The Buffalo Bills have requested permissions to interview Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson for their vacant head coaching position, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter. The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed the report and added that there is an interview scheduled if the Bengals lose Sunday against the Colts. NFL beat writer Mark Maske with the Washington Post had previously reported that Buffalo was expressing interest and that Atlanta could have some interest as well.
Buffalo is wisely piecing together a significant candidates list, with names including Adam Gase, Dan Quinn, Pep Hamilton, Josh McDaniels, Mike Shanahan, Frank Reich, Jim Schwartz, Darrell Bevell and Teryl Austin. Doug Marrone, Buffalo's previous head coach, opted out of a contract that allowed him to walk away if there were an ownership change. Marrone walked away with $4 million in his pocket and is generating considerable interest as the next head coach for the New York Jets.
Assistant coaches on playoff teams with a bye week are allowed to interview this Sunday. Assistant coaches on wild card teams have to wait until next week, through the end of that Sunday.
The Fritz Pollard Alliance, an organization that was established to promote minority hiring, included Jackson's name when providing a list of coaching candidates to the NFL. He has the resume: Jackson's offense in Cincinnati finished 15th overall this season, led by a rushing offense that ranked sixth in the NFL. Jackson went 8-8 as the Oakland Raiders head coach in 2011 and since his firing, the Raiders have gone 11-37 with Dennis Allen and Tony Sparano.
As for Jackson, he's only worried about this weekend's playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts. "I've got nothing but the Colts on my mind," Jackson said via the Cincinnati Enquirer. "If somebody did, my goal is we've got a big game this week. That's all I can be concerned about."