With the Falcons bringing back Raheem Morris and the Panthers luring Dave Canales from the Buccaneers, the NFC South now has four head coaches again. That leaves just two openings remaining; neither is likely to be filled this week.
The Commanders and Seahawks are expected to wait a bit longer, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter noting both teams are planning to delay their searches until next week. NFL rules will dictate these delays. Staffers on a team preparing for a conference championship game cannot meet with teams about a coaching job.
Despite the Chiefs and 49ers’ continued success, these delays pertain to the Lions and Ravens’ coordinators. Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Mike Macdonald and Anthony Weaver are in the mix for jobs. Other coaches remain in the running for the Seattle and Washington gigs, but the non-Detroit or Baltimore-affiliated candidates are free to conduct in-person interviews now.
The NFL rule change last year prevented any coach on an NFL staff from conducting an in-person interview with a team until after the divisional round. As a result, Glenn, Johnson, Macdonald and Weaver have only interviewed virtually. Last year’s hiring period involved lengthy waits as well, with the Cardinals and Colts not making their hires until after Super Bowl LVII. Eagles staffers Jonathan Gannon and Shane Steichen signed on to fill those positions, needing to wait until after the Super Bowl due to league rules. If the Ravens or Lions advance that far this season, their assistants would need to wait until after Super Bowl LVIII to be hired.
Washington has been connected to Johnson for a bit now. Both the Panthers and Commanders were believed to have the second-year Lions OC positioned as the favorite in their respective searches. Johnson spurned Carolina last year and may not have given indications he was interested this year, either. Though, Johnson did interview with David Tepper‘s club. Johnson interviewed with both the Commanders and Seahawks virtually, joining Glenn and Macdonald.
Johnson and Glenn are expected to meet again with the Commanders. Macdonald interviewed virtually with Washington, but only Weaver has a second Commanders interview arranged among Baltimore staffers. The Ravens could see both their coordinators return, which represented an unlikely scenario given the team’s success this season. Macdonald has not interviewed with the Seahawks, and OC Todd Monken has not been connected to either of the remaining openings. The Seahawks are believed to be interested in Mike Vrabel, though they have not interviewed him. No Vrabel-Commanders connections have emerged.
Bill Belichick is not believed to be on either NFC team’s radar, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reinforces. Belichick, 71, had only met with the Falcons about their vacancy. Although Arthur Blank initially targeted the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC, the Falcons changed course and hired Morris. The latter met twice with the Commanders and was set for a second Seahawks interview Friday. Unless another team fires its head coach, Belichick is likely to find himself shut out — from HC positions, at least — in this cycle. The 29-year HC veteran is 14 wins shy of Don Shula‘s career record. He has been on an NFL sideline in every season since 1975.
Does anyone know what they are doing ?
It seems pretty certain that Belichick will sit a year out, McCarthy style, before entering into the cycle again. I sort of felt that this was going to be the case after his departure from NE originally. A year off would probably improve his desirability in the end. Years off seem to improve coaches’ reputations, and he’d be a year removed from his disappointing final years in New England. In that time, someone’s desperation is bound to increase, and someone will want a “proven” coach, which will naturally lead to Belichick’s consideration.
At age 73, that would be an interesting hire, but he has a chance to profile as a more known commodity for a team that could want to try and simply import a winning culture instead of building one slowly. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Belichick in Chicago next year, as early as it is to say.
I wouldnt rule out Buffalo yet.
Is Kraft still on the hook for BB 2024 salary?
Could be Billie wanted more than Blank was proposing and had the ‘salary’ as a fallback.
Unfortunately for my Lions, Ben Johnson is as good as gone. He’ll be coaching WASH next season.
Nah Ben doesn’t want to leave yet