At the moment, Jim Caldwell is a free agent, free to be hired by any NFL team looking for their next head coach. A two-time Super Bowl champion, Caldwell has been in control for both the Indianapolis Colts and the Detroit Lions, but has been out of football since 2019 after experiencing some health issues.
In his first season with the Colts, Caldwell matched the record for the best start by a rookie head coach, finishing 14-2. He’s also the last head coach to reach the Super Bowl in his first season at the helm.
Now, looking to get back into coaching, Caldwell has become a popular name in the 2022 head coach hiring cycle. Yet he’s not interested in interviewing with two of the teams who currently have a head coaching vacancy.
According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, Caldwell has denied requests to interview from both the Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders. While this is pure speculation, Caldwell may not yet be interested, because both teams have yet to hire their general manager, who will ultimately help decide who the next head coach will be.
While Caldwell wants to be a head coach once again, denying the opportunity to even interview wouldn’t seem to send a great message unless he’s already feeling confident in his chances elsewhere.
Jim Caldwell could be the favorite for Jaguars or Bears
Two other teams with an HC vacancy who drafted a quarterback in the first round in 2021 have already interviewed Jim Caldwell. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears are the two teams who have picked Caldwell’s brain so far.
With former Colts general manager Bill Polian consulting the Bears during their head coach search, it makes sense for Caldwell to be in good standing in Chicago. Maybe he already has a strong inclination that he’s a favorite for the job.
Caldwell has reportedly begun assembling a coaching staff as of late, in anticipation of landing the top gig with an organization. While this is a common practice, especially for a coach who has been here before, it’s yet another signal that Caldwell expects to be hired.
Bringing Caldwell to either Jacksonville or Chicago to help further the development of Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields makes a lot of sense. He comes with experience and has worked wonders with quarterbacks in the past. Caldwell just might be the best one for the job as both organizations look to turn their organizations around.
