Falcons coach Dan Quinn plans to take his time with the search for a new quarterback coach and doesn’t plan to consult starter Matt Ryan.
“He won’t have any influence or impact on that decision,” Quinn said of Ryan. “Matt trusts us, and he knows that, and that’s actually the term he used, ‘Man, I trust that you know what you’re doing.’ I know what he is looking for, as well, so I think that helps, but no influence from him or any other player regarding our staff decisions.”
Quinn is set to interview former Panthers quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey, who recently was fired, and former Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, who was also recently fired.
Former Charlotte offensive coordinator Mike Shula will not be interview. He reportedly wants to land an offensive coordinator position.
Dorsey, 36, was a star at Miami. He played for the 49ers (2003-05), Browns (2006-08) and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts (2010) before getting into scouting. He was a Panthers scout (2011-12) before being named quarterbacks coach.
Bevell, 48, was the offensive coordinator with Seattle from 2011-17. He was previously the offensive coordinator with the Vikings from 2006-2010. He was Green Bay’s quarterback coach from 2003-05.
He played collegiately at Wisconsin and started out coachin the college ranks with stops at Westmar, Iowa State and Connecticut.
Althought Seattle coach Pete Carroll took the blame after the game, Bevell famously called a pass on the 1-yard instead of giving the ball to Marshawn Lynch in Super Bowl XLIX. The pass was intercepted and the Seahawks lost to the Patriots, 28-24.
Quinn has interviewed former Falcons coordinator Greg Knapp and former Jacksonville coordinator Jedd Fisch for the vacancy.
“We are right in the middle of it,” Quinn said of the search.
The Falcons’ quarterbacks coach is vacant after Bush Hamdan left at the end of the season to become offensive coordinator at the University of Washington.
Quinn doesn’t have a timetable, but could have a clearer idea before he attends the Senior Bowl on Tuesday.
“I’m going to take all of the time that I need,” Quinn said. “There is another one in today, another in tomorrow. I’m just going to take all of the time I need to make this decision.”
Knapp, 54, a longtime NFL assistant, was the Falcons offensive coordinator from 2004-06 on Jim Mora’s staff. He helped the Falcons get to the NFC title game with Michael Vick at quarterback after the 2004 regular season.
He has also coached at San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, Houston and Denver. He coached with Quinn in San Francisco (2001-03) and Seattle (2009). He was Peyton Manning’s position coach when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50.
Jedd Fisch, 41, who has also interviewed for the position.
Both Knapp and Fisch have been coordinators in the NFL and could aid coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who was served in his first year as a NFL coordinator last season.
Fisch last served as offensive coordinator/quarterback coach for UCLA. He also served as interim head coach after Mora was fired, and he coached the Bruins in the Cactus Bowl loss to Kansas State in December.
Fisch has held numerous assistant positions in the NFL and in college. His NFL experience includes stints with the Texans, Ravens, Broncos, Seahawks and Jaguars. Before joining UCLA, Fisch was the quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach and passing-game coordinator for two seasons at Michigan.
Fisch is attractive to the Falcons because he has play-calling experience. However, he was fired in Jacksonville over “philosophical differences” with former coach Gus Bradley over the handling of quarterback Blake Bortles.
Quinn has some parameters that he’s looking for in the new quarterback coach.
“I’m really specific in what I’m looking for,” Quinn said. “I won’t tell you that, so don’t ask me. ... But we’ve had some really good candidates. It’s been a lot of fun to talk through this stuff. Let’s talk this. Let’s talk red zone. Let’s talk fundamentals.”
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