By PFW staff
Jan. 22, 2008

Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren

Following in the footsteps of the Colts’ Tony Dungy — another extremely successful head coach who announced Monday he would return next season after seriously pondering retirement — Mike Holmgren informed the Seahawks Tuesday that he, too, will return as the team’s head coach in 2008. Holmgren, who turns 60 in June, has one year left on a contract that pays him a league-high $8 million annually. Standing frozen stiff on the sideline following his team’s disappointing divisional playoff loss to the Packers a couple of weeks ago, Holmgren looked like a man definitely ready to retire. But after spending time with his wife and family in Phoenix this past weekend, he decided to honor the final year of his contract and try for one last super hurrah next season.     

The PFW spin

For starters, the league is better off with Holmgren and Dungy, two of the NFL’s classiest acts, deciding to grace us with their presence for at least another season. With Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs having already marched off into the sunset, the loss of three truly great head coaches in one fell swoop would have been pretty hard to take.

Obviously, Holmgren believes his team has a legitimate shot at becoming his fourth team to make it to a Super Bowl, which would enable him to end his illustrious career with a real bang. But while the Seahawks look like a solid bet to win what would be their fifth straight division title and sixth straight playoff berth in 2008, the team has a lot of work to do this offseason if it hopes to reach the championship level. Whether it makes it to that level or not, it appears the ’08 season will almost certainly be Holmgren’s last, with Jim Mora, who removed himself from consideration as the Redskins’ head coach last week, patiently waiting in the wings as Holmgren’s heir apparent.

League observers believe Holmgren did one of his best coaching jobs ever this season, which is really saying something considering his glittering track record. His decision at midseason to return to his roots with a pass-heavy offense was a stroke of genius. But in order for him to go out on top the way he would like, Seattle’s running game, among other areas, needs to dramatically improve. Now that he has decided to give it one more shot, look for Holmgren to begin preparing for next season with more vigor than ever.