Holmgren told a Seattle radio station Monday night that he’s “gotten a couple inquiries.”
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The 66-year-old former coach has been out of football since 2012, when his three-year run as Browns president ended and Jimmy Haslam bought the team.
Holmgren spent 10 seasons as head coach of the Seahawks from 1999-2008. He led Seattle to the playoffs six times, including a berth in Super Bowl XL. He previously took the Packers to consecutive Super Bowl appearances in 1996 and 1997, and Green Bay won Super Bowl XXXI. Holmgren was responsible for resurrecting the Packers, leading the historic franchise to six straight playoff appearances from 1993-1998.
While a return to coaching for a coach in his 60s is unlikely, it’s not unprecedented. Dick Vermeil was 61 when he returned to the sidelines in 1997 following a 15-year NFL absence to take over the St. Louis Rams. Vermeil spent three years in St. Louis and led the Rams to the franchise’s only Super Bowl title in 1999. He then stepped away for a year before taking over the Chiefs, eventually retiring in 2005 at the age of 69.
It’s hard to believe any NFL team would view Holmgren as a long-term solution, but more of a quick fix to get a talented team over the hump. The easiest choice would be the 49ers, where the California native served as an assistant coach for six years before accepting the Packers job. The 49ers parted ways with now-Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Sunday.
