KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Let the speculation begin.
Mike Shanahan. Todd Haley. Paul Pasqualoni. Kirk Ferentz. Bill Parcells. Jon Gruden. Bill Cowher. Jason Garrett. Chan Gailey.
Anyone missing? All are names being floated as candidates to replace Herm Edwards as the Chiefs’ new head coach.
Before the Chiefs hire any of them, they also must abide by the Rooney Rule, which requires them to interview a minority candidate.
Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who interviewed for some of the recent openings, and Green Bay assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss, seem to be the leading candidates among minorities.
The ink had not even dried from the Chiefs’ news release announcing Edwards’ dismissal when ESPN started reporting the club had talks with Shanahan, 56, and then backtracked by saying the Chiefs were merely “targeting” Shanahan, who is still due about $20 million on the remaining three years of his contract with Denver.
“I know Shanahan loves to coach, and I know he loves coaching in the AFC West, and I know there’s nobody he’d like to beat more than his former employers,” former Broncos offensive lineman and ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth said by phone Friday night.
“Who knows? Is that the best situation for him? I don’t know.”
New Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who is making this hire, has no connection to Shanahan.
