greasywheels121 Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 From ESPN: Following a Tuesday meeting with owner Ralph Wilson, Mike Mularkey has accepted an offer to coach the Buffalo Bills. Mularkey emerged from his all-day meeting with Wilson and started calling Bills assistants Tuesday night to let them know he had taken the job. Mularkey, most recently the Steelers' offensive coordinator, was among the final three candidates along with former Bears coach Dick Jauron and Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. The 42-year-old Mularkey won the job because of his past relationship with Bills general manager Tom Donahoe and his bright offensive mind. Mularkey was a candidate for the Falcons' job and has been considered a hot assistant coach for the past couple of years. Mularkey played tight end from 1983 through 1991 for the Vikings and the Steelers. He started coaching in 1993 at Concordia and joined the Bucs as an assistant in 1994 and 1995. Bill Cowher hired him with the Steelers in 1996, and he eventually became offensive coordinator. For a while, the Bills were considering an experienced head coach after letting former Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams go after three seasons. Jauron and Jim Fassel were at the top of that list. Then their thoughts shifted to offense. Under coordinator Kevin Gilbride, the Bills offense dropped to 30th in the league this season and averaged just 15.2 points a game. Donahoe wanted an offensive coordinator to work with Drew Bledsoe, who will remain the Bills quarterback next season. Mularkey is expected to offer the defensive coordinator job to current assistant coach Dick LeBeau. He may also pursue current Steelers quarterback coach Tom Clements to be his offensive coordinator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Hmmm I'm suprised they didn't go with Fassel, still they needed an Offensive guy to run the show for Drew but I'm not sure Mularkey is the guy they needed. Pittsburgh's offense didn't really set the world on fire this year ya know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 All I'm gonna say is that I prefer Mularkey over Jauron. Also that I hope Jerry Gray remains the D-coordinator and that Kevin Gilbride has already packed his bags and has put his house up for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 U happy bout da hire witesoxfan? Personally I was suprised they didn't go with Weis but I guess they need to put a staff in there as soon as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 I think this means that Juaron is going to be the DC in NY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 U happy bout da hire witesoxfan? Personally I was suprised they didn't go with Weis but I guess they need to put a staff in there as soon as possible. I'll just say it's not a bad move. I think this team really did need a boost offensively, and while Weis probably would have been better, Mularkey will hopefully be just as good. The thing with coach hirings is that it is always difficult to tell how they'll turn out, especially first year coaches. A lot of times the hire is a good one(Lewis was in Cinci, it was in Carolina with Fox two years ago), and sometimes it is not(like it was with Gregg Williams). This is true in any sport, which is why I wait to truly rip into Ozzie Guillen. I still think some new blood will help get everything back together. Gregg Williams is a defensive mind, and Kevin Gilbride doesn't have much of an offensive mind(which is quite apparent with the Bills 30th ranked offense). I have no idea how Mularkey will coach or anything like that. I just think that an offensive mind will help get something going. The defense was quite good this year, and I hope that Mularkey can get the Bills over the hump next year. And I hope that he tells Tom Donahue to actually draft someone in the first round who will be able to play this year. After seeing what the Bills did this year, that really is starting to piss me off that they drafted McGahee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Donahue was really pissed he chose Williams instead of John Fox I think. Bills r pretty set on D, prob need another DE, and a young safety, but they should target O-Line and mayb sum WR help in da draft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Donahue was really pissed he chose Williams instead of John Fox I think. Bills r pretty set on D, prob need another DE, and a young safety, but they should target O-Line and mayb sum WR help in da draft. I know the Bills are looking at a tight end in the first round, whether it be Troupe or Winslow, and youd'd have to assume they are going to look at some O-linemen like you said as well. I've also read where if Tennessee can't resign Kearse, that the Bills would probably be one of the teams looking to sign him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 How many f***ing Steelers Co-Ordinators are gonna be lost to Head Coaching jobs, piss off NFL team not found in Pittsburgh. In recent memory I can think of Capers Haslett Dungy,Chan Gailey, Dick Lebeau, John Fox, Marvin Lewis, Mularkey. Brutal. Mularky is a good coach though, able to lead the league in Rushing one year and then transform to a top passing team the next, shows his willingness to try anything to make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiff Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 How many f***ing Steelers Co-Ordinators are gonna be lost to Head Coaching jobs, piss off NFL team not found in Pittsburgh. In recent memory I can think of Capers Haslett Dungy,Chan Gailey, Dick Lebeau, John Fox, Marvin Lewis, Mularkey. Brutal. Mularky is a good coach though, able to lead the league in Rushing one year and then transform to a top passing team the next, shows his willingness to try anything to make it work. Fox wasn't a coordinator for Pittsburgh, just a defensive backs coach. The Giants lost him as a coordinator. Lewis was a linebackers coach but not a coordinator either, and he went to Baltimore and Washington after that. But every team loses coaches and coordinators. It's not just a Pittsburgh thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 But every team loses coaches and coordinators. It's not just a Pittsburgh thing. Of course it isn't but the Steelers lose a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Mularky is a good coach though, able to lead the league in Rushing one year and then transform to a top passing team the next, shows his willingness to try anything to make it work. Sounds good, because the Bills offense was awful last year. Damn near the worst in the league in every category but rushing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Sounds good, because the Bills offense was awful last year. Damn near the worst in the league in every category but rushing. In 2001, Mularkey helped quarterback Kordell Stewart have one of his best seasons as a pro. Stewart completed more than 60 per cent of his passes and threw for 14 touchdowns, and the Steelers became the NFL's top-ranked rushing team. The following season, Mularkey helped quarterback Tommy Maddox rejuvenate his career. Maddox, the great XFL MVP, threw 20 touchdown passes in leading the Steelers into the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 As a side note, the Bills are going to retain Jerry Gray as defensive coordinator. All I have to say is thank you Donahue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Gray is a damn good DC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Any ideas on who their OC is goin to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Any ideas on who their OC is goin to be? Anybody but Gilbride would be fine with me(because Shoop is already taken). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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