John Harbaugh Expected To Become Giants’ Next HC Pending Finalized Agreement
It appears the first domino in this year’s head coaching hiring cycle is tumbling over. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, John Harbaugh and the Giants are “working to finalize an agreement to make him New York’s next head coach.” Barring any setbacks, the deal is expected to happen as Schefter claims that “Harbaugh is ready to accept the Giants’ deal, and the team is expected to hire him as soon as possible.” 
Schefter made sure to make room for such a setback, nothing that “the deal is not final, and contract numbers still are being negotiated,” citing a source who claimed that “there still is a lot to work through.” Nothing’s certain until i’s are dotted and t’s crossed, but SportsNet New York’s Connor Hughes and Paul Schwartz of The New York Post both appear confident enough in the direction things are heading to say in some form or fashion that the Giants got their guy.
Harbaugh had an appointment set in the morning to meet with the Titans at his home for an in-person interview and later intended to do the same with the Falcons, but it appears that is no longer the case. With Harbaugh’s attention shifting now to hammering out the details of his new contract with the Giants, competing teams have been informed of his decision, likely meaning that those plans to meet have been cancelled.
Even before the moment Harbaugh became available following his dismissal after 18 years in Baltimore, the Giants were deeply interested in the prospect of him becoming their next head coach. After he was officially let go, New York immediately made it known that he was the frontrunner, in their eyes, to replace Brian Daboll in the position. What ensued was a full-court press starting from Day 1, as the next day, reports indicated that the franchise was “all-in” on landing the 62-year-old’s services.
After getting let go so unexpectedly, Harbaugh intended to take his time as the NFL’s most eligible bachelor. He took the week to gather information from interested parties but made it known that he didn’t intend to start doing any interviews until the following week. While the Falcons were the first team to officially interview Harbaugh, getting to him virtually, the Giants were close on their heels and the first to make contact in-person whenever he finally did make himself available. Board director and senior player personnel executive Chris Mara met Harbaugh for lunch the Sunday before the week began.
The Falcons, Giants, and Titans were all listed as initial frontrunners in the race to land Harbaugh’s signature. Atlanta’s new president of football Matt Ryan had a surprising connection with Harbaugh that drew his interest in that direction. In Tennessee, a young first-round quarterback overflowing with potential and surrounded by an incredible amount of cap space made the Titans an attractive option, as well. New York, though, continued to press Harbaugh with promises of everything he could want: salary, roster control, a young first-round quarterback of their own, filled with potential.
This morning, it was announced that New York, the most aggressive team in this pursuit, would be hosting Harbaugh with in-person interviews with the Titans and Falcons to follow. It all started with team co-owner Steve Tisch sending his private plane to fly Harbaugh to New Jersey. What followed was an over-five-hour tour that allowed Harbaugh to meet with quarterback Jaxson Dart, the team’s other co-owner John Mara, general manager Joe Schoen, and several other members of the team’s front office. Harbaugh was even bombarded with phone calls from notable Giants alumni, including former quarterback Eli Manning, former head coach Tom Coughlin, and even recently fired coach Daboll, who “raved about his experience in the organization.”
Hughes pointed out that lots of offseason talk seemed to indicate that Schoen’s presence in New York would be a deterrent for a top coaching prospect like Harbaugh, but Schoen appears to be a major part of this potential deal getting this far. Schoen notably assured Harbaugh that he’s willing to cede some power for personnel decision-making to allow the head coach to have more say in roster decisions.
At the end of their day together, Harbaugh boarded his flight home to Baltimore, where he expected to be leaving for soon to meet with Tennessee in the morning. However, the Giants opted to step up their full-court press with an all-out blitz in the final moments. They gave their final pitches, made their best offers, and stalled Harbaugh’s plane for about two hours, making a major push to land their white whale. Ultimately, Harbaugh departed on that plane without having agreed to anything, but vibes in the building were still extremely positive in the wake of his departure. 
It appears the full-court press did not end there, though, as these most recent reports broke to indicate Harbaugh would withdrawing himself from consideration from other jobs to work towards finalizing a deal with New York. NFL insider Jordan Schultz claims the team will end up putting Harbaugh among the highest-paid coaches in NFL history, while Hughes notes that the team’s investment doesn’t stop there. The Giants are reportedly sparing no expense as they’ve reportedly promised Harbaugh “the budget he needs to round out his staff as he sees fit.”
The Giants swung for the fences in their pursuit of Harbaugh, at times being embarrassingly forward in making their intentions known, but it all seems to be paying off, and it’s clear why they tried so hard. After having Coughlin lead the team for 12 years, the team ran through Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge, and Daboll over the next 10. According to Hughes, following the dismissal of Daboll, Schoen and the team made a list of traits they were looking for in their next head coach that required them to be a leader of men, capable of captivating the locker room and rallying players, and capable of restoring accountability amongst the players and staff. They have to feel good about how many boxes Harbaugh checks off there.
As for Harbaugh, he was dismissed from team full of talent that continues to struggle to find its full potential; ESPN’s Jamison Hensley notes that Giants aren’t scheduled to meet the Ravens until the 2028 NFL season, by the way. He now finds himself on another team rife with talent. On the shoulders of Dart, running back Cam Skattebo, wide receiver Malik Nabers, offensive tackle Andrew Thomas, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, and defensive ends Brian Burns and Abdul Carter, the Giants feel like they have a group of cornerstone franchise players, and it now looks like they have a coach to lead them.
Oregon QB Dante Moore Will Not Enter 2026 NFL Draft
Quarterback Dante Moore will not enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Moore announced on Wednesday that he will return to Oregon for his junior season.
This is a major blow to teams aiming to use a high pick on a quarterback in this year’s draft. Before Moore decided to stay in school, he and Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning signal-caller, Fernando Mendoza, were considered locks to go near the top of the draft. With Moore out of the picture, Mendoza is undoubtedly the No. 1 option heading into the proceedings. It seems likely the Raiders will take him first overall.
The Jets (second), Cardinals (third) and Browns (sixth) are other clubs that could conceivably choose a QB in the top 10, but the likelihood of that has decreased with Moore remaining at Oregon. Moore’s NIL valuation checks in at approximately $2.3MM, per On3. That surely made it easier for Moore to delay his NFL career, though he may be leaving a substantial amount of money on the table for the time being. Regardless, the 20-year-old could benefit from further seasoning at the college level.
Before jumping to the pros in 2027, Moore will aim to build on a breakout campaign in which he completed 71.8% of passes and threw for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Moore guided Oregon to a 13-2 record, but Mendoza’s Hoosiers ended the Ducks’ season with a 56-22 blowout in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Moore, whom ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranked as the second-best prospect in this year’s class, may end up as part of a deeper group of draft-eligible QBs next year. Texas’ Arch Manning and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers represent other potential high picks in 2027. Meanwhile, it’s unknown if any QBs other than Mendoza will come off the board in the first round this year. Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Mississippi’s Trinidad Chambliss, who now round out Kiper’s top three prospects at the position, are among names to watch. Unfortunately for teams in dire need of a franchise QB, neither looks like a slam-dunk first-rounder right now.
Teams Contact Steelers On Mike Tomlin’s Rights; Tomlin Not Planning To Coach In 2026
As the Saints’ Sean Payton situation reminded earlier this decade, a coach stepping away while under contract can be valuable to a team. New Orleans fetched first- and second-round picks from Denver in a 2023 trade for Payton’s rights. The Steelers will be in a similar position after Mike Tomlin‘s exit.
Teams are already seeing if a Tomlin trade is viable. Clubs have reached out to the Steelers following Tomlin’s decision to resign, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Calls came in hours after Tomlin’s exit, and while this process should be relevant in the not-too-distant future, Rapoport indicates the interested teams were told Tomlin is not planning to coach in 2026.
[RELATED: Art Rooney II Addresses Steelers’ Post-Tomlin Situation]
One interested team was told Tuesday Tomlin was not planning to take an interview, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson tweets. It appears that view may apply to the full 2026 market. Tomlin gave Art Rooney II no indication (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac) he plans to coach in the near future, potentially tabling any trade market for multiple offseasons.
Tomlin, 53, is believed to have drawn interest from CBS, ESPN, FOX and NBC for an analyst role. Two years remain on Tomlin’s Steelers contract, something that would need to be revisited if/when Tomlin wants to coach again.
The Steelers have seen this scenario play out before. Bill Cowher walked away after the 2006 season, heading to CBS. Cowher, however, remains with the network nearly two decades later. Cowher was 49 when he stepped down after 15 years as Steelers HC. Tomlin was believed to have having thoughts about walking away before the 2025 season began, and his quick exit following Pittsburgh’s wild-card loss to Houston all but confirmed this has been on the longtime leader’s mind for a while.
A report before the Steelers’ wild-card game indicated TV interest had emerged, with Tomlin having a standing invite from networks if he decided to leave coaching. It will be interesting to see where Tomlin lands. Payton joined FOX shortly after his Saints exit, but rumors about his 2023 destination swirled over the ensuing months. Payton became a coveted coaching commodity on the 2023 carousel, eventually ending up with the Broncos. Payton, 59 when hired in Denver, has led the Broncos to back-to-back playoff berths. His team will debut in these playoffs as the No. 1 seed Saturday.
It took less of a trade package for the Buccaneers to land one-and-done CBS game analyst Bruce Arians in 2019. Tampa Bay sent Arizona a sixth-round pick and collected a seventh in return for the then-66-year-old HC’s rights. Tomlin would fetch more in a swap. While he does not bring a play-calling acumen Payton did, the quotable ex-Steelers leader established one of the highest floors in coaching history by going 19 years without a losing season. Tomlin ventured to 13 playoff brackets, won eight AFC North titles and appeared in two Super Bowls. The Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII, giving Tomlin a strong chance at the Hall of Fame down the road.
While the Steelers could have a chance to recoup notable draft capital for Tomlin’s rights — possibly as soon as 2027 — they must conduct their first coaching search in 19 years. Brian Flores, who stopped through Pittsburgh in 2022 as Tomlin gave him a rebound opportunity as linebackers coach (with his discrimination lawsuit in its early stages), has come up as a name to monitor. The Steelers also looked into Marcus Freeman, but he is staying at Notre Dame.
Rams DC Chris Shula came up as a connected name in Pittsburgh as well, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Shula, 39, has received interview requests from the Cardinals, Ravens, Raiders, Dolphins, Giants and Titans thus far. The popular candidate could be added in Pittsburgh soon, but no requests have come out. The Steelers have traditionally gone young with their HCs, hiring Tomlin and Cowher at 34.
Steelers Request HC Interviews With Jesse Minter, Brian Flores, Anthony Weaver
The Steelers continue adding candidates in their search for a new head coach. They’ve requested interviews with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Vikings D-coordinator Brian Flores and Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, per reports from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
Looking for a replacement for Mike Tomlin, whose 19-year run with the franchise ended Tuesday, the Steelers previously sent out interview requests for Rams assistants Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase. Aside from Scheelhaase, all of the Steelers’ early candidates come with a defensive background. The same was true of Tomlin when the Steelers hired him in January 2007.
Minter doesn’t have any head coaching experience, but his strong work as an assistant has made him a hot commodity across the league. All nine teams with a head coaching vacancy have either requested an interview or have conducted one with the 42-year-old, who has effectively teamed with Jim Harbaugh over the past few seasons.
Minter was Harbaugh’s D-coordinator at Michigan from 2022-23. He followed Harbaugh to the Chargers after a national championship-winning campaign with the Wolverines. The Chargers’ defense has ranked near the top of the league in back-to-back seasons under Minter. The unit finished 2024 first in scoring and 11th in yards, and it ranked ninth in scoring and fifth in yards this season.
Flores, who went 24-25 as the Dolphins’ head coach from 2019-21, was on Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh in 2022. He served as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach that year. Flores then left to run the Vikings’ defense, a group that finished 2025 third in yards and seventh in points. Flores’ contract is now up after three successful seasons, but head coach Kevin O’Connell has made it known that retaining him is a high priority. However, the Vikings will have to fend off teams that consider Flores a head coaching candidate and others that want him as a defensive coordinator.
Weaver has already held head coaching interviews with the Cardinals, Falcons and Ravens in the past week. A former defensive lineman with the Ravens and Texans from 2002-08, Weaver has coached with those two teams and the Jets, Bills, Browns and Dolphins since 2012. He was the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator from 2024-25, but with head coach Mike McDaniel out, Weaver’s future in Miami is uncertain. Even if the 45-year-old doesn’t leave the Dolphins for a head coaching job, he could be an assistant elsewhere in 2026.
WR Adam Thielen Announces Retirement
Retirement rumors followed Adam Thielen in 2025, and the veteran wide receiver will indeed step away from the game. The 13-year vet announced his retirement Wednesday following a late-season Steelers cameo.
Suiting up with Pittsburgh after a waiver claim, Thielen was with three teams in 2025. The Panthers traded Thielen to the Vikings in August, giving the accomplished pass catcher a chance to return home to a team attempting to follow up its 14-3 campaign with another playoff berth. As that fizzled, Thielen wound up on a postseason-bound club after the Steelers claimed his contract in December.
Once Minnesota moved on, it became known Thielen would retire after the season. He played an auxiliary role in the Steelers’ loss to the Texans on Monday night, catching two passes for 25 yards. Thielen also posted a 1,000-yard season as a Panther in 2023. But he will be best remembered for his contributions in his home state.
Playing 11 seasons with the Vikings, Thielen ranks in the top five in receptions, yardage and touchdown catches with the franchise. His 55 TD grabs as a Viking trail only Cris Carter and Randy Moss in team history. For his career, Thielen caught 64 touchdown passes, adding nine with Carolina. No additional scores came with Pittsburgh, but the former UDFA did carve out a role as Aaron Rodgers searched for tertiary targets alongside D.K. Metcalf.
Starring at Division II Minnesota State, Thielen became one of the most unlikely wide receiver success stories by catching on with the Vikings after a rookie minicamp tryout. Following a 2013 redshirt year of sorts, Thielen became a key player during the Mike Zimmer seasons. After finishing with fewer than 150 receiving yards in 2014 and ’15, Thielen erupted for 967 during Sam Bradford‘s 2016 Minnesota season and sustained that momentum after that year. Thielen eclipsed 1,200 yards in 2017 and ’18, topping out with a career-high 1,373 in Kirk Cousins‘ Vikes debut, and saw his first stint with the franchise last through the 2022 season.
The Vikings gave Thielen two extensions during his initial Twin Cities tenure. Minnesota re-upped Thielen on a four-year, $19.25MM extension in 2017 — after the team had applied a second-round RFA tender. That proved to be incredibly team-friendly, and the Vikings returned to the table to give their then-Stefon Diggs complement a four-year, $64.8MM deal in 2019. The Vikings had both Thielen and Diggs on big-ticket deals in 2019, but they traded the mercurial standout to the Bills in March 2020. Minnesota then added Justin Jefferson as its lead option, but Thielen remained an essential piece in the Cousins-piloted offense.
Thielen combined for 24 TD receptions over Jefferson’s first two seasons, helping Cousins to big numbers (as the QB signed two Vikes extensions). After Kevin O’Connell‘s first season produced a 13-win showing, the Vikings released Thielen upon being unable to agree on a reworked contract. A nice market formed for the street free agent, and the Panthers ponied up $25MM over three years to give their to-be-determined No. 1 overall pick (eventually Bryce Young) a veteran to target. While Carolina missed on some investments during Scott Fitterer‘s final year as GM, Thielen totaled 1,014 receiving yards to lead the woeful 2023 Panthers edition by a wide margin.
Rebuffing trade interest in Thielen in 2024, the Panthers reworked his contract this past year but eventually relented on a trade. They sent Thielen back to Minnesota in a deal that brought a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2026 fifth to Carolina. Thielen being active for more than 10 games in 2025 triggered a condition on the Vikings’ side of the trade; that bumped the 2026 pick Minnesota received to a sixth-rounder. The Vikes also collected a 2027 seventh in the late-summer swap.
Thielen’s second Vikings stint did not offer much of consequence, as Minnesota fell out of contention during a rocky J.J. McCarthy debut season. Thielen surpassed his Minnesota 2.0 output (eight receptions) by catching 11 passes in just five Steelers regular-season games.
John Harbaugh Leaves New York Without Deal; Titans Set For Tomorrow
10:30pm: Hours after Harbaugh departed from New York with intentions of meeting with the Titans in Baltimore tomorrow morning, Paul Schwartz of The New York Post reports that “all signs point to John Harbaugh becoming the next head coach of the Giants.” No official reports from either party have indicated that Schwartz’s report is accurate, but it appears the first big domino of the head coach hiring cycle could be falling fairly soon. Hughes of SportsNet New York expects a decision to be made by the end of the weekend.
9:03pm: Former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh met with the Giants today, and despite the team’s best efforts, he went home without having signed a contract. New York doesn’t seem too discouraged, though, as the general media takeaway is that it was a very good visit, and it would’ve been a shock to see Harbaugh deviate from his established plan to meet with multiple teams. Instead, we’ll see Harbaugh do just that, as he is set to meet with the Titans tomorrow, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. 
Per Ralph Vacchiano, the team flew Harbaugh out to New Jersey on team co-owner Steve Tisch‘s private plane early this morning. After touching down, Harbaugh was given a tour of the facility where he spent over five hours meeting with Tisch and fellow co-owner John Mara, as well as general manager Joe Schoen and other members of the team’s front office. And it was a good thing Harbaugh had done his homework on rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, because he got to meet the 22-year-old as part of the team’s all-out pitch.
Vacchiano also mentions that the team made it clear they were willing to offer him “almost anything he wants.” As a franchise, they made the decision to make the most of their shot by “going for broke.” Their intentions were to convince Harbaugh that the Giants are the best franchise for him, with Schoen assuring him that he’s willing to cede some power for personnel decision-making over the potential head coach. Additionally, Harbaugh spent time on the phone with “several prominent Giants alumni,” including former quarterback Eli Manning and former head coach Tom Coughlin. Even Brian Daboll, who was the one that vacated the seat Harbaugh is now vying for, called Harbaugh and “raved about his experience in the organization.”
The Giants made it known that while Harbaugh’s demands have been “significant,” they “don’t seem to be too extensive.” In fact, they metaphorically pulled out the check book tonight to let him know that they are willing to meet his asking price and even shell out for a top-quality staff beneath him. Per Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York made “a massive push” to try and get a deal with Harbaugh done today. The plot thickened as the evening wore on and Harbaugh’s ride home remained parked in New Jersey as the Giants blitzed Harbaugh in an attempt to land a signature before he left. Ultimately, Harbaugh’s plane did depart for Baltimore, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, as the free agent left without committing.
Harbaugh spurning the Giants’ best efforts doesn’t necessarily reflect badly on New York. As Mike Garafolo of NFL Network pointed out, Harbaugh’s insistence on meeting with multiple teams was always a part of his plan and is just the process playing out. Now Tennessee decision-makers will fly out tomorrow morning to meet Harbaugh on his turf, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor disclosed his understanding that New York could be the only team facility that Harbaugh intends to visit, with the remaining meetings set to happen at his home in Baltimore. O’Connor’s colleague at The Athletic, Dan Duggan, posited that it’s hard “to imagine taking a job like this without stepping foot in the building,” so New York’s ability to get him onsite may already put them at a huge advantage.
Regardless, Harbaugh will continue his process with the Titans tomorrow in Baltimore. As Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated points out, even before today, Harbaugh has been extremely thorough in vetting the current openings, and he has all the leverage at the moment that allows him to be patient. As for the Giants, they’ve been understanding of his process, and despite the fact that he left today without a contract, NFL insider Jordan Schultz claims “there’s no panic” in the building.
Steelers’ Art Rooney II Addresses Situation Post-Tomlin
In the aftermath of head coach Mike Tomlin‘s departure from Pittsburgh, Steelers owner/president Art Rooney II made some things clear from the team’s perspective. One such item made clear, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was that Tomlin was not in danger of losing his job with he stepped down. Rooney expressed that he was willing “to take another run at it” with Tomlin next season, which he had expected to discuss with the long-time head coach before his resignation. 
Despite his desire to run it back with Tomlin in 2026, Rooney asserted that he made no attempts to talk Tomlin out of his decision. “I did not,” Rooney said in response to the question, according to Mark Maske of The Washington Post. “He was pretty clear about what his intentions were…We had a great conversation, and I understand where he was.”
Mike DeFabo of The Athletic added on that part of the reason Rooney declined to push back on Tomlin’s decision was because the owner framed it to the media as a “family-driven” exit. It had already been reported about the near future, but DeFabo’s wording stated that “Tomlin does not plan on coaching again anytime soon.”
Moving forward, Rooney and general manager Omar Khan will reportedly be leading the search for Tomlin’s replacement, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. The pair ruled out a number of candidates fairly quickly as Rooney told the media that he didn’t “expect anyone on the current staff” to be a candidate to step into the open head coaching role, per DeFabo. Realistically, this would only apply to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, and we can probably just narrow it down to Smith since he’s been rumored as a candidate in New York, had an interview requested with the Cardinals, and interviewed with the Titans.
Another aspect of the future affected by Tomlin’s exit, in the eyes of Rooney, is the team’s quarterback position. After Aaron Rodgers led the team to the playoffs in his first year with the team, there was some speculation that the 42-year-old passer would be running back as Pittsburgh’s quarterback for the 2026 season. The other option the veteran is reportedly considering is one in which he hangs up his cleats for good. As Rooney puts it (via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated), “Aaron came here to play for Mike, so I think it’ll most likely affect his decision.”
Even if his starting quarterback departs along with his head coach, though, it doesn’t appear as if Rooney is expecting to blow things up further. He looks to carry on Tomlin’s moniker of “the standard is the standard,” expecting the next head coach and quarterback to pick up where Tomlin and Rodgers left off. When asked if the team could enter a “rebuild” phase, he pushed back on that notion, saying he didn’t “like that word” and that he couldn’t understand why anyone would “waste a year of your life not trying to contend,” per Pryor.
Instead, Rooney and Khan will hit the ground running to try and find Tomlin’s replacement while righting the ship in direction that hopefully leads to the franchise’s first playoff win in 10 years.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/14/26
More teams signed players to reserve/futures deals on Wednesday:
Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeles Chargers
New Orleans Saints
- DE Myles Cole
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
- LS Cal Adomitis, DT Kyler Baugh, WR Cole Burgess, DE Anthony Goodlow, S Daequan Hardy, S Jack Henderson, DE K.J. Henry, RB Max Hurleman, G Steven Jones, RB Lew Nichols, WR John Rhys Plumlee, LB Julius Welschof, T Aiden Williams
San Francisco 49ers
Browns Request HC Interview With Rams DC Chris Shula
The Browns are expected to request an interview with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula for their head coaching vacancy.
Shula, 39, has become one of the most popular candidates in this offseason’s hiring cycle. He has received interview requests from every team except the Falcons and seems to be headed for a top job in the next few years.
He has spent the last eight years under Sean McVay in Los Angeles, starting as an assistant linebackers coach and eventually rising to defensive coordinator in 2024. The Rams defense has not been statistically elite under Shula, but the unit made clear improvements from 2024 to 2025. He has also been instrumental in developing the team’s core four pass rushers: outside linebackers Byron Young and Jared Verse and defensive tackles Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. That experience aligns with the Browns’ current roster, and a team that seems to be headed for another full reset may want an exciting young coach to lead that effort.
Shula’s time in Los Angeles has given him an up-close look at one of the league’s most popular offenses, giving him unique insight on how to stop McVay-style systems. Shula also has relationships with other McVay lieutenants, which will help him build his staff, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
In addition to working with one of the most successful modern coaches in McVay, Shula is also connected to one of the greatest coaches in league history. He is the grandson of legendary coach Don Shula, who led the Dolphins to an undefeated season in 1972. While that name will not be a deciding factor in any hiring decision, it will still be appreciated by owners and executives who crossed paths with the elder Shula during his career.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/14/26
Here’s are Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:
Houston Texans
- Signed: S Brandon Hill
- Released: T Jaylon Thomas
New England Patriots
- Signed: DE Darrell Taylor
- Released: RB Elijah Mitchell
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Darrick Forrest, TE Hayden Rucci
- Released: WR Javon Baker
The Patriots added an experienced pass rusher to their taxi squad today. Taylor, a second-round pick for the Seahawks in 2020, racked up 21.5 sacks in his first three seasons of NFL ball, but he didn’t see the same success in his fourth year after getting traded to the Bears. Injuries would limit him in Chicago and Houston, where he signed following the expiration of his rookie deal, as he only appeared in four games with the Texans this season. He now arrives in New England when Mike Vrabel and Co. are making a strong playoff push after a surprising one-year turnaround.