Donnie Henderson Being Interviewed By 49ers For Defensive Coordinator Post
By Michael Williams (2/7/2007)
Donnie Henderson Being Interviewed By 49ers For Defensive Coordinator Post
After being fired as a defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, Donnie Henderson will be interviewed for a similar position at the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers coach, Mike Nolan, has already interviewed Jim Tomsula for the post of defensive line coach.
The two vacancies were created after Nolan fired Billy Davis, defensive coordinator, and Gary Emanuel, defensive line coach, just two days after the season had ended.
49 year old Henderson has been in the league since 1999 and for the last three years he has been a coordinator. From 2004 to 2005, he was the defensive coordinator for New York Jets and in 2006 for Detroit Lions.
Henderson is known to be fiery and outspoken. He was dismissed by Lions coach Rod Marinelli for not only for differences in philosophy but also for Detroit’s poor show. It is a well know fact that Henderson preferred an aggressive style of defense while coach Marinelli favored the cover two style which he used for years in Tampa Bay.
Henderson, a former Utah State defensive back, had 15 years coaching experience at college level. He joined Baltimore Ravens in 1999 as a secondary coach. Nolan and Henderson worked together at Baltimore Ravens for three seasons.
Rod Marinelli has gone ahead and hired his son-in-law, Joe Barry, as his new coordinator. Barry is a former Tampa Bay linebacker coach. Nolan is well aware that he has to find the right person for the coordinator’s job. In 2006, statistically Detroit Lions were ranked 28 in total defense.
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