To Everyone Hopping On Tom Clements Train

[roddyyoudaman]

I would definitely prefer Clements or Billick over those other two scrubs (going by LaCanfora report). I'm not trying to be a negative nancy, but Clements resume is not too impressive from an OC standpoint.

His only experience was 04-05 with Buffalo, and that didn't last very long because supposedly MM didn't like his play calling.

Not to say that means much of anything, since MM wasn't the greatest playcaller either, but I have to say that most of his success has been at QB's coach. Since being in the NFL, If you take away his short time in Buffalo, he has been a QB's coach the entire time (since 1997).

Not trying to take away from his credentials, but the guy is 58. It seems like if he deserved the right to call plays (permanently) he would have gotten it by now.

It seems we're all drooling over over anything related to the Packers offense, and why shouldn't we? But this guy doesn't call the plays there either, obviously. So at this point in time my top candidate would be Brian Billick, but i believe this FO will make the right decision.

[Grrrillapmpn Inc.®]

If MM didn't like his play calling then that's a plus in my book.

[FlyHighFalcons]

He did a good job in Buffalo when they let loose. As I said in another thread, I'm from Buffalo and remember Mularkey's time well. Clements mixed it up a lot more than most Buffalo offenses have.

[revo3]

Billick is certainly more proven and he's family with Smitty, but Clements is SO enticing. Especially after week 17 where he was very active on the sideline communicating with Flynn who went buck wild that game. I obviously don't know how crucial he was to that performance but he's been involved with an absolute juggernaut of an offense and that makes him so much more tempting than someone who has been out of the business for a while. Granted Billick's break might've given him some new perspective too. I'm just glad that Mularkey is gone and I'd be ecstatic with either.

[falcon22]

I am liking Clements better than any of the other candidates that have been mentioned here. He was also an former QB, so he knows the position, plus the man was the QB coach for Favre, Rodgers and even Matt Flynn. He seems to have a good track record there and coming from the Packers with the knowledge of their playbook is a plus.

[RHEC]

MM and neither Clements had a chance, they got canned after 2 seasons. It looked like things was starting to get good when they went 9-7.. bam, fired!

[roddyyoudaman]

I am liking Clements better than any of the other candidates that have been mentioned here. He was also an former QB, so he knows the position, plus the man was the QB coach for Favre, Rodgers and even Matt Flynn. He seems to have a good track record there and coming from the Packers with the knowledge of their playbook is a plus.

Yes, any offensive coaches involved in what Green Bay has done are obviously going to have at least SOME upside to them, coming from such a successful team. You also have to realize that what Green Bay runs is not Clements system, he is only a QB's coach. I really have no idea what he would run here in Atlanta, maybe a combined version of what he ran at BUF and what he's involved with at GB?

[FalconJim]

I am liking Clements better than any of the other candidates that have been mentioned here. He was also an former QB, so he knows the position, plus the man was the QB coach for Favre, Rodgers and even Matt Flynn. He seems to have a good track record there and coming from the Packers with the knowledge of their playbook is a plus.

Yea, THAT!!!!!!!

[roddyyoudaman]

MM and neither Clements had a chance, they got canned after 2 seasons. It looked like things was starting to get good when they went 9-7.. bam, fired!

The first season yes they went 9-7, which was followed by a 5-11 season. Do you think the Falcons would give this guy more than 2 seasons if we lost in the first round both times?

[FalconJim]

Pretty impressive resume, if you ask me...

Biography

• Joined Packers Jan. 29, 2006.
  
• Possesses 19 years of coaching experience, including two seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator.
  
• Prior to Green Bay, spent 10 seasons coaching quarterbacks under some of the game’s most successful coaches, including Bill Cowher, Mike Ditka and Lou Holtz.
  
• Played 12 years in the Canadian Football League at quarterback and was a seven-time divisional all-star and two-time Grey Cup champion; was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 1994.
  
• An All-American at Notre Dame in 1974, he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy balloting that year.
  
• Practiced law for five years before beginning coaching career.
  

Tom Clements, entering his 19th season in the coaching profession, is in his sixth year as Green Bay’s quarterbacks coach.

Now in his 15th overall NFL season, Clements was named to his position Jan. 29, 2006, by Head Coach Mike McCarthy. Familiar with the role, Clements also served as quarterbacks coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2001-03), Kansas City Chiefs (2000) and New Orleans Saints (1997-99).

In Green Bay, Clements’ extensive tutelage of Aaron Rodgers has paid dividends, as Rodgers became the first QB in league history to throw for at least 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a starter, and he narrowly missed a third straight 4,000-yard season in 2010 with 3,933 yards despite missing 1½ games due to a concussion. In 47 career regular-season starts, Rodgers has topped the 100 mark in passer rating 25 times, thrown for 300 yards or three touchdowns 14 times each, and posted 10 games with three TDs and no interceptions, the most in NFL history by a quarterback within three seasons of his first start.

Rodgers became the first quarterback in franchise history to record a 100-plus passer rating in consecutive seasons, with a 101.2 passer rating in 2010. He had a career-best 65.7 completion percentage last season, finished third in the league in passer rating (101.2) and second in average gain (8.26), and added a trio of three-touchdown outings in the postseason, including one against Pittsburgh that earned him Super Bowl XLV MVP honors.

Clements has also tutored backup QB Matt Flynn, a seventh-round choice of the Packers in 2008. Flynn started his first career game in 2010, opening in place of an injured Rodgers at New England in Week 15, and became the first Green Bay QB to throw three TD passes in his first career start since Anthony Dilweg posted the same number vs. the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 9, 1990.

In 2009, Rodgers’ 4,434 passing yards fell just 25 yards short of topping Lynn Dickey’s 1983 franchise record and ranked fourth in the league. He also ranked fourth in the NFL in TD passes (30) and passer rating (103.2), and first in interception percentage (1.29) in earning his first Pro Bowl bid. The passer rating sits second in franchise history to Bart Starr’s 105.0 mark in 1966.

Rodgers’ first 4,000-yard season in 2008 gave the Packers 4,000-yard passers in consecutive seasons for just the second time in team history, and for the first time in league history those back-to-back 4,000-yard passers were different QBs.

The previous two seasons, in addition to tutoring Rodgers as the backup and heir apparent, Clements oversaw a mini-renaissance of Brett Favre’s career. In 2006, Favre reduced his interceptions from a career-high 29 the year before to just 18, setting the stage for a near-MVP season in 2007, when he surpassed 4,000 yards passing for the fifth time. He also posted a then career-best completion percentage of 66.5 and a QB rating of 95.7 that was his third best at that point in leading the Packers back to the playoffs.

Before coming to Green Bay, Clements spent two seasons (2004-05) as offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills. In 2004, the Bills’ offense increased its scoring output by 152 and reduced its number of sacks allowed from 51 to 38, fewest by a Bills team since 1999. The unit was highlighted by RB Willis McGahee, who became the fifth running back in Bills history to register back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, covering each year of Clements’ tenure. In addition, QB Kelly Holcomb set a club record in 2005 with a 67.39 completion percentage, surpassing Jim Kelly’s 1991 mark, 64.14 percent.

Prior to joining the Bills, Clements served as Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks coach for three seasons (2001-03) under Bill Cowher. In 2002, he helped Tommy Maddox earn the Comeback Player of the Year award from The Associated Press, as Pittsburgh’s passing offense ranked seventh in the NFL, its highest finish since 1980 with Terry Bradshaw under center.

Clements also worked with Pittsburgh’s Kordell Stewart (2001) and Kansas City’s Elvis Grbac (2000) during each quarterback’s best season, both culminating in Pro Bowl berths. Mike Ditka gave Clements his first NFL coaching job, hiring him to coach the Saints’ quarterbacks (1997-99), a group that included Jake Delhomme and Kerry Collins.

Prior to his post with the Saints, Clements served under Lou Holtz as quarterbacks coach (1992-94) and wide receivers/assistant head coach (1995) at his alma mater, Notre Dame. While with the Fighting Irish, Clements coached eventual 1993 NFL Rookie of the Year QB Rick Mirer, and WR Derrick Mayes, the Packers’ second-round draft pick in 1996. In addition, he tutored QB Ron Powlus, Notre Dame’s career passing leader in attempts, completions, yardage and touchdowns at the time of his graduation.

Inducted into the Canadian Football League’s Hall of Fame in 1994, Clements played quarterback for Ottawa (1975-78), Saskatchewan/Hamilton (1979), Hamilton (1981-82) and Winnipeg (1983-87) during a 12-year career in the CFL. Selected seven times as a divisional All-Star, Clements guided two teams, Ottawa (1976) and Winnipeg (1984), to Grey Cup Championships, earning the Outstanding Offensive Player award in each game. The league’s Rookie of the Year in 1975 and Most Valuable Player in 1987, Clements completed 2,807 of 4,657 passes (60.3 percent) for 39,041 yards and 252 touchdowns during his CFL career.

Clements also spent one season, 1980, as a quarterback for Marv Levy’s Kansas City Chiefs.

A three-year starter at Notre Dame (1972-74) under Ara Parseghian, Clements led the Irish to a 29-5 record, including an unblemished national championship season in 1973. An All-American in 1974, he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy balloting when Archie Griffin earned the award. Clements received his degree in economics from Notre Dame in 1975.

A licensed attorney, Clements worked from 1988-92 for Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, a Chicago-based law firm. He pursued his law degree during his CFL playing career, graduating magna *** laude from Notre Dame’s School of Law in 1986. In 1994, while on the Notre Dame coaching staff, Clements was an Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at the university’s law school, where he taught “Sports and the Law.”

Edited January 12, 2012 by FalconJim

[RHEC]

The first season yes they went 9-7, which was followed by a 5-11 season. Do you think the Falcons would give this guy more than 2 seasons if we lost in the first round both times?

I thought I might of had it switched up.. but anyways they still didn't get a fair chance.. I say 4 years should give coaches enough time imo.

[roddyyoudaman]

I thought I might of had it switched up.. but anyways they still didn't get a fair chance.. I say 4 years should give coaches enough time imo.

Only in a case where there is time needed for simultaneous growth in offensive personnel. Like in 2008 when we brought in a new QB, RB, and LT. In our case, with all the talent we currently have on offense, 4 years with little or no progression is definitely not something AB would allow, nor should he.

[roddyyoudaman]

FalconJim, I know how to use google, thanks.

[FalconJim]

FalconJim, I know how to use google, thanks.

You're welcome...

[Serendipity]

I rememeber this guy when he played up here, the CFL is a pass first league, it's all passing here with one less down and a larger field.

The kicker his jersey number ........................ 2

[niels petersen]

If MM doesn't like his playcalling, I probably means we will like it!

The enemy of my enemy, is my firend!

But seriously.. I would like Clements for his work on QBs, and after a couple of years in GB, he probably understands pass patterns and how to attack defenses as well. I like that. I hvad heard that if Philbin (poor man, I feel for him and his family) is going to be a HC sometime, Clements would be the one to succeed him as an OC. I like that as well.

But in GB, that is still not calling the plays - McCarthy does that.. So there is a genuine question about Clements' ability to call the right plays at the right time. That's what I don't like.

It seems like the FO wants to bring him in for an interview, so if he impresses, I'm all for him. But he has to show something to convince our FO of his playcalling abilities.

[MSalmon]

He did a good job in Buffalo when they let loose. As I said in another thread, I'm from Buffalo and remember Mularkey's time well. Clements mixed it up a lot more than most Buffalo offenses have.

I agree. His overally stats weren't great; but those bills scored like gangbusters : last 7 games of the 2004 NFL season, the Bills scored 24,41,33,37,42,38 and 37 points.http://www.ganggreennation.com/2012/1/10/2697475/potential-oc-targets-tom-clements-green-bay-packers-qb-coach ; and his track record at developing QBs is impeccable. He helped develop Collins and Delhomme into very servicable QBs after their early diffilculties. One could argue that Delhomme was actually close to elite for a few years. Of course his work with Farve, Rodgers and Flynn speaks volumes. The part about Clements often left out was that his ties with Mularkey hurt him; once Jauron took over he was out. The fact that he has been in the Mcarthey/Holmgreen coaching tree for the last few years really helps his stock.

Either him or Billik would be great IMO

[DonDaLuvMaker]

Well it looks like the Falcons have to get a new QB coach as well

https://twitter.com/#!/AdamSchefter/statuses/157643669778870272

[Rodgers]

Clements would be a monster acquisition for the Birds. Rodgers speaks nothing but total respect for the man. The Packers have had a long succession of good QBs, backups have gone on to have great careers.

McCarthy does usually make all the play calls but Clements and Philbin are very involved with setting up each week's offensive game plan. I memory serves, it was at Clements behest that the Packers went to the no huddle a few years ago.

It would really, really suck to lose him in GB but all Packer fans know it's going to happen this year. Many coaches are on many team's list.

I'm definitely excited to see what he would do with Matt Ryan. Many here suggest that Ryan has the tools to be elite. I don't see it, but I think he'd have a great chance at it with Clements by his side.

I was off on my prediction about Packers/Falcons NFCCG, but I know I"m right when I predict the Packers WILL see the Falcons in the playoffs next year.

[roddyyoudaman]

You're welcome...

Lol wasn't trying to be a prick, just saying that I know the guy's track record as far as qb's, and it's without a doubt very impressive.

I was just pointing out that he hasn't had much experience calling the plays by himself, and it's just a little concerning that he has been a QB's coach for so long, and has not been promoted more than once, out of 15 years in the NFL. So that's why I'm leaning more towards Billick, but if Clements ends up being the guy then I'll of course be ecstatic.

Anyone but Schottenheimer or Koetter.