Fitzgerald and the NFL

[colin2229]

NFL teams expected to target NW Fitzgerald

If he’s ever going to do it... this would be the time to do it. Stars appear to be aligning to the Bears if both sides want it.

Has Fitz ever said he’d be interested in coaching in the NFL? Don’t think I’ve ever heard him talk about it.

 

[redmen85]

I'm not buying it.
Sometimes it seems there are guys who are just right for a job. That, to me, seems to be the case with Fitz and Northwestern.

 

[McCaravan]

He seems extremely content at NW. He has a seven figure salary and complete job security unless something drastic happens. He’s staying.

 

[Oddy]

I believe he's way too smart to go to the Bears.

 

[colin2229]

W the AD and DC leaving and the president not too far behind...just saying this would be the time to do it

 

[Oddy]

Well my comment had more to do with the Bears than NU.

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

I posted on Twitter - he has it made in Evanston. I don’t know that his style would play in the NFL. I hope he chooses to stay

 

[JCHillmen]

W the AD and DC leaving and the president not too far behind...just saying this would be the time to do it

Yep. If your long time boss leaves, there is no time better than the present to tackle that next challenge, get that big pay day, and chase a dream.
I personally don’t think he would work out too well in the nfl, but the timing is working out just right with his long time boss departing and the bears job likely opening. The odds are greater than zero that it happens.

 

[ramblinman]

Fitz has it made at NU. He loves them, and they love him. All he needs to do is keep the door open, don't shut down any offers, and keep renegotiating long term deals with NU.

In this day and age, it blows me away that a school like NU has a HC with a 15-year tenure and an overall record of 105-81. Damn, have they come a long way from Pont/Venturi/Green/Peay.

He could very well be their coach for another 15 years and still be below typical retirement age. As soon as he retires from coaching, TV will line up to get him into the booth.

 

[Bwm57]

Don’t think he will leave NU.
I do think he might negotiate some significant improvements to Ryan Field in the near future though.

 

[greatgig13]

Fitz is Northwestern. He’s not going anywhere.

 

[PowerI66]

I'm so tired of coaches building up a program in a Power 5 and then jumping ship. Lone exceptions are when their alma mater comes calling. Would be nice to see some guys stick around for the longhaul.

 

[corey90]

I'm so tired of coaches building up a program in a Power 5 and then jumping ship. Lone exceptions are when their alma mater comes calling. Would be nice to see some guys stick around for the longhaul.

In my opinion he isn’t going anywhere. I think he is happy at Northwestern and don’t see him leaving.

 

[epicbret]

Fitz is smarter than that, and loyal. He will parlay this into stadium upgrades

 

[Gene K.]

Everything I have seen and read about Fitz is that he is a class act. I don't see him leaving anytime soon, which is great for Northwestern.

 

[colin2229]

Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) Tweeted:
It’s not just Chiefs’ asst. HC Eric Bieniemy drawing interest for HC interviews; KC QB coach and passing game coordinator Mike Kafka also is. KC could lost two top assistants to head-coaching jobs.

Sources: Kafka draws interest as HC candidate

Chiefs QB coach and passing game coordinator Mike Kafka is expected to be in the mix for a head-coaching job, league sources tell ESPN.

t.co

Kafka officially on notice. Good for him!

 

[UlbKA91]

Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) Tweeted:
It’s not just Chiefs’ asst. HC Eric Bieniemy drawing interest for HC interviews; KC QB coach and passing game coordinator Mike Kafka also is. KC could lost two top assistants to head-coaching jobs.

Sources: Kafka draws interest as HC candidate

Chiefs QB coach and passing game coordinator Mike Kafka is expected to be in the mix for a head-coaching job, league sources tell ESPN.

t.co

Kafka officially on notice. Good for him!

View embedded media

If the Chiefs 2peat, I could see Reid retiring (big dude issues) and one of the 2 staying as HC.

 

[colin2229]

If the Chiefs 2peat, I could see Reid retiring (big dude issues) and one of the 2 staying as HC.

no way-he has the best QB in the history of the game locked in for several years. He ain’t going no where.

 

[corey90]

no way-he has the best QB in the history of the game locked in for several years. He ain’t going no where.

No way he is the best QB in the history of the game right now. He needs quite a few more years under his belt before we can anoint him that title. Let’s see if he can stay healthy for a few more years then we can start talking about how good he is and how he compares to others like Brady, Brees, Farve, Rogers to name a few.

 

[colin2229]

No way he is the best QB in the history of the game right now. He needs quite a few more years under his belt before we can anoint him that title. Let’s see if he can stay healthy for a few more years then we can start talking about how good he is and how he compares to others like Brady, Brees, Farve, Rogers to name a few.

ok, at 25 years old and 4 years in the league...in the history of the NFL, no other QB could hold his jock comparing numbers thus far.

if he continues on this path, he will be the GOAT 🐐

 

[corey90]

ok, at 25 years old and 4 years in the league...in the history of the NFL, no other QB could hold his jock comparing numbers thus far.

if he continues on this path, he will be the GOAT 🐐

Sure. 😊

 

[colin2229]

Sure. 😊

Just hope he stays healthy and we get to see this for another 12+ years.

 

[corey90]

Just hope he stays healthy and we get to see this for another 12+ years.

Exactly! That’s a big hope. In the NFL a running QB is just one hit away from being done. If he was a straight up pocket passer like Brady he would have a better chance at a long career. We will see if he can be smart and get down before taking any big time hits. I will add the game has changed so he will have a better chance.

 

[PowerI66]

Exactly! That’s a big hope. In the NFL a running QB is just one hit away from being done. If he was a straight up pocket passer like Brady he would have a better chance at a long career. We will see if he can be smart and get down before taking any big time hits. I will add the game has changed so he will have a better chance.

He's primarily a pocket passer who just has the ability to run. He's more like Rodgers than Vick

 

[lukeirish]

Fitz is Northwestern. He’s not going anywhere.

I hope you're wrong. I hope he does leave NU, but for this reason. Fitz should want the challenge of winning at the highest level of football. If someone offers him a chance, I hope he takes it and is successful. As a coach, he should welcome the opportunity to perform at another level. He should leave his comfort zone in Evanston. He will never win a national title at NU. He probably won't win a Big 10 title in the current format. He may be able to win a Super Bowl if he takes the chance and goes to a pro team. Guys would kill to get the chance to coach professional football. If he is offered a pro job, especially the Bears job, and turns it down this time around, I think it says more about him then it would if he took a pro job, sucked at it and got fired. You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.

 

[greatgig13]

I hope you're wrong. I hope he does leave NU, but for this reason. Fitz should want the challenge of winning at the highest level of football. If someone offers him a chance, I hope he takes it and is successful. As a coach, he should welcome the opportunity to perform at another level. He should leave his comfort zone in Evanston. He will never win a national title at NU. He probably won't win a Big 10 title in the current format. He may be able to win a Super Bowl if he takes the chance and goes to a pro team. Guys would kill to get the chance to coach professional football. If he is offered a pro job, especially the Bears job, and turns it down this time around, I think it says more about him then it would if he took a pro job, sucked at it and got fired. You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.

How do you know if the guy wants to leave? He could be indebted to NU for his football playing days as well as the coaching opportunity. Some guys are content with what they have.

 

[colin2229]

never thought Fitz that way. Good Point.

as good of coaching and guy he is....want to see him win at the highest level. Wish it was at NW but doesn’t look likely to ever happen.

 

[ramblinman]

I hope you're wrong. I hope he does leave NU, but for this reason. Fitz should want the challenge of winning at the highest level of football. If someone offers him a chance, I hope he takes it and is successful. As a coach, he should welcome the opportunity to perform at another level. He should leave his comfort zone in Evanston. He will never win a national title at NU. He probably won't win a Big 10 title in the current format. He may be able to win a Super Bowl if he takes the chance and goes to a pro team. Guys would kill to get the chance to coach professional football. If he is offered a pro job, especially the Bears job, and turns it down this time around, I think it says more about him then it would if he took a pro job, sucked at it and got fired. You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.

Completely and unequivocally disagree.

If you take that approach with Fitz, then you have to take it with everyone in every situation and not just in coaching.

But, let's take coaching as an example.

Derek Leonard is an outstanding high school football head coach at Rochester. Been there for many years and won a bunch of titles at that 4A school. If 8A Loyola Academy or 8A Lincoln Way East or even Eastern Illinois University offer Derek a job as their head coach, you are saying he should take it and it says something about him if he doesn't.

In that respect, perhaps I do agree with you about it saying something about the man. If he turns down such a job, it says to me that he is happy at Rochester. It says that he believes there are more important things in terms of the quality of life that he wants for him and his family than succeeding at the next level. It says that he enjoys what he is doing and he realizes that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Fitz has a family. He is part of a community. His kids are in local schools. He belongs to a church. He could keep all those same things with a Bears job, but are the Bears all that great of an opportunity? They don't exactly have a stellar history of longevity in the HC position. They have a GM who passed on Mahomes, traded up and gave away a ton for a relatively unproven Mitch Trubisky. Really? He should want to work for that guy?

Has it occurred to you that some guys are cut out to coach younger players? Or that some coaches PREFER coaching younger players?

 

[greatgig13]

Completely and unequivocally disagree.

If you take that approach with Fitz, then you have to take it with everyone in every situation and not just in coaching.

But, let's take coaching as an example.

Derek Leonard is an outstanding high school football head coach at Rochester. Been there for many years and won a bunch of titles at that 4A school. If 8A Loyola Academy or 8A Lincoln Way East or even Eastern Illinois University offer Derek a job as their head coach, you are saying he should take it and it says something about him if he doesn't.

In that respect, perhaps I do agree with you about it saying something about the man. If he turns down such a job, it says to me that he is happy at Rochester. It says that he believes there are more important things in terms of the quality of life that he wants for him and his family than succeeding at the next level. It says that he enjoys what he is doing and he realizes that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Fitz has a family. He is part of a community. His kids are in local schools. He belongs to a church. He could keep all those same things with a Bears job, but are the Bears all that great of an opportunity? They don't exactly have a stellar history of longevity in the HC position. They have a GM who passed on Mahomes, traded up and gave away a ton for a relatively unproven Mitch Trubisky. Really? He should want to work for that guy?

Has it occurred to you that some guys are cut out to coach younger players? Or that some coaches PREFER coaching younger players?

Not that NU and Penn State have identical histories but why didn’t Joe Pa ever leave? Perhaps he had a good gig and was happy there?

 

[epicbret]

Maybe being the Northwestern football coach is fun and fulfilling 🤷‍♂️

 

[JCHillmen]

Regardless of what he decides to do, I will be happy to see the canonization of pat Fitzgerald cease.
He’s a fine coach and a decent guy. But the idea that he is somehow “better” or “different” disgusts me. See the recruitment of Flynn Nagel. The guy spent years trying to convince everyone that he had a higher standard and that they would pull offers from kids who verballed and then visited elsewhere. Likened a verbal to an engagement/marriage. Flynn was verballed (engaged in fitz speak at the time) to duke. He visited NU and flipped. Disgustingly hypocritical to even let him visit given his expectations of his verballed recruits at the time.

this does not mean he’s a bad dude obviously. Just that he is a college football coach who will do what it takes to get ahead. The idea that he is somehow “different” or “has higher expectations” is nauseating. He is a good ball coach who can be every bit as hypocritical as the slimiest snake oil salesmen.

 

[Bwm57]

I like him...

 

[colin2229]

Regardless of what he decides to do, I will be happy to see the canonization of pat Fitzgerald cease.
He’s a fine coach and a decent guy. But the idea that he is somehow “better” or “different” disgusts me. See the recruitment of Flynn Nagel. The guy spent years trying to convince everyone that he had a higher standard and that they would pull offers from kids who verballed and then visited elsewhere. Likened a verbal to an engagement/marriage. Flynn was verballed (engaged in fitz speak at the time) to duke. He visited NU and flipped. Disgustingly hypocritical to even let him visit given his expectations of his verballed recruits at the time.

this does not mean he’s a bad dude obviously. Just that he is a college football coach who will do what it takes to get ahead. The idea that he is somehow “different” or “has higher expectations” is nauseating. He is a good ball coach who can be every bit as hypocritical as the slimiest snake oil salesmen.

Nothing wrong w that he did there. You have to do what’s right/best for your program.

If a kid commits but visits elsewhere...means he’s not fully committed. At the end of the day, the coach doesn’t want to be left on signing day w verbal led kids Committing elsewhere.

it’s common knowledge that all coaches tell kids if you visit elsewhere we will look to fill that position w other recruit. 0% wrong w that.

I am curious, what are coaches supposed to do if you disagree w this? Just allow verbal kids to visit elsewhere and run the risk of losing them? There a chance that kid doesn’t come to your school - shouldn’t you make sure you have a kid who’s 100% coming to play for you.

 

[JCHillmen]

Nothing wrong w that he did there. You have to do what’s right/best for your program.

If a kid commits but visits elsewhere...means he’s not fully committed. At the end of the day, the coach doesn’t want to be left on signing day w verbal led kids Committing elsewhere.

it’s common knowledge that all coaches tell kids if you visit elsewhere we will look to fill that position w other recruit. 0% wrong w that.

I am curious, what are coaches supposed to do if you disagree w this? Just allow verbal kids to visit elsewhere and run the risk of losing them? There a chance that kid doesn’t come to your school - shouldn’t you make sure you have a kid who’s 100% coming to play for you.

Most programs have kids verbal and then visit elsewhere. Heck, most kids from poor backgrounds just want to take their full allotment of official visits and who can blame them. A lot of it comes down to the clout of the kids ranking as well. Even bama and Clemson aren’t giving top 100 recruits ultimatums. They will take top talent regardless of how the kids play around with the word “commitment” and they should do so. Their job is to acquire talent. Now they may give ultimatums and squeeze lesser players who aren’t as highly ranked because, well, there’s a replacement level player for the high 3 star who commits to bama and wants to visit auburn afterward. But the top player at their position group, they can visit half the sec west after verbaling to bama and saban would allow it. You don’t pull the kids offer and drive him to your conference rival if you want him that bad.

I have no problem with what fitz did. All programs do it. The hypocrisy is the glaring issue. Don’t tell me you’re different or do things to a different standard. They don’t. You can only take the high road if you actually live the high road. And yes, that would include telling recruits you want that you can’t take them. It’s not a principle if you abandon it when it is beneficial to you.

 

[PowerI66]

I'm just waiting for the one MS fan to weigh in here who HATES fitz cuz of Alviti for some reason. I think the handle is @PRokie

 

[colin2229]

Most programs have kids verbal and then visit elsewhere. Heck, most kids from poor backgrounds just want to take their full allotment of official visits and who can blame them. A lot of it comes down to the clout of the kids ranking as well. Even bama and Clemson aren’t giving top 100 recruits ultimatums. They will take top talent regardless of how the kids play around with the word “commitment” and they should do so. Their job is to acquire talent. Now they may give ultimatums and squeeze lesser players who aren’t as highly ranked because, well, there’s a replacement level player for the high 3 star who commits to bama and wants to visit auburn afterward. But the top player at their position group, they can visit half the sec west after verbaling to bama and saban would allow it. You don’t pull the kids offer and drive him to your conference rival if you want him that bad.

I have no problem with what fitz did. All programs do it. The hypocrisy is the glaring issue. Don’t tell me you’re different or do things to a different standard. They don’t. You can only take the high road if you actually live the high road. And yes, that would include telling recruits you want that you can’t take them. It’s not a principle if you abandon it when it is beneficial to you.

I don’t think it Hypercritical or wrong by any means. Fitz’s first loyalty is to his program...not a recruit.

Let’s say JT McCarthy committed to NW and NW told all the other QB recruits that we are shutting down the recruiting and you all no longer have offers from us. All those other QBs would go committ to other schools. Now, if JT goes and visits another school and de-commits from NW....NW is screwed.

Coaches are doing their best to avoid that.
Coaches tell kids to not committ and unless you are fully ready to shut your recruiting down and be 100% committed to our program.

If your 100% committed to us, you don’t go visit other schools.

It is just like marriage.

 

[colin2229]

Recruiting is kind of kids reality into the real world.

I was a GA at NIU and we had 1 QB scholarship available. We offered 5 QBs and told them all that we have offered 5 QB’s and the first one to commit gets the spot. We expect you to be 100% committed or else we will open things back up to the other QB’s. Yes, the line of we are dating anymore was used.

One recruit called the OC and said him and his parents wanted to drive to campus and meet today. On their drive to campus, another QB called the OC and said he wanted to commit. He was the first one accept the offer so he got it.

The recruit who was driving to campus showed up and the purpose of his travels were to tell the OC to his face that we wanted to commit. Tough blow but the OC said another QB just took the spot.

I’m sure that recruit doesn’t have a fond point of view of NIU.

Side note, the QB that took the scholarship ended up getting a last minute offer from Wisconsin and took it (he is a skill guy for the Raiders). Tough business.

 

[JCHillmen]

I don’t think it Hypercritical or wrong by any means. Fitz’s first loyalty is to his program...not a recruit.

Let’s say JT McCarthy committed to NW and NW told all the other QB recruits that we are shutting down the recruiting and you all no longer have offers from us. All those other QBs would go committ to other schools. Now, if JT goes and visits another school and de-commits from NW....NW is screwed.

Coaches are doing their best to avoid that.
Coaches tell kids to not committ and unless you are fully ready to shut your recruiting down and be 100% committed to our program.

If your 100% committed to us, you don’t go visit other schools.

It is just like marriage.

You can’t say you are committed to the sanctity of marriage and then go steal your neighbor’s wife.

this is exactly the point. It’s not that it was wrong for him to flip a kid from another school. It’s that he had spent half a decade pontificating about how NU did things differently than all others and how they had a true belief in a verbal commitment as an engagement.

Nothing more, nothing less. He is a college FB coach and acts the same way all other college FB coaches do. He just likes to put some pretension and fake bravado about how his program actuallly operates differently and , based on all the defenses you just came up with (which I agree with) prove northwestern muddles in the same waters as just about every other FBS school.

that’s it. He’s doing nothing wrong. He is just doing what everyone else does. I just shake my head when I hear people say that they think he is fundamentally different than others. He is not and he should not be.

 

[redmen85]

You can blame it on a kid named Grant Perry.
Perry was originally committed to NU. At the last minute he flipped to Michigan. Thus creating an opening for the wildcats which allowed Fitz to flip Nagle who I believe was from lemont.
W/O Perry flipping none of this happens

 

[colin2229]

You can’t say you are committed to the sanctity of marriage and then go steal your neighbor’s wife.

this is exactly the point. It’s not that it was wrong for him to flip a kid from another school. It’s that he had spent half a decade pontificating about how NU did things differently than all others and how they had a true belief in a verbal commitment as an engagement.

Nothing more, nothing less. He is a college FB coach and acts the same way all other college FB coaches do. He just likes to put some pretension and fake bravado about how his program actuallly operates differently and , based on all the defenses you just came up with (which I agree with) prove northwestern muddles in the same waters as just about every other FBS school.

that’s it. He’s doing nothing wrong. He is just doing what everyone else does. I just shake my head when I hear people say that they think he is fundamentally different than others. He is not and he should not be.

I don’t view it as stealing your neighbors wife. I view it as stealing your neighbors GF.
(Stealing your neighbors wife would be talking to a player who has actually signed a LOI)


If Fitz says they don’t do it and says they are better than others bc they don’t.....and then does. Well then that’s BS and wrong.