Could Dabo Swinney have interest in an NFL opening?
Former New York Jets general manager and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum said Monday that many within the league believe Swinney could successfully make the jump to the pros. Tannenbaum added that Swinney had been a target of some coaching searches already.
Tannenbaum then speculated that Swinney could be a good fit with the rebuilding Jacksonville Jaguars.
“There’s a lot of speculation that Dabo Swinney, who’s been on the short list of multiple head coaching searches, could be a coach that teams want to talk about,” Tannenbaum said, via Zach Barnett of Football Scoop. “This would be the perfect storm and here’s why. He’s immensely popular in that area of the country and if he can go with Trevor Lawrence right down the road to Jacksonville, with all those picks and cap room, that’s the ideal situation.
“I know from talking to a number of NFL general managers, they see Dabo in the same mold as Pete Carroll. A high energy guy,” Tannenbaum added. “If Dabo Swinney was going to do it, and that’s a big if, this would be the perfect situation. If Swinney would ever go, this would be the perfect storm to do it with, following this season.”
Tannenbaum is right that it’s a big if. Swinney is untouchable at Clemson. Last year, the school made him the highest-paid coach in college football. He is consistently bringing in top recruiting classes and building championship contenders. Would he really give up all that to take on a major rebuild with the Jaguars that might not be successful?
If Swinney ever leaves the Tigers, it’s probably more likely that he goes back to Alabama. That’s a scenario that Clemson is at least a little worried about.
