Ex-NFL coach says Northwestern contacted him about possible role

Northwestern is trying to navigate through a difficult situation after firing Pat Fitzgerald, and the university reached out to at least one former NFL coach about possibly helping them with that.

Dave Wannstedt told WSCR radio in Chicago on Thursday that Northwestern athletic director Derrick Gragg contacted him to discuss a potential role on the team’s staff. Wannstedt said he removed himself from consideration because he had concerns about what his actual role would be.

“What’s the role of this guy? You bring somebody else in that’s going to be there every day and be in the press box and involved in the playcalling, you’re going to lose the players,” Wannstedt said, as transcribed by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. “The players need to be playing for their head coach. The coaches need to know they’re coaching with the head coach, is their guy, or everybody’s going to sit on their hands.”

Wannstedt’s last official coaching role was special teams coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013. The 71-year-old has extensive experience, however. He was the head coach of the Chicago Bears for six seasons from 1993-1998. He then coached the Miami Dolphins from 2000-2004 before taking the head coach job at Pitt, where he went 42-31 over six seasons.

Northwestern also reached out to Skip Holtz about potentially assisting interim head coach David Braun. ESPN reports that Holtz, who is currently the head coach of the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions, is not interested.

Fitzgerald had coached Northwestern since 2006 before he was fired over hazing allegations. We know of one former national champion who may have interest in the job.