NFL coaching fraternity set for major changes

The NFL coaching search is on in Arizona and Atlanta, and it soon could be underway in Pittsburgh, Miami, Cleveland, Oakland and New York.

There are even questions in San Diego, where the Chargers are a contender to win their first Super Bowl.

In a league where salaries are high and patience is low, coaches usually have about three seasons to turn a franchise around. That’s how long Dennis Green had in Arizona before he was fired Monday, leaving with a 16-32 record.

Although USC’s Pete Carroll is rumored to be a candidate for that job, one that would reunite him with quarterback Matt Leinart, there are strong indications that the Cardinals won’t even make a run at him. Carroll, former coach of the New York Jets and New England Patriots, is believed to want full control of personnel decisions as a condition for returning to the NFL and the Cardinals recently gave a three-year contract extension to their personnel man, Rod Graves, vice president of operations.

Carroll said Tuesday, a day after leading the Trojans to a victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl game, that neither he nor his agent had had contact with the Cardinals and that he had no intention of leaving USC.

“I just don’t picture anything that would be of value to even consider,” he said. “Because I don’t know how they can structure. They’re too top-heavy in the organizations and stuff to even create a scenario.... [There] aren’t guys that own teams that would create a scenario for a guy like myself that would be interesting, so I don’t even consider it ... so it’s pretty easy for me to hold stance on that.”

Carroll added that there were other factors that made college coaching more appealing.

He said NFL coaches were “much more harshly scrutinized” and subject to “constant scrutiny, the questioning, the format of having to be in charge of the football team but having so many other people making decisions.”

That’s not to say Carroll has hermetically sealed the doorway back to the NFL. It’s not unheard of for a coach to staunchly -- and sometimes honestly -- deny an interest in leaving a job, only to jump at another opportunity when he judges that the money and situation are right.

Besides, Arizona is not the only option. The Atlanta Falcons fired Jim Mora on Monday; Bill Cowher has hinted at retirement and it would surprise no one in Pittsburgh if he were to quit today, and Miami is awaiting a decision from Nick Saban on whether he plans to stay as Dolphins coach or accept a record-shattering offer from the University of Alabama, which reportedly is dangling a guaranteed- money deal in the neighborhood of $40 million for 10 years.

Other coaches on the bubble include Oakland’s Art Shell, Cleveland’s Romeo Crennel and the New York Giants’ Tom Coughlin. Notre Dame’s Charlie Weis has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Coughlin but, like Carroll, has denied he’s leaving college football.

In San Diego, there’s speculation that Marty Schottenheimer will be in trouble if he fails to reach the Super Bowl, as his teams have in their previous 12 playoff appearances.

The Chargers, who finished 14-2, have won 10 in a row and have home-field advantage in the playoffs.

One sticking point is Schottenheimer’s chilly relationship with the team’s general manager, A.J. Smith. Asked about his future Tuesday, the coach, whose contract runs through next season, replied, “You’re asking the wrong guy.”

Jon Gruden apparently is safe in Tampa Bay, although his Buccaneers have been miserable since winning the Super Bowl in the 2002 season.

In Indianapolis on Tuesday, Colts Coach Tony Dungy denied any interest in filling the vacancy at the University of Minnesota, his alma mater.

“I think that might be the case because I went to school there, but I’m not a college coach and I never have been a college coach,” Dungy told reporters.

The same cannot be said of Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow, one of seven candidates officially being considered to fill Green’s old job in Arizona. Chow says he’s flattered and interested.

“You have to be interested in something like this; there are only 32 of those jobs,” said Chow, who will interview with the Cardinals on Monday.

The Cardinals also have asked for permission to speak with Cam Cameron, San Diego’s offensive coordinator; Jim Caldwell, Colts quarterbacks coach; Ron Rivera, Chicago’s defensive coordinator; Russ Grimm, Pittsburgh’s offensive line coach; Ken Whisenhunt, the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, and Mike Sherman, the former Green Bay coach who’s an assistant in Houston.

Whisenhunt may also be under consideration for the Atlanta job. He is a Georgia native who played at Georgia Tech and was a tight end for the Falcons, with whom he also started his pro coaching career.

One reason Pittsburgh wants an answer from Cowher soon is that Grimm and Whisenhunt would be strong candidates for the Steelers’ job.

Times staff writer Gary Klein and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

FIRED

Jim Mora | Was 27-23 with the Falcons.

Dennis Green | Was 16-32 as Cardinals’ coach.

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UNDECIDED

Bill Cowher | Leaving Steelers after 15 years?

Nick Saban

Leaving Miami for Alabama?

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ON THE BUBBLE

Schottenheimer | It could be Super Bowl or bust.

Tom Coughlin

Giants staggered into playoffs.

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NEXT IN LINE

Norm Chow | Set to talk to Cardinals.

Mike Sherman | Former coach of the Packers.

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In charge

Longest-tenured NFL coaches and year hired:

*--* Team Coach Year Pittsburgh Bill Cowher 1992 Tennessee Jeff Fisher* 1994 Denver Mike Shanahan 1995 Baltimore Brian Billick 1999 Philadelphia Andy Reid 1999 Seattle Mike Holmgren 1999

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* Fisher was hired as coach of the Houston Oilers and remained in that position when they became the Tennessee Titans in 1997.