The Omaha Fortune is shaping up to be a good team. They’re being run by ex-superstar Peyton Manning. They have an experienced front office staff, a team identity, and now an NFL expansion team coaching staff.
***DISCLAIMER: Everything written in this article or in this series is entirely fictional and hypothetical. No one mentioned is actually involved in a new expansion team.
NFL Expansion Team, Part Three: Coaching Staff
Head Coach
This pick wasn’t made lightly. After going through dozens, and I mean dozens, of ex-coaches or high-tier D-II coaches, the team settled on ex-coach Steve Mariucci. “Mooch” coached for eight years in the NFL, earning a playoff berth in four of them. He coached a plethora of NFL stars, including Hall of Famers Terrell Owens and Steve Young. Since he stopped coaching in 2005, he’s been on numerous coaching radars, despite not expressing interest himself. He’s since worked for NFL Network and shown that he can still draw up plays like the best of them. Mooch’s job won’t be easy, but he’s exactly the veteran that should be leading this coaching staff.
Offensive Coordinator
Unlike the rest of the coaching staff, the OC has no prior NFL experience. Tanner Engstrand first made a name for himself as a coach at the University of San Diego. He rose to the position of Assistant Head Coach in 2013, after being OC for four years and Quarterbacks Coach for seven. In 2019, Engstrand was hired as the Offensive Coordinator for the XFL’s DC Defenders. He was responsible for the development of QB Cardale Jones into an MVP candidate. With the Fortune, he’ll be tasked with working with the offense and acclimating them to starting roles, which would be new for many of them.
Defensive Coordinator
The only member of the coaching staff to have played in the NFL, Mike Singletary will take the reins as the DC for the Fortune. “The Heart of the Defense” for the legendary Monsters of the Midway was a dominant player in his day. Since then, he’s had multiple coaching jobs in the NFL and beyond, most notably a two and half year stint as the 49ers head coach. He also coached the Memphis Express in the now-defunct AAF. Singletary has been also been in touch with teams to assist with defensive training. Besides working on the defense, his job will also bring the winning mentality that the players need.
Special Teams Coordinator
The final member of this NFL expansion team coaching staff is the special teams’ coordinator. An infamous face in the NFL, Hue Jackson, rounds out the leaders on the sidelines. Jackson is known for his stint as the Cleveland Browns Head Coach, where he amassed a 3-36-1 record in two and a half years. He was hired as the Head Coach after being a successful offensive coordinator, but many people don’t realize that he was a special teams coordinator first. He’ll take this job in an effort to get back on NFL radars.
Bonus: Stadium
The stadium for the Fortune will be Berkshire-Hathaway Center, more commonly known as The Godfather, in honor of legendary actor Marlon Brando, who was born in Omaha. The Godfather will be located in Bellevue, Nebraska, a mere 15-minute drive from Omaha.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
