The Seattle Seahawks will probably have a tough time keeping offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak in town. The Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants have already filled their head coaching positions, but other teams are still keeping tabs on him.
At the time of writing, he's reportedly still in play for the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens. He's also in play for the Pittsburgh Steelers' job opening, but it now seems like another candidate could swoop right in and steal the job.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Steelers will meet with Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy has reportedly zeroed in on the Steelers' job and won't even take another head coaching interview.
Mike McCarthy might help the Seattle Seahawks keep Klint Kubiak
The Steelers' hiring Kubiak always seemed a bit off-brand for them. While they do have a history of hiring young, first-time head coaches, they're usually more attracted to candidates with a defensive background.
Of course, that's not the case with McCarthy, who's neither young nor a defensive-minded head coach. That being said, he has some history with Aaron Rodgers, and even if the legendary quarterback retires after this season, he can probably put in a good word for the head coach who helped him win his lone Super Bowl.
Granted, that doesn't necessarily mean that the Seahawks will be able to hold onto Kubiak, but it looks like it will cross one of the potential destinations off the list. From there, it might be a matter of whether someone else takes other jobs or Kubiak withdraws himself from consideration because of the fit.
The Raiders will probably go after a big name again. They have a promising core and are coming off a disappointing season, and Tom Brady isn't known for his patience when it comes to competing. The Ravens, on the other hand, probably have the most appealing head coaching vacancy right now, and there will be some steep competition.
Last but not least, the Cardinals are much more than just one quarterback away from going back to playoff contention.
Kubiak could embrace that challenge, but we've also seen assistant coaches choose to run it back for another season and wait until the right opportunity comes, just like Ben Johnson did a couple of years ago before landing the Chicago Bears job in last year's head coach hiring cycle. It's a long shot, but it can still happen.