Report: Falcons deny teams chance to talk to Mike Tice, Keith Armstrong
The Oakland Raiders requested to talk to Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach Mike Tice, but the Falcons are denying them permission, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
According to Rapoport, the Falcons want to keep Tice.
The Falcons also denied the New York Jets the opportunity to talk to special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Armstrong has been in charge of Atlanta's special teams since the 2008 season, and was a college teammate at Temple alongside the new coach of the New York Jets, Todd Bowles.
Tice was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2002 to 2005. He then served as an assistant head coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars before becoming the offensive line coach and, later, offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears.
As a head coach, Tice had a 32-33 record in five seasons.
The Raiders are reportedly hiring Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio as their next head coach. The Falcons fired former head coach Mike Smith last month, and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is reportedly the favorite to replace him.
- Molly Geary
