ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Dan Mullen of the Florida Gators reacts in the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)Ahead of the NFL’s “Black Monday,” Florida head coach Dan Mullen has come up on the list of potential candidates this offseason. The reaction to this news has been very mixed in NFL circles.
Mullen is coming off an 8-4 season that saw the Gators finish on a three-game losing streak. But it also saw the development of QB Kyle Trask into one of college football’s best quarterbacks of the season.
Nevertheless, NFL fans aren’t exactly brimming with excitement at the idea of Mullen becoming their head coach. Jets fans in particular are leery of Mullen given his recent behavior and poor finish to the season.
“I do not want Dan Mullen to coach the Jets,” one Jets fan wrote. “He’s a good college coach, I just see him struggling to survive in the NFL.”
I do not want Dan Mullen to coach the Jets. He’s a good college coach, I just see him struggling to survive in the NFL.
— Kyle Fahey (@KyleFaheyNFL) January 3, 2021
I’ve seen a lot of dumb stuff as a jets fan but if they hire Dan Mullen I’m officially done with them
— Kevin Levine (@klev19) January 3, 2021
Fans of other NFL teams are equally put off by the idea. Falcons fans and Jaguars fans are all down on the idea.
On the off chance that the Falcons hire Dan Mullen, I will permanently renounce my fandom and join the #Pack. Been looking for an excuse to do this for a long time https://t.co/LCxf1y847w
— Deputy Football (@deputyfootball) January 3, 2021
If the Jaguars hire Dan Mullen in any capacity…I’ll be sad.
— Bri⚡️⚡️ (@bubblybrielle) January 3, 2021
But as we’ve learned with Kliff Kingsbury, underachieving in college doesn’t prevent a candidate from getting a head coaching job. It doesn’t prevent a coach from doing well either, particularly when he has a star in the making at quarterback.
Mullen has a few top quarterbacks like Alex Smith and Dak Prescott on his resume. Kyle Trask looks poised for NFL stardom too.
Will Dan Mullen get an NFL head coaching job in 2021?
