Month: February 2025

Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson Open To Trade

Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson visited the set on The Pat McAfee Show today, and Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic was tuned in, as he always is with Bengals-related media. Dehner pulled away a number of notable tidbits, primarily: Hendrickson wants his contract situation figured out now; whether it’s by extension or trade doesn’t much seem to matter to him.

Nothing about this situation is very new. For each of the past two years, Hendrickson’s contract has been in Cincinnati’s offseason news. Hendrickson initially signed with the Bengals following an impressive conclusion to his rookie deal in New Orleans that saw him total 13.5 sacks in 15 games in 2020. Each year since, Hendrickson has represented Cincinnati as a Pro Bowler, even earning first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career this season after leading the NFL in sacks with 17.5.

As we’ve well learned, the Bengals tend to be allergic to giving NFL players their third contracts, though they’ve recently broken that trend (sort of) with Hendrickson. Initially signing Hendrickson to a four-year, $60MM contract, the Bengals opted to avoid having Hendrickson play with a looming contract year, extending their stud defender before the third year of his deal for an additional season at $21MM.

Similar conversations entailed the following year, with Cincinatti showing hesitancy to extend him a second time. This resulted in Hendrickson requesting a trade before this past season. Ultimately, Hendrickson played through the contract drama, though he remained a hot name in trade circle rumors throughout the year. With their season at an end, the Bengals made it known that they were willing to extend Hendrickson, though it’s unclear where their priorities stand as wide receiver Tee Higgins is poised to make serious money on the free agent market and fellow wideout Ja’Marr Chase is still angling for a monster extension.

Hendrickson’s time on McAfee’s show made a couple things clear. Firstly, whether it’s an extension or a trade, Hendrickson just wants the situation settled quickly. He’d rather not play on an expiring deal and doesn’t want negotiations bleeding into OTAs and training camp. Secondly, he really does not care if it’s solved with a trade; obviously, he’d like to stay with his teammates, but he has no problem being traded. Part of this may be due to frustration with the front office, who Hendrickson mentioned has been terrible with communication, as usual.

Hendrickson also mentioned that the team’s Pro Bowlers (himself, Chase, and Joe Burrow) would like to stay together. On a similar note, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin recently noted that he felt a big issue with the team’s underperforming defense this year was the Bengals’ insistence to keep the core group of defenders from the team’s Super Bowl run together for “a little too long,” per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Obviously, the Pro Bowler, Hendrickson, likely wasn’t a part of the issue, but this sentiment may impact Hendrickson’s contract talks.

Ultimately, signs could be pointing towards an exit for Hendrickson from the Bengals. Knowing the team’s tendency to favor young, cheap contracts and their poor communication, combined with Hendrickson’s lack of concern for how the situation get resolved, a trade seems like the easiest solution for Cincinnati. Especially considering that two straight career years for Hendrickson isn’t likely to make a new extension very cheap, it’s hard to imagine a situation in which the Bengals pay up for the 30-year-old. With Hendrickson’s desire for urgency, a resolution could be coming soon.

Pass Game Specialist Nate Scheelhaase Sticking With Rams

Nate Scheelhaase is sticking in Los Angeles. After drawing strong interest for the Jaguars offensive coordinator job, the pass game specialist is staying with the Rams, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that Scheelhaase is expected to see an expanded role during his second season with the team.

[RELATED: Nate Scheelhaase Favorite For Jaguars’ OC Job]

Scheelhaase has already seen a rapid rise through the NFL ranks. Following a long stint at Iowa State that culminated in him being named OC, he joined the Rams last offseason as their new pass game specialist. Despite injuries to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, the Rams passing offense still finished 2024 ranked in the top 10, and the 34-year-old started drawing some interest for promotions.

The offensive-minded coach was an option in Tampa Bay, and he was later recruited by former Rams assistant Liam Coen in Jacksonville. The last we heard, he was the favorite for that Jaguars job, where he would have been tasked with guiding the Trevor Lawrence-led offense. Now, Coen will have to pivot to his other candidates, a grouping that only consists of Commanders QBs coach Tavita Pritchard and Vikings assistant QBs coach Grant Udinski.

This news must also come as a relief to Sean McVay, who already lost one key member of his offensive staff when TEs coach Nick Caley was hired to lead the Texans offense. QBs coach Dave Ragone was also a candidate for the Buccaneers OC job, but the Rams can rest easy knowing only one member of their staff was poached this offseason.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/5/25

Wednesday’s only reserve/futures deal around the NFL:

Cincinnati Bengals

The veteran undrafted cornerback has spent the last five years in Cincinnati after originally signing with the Dolphins and spending a year with the Cardinals, as well. He’s served mostly as a depth corner and special teamer in the past, and spent last year on the practice squad, getting elevated twice for game action.

Giants Notes: Daboll, Schoen, Tisch, Barkley, Banks, Eluemunor, Nunez-Roches

When the Giants decided to retain Brian Daboll after a 3-14 season, multiple players expressed surprise, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes. This was not the only instance of a team retaining a coach after a 3-14 campaign this offseason, as the Browns and Titans joined Big Blue here, but New York’s operation had trended downward from 2022 — even though that initial Daboll-Joe Schoen season came as a surprise.

Schoen’s decision to let Saquon Barkley walk turned out to backfire, and the NFL may have a difficult time presenting a viable HBO offseason project after how much the Giants’ offering made the Schoen regime look. While a disastrous 2024 did not cost Schoen his job, players viewed his decision not to submit Barkley an offer doubled as an underestimation of the running back’s value on the field and in the locker room, per Raanan.

[RELATED: Internal Push For Daboll To Cede Play-Calling Role Builds]

Barkley, who had said numerous times he wanted to finish his career a Giant, rampaged for the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history and would likely have broken Eric Dickerson‘s single-season record had the Eagles allowed him to play in Week 18. Barkley already delivered a strong revenge performance earlier in the season, and he joined fellow Giants defector Xavier McKinney on the All-Pro first team.

John Mara did not ultimately hold Schoen prioritizing Daniel Jones over Barkley as a fireable offense, as the owner played a key role in that 2023 pecking order forming. Still, as a result of the 2024 offseason decisions and the terrible season that followed, Schoen and Daboll will be candidates for in-season firings if the 2025 slate does not start off better. Distrust emerged in Daboll’s program as well, multiple players told Raanan, though it does not sound as though the fourth-year HC lost the team. He will face a difficult task in completing a rebound, as the Giants do not have a starter-level quarterback rostered just yet.

The team did attempt to fix a cornerback issue in 2023, drafting Deonte Banks in Round 1. That has not worked out just yet, with the Maryland product being benched for his effort level during a midseason game. Several players indicated Banks’ benching against the Steelers was “a long time coming,” which points to the former top pick being a lingering issue — at least leading up to that point. Pro Football Focus ranked Banks outside the top 100 among CB regulars this past season, and neither second-round center John Michael Schmitz nor third-rounder Jalin Hyatt has impressed from Schoen’s 2023 class.

Still, Schoen will hold the keys going into a 2025 draft that may well send a first-round quarterback to New York. When Schoen and Daboll met with ownership regarding their futures last month, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes the pair only met with Mara, who then spoke with co-owner Steve Tisch separately. Tisch is not in the team’s facility daily, with Duggan classifying the descriptor “silent partner” as applicable for the 20th-year owner, who has outside business interests. Tisch has not spoken in public about the Giants since 2020.

One of the lead drivers for this Giants season unraveling came when Andrew Thomas suffered his latest injury, a Lisfranc issue that required surgery. The Giants went through multiple plans to replace Thomas, ultimately moving right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor to the left side and bringing Evan Neal off the bench to reprise his RT role. Eluemunor, who had begun offseason work at guard before sliding to RT during training camp, was not a fan of the LT shift, per Duggan, as he has wanted to showcase himself as a reliable right tackle.

A three-year RT starter in Las Vegas, Eluemunor preferred a two-year deal — as opposed to a three-year pact — in an effort to cash in once again in free agency. The nomadic blocker not becoming a steady starter until 2021 did not produce even a midlevel free agency deal until the Giants offered a two-year, $14MM accord. Eluemunor appears to be aiming at another RT season making him a viable option on the 2026 market.

The Giants have several issues to address during this year’s free agency, and they will likely turn to some in-house players to create cap space. One appears to be Rakeem Nunez-Roches, whom Duggan labels a cap casualty candidate. Nunez-Roches operated as a spot starter in 2023, playing behind since-departed D-linemen Leonard Williams and A’Shawn Robinson. A 10-year veteran, Nunez-Roches started all 15 games he played in 2024. The Giants could save $3.6MM by moving on.

NFLPA Pushes Back On Prospect Of 18-Game Season

As expected, Roger Goodell‘s comments about an 18-game regular season have already drawn pushback from the NFL Players Association.

“The length of the season is a CBA negotiated matter, so any commentary outside of negotiation is just commentary,” said NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell (via The Athletic’s Mike Jones). “No one wants to play an 18th game. No one. 17 games to many of the guys is still too long.” 

That sentiment was echoed by NFLPA president Jalen Reeves-Maybin (via Mark Maske of The Pat McAfee Show):“I don’t think anyone was really in favor of going to 17 [games].”

Howell confirmed that neither the league nor the NFLPA have addressed the 18-game proposal in negotiations, per Maske. If and when formal talks begin, the players will have to consider several factors, including economic benefits, bye weeks, international travel, and roster size, before agreeing to another schedule expansion, according to Jones

Their fundamental objection will be the increased physical and mental burden of lengthening the already-grueling regular season. Despite Goodell’s promotion of the NFL’s healthy and safety measures, Howell argued that the league has not made enough progress in that arena to warrant an 18th game, per Jones.

However, the NFL seems determined to press on in its quest for an 18-game season, setting it up as a crucial issue for the 2030 CBA. Though, this issue is likely to be headed for true negotiations before that point. This will allow the NFLPA to seek important concessions in exchange for greenlighting a second schedule change in a decade.

Jaxson Dart Moving Into QB3 Territory In 2025 Draft?

The top two quarterback prospects in this year’s draft — Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders — did not work out at the Senior Bowl. While both have generated scrutiny, especially when compared to last year’s crop, this duo has been viewed as the top tier among QBs in this draft for a while now.

A mystery exists behind those two passers, with the likes of Quinn Ewers, Jalen Milroe and Jaxson Dart being part of the next wave of QBs available. Each carries considerable questions into the draft; despite a few teams being in need, this second group may not see a player go in Round 1. Though, the supply-and-demand issue regularly leads to second-tier QB prospects being drafted earlier than they should be. That will be something to monitor as the Combine nears.

[RELATED: 2025 QB Class Generating Continued Skepticism]

Going into the Indianapolis session, one member of that trio may have helped himself most in Mobile. The Senior Bowl workouts went well enough for Dart that he may be the clubhouse leader to be the third quarterback drafted. As Milroe struggled during a week veteran ESPN analyst Louis Riddick described (h/t Paul Schwartz of the New York Post) as “uneven,” ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes Dart became more comfortable during the week of practices. An AFC scout told Fowler that Dart should not be viewed as a first-rounder, but with the maligned crop coming in, it certainly could happen.

Daniel Jeremiah’s first 2025 NFL.com big board lists only Ward and Sanders in its top 50. ESPN’s Matt Miller mocks Dart at 40th overall to the Saints, going two spots ahead of Ewers. Milroe is not in Miller’s top-64 offering. Beyond the host of QB-needy teams picking in the top six (Titans, Browns, Giants, Raiders), teams like the Jets, Saints, Steelers and Seahawks need long-term answers. This demand, along with what is not viewed as a strong free agent class (particularly if the Vikings franchise Sam Darnold), would benefit Dart.

Playing under Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss, Dart follows Matt Corral as a second-tier QB prospect. Corral did not pan out, going in Round 3 but not playing a down; he is not currently on an NFL roster. Dart started for three-plus seasons and finished the 2024 campaign with a 29-6 TD-INT ratio and a 10.8-yard average per attempt. A 69.3% completion rate and 495 rushing yards came along with those impressive numbers, though, as one NFC staffer told Fowler, the Kiffin offense is a “mess” in terms of translating to the NFL. That stands to be an issue Dart must navigate during the Combine and pre-draft visits.

Some of the teams holding picks outside the top six will need to turn to free agent or trade options, but with starter hopefuls scarce, Dart impressing at the Combine certainly could begin to generate first-round buzz. Even as Ward and Sanders are not locks to be this draft’s top two selections, Tennessee and Cleveland needs notwithstanding, their places near the top of the draft are fairly solidified. The next wave of passers, then, stand to be the more interesting part of the pre-draft process.

Ron Rivera To Join Cal Program

Ron Rivera resurfaced on the coaching carousel this offseason, after spending a year out of football. The HC-turned-analyst is returning to the game, but the reemergence will not come in the NFL.

The former Panthers and Commanders HC is taking a job at Cal, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. The Pac-12 program is on track to hire Rivera for a GM-like role. Rivera is a Cal alum, playing at the Berkeley-based school before a lengthy career as an NFL linebacker.

This move comes not long after Stanford hired one of its most famous football alums, Andrew Luck, to head up its program as GM. Rivera confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter) he is heading to his alma mater. Like Bill Belichick, Rivera has never worked at the college level. The ex-Bears LB had been an NFL coach from 1997-2023, but upon being fired after four years in Washington, the 63-year-old NFL lifer will give the college game a shot.

While Luck will be a former player transitioning to a front office-type role, Rivera has considerable experience in personnel. Being hired to help stabilize the Washington franchise in 2020, Rivera secured final say in personnel matters. Rivera led Washington in 2020, his only playoff berth with the team, without a GM in place. He hired Martin Mayhew for the role in 2021 but retained status as the top football staffer throughout his tenure with the NFC East club.

Even though Rivera did gain personnel seasoning in Washington, he is obviously best known as a sideline presence. After a successful run as a defensive coordinator, Rivera turned around the Panthers after they had cratered to 2-14 in John Fox‘s 2010 finale. Overseeing the likes of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, Rivera guided the Cam Newton-piloted Panthers to four playoff berths during his nine-season tenure. This effort peaked with a 15-1 2015 season, one that produced a dominant NFC championship game performance before a Super Bowl 50 loss to the Broncos. The Panthers have not made the playoffs since their Rivera-guided 2017 cameo.

Although Rivera’s final three Commanders seasons fell short of the postseason, as the team struggled to identify a quarterback, the wheels did not fall off until the 2023 season. With help from ownership effectively mandating the team trade Montez Sweat and Chase Young, the Commanders lost their final eight games and finished 4-13. Rivera’s ouster was widely expected, but he garnered several interviews over the past two offseasons. The Bears, Jets and Raiders met with Rivera during this year’s HC hiring cycle. A Jaguars meeting for an assistant role also transpired. The Eagles and Cowboys met with him about a DC role last year.

Rivera played for the Golden Bears from 1980-83, vaulting to the NFL as a Bears second-round pick in 1984. An All-American in 1983, Rivera was a backup for Chicago’s famed 1985 Super Bowl-winning team. More than four decades after leaving Berkeley, he will attempt to elevate a mid-pack program — one that has produced two winning seasons over the past nine years — during a chaotic time at the college level. Like Belichick and Luck, Rivera will be navigating the college game during choppy waters caused by the transfer portal and changing compensation landscape.

Eagles Designate Brandon Graham, C.J. Uzomah For Return

FEBRUARY 5: Graham views it as likely he will suit up for a third Super Bowl. It should be expected the Eagles activate Graham by Saturday’s deadline, as the 15th-year defensive end said (via FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz) he is on track to play against the Chiefs.

JANUARY 30: Viewed as likely to miss the rest of the season upon suffering a torn triceps muscle in November, Brandon Graham held out hope for a return if the Eagles booked a Super Bowl trip. Now that Super Bowl LIX will feature Philadelphia, the Eagles will see about a potential comeback.

Graham, who had said before this season he would retire after it wrapped, will practice Thursday. The Eagles designated the 15th-year defensive end and tight end C.J. Uzomah for return. Additionally, the Eagles signed running back Lew Nichols to their practice squad and released tight end Nick Muse.

A Graham comeback would be significant for the Eagles, who have dealt with injuries to both he and Bryce Huff this season. Huff has since returned, though he is playing behind starters Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith in Vic Fangio‘s defense. Graham, 36, had already topped his 2023 full-season totals for sacks and QB hits in 11 games this season. The longest-tenured player in Eagles history was sitting on 3.5 and seven, respectively, in those categories when he went down against the Rams.

As PFR’s coaching trackers have become more prominent, revisiting our IR Return Tracker shows the Eagles with four IR activations left. Teams received two more in the playoffs this year, marking a change from the NFL’s 2022 and ’23 setups under its current format. Graham and Uzomah join return man Britain Covey in the practice window. The team will not activate defensive lineman Byron Young, whose practice window expired this week.

Philly has not produced the prolific sack numbers it carried into Super Bowl LVII, but Fangio’s defense has improved significantly from where it was under Sean Desai and Matt Patricia last season. The Eagles led the league in yards allowed and finished second in scoring. While the Chiefs have not closely reminded of their 2022 offense this season, only eclipsing 30 points one time, the Patrick Mahomes-led unit proved it still had firepower last week by hanging 32 on the Bills. The Eagles having one more pass-rushing option could be significant, as the Chiefs have proven historically reliable in close games.

The Eagles re-signed Graham on a one-year, $4MM deal last March. Having broken Chuck Bednarik‘s record for service time as an Eagle, Graham said to start training camp he would make this season his last. After the injury, Graham was less definitive. But returning in time for the Super Bowl could provide a fitting conclusion — well, should it go the Eagles’ way.

Graham, of course, delivered his signature play in a Super Bowl by forcing a Tom Brady fumble to set up Philly’s game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII. The Patriots entered that game having qualified for seven straight conference championships; the Chiefs are now riding the same streak, and the Eagles are all that stand in the way of Kansas City becoming the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. That stands to make a potential Graham return a closely monitored situation.

Uzomah sustained an abdominal injury in Week 17. The former Bengals Super Bowl starter has not played a regular role with the Eagles. A Jets cap casualty in 2024, Uzomah has played in seven Eagles games but has not caught a pass. He would serve as depth behind Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra.

Buccaneers To Hire Charlie Strong

A college head coach throughout the 2010s, Charlie Strong had settled on the analyst level recently. He spent his second tour of duty at Alabama in that role in 2023, but the ex-Louisville, Texas and South Florida HC is heading back to the NFL.

Strong will join Todd Bowles‘ Buccaneers staff as defensive line coach, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This will mark Strong’s second job as an NFL assistant. He was previously on Urban Meyer‘s 2021 Jaguars staff, being in place as inside linebackers coach that season. Long will replace longtime Bowles assistant Kacy Rodgers, whose contract had expired. Rodgers is now with the Lions.

In addition to Strong, the Bucs are adding to their offensive staff. Tampa Bay is hiring Kefense Hynson as its pass-game coordinator, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds. Like Strong, Hynson has spent his career at the college level. Unlike Strong, this will be Hynson’s first NFL gig. He comes over after an extended run as Oregon State’s wide receivers coach.

Strong, 64, stayed one season under Meyer but is better known for his college roles. He submitted 11-2 and 12-1 college seasons, with Teddy Bridgewater at the controls at Louisville during the 2012 and ’13 campaigns, en route to a Texas offer. The successful ACC leader was unable to turn around the Texas program at that point, losing seven games in each of his three seasons running the then-Big 12 program. He fared better to start his South Florida tenure, going 10-2 in 2017, but did not impress over the final two years of that stay and was eventually fired.

Previously serving as defensive coordinator at South Carolina and Florida, Strong has been in coaching since 1983. Hynson started in 2003, becoming a college coordinator (at the Division I-FCS level) by 2007. For the past seven years, Hynson served as pass-game coordinator at Oregon State. He moved up to interim HC in 2023 and was retained under new HC Trent Bray in 2024. Hynson, 44, mentored the likes of Luke Musgrave and Isaiah Hodgins in that time.

This represents another dive into the college ranks for the Bucs, who added Liam Coen from Kentucky last year. Coen had prior NFL experience as an OC, with the Rams in 2022, and has already departed for a head coaching gig. The Bucs promoted Josh Grizzard to take his place. Hynson will work under Grizzard, while Strong will operate as a Bowles lieutenant — for a team that does not employ a traditional defensive coordinator.

AFC Staff Notes: Jets, Jaguars, Bills, Titans

While new regimes have been known to wait until after the draft to make major front office changes, the Jets are acting early to start their Aaron Glenn-Darren Mougey run. The team is moving on from two veteran execs. Co-director of player personnel Greg Nejmeh is out after 16 years with the organization, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Jones classifies this as a mutual parting. Senior director of football administration David Socie is done as well, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello. Socie had been the Jets’ chief negotiator since 2018, Costello adds, while Nejmeh climbed to his post upon Joe Douglas‘ 2019 GM hire. These moves come a year after the team fired assistant GM Rex Hogan, leaving Mougey with work to do in the front office. Woody Johnson had prevented Douglas from replacing Hogan or Chad Alexander, who left to become Chargers assistant GM, so it will be interesting to see how the Jets move forward here.

Additionally, one of the other veteran presences in the front office — ex-Browns GM Phil Savage — is being retained as a consultant, Costello adds. Savage, who closed the season as Jets interim GM, interviewed for the full-time job as well. It is unclear if Savage is being retained for the long haul, as Costello expects more changes post-draft; the veteran exec has been with the Jets since their Douglas hire. He spent six years as a senior personnel advisor.

Here is the latest from AFC staffs:

  • Liam Coen still needs to hire an offensive coordinator, but that to-be-determined Jaguars staffer will oversee a new quarterbacks coach. Spencer Whipple is coming over from the Cardinals to take that job, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. A Kliff Kingsbury hire, Whipple stayed on in Arizona under Jonathan Gannon. He had climbed to co-pass-game coordinator under Kingsbury before sliding to the title of pass-game specialist during Gannon’s first two seasons. This will be a key promotion, as Coen will entrust him to help elevate Trevor Lawrence.
  • Elsewhere on Coen’s offensive staff, the team is interviewing Vikings assistant offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett for its O-line coaching position, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco notes. This has been a rather difficult position for Coen to fill, as attempts to add Buccaneers staffers Kevin Carberry and Brian Piccuci failed due to Tampa Bay blocking the moves. The Bucs have let it be known they are not letting contracted assistants follow Coen, who departed after indicating he would stay. Sarrett served as Steelers O-line coach from 2019-20, spending nine years with the organization, before settling in as an assistant OL coach. He was with the Chargers during Brandon Staley‘s three seasons in Los Angeles. The Jags also have Rams staffer Zak Kromer on the radar for this gig.
  • Former Bears assistant Travis Smith will find his way to Tennessee, joining the Titans as the team’s defensive run-game coordinator. Smith worked as D-line coach under Matt Eberflus for three seasons. Prior to that, he was with the Raiders for 10 years. Smith’s hire comes shortly after the Titans added ex-Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie to the front office. Smith arrived in Oakland during McKenzie’s first offseason as Raiders GM.
  • The Bills are signing off on a reunion for their defensive staff. Jason Rebrovich is coming back, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, to work as the team’s assistant D-line coach. A Packers staffer for the past three seasons, Rebrovich had previously worked as Bills assistant D-line coach — one of his Buffalo titles during a four-year stay — in 2014. The Bills had hired Rebrovich to work under Doug Marrone and retained him under Rex Ryan. Rebrovich spent the past three seasons with the Packers.
  • The Chargers lost their previous safeties coach, Chris O’Leary, to the college level. After O’Leary became the DC at Western Michigan, ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel indicates the team has selected his replacement from the ACC. Florida State DC Adam Fuller will fill the position. Fuller had been the Seminoles’ DC for five seasons and has only coached in college, doing so since the late 1990s.