Commanders should search for offensive coordinator via this coaching tree

The Washington Commanders should look to one specific coaching tree that goes back decades as they search for an offensive coordinator. It is still very valid to the present.

When former offensive coordinator Scott Turner was fired earlier last month, the Washington Commanders commenced a search that continues to cast a wide net across the NFL. Turner was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders to be their new passing game coordinator and will obviously work closely with the quarterbacks. It’s a much different story in Ashburn at this time.

The Commanders are still in search mode for a new offensive coordinator nearly a month after the team parted ways with Turner. The front office and head coach Ron Rivera have already interviewed at least half a dozen candidates thus far and more could be scheduled within
the next ten days – give or take a day or two. Could the Commanders be waiting to interview any of the Eagles or Chiefs assistants following the Super Bowl? That could be the route to go, but which assistants stand out at this juncture?

The answer could come from a certain coaching tree that goes back more than four decades – 44 years to be more precise. In early 1979, the San Francisco 49ers hired a long-time assistant coach in the NFL and college, Bill Walsh. His career to that point was fairly good, but nothing really stood out at the time. Within two years, the 49ers won the Super Bowl and would go on to win two more in the coming years before Walsh retired. Obviously, there is more to the story.

His coaching tree produced an amazing eight coaches that would go on to win Super Bowls as well. George Seifert, Jon Gruden, Brian Billick, Mike Holmgren, Mike Tomlin, and Andy Reid are all a part of the Walsh coaching tree. Also, John Harbaugh and Doug Pederson have coached under Reid and they are part of the same tree. That is a very impressive coaching tree. One other note – Ron Rivera comes through the same coaching tree via Andy Reid.

By now, you probably have figured this out. However, most of these Super Bowl winning coaches all have something in common – great quarterbacks, including Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger, Brad Johnson, Steve Young, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson. Solid quarterbacks from this tree include Donovan McNabb, Cam Newton, and Joe Flacco. Are you now impressed with this coaching tree and the number of good or great quarterbacks that it has produced?

The Commanders have a golden opportunity to tap into that coaching tree following the Super Bowl. Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy could be looking for a new job after the Super Bowl and the front office in Ashburn needs to have him in for an interview immediately following the big game. Bieniemy shares play-calling duties with Andy Reid, but it is time for him to be calling the plays full-time and the Commanders should give him that opportunity.

It’s time to tap into that Walsh and Reid coaching tree. It’s obviously quarterback friendly. It’s wide receiver friendly. It’s tight end friendly. It’s running back friendly. Bieniemy is the best choice for offensive coordinator. It will put the Commanders that much closer to a potentially dynamic offense. See you as we go along.