Pro Football Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 1/23/26
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Bills To Conduct HC Interview With Philip Rivers
The list of Bills targets for their head coaching vacancy continues to grow. One of the more interesting names on the market will now receive a look. 
Philip Rivers is set to interview with Buffalo today, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The eight-time Pro Bowler briefly resumed his playing career down the stretch, making three starts for the Colts after Daniel Jones was lost to an Achilles tear. Rivers later confirmed he would not play again.
The door is open to a coaching career, however. Prior to the 2026 head coaching hiring cycle beginning, Rivers was named as a wild-card candidate to watch. As of earlier this month, he had yet to receive an interest from around the NFL. With the Bills in the midst of their search, though, at least one interview will now take place.
Before he un-retired, Rivers had been coaching his eldest son’s high school team. The 44-year-old has stated a desire to return to that role for 2026 in the absence of an NFL opportunity. Rivers’ football acumen and leadership were sources of praise throughout his decorated career, making him a logical candidate for a coaching role of some kind.
On the other hand, Rivers has never worked as a head coach, coordinator or position coach at the pro or college levels. That lack of experience would make a jump directly to the HC ranks in the NFL a risky one to say the least. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if a mutual interest exists between the parties once this in-person interview concludes.
Sean McDermott was fired following Buffalo’s latest postseason loss. Owner Terry Pegula‘s actions and remarks since then have made it clear general manager Brandon Beane won out in a power struggle of sorts with respect to disagreements over roster construction; Beane was promoted to president of football operations earlier this week. Quarterback Josh Allen will be present for Buffalo’s upcoming interviews, and he is in position to have a “significant say” in the team’s eventual hire. It will be interesting to see how Allen feels about the possibility of Rivers (who played 17 full NFL seasons, including 16 with the Chargers) stepping into a head coaching role immediately after hanging up his cleats.
Here is an updated look at where things stand for the Bills:
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/22
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/21
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/22; prefers Buffalo gig
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Rumored candidate
- Anthony Lynn, run-game coordinator (Commanders): To interview 1/24
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview 1/23
- Philip Rivers, former NFL quarterback: To interview 1/23
- Grant Udinski, offensive coordinator (Jaguars): To interview 1/25
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): To interview 1/24
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Rumored candidate
Chargers Request Zach Orr DC Interview
The Chargers lost defensive coordinator Jesse Minter yesterday. One of the NFL’s top head coaching candidates of this year’s cycle is now in place with the Ravens. 
Los Angeles could look to Baltimore to find Minter’s replacement. The Chargers have requested an interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr for their DC vacancy, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Orr has held his current title with Baltimore for the past two years.
When Mike Macdonald departed to become head coach of the Seahawks in 2024, the Ravens took the familiar route of promoting from within. A former Baltimore linebacker, Orr took on the D-coordinator role as Macdonald’s replacement. The 33-year-old has been held in high regard in Baltimore throughout his tenures in the organization.
Orr struggled during his first season as DC. Changes were made along the sidelines and on the field which brought about a turnaround, though. The Ravens finished 2024 ranked ninth in points allowed. This season, things did not go according to plan. Orr’s unit consistently struggled, albeit with injuries partially to blame. Baltimore dropped to 18th in scoring defense in 2025.
That did not stop Orr from receiving external DC interest. The former UDFA interviewed with the Cowboys for their D-coordinator gig before Dallas ultimately hired Christian Parker for the role. Orr’s Ravens status remains unclear at this point with Minter likely to handle play-calling duties in Baltimore. He and Orr worked together from 2017-20.
The Chargers have Steve Clinkscale – who served as a co-DC alongside Minter at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh – in place as a strong internal replacement candidate. Los Angeles is required to conduct at least one interview with an external minority candidate, however. The team requested an interview with Rams defensive pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant. Orr is now in position to receive a look as well, and it will be interesting to see if the Chargers find themselves in position to bring in Baltimore’s DC in the wake of Minter joining the Ravens.
Bills To Interview Mike McDaniel For HC Position
Mike McDaniel reached an agreement with the Chargers earlier this week to become their new offensive coordinator. He remains on the market for a head coaching gig at this point of the hiring cycle, however. 
McDaniel will conduct an interview with the Bills today for their HC vacancy, as first reported by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. This in-person summit will come in the wake of McDaniel withdrawing from the Browns’ search. That seemed to leave him short on head coaching opportunities, but at least one of the league’s five remaining vacancies could be a possibility in his case.
McDaniel’s job security with the Dolphins remained a talking point through the end of the 2025 campaign. A relatively strong finish to the season appeared to help his standing in the organization, but having already moved on from general manager Champ Kelly owner Stephen Ross elected to clean house not long after Week 18 wrapped up. The Dolphins have since brought in Jon-Eric Sullivan and former Packers colleague Jeff Hafley to lead the way.
The Bills, meanwhile, will continue to have Brandon Beane guiding the front office. The veteran general manager was promoted to president of football operations shortly after the decision was made to fire head coach Sean McDermott. A number of familiar names – such as current offensive coordinator Joe Brady, former OC Brian Daboll and ex-Josh Allen teammate Davis Webb – have been strongly linked to Buffalo as the search for McDermott’s replacement unfolds.
The Bills went up against McDaniel’s Dolphins eight times in the regular season and once in the playoffs during his Miami stint. There is of course a high degree of familiarity already in this case as a result, but it will be interesting to see what takes place following this interview. Buffalo has other meetings set for this weekend, so a small group of finalists should emerge relatively soon.
Buffalo owner Terry Pegula along with Beane and executives Brian Gaine and Terrance Gray are present for the upcoming set of interviews, Breer notes. He adds Allen will take part in the interviews as well, confirming Pegula’s comments on that matter from earlier this week. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Allen will have a “significant say” in the Bills’ ultimate HC decision. Buffalo’s McDermott replacement will be the second head coach of the 2024 MVP’s NFL career.
Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where the Bills currently stand:
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/22
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/21
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/22; prefers Buffalo gig
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Rumored candidate
- Anthony Lynn, run-game coordinator (Commanders): To interview 1/24
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview 1/23
- Grant Udinski, offensive coordinator (Jaguars): To interview 1/25
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): To interview 1/24
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Rumored candidate
Fernando Mendoza Declares For NFL Draft
As expected, Fernando Mendoza will be turning pro in 2026. The anticipated No. 1 pick announced on Instagram Friday he has declared for the NFL draft. 
Many of the quarterbacks held in high regard entering the 2025 college season did not meet expectations. Mendoza was an exception, however, with the Cal transfer playing a pivotal role in Indiana’s storybook campaign. The Hoosiers continued their rapid ascent under head coach Curt Cignetti this year, capping off a perfect season by winning the national championship on Monday.
Mendoza easily enjoyed the most productive season of his three-year college career along the way. He posted a 41:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio while completing 72% of his passes. Mendoza’s rushing ability is not viewed as a staple of his game at the NFL level, but he posted 276 yards and seven scores this season. That production, coupled with Indiana’s dominance, helped land Mendoza All-American honors along with several other individual accolades.
The Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award winner has long been viewed as a first-round lock in April’s draft. Opinions were split on his ceiling as a pro passer during the regular season, although Mendoza’s stock has continued to rise through Indiana’s CFP run. The QB-needy Raiders are slated to select first overall, and Dante Moore recently elected to stay at Oregon for next season.
As a result, Mendoza is widely seen as the projected first overall pick in this year’s draft. Vegas is one of five teams with a head coaching vacancy at the moment, and the Raiders hope to bring in a HC with an offensive background. Developing Mendoza will of course be a central priority for the franchise as the Raiders look to rebound from a 3-14 showing during Pete Carroll‘s one-and-done season.
Plenty can and will change with respect to draft evaluations over the coming months. Movement near the top of the first-round order will, as always, be something to watch for as the draft approaches. With respect to the Raiders, however, anything other than calling Mendoza’s name first overall would be seen as a major upset given where things currently stand.
Ravens Hire Jesse Minter As HC
Jesse Minter is officially coming back to Baltimore. The former John Harbaugh assistant will be hired as his successor. The Ravens announced the decision Thursday.
Canceling his second Browns interview earlier today, Minter has chosen one of Cleveland’s AFC North rivals. The fit is natural, given Minter’s past in Maryland. The two-year Chargers DC has worked under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and in Los Angeles, but prior to that, he spent four seasons as a Ravens assistant. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport initially reported the Minter hire was close.
It is rather interesting the Ravens will hire one of John Harbaugh’s former assistants given Steve Bisciotti‘s comments regarding the HC’s underachievement. But Minter drew widespread interest from around the league. Following Bisciotti’s comments about giving the new hire a long runway, Minter received a five-year contract (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
The Ravens have also been known for in-house hires. They promoted GM Eric DeCosta to succeed Ozzie Newsome and previously elevated position coaches to replace coordinators. Minter never rose above the position coach tier during his previous Baltimore stint, which involved defensive back coach roles, but he has impressed during his years as a defensive coordinator — at both the college and pro levels.
Minter, 42, did go through a second interview with the Raiders, who conducted that meeting on Tuesday. Minter did his second Ravens interview Wednesday. He also met about the Steelers’ HC job. That interview followed summits with the Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Falcons, Giants and Titans.
Minter was one of this cycle’s most popular names, and the Chargers look to have anticipated him leaving. L.A. began DC research recently, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. While DBs coach Steve Clinkscale has come up as a frontrunner to succeed Minter as the Bolts’ DC, the team will at least need to meet with one external minority candidate to constitute a search.
The Raiders were believed to have “heavy interest” in Minter, per insider Jordan Schultz. While Las Vegas has been tied to preferring an offensive HC, Minter came up Wednesday as the team’s top defensive option. But Minter canceled his Browns meeting after his second Ravens interview, following Mike McDaniel in bowing out of that search. That will add some more spice to the long-running Baltimore-Cleveland rivalry, as the Browns held him as a clear finalist.
Jim Harbaugh brought Minter with him from Ann Arbor in 2024, and the Chargers have ranked as a top-10 scoring defense each season. Minter restored a defense that was unable to take flight under Brandon Staley. The Bolts ranked first defensively in 2024 and ninth this season. The team did so despite minimal investments, as we discussed in September, on that side of the ball. Derwin James and Khalil Mack were the only Bolts defenders earning more than $6.5MM per year, and teams noticed Minter maximizing his talent.
The Ravens gave Minter his first NFL job, hiring him as a defensive assistant in 2017. That came after Minter served as Georgia State’s DC 2013-16. Previously, he was Indiana State’s DC for two seasons. The Sycamores hired Minter for that role at age 27, and he has steadily climbed the ladder since. The Ravens promoted Minter to assistant DBs coach in 2019 and DBs coach in 2020, when he served under Don Martindale.
Minter became Vanderbilt’s DC in 2021 before joining Jim Harbaugh for the same role at Michigan. The Wolverines steamrolled to a 15-0 national championship-winning season in 2023, and their defense — co-coordinated by Minter and Clinkscale — led Division I-FBS with 10.4 points allowed per game. Harbaugh gave Minter the nod at DC upon coming to L.A., and the Bolts completed a quick turnaround to book a wild-card spot. They repeated as a playoff team in 2025, and Minter — who did not draw any HC interviews on last year’s cycle — became a coveted candidate in 2026.
This is only the fourth HC hire in Ravens history, thanks to Brian Billick and John Harbaugh’s lengthy tenures. Baltimore fired Bill Belichick and hired Ted Marchibroda in 1996. This marks the first defense-based HC hire in franchise history, with Marchibroda and Billick coming from offensive backgrounds and Harbaugh a former special teams coordinator. Harbaugh lasted 18 seasons, but blown leads and repeated playoff shortcomings during the Lamar Jackson era keyed the end of his wildly successful run.
Minter will have big shoes to fill, but the Ravens have joined the Steelers in presenting a high floor. The Ravens lost more than 10 games in a season just once during Harbaugh’s time — the 2015 campaign that featured a season-ending Joe Flacco injury — and they have Jackson signed through the 2027 season.
Extension talks with the superstar quarterback are expected, and Jackson was believed to have provided input during the coaching search. The Ravens still have Kliff Kingsbury on their OC radar, according to Rapoport. Joe Brady, who also met about Baltimore’s HC position, is also believed to be a coordinator candidate. Brady, though, remains up for a promotion in Buffalo. He is also part of multiple HC searches. Five jobs remain open.
Kingsbury came up as a Ravens option shortly after Harbaugh’s ouster, and he interviewed for both the team’s HC and OC jobs. Considering the success Kingsbury had with Jayden Daniels in 2024, he would be an appealing staffer to pair with Jackson. It will also be interesting to see if this hire impacts Harbaugh’s ability to fill out his Giants staff, as Minter could be interested in retaining some assistants. Harbaugh already got to work dismantling the Giants’ staff Wednesday.
The Ravens still employ some defenders from Minter’s first Baltimore stint. Marlon Humphrey arrived during Minter’s first season, playing under the then-DBs coach, while Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington were 2020 draftees. The Ravens traded for two-year Minter pupil Alohi Gilman before the deadline. This hire would point to the team being interested in re-signing the ex-Chargers starter.
Entering the 2025 season having ranked below 10th defensively just once over the past nine seasons, the Ravens finished 18th in scoring defense and 24th in yardage. Minter will be tasked with restoring Baltimore to its upper-crust version. His OC hire will be critical, but the Ravens have employed HCs without offensive backgrounds throughout the Jackson and Flacco eras. Running the risk of losing play-callers is nothing new here, and unlike the 2008 Harbaugh hire, the Ravens will opt for familiarity rather than taking a chance on someone with no history with the franchise.
NFL Mailbag: McDermott, Saleh, Steelers
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag covers a number of coaching-related questions, including the Bills' change on the sidelines, the Steelers, Tennessee's late switch regarding its HC hire and more.
Jack asks:
Did the Bills make the right decision? McDermott's defenses consistently struggled in the playoffs. Do you think that was more on the coaching staff or were the shortcomings more on personnel?
I wasn’t entirely shocked to see McDermott let go. This year’s coaching cycle has been defined in large part by teams making a change because Super Bowl berths, rather than simply reaching the playoffs, is the expectation.
Cowboys Hire Christian Parker As DC
The Cowboys are hiring Eagles secondary coach and passing game coordinator Christian Parker as their next defensive coordinator, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The two sides agreed to a deal on Thursday afternoon, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Parker, 34, has spent the last two years in Philadelphia coaching a strong secondary featuring ascending cornerback duo Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. In 2024, the Eagles were the NFL’s best passing defense, and though they were not quite as dominant this season, they ranked eighth in yards and seventh in yards per attempt while allowing the fewest touchdowns. The Cowboys, in contrast, ranked 32nd in the first two categories and 31st in the third, which was one of the primary factors in firing their last defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus.
Parker’s arrival in Dallas completes an impressive ascension from Division II defensive assistant to NFL defensive coordinator. He began his coaching career in 2014 as a defensive backs coach at Virginia State and moved up to the same job at FCS Norfolk State in 2016. His first job with a major program came at Notre Dame as a defensive analyst in 2017; the following year, he took the same position at Texas A&M.
Having beefed up his college resume, Parker made the jump into the NFL as a defensive quality control coach under then-Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. (A stunning amount of former Pettine assistants are landing head coach and coordinator jobs this cycle.) He then moved to Denver where he played a key role in the development of future Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain.
In Dallas, Parker will be tasked with reforming one of the NFL’s worst defense from last season. Their stunning decision to trade Micah Parsons to the Packers did not just demolish the Cowboys’ pass rush, it severely hinder their run defense, too. Part of the return from that deal was Kenny Clark, who did not make a consistent impact. The same is true of Quinnen Williams after he arrived at the trade deadline. The team also parted ways with Trevon Diggs at the end of the season and needs to revamp their secondary, which was likely a major motivator in bringing in Parker.
Buccaneers Hire Zac Robinson As OC
The Buccaneers have landed on their new offensive coordinator. Zac Robinson is headed to Tampa Bay, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move is now official, per a team announcement.
This news will reunite Robinson with quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield made a “big push” for Tampa Bay to acquire Robinson, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds. Shortly after a follow-up interview with the Buccaneers, a deal has been struck.
Robinson was among not only the candidates who spoke once with the team for the OC gig but the finalists as well. He conducted a second interview yesterday, and Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports an agreement was reached late last night. After two years leading the Falcons‘ offense, Robinson will now take on the same responsibility in Tampa Bay.
Per Rapoport, senior offensive assistant Ken Zampese along with pass-game coordinator T.J. Yates are among the names to watch regarding Falcons staffers who could join Robinson with the Bucs. Nothing is official on that front at this time, but it is of course common for new hires to bring familiar faces with them when changing teams.
Leading up today’s news, Robinson’s future was unclear even though his Atlanta departure was expected. The Falcons cleaned house immediately after the end of the regular season, dismissing head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot. On Wednesday, it was learned new HC Kevin Stefanski is expected to bring Tommy Rees with him from Cleveland to Atlanta to handle offensive coordinator duties. That confirmed Robinson would be heading elsewhere during this year’s hiring cycle.
In addition to his Bucs interviews, Robinson met with the Lions and Eagles regarding their OC openings. Detroit’s vacancy has been filled, but Philadelphia’s list of candidates has now been thinned. Robinson will become the latest in an increasingly long line of coordinators tasked with leading Mayfield and Co. in Tampa Bay. Josh Grizzard became a one-and-done staffer in that role when he was fired following the end of the 2025 season.
Prior to Grizzard’s brief tenure, Liam Coen and Dave Canales were each in place for only one year. Both of them parlayed strong campaigns as a coordinator into head coaching opportunities. Stability would be welcomed at the OC spot for the Buccaneers, a team looking to bounce back from their highly underwhelming end to this season. Grizzard’s unit ranked 21st in total offense and 18th in scoring during his lone campaign leading it.
Robinson, 39, led Atlanta to a sixth-place finish in total offense during his first season in place. The Falcons regressed in a number of ways on offense in 2025, though, prompting the sweeping changes made throughout the organization. Prior to his Atlanta stint, Robinson spent five seasons with the Rams. That included his time as Los Angeles’ quarterbacks coach in 2022, the year in which Mayfield briefly played for Los Angeles. All parties involved will hope a reunion between the two will help bring Tampa Bay back into the postseason in 2026.
FBI Investigating Jim Irsay’s Death
An FBI investigation into the death of Colts owner Jim Irsay has begun. The investigation includes the doctor who provided Irsay with prescription pain pills and ketamine in the final months of his life, the Washington Post’s Will Hobson, Albert Samaha and Sam Fortier report.
A federal grand jury subpoena is seeking information on Irsay’s death, substance abuse and his relationship with Dr. Harry Haroutunian, according to the Post. The subpoena came down earlier this month from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles. Federal agents visited Indianapolis to interview some figures close to Irsay during his final years, but the Colts have not been contacted by FBI officials, according to ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder.
Irsay died at age 65 last May in Los Angeles. The death certificate indicated Irsay suffered cardiac arrest caused by pneumonia and heart issues. Overseeing Irsay’s treatment, Haroutunian signed the death certificate. No autopsy was performed, and no investigation from the Beverly Hills Police Department commenced.
An August report, however, indicated Irsay — who had battled an addiction to pain medication — relapsed. Irsay had said he’d overcome his addiction, but the Post reports the final months of his life involved him receiving opioid pills and ketamine injections from Haroutuian in amounts that “alarmed several people” close to Irsay.
The previous Post report revealed Haroutunian prescribed Irsay over 200 opioid pills in December 2023, and the report indicated the longtime Colts owner overdosed twice in in a 12-day span that month. Ketamine injections later became part of Haroutunian’s treatment.
“I dedicated 18 months of my life to try to care for him … as a brother, Haroutunian told the Post in August. “We did everything we could to make him as comfortable as possible.”
Ketamine use has been a controversial topic in recent years. The death of actor Matthew Perry led to five people involved in providing him with the drug, two doctors among them, facing criminal charges. Irsay was arrested on two misdemeanor drug charges after a traffic stop in March 2014. A toxicology report revealed the Indianapolis owner had oxycodone and hydrocodone in his system at the time of the OWI arrest. The NFL suspended Irsay for six games during the 2014 season and fined him $500K. Drug tests became part of Irsay’s legal situation in the wake of the arrest.
Irsay’s second December 2023 overdose left him hospitalized for a period of several months, the Post reports. The Colts had said a severe respiratory illness caused Irsay’s hospitalization. Irsay later offered a different explanation by saying he had back surgery. Haroutunian served as the owner’s physician throughout this period. Irsay’s daughters are now in charge of the Colts, with his oldest child — Carlie Irsay-Gordon — in place as the team’s principal owner.