Door Opens For Nickerson, Raheem Return
January 1st, 2014
New Bucs head coach Lovie Smith hired Bucs icon Hardy Nickerson — out of the Buccaneers radio broadcast booth — as his linebackers coach in Chicago back in 2007. Nickerson only lasted a season before getting out of the business, but he wants to back into NFL coaching.
Nickerson made his first return to Tampa in December as a guest of the Buccaneers organization (interesting timing) and shared his thoughts on WDAE-AM 620.
Unless there was some sort of bad blood with Nickerson and Smith, Joe has to think Nickerson will get a chance to interview to be on Smith’s new staff.
Now don’t go jump of a ledge with this next one, but Joe wonders whether Smith will look to Raheem Morris to coach his defensive backs.
Remember, Raheem was with the Bucs for many years as an assistant and knows the Smith’s defense. He also was a hell of a defensive backs coach (Bucs secondary was No. 1 in 2007) before getting throw in over his head as head coach.
Raheem was part of Mike Shanahan’s Redskins staff and still has a home in Tampa. And Joe’s been told Raheem was very close with Team Glazer. Also, nobody remains with Tampa Bay from Raheem’s Buccaneers secondary in 2011. That, Joe assumes, wouldn’t make it weird for Raheem to return to his roots.
Don’t be shocked.
January 1st, 2014 at 11:27 pm
Nickerson just tweeted about how excited he was for Coach Lovie
January 1st, 2014 at 11:29 pm
For the love of God, no Raheem anywhere in the state. And actually the Redskins have retained his contract.
January 1st, 2014 at 11:31 pm
I hope they did retain his contract, he was bad there as well
January 1st, 2014 at 11:31 pm
Raheem’s secondary with the Skins this year was horrible. Continually got torched. I don’t think the Glazers want any negatives in this transition
January 1st, 2014 at 11:32 pm
I don’t mind ex Bucs coming together to build a winner….stranger things have happened….
January 1st, 2014 at 11:35 pm
Wouldn’t be shocked at all. Would love to have my hero Hardy in the building- the only motivational item in my office at work is a Nickerson jersey with WWHD? on it. As a player he was a heck of a motivator.
And would not object at all to Raheem with the DB’s. We really need to be wary about cozying back into a defense that’s been outgrown by the league though. These are some good football minds, though. Yes, Raheem is a good football mind.
January 1st, 2014 at 11:35 pm
I won’t have a problem with anybody Lovie wants on his staff as long as he wins. If he loses, then I’ll have plenty to say. It’s the concept that made JBF famous!
January 1st, 2014 at 11:37 pm
Why ruin a fresh start by bringing back a coach (Raheem) that most fans couldn’t stand? Hey maybe Ray Perkins is available too!
Very few fans care about defensive backs coaches. –Joe
January 1st, 2014 at 11:41 pm
let’s get Mr Tony Dungy in as GM and then we got something special
January 1st, 2014 at 11:44 pm
“Joe wonders whether Smith will look to Raheem Morris to coach his defensive backs.”
http://static1.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/dear+god+no+_5c42cad93c2d850ea46504e8470ab8a4.gif
January 1st, 2014 at 11:44 pm
Redskins defensive backs:
David Amerson
E.J. Biggers
So and So
Whosit
Reed Doughty
Josh Wilson
Some Guy
January 1st, 2014 at 11:47 pm
Joe,
PJ Fleck went 1-12 at Western Michigan, he might be available real soon too! I know you liked this Guy!
January 1st, 2014 at 11:49 pm
Macabee:
Fleck did a good job with Bucs WRs last year. Eh, some guys are not cut out to be head coaches.
January 1st, 2014 at 11:51 pm
(shudder)
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:01 am
@ Joe
Any chance we don’t get a GM and Lovie wears both hats?
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:07 am
I actually thought Rah should comeback and be D’ coordinator now that we are spending money 😉
We did hear Hardy in the radio broadcast booth, allegedly in town for charity.
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:24 am
Raheem can coach the secondary. We had great years with him in that position.
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:37 am
Sorry, don’t want either. There are much better options and I’ve had enough ‘Youngry’ for the rest of my life.
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:37 am
I ask because espn is reporting that lovie will have power over personnel dicisions.
January 2nd, 2014 at 12:44 am
He’ll no to Raheem. I live in VA and the Redskins secondary was horrible. They got torched every game. Hope Raheem stays in DC we can do better. I would like to see Hardy return.
January 2nd, 2014 at 1:29 am
Raheem is a great DB coach. Anyone saying anything else is an idiot.
January 2nd, 2014 at 1:50 am
Raheem’s units in Washington have been even worse than he one he left behind in Tampa
January 2nd, 2014 at 2:32 am
Id gladly take both of those men. Rah hot the short end when it came to on field talent. Hes a good coach. Maybe not a good head coach but none the less a good football coach.
January 2nd, 2014 at 8:20 am
You can not judge ANY coach in Washington. Every single one of their problems comes from Snyder. Dude had Schotty, Shanny, and Gibbs and still couldn’t get a winning team. That’s all on Snyder and his unfootball educated meddling ways. He always thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room. But when it comes to football, he is no smarter than any one of us.
January 2nd, 2014 at 8:53 am
I can not be on board with bringing Raheem back, even as a secondary coach. Why bring back the bad memories and bad mojo when trying to cleanse One Buc Palace.
January 2nd, 2014 at 9:11 am
Ok, I’m dropping my various monikers: Draft Marty Schottenheimer, Brown Bag, Formerly “Brown Bag”. It’s serious time in Bucs Land.
Still not sold on the Lovie hire. However, after rubbing my eyes and digesting the (alleged) news, I’m getting a pretty good feeling.
Dungy won’t be our GM. He has no reason to put himself in a position to get fired in the middle of a rainy night again by the Glasers, regardless of what he offers. He doesn’t want or need their aggrivation. However, his connection to the team will help immensly with recruiting. So, maybe he develops a relationship, but not officially.
Hopefully, Lovie is mature enough to surround himself with top talent, both on and off the field. Offense might be a niusance, but it needs to be effective. PErhaps Schottenheimer will be his OC. He could do worse, but hopefully not Clyde or Mike Shula bad.
Revis can stay or go. I’m a big picture guy. If they want to run a Tampa 2 will speed and brains, get the right talent.
We can do much better having coaches players wqant to play for than having talent simply draining the salary cap (like Redskins.) I would never want Rah as HC. But he can do secondary well.
January 2nd, 2014 at 9:13 am
Bring back Ernest Byner to coach RB’s. Success wherever he went
January 2nd, 2014 at 9:22 am
I am in total agreement with Lovie offering Raheem the position of Get Back Coach.
Anything else is over his head.
The Redskin DBs didn’t know where the Line of scrimmage was.