1. Kris Richard, Dallas Cowboys DB Coach and Passing Game Coordinator
Interviewed: 1/2/20
I love this interview by the NY Giants. While I am not sure if Kris Richard is ready for a head coaching position, he certainly deserves consideration. Richard will be a hot commodity after the Cowboys cleaned out most of their coaching staff and the Giants should come back to him as a defensive coordinator.
If you do not know Richard, he coached the 2013 Seattle Seahawks secondary that was known as the “Legion of Boom,” that won Super Bowl 48. Richard was a big part in the Seahawks ranking number one in scoring defense from 2012-2015 and received glowing reviews from former players on his insight on defense and his ability to gameplan for opposing offenses. David Gettleman and the front office seemed to think so too, calling him “impressive” in an interview with WFAN.
Richard was actually jettisoned from the Seattle Seahawk in 2017 after ranking 13th in scoring defense, a noted dropoff in his third year as defensive coordinator. Former Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren called the move “puzzling” and it seemed to be more of a disagreement on scheme with the Seahawks current head coach Pete Carroll plus injuries on defense than being truly inadequate.
Richard is an interview that many people are not taking as seriously as they should. The former Cowboys defensive backs coach checks a lot of boxes the Giants really want. He more than classifies as a “defensive-minded,” head coach and former Seahawks defensive back Byron Maxwell called him a “great leader.”
Richard is the definition of a sleeper for this job but even if he does not get it, you should watch where he goes as defensive success follows in his wake.