Chargers, DT Teair Tart Agree To Extension
Teair Tart will be staying in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future. The veteran defensive tackle agreed to an extension on Monday, ESPN’s Kris Rhim reports. 
Tart was on track for free agency this March, but this deal ensures he will not reach the open market. According to Rhim, the sides have agreed to a three-year pact. The deal is worth a maximum of $37.5MM and includes $20MM guaranteed, a massive raise compared to Tart’s previous NFL contracts.
Over the course of his career, Tart has amassed roughly $13MM in earnings. His time with the Chargers has gone well to say the least, though, and a sizable commitment has now been made to demonstrate as much. The former UDFA spent his first four seasons in the AFC South, splitting his time between the Titans and Texans. Tart joined the Dolphins in 2024 but ended up being cut in August. That resulted in a low-cost Chargers deal.
During his first year playing under Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles, Tart handled a rotational role. He did enough to earn another one-year pact with the Bolts last offseason, with a notable bump in pay accompanying it. The FIU product secured $3.5MM guaranteed on his previous deal, one which set him up to handle a full-time starting role. Tart saw a career-high 49% snap share in 2025; he totaled 32 tackles, four pass deflections and one forced fumble along the way.
The 28-year-old was held without a sack in 2025 and has totaled just 3.5 over the course of his career. Tart will not expected to emerge as a major interior presence from a pass-rush perspective over the course of this contract, but he will be leaned on to remain an impactful contributor against the run. Los Angeles ranked eighth in that regard this season, and with Tart still in the fold expectations will be high for the team’s success to continue.
The Bolts recently lost defensive coordinator Jesse Minter when he became the new head coach of the Ravens. Tart loomed as a candidate to follow Minter to Baltimore in free agency, but given today’s news that will not be happening. The Chargers have made a number of draft investments along the defensive interior during recent years. Much of their core at that spot will remain intact, although Otto Ogbonnia‘s rookie contract is set to expire shortly. This Tart investment could point to a free agent departure in Ogbonnia’s case.
Eagles Conduct Frank Smith OC Interview; Team To Meet With Jerrod Johnson
The list of candidates for the Eagles’ offensive coordinator position has continued to grow. Two new Philadelphia targets have emerged for the role. 
The team has conducted an interview with Frank Smith for the OC gig, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Smith worked as the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator during head coach Mike McDaniel‘s tenure in Miami. Jeff Hafley is now in place, though, and he elected to promote Bobby Slowik to the OC role. That move confirmed Smith will be heading elsewhere during the 2026 hiring cycle.
The Eagles have primarily focused on candidates who have called plays before at the NFL level. McDaniel was Miami’s play-caller on offense, making this interview a deviation from Philadelphia’s targets to date. Smith, 44, has experience as an offensive line coach at the college and NFL levels, and he was a tights coach with two teams from 2015-20.
Philadelphia is also set to interview Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Johnson received an interview request from the Dolphins prior to their decision to promote Slowik to OC. A hire on this front would represent a reunion. Johnson and Nick Sirianni worked together in 2020 as members of the Colts’ staff. Johnson remained in Indianapolis one more year, then worked with the Vikings for one season. Since 2023, the 37-year-old has been Houston’s QBs coach.
While Smith and Johnson are new names to watch regarding the Eagles, one OC candidate is no longer in the running. Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle has withdrawn from Philadelphia’s search, Russini reports. Doyle’s first coordinator opportunity came about last winter when he joined Ben Johnson‘s staff. Johnson called plays on offense in 2025, and that will no doubt continue moving forward. Doyle received an interview request from the Eagles (the only team which reached out so far), but he will instead remain in Chicago.
In other Eagles OC news, Russini reports LSU offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. spoke with Philadelphia about the position. Weiss has also withdrawn from consideration, electing instead to remain in place on Lane Kiffin‘s staff. No other current college staffers have received any known interest from the Eagles to date.
Via PFR’s Coordinator Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where Philadelphia’s search stands:
- Klayton Adams, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interview request blocked
- Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator (Colts): Interview requested
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/20
- Declan Doyle, offensive coordinator (Bears): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Josh Grizzard, former offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): To interview
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): To interview
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/17
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview
- Matt Nagy, former offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/21
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed 1/16
- Bobby Slowik, senior pass-game coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/23
- Frank Smith, former offensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed
- Charlie Weis Jr., offensive coordinator (Ole Miss): Withdrew from search
Chargers Confirm Mike McDaniel OC Hire
Mike McDaniel will not take on a new head coaching position in 2026. After exploring options on that front over the past few days, the ex-Dolphins HC will indeed focus on his offensive coordinator agreement with the Chargers. 
The Bolts announced on Monday that McDaniel has officially joined the team. An agreement was reached last week which set him up to take on OC duties in Los Angeles. At the time, though, McDaniel was still a candidate for the head coaching gigs in Vegas and Baltimore. The Raiders have yet to make a hire, but one candidate has officially been removed from consideration.
The Bills are also among the four teams which still have a head coaching vacancy at this point. Buffalo was slated to interview McDaniel, but he withdrew from consideration on Saturday. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, McDaniel was hesitant about meeting with the Bills shortly after working out an arrangement with the Chargers.
As of this weekend, McDaniel was still expected to ultimately take the job with Los Angeles (h/t Dianna Russini of The Athletic). No deal was formally in place at the time, but that has now changed. The Chargers have their Greg Roman replacement in hand. Roman was fired immediately after Los Angeles lost in the wild-card round for the second straight year.
That decision came as little surprise given the Chargers’ struggles on offense during the playoffs under Roman. Nevertheless, it ensured head coach Jim Harbaugh would have someone else operating as his OC for the first time at the NFL level. McDaniel, 42, will certainly represent a notable change on the sidelines for Los Angeles as the team seeks improvement in efficiency.
At times during his Miami tenure, McDaniel guided a unit which thrived in a number of areas. The Dolphins posted a top-six finish in total offense in 2022 and ’23, the years in which Miami reached the postseason. Things did not go according to plan afterwards, with the team regressing in a number of categories. McDaniel is nevertheless regarded as one of the league’s top offensive minds.
That reputation was largely generated during a lengthy period which saw McDaniel work alongside Kyle Shanahan on multiple staffs. From 2017-21, he operated as a key figure in San Francisco. McDaniel was the 49ers’ run-game coordinator for four years before a single campaign in an OC role. That one did not include play-calling duties, but with the Chargers McDaniel will handle those responsibilities.
Several candidates interviewed with the Bolts for their offensive coordinator position, including three other former head coaches. In the end, though, the expected outcome has emerged with McDaniel heading to Los Angeles. His future head coaching stock will no doubt be tied in large part to his ability to maximize the potential of quarterback Justin Herbert and Co. moving forward.
Falcons Hire Craig Aukerman As Special Teams Coordinator
The Falcons have made another notable hire as Kevin Stefanski fills out his initial staff. Atlanta has brought in Craig Aukerman as special teams coordinator, per a team announcement. 
Over the course of his coaching career, Aukerman has primarily worked on special teams. He spent 2025 as the Dolphins’ STC, but once head coach Mike McDaniel was fired it became likely a change of scenery would be likely. Indeed, new HC Jeff Hafley hired Chris Tabor to serve as Aukerman’s replacement last week.
An NFL staffer since 2010, Aukerman has previously worked as an assistant special teams coordinator with the Jaguars and Titans. He led the way in Tennessee from 2018-23, during his second stint with the team. The 49-year-old also worked as a special teams coordinator with the Chargers in 2016 in addition to his Dolphins stint in the same capacity this past season. The Buccaneers interviewed him as part of their STC search.
Aukerman and Stefanski have never worked together, but there will be several familiar faces in Atlanta for 2026. As expected, Tommy Rees followed Stefanski from the Browns to the Falcons to serve as the team’s offensive coordinator. Bob Quinn has also made the same move. The Falcons announced Monday that Cleveland’s former senior personnel/coaching executive has been hired; Quinn’s new title will be senior advisor to the head coach.
In other staff news, the Falcons have also brought back Robert Prince as their new wide receivers coach. Prince’s lengthy coaching career saw him spend three years (2004-06) in Atlanta. He coached the team’s running backs, tight ends and quarterbacks over that time. Since then, Prince has largely operated as a WRs coach, something he did with the Dolphins in 2025.
While Stefanski has brought in a number of new staffers, there will be a degree of continuity as well. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was retained earlier this month, and several position coaches will also remain in place. The Falcons announced on Monday that defensive line coach Nate Ollie, secondary coach Justin Hood and tight ends coach Kevin Koger are each staying with the team for 2026.
Grant Udinski Withdraws From Browns’ HC Search, Reaches New Jags OC Agreement
Another candidate has taken himself out of contention for the Browns‘ ongoing head coaching search. Grant Udinski is no longer in the running to be hired by Cleveland. 
Udinksi has withdrawn from the Browns’ search, as first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Notably, he adds Udinski and the Jaguars have reached a new agreement. 2025 marked the first season for Udinski in Jacksonville, with him serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.
That position did not include play-calling duties, a responsibility head coach Liam Coen handled. Nevertheless, it represented another move up the ladder in Udinksi’s coaching career. The 30-year-old has only been an NFL staffer since 2020, spending two years with the Panthers and then three in Minnesota. Udinksi’s stock rose sharply during his Minnesota tenure, and it came as little surprise when he landed a coordinator opportunity last winter.
Jacksonville ranked sixth in scoring this season en route to a division title. Coen was of course a key figure in that success, but Udinkski helped his HC candidacy as well. A first opportunity to lead an NFL staff could still be coming. Per Garafolo, the Jags will allow Udinski to continue pursuing the Bills‘ HC opening. If a Buffalo hire does not take place, though, Jacksonville will have stability on the sidelines in 2026.
Mike McDaniel and Jesse Minter have also withdrawn from consideration in Cleveland’s case. McDaniel has an agreement in place with the Chargers to become their offensive coordinator, although he is not entirely out of the running for a head coaching gig at this point. Minter, meanwhile, was hired by the Ravens as their new HC last week. Udinski’s future is unclear at this point, but he will not be heading to Cleveland despite interviewing twice with the team.
The Browns have an internal candidate in the form of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Cleveland has also met with Todd Monken and Anthony Lynn in person. The Browns could arrange interviews with one or both of Nate Scheelhaase and Chris Shula now that the Rams’ season has ended. Given today’s news, it is increasingly clear a member of that group will emerge as the Browns’ eventual hire.
Philip Rivers Withdraws From Bills’ HC Search; Team To Interview Davis Webb
Philip Rivers did well in his recent head coaching interview with the Bills. It will not result in him being hired, however. 
The longtime NFL quarterback has withdrawn from consideration in Buffalo’s search, as first reported by Dianna Russini of The Athletic. As recently as yesterday, the Bills were reported to be giving “serious consideration” to a Rivers hire despite his lack of coaching experience. Instead, both parties will move in a different direction.
Once the regular season ended, Rivers confirmed his three-game cameo with the Colts late in the year represented his final action as a player. The potential for head coaching interest was immediately raised, although Buffalo is the only team which has interviewed him so far. Provided that remains the case, Rivers will likely return to coaching his eldest son’s high school team for the 2026 season.
The 44-year-old has coached at the high school level for four years. He has never held a position on any NCAA or NFL staff, something which would have made a head coaching hire a rather noteworthy one. Rivers’ football IQ and leadership qualities played a key role in his success as a player, and they could easily translate into a coaching career. Interest in his case during future hiring cycles will be something to watch for.
The Bills, meanwhile, will proceed with their search for Sean McDermott‘s replacement. A number of outside candidates have spoken with the team so far, while offensive coordinator Joe Brady looms as an option to be promoted to head coach. Buffalo was linked yesterday to interest in Davis Webb, who is currently in place with the Broncos but spent part of his playing career as a teammate of Josh Allen with the Bills.
Webb immediately turned his attention to coaching once his playing career ended following the 2022 season. He was a member of Sean Payton‘s initial Broncos staff in 2023, serving as the team’s quarterbacks coach. In 2025, the 31-year-old had pass-game coordinator added to his title. With the Broncos’ season having ended yesterday, Webb and his colleagues are free to speak with interested teams as the HC carousel continues to spin. Per Russini, Webb will indeed meet with the Bills this morning.
In the wake of today’s updates, here is where the Bills now 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): Interviewed 1/24
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview 1/23; withdrew from search
- Philip Rivers, former NFL quarterback: Interviewed 1/23; withdrew from search
- Grant Udinski, offensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed 1/25
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/24
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): To interview 1/26
Packers To Hire Jonathan Gannon As DC
The Packers recently lost defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley when he took the Dolphins’ head coaching position. The search for his replacement has come to an end.
Green Bay is hiring Jonathan Gannon to fill the DC position, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The former Cardinals head coach has thus managed to find a new opportunity not long after his Arizona firing. Gannon was one of three candidates known to have interviewed with the Packers. 
Interest in multiple D-coordinator openings was present in Gannon’s case. The Commanders interviewed him once, while the Cowboys conducted a follow-up with him last week. Gannon was also among the candidates who spoke with the Titans about their head coaching position, but a return to the DC ranks has long been expected in this case. Both the Chargers and Giants were interested in Gannon, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports. Green Bay moving quickly with this hire may have been a reaction to the threat of other DC offers being made shortly.
Gannon spent three seasons leading the Cardinals. Hired alongside general manager Monti Ossenfort to oversee a rebuilding effort, Arizona went 4-13 during his first year on the sidelines. The team’s win total doubled in 2024; that encouraging campaign saw the Cardinals in contention for a playoff berth for much of the season. A poor showing after the bye produced only a pair of wins down the stretch, however.
Expectations were high for Gannon’s team to at least match its success from the prior year entering 2025. Things did not go according to plan, however. Following a 2-0 start, the Cardinals lost five consecutive one-score games. A win coming out of the bye seemed to offer the potential for a turnaround, but as injuries across the roster piled up Arizona ended the year on a nine-game losing streak. Leading up to ‘Black Monday,’ it increasingly appeared as though Ossenfort would be safe while Gannon would be dismissed. That was indeed the path ownership took.
Prior to his Cardinals tenure, Gannon coordinated the Eagles’ defense for two years. Philadelphia ranked top 10 in yards allowed during the 2021 and ’22 seasons; the team improved from 18th to eighth in scoring defense under Gannon. With the Eagles reaching the Super Bowl during Gannon’s final year in Philadelphia, it came as little surprise when he received a head coaching opportunity. Expectations will no doubt be tempered if Gannon, 42, is to get another HC look in the future.
Upon returning to coordinator duties, however, Gannon could once again see quick success. Green Bay largely thrived on defense during Hafley’s two-year run leading the unit. Injuries midway through the 2025 campaign – highlighted of course by Micah Parsons‘ ACL tear – proved to be impactful, and the Packers struggled on defense through the end of the season and in the wild-card round. That did not stop Hafley from being among the top HC candidates during this year’s hiring cycle, and few were surprised when he followed Green Bay colleague Jon-Eric Sullivan to Miami.
Gannon had a lengthy track record of NFL coaching gigs prior to his Eagles coordinator opportunity. Much of that time was spent as a position coach working with defensive backs, and the secondary looms as a unit which could see considerable attention from the Packers this offseason. Gannon will be tasked with overseeing improvement on the back end in particular for Green Bay in 2026 as he takes charge of a defense for the second time in his career.
Jets Considering Frank Reich For OC Gig
Although Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand survived head coach Aaron Glenn’s mass dismissal of a large swath of his first coaching staff – which includes the midseason firing of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks – a change in Engstrand’s roles and responsibilities was anticipated. Connor Hughes of SNY.tv confirms that Glenn will indeed strip Engstrand of his offensive play-calling duties and will likely hire a new play-caller. 
One name that has been connected to the job (per Hughes) is Frank Reich, 64, who presently serves as a senior advisor for the Stanford football program (he was the school’s interim head coach in 2025). At the professional level, Reich most recently worked as the Panthers’ head coach.
His stint in Carolina was a forgettable one. He was hired in January 2023, but he did not make it through one season. With the Panthers having limped to a 1-10 record, and with then-rookie quarterback Bryce Young having struggled to quickly adapt to the NFL, Reich received his walking papers in November 2023.
That was the second consecutive year in which Reich suffered a midseason firing. He became the Colts’ head coach in 2018, and his first campaign on the job went fairly well. With Andrew Luck under center, Indianapolis posted a 10-6 mark and won its wildcard-round matchup with the Texans before falling to the Chiefs in the divisional round. Of course, Luck surprisingly announced his retirement shortly before the 2019 campaign got underway, and that set off a quarterback carousel from which the Colts are still trying to extricate themselves (although they hope Daniel Jones may be able to stop the spinning).
Reich and 39-year-old Philip Rivers did lead the Colts back to the playoffs in 2020, though the team was ousted by the Bills in that season’s wildcard round. Perhaps the biggest blemish of Reich’s Indianapolis tenure came in 2021, when his club was eliminated from playoff contention on the last day of the regular season by virtue of a stunning loss to the 2-14 Jaguars. After a 3-5-1 start to the 2022 slate, Reich was fired.
Following his Carolina dismissal the following year, Reich said he was unlikely to coach in the NFL again. It remains to be seen if he is even interested in the Jets’ opportunity, but it sounds as if Glenn is at least interested in exploring the possibility.
In Engstrand’s first season at the offensive controls, New York finished 29th in yards and points. Reich, who served as the Chargers’ OC from 2014-15 and the Eagles’ OC in 2016-17, would at least bring more experience to the job. His NFL coaching tenure dates back to 2008. Internal play-calling options will be considered by Glenn as he fills the offensive coordinator position, but Reich could emerge as an outside contender for the gig.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Cowboys Block Eagles From OC Interview With Klayton Adams
The Eagles are currently on the search for their next offensive coordinator after parting ways with Kevin Patullo following his first year in the role. They’ve spread their search pretty far and wide with over nine interviews requested so far, but it seems their reach fell just short in one rival city. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Philadelphia requested to interview Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams for the same role with the Eagles but saw their request blocked by Dallas. 
It’s true that teams are allowed to block other teams from hiring away coaches under contract with them in what would be a lateral move elsewhere. It’s fairly common and fully justifiable. There is a slight change in thinking sometimes, though, when it comes to the responsibility of calling plays. While Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni both come from offensive backgrounds, Schottenheimer calls the offensive plays in Dallas, while Sirianni trusts that role to his offensive coordinator.
Typically, if an offensive coordinator currently serves under a head coach who calls plays for the offense, it is not necessarily considered a lateral move to interview for a job elsewhere in which they would have the opportunity to call plays. The organization usually allows for interviews like that to occur. For instance, Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher (under play-calling head coach Zac Taylor) was permitted to interview with the Buccaneers, where defensive-minded Todd Bowles serves as head coach. In Tennessee, Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich (under play-calling head coach Matt LaFleur) was permitted to interview with the Titans, under defensive-minded Robert Saleh.
The Eagles also requested interviews with current coordinators on the Colts and Bears, knowing that Shane Steichen and Ben Johnson both call the offensive plays for their respective teams. Both requests were reportedly granted, so Philadelphia should soon be able to schedule their eighth and ninth interviews for the offensive coordinator position. Of all the teams not replacing head coaches who saw requests to interview their offensive coordinator who currently does not get to call plays, the Cowboys are the only team to have blocked the requested interview.
Now, this could be plainly due to a fierce divisional rivalry, with strategy provoking a “hands off” response. The other possibility is that the Cowboys truly value Adams and what he brings to an offense that finished with the second-most yards gained in the NFL and the seventh-most points scored. Surely, at some point in his career, Adams will want to earn his wings as an offensive coordinator at some point with the opportunity to call plays, but as someone who has spent most of his career coaching tight ends and offensive line and has never called plays before, he may not quite be ready for that role.
So, for now, Adams will continue to work in his role for the Cowboys with Schottenheimer calling plays for one of the league’s most potent offenses. The Eagles will have to continue searching elsewhere for their next offensive coordinator and play caller.
Giants To Hire Dennard Wilson As DC
John Harbaugh‘s Giants staff had a number of vacancies entering the weekend. One of the most important positions is now being filled, though. 
Dennard Wilson is set to join New York as the team’s new defensive coordinator, as first reported by Mike Garafolo, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Wilson has worked with Harbaugh in the past. It thus came as no surprise when he was confirmed earlier today as a finalist for the gig.
The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor named Wilson as a finalist for the Giants on Sunday afternoon. The was also true of Broncos defensive backs coach Jim Leonhard and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. In the end, Wilson has lined up a new opportunity shortly after it was confirmed he would not return to the Titans in 2026.
Tennessee’s head coaching search resulted in Robert Saleh being hired. Neither Wilson nor Nick Holz was retained, leaving both coordinators on the lookout for a new opportunity. Wilson interviewed with the Chargers and Commanders for their DC vacancies. Interestingly, he had not yet taken part in an interview with the Giants entering Sunday. Nevertheless, Wilson represents a familiar face for Harbaugh given their previous time together.
In 2023, Wilson worked under Harbaugh as the Ravens’ defensive backs coach. He joined Baltimore’s staff after a two-year Eagles tenure which helped his coordinator stock. In 2024, Brian Callahan hired Wilson, 43, to take on DC duties with the Titans. Scoring totals were an issue during both of Wilson’s two Tennessee campaigns, although the team ranked No. 2 in yards allowed during his first year in place.
The Giants will obviously look for a repeat of that showing from Wilson. Shane Bowen was fired by Brian Daboll during the 2025 campaign shortly before his own dismissal. The defensive coordinator spot has faced uncertainty since, but once the team’s full-throttle efforts to hire Harbaugh succeeded it became clear several ex-Ravens staffers would receive consideration for numerous positions. Wilson fits the bill, although his work as an NFL coach dates back to 2012 and largely includes work outside of Baltimore.
The Giants struggled in several defensive categories despite their free agent investments in the secondary last spring and other moves such as the selection of edge rusher Abdul Carter third overall in the draft. Carter improved late in the year, but further development in his case and many others will be needed if New York is to meet Harbaugh’s stated goal of reaching the playoffs during his first season at the helm. Wilson will be tasked with overseeing the team’s defense for at least that initial campaign.