First comes the winning followed by speculation. And now that the Redskins are finally winning, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan could become a hot name for one of the head coaching vacancies.
Shanahan, 32, leads the NFL’s fourth-ranked scoring offense into the playoffs. But he also has an eye on his future. He might be too young to land one of the jobs this year, but with the way the Redskins have retooled their offense around quarterback Robert Griffin III, his time may come soon.
“Everybody wants an opportunity someday to be a head coach,” Shanahan said. “I really hope someday I get that opportunity. “I can honestly say I haven’t thought about it too much. But I feel confident in football. I feel confident in any situation that would be presented to myself.”
His father, Mike Shanahan, said he does not want his assistants to interview for jobs until after the season ends.
Injury update: LG Kory Lichtensteiger did not practice for a second straight day on Thursday because of his sprained left ankle. If Lichtensteiger does not play, then rookie Josh LeRibeus would make his first start against the Seahawks on Sunday. LeRibeus was inactive for 10 regular-season games, as he struggled to learn the offense. The third-round pick is considered quick and strong and he showed flashes of his ability in a reserve role last week against Dallas. But if he plays, expect Seattle to test him with stunts.
John Keim covers the Redskins for the Washington Examiner. Follow him on Twitter @CBSRedskins or @John_Keim.
