SOME capacity, and simply being the o-line coach is actually a demotion for Grimm considering his current position in Arizona. The only thing I'd accept (and probably Grimm, too) short of head coach is assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, specifically under Bill Cowher, his mentor in Pittsburgh.

At that point he'd be in prime position to take the reigns from Cowher when Cowher moves on OR Grimm proves himself to be enough of a polarizing figure that his unspoken "head-coach-in-waiting" agreement with the front office is not honored at the critical moment (SEE: Gregg Williams).

I think it's plausible that Cowher calls Grimm if he takes the Redskins job, and I already like the nucleus of that coaching staff. If we MUST take one of the NFL HC-retreads that seem to be leading every team's coach wish-list, then we should consider the staff they'll assemble. Taking the staff into account, I'd go with Cowher.

What gives Grimm the slight edge over Cowher is that he's never walked away from the NFL. He stopped playing in 1991 and in 1992 he was coaching. There would be no longing glances at a golf course or a broadcast booth. No re-adjustment period.

But, if everybody's nervous about Grimm as HC, let's bring in Cowher, pray he calls Grimm in Arizona, and evaluate his potential firsthand.

More importantly the only thing he would bring to the table is building a better offensive O-line. No different then Zorn was supposed to bring a better QB to the table. I'm with the critizism crowd.....has Grimm called plays or designed plays with the Steelers or Cardinals? Is he calling plays now? or is all he doing is working with the O-line.

I don't have a problem bringing him in to replace Buges cause I think he has the knowledge of Buges scheme and most likely a newer version, but I think you will be hard pressed to take him away from the Cards unless his contract is up, fired, or named HC. I would be supprised if he got a HCing job soon. I hope I'm wrong and he proves me wrong. Maybe he will get a shot from the likes of the Browns or Buffalo and he brings in a qualified OC to call plays. Who knows.

By the way, kind of interesting that Shanahan accepted a chance to speak with the Bills but reportedly Cowher and Holmgren both declined

are you suggesting that they already have secret deals in place somewhere?

More than anything, I'm convinced Grimm needs to be involved in the rehabilitation of the Redskins program in SOME capacity, and simply being the o-line coach is actually a demotion for Grimm considering his current position in Arizona. The only thing I'd accept (and probably Grimm, too) short of head coach is assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, specifically under Bill Cowher, his mentor in Pittsburgh.

At that point he'd be in prime position to take the reigns from Cowher when Cowher moves on OR Grimm proves himself to be enough of a polarizing figure that his unspoken "head-coach-in-waiting" agreement with the front office is not honored at the critical moment (SEE: Gregg Williams).

I think it's plausible that Cowher calls Grimm if he takes the Redskins job, and I already like the nucleus of that coaching staff. If we MUST take one of the NFL HC-retreads that seem to be leading every team's coach wish-list, then we should consider the staff they'll assemble. Taking the staff into account, I'd go with Cowher.

What gives Grimm the slight edge over Cowher is that he's never walked away from the NFL. He stopped playing in 1991 and in 1992 he was coaching. There would be no longing glances at a golf course or a broadcast booth. No re-adjustment period.

But, if everybody's nervous about Grimm as HC, let's bring in Cowher, pray he calls Grimm in Arizona, and evaluate his potential firsthand.

I really like your idea, however wasn't that the implicit plan when Gibbs came back?? The FO totally ignored Gregg Williams (who will probably land a HC job at the end of this year), so should Cowher come here, what makes you think the FO will do anything different? We have seen they are oblivious to any mistakes they make.