Pat Fitzgerald And The Packers

[Not A Serious Person]

What happens with this?

https://247sports.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/Article/Pat-Fitzgerald-Packers-head-coaching-rumors--127089148/

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the Packers are expected to request an interview with Fitzgerald as soon as the team returns from the Holiday Bowl. The only problem is Fitzgerald has turned down NFL interviews before and by the looks of things, he has no intentions of leaving Northwestern.

"It is unclear whether Fitzgerald would interview, according to the source, but he certainly would be comfortable with the man leading the interview for the Packers," Schefter wrote. "Packers CEO and president Mark Murphy was Northwestern's athletic director when Fitzgerald was hired as the head coach at his alma mater in 2006."

[Jockey]

Murphy and Fitz are close friends and Murphy hired him before. There was never any doubt from the day Mac was fired that GB would talk to him.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Fitz in his post game presser

“I’m not going anywhere”

[jesmu84]

Definitely no other posts about this at all

[Chili]

Fitz in his post game presser

“I’m not going anywhere”

Haven't heard that before


"It's GB - It's GB"

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Haven't heard that before


"It's GB - It's GB"

Little different. Besides Saban, Fitz may have the best job security in all of college football, Northwestern has the potential to really get off their wallet, plus he's a Northwestern grad.

[rocket surgeon]

Little different. Besides Saban, Fitz may have the best job security in all of college football, Northwestern has the potential to really get off their wallet, plus he's a Northwestern grad.

.


Betcha Green Bay has a bigger wallet? 

    What head coach wouldn’t have a dribble down his leg to stand where some of the greatest coaches ever stood.  Many thought forest gregg and Bart Starr had job security too, until they didn’t win.  I understand Chicago, you don’t want to see fitz go anywhere, but for a chance to coach in a virtual hall of fame place would be like bubba mcCountry singer to turn down a concert at the grand ole opry or chef mcGreasy fingers to turn down an offer to cook at eleven Madison park, New York

What did you expect fitz to say?  Yeah, thanks for everything, as he does a lambeau leap over the interview table as dundun dada dundun go pack go blares over a boom box speaker?  Only bear and Viking fans don’t get goose pimples over that one right there.  To say you were the coach of Aaron Rodgers and stood in the same place as curly and Vince once stood??  Hey, “what the hell is going on out there” 🤷🏼‍♂️🏈

[GGGG]

Little different. Besides Saban, Fitz may have the best job security in all of college football, Northwestern has the potential to really get off their wallet, plus he's a Northwestern grad.

I would agree about this.  Northwestern is perfectly happy with his performance so far.  They don't expect B10 titles.  Just be competitive with a couple new years day bowls.

[GGGG]

What did you expect fitz to say? 

"Now's not the time to talk about that."  Making definitive statements leads to no wriggle room.

[tower912]

Or maybe he is happy where he is.

[GGGG]

Exactly. There are many reasons I could see why he would want to stay at Northwestern.

[Not A Serious Person]

I would think Fitz is the wrong guy at the wrong time for the Packers and it would be a mistake form Murphy to hire him.

The Packers are older elite QB surrounded by bad players.  If your objective is to rebuild, start over, pile on the draft picks, then Fitz might make sense.  But that also means trading Rodgers this offseason for a couple of #1s.  That is what starting over means.

If the objective is to rebuild around Rodgers, is Fitz the right guy to get the most out of Rodgers for the remainder of his career?  I would say no.  Josh McDaniels might be a better fit.

So the question is what are the Packers trying to do and how does Fitz fit into that plan?

------

Finally, here is my conspiracy theory, Murphy is trying to do his friend Fitz a favor.  Say the Packers are interested to raise Fitz's stock and help him on the recruiting trail.  He's not serious about actually hiring him, just trying to get more 4-star and 5-star recruits to consider his friend.

[dgies9156]

Ain’t gonna happen.

No way. No how.

[4everwarriors]

Daniels gonna bee da choice, hey?

[GGGG]

Daniels gonna bee da choice, hey?

Mike Daniels???

[4everwarriors]

Wee alreddy had a Big Mc, sew eye'm shortin' it ta just Daniels. Dis isn't sew hard to understand, hey?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Saw a pretty good tweet last night something along the lines of.

I would not want anybody but Pat Fitzgerald to coach Northwestern.

I would want anybody except Pat Fitzgerald to coach my NFL team.

[Sir Lawrence]

Wee alreddy had a Big Mc, sew eye'm shortin' it ta just Daniels. Dis isn't sew hard to understand, hey?

Someone is having fun with his Wiki profile:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_McDaniels

[Cheeks]

Little different. Besides Saban, Fitz may have the best job security in all of college football, Northwestern has the potential to really get off their wallet, plus he's a Northwestern grad.

Chris Mack was a Xavier grad and had all the job security in the world.


I doubt Fitz is the guy for Packers, but people leave their alma mater for other opportunities despite feeling comfortable where they are.

[MU82]

Believe it or not, some coaches really like where they are.

For example, do folks think Mark Few never had higher-profile, better-paying opportunities than Gonzaga?

Maybe Fitzgerald is that kind of person: It's his alma mater, he is paid well, and most of the pressure on him is the pressure he puts on himself. Nobody -- not school higher-ups, not the AD, not alums -- expects him to compete annually for Big 14 titles, Rose Bowl bids, etc. Get to a bowl game most years, run a clean program, make a big-bowl run every 5-7 years, be an all-around good guy who reflects positively on all things Northwestern ... and you're beloved and paid well.

Some would argue those are the very best jobs in the entire coaching universe.

I don't know Fitzgerald, so I don't know if that describes him or not. I do know that Gary Barnett said he would never leave Northwestern. But about 24 hours after telling his players he wasn't going anywhere because "I bleed purple," he left for big money and what he thought was a better job at Colorado. It wasn't.

As for whether Fitzgerald would be a good NFL coach, a bad NFL coach or a middle-of-the-road NFL coach ... who knows? None of us here, that's for sure.

Except Smuggles, of course.

[rocket surgeon]

I would think Fitz is the wrong guy at the wrong time for the Packers and it would be a mistake form Murphy to hire him.

The Packers are older elite QB surrounded by bad players.  If your objective is to rebuild, start over, pile on the draft picks, then Fitz might make sense.  But that also means trading Rodgers this offseason for a couple of #1s.  That is what starting over means.

If the objective is to rebuild around Rodgers, is Fitz the right guy to get the most out of Rodgers for the remainder of his career?  I would say no.  Josh McDaniels might be a better fit.

So the question is what are the Packers trying to do and how does Fitz fit into that plan?

------

Finally, here is my conspiracy theory, Murphy is trying to do his friend Fitz a favor.  Say the Packers are interested to raise Fitz's stock and help him on the recruiting trail.  He's not serious about actually hiring him, just trying to get more 4-star and 5-star recruits to consider his friend.

Excellent points tower II.  Has josh mac ever explained his whoopsie-do with the colts?  In any event, no question about his football lineage and experience.  We could use a little belichick up here about now

[rocket surgeon]

“For example, do folks think Mark Few never had higher-profile, better-paying opportunities than Gonzaga?”

Thought the same about brad Stevens

[GGGG]

Belichick's coaching tree is horrible though.  The only one with a winning NFL record is Bill O'Brien.

Maybe McDaniel's will be better this time around, but hiring Belicick assistants because teams believed they "could use a little Belichick" has been a bad route for most programs.

[tower912]

(Lions fan nods dejectedly)

[GooooMarquette]

Chris Mack was a Xavier grad and had all the job security in the world.


I doubt Fitz is the guy for Packers, but people leave their alma mater for other opportunities despite feeling comfortable where they are.

Yep. It gets down to whether he wants to take a shot in the NFL.

[augoman]

I had season Northwestern football tickets for years and well remember the 3 big whatever titles in 10 years and Randy Walker's sudden death.  Fitz was a legend then with his back to back defensive player of the year awards and his devotion to the school/program.  That being said Northwestern has a history of beating uw at Madison and various other self aggrandizing programs while being the smallest and only private school in a major football conference.  The know it all posters that pretend to know what the school or the coach is 'happy' with are obviously wrong.  Fitz just bought a new home there, NU just built a new practice facility on the lake for 260 million, he is working miracles with 2nd string running backs and has a great quarterback waiting in the wings. His boys and family love the school and are often very involved.  He recently signed a 10 year extension.  I would be shocked and disappointed if he were to leave, but I have no idea what his thoughts are.  He did however say in his post game interview that "I'm not going anywhere". 

[dgies9156]

That being said Northwestern has a history of beating uw at Madison and various other self aggrandizing programs while being the smallest and only private school in a major football conference. 

Ever heard of Vanderbilt? Or the SEC?

Or Stanford and the Pac 10?

Or Duke, Miami and Wake Forest in the ACC?

[GGGG]

I had season Northwestern football tickets for years and well remember the 3 big whatever titles in 10 years and Randy Walker's sudden death.  Fitz was a legend then with his back to back defensive player of the year awards and his devotion to the school/program.  That being said Northwestern has a history of beating uw at Madison and various other self aggrandizing programs while being the smallest and only private school in a major football conference.  The know it all posters that pretend to know what the school or the coach is 'happy' with are obviously wrong.  Fitz just bought a new home there, NU just built a new practice facility on the lake for 260 million, he is working miracles with 2nd string running backs and has a great quarterback waiting in the wings. His boys and family love the school and are often very involved.  He recently signed a 10 year extension.  I would be shocked and disappointed if he were to leave, but I have no idea what his thoughts are.  He did however say in his post game interview that "I'm not going anywhere".

If by "history" you mean "twice in the last twenty years," then yes.

But your post is spot on.  It makes perfect sense why he would stay.

[Not A Serious Person]

Ever heard of Vanderbilt? Or the SEC?

Or Stanford and the Pac 10?

Or Duke, Miami and Wake Forest in the ACC?

Yes and USC and ND.

I guessing but I think he meant the smallest (by enrollment) and only private school in the Big 10.

But, it does have one of the largest endowments, if not the largest endowment, in the Big 10

[buckchuckler]

Yes and USC and ND.

I guessing but I think he meant the smallest (by enrollment) and only private school in the Big 10.

But, it does have one of the largest endowments, if not the largest endowment, in the Big 10

[Pakuni]

 Ian Rapoport @RapSheet

Despite multiple NFL inquiries, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is not going to be a candidate for any NFL jobs, agent Bryan Harlan tells me. The #Packers had hoped to interview him, among others.

[rocket surgeon]

  So, endowments don’t matter, ey? (Beat ya to it 4ever) 💪

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Reports are he has had interest from NFL steams since as early as 2011. Keeps turning everything down.

[Not A Serious Person]

  So, endowments don’t matter, ey? (Beat ya to it 4ever) 💪

Better to be well endowed than not.

[reinko]

Yes and USC and ND.

I guessing but I think he meant the smallest (by enrollment) and only private school in the Big 10.

But, it does have one of the largest endowments, if not the largest endowment, in the Big 10

University of Michigan has by 1.5 bil or so...

[dgies9156]

Ian Rapoport @RapSheet

Despite multiple NFL inquiries, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is not going to be a candidate for any NFL jobs, agent Bryan Harlan tells me. The #Packers had hoped to interview him, among others.

Told ya so

[tower912]

It appears that Pat does not want to mess with happy. 

[GB Warrior]

Should be a good recruiting bump for Fitzgerald, and if that begets more success, the NFL will keep calling.

Lincoln Riley had a good point in some interview that top coaches can now make a lot of money but with more job security. If only everyone responsible for college football popularity was so well compensated...

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

Should be a good recruiting bump for Fitzgerald, and if that begets more success, the NFL will keep calling.

Lincoln Riley had a good point in some interview that top coaches can now make a lot of money but with more job security. If only everyone responsible for college football popularity was so well compensated...

 Just couldn't help yourself huh

[WarriorDad]

Belichick's coaching tree is horrible though.  The only one with a winning NFL record is Bill O'Brien.

Maybe McDaniel's will be better this time around, but hiring Belicick assistants because teams believed they "could use a little Belichick" has been a bad route for most programs.

Nick Saban and Kirk Ferentz both from Belichick coaching tree.

[theBabyDavid]

But, it does have one of the largest endowments, if not the largest endowment, in the Big 10

Uh...no.

Go Blue!!

[JWags85]

Nick Saban and Kirk Ferentz both from Belichick coaching tree.

Assistants that worked with him before he found success have been successful.  That Browns staff was sneaky stacked (Saban, Ferentz, Pat Hill, Al Groh).  But once he got to NE, truly figured out his system and put it in place, that seemed to stop.

[Pakuni]

Assistants that worked with him before he found success have been successful.  That Browns staff was sneaky stacked (Saban, Ferentz, Pat Hill, Al Groh).  But once he got to NE, truly figured out his system and put it in place, that seemed to stop.

The theory on this - and it's a good one - that that Belichick is such a micromanager that his assistants don't really learn the inner-workings of his methods, they just see how he acts outwardly and try to mimic it ... usually with disastrous results.
Like, Matt Patricia has the surly Belichick routine down pat, but seems to understand nothing of the methods that have brought about the Patriots' success.

[wadesworld]

Anybody who likes football at all and hasn't seen "Do Your Job," the NFL Network production from the Patriots win after the Seahawks Super Bowl, needs to find time to do so.  It's awesome.