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© St. Petersburg Times, published January 8, 2002
Steve Spurrier plans to pursue an NFL job but gave few hints Monday of where he might land. Here's a rundown:
STATUS: Dan Reeves is under contract, but new ownership might want its own coach.
WHAT MIGHT APPEAL TO SPURRIER: The weather is good and the chance to mold Michael Vick might be hard to resist.
WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: If it decides to dump Reeves, ownership might make a play for Bill Parcells.
STATUS: George Seifert was fired Monday after three seasons.
WHAT MIGHT APPEAL TO SPURRIER: Having coached at Duke, he knows North Carolina. The weather is good.
WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: Owner Jerry Richardson had his bumps with Spurrier when the team tried to hire him as its expansion coach in 1994.
STATUS: Jim Mora has one season remaining on his contract.
WHAT MIGHT APPEAL TO SPURRIER: Peyton Manning had a poor season but has the skills to be an elite quarterback.
WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: Spurrier prefers warmer weather sites, and the Colts seem inclined to keep Mora.
STATUS: Tom Coughlin is under contract and apparently has the backing of owner Wayne Weaver.
WHAT MIGHT APPEAL TO SPURRIER: Just up the road from Gainesville, it would present the least disruption to Spurrier's personal life, from golf to the condo at Crescent Beach.
WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: The Jaguars have said they are negotiating a contract extension with Coughlin.
STATUS: Dennis Green accepted a buyout Friday.
WHAT MIGHT APPEAL TO SPURRIER: Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss are the ingredients for an explosive offense.
WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: It's cold in Minneapolis.
STATUS: Fired coach Mike Riley last week.
WHAT MIGHT APPEAL TO SPURRIER: The weather in Southern California is ideal. Drew Brees is a young, talented quarterback who Spurrier could mold.
WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: Spurrier's career has been centered in the Southeast. A cross-country move likely isn't his first choice.
STATUS: Tony Dungy, the most successful coach in franchise history, leads his team into the playoffs this week and has one year remaining on his contract. Ownership declined to extend his contract in the offseason and has not commented on his status.
WHAT MIGHT APPEAL TO SPURRIER: He loves Tampa, has a built-in following in Florida, played for the Bucs, coached previously in Tampa Bay with the USFL Bandits and would take over a playoff-caliber team that could lead to instant success.
WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: Dungy has led the team to the playoffs in four of his six seasons and has a loyal following among players. The team could win enough in the playoffs to make it difficult to fire him. Even if Dungy is fired, many believe Parcells is the Glazers' first choice.
STATUS: Marty Schottenheimer is under contract for three more seasons.
WHAT MIGHT APPEAL TO SPURRIER: Owner Daniel Snyder pursued him last season and Pepper Rogers, who Spurrier played for and coached under, works in the Redskins' front office.
WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: Spurrier might seek a warmer weather site, and Snyder is known as a meddler who Spurrier might seek to avoid.