WATCH: Former QB Carson Palmer reveals front runners for open USC job
Carson Palmer is adding another title to his USC Trojans resume — coaching search insider. As the Trojans look for their next head coach, Palmer joined the Dan Patrick Show to drop some names on who’s being considered.
“I think there’s a lot of front-runners right now, and that’s why I like where we’re sitting,” started Palmer. “You got Penn State (James Franklin), Iowa State (Matt Campbell), Cincinnati (Luke Fickell). You got a wild card .. like Mike Tomlin.
“If Mike Tomlin wants out .. I think at the end of the day, there is not a direct that’s the guy that everyone’s pointing their fingers at.”
Now Franklin, Campbell and Fickell have been discussed at nauseam regarding the USC job. Either of the three would be a great choice, but it wouldn’t be surprising. Now, Tomlin is as juicy as it gets when it comes to the Trojans.
Currently, Tomlin is the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s been with the franchise since 2007, winning a Super Bowl and accumulating a 146-79-1 career coaching record. Additionally, his teams has never finished below .500 on the season.
However, Ben Roethlisberger’s time as the Steelers quarterback is coming to an end. Perhaps instead of coaching through a transition period with the Steelers, Tomlin is looking for a new challenge in the college ranks.
Any football team would be lucky to have Tomlin, college and professional included. Heck, a peewee football team would shell out the big bucks for Tomlin. Still, nothings set in stone regarding the coach’s future — but his contract currently runs through the 2024 season.
Palmer: ‘(USC) can lure an NFL guy that’s tired of their current situation.’
Furthermore, Palmer elaborated on why he believes the job can convince Tomlin to join the college ranks.
“That’s what’s so great about the job,” stated Palmer. “It can lure an NFL guy that’s tired of their current situation.
.. Worried about ‘Is Ben Roethisberger gone? Is he done? Who are we going to draft? Does Mike Tomlin have to start over with a first round, young rookie quarterback?’ Everybody’s on the table — being that that job is so big, and so coveted. I think there’s a bunch if people that’s in the discussion, and once we get to Week 16, 17 of the NFL season and the college football season is over we’ll have a direct front-runner.”
Mike Tomlin’s concerns about the Steelers future are real, but will he actually leave in the middle of his contract for USC? Carson Palmer is all for it — time will tell if Tomlin believes so.