The Redskins' New Sheriff

Fifty-nine-year-old Al Saunders is now the man in charge of the mix on offense. (Gerald Herbert - AP)

Peterson said no promises were ever made that Saunders would succeed Vermeil.

"That was Dick's opinion, and he's entitled to his opinion," Peterson said. "It was not his authority. It was not his decision. It was mine. In spite of the fact that Dick was quite upfront that Al was his first choice, it wasn't his choice to make. Quite frankly, once I had the chance to hire Herman Edwards, it was an easy choice to make."

The Trouble With Oakland

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As January progressed, more and more of the coaching vacancies were being filled -- and Saunders was still standing. League insiders wondered if he did not interview well, a suggestion discounted by Charley Casserly, the former Texans general manager who interviewed Saunders in Houston. He said Saunders was "very professional, with a good plan for running a football team." Peterson said Saunders made for an "outstanding candidate."

But while Saunders waited, assistants were winning their first head coaching jobs. Saunders interviewed in Minnesota, but two days later the Vikings hired Brad Childress, the Philadelphia offensive coordinator. Three days after that, Peterson hired Edwards. Saunders interviewed in Houston, but 12 days had passed and he hadn't heard anything. He interviewed in Oakland, but hadn't heard from the Raiders in more than a week. Saunders hadn't been called back to Detroit for a second interview.

Vermeil called Rams President John Shaw on behalf of Saunders. Saunders coached the Rams' quarterbacks under Vermeil in 1999 when St. Louis won the Super Bowl. Shaw listened, but only as a courtesy, for the Rams never contacted Saunders. Shaw told Vermeil the Rams wanted a defensive coach, but hired Scott Linehan, the Miami Dolphins' offensive coordinator.

Some sources said Saunders was too polished. Another source said teams were cognizant of the demanding NFL hours and wanted younger coaches. One said Peterson was wary of Saunders, that while Peterson respected Saunders for his offensive mind, he regarded him as a "politician," and did not think the working relationship would be comfortable.

Word began to circulate that Saunders was not going to be hired in Houston or Detroit. Tampa Bay defensive line coach Rod Marinelli was the favorite with the Lions, and the Texans' first choice was Denver's Kubiak. Indeed, much of the Houston interviewing team, Dan Reeves, Bob and Cal McNair, all maintained long-held and close personal ties to Kubiak.

The only job that was left was Oakland. When Raiders owner Al Davis flew Saunders to the team headquarters during the second week of January, Saunders was one of only three candidates, along with San Diego wide receivers coach James Lofton and Marinelli, to interview with Davis directly.

Saunders was taken by the Raiders' offensive personnel. "Look at them. You have Jerry Porter, and Randy Moss and LaMont Jordan," he said. "They've definitely got some pieces."

In his interview, Al Davis told him: "When an NFL job is available, you take it. There are only 32 of them." But Saunders had also been told numerous times that the Oakland job was commonly considered a disaster.

"The Raiders is a death job," one NFL personnel man said. "You'll be there three years, not be allowed to do anything you want to do, and then get fired."

The day the Redskins called him, Saunders said he spoke to Raiders' senior personnel man Mike Lombardi about a second interview, but was leaning toward the Redskins instead of running a team with a reputation for dysfunction like the Raiders. It was a view shared by Vermeil.