Cardinals Expected To Conduct Second HC Interview With Klint Kubiak

The NFL is down to two head coaching vacancies. Both may remain unfilled until Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has the chance to conduct a follow-up interview in each case.

Kubiak is scheduled to meet with the Raiders for a second time on Saturday. The same will likely be true of the Cardinals. Arizona is expected to arrange an in-person Kubiak meeting, ESPN’s Peter Schrager reports. According to colleague Jeremy Fowler, both interviews are expected to take place on Saturday. Dianna Russini of The Athletic adds candidates for each position have been informed at least one more interview with another target will be taking place, a likely reference to Kubiak.

Per Fowler, Kubiak is currently believed by some to be the leading candidate regarding the searches in Arizona and Las Vegas. The Raiders have seen a pair of candidates withdraw from their search as it has unfolded. The team spoke with the likes of Joe Brady, Jeff Hafley, Jesse Minter and Brian Daboll, but they have each taken jobs elsewhere around the NFL.

That leaves Kubiak as a name to watch closely. Since he already met virtually with both the Cardinals and Raiders, he is free to conduct a follow-up before the Super Bowl. Arizona has been linked to a longer list of finalists than Vegas, with a Ron Rivera interview taking place on Tuesday. A number of experienced staffers such as Rivera and Vance Joseph have been linked to the opening.

In recent days, Mike LaFleur has been named as the frontrunner for the Cardinals’ HC gig. With the Rams’ season having ended, he is free to accept an offer at any time. Arizona will at least speak with Kubiak before making a decision, though. Like the Raiders, the Cardinals are aiming to rebound from a three-win season. Their HC hire will of course be key in shaping the franchise’s direction over the coming years.

Kubiak, 38, has been an NFL staffer all but one year dating back to 2013. A Vikings and Broncos staffer multiple times, he has held important roles in both organizations (including offensive coordinator with Minnesota). Following a one-year stint with the 49ers, Kubiak guided the Saints’ offense in 2024. Sweeping changes in New Orleans led him to Seattle last year, and things have certainly gone well this season. Sam Darnold‘s first Seahawks campaign has been highly successful to say the least, something which has helped Kubiak’s stock continue to rise.

The Seahawks’ Super Bowl preparation will continue today and tomorrow. In Kubiak’s case, though, that process will be paused on Saturday. No official hire will be possible until after the championship game, of course, but an agreement with either the Cardinals or Raiders could be worked out shortly.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/24/26

Here are today’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Conference Championship teams not covered in larger posts:

Los Angeles Rams

Seattle Seahawks

Following a season-ending ACL tear to RB2 Zach Charbonnet, the Seahawks are calling up Akers and Jones to assist recently activated running back George Holani in backing up Kenneth Walker for the NFC Championship game.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/23/26

Here are today’s only minor moves heading into Championship weekend:

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks are bringing in some reinforcements at the right time. Following the loss of Charbonnet to a torn ACL, Holani returns after months away dealing with a hamstring injury. They’ll also see the return of their third-round rookie Arroyo, who was running as TE2 before getting placed on injured reserve after a Week 14 injury.

Raiders Aiming For Offense-Minded HC To Pair With Fernando Mendoza?

Firing defense-minded head coaches in back-to-back years, the Raiders would presumably be more interested in going in another direction during this year’s cycle. Teams regularly take this route after a hire does not work out, and it indeed looks like Las Vegas wants to go offense with its 2026 HC appointment.

The Raiders want to pair an offense-oriented coach with likely No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, veteran insider Jordan Schultz notes. The team may also be willing to wait on this weekend’s conference championship games or perhaps through Super Bowl LX.

Klint Kubiak and Davis Webb both interviewed for the Raiders’ HC position, doing so virtually. The Broncos and Seahawks’ bye weeks allowed for their assistants to discuss jobs early, and Schultz adds both look to have made good impressions. Each remains in the running, and while Jesse Minter appears to be a live candidate as well, he may be fighting an uphill battle due to where the Raiders are aiming.

The team canned Antonio Pierce a year after removing his interim tag. After an aggressive Ben Johnson pursuit fell short, the Raiders veered about as far in the opposite direction as possible by hiring Pete Carroll, who became the oldest HC in NFL history this season. Carroll finished 3-14, edging a disinterested Chiefs team in Week 18 to avoid a two-win campaign. The Raiders hold the No. 1 pick as a result of Carroll’s performance, giving his replacement a silver lining as the organization retools yet again.

Mendoza holds the honor of spearheading one of the great stories in modern college football history, with non-traditional power Indiana emerging to go 16-0 and win the national championship on the back of its Heisman-winning quarterback. He is expected to be the Raiders’ No. 1 pick, as the franchise has taken a few unsuccessful swings at QB since releasing Derek Carr in 2023. To avoid having Mendoza lose his play-caller — granted, this has not been an issue for the Raiders in a long time — to another HC job, the Silver and Black could pair him with an offense-geared leader from the start.

It would seem a bit early on Webb, but the Broncos’ QBs coach is impressing in interviews. The 30-year-old assistant has garnered interest for second interviews, and this report certainly points to the Raiders being interested in a follow-up meeting. Should Denver pull an upset and edge New England without Bo Nix, Webb’s stock could skyrocket ahead of Super Bowl LX. The Raiders cannot interview him again until the Broncos are eliminated.

The same rules are in place with Kubiak, the first year Seahawks OC. Kubiak has yet to run the same team’s offense in consecutive seasons, but he certainly would be asked back in Seattle if not hired by a team this year. While Sam Darnold finished just 19th in QBR, the Seahawks went 14-3 and saw Jaxon Smith-Njigba lead the NFL in receiving. Kubiak, 39 next month, would give the Raiders access to a Shanahan-style attack, as the second-generation coach was on the 49ers’ staff previously and grew up observing his father (Gary) and Mike Shanahan‘s similar offensive approaches.

Webb remains in the running for the Ravens’ HC job, while the Bills have him on their radar as well. Kubiak interviewed with the Cardinals and Ravens while also emerging early as a potential Bills candidate. Joe Brady, Nate Scheelhaase, Mike LaFleur and Klint’s brother Klay — the 49ers’ OC — are the other offensive candidates to interview for the Vegas job.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/21/26

Wednesday’s minor moves:

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

With only four teams remaining in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy, there are fewer and fewer minor transactions from day-to-day. Today, though, the Patriots and Seahawks opened the 21-day practice windows for backups Farmer and Holani. The Patriots stand to benefit the most from today’s transactions as they look for the fourth-round Florida State rookie to potentially end his first year of play on the field.

Joe Brady, Brian Daboll, Anthony Lynn, Grant Udinski Among Bills’ HC Interview Requests; Klint Kubiak On Radar

An eventful Bills morning includes a host of candidates to replace Sean McDermott. As expected, offensive coordinator Joe Brady is on that list.

The three-year Buffalo OC will interview to replace his former boss, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports. A former Bills offensive coordinator — Anthony Lynn, currently the Commanders’ run-game coordinator — will also meet about the job, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Lynn, a two-year Bills staffer who finished his tenure as interim HC, will meet about the job Saturday.

[RELATED: 2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

A name we also heard at the outset of the search process, Brian Daboll, is on the list as well. Daboll, the Bills’ OC from 2018-21, will interview, Russini tweets. Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will join him. A request also has gone out to Jaguars OC Grant Udinski, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

As the Dolphins have hired Jeff Hafley to be their HC, two-year Miami DC Anthony Weaver will likely head elsewhere. Weaver is on the Bills’ HC interview list as well, with Russini confirming he has received a request. Some of the Bills’ meetings will be in Buffalo, some in Florida, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer.

Teams generally veer in a different direction when they fire a head coach, making offense-minded candidates ones to watch closely in this Buffalo search. The Bills are also believed to be monitoring a candidate tied to one of the conference championship-bound teams. Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak is believed to be on the team’s radar, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes.

Brady remains in the running for the Cardinals, Ravens and Raiders’ positions. On the radar for some of the jobs already filled, Brady is set to meet with Arizona and has a second Baltimore summit scheduled. He met with the Raiders virtually Sunday. Promoting Brady would be a way for the Bills to ensure continuity for Josh Allen, but given the team’s move to fire McDermott, is continuity what will be sought at this crucial point on the superstar quarterback’s timeline?

While Ken Dorsey was Allen’s OC between Daboll and Brady, the latter two are his most notable coordinators. Daboll was at the wheel when Allen morphed from a raw talent to a superstar, with the OC and Stefon Diggs receiving most of the credit for helping accelerate that development. Daboll, however, is coming off a rough three seasons with the Giants. The 2022 Coach of the Year did oversee an efficient Daniel Jones season in 2022, but he failed to avoid double-digit losses in 2023 and ’24 before being fired early in Jaxson Dart‘s Giants tenure.

Lynn was Buffalo’s OC to close the 2016 season, being elevated two times that year. Originally the Bills’ running backs coach to open Rex Ryan‘s tenure in 2015, Lynn climbed to interim OC and then replaced Ryan the following year. Lynn parlayed that into the Chargers’ HC job. Going 1-for-4 in playoff berths in Los Angeles, Lynn ended up as Dan Campbell‘s first Lions OC. Campbell stripped him of play-calling duties in 2021, leading to a one-and-done Detroit stay. Back on the position coaching tier since, Lynn has been with Washington since 2024.

Anarumo has not been a prominent name in this year’s cycle, but the Colts’ DC met about the Giants’ position. Udinski is deep in the Browns’ HC search, being set for a second interview this week. The 30-year-old made a big jump last year, going from assistant Vikings QBs coach to Jags OC. Udinski is just four months older than Allen.

Weaver is still in the thick of the Steelers and Ravens’ HC races, either being interviewed twice or having a second meeting scheduled with both. The Cardinals have also met with the two-year Miami DC.

Kubiak took meetings during the Seahawks’ bye week, but he is off limits for teams presently. The Bills cannot interview the first-year Seattle play-caller until after the Seahawks’ season ends. Kubiak is still up for the Cardinals, Ravens and Raiders’ positions.

The Bills have gone defense with their past two hires — Ryan and McDermott. Those represent the only HC hires of Terry Pegula‘s ownership tenure. Pegula bought the team during Doug Marrone‘s two-year run, which ended when the coach opted out of his contract following the 2014 season. Pegula and Brandon Beane, promoted to president of football ops, will be the key players in Buffalo’s first HC search in nine years.

2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 1-29-26 (12:35pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet Suffers ACL Tear

The Seahawks will be shorthanded in the backfield when they host the NFC title game this week. Zach Charbonnet suffered a knee injury in the divisional round which will sideline him the rest of the way.

During an appearance on Seattle Sports radio Monday, head coach Mike Macdonald revealed the unwanted news concerning Charbonnet (h/t ESPN’s Brady Henderson). This is a “significant” injury, per Macdonald. Charbonnet is now set to undergo surgery and begin a lengthy rehab process. An ACL tear occurred in this case, as first reported by Henderson’s colleague Adam Schefter.

The injury limited Charbonnet to just five carries on Saturday night. After his final action of the game, the 25-year-old was evaluated in the medical tent before ultimately heading to the locker room. Kenneth Walker III saw a heavy workload once again afterwards. He will no doubt be counted on early and often in the conference title game and (if applicable) the Super Bowl.

Charbonnet was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft. His arrival came just one year after Walker was drafted in the same round. The two have been key figures on offense during their time together, although struggles in the run game were an issue in 2024. Improvements late in this year’s campaign have helped lead Seattle to its current position, however. As such, losing Charbonnet represents a notable blow for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

From a financial standpoint, this news could prove to be impactful as well. Walker is set to see his rookie contract expire in March unless a deal allowing to remain in the Emerald City is worked out. Charbonnet, meanwhile, is eligible to sign an extension this offseason. Given the nature of his injury, though, it would come as little surprise if team and player paused any potential contract talks which otherwise would have taken place. As things stand, Charbonnet will enter the 2026 season as a pending free agent.

The UCLA product easily set a new career high this year in carries (184), rushing yards (730) and touchdowns (12). Charbonnet did not make a consistent impact in the passing game with only 20 receptions in 16 games, but he has shown an ability to do so previously. Walker has remained the starting back this season, but Seattle’s rushing attack included Charbonnet to a large extent just as it had in 2023 and ’24. How the team adjusts on Sunday could prove to be a key factor in determining the Rams-Seahawks matchup.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/17/26

Here are today’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations for the rest of the divisional round of the playoffs:

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks’ Sam Darnold Battling Oblique Injury, Expected To Play In Divisional Round

JANUARY 17: Darnold has not thrown since hurting his oblique on Thursday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, though NFL Network’s Steve Wyche indicates the Seahawks shut him down out of an abundance of caution. It is an injury that the veteran quarterback has never dealt with before, but he team is optimistic that Darnold will play on Saturday night against the 49ers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

JANUARY 16: Playing the first season of a three-year, $100.5MM contract, quarterback Sam Darnold helped guide the Seahawks to a 14-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Seahawks are preparing for a rubber match against the NFC West rival 49ers on Saturday, but Darnold unexpectedly popped up on the injury report Thursday. He’s questionable with an oblique issue, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com.

Darnold, who said he “felt a little something” on his left side, practiced on a limited basis Thursday. The two-time Pro Bowler is fully confident he’ll play Saturday. If not, the Seahawks will turn to veteran backup Drew Lock. Considering Darnold hasn’t missed a game since 2023, it would be a major surprise to see Lock under center versus San Francisco.

Between his time with the Vikings last year and his work with the Seahawks this season, Darnold has helped his teams to an incredible 28-6 record since 2024.

Once considered a bust, the former No. 3 overall pick of the Jets surpassed 4,000 yards for the second straight year in 2025. He ranked third in yards per attempt (8.5), threw 25 touchdowns and posted a 99.1 passer rating, though he did toss the third-most interceptions in the league (14).

Darnold didn’t throw a pick in either of the Seahawks-49ers regular-season matchups, which the teams split, but his production was unspectacular. He combined to go 36 of 49 for 348 yards and no touchdowns. Darnold will aim for better numbers in the teams’ third and final showdown of the season while attempting to rebound from an ugly playoff loss with the Vikings last January. The Rams sacked Darnold nine times in a 27-9 blowout in the wild-card round. He went 25 of 40 for 245 yards, a TD and a pick.

Darnold’s rough showing against the Rams ended his tenure with Minnesota, which allowed him to depart in free agency. Darnold’s Seahawks contract includes incentives that he has already collected, as Henderson details. Seattle’s offense finished eighth in the league, which earned Darnold $500K. He racked up another $500K in incentives for passing yards, completion rate and a playoff berth. Postseason win incentives are still on the table for Darnold, who will make his second career playoff start Saturday. That’s assuming his oblique injury doesn’t stand in the way.

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