Debunking the Mularkey Myths

by Bill Choinski

The Buffalo Bills ended their search for a head coach Tuesday night when they offered Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey the head coaching position. Mularkey was a bit of a darkhorse candidate because he was under the radar immediately following the dismissal of Gregg Williams. Mularkey was the last candidate interviewed for the position, many days after some of the more publicized candidates like Jim Fassel, Charlie Weis, and Romeo Crennel.

Buffalo Bills fans, many who have lived through some of the team’s darker moments in history, remain skeptical. Images of team scout Harvey Johnson named coach (twice!) leading the Bills to two of their worst seasons ever. The Tom Cousineau contract debacle – as the NFL’s only #1 overall pick spurning the league to play in Canada, or memories of Chuck Knox resigning in frustration over the team’s constant contract squabbles with players. All this history flood back for the old-time Bills faithful when remembering Ralph Wilson and his tight fiscal policies of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. So when the unheralded Mike Mularkey came along, many rumors and misconceptions followed.

Myth #1- Why do I feel we picked the coach with the cheapest contract demand?

Mike Mularkey signed a 5 year, $7.5 million deal to become head coach. Compared to other coaching contracts out there, it’s right on the market price for a coordinator turned first time coach. Gregg Williams received a $1 million per year, 3 year deal in 2001. The two top candidates finishing behind Williams later landed jobs elsewhere in the NFL. John Fox got $4 million for 4 years in Carolina, and last season Bengals coach Marvin Lewis received an identical amount that Mularkey inked this week. Jim Mora Jr. inked his deal for $250,000 less than Mularkey from Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bills did not slap $3-4 million on the table to lure out one of the hot college prospects out there. Was it cheapness that the Bills (and other teams) were gun shy after the Steve Spurrier debacle in Washington? Spurrier walked away from $15 million left on his 5-year, $25 million deal. Or were the rumors about Kirk Ferentz of Iowa and Nick Saban of national champion LSU correct? That they are actually satisfied at staying at the programs they built?. LSU is giving Saban a new $3 million a year deal and are willing to crown him Emperor of the bayou for as long as he wants. Kirk Ferentz is the highest paid public employee in Iowa and wants to coach his son, an offensive lineman at the school. Only the Bears were able to even get Saban to grant an audience with them, in a fruitless effort to get him to Chicago. The Bills chose not to waste time or money pursuing them.

Then there are the mega-stars. Last year Bill Parcells in Dallas signed for $5 Million. Joe Gibbs signed for 5 years, $28.5 million to give up racing. What about Jimmy Johnson? Folks- please be serious. Guys like that no longer need the money or are persuaded by it. You could offer Jimmy Johnson $5 million per season and he’s not budging. Guys like that pick jobs strictly on ego, fame, and their own will. Plus, you need an even bigger ego in the name of an owner to pull these deals off. Dan Snyder has nearly $40 million invested in past, present, and future coach and assistants contracts. The Bills do not generate enough revenue from their 29th ranked ticket prices ($45 average) and below league average parking and concession rates to gamble on the Steve Spurriers of the world.

Myth #2 Why do we want a guy without experience? Been there, done that.

The huge knock against Gregg Williams after his initial 3-13 campaign was his lack of experience, and more succinctly, the lack of experience on his staff. So why did Tom Donahoe repeat his mistake? Didn’t he learn from the last debacle?

Well, first you have to look a the available candidates. Tom Coughlin was the cream of the crop, and was scheduled to visit Buffalo January 6th. Unfortunately, his date planner had the Meadowlands penned in on the 5th for his second interview. It was no secret across the league that the Mara family had the former Giants assistant #1 on their list, and that Coughlin had the Giants at the top of his. The Giants, who offered this same job to him 10 years ago, were not going to allow him escape again. He never left New York to give the Bills a chance.

Dennis Green was another choice, but has a history. The Cardinals were willing to give him a bigger say in player moves. Some of his risky choices as coach of the Vikes panned out (see Randy Moss) while others were complete failures (see Dimitrius Underwood). Overall, a poor fit in Buffalo. Jim Fassel came into town and blundered through interviews. His 4-12 record this season, along with some outrageous contract demands, didn’t make any friends in Buffalo. And of course, the legendary Marv Levy openly petitioned for the job as well. Levy is 78 years old, and been away from the game for 6 seasons. With the return of Vermeil, Parcells, and Gibbs, the Bills didn’t want to follow the fad. Even if a success, the Bills would be replacing Levy in 2 seasons. Donahoe wants the next Bill Cower, a stable coach that will be around for many years to come.

Now let’s check out Mularkey. Both Williams and Mularkey became head coaches after a decade climbing the ranks. Both entered the league as “Quality Control” coaches and became top coordinators in seven seasons. However, Mularkey can add an additional 9 seasons in the league as a player. While not a receiving threat by any means, he was a tenacious blocker who earned his stripes helping the Steelers grind out yardage in Chuck Knoll's ground attack. I think players react differently when one of their own crack the whip of discipline. Gregg Williams was not a “combat veteran” like Mularkey. Williams also relied more on a young and inexperienced assistants his first two seasons. It set in motion a series of hiring and firings as Williams struggled to find the staff he wanted.

No one knows if Mularkey will follow suit, but his first choice as Offensive Coordinator, Tom Clements, is one of his own. Clements worked as the Steeler’s QB coach under Mularkey and they should be very familiar with what each other does. Mularkey also brought in ex-Buffalo native Jim McNally, one of the top offensive line coaches in the NFL. While it would have helped if the Bills could have retained Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator, the Bills will retain some of their defensive staff- fresh off the 2nd best defensive ranking in the league.

Myth #3- I’m sick of Tom Donahoe picking one of his Pittsburgh cronies again!

It’s a misconception in Bills land that Tom Donahoe continually delves into his Steeler past to burden this franchise with players and personnel. At the outset of 2002, he did bring in Tom Modrak as Director of Football Operations of the Bills. In Modrak he obtained one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL- the current Philadelphia Eagle roster being a testament to his GM skills.

People like to pin former offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride’s hiring on Donahoe in some form of power play move over Gregg Williams in 2002. While a former Steeler OC in 2000, his hiring by the Bills was at the behest of Gregg Williams. Williams and Gilbride had a long history and friendship dating back to their many years together on the Houston Oiler sidelines. Williams had full control over the hiring and firing of his coaches- the same authority granted to Mularkey and nearly every other head coach in the league.

Dick LeBeau spent 3 seasons with the Steelers in the mid-1990’s- culminating with a Super Bowl appearance as the defensive coordinator. Adding LeBeau as a consultant and mentor to Jerry Gray bolstered a horrid Bills defense to the 2nd best unit in the NFL. If anything, he is the one Steeler connected guy we could retain. Unfortunately, he chose to accept the Steeler DC position earlier this week.

As far as former Steeler players go, only WR Bobby Shaw is on the roster. In 2001, vet minimum backup tackle Kris Farris was on the club, and in 2002 the same can be said for 5th string WR Charles Johnson. It’s not like Ralph Wilson Stadium has become a retirement home for former Steelers.

Myth #4- Donahoe wanted a puppet that would not threaten his authority

One of the more silly arguments. Tom Donahoe’s job is up to as much scrutiny and security as anyone at One Bills Drive. Donahoe wants to win. While he has done a masterful job in procuring talent for the roster and still maintaining salary cap responsibility, he knows that he needs to hit a home run with his next selection or he will feel the heat. Donahoe is one of the GMs in the league who believes in the “coaches should coach” philosophy. For every Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells out there who demand full player / personnel power- there are many more failures. Look at Mike Holmgren in Seattle, and Dave Waanstadt in Miami. Holmgren has finally begun to turn the corner after 5 seasons and relinquishing some player control. Just as great ex-players don’t always make great coaches, great coaches don’t always make great GMs- especially in this salary cap and free agent era. Since the cap was introduced 10 years ago, the most successful and consistent franchises have had strong GM’s as well as coaches. The coach/GM dual roles might work for a season or two or three, but in most cases the coach leaves soon after leaving the club in cap hell. Look at the post -Parcells Jets, the post-Coughlin Jaguars, and the post- Spurrier Redskins as examples.

Mike Mularkey has interviewed for 5 positions the past 2 seasons, turning down the Bengals in 2002. Why would he accept the Bills job to be a puppet head coach? He turned down the Raiders interview to take the Buffalo job- it’s the perfect situation for him. If Donahoe wanted a puppet (and be cheap) he could have filled the position within days of canning Williams.

Myth #5 – Donahoe “settled” for Mularkey

Bills GM Tom Donahoe made it abundantly clear at the Williams dismissal press conference that the Bills would be active in looking at minority candidates in compliance with the NFL diversity hiring policies. The best minority candidates were Dennis Green, Pat’s DC Romeo Crennel, Rams DC Lovie Smith, and hometown longshot Jerry Gray. Green was one of those guys who want more player personnel control, and is a disciple of Bill Walsh and the West Coast offense – a poor fit for Buffalo anyway. He was not interviewed. Smith, Crennel, and Patriot’s OC Charlie Weis were all hastily interviewed during their NFL playoff bye week. Charlie Weis’ interview won out.

Retreads like Fassel and Dick Jauron were also looked at, but the Bills chose to “wait and see” on Weis and to pursue other coach candidates who were not hotly pursued. Mularkey was the last to get interviewed, and he made a great impression. While both candidates were virtually equal , Mularkey’s stock soared when the 4th down pass to Titan’s WR Drew Bennett bounced off his hands and incomplete, sealing a Patriot win, and extending Charlie Weis’ season a minimum 7 days. While the Bills had a number of assistants retained under contract- some of the more sought after assistants still available were in danger of coming off the market. Donahoe, feeling comfortable with Mularkey and seeing his work ethic in Pittsburgh, chose to wait no longer. Naming Mularkey when they did probably spared OL coach Jim McNally from getting scooped up by another team, but not Dick LeBeau.

It’s hard to say that if Weis was free of the Patriot’s season that he would have been named head coach. There would have been most definitely a second interview, but it is not a lock he would have beaten out Mularkey . Mularkey was interviewed last for the simplest of reasons- timing. He wasn’t a bottom of the barrel selection.

So sit back and relax, Bills fans. The wait is over, and Mularkey is setting about the task of filling out his staff. Buffalo has a smash-mouth approach to the offense coach they craved . If this guy can make Kordell Stewart a finalist in the NFL MVP voting, and XFL star Tommy Maddox the NFL comeback player of the year, I think he can get Drew Bledsoe back on track. I’m already salivating over the prospects of Travis Henry and Willis McGahee churning out yards. The Bills have a big piece of their off-season pie accounted for. Next up- spending that healthy chunk of the projected $7-10 Million in cap space.

Dang……8 months to wait for opening day!