For more news and notes from Jason La Canfora, tune into The NFL Today Sunday at noon ET on CBS.
Chargers offense coordinator Ken Whisenhunt will be given strong consideration for the Texans job, according to league sources, and he too has strong mutual interest in that position, coveting it above other opportunities. Numerous teams will reach out to Whisenhunt for interviews, and while a report noted that Penn State’s Bill O’Brien is the favorite for the Texans job, the reality is that the process is still very much ongoing.
The Texans want to talk to Whisenhunt, and some of what the search firm running their search has discovered about O’Brien’s tenure at Penn State has caused some pause. He is very much a candidate, but Jed Hughes, who is running the process as a consultant, has not had a chance to schedule interviews with all candidates yet.
According to league sources, some of the concern around O'Brien includes the lack of success of Bill Belichick disciples and the heavy-handed nature of their power grabs in the past. Also, O'Brien's issues dealing with the AD at Penn State, and why two longtime trusted Penn State assistants recently walked away from the program without having other jobs lined up.
Jets GM John Idzik speaks very highly of Whisenhunt, sources said, although the presence of former Arizona GM Rod Graves on Idzik’s staff likely rules out hiring Whisenhunt there, sources said, as he and Graves left the Cardinals on very poor terms. Other teams likely to consider an offensive-minded coach, like the Lions, Redskins and Vikings could reach out to Whisenhunt as well.
O’Brien, as we first reported weeks ago, is highly motivated to leave Penn State and get back in the NFL and would consider any number of possible head coaching jobs. Several league sources expect him to land one.
