Arizona Cardinals free safety Rashad Johnson figured change was destined after the 2013 season when he heard whispers about defensive coordinator Todd Bowles being a hot head-coaching candidate.
It was only natural for Johnson to assume such chatter would intensify after this past season, considering how Bowles continued to impress the league with his defensive style.
"We messed with him about it a little bit here and there when we had our exit meetings," Johnson said. "We were like, 'Coach, what’s up? You’ve got your bags packed yet? Did you start moving things out?’ And he was like, 'Nothing’s set in stone yet; still a lot of interviewing to do.'
"We definitely expect someone to get him."
That someone could be the Atlanta Falcons. Bowles appears to be at the top of owner Arthur Blank’s wish list along with Seattle Seahawks' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. The Falcons interviewed both candidates, but can’t conduct a second interview with Quinn until the Seahawks are knocked out of the playoffs or until after the Super Bowl.
Bowles is available now, although no second interview was scheduled as of Sunday. He reportedly has a second interview coming with the San Francisco 49ers, along with strong interest from the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.
Johnson, who played at Alabama with Falcons receiver Julio Jones, talked about what he would tell his former college teammate if Bowles ends up in Atlanta.
"I would tell him, 'You guys are getting a hell of a coach,'" Johnson said. "I would tell him, 'You’re getting a really, really good guy. You guys are going to like his demeanor.'
'He’s not crazy yelling and this and that. He’s a laid-back guy. You’re going to respect him because, at the end of the day, he wants what everybody wants, and that’s to win."
Bowles, a former NFL defensive back for eight seasons with the Washington Redskins and 49ers, has enjoyed success as a coordinator. He has spent the past two seasons in that role for the Cardinals after doing the same for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Last season, Bowles' defense ranked sixth in the NFL in yards allowed per game, and first against the run, while allowing the fewest yards in team history for a 16-game season (1,351). This past season, the Cardinals were 24th in yards allowed per game and 13th in rushing yards allowed, but still made a quite an impact on a playoff team. Bowles’ crew boasted the league’s fifth-best scoring defense (18.7 ppg.) and third-best red-zone percentage (43.9 percent).
Bowles is known for his aggressive approach.
"Oh yeah, Coach Bowles is a very aggressive guy," Johnson said. "He loves the fact that he has guys on the back end that he can trust in certain situations. I think every game we were in this year that was close and we were on the field to win the game, it was a zero blitz. It got to the point that we’d be laughing on the field, because the middle linebacker would be waiting on the call and we’d be like, 'What you waiting on the call for? We know what it’s going to be. Just go ahead and make it. Just go ahead and get lined up.'
"He’s very aggressive, but at the same time, he knows how to mix it up because teams have learned that he’s a very aggressive guy. He’s just very smart about how he brings his pressures."
Johnson called Bowles a "players' coach" and put a little context behind the label. He recalled getting burned by Eagles receiver Jordan Matthews on a third-and-12 play for 23 yards back in Week 8.
"We were in zero coverage and I let Matthews beat me across my face," Johnson explained. "I came to the sideline and the DBs coach was out of his mind going crazy. Then Coach Bowles comes up to me and says, 'Hey man, I saw him give you the stick for the outside move. If he beat you on the out, that’s my fault. I put you in a position to play it from inside-out. Just don’t bite on the outside move.' And I was like, 'OK, Coach, I got you.'
"He tells me he made the call and put me in that position. You’ve got to respect that."
That’s not to say Bowles goes around absorbing blame for every misstep.
"It’s not like he’s going to let you slide," Johnson said. "He’s definitely going to let you know when you’ve done something wrong. I think the one thing we respect most is that he treats everyone the same. Whether you’re an All-Pro or a rookie, when we came in and watched film, he didn’t hold back in saying something to the All-Pro.
"He’s straight-forward and honest. And he's been able to take the personnel that he has and know how to put them in positions to exercise their strengths. If you can’t do something, he’s not going to call on you to do it. He’s really good at putting schemes together to make his guys successful. He's definitely a great coach."