49ers meet with Coughlin as Browns make push for Jackson

The 49ers turned their attention to former New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin on Tuesday while the Cleveland Browns doubled their efforts to land Hue Jackson.

General manager Trent Baalke met with Coughlin on Tuesday in the New York area. CEO Jed York was in Houston for the owners meeting about the Los Angeles market.

Coughlin, 69, resigned from the Giants last week. He met with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.

Baalke and Coughlin have ties to longtime Giants coach and executive Bill Parcells. Coughlin was an assistant on Parcells’ Giants team in the 1980s, and Parcells has been a mentor and adviser to Baalke. The 49ers’ coaching staff also has Parcells disciples, including tight ends coach Tony Sparano and defensive coordinator Eric Mangini.

Another candidate the 49ers have met with, Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, has a connection to Coughlin, too. DeFilippo, 37, was the Giants’ offensive quality control coach in 2005-06 under Coughlin.

DeFilippo also is from the York family’s hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, where the interview took place. The team could be contemplating a scenario in which Coughlin takes over as head coach and DeFilippo is the heir apparent. DeFilippo spoke to the St. Louis Rams about their offensive coordinator opening Tuesday.

Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo was an offensive assistant with the 49ers in 2005. McAdoo has interviewed for the Giants’ head-coaching job; the 49ers have not requested an interview.

DeFilippo is under contract with the Browns, who would like to retain him, according to a Cleveland.com report. The composition of the Browns’ staff will depend on their next coach, and Cleveland is targeting Jackson, who also is – or was – the 49ers’ top target.

Like the 49ers, the Browns first interviewed Jackson, the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive coordinator, on Sunday. Cleveland officials had a second interview with Jackson, 50, on Tuesday, but no contract offer was made. He also is scheduled to meet with the Giants this week. The Browns reportedly are willing to give Jackson power over the team’s personnel, something Baalke and the 49ers would be reluctant to do.

In addition to Jackson and DeFilippo, the 49ers have met with former Eagles coach Chip Kelly, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and Buffalo Bills running backs coach Anthony Lynn. The team interviewed former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels last year, and both are considered to be in the mix this year.

Bengals secondary coach Vance Joseph agreed Tuesday to become the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator for new coach Adam Gase. The 49ers pursued Joseph last year, and he was considered a possibility to land in San Francisco if Jackson was hired as head coach.

The Dolphins also hired 49ers offensive-line coach Chris Foerster, who joined Jim Tomsula’s staff last season. All of the 49ers assistants are under contract, and many will wait to see whether the incoming head coach keeps them. Another assistant, former linebackers coach Clancy Pendergast, accepted a position as USC’s defensive coordinator.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 9:45 AM with the headline "49ers meet with Coughlin as Browns make push for Jackson."