NFL Rumor: Is Mike Holmgren heading to Oakland?

Though Mike Holmgren said that he would spend the immediate future in a state of retirement that included motorcycles and margaritas, it appears that the alleged quarterback guru could be heading to the Bay Area to enter into a leadership role with the Oakland Raiders.

ESPN’s John Clayton reports that the “former Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks coach” has been in advanced talks with the Raiders front office. Clayton dubs Holgmren a “natural fit” in Oakland due to an existing relationship with Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie. Part of the job would reportedly be to lead the quest for a new stadium, conceivably one without a baseball diamond draped across the middle of it.

Holmgren, brought to Cleveland in December of 2009 under the guise of being a “serious, credible leader.” A quarterbacks coach and offensive mastermind with two Super Bowl appearances on his résumé, Holmgren was ushered out of Berea upon the sale of the Browns to Jimmy Haslam III. Three years later, the Browns enter the upcoming free agency and NFL Draft period with “quarterback” still listed as a team need. 

[Related: Moving Forward in Berea: Mike Holmgren, legacies and dirty water]