Former Minnesota head coach and veteran defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is looking to return to coaching after taking a year off from the NFL. Fraser has stated that it is his intention to return to the league as a manager and will have more opportunities after the 2023 season.
After his interview with the Chargers on Sunday, Frazier is scheduled for another interview with the Raiders, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.This officially begins the search for the next Raiders head coach. Interim coach Antonio Pierce, who went 5-4 to replace the fired Josh McDaniels, is considered the favorite for the job. Pierce has done a great job in place of McDaniels and has garnered the support of many players and staff during his tenure.
There have been internal discussions about his future within the team, but no official interview has taken place. Also, University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and former Patriots coach Bill Belichick have also been linked to Las Vegas as potential suitors or interest, but have never had an official interview with the team.
If one of his three interviews with the Raiders doesn’t take place by Tuesday (when Frazier is scheduled), Frazier will be the first candidate to officially interview for the job.Frazier was the Bills’ most recent defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2022, during which time he was the team’s primary play-caller until Sean McDermott decided to go in a different direction after a lopsided loss to the Bengals. season 2022. close. , I decided to sing the song myself.
However, Frazier, who is no longer under contract with the Bills, has rejoined, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Prior to the 2023 hiatus, Frazier served as an NFL assistant or head coach for 24 consecutive years.
The Bills initially described his departure as having a veteran running back option, but McDermott was later believed to have asked the sixth-year defensive lineman to stay.Frazier has been a consistent candidate for a head coaching gig over the years, interviewing for the 2022 hires of the Bears, Dolphins and Giants. The Texans interviewed Frazier in 2021 and the Colts met with him in 2018.
Frazier, who was promoted from interim head coach to full-time head coach at Minnesota in 2011, has a 21-win, 32-win and 1 loss while leading the Vikings. Most of that time was when the team was quarterbacked by first-round pick Christian Ponder. The 2012 Minnesota team, led by MVP Adrian Peterson, still made the playoffs.
Frazier, 64, is the most extreme candidate looking for a head coaching job. While that may be a hindrance, two of the candidates listed above are 71 (Belichick) and 60 (Harbaugh), so age shouldn’t be an issue until the field expands. Of course, the older director may have already done so. Bruce Arians was 66 when he was hired.
If Frazier is unable to take over as a head coach due to factors such as age, he could return to the league as a coordinator. Many teams are expected to look for defensive coordinators this offseason. The Jaguars were sacked on defense. Some teams with head coaching vacancies, such as the Seahawks and Titans, have seen their coordinators interview to coach elsewhere.
Teams like the 49ers, Ravens, Panthers, Rams, and Lions may need a defensive signal caller if the player is hired as a head coach. Whether as a head coach or defensive coordinator, Frazier would have a good chance of returning to the NFL sidelines in 2024.
