Bates Is Out » Brats & Beer

January 16, 2006
posted under: coaching carousel, Jim Bates, Mike McCarthy, Packers

Looks like Mike McCarthy will get to choose his own defensive coordinator. At a press conference today, the Packers announced Jim Bates’ decision to leave Green Bay rather than stay on McCarthy’s staff. Oddly, Bates himself appeared at the press conference to explain it was his decision, which shows how popular Bates was after just one season and how delicate this new coaching administration is. You don’t want the Packer faithful thinking McCarthy forced Bates out.

Bates put on a good song and dance about wanting to do what’s right for the Packers but it sounds to me like he didn’t want to keep the job by default, that he wanted to be the man. And I guess I can respect that position. You want to know you have a job because your boss thinks you’re the best for the position, not because that would be the popular decision, and clearly McCarthy has someone else in mind for the DC position. We’ll have to wait and see who that someone turns out to be.