Bill O'Brien is 'strongly considering' NFL interview, according to report

Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien is "strongly considering" interviewing for open NFL jobs, according to Peter King of Sports Illustrated. O'Brien's name immediately surfaced as a candidate for an NFL head coaching position after the round of firings on Monday. He was most closely linked to the new openings with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles, two teams reportedly targeting him for an interview. The Cardinals and Chargers were two other teams also reported as interested in O'Brien.

O'Brien led the Nittany Lions to an impressive 8-4 record -- unexpected success after the program was hammered by NCAA sanctions in his first year on the job. His name comes up for NFL openings in part because of his pro background, as he spent five seasons as the Patriots' offensive coordinator before accepting the job in Happy Valley.

O'Brien accepted the position prior to the NCAA sanctions, which triggered a re-negoatiation of his contract and extended his deal. The buyout for his contract is reportedly around $9 million, but that has not deterred NFL teams from taking an interest. And according to King, that interest may be mutual.