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Defense buildup Redskins hire Rhodes, Fazio as assistants
Posted: Monday January 24, 2000 10:34 PM
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Ray Rhodes just wants to coach football, even if it means a demotion. Rhodes, fired two weeks ago as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, signed a two-year contract Monday to become defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins. "The last couple of years, I've wanted to get more of a hands-on approach," Rhodes said. "I wanted to get back into coaching the defensive side of the football." The Redskins also hired Foge Fazio as linebackers coach. Fazio, 60, is also moving down the ranks, having resigned last week as defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. Rhodes went 8-8 in his only season with the Packers and missed the playoffs. Rhodes previously had a 30-36-1 record over four seasons in Philadelphia, where two playoff appearances were followed by free-agent defections and two losing seasons that left a sour taste all around. Whether Rhodes could have been a serious candidate for any of the current NFL head coaching vacancies is debatable, but he's decided to take himself out of the running. "As a defensive coordinator, I get a better feel for hands-on," Rhodes said. "That means I can look in someone's face all day and not have to worry about some of the things you guys want to do from a press conference standpoint. I can have more time to do football." Rhodes, 49, will have plenty of authority with the Redskins. Coach Norv Turner's specialty is offense, and he gives his defensive coordinator a great degree of autonomy. Turner's two previous defensive coordinators -- Ron Lynn and Mike Nolan -- were never able to get Washington out of the bottom five in run defense. This season's team ranked 27th against the run and 30th overall under Nolan, whose contract was not renewed. Fazio said he had no hard feelings toward Vikings coach Dennis Green, who this month fired inside linebackers coach Tom Olivadotti without telling Fazio first. Fazio cited personal reasons for his move. "My mom lives in Pittsburgh. She's 91 years old," Fazio said. "It'll give me a chance to drive up there. I wasn't around when my dad passed and my older brother passed, so I wanted to get some quality time with her." Rhodes said there was no truth to reports that he was a candidate to replace Fazio in Minnesota. "I don't know where the rumor came from," Rhodes said. "But Minnesota was not a team that I talked with." In the Dan Snyder era of the Redskins, Rhodes took an unusual interview route to get the job. The owner traveled to Mobile, Ala., where Rhodes was attending the Senior Bowl, and had a face-to-face interview before Turner did. Director of player personnel Vinny Cerrato also met with Rhodes in Mobile. Turner spoke to Rhodes on the telephone last week before Rhodes' Monday visit to Redskin Park. The two have been coaching against each other for 15 years, when Turner was an assistant with the Rams and Rhodes was on the staff of the 49ers. "This profession is wild," Turner said. "It can make partners out of guys under unusual circumstances."
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