NFL HC-ing offers declined by notable college legends?

[SixtiesFan]

Around 1954, the New York Giants offered Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik the head coaching job. Blaik turned it down. His top assistant, one Vince Lombardi, joined the Giant coaching staff.

[7DnBrnc53]

Paterno was number one of Leonard Tose's wish list in 1976. Tose agreed to all of Paterno's demands and a deal seemed inevitable. But Paterno's wife and children didn't want to leave State College and Paterno backed out of accepting the Eagles job.

Arizona St. HC Frank Kush was also in the running for the Eagle job.

[BD Sullivan]

With regard to the Bear Bryant/Dolphins story, Bama insisted that Bryant have an immediate replacement ready, which he couldn't do, so he turned the Dolphins down.

Paterno was also the Patriots' top choice before they hired Chuck Fairbanks, who was running away from the sanctions that were going to be handed down by the NCAA at Oklahoma.

[Jamie Johnson]

Johnny Majors spoke to the Jets in 1976, but insisted he was not interested in the Jets job. Lou Holtz was ultimately hired from a list of four candidates that consisted of Holtz, Majors, San Jose St. HC Darryl Rogers and Montreal Allouette HC Marv Levy.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid= ... 2474&hl=en

[7DnBrnc53]

With regard to the Bear Bryant/Dolphins story, Bama insisted that Bryant have an immediate replacement ready, which he couldn't do, so he turned the Dolphins down.

Oh really? I never heard that part of it before.

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

I believe Lamar Hunt offered Bud Wilkinson the original Dallas Texans job before hiring Hank Stram.

[rhickok1109]

Somewhat off-topic but weirdly interesting, I think:

In 1971, after the Packers hired Dan Devine, who was coming off a 5-6 at Missouri, there was a rumor that Dominic Oleniczak, the team's president, had been confused and had actually meant to hire Bod Devaney, whose Nebraska team had just won the national championship.

It's so crazy that it might be true

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

That's really funny about Devaney and the Packers if true....

You just reminded that the Seahawks tried to hire Tom Osborne....