HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Kliff Kingsbury To Pass On Saints Interview, Will Stay With Commanders

January 28th, 2025 at 2:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints requested a Kliff Kingsbury interview shortly after the regular season ended, but no meeting was ever scheduled. The Commanders’ OC received interest from other clubs as well but indicated he would not meet regarding any HC jobs until after his team’s season wrapped.

Washington’s remarkable turnaround ended in the NFC championship game, and the New Orleans job remains open. But Kingsbury is not interested. He will stay on as the Commanders’ OC for a second season, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. This decision will provide important continuity for Jayden Daniels as he attempts to follow up on one of the best rookie seasons in quarterback history.

Kingsbury’s stock has surged as a result of Daniels’ rookie-year form. The Washington play-caller has gone from being fired from his Arizona HC post, despite having signed an extension months earlier, to an assistant who will probably be a coveted option come 2026. While Kingsbury still wants a second HC chance, he will commit to waiting another year. This is quite the turnaround for a scrutinized coach whose Cardinals operation unraveled in a 4-13 2022 season.

The Bears and Saints sent Kingsbury interview requests January 9, and the Cowboys subsequently showed interest in the Texas native. While most who receive interview requests take those meetings, Kingsbury is being patient this time around. Already having an interesting past regarding NFL interest, Kingsbury has since seen Daniels adjust his thinking further. The potential superstar’s trajectory was rumored to be dissuading Kingsbury from leaving Washington so soon.

Kingsbury, 45, has already gone from being fired by a Big 12 program (Texas Tech) only to be hired as an NFL HC; the Cardinals formed that unusual path for Patrick Mahomes‘ college coach in 2019. Kingsbury did snap a five-year Cardinals playoff drought by guiding the 2021 team to the postseason, but his tenure turned after a woeful 2022.

The Cardinals fired Kingsbury and did not bring back longtime GM Steve Keim, rebooting and ultimately sending their HC back to the college ranks. Kingsbury catching on as USC’s position coach, where he mentored Caleb Williams, helped his stock. Several teams reached out with OC interview requests — to the point at least two teams offered jobs. Kingsbury backed out of a Raiders agreement and joined the Commanders, who are believed to have offered him a three-year deal.

Daniels is all but certain to win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, Brock Bowers‘ record-setting season notwithstanding, and losing his play-caller after Year 1 would have introduced a hurdle. Kingsbury now will reset and prepare to further develop Washington’s dual-threat sensation, as other teams monitor him ahead of the 2026 HC carousel.

Kellen Moore, Mike McCarthy, Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver represent those still believed to be vying for the Saints’ HC post. Kingsbury having a rising Commanders team as a fallback option proves important here, as the Saints are again standing alone in terms of cap space (or lack thereof, in New Orleans’ case) and they have an onerous Derek Carr contract to navigate. The Saints’ next HC will likely be tasked with finding a long-term QB solution either this year or next, and limited funds — a Saints staple — will impact this effort.

Kingsbury’s current team having found said answer will allow the experienced play-caller to keep rebuilding his stock. Although Bobby Slowik‘s C.J. Stroud partnership represents a cautionary tale here, Kingsbury will bet on Daniels keeping him in the HC mix beyond this year.

Mike McCarthy Losing Ground With Saints?

January 28th, 2025 at 1:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a flurry of activity late last week filled three more jobs on this year’s market, only the Saints are still looking for a head coach. Kellen Moore‘s Super Bowl LIX responsibilities introduce a situation similar to 2023, where a team could wait on an Eagles staffer. But the Saints are also still considering a few candidates not on Super Bowl staffs.

Mike McCarthy joins Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Giants OC Mike Kafka among staffers viewed as still in this mix. Bills OC Joe Brady bowed out over the weekend, and no Kliff Kingsbury interview is believed to have been scheduled — despite a previous request coming out. The Saints have preferred familiarity under Mickey Loomis, and McCarthy is the only finalist left who checks that box. The former Packers and Cowboys HC served as the Saints’ OC from 2000-04. McCarthy emerged as an early candidate, but issues remain ahead of a potential reunion.

A snowstorm last week prompted the Saints to push back some interviews, and no formal McCarthy in-person meeting is believed to have occurred. The team flew in Moore on Monday night and already conducted second interviews with Kafka and Weaver. New Orleans does intend to finally bring in McCarthy for a meeting later this week, per NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. Informal conversations leading up to that point may be creating some distance between the parties, though.

Some in the Saints organization are not high on McCarthy, according to Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, who indicates initial talks between McCarthy and Loomis — who was in place as GM when the Saints and McCarthy split in 2005 — have produced snags. One of them appears to be how many assistants he would be forced to retain. Although the Saints have lost OC Klint Kubiak to the Seahawks, Pauline adds Loomis is expected to want to retain some other staffers who are under contract. McCarthy may not be seeing eye-to-eye with the Saints on this matter, even if this is the only HC vacancy left.

The Saints’ power structure may be an issue as well. How the Saints will arrange their internal communication, along with the power structure in general, are coming out as issues, per Bovada’s Josina Anderson. As was the case in McCarthy’s Cowboys talks earlier this month, Anderson adds contract length has come up with the Saints as well. With coaching contracts guaranteed, longer-term deals are preferred. McCarthy is 61, which may be a slight complication; though, the Raiders just hired Pete Carroll months after his 73rd birthday.

Some around the league are also wondering how owner Gayle Benson should handle football ops moving forward, Anderson adds. This could pertain to Loomis’ foothold. Among pure GMs, only Cowboys Hall of Famer Tex Schramm enjoyed a longer tenure than Loomis, who is going into his 24th offseason in power. The Saints installed Loomis as their front office boss in May 2002. While that tenure changed dramatically when the team outflanked the Dolphins for Drew Brees in 2006, Loomis’ team is now riding a string of four straight playoff absences since the superstar QB’s retirement.

Loomis and Benson were not believed to be on the same page regarding Dennis Allen‘s firing, with the former not believing it was time to move on from the ex-Sean Payton lieutenant. Still, Loomis is running this coaching search and has not believed to have been in any danger.

The Jets intervened on a potential Saints frontrunner by hiring Aaron Glenn, a move that surprised some in the league (per Pauline) given Glenn’s Saints past. Loomis could still hire McCarthy to ensure some degree of familiarity, though it has now been 20 years since the latter’s New Orleans stay, but that might not be the most likely scenario based on the information to surface thus far.

Tanner Engstrand Strong Candidate For Jets’ OC Position; Steve Wilks Hire Still Possible

January 28th, 2025 at 12:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

New Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has yet to fill the offensive or defensive coordinator positions on his staff, but that may change soon. Key targets for both vacancies are in place.

Lions pass-game coordinator Tanner Engstrand was viewed as a suitable successor to Ben Johnson for Detroit’s OC opening. Instead, the team elected to make an outside hire. That leaves Engstrand to potentially leave the Motor City and follow Glenn to New York. Indeed, Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports there are “substantive discussions” taking place regarding Engstrand and the Jets’ OC gig.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 confirms the 42-year-old is a Jets target, adding there is confidence he will ultimately be hired. Engstrand has been with the Lions since 2020, having begun his coaching career in 2005 at San Diego. One year earlier, he and new Jets general manager Darren Mougey were teammates at San Diego State (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini).

With a degree of familiarity between Engstrand and both members of the franchise’s new HC/GM pair, a New York hire would come as little surprise. To date, Engstrand’s only coordinator experience comes from his single season with the then-XFL’s DC Defenders in 2020, but he generated acclaim during his time working under Dan Campbell with the Lions. His tenure in Detroit included the titles of quality control and tight ends coach prior to this season’s tenure in his current role.

The Jets have already been linked to five different OC candidates (although one of them, Klint Kubiak, is no longer on the market). That list includes Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley, who was reported last week to be the perceived frontrunner for the job. It would appear Engstrand is now in pole position, so this situation will be worth watching closely.

On the other side of the ball, Anderson’s report notes Steve Wilks has been mentioned as a candidate to monitor regarding the defensive coordinator vacancy. The veteran coach’s name came up once Glenn was hired, and to this point no other candidate has been linked to the Jets. SNY’s Connor Hughes adds this situation remains on track to result in a hire. Wilks, 55, has been a DC with the Panthers, Browns and 49ers. His time in San Francisco ended shortly after the Super Bowl last year, and he was out of coaching for 2024. Wilks may soon have his next opportunity lined up shortly, though.

Buccaneers Conduct OC Interview With Rams’ Dave Ragone

January 28th, 2025 at 11:42am CST by Adam La Rose

As the Buccaneers seek out Liam Coen‘s replacement, their list of offensive coordinator candidates continues to grow. The Rams’ staff in particular remains an area of interest for Tampa Bay.

Dave Ragone interviewed with the Buccaneers on Tuesday, per a team announcement. He is the third member of Sean McVay‘s Los Angeles staff to speak with Tampa Bay for the team’s OC opening. For the second straight offseason, the Buccaneers are on the lookout for a new offensive coordinator with Coen backing out of his agreed-upon new Tampa deal to speak again with the Jaguars and ultimately take their head coaching position.

Ragone’s NFL coaching tenure began in 2011 with the Titans, including one season as the team’s quarterbacks coach. He has held that same role with the Bears as well as the Rams for this past campaign. In between, the 45-year-old worked as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator during Arthur Smith‘s 2021-23 run as Atlanta’s head coach. Smith called plays during that span, but Ragone nevertheless qualifies as a candidate with OC experience.

Atlanta finished no better than 17th in yards or 15th in scoring in a season with the Smith-Ragone tandem in place. The former was able to immediately secure an OC position last offseason with the Steelers, though, and it will be interesting to see if the latter can do the same in the near future. On the other hand, this marks the first time Ragone has drawn interest in the 2025 hiring cycle.

Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley is a popular name on the OC circuit at the moment, with the Jets in particular being a team to watch as a potential destination. Especially if Caley – who has also spoken with the Bucs – departs, Ragone would represent one of the Rams’ options to take on an increased role as part of McVay’s staff. Needless to say, Los Angeles’ situation on the sidelines could change more than once by the time every coordinator position is filled.

Via PFR’s OC/DC Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand with the Buccaneers:

  • Marcus Brady, pass-game coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/25
  • Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/27
  • Josh Grizzard, pass-game coordinator (Buccaneers): Rumored candidate
  • Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/28
  • Nate Scheelhaase, offensive assistant/passing game specialist (Rams): Interviewed 1/27
  • Grant Udinski, assistant quarterbacks coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/25

Jaguars Conduct DC Interview With Rams’ Aubrey Pleasant

January 28th, 2025 at 10:54am CST by Adam La Rose

The list of candidates for the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator position continues to grow. A third interview for the position has now taken place.

Jacksonville announced on Tuesday that the team met with Aubrey Pleasant for the DC gig. Pleasant has spent the past two years with the Rams as part of his second stint with the team. He has not served as a defensive coordinator before, but taking the Jacksonville job would deal a blow to Los Angeles’ staff.

Pleasant – who has been in the NFL since 2013 – held the title of defensive backs coach/pass-game coordinator upon reuniting with Sean McVay in 2023. This past season, he was promoted to assistant head coach while remaining a key figure on defense. Given how highly regarded Pleasant is by the Rams (along with his experience as a positional coach), it comes as little surprise he is on Jacksonville’s radar.

That is, of course, especially true with Liam Coen at the helm of the Jags. His first Rams stint (2018-20) overlapped with Pleasant’s, so the two are familiar with one another. The Bears requested to speak with Pleasant for their defensive coordinator position, but he did not wind up doing so. As a result, this is his first interview in the 2025 hiring cycle.

Jacksonville’s defense underperformed in a number of categories in 2024, the first with Ryan Nielsen at the helm. The former Saints and Falcons coordinator has yet to find his next gig, but it will not be in Duval County for 2025. Not long after it was learned Coen would take charge of the team, Patrick Graham‘s name emerged as one to watch closely regarding the DC position. He has since interviewed with Jacksonville, as has Vikings staffer Daronte Jones. It will be interesting to see how many other candidate emerge as this search unfolds.

Lions Hire John Morton As OC

January 28th, 2025 at 10:25am CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 28: The Morton hire is now official, as first noted by Rapoport and Pelissero. The Broncos’ staff has seen another notable departure while the Lions will look to an outside figure to duplicate Johnson’s success on offense.

JANUARY 27: The Lions moved quickly in internally filling their defensive coordinator position. The OC vacancy is likewise soon to be taken care of, with the team looking to a familiar candidate.

Broncos pass-game coordinator John Morton is traveling to Detroit today, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Lions are working to finalize his hire for the offensive coordinator role. Provided this goes through, it will mark Morton’s second coordinator gig in the NFL and allow him to return to Detroit. He and Dan Campbell worked together in 2022.

Morton recently interviewed for the Lions’ OC gig, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. As a result, he became a name to watch closely on this front. Indeed, Schefter said on a Monday Pat McAfee Show appearance that the 55-year-old was likely to get the nod (video link). Provided everything goes according to plan upon arrival in the Motor City, that will prove to be the case.

After a playing career that spanned the NFL, CFL and World League of American Football, Morton transitioned to coaching in 1998. His first opportunity came with the Raiders, and he remained with the team for seven years. That stretch was followed by time with the Chargers, Saints (twice) and 49ers with a spell at USC in between. Morton’s first OC position in the pro game came in 2017 with the Jets. After a poor showing in his debut New York campaign, he was fired.

Morton then returned to the Raiders and spent time with them as a senior offensive assistant; he held that same role during his one campaign working with Campbell and the Lions. For the past two years, he worked with Sean Payton on the Broncos’ staff, overseeing the transition to a Bo Nix-led offense this past campaign. Denver’s success on that front did not generate coordinator interest from other teams, but it has now allowed him to receive a second OC opportunity at the NFL level.

Expectations will certainly be high for Morton in 2025. Ben Johnson oversaw Detroit’s offense for each of the past three years, and the unit ranked top-five in points and yards every campaign during that span. Once again, Johnson found himself as one of the hottest head coaching candidates in this year’s hiring cycle, one in which Campbell conceded a departure was more likely than before. Indeed, Johnson landed his first HC gig by taking charge of the Bears.

Much of the Lions’ offensive core will remain intact this offseason, with the likes of Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Taylor Decker and David Montgomery attached to extensions. Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams are on their rookie deals, meanwhile, so a high degree of continuity can be expected for next year. Given the changes on the sidelines, however, Detroit’s ability to remain among the league’s best on offense will be a talking point under Morton.

Cowboys To Hire Nick Sorensen As ST Coordinator

January 28th, 2025 at 9:52am CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys have their new head coach in place, and their coordinator vacancies are filling up in short order. Matt Eberflus remains on track to take over Dallas’ defense, while a new special teams hire is on tap.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Cowboys are finalizing a deal with Eberflus to take on DC responsibilities as expected. He adds that Nick Sorensen is also nearing a deal to become the team’s new ST coordinator. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network was the first to report the latter hire was expected.

Sorensen had a 10-year playing career in the NFL and he quickly transitioned to coaching after it ended in 2010. He had an eight-year tenure with the Seahawks as an assistant special teams staffer and, later a defensive backs coach. His third phase experience landed him the Jaguars’ special teams coordinator gig in 2021, although that only lasted one season. Sorensen was not retained when Jacksonville hired Doug Pederson, and he moved on to San Francisco as a result.

The 46-year-old joined the 49ers’ staff as a defensive assistant in 2022, but he took on larger responsibilities the following season. After Steve Wilks became a one-and-done DC, Kyle Shanahan elected to go internal with his next hire. Sorensen took charge of the team’s defense for 2024, although his unit did not meet expectations as part of a generally forgettable campaign. Shanahan gave him something of a vote of confidence toward the end of the season, but in short order it became clear he would not retain his D-coordinator duties for 2025.

The door remained open at that point to Sorensen taking over San Francisco’s special teams, but it was announced yesterday that Brant Boyer will be doing so. Instead of taking a lesser role somewhere on Shanahan’s staff, Sorensen was left in need of a new opportunity. It has presented itself rather quickly.

John Fassel had been in place with the Cowboys since 2020. His tenure running Dallas’ special teams represented an improvement from where the unit had been previously, but Fassel recently joined the Titans as their ST coordinator. To replace him, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has brought in a familiar face since he and Sorensen worked together in Jacksonville as well as Seattle. Now, attention will turn to the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator vacancy.

Darren Mougey, Aaron Glenn To Each Report To Ownership; Latest On Jets’ Aaron Rodgers Decision

January 27th, 2025 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

After adjusting their organizational workflow during the Joe Douglas-Robert Saleh era, the Jets are shifting back to a setup in which the head coach holds a bit more power.

Aaron Glenn and new GM Darren Mougey will each report to Woody Johnson, the longtime owner confirmed (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) on Monday. Considering the (largely Johnson-generated) negative perception around the Jets during this year’s hiring cycle, Glenn receiving this power is not too surprising. The Jets were able to land one of the top HC candidates in this year’s pool, and the team will give him a greater influence in the building.

This does give Mougey a bit less power, but given how matters deteriorated during Douglas’ tenure, the Jets going with this two-pronged reporting structure makes sense as a changeup approach. Mougey comes over from the Broncos, where the GM also does not hold complete authority. At least, Mougey’s ex-boss — George Paton — has not done so since Sean Payton‘s 2023 arrival. A number of NFL teams use a setup in which the HC and GM report to ownership; the Jets are back among that contingent.

Mougey and Glenn will be partners moving forward. After a chaotic final stretch during the Douglas-Saleh period, it will be interesting to see how the Jets function under their new personnel leaders. Ex-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, whom the team entrusted to help pick out new leadership, said during an interview with ESPN 880 New York; h/t ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) he and The33rdteam.com colleague Rick Spielman emphasized leadership over scheme when landing on Glenn.

Regarding Mougey, Tannenbaum pointed to the former Paton lieutenant surviving an ownership change while rising up the chain as a sign of his abilities. The Broncos hired Mougey in 2012, when Pat Bowlen was still charge, and retained him under the Rob Walton-led group. With John Elway effectively holding owner-level power while the Bowlen heirs squabbled during the late 2010s, Mougey’s acumen may be best illustrated by him remaining in Denver under Elway, Paton and then Payton’s leadership.

Prior to landing on Mougey, the Jets interviewed a host of candidates. A previously unreported one — interim GM Phil Savage — also met about the position, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello. Savage, who is better known for his four-year run as Browns GM during the 2000s, ran the Jets’ GM interview count to 16. Of those, six — Savage, Thomas Dimitroff, Ray Farmer, Brian Gaine, Ryan Grigson and Jon Robinson — were second-chance candidates. This hiring period saw both the NFL’s current second-chance GMs — Tom Telesco, Trent Baalke — axed, reminding how uncommon it is for front office bosses to resurface in power compared to HCs.

As Tannenbaum said Glenn “checked every box,” Glenn said Monday he will not call defensive plays. This will be a change for the four-year coordinator, who was the Lions’ defensive play-caller throughout his tenure with the resurgent franchise. Glenn’s next DC will hold that responsibility, while the former Payton lieutenant operates as a CEO HC.

Regarding Glenn’s next quarterback, Johnson said he will not throw his weight around regarding Aaron Rodgers‘ future. Johnson called Rodgers “a talent, a Hall of Famer” but said he would let Mougey and Glenn decide his Jets future. Rodgers said recently his future with the team was in the next HC-GM pair’s hands, and a Sunday report indicated both Glenn and Rodgers would be open to a partnership for the 2025 season. Glenn certainly stopped short of hinting which direction the Jets will go when asked about Rodgers’ future.

“This thing is not about Aaron Rodgers, folks. This is about the roster,” Glenn said, via Cimini. “We plan on building the best roster that we can. So, whatever that may be — guard, tackle, defensive tackle — that’s what we’re evaluating. Listen, everybody’s under the microscope. That’s just what it is.”

As our Rory Parks pointed out, the Jets holding the No. 7 overall pick — in a much-maligned draft at the QB position — and not having a younger option waiting in the wings would presumably make them likely to reexamine the Rodgers situation. In the wake of Douglas’ firing, a few reports suggested Rodgers was on his way out in New York. Amid a meddling spree on the owner’s part, Johnson was believed to have called for Rodgers’ benching on multiple occasions.

It would cost the Jets more than $49MM in dead money, which would likely be spread over two years via post-June 1 release, to dump Rodgers’ contract. If Glenn and Mougey want to start fresh, that makes sense. But obtaining a surefire upgrade on Rodgers will not be a lock.

Then again, Rodgers has not yet determined if he wants to continue playing. Plenty of moving parts exist for the Jets at quarterback. After Johnson’s previous interference — to the point at least one of his teenage sons was believed to be involved in personnel decisions — irked Douglas and many others (per Cimini) in the organization, the owner will attempt to step back and let his new hires run the show.

Trent Baalke’s Presence Affected Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn’s Jaguars Interest

January 27th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Liam Coen‘s about-face regarding the Jaguars confirmed what most had assumed about that job. Trent Baalke‘s presence, reported to be an issue for some HC candidates, had impeded this Jags search. The team was believed to have been “embarrassed” by Coen initially passing on a second interview.

Shad Khan then fired Baalke more than two weeks after canning Doug Pederson. The Jaguars will soon turn their attention to replacing him, but it is worth wondering what would have happened had the team done what many expected and fired Baalke along with Pederson. This particular “what if?” impacted the top offense-oriented candidate in this year’s hiring cycle.

Rumored to be interested in the Jaguars’ job, Ben Johnson received aggressive interest from the team. When he turned down the Jaguars to accept a Bears HC offer, the three-year Lions OC indeed expressed reservations about the team’s front office setup. Johnson may have been leery about signing on with Baalke, as Pederson was rumored to be back in 2022, but SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates Johnson may not have been ready to demand Baalke be fired in order to take over in Jacksonville. He then committed to Chicago, which is also keeping its GM — Ryan Poles — on staff.

The Jags discussed a big-money offer with Johnson, Breer adds, and earlier reports that Khan being willing to boot Baalke for the right HC candidate — despite giving Baalke the keys to this coaching search — certainly proved accurate. Before moving on from Baalke, Khan gave Johnson’s camp the impression he would be willing to do so, Breer adds. Johnson committed to the Bears two days before the Jaguars canned Baalke.

It is not known how serious the Jaguars were on Aaron Glenn, beyond the parties’ virtual interview January 11, but Breer notes that the four-year Lions DC expressed interest in bringing along a personnel staffer had he landed the Jacksonville gig. It is unclear who Glenn wanted to add in Jacksonville, but Baalke balked at this setup due to how it would impact his top lieutenant, senior personnel exec Tom Gamble. Khan had already spoken of beefing up his front office, and the upcoming GM hire may well move on from a prominent Baalke lieutenant anyway. Glenn signed on with the Jets on the same day Coen had informed the Jags he was out.

Khan keeping Baalke more than two weeks after Black Monday appears to have been a blunder. The owner allowing an embattled GM to make critical calls during the hiring period did not align with the team’s future. Baalke certainly could have steered the search toward a direction in which the incoming head coach would work with him rather than guide it to a candidate who wanted his own GM. In the end, the organization will pay up for Coen, doing so despite the one-and-done Buccaneers OC not being a finalist anywhere else. Coen, of course, had committed to staying in Tampa as OC before big Jags promises lured him back into that race.

Coen has the rare opportunity, as a first-time HC, to essentially pick a GM; he also signed a five-year contract believed to be worth Johnson-level money. Coen fared much better with the Bucs than he did with the Rams, when an injury-plagued offense plummeted to last in yardage in 2022. After going back to Kentucky, the two-time Wildcats OC had the Bucs’ offense third in yardage and fourth in scoring. Coen helping Baker Mayfield sustain his Dave Canales-overseen rebound played the lead role in him obtaining rare leverage; the Jaguars’ present state didn’t hurt matters, either.

As expected, Coen confirmed Monday he will call plays in Jacksonville. This was a sore spot during Pederson’s stay, as the two-time HC insisted — despite reported Baalke pushback — OC Press Taylor stay in that role. Taylor, whose presence caused issues on Pederson’s way out in Philly as well, was the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2023 and ’24. Although Trevor Lawrence‘s injuries impacted the team in that span, the Jags plummeted to 26th in scoring offense this season.

Additionally, the Jags are retaining special teams coordinator Heath Farwell. Hired in Pederson’s first offseason in charge, Farwell agreed to a three-year deal, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco notes. A 10-year NFL player, Farwell has been an ST coordinator since 2019. He in that role with the Bills for three seasons and has been an NFL assistant since 2016.

Texans Interview Jeff Nixon For OC

January 27th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

After Bobby Slowik went from HC candidate to coordinator free agency, the Texans are moving with their replacement search. They have completed their interview with quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, and another meeting is also in the books.

Syracuse offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon met with the Texans about the position, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Nixon arrived at the ACC program last year, joining as Fran Brown took the Orange’s reins, but has NFL experience. He was in the league most recently as Giants running backs coach in 2023.

Nixon, 50, was a Matt Rhule staffer who followed him from Baylor to the Panthers in 2020. Nixon was Rhule’s RBs coach for three seasons in Carolina, finishing out the 2022 campaign after the HC’s early-season dismissal. Nixon coached the Dolphins running backs from 2011-15 and served as a 49ers assistant under Chip Kelly in 2016. He signed on as Rhule’s co-OC at Baylor a year later, beginning his path with the short-term NFL leader.

The Texans have now complied with the Rooney Rule, as Nixon is Black. While GM and HC vacancies require in-person meetings with at least two external minorities, OC and DC posts only require one such interview. This is not Nixon’s first NFL OC meeting, however, as he met about the Cowboys’ vacancy — one that went to Brian Schottenheimer — in 2023.

Riding impressive showings from NFL-bound skill players LeQuint Allen and Oronde Gadsden II, the Orange went 10-3 this past season and ranked 21st nationally with 34.6 points per game. That marked a significant jump from 2023, when Syracuse’s 23.5 PPG number ranked 92nd.

Houston has been linked to Kelly, who was DeMeco Ryans‘ final NFL HC, joining Jacksonville in that regard. Kelly would stand to be more attracted to the Texans’ opening, as it would come with play-calling duties; Liam Coen will call plays for the Jaguars. But a Johnson promotion, and now a Nixon hire, sit on the radar as well.

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