link Texans to interview Bills D coordinator GrayAssociated Press BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Bills defensive coordinator Jerry Gray is a candidate for the vacant Houston Texans coaching job. Gray, who played college at Texas and one season with the former NFL Houston Oilers, is scheduled to interview with the team later this week, his agent, Gary O'Hagan, said Tuesday. The Texans are seeking a new coach after Dom Capers was fired Monday following a 2-14 season. Denver offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is also a candidate for the job. The interview comes at an uncertain time for Gray, whose status is in question after his fifth year in Buffalo. The team is coming off a 5-11 season, and Bills owner Ralph Wilson has vowed to restructure his front office. That shake-up could begin with team president Tom Donahoe and affect the team's coaching staff. Gray has one year left on his contract but is coming off a tough season in which his defense finished 29th in the NFL in yards allowed, a significant drop-off after the unit finished second in each of the last two seasons. Hurting the Bills was the loss of two starters, including Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes, to season-ending injuries in the first month. The Bills also failed to re-sign run-stuffing defensive tackle Pat Williams, who signed with Minnesota in March. A former defensive back, Gray was a three-time Pro Bowl selection during a nine-year NFL career. He spent four years as a Tennessee Titans assistant before coming to Buffalo. The native of Lubbock, Texas, previously interviewed for the Bills head-coaching job following the 2003 season, but lost to Mike Mularkey. Last year, Gray was a candidate at Syracuse, but lost that job to Greg Robinson.
Not big news, but at least he is on the short list of candidates along with Gary Kubiak. One question.... If Kubiak has been listed as a possible Head Coach for so many years, how come he hasnt landed a job with any other NFL team?
Obviously I nor anyone else could ever know for sure myself, but I've heard many football analysts/writers say that he doesn't interview well. But with Reeves as McNair's right-hand man, maybe he'll do a better job this time considering he's the clear favorite to win the job. Jerry Gray would be a bad hire - he's worse than Capers.
Hiring Jerry Gray would be a terrible decision. I would hire Randy Shannon (the Defensive Coordinator at the U) before hiring Gray.
Ok I know they had injuries, but I can't believe they would consider hiring and promoting a guy to head coach when his defense was ranked 29th this year.
I'm not sold on him as a NFL Head Coach. I really do not have too much to back up my statement. Just intuition more than anything else.
No, from what I've heard he's been interested in other jobs just not hired. Speculation is that is because he's not good at interviews. He even interviewed for the Texans job originally before we hired Dom.
Does anybody else find it kind of weird that a guy with the stability and success of Gary Kubiak would not be hired based on an interview. Aren't the prior accomplishments far more important? I can understand the backlash from a bad interview if you are untried or something.
agreed. kubiak scares me because of that. to be rumored for job after job and never get one...something's up there. remember, he was rumored for the texans job 5 years ago.
I've heard Shanahan is the genious- Kubiak just obeys orders... don't know if it's true but he may not be much of a off. coordinator guru as you might think?????
I remember hearing more than once that the reason that he has turned at least 3 jobs down is because he has wanted to stay in Denver. I think that he is finally ready to seriously consider a head coaching position. He is an ex player, but more importantly, he is an offensive wizard. He is the master of the zone blocking scheme we have tried to impliment over the last two years. If he can create an offense that makes Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell, Ruben Droughns, Olandis Gary, and Ron Dayne look like pro-bowlers, what could he do with (as he is now pernmanently reffered to by me as...) REGGIE "F**CKING" BUSH? Needless to say, I think he's a pretty good candidate at least.
You all don't have to worry about Jerry Gray...What I do find interesting is that most NFL teams interview the mandatory token minority AFTER they've decided who the new coach will be...
Two possible reasons, his wish to stay in Denver and lack of interview abilities, have been mentioned. Another big reason is that he's the offensive coordinator for Shannahon. You know, the guy who supposedly runs the offense, scripts the plays, etc. It really makes people wonder just how Kubiack can do on his own.
i don't know why everyone is so scared away from jerry gray. other than that he's a defensive mind. there have been great head coaches in the NFL who were defensive coaches. there's always this reaction after you fire a coach to err towards a new coach with a background on the other side of the ball than the previous coach. i think that's a reactionary, knee-jerk mistake.