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Penn State coach Bill O'Brien, a candidate to be the next coach of the Cleveland Browns, has strong ties to former Browns personnel director Mike Lombardi.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former Browns Director of Player Personnel Mike Lombardi, reportedly a candidate to replace to Tom Heckert, has strong ties to three of the Browns' leading head coach candidates, league sources told the Plain Dealer.
They candidates are Oregon's Chip Kelly, Penn State's Bill O'Brien and Syracuse's Doug Marrone.
Lombardi knows all three of them well, primarily through his relationship with former Browns coach Bill Belichick, with whom Lombardi remains close. Although Lombardi and Belichick haven't formally worked together since the old Browns left Cleveland in 1995, they continue to talk football all the time, and Lombardi still helps Belichick with talent evaluation -- something they worked hand-in-hand on in Cleveland.
Belichick even hired Lombardi's son, Mick, as a coaching assistant in New England.
Kelly, a good friend of O'Brien and Belichick, has visited the Patriots three times over the past couple of years, according to the Boston Globe, to help Belichick implement the fast-pace no-huddle offense that had the Patriots operating at break-neck speed this season.
Lombardi, 53, became well-acquainted with Kelly through Kelly's growing friendship with Belichick and longstanding relationship with O'Brien.
Lombardi, an analyst for NFL Network, also got to know Marrone through O'Brien, who's one of Marrone's best friends. O'Brien and Marrone coached together at Georgia Tech, and their wives were college roommates. Their families vacation together. Marrone and Lombardi also share the same agent.
It's a tight-knit fraternity, and if any one of those three takes the Browns' job, it increases the likelihood of Lombardi coming on board. Lombardi worked for Browns CEO Joe Banner in Philadelphia, and Banner still considers him one of the smartest men he's worked with, sources said.
In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if Lombardi endorsed the trio to Banner as some of the rising stars in the NFL. Lombardi was also instrumental in the Browns hiring Belichick in Cleveland in 1991.
In an interview on 92.3 The Fan Wednesday, Lombardi said he hasn't been contacted yet by the Browns, who are plan to hire a coach first before addressing the personnel side. But he did say he'd be willing to listen.
"I'd listen to anybody," Lombardi said. "You listen, and if it's right at my age, I'm 53. If it's right for me, then I'll certainly move forward with it. If it's not right, I can stay here at NFL Network, or I can talk to some other teams and certainly have the opportunity to. I think it's important to make good decisions for me, because I do have a good job."
Lombardi acknowledged that whoever the Browns hire as coach will determine his level of interest. They're interviewing Kelly as early as Friday, after Oregon plays in Thursday night's Fiesta Bowl against Kansas State. And you can bet Lombardi's interest would be piqued by friends Kelly, O'Brien and Marrone.
"That's part of the equation that makes it so attractive," Lombardi said. "I've interviewed for a few jobs since I've been out and of the jobs I talked to, the 49ers, was (attractive) because of my relationship with Jim Harbaugh and wanting to work with Jim Harbaugh, so I think that's what it comes down to at this point. I think that's really essential."
Lombardi indicated that Kelly possesses the leadership skills necessary to be successful, and that his lack of NFL experience shouldn't be viewed as a drawback. He identified the four level of leadership as follows: 1. management of attention: (a plan for how to build a team); 2. management of meeting: (can explain that plan in a clear and concise manner); 3. management of self: (can be critical of yourself and adjust); and 4. management of trust: (ability to get players to trust your consistent message). He said all great coaches have at least three of the four.
Lombardi's philosophy is consistent with that of Jimmy Haslam and Banner, who said their No. 1 criteria for a coach is "strong, dynamic leadership."
Still, Lombardi predicted he'll be at NFL Network at this time next year.
"I think I will," he said. "I like this gig. It's a nice gig. I get to watch football, study tape, and it's a chance to keep involved in the game. I love football. Football is my life and this has been a part of football. . . . The reality of it is, until you get the right situation, this is really a good job."
Heckert to K.C.? If former Eagles coach Andy Reid takes the Kansas City job after his interview there Wednesday, he'll call upon former Browns GM Tom Heckert to be his GM there, league sources told the Plain Dealer. In that scenario, former Browns personnel exec Scott Pioli would most likely be out. Reid will also interview for the Arizona Cardinals job.
Horton not just a who? Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton spent Tuesday night interviewing with Haslam and Banner in Arizona and told the Arizona Republic it "was fantastic." Horton wants the Cardinals' coaching job and has also interviewed with the Bills. He said he's confident he'll be a head coach in the NFL in 2013. Horton runs a 3-4, but Haslam might be leaning toward that, a source said.
Koetter staying put: Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koettter, who was scheduled for interviews with the Browns and Eagles this weekend, signed a two-year extension to stay in Atlanta, according to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports.
Saban too: The Plain Dealer reported last month that Nick Saban really meant it when he said he is staying at Alabama. CBS Sports also reported yesterday that Saban isn't bluffing, and that he's turned down opportunities lately to interview with NFL teams.