SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers interviewed Seattle offensive line coach and former Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable for their head coaching vacancy on Sunday.
Team CEO Jed York met with Cable as part of his search for replacements for fired coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke following a 2-14 season that tied the worst mark in franchise history.
Cable coached a line that struggled this season in Seattle, but he helped the Seahawks develop a strong running game his first five seasons with the Seahawks. Seattle was knocked out of the playoffs Saturday with a 36-20 loss to Atlanta.
Cable became interim head coach of the Raiders after Lane Kiffin was fired four games into the 2008 season. He kept the job after the season and finished with a 17-27 record in two-plus seasons. He was fired after 2010, despite leading the Raiders to an 8-8 record that was their best in eight years.
Cable does come with baggage. In Oakland, Cable was accused of punching assistant coach Randy Hanson and breaking his jaw during an argument in 2009. No criminal charges were filed and a civil case was eventually settled in arbitration.
He was also accused of domestic violence by an ex-wife and ex-girlfriend, but was not arrested or charged in those cases. Cable did acknowledge to striking his first wife with an open hand.
The 49ers have the only head coach opening left in the NFL after five other vacancies have been filled.
Three coaches who interviewed with York have already taken jobs elsewhere, with Washington offensive coordinator Sean McVay getting hired by the Los Angeles Rams, Carolina defensive coordinator Sean McDermott getting the job in Buffalo, and Bills interim coach Anthony Lynn taking over the Chargers.
Vance Joseph was hired in Denver before he could interview with San Francisco.
The only other candidates remaining besides Cable are New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. McDaniels and Shanahan can’t be hired by San Francisco until their seasons end.
The Patriots and Falcons are in the conference title games.
BILLS: Despite concerns raised after sustaining season-ending neck injuries in consecutive years, starting safety Aaron Williams is preparing to resume his playing career, the player’s father told The Associated Press.
“He’s leaning toward coming back,” Anthony Williams said by phone. “We’ll take it slow and go from there.”
Williams said his son intends to make a formal announcement in the near future.
He was more definitive in a note posted on his Twitter account earlier in the day. In referring to Buffalo’s hiring of Sean McDermott as head coach, Anthony Williams wrote: “Excited about the new HC (head coach) and Aaron coming back to be part of the team that finally brings playoffs and a SB (Super Bowl) to the deserving BLO fans.”
Aaron Williams’ future has been in question since he was sidelined by a blindside hit to the head by Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry in Buffalo’s 28-25 loss at Miami on Oct. 23.
Williams was briefly hospitalized and was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list two weeks later.
A few days following the game, Anthony Williams told The AP he intended to have his son consult with his family and wait until January to determine whether to retire.
The sixth-year player’s 2015 season was cut short after being hurt attempting to make a diving headfirst tackle. Williams missed the final 11 games of that season and had neck surgery, during which doctors shaved two disks to alleviate nerve damage.
RAMS: Joe Barry, Washington’s defensive coordinator the last two seasons, has agreed to terms to become linebackers coach and assistant head coach, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Barry, 46, was fired Jan. 5, along with two other assistants, after Washington’s defense finished 28th in the NFL for the second consecutive season.
Barry has been part of NFL staffs with the 49ers, Buccaneers, Lions and Chargers.
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