John Thornton Doesn't See Brad Childress Being The Bengals Offensive Coordinator

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 21, 2011 1:28 PM EST in Coaching News

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was joined by former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress Thursday night for dinner at Jeff Ruby's, many local sources (Joe Reedy, Dennis Janson, Geoff Hobson) reported. The news prompted unsubstantiated conjecture that Lewis could be dining with Childress to be the team's eventual offensive coordinator, especially with "Butch" saying that the two were going over X's and O's. Kind of makes it difficult to conclude that it's a social visit, which in reality, it could be.

As of this posting, Bob Bratkowski remains as the team's offensive coordinator until the Bengals make an official announcement that suggests otherwise.

The venerable one, John Thornton, who continues a tradition of former Bengals players transitioning into respected members of the media (as has Artrell Hawkins), chimed in with his point of view writing:

I asked someone from the Bengals their thoughts and they said it was the first they heard about it. So if they didn’t hear, Marvin could be just getting ideas from Chilly. Or my peeps could just be keeping quiet. But given the loyalty that the Bengals show their employees, I doubt Brat would get fired at this point. Why take him to Senior Bowl, make him coach, then fire him? If Chilly came in, I see him as a offensive consultant, kinda like Tom Moore is in Indy. Childress is still getting paid for the next few years by the Vikings, he signed a big extension last season. So coming to Cincy would have to be a good situation for him, stepping stone for next job.

We completely agree with his point about the Senior bowl, asking why take Bratkowski if you're planning on getting rid of him anyway. And Bengals fans from the previous posting have met the news with enough enough chill that makes standing outside in Cincinnati seem like a global warming today.

Marvin Lewis said earlier on Thursday, before the meeting with Childress:

"They're clamoring for heads and I understand that. I'm not ready to give them heads and we'll see what happens. I understand the frustration. Minimal (staff changes) might make things better, more productive. How do you get up and going? You have to be prepared…A new system, a new nomenclature is harder."

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Comments

I really don't care who they bring in, at this point it will be an upgrade

but the fact that we might be actually looking around surprises and intrigues me.

"In Zim We Trust"-TennBengalfan
"You don't live in Cleveland, You live in Cincinnati"-Sam Wyche

by TennBengalfan on Jan 21, 2011 1:38 PM EST reply actions

Btw since you mentioned it, All of Jeff Ruby's joints are the bomb!!

if you have never been you must check it out, bring a fat wallet though. I prefer the waterfront

http://www.jeffruby.com/index.php

"In Zim We Trust"-TennBengalfan
"You don't live in Cleveland, You live in Cincinnati"-Sam Wyche

by TennBengalfan on Jan 21, 2011 1:44 PM EST reply actions

Dropped $400 at the precinct a few weeks ago

Totally worth it

by Throw the ball on Jan 21, 2011 2:57 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

+1

"In Zim We Trust"-TennBengalfan
"You don't live in Cleveland, You live in Cincinnati"-Sam Wyche

by TennBengalfan on Jan 22, 2011 1:17 AM EST up reply actions

Or perhaps Brat keeps the job in name only..

And Chilly is the guy sitting in the film room with Marvin scheming for Sundays.

by Cry on Jan 21, 2011 1:47 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, but who does the play-calling, then?

Marvin and Skyline Chilly could game-plan all they want, and then sit there and pull their hair out (what little they have left, collectively) watching the Run-Run-PassUnderneath-Punt Three-And-Out Show that Brat puts on week after week after week.

by TheWalrus1971 on Jan 21, 2011 2:53 PM EST up reply actions

Don’t forget the shovel pass

by quickslant on Jan 21, 2011 6:28 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

John talks a lot while hardly ever being correct.

by Grizzlyfox on Jan 21, 2011 1:51 PM EST reply actions

THANK You!!!!

SERIOUSLY…when has this guy EVER had a SITYS moment?

by TheWalrus1971 on Jan 21, 2011 2:54 PM EST up reply actions

Why take Brat to Senior Bowl, make him coach, then fire him?

Why sign A. Bryant to a fat contract and then cut him a few weeks later? Why ride Benson into the playoffs and then switch to a pass heavy offense the next year?

Don’t try to make sense of the Bengals’ operations. It’s impossible.

by SnapCount80 on Jan 21, 2011 1:51 PM EST reply actions

+1

Couldn’t have said it better myself

"In Zim We Trust"-TennBengalfan
"You don't live in Cleveland, You live in Cincinnati"-Sam Wyche

by TennBengalfan on Jan 21, 2011 1:57 PM EST up reply actions

+ Another 1

…Me neither!

by TheWalrus1971 on Jan 21, 2011 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

John Thornton

Also said he wants to Bengals to draft Cam Newton and that Marvin wasn’t coming back. Forgive me if i don’t take what he has to say on this very seriously.

by Anthony Cosenza on Jan 21, 2011 2:07 PM EST reply actions

+1

by Cry on Jan 21, 2011 2:07 PM EST up reply actions

A lot of people didn't think Marvin was coming back

Managing Editor at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 21, 2011 3:41 PM EST up reply actions

Well, YEAH, but...

…Here is a former Bengal using every ounce of that experience to try and lend gravitas to what he’s saying, so compared with somebody like ME saying “I don’t think Marvin is coming back,” …I mean, who the heck am I, right?

by TheWalrus1971 on Jan 21, 2011 4:13 PM EST up reply actions

True

But that’s in the ear of the beholder. He’s an analyst, he says what he believes. He’s not an insider, and just because he was a player, doesn’t mean he has that much insight as to the actions of Mike Brown either. Because, well, Mike Brown is clearly insane. :)

Managing Editor at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 21, 2011 4:30 PM EST up reply actions

Oh yeah, I just think the issue the Walrus and I have is that he tries to make it sound like he knows.

Like he’s always talking to a Bengals insider. Said insider could be Antwan Odom, a towel boy, the parking garage attendant, who knows. Just a personal peeve on my part, dislike it majorly when guys insist they have some kind of source when in fact they either don’t, or their source just isn’t really part of the information loop, and is just giving you his own opinion. It’s more like Bleacher Report trash than news, imo.

by Grizzlyfox on Jan 21, 2011 5:51 PM EST up reply actions

True

And I totally get what you’re saying because in some cases with some Insiders, it’s a pet peeve of mine too.

At the same time, Thornton is not an Insider. He’s an expert. And most experts do the same thing. Whether they’re on ESPN or former players helping out the local media. You just have to know the difference between an Insider and an Expert.

If you know the person is an expert, he’s really just providing you with an expert opinion, whereas an Insider (like Schefter, Mort, Glazier) are providing you with facts based off what they hear which often turn out more true than not. And then you have the beat writers like (Reedy, Hobson) who are merely journalists that sometimes provide a hint of opinion in their respective blogs that are separate then their primary charged duties.

You just have to take the context of what the person is saying and apply that person’s background. And in this case, Thornton is just providing you with what he’s hearing from someone he does know in the organization that knows nothing of this and its of his opinion that Chilly won’t be hired as an OC. He’s not writing anything factual, just what he’s heard. It’s also the reader’s responsibility to break down the information he receivers and dissects it on his own.

I totally understand what you’re saying though. :)

Managing Editor at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Jan 22, 2011 10:30 AM EST up reply actions

>receiveRs

Yep.

by Doc Scratch on Jan 22, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions

"a new system, a new nomenclature is harder."

Yea, and the longer you wait the harder it is going to be. Plus that statement says to be that you are not confident enough in your players to be able to adjust to a new system.

S$%@ or get off the pot.

by bengalsFTW on Jan 21, 2011 2:09 PM EST via mobile reply actions

The players were pleading for change

It would be welcomed and for the better. Everybody knows it but the people who really matter

"In Zim We Trust"-TennBengalfan
"You don't live in Cleveland, You live in Cincinnati"-Sam Wyche

by TennBengalfan on Jan 21, 2011 2:30 PM EST up reply actions

Can't fire Brat this year

I hate to say this but with a real possibility of a shortened offseason due to the uncertainty of the CBA, teams who change coordinators this year will be at a tremendous disadvantage over teams who stay intact. Bengals may not be able to practice together until training camp or later which is not enough time to absorb a new offensive playbook (and new OC’s will change the playbook). Keep the staff intact this year and make the wholesale changes in 2012.

by Who dey in LA on Jan 21, 2011 5:04 PM EST reply actions

You do realize that a ton of teams have changed coaches?

by BonnieBengal on Jan 22, 2011 9:18 PM EST up reply actions

Remember when we used to say that ANYONE is better than Brat?

I really think Brown is more concerned with proving us wrong than building a competitive team.

by FordhamRam on Jan 21, 2011 5:54 PM EST reply actions

Maybe he can't get actually think of anyone else being the OC outside of Brat.

That’s why he can’t see it lol

Hopefully my picture doesn't show my bias.

by C Byers on Jan 21, 2011 9:48 PM EST reply actions

UPDATED

Joe Reedy …

On Thursday night former Vikings head coach Brad Childress had dinner with Lewis. Childress then met with team officials on Friday before leaving for Florida. With Childress well-versed in the West Coast Offense, his system would be quite a departure from the wide-open system run under Bob Bratkowski.

The Bengals depart for Mobile, Ala., on Sunday to coach in the Senior Bowl with the first practices slated for Monday. When asked if the staff that gets on the plane will be his staff for the upcoming season, Lewis did say "I think we still have a chance for change. We still have an opportunity to revise some things." after they get back.

by Primal on Jan 21, 2011 10:02 PM EST reply actions