Dave Wannstedt says he turned down a job on Northwestern's coaching staff
After firing head coach Pat Fitzgerald and replacing him with interim head coach David Braun, Northwestern attempted to add a familiar face for Chicago football fans to Braun's staff: Dave Wannstedt.
Wannstedt, the former Bears head coach, told NBC Sports Chicago that Northwestern Athletic Director Derrick Gragg reached out to him about joining the staff, but that Wannstedt didn't feel like what Northwestern wanted was what he's ready to offer at this stage in his career.
"I just told him I'm really not into calling plays and being involved in that end. If they want me to give some support to the coaches and the players and get ready prep-wise, I can do that," Wannstedt said.
Wannstedt said he remains committed to working this football season for NBC, 670 The Score and the Big Ten Network and that he only would have taken a part-time job with Northwestern if it didn't interfere with his other work.
The 71-year-old Wannstedt was head coach of the Bears from 1993 to 1998. He was also head coach of the Dolphins from 2000 to 2004, and head coach at the college level at Pitt from 2005 to 2010. His last coaching job was in 2013 on the Buccaneers' staff.
