After Sparano, Then What?
MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – Every football fan and observer knows that head coach Tony Sparano is not going to be the Miami Dolphins head coach sooner or later. But when he's let go, the question is, what now?
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross backed himself into this corner in the offseason during a bungled pursuit of Jim Harbaugh while Sparano was still under contract.
Harbaugh rebuffed Ross and the owner had to double-down on Sparano because no one would take the job.
Then on Sunday, as the Dolphins were in the midst of an epic collapse against the Denver Broncos, Ross was seen having a good laugh on the Dolphins sideline with former University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer.
All of it has painted the picture of an incompetent NFL owner with no idea about any aspect of football and unable to put people in place to take care of the franchise.
Against that backdrop, the current coaching and front office staff sit as the Dolphins continue into a tailspin of unbelievable proportions.
The Dolphins will be looking for a coach at the end of the season, and according to SI.com's Peter King, the name at the top of the list may be former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.
But before Dolphins fans begin getting too excited, CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald poured cold water on King's report.
The Herald reported that Cowher has not taken kindly to Ross' continuing display of ineptitude that has humiliated Tony Sparano around the NFL.
According to the Herald, Cowher is watching Miami because it's a possible landing spot for him, but the Super Bowl winning coach and other NFL executives are looking down on Ross' handling of his current coach and his franchise in general.
On the bright side for the Dolphins, former Kansas City Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson, Ross' adviser, gave Cowher his first big coaching break in Kansas City as the team's defensive coordinator.
The Dolphins also know that former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden is happy at ESPN and not likely to take over the team after the season.
That leaves Ross with slim chances of hiring a big-name head coach after the season.
Former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher is out there, but he's still stinging over last year's dealings with his owner and may be hesitant to work for an out-of-touch owner like Ross.
So Ross' desire to hire a big-name head coach may be hamstrung before it ever gets started in earnest. Unfortunately for Ross, in this case, he has no one to blame but himself.
