Browns Fire HC Kevin Stefanski
The Browns are among the teams which will be seeking a new head coach over the coming weeks. Kevin Stefanski‘s tenure in Cleveland is coming to an end. 
Stefanski has been fired, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Signs were pointing in this direction leading up to the end of the regular season yesterday. General manager Andrew Berry is safe, and Schefter notes he will lead the search for a replacement head coach.
[RELATED: Jim Schwartz Likely To Be Replacement Candidate]
Over the course of a lengthy tenure in Minnesota, Stefanski generated a strong reputation as one of the league’s top offensive minds. His 2020 hire marked the first head coaching opportunity at the college or NFL levels of his career. The 43-year-old went on to win the Coach of the Year award twice during his tenure in Cleveland. That span also included a record of just 7-26 over the past two years, however.
The struggles endured since the beginning of the 2024 season are identified in a team statement as part of the reason why the Browns have elected to move on in this case. After reaching the playoffs in 2023 – Cleveland’s second 11-win season under Stefanski – things have not gone according to plan, and quarterback uncertainty persists at this point. Finding a long-term answer under center will be a priority along with the search for a new head coach.
Stefanski, meanwhile, will contemplate his next move. A strong market could exist in his case based on his track record under stable QB situations and the lack of high-profile offensive coaches in the 2026 pool of candidates. Stefanski has been mentioned on multiple occasions as a logical fit with the Giants. As other vacancies open up around the league, it will be interesting to see how Stefanski fits into the overall coaching landscape this winter.
Cleveland will have stability at the GM spot moving forward with Berry remaining in place. Strong showings from multiple members of the Browns’ rookie class no doubt helped his job security. Nevertheless, today’s news comes after Paul DePodesta departed the organization to join Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies. Berry will be tasked with overseeing a notably different setup for the franchise once the second HC of his tenure is in place.
A report from last week tied the Browns to interest in Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins have yet to make a final decision on their head coach, although he is currently believed to be safe. In the event that changes, though, connections between Cleveland and McDaniel will be worth watching for.
The Giants and Titans made in-season HC firings. In the immediate aftermath of Week 18, the Falcons moved on from Raheem Morris as well general manager Terry Fontenot. With Stefanski now out, there are four head coaching vacancies and counting across the NFL.
Raiders Fire HC Pete Carroll
As expected, the Raiders will have a new head coach in place next season. Vegas has fired Pete Carroll, per a team announcement.
Over the course of the 2025 season, it became increasingly clear Carroll’s NFL return would prove to be a one-and-done venture with respect to the Raiders. The Super Bowl winner fired a pair of coordinators in season, including the highly-compensated Chip Kelly at OC. Tension between Carroll and Kelly contributed to a highly underwhelming output on offense, something which did not tangibly improve after their split.
[RELATED: Brian Flores, Brian Daboll On Raiders’ Radar?]
Vegas won on Sunday against a Chiefs team which also had nothing to play for. That result ended a 10-game losing streak for the Raiders, but the Giants’ loss earlier in the day ensured Vegas will own the No. 1 pick in April’s draft. Selecting a quarterback first overall will no doubt become the expectation over the coming months, but before then a new head coach will need to be hired.
2025 saw general manager John Spytek brought in as part of the sweeping changes made by Vegas. He will play a leading role in the search for Carroll’s replacement. The statement issued by owner Mark Davis confirms to no surprise, though, that Tom Brady will work “in close collaboration” with Spytek on all matters of football operations. That includes the second HC search the pair will oversee.
Since moving to Vegas, the Raiders have been defined in large part by instability on the sidelines and in the front office. Jon Gruden‘s resignation has been followed by unsuccessful outside hires (Josh McDaniels, Carroll) and brief interim stints (Rich Bisaccia, Antonio Pierce) in between. Davis elected to give Pierce the full-time gig for 2024, a decision which did not pan out as hoped. Carroll represented a highly decorated replacement, but a win-now approach which included the trade acquisition of quarterback Geno Smith failed to produce the desired results. By late December, a large expectation existed that Carroll’s Vegas tenure would prove to be only one season in length.
Carroll was the oldest hire in NFL history when he joined the Raiders last winter. Now 74, his future on the sidelines will naturally be in doubt. A strong market is unlikely to exist in this case given Carroll’s relatively underwhelming end to his Seahawks tenure and his 3-14 campaign upon returning to the sidelines following a one-year absence. Carroll expressed a desire to remain with the Raiders for next season, but with that no longer an option it will be interesting to see if his coaching career will continue.
Numerous hires on the sidelines will be coming soon for the Raiders given the changes made during the campaign. Vegas joins Cleveland, Atlanta, Tennessee and the Giants as a team in need of a new head coach. The search process for Carroll’s replacement is set to begin immediately.
Cardinals Fire HC Jonathan Gannon
Rumblings leading up to Week 18 pointed to Jonathan Gannon being safe, but the Cardinals’ woeful season will result in a major change. Gannon is out, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The move is now official.
The Cardinals are retaining GM Monti Ossenfort, as expected. He will lead the search for Gannon’s replacement. Arizona hired Gannon and Ossenfort together in 2023, but the franchise has a history of giving its GMs much longer leashes. The Cardinals retained both Steve Keim and Rod Graves for 10 years apiece in that role, and Ossenfort will see a fourth.
Reports of Gannon being squarely in play to stay may not have been too far off-base; NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates the Cardinals showing more fight down the stretch could have saved the HC’s job. As a defensive coach, however, Gannon presided over a decline on that side of the ball. The Cardinals’ 3-14 season also included nine straight losses to close the show.
Allowing a coach to return after three non-playoff seasons is rare enough in the modern NFL, but doing so after separate seasons of fewer than five wins is nearly unheard of. The Cards went 4-13 in the first Gannon-Ossenfort year, and after an 8-9 2024 season, they slunk to 3-14 in a formidable NFC West. While Ossenfort will have a chance to bounce back, the Cardinals have plenty of questions to answer in Year 4 of the GM’s rebuild effort.
The NFL handed the Cardinals a tampering penalty — via a drop in the 2023 draft — for impermissible Gannon contact during that interview process, but he was coming off a two-year run as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. While the Eagles struggled mightily in Super Bowl LVII, Gannon had a deal in place with the Cardinals and headed west immediately following that close loss. Arizona’s defense made strides under Gannon and Nick Rallis in 2024, rising to 12th in points allowed and 15th in yardage. This season, however, brought a steep drop. The Cards finished 23rd in scoring and 29th in yardage, sealing Gannon’s fate.
Arizona committed more resources to its defense after fielding a skeleton crew in the wake of J.J. Watt, Zach Allen and Byron Murphy‘s 2023 departures. The Cardinals gave Josh Sweat a big-ticket deal in free agency and used first-round picks on defensive linemen Walter Nolen and Darius Robinson to go with multiple second-round picks on cornerbacks over the past two years. The team also added Dalvin Tomlinson and brought back Calais Campbell this past offseason. The end result, even with some solid individual efforts, was not good enough.
While Michael Bidwill gave Kliff Kingsbury four seasons (No. 4 coming after an extension), Gannon is out without the opportunity to oversee a quarterback his regime identified. Gannon and Ossenfort had consistently sung praises for Kingsbury-Keim-era QB Kyler Murray — until this year. Murray’s early-season foot injury did not produce a return, as the Cardinals effectively parked the former Pro Bowler on IR and allowed Jacoby Brissett to finish out the year. The team is widely expected to move on from its seven-year starter — by trade or release — rather than see a chunk of his 2027 salary become guaranteed.
A spree of close losses dropped the Cardinals out of contention this season, but Gannon’s defense caved in as the year progressed. The team allowed at least 37 points in four its final five games and six times total during the nine-game season-closing skid. Arizona lost six games by at least three scores during this seminal stretch, one that will lead Ossenfort and Bidwill to the drawing board.
The Cardinals did allow the 42-year-old coach the chance to inform the team he had been fired, per ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss, but it will be difficult to envision him landing on this year’s HC carousel after his showing in the desert. A host of defensive coordinators will be up for HC jobs as the 2026 carousel starts, and Gannon may be a candidate to replace one of them. Two seasons remain on Gannon’s five-year contract, introducing the scenario in which Bidwill pays three HCs. That was viewed as a potential impediment, but the owner will follow through and replace Gannon anyway.
Replacing Murray will be tops on Ossenfort’s to-do list. He and Gannon inherited the former No. 1 overall pick shortly after he had suffered an ACL tear. Murray showed signs of his former self in 2024, ranking ninth in QBR and starting 17 games for the first time in his career. Never quite meshing with OC Drew Petzing, Murray is far removed from his Pro Bowl seasons (2020, 2021). He played just five games in his age-28 season.
The Giants gave Brian Daboll a chance to identify his own QB (Jaxson Dart), but he was largely fired after being saddled with a prior regime’s investment (Daniel Jones). Gannon did not get that far. He now joins Daboll, Brian Callahan, Pete Carroll and Kevin Stefanski on this year’s HC chopping block.
Mike McDaniel To Be Part Of Dolphins’ GM Search
The Dolphins have not made it official Mike McDaniel will return for a fifth season as HC, but this situation certainly looks to be headed that way.
McDaniel said (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) he will be part of Miami’s GM search process. While the hire will not solely be McDaniel’s call, this provides a pretty clear indication which direction Dolphins ownership is leaning regarding the head coach.
A GM who can work with McDaniel was not believed to be a Dolphins priority, but it would help if the organization indeed plans to keep its HC. The early makeup of the Dolphins’ search points to McDaniel having a great chance to stay. Three of the six interview slips Miami has sent out went to San Francisco execs — all of whom were with the 49ers during McDaniel’s tenure. Josh Williams, Tarik Ahmad and R.J. Gillen are among the names the Dolphins want to interview.
Stephen Ross will make the final call, but he split up McDaniel and Chris Grier just before the trade deadline. Both Dolphins power brokers entered the season on hot seats; Grier’s interest in a fire sale-like approach at the deadline hurt his chances of staying. Well, that and the Dolphins’ record.
McDaniel’s fourth season started 1-6, and the team later benched Tua Tagovailoa for Quinn Ewers. Tagovailoa, who would welcome a fresh start, appears heading toward surpassing Russell Wilson‘s single-player dead money record (cutting the left-hander would bring a staggering $99.2MM in dead cap).
McDaniel and Tyreek Hill had revitalized Tagovailoa’s career in 2022, but both players’ contracts became an issue under Grier. The GM had caved to player demands for early paydays on a few occasions, with Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey joining Hill in being given a monster guarantee package with more than a year remaining on a contract. The Dolphins designated Howard as a post-June 1 cut, with Ramsey being traded after June 1 because of his contract. Tagovailoa could be a post-June 1 release — if he is jettisoned without a trade, the Dolphins will have to use that designation — and Hill not being classified as a post-June 1 cut would bring nearly $30MM in dead cap. Tagovailoa’s $53.1MM-per-year extension runs through 2028.
McDaniel, 42, was tasked with leading a flawed roster this year, but his offense ranked 25th in points and 26th in yardage. After back-to-back playoff berths, Miami is riding consecutive sub-.500 seasons. Tagovailoa avoided injury this season but underwhelmed despite being in Year 4 in McDaniel’s offense. Miami would carry a glaring QB need if it moves on from the southpaw passer, and the Dolphins look to be trusting McDaniel in helping find a replacement.
The Dolphins rallied to reach a 6-7 record, but they struggled mightily in Pittsburgh during a nationally televised game. Tagovailoa’s subsequent benching did not spark the offense, as Ewers started in blowout losses to the Bengals and Patriots. McDaniel surviving despite this would be interesting, though Ross has long been a fan of his coaching. Grier’s ouster did not precede reports McDaniel would follow him out the door. On the contrary, reports pegged McDaniel as a clear candidate to stay.
While some pushback on this emerged late last month, the Dolphins appear ready to at least partially stay the course. The GM search could change the plan, as the Jaguars’ mid-search decision to fire GM Trent Baalke (in order to attract better HC options) reminds. For now, though, McDaniel will be a key part of the search. Hiring a GM based partially on the recommendation of a coach on the hot seat would not seem wise, so it will be interesting to learn how much influence McDaniel ends up having here.
Bengals HC Zac Taylor Does Not Anticipate Coaching Changes
The Bengals announced on Monday that head coach Zac Taylor would stay in place in 2026 on Monday. Taylor, in turn, told reporters (via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that he would not be making changes to the rest of his coaching staff.
That means offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher, defensive coordinator Al Golden, and special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons will all return for next season. None of the three seemed likely to garner interest for a head coaching job elsewhere, which was the only other way they would depart Cincinnati this offseason.
In his two years as OC, Pitcher’s offense has consistently been among the best in the league when Joe Burrow is healthy. Like any offense that loses a star quarterback, the Bengals immediately struggled after Burrow’s injury. Pitcher struggled to get the best out of backup Jake Browning, but a trade for Joe Flacco set the offense on fire for three game before the Bengals’ bye. After two rough games coming out of the bye, Burrow returned to the field, as did the offense to their usual heights (outside of getting shut out by the Ravens in Week 15). Though Pitcher has struggled to get Cincinnati’s running game going, that has been a perennial problem from the franchise that has to do with more than just coaching.
Golden was hired last offseason to improve a defense that ranked 25th in points and yards allowed last season. Instead, Cincinnati regressed to 30th and 31st, respectively, raising speculation that he could leave after just one season. Taylor has decided to stick with Golden, perhaps in the hopes that he can better re-acclimate to the NFL after spending three years at Notre Dame.
Cincinnati’s special teams ranked fourth in the NFL with a 90.6 team grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Kicker Evan McPherson bounced back after a rough start and punter Ryan Rekhow ranked among the league’s top punters. In other words, there is no reason to remove Simmons from his job; his unit was arguably the team’s most consistent throughout the season.
Browns Notes: Schwartz, Stefanski, QB Situation
The Browns’ first decision of the offseason was to fire head coach Kevin Stefanski. The next step will be finding his replacement.
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is an internal candidate, according to Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal, which is no surprise given his success over the last three years. Owner Jimmy Haslam refused to confirm that Schwartz is a candidate on Monday (via Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand), but admitted he wanted to retain his veteran DC.
The Browns defense has consistently been the team’s stronger side of the ball since Schwartz came aboard in 2023. They ranked first in total defense in his debut season and fourth in 2025; between was a down year that was impacted by a turnover-prone offense. Schwartz’s defenses have never ranked higher than 13th in points allowed, though that can again be partially attributed to the offense consistently losing the field position battle. But his familiarity with the current roster – which is primarily built on defensive cornerstones – is a major factor in his favor.
The Browns’ quarterback situation is, as always, a key part of their long-term planning that goes hand-in-hand with their decision on a new head coach. Despite some potential flashed by Shedeur Sanders this season, Cleveland still seems to be intent on nabbing a top quarterback prospects in one of the next two drafts. That would normally lean a team towards hiring an offensive coordinator for the top job. However, this hiring cycle is considered a weak one for potential offensive-minded head coaches who could groom a young QB.
Cleveland may therefore be better served by promoting Schwartz and adding an up-and-coming offensive assistants to work with the next quarterback. However, Haslam also indicated that he is ultimately open to a head coach with a background on either side of the ball. Their last four hires were offensive-minded coaches, but their lack of success in that stretch could inspire them to break the pattern.
Here is the latest out of Cleveland:
- Even if they hire a defensive head coach, the Browns will be focusing on improving their offense this offseason. General manager Andrew Berry promised “significant investment” in the unit, per Grossi, with a first-round quarterback no doubt on the table. Cleveland may also need to replace multiple offensive linemen this offseason and could stand to improve their wide receiver corps.
- Deshaun Watson is expected to be on the roster in 2026, Berry said on Monday (via Grossi). He is still completing his rehab from dual Achilles tears suffered last season. This follows a report indicating the same, with Watson’s onerous contract requiring an untenable dead money number to shed.
- The Browns will still wait on any potential quarterback moves until they hire a new coach. From there, though, his first priority will likely be figuring out the team’s 2026 starter.
- Stefanski has no intention of taking time away from football and has immediately thrown his hat in the ring for other head-coaching opportunities, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. He is already expected to interview with the Giants, Titans, and Falcons. He will not, however, take a lesser job with the Buccaneers and reunite with Baker Mayfield, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
- Longtime Browns guard Wyatt Teller is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career. The eight-year veteran does not know if his agent has discussed a new deal with the team, according to Easterling. If Cleveland is pursuing another rebuild, they may opt to move on from the 31-year-old lineman in favor of younger players.
- Though rookie tight end Harold Fannin emerged as an impact pass-catching this season, the Browns are still interested in retaining pending free agent David Njoku. He wants to stay in Cleveland, too, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, but coaching staff changes could change the calculus for either side.
Kevin Stefanski Expected To Interview With Giants, Falcons, Titans
9:22pm: Stefanski will indeed be interviewing with the Titans. Veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky reports that the ousted Browns coach will meet with Tennessee leadership on Saturday.
3:40pm: In the time leading up to ‘Black Monday,’ it became increasingly clear Kevin Stefanski‘s time in Cleveland was coming to an end. The Browns, as expected, fired him this morning. 
Many have pointed to Stefanski as one of the top head coaching candidates in the 2026 cycle. To no surprise, then, a list of prospective suitors has emerged in short order. Stefanski is expected to interview with the Giants, Falcons and Titans, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Prior to his dismissal, Stefanski was named as a candidate to watch regarding the Giants. New York has used Mike Kafka in an interim capacity since firing Brian Daboll. Kafka will receive an interview for the full-time gig, but a number of outside options will be explored as well.
The Titans’ initial batch of interview requests came out earlier today. The Chiefs tandem of Matt Nagy and Steve Spagnuolo along with Broncos and Colts defensive coordinators Vance Joseph and Lou Anarumo have been targeted for an interview. Tennessee has also been mentioned as a likely suitor in the case of Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury. Stefanski represents another veteran play-caller on the offensive side of the ball as the Titans seek out Brian Callahan‘s replacement.
By Sunday night, Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot had been fired by Atlanta. The team is nearing a hire for a new president of football operations position. Matt Ryan is the frontrunner for that role. Once a deal has been finalized in that respect, attention will turn to the HC and GM vacancies. Atlanta has already submitted interview requests with Klint Kubiak (offensive coordinator, Seahawks) and Anthony Weaver (defensive coordinator, Dolphins).
Stefanski won a pair of Coach of the Year awards during his six seasons with the Browns. Things have not gone according to plan since the start of 2024, however, a factor which was noted in the statement confirming his dismissal. Nevertheless, the 43-year-old is largely held in a high regard as a veteran offensive mind who has (at times) found success in spite of unenviable quarterback situations.
Developing any of Jaxson Dart, Cam Ward or Michael Penix Jr. would be seen as a top priority for Stefanski in the event of a hire. His interest in each of the vacancies in New York, Tennessee and Atlanta will be worth monitoring as the hiring landscape takes shape. Given the fact he is now unemployed, Stefanski is free to interview with teams at any time.
RB Rachaad White Expects To Depart Buccaneers
Rachaad White seems to think he’ll be playing elsewhere in 2026. The impending free agent running back posted a farewell message to the Buccaneers on Instagram, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
A former third-round pick, White once seemed like he was going to lead the Buccaneers RBs room for years to come. He played alongside Tom Brady as a rookie and finished with 771 yards from scrimmage, and he took his production to another level in the Baker Mayfield-led offense in 2023. White finished his sophomore campaign with 1,539 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns.
However, the Buccaneers added Bucky Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, and the Oregon product ended up emerging as the lead option by the end of that season. Irving’s rookie campaign saw him finish with more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns, while White finished with 1,006 offensive yards and nine scores. Irving ended up missing a chunk of games this season, but White had one of the least productive showings of his career, finishing with 4.6 yards per touch.
Sean Tucker is set to hit restricted free agency, leaving Irving as the only definitive Buccaneers RB to return in 2026. Considering the organization’s ability to juggle multiple players at the position in recent years, the Buccaneers probably wouldn’t completely shut the door on re-signing White. However, the veteran seemed to indicate in his social media post that he’ll be playing for a new squad in 2026.
Considering White’s success as a starter and his pass-catching ability, he shouldn’t lack for suitors as a free agent. He’ll be joining a relatively strong free agent class that includes the likes of Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne, and Javonte Williams.
Chargers Add OL Ben Cleveland To Practice Squad
Ben Cleveland has found a new home. Days after getting waived by the Ravens, the offensive lineman has signed with the Chargers practice squad, per the team. To make room, the Chargers have released safety Marcus Maye.
Cleveland served as a rotational offensive lineman after he was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2021 draft. He started seven of his 64 appearances for Baltimore, appearing in 673 offensive snaps across five seasons. He also had a consistent special teams role.
The veteran was limited to only three offensive snaps in 10 games to begin the 2025 campaign before he was hit with a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Substances of Abuse Policy. Instead of activating the 27-year-old back to the active roster, the Ravens opted to waive him instead.
Cleveland passed through waivers and has now landed with a playoff team. With Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater sidelined, the Chargers offensive line has struggled mightily this season. According to ESPN’s Kris Rhim, the team has shuffled through 29 different OL combinations, the third-most in the NFL. A player with Cleveland’s experience will provide some extra depth, but the team surely won’t turn to a newcomer ahead of a playoff game.
A former Jets second-round pick, Maye has spent parts of the past two seasons in Los Angeles. He made four appearances for the team in 2024, compiling 12 tackles and an interception. He joined the Chargers practice squad in December and was promoted for their season finale.
Tyler Linderbaum Wants To Stay In Baltimore
The Ravens’ 2025 season ended on Sunday night, and their 2026 offseason immediately began.
In addition to considering changes to their coaching staff, Baltimore will have to make a number of roster decisions. The most pressing, at least in terms of a timeline, is regarding Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum. The Ravens declined to pick up the 2022 first-rounder’s fifth-year option last offseason, making 2025 a contract year.
Linderbaum, 25, said on Monday that he “absolutely” wants to remain in Baltimore despite his pending free agency. But the financial details are complicated. A franchise tag – projected by OverTheCap to be $27.2MM – is out of the question. That would still set a high floor for extension negotiations in a positional market that is currently topped by Chiefs center Creed Humphrey at $18MM per year. That contract was signed in 2024 with a significantly lower cap, so Linderbaum will likely top it on his next deal. The question is by how much.
The fourth-year center started every game this year and maintained his status as one of the league’s top centers with his third-straight Pro Bowl. His 79.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) of any center, though that was primarily due to his elite run-blocking. In pass protection, though, Linderbaum took a step backwards from his more consistent showings in 2023 and 2024, which featured just 37 combined pressures allowed and a 98.4 pass-blocking efficiency, per PFF. This year alone he allowed 26 pressures with a career-low 97.2 efficiency rating.
Even for the run-heavy Ravens, Linderbaum’s pass protection in the center of the offensive line is crucial. One could argue his stats were dragged down by poor guard play on either side, but there were plenty of situations where he was flat-out beat. But the team’s lack of investment in the guard position also makes his overall talent and leadership more valuable.
Adjusting Humphrey’s contract to the current salary cap yields an APY of $20.8MM, which would be close to the top of a guard market that has exploded in recent years. Linderbaum’s agent will be arguing for that number, while the Ravens will be seeking a smaller bump over Humphrey’s deal. Baltimore has a tight salary cap situation and a confident negotiating style in which they largely stick to their valuation. The team has even been willing to let top pending free agents test their market while keeping communications line open for a potential return to the negotiating table.
But another fundamental element of the Ravens’ team-building strategy is retaining core franchise players, especially former first-round picks who are among the league’s best at their positions. Linderbaum fits that description to a T, and his desire to remain in Baltimore is almost certainly mutual. The two sides will likely engage in negotiations before the start of the new league year with the hope of securing a long-term deal that keeps Linderbaum in purple and black for the foreseeable future.