Jesse Minter Receives HC Interview Request From Cardinals, Falcons, Dolphins, Giants
In the early stages of the head coaching hiring cycle, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was confirmed as one of the top candidates on the market. Interest in his case now runs the gamut of HC-needy teams. 
Minter has received an interview request from the Cardinals, Falcons, Dolphins and Giants, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. He had already received a slip from each of the other four teams currently seeking a head coach. As such, Minter is officially a candidate for every current opening in the NFL.
An interview will take place with Arizona today, per Breer. Minter will be busy on that front over the coming days, especially if he accepts all eight requests. With the Chargers’ season now over, his attention will turn to the possibility of a first career head coaching opportunity being offered in the near future.
The Cardinals have already met with several former NFL head coaches in their search for Jonathan Gannon‘s replacement. Arizona has also been connected to less experienced staffers like Klint Kubiak and Chris Shula, however. This Minter news thus comes as little surprise.
Atlanta’s first major piece of business was taken care of recently with Matt Ryan being hired as the team’s president of football operations. Attention will now turn to the Falcons’ head coach and general manager vacancies. It remains to be seen which of those will be filled first, but in recent years many NFL teams have brought in both members of a new HC-GM combination in quick succession.
Mike McDaniel appeared to be safe early last week, but his tenure in Miami ultimately came to an end. That has left the Dolphins as one of the teams in need of a new head coach, although their vacancy is not considered to be among the more attractive ones on the market. Adding Minter would give Miami a defense-oriented head coach for the first time since McDaniel’s predecessor, Brian Flores, was in place.
Like the Falcons, the Giants are seen as a frontrunner to land John Harbaugh. Other, more established coaches would represent a logical fallback option in the event the longtime Ravens HC heads elsewhere. Still, Minter’s inclusion on the list of targets for New York helps illustrate how widespread the interest is in his case.
After winning a national championship at Michigan in 2023, Minter followed Jim Harbaugh to the Chargers. The Bolts have gone one-and-done in the playoffs both years with those two in place, but strong defensive play has largely been prevalent over that span. Minter, 42, remains one of the most sought-after candidates with a defensive background in particular. His interview schedule over the coming days will be worth following closely.
Chargers OLB Khalil Mack Undecided On Future
After the end of the 2024 season, Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack said that he was contemplating retirement. He opted to play another year and re-signed in Los Angeles on a one-year deal, hoping to make another playoff run.
That never materialized. The Chargers exited in the first round for a second season in a row, leaving the 34-year-old considering his future once again. Last year, he said (via team writer Omar Navarro) that he wanted to consult his family and avoid “a rash decision after a loss.”
He said something similar after Sunday’s loss to the Patriots: “Not trying to make that decision right now like I’ve almost done before. Trying to stay as present as possible, stay prayed up, make a decision based on how I’m feeling and how my family is feeling, the vibes.”
But another year of wear and tear in the NFL may lead Mack to a different conclusion this offseason. A dislocated elbow early in the season landed him on injured reserve for just the second time in his career. He said that the injury “took something off of the elements of what I am and who I am as a player.”
He was still able to occupy a similar snap share and better per-game production, both in terms of traditional stats like sacks and tackles for loss as well as advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) like pressures and stops. While older players are more liable for sudden drops in performance, Mack’s numbers indicate that he still has a good chance of contributing in 2026.
However, this year’s decision is not exactly the same as last year. After another year, Mack is trying to figure out what another year n the NFL would mean for him and his family. Obviously, coming off a playoff loss, his immediate reaction might be to run it back another year. Perhaps the Chargers would fare better after investing in their offensive line this offseason, or he could find another team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Last year, his comments on his future came on January 12 and ultimately made his decision less than two weeks later. His initial thoughts came on the same date this time around, suggesting that we will not have to wait too long for his answer about 2026.
Todd Monken To Interview For Buccaneers’ OC Position
The Buccaneers made a number of staffing changes shortly after their season ended. That included the expected dismissal of offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. 
In the aftermath of Grizzard’s firing, a shortlist of replacement candidates emerged. Todd Monken is among the staffers who have been linked to Tampa Bay. That comes as no surprise since he spent three years (2016-18) as the Bucs’ offensive coordinator.
The sides will meet this week about a potential reunion. Monken will conduct an in-person interview for Tampa’s OC vacancy, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports. The summit will take place tomorrow, he adds. Monken was named this past weekend as someone of interest to Tampa Bay, so it certainly makes sense an interview will take place. As things stand, Monken is under contract with the Ravens as their OC, but the firing of John Harbaugh came about after he refused to consider making an offensive coordinator change.
With that in mind, there is a widespread expectation Monken will not be retained by the Ravens once their new head coach is in place. Head coaching interest has also emerged in Monken’s case from the Browns. The 59-year-old could find himself on the HC radar of other teams shortly, but another offensive coordinator opportunity would come as no surprise. Of those, the one in Tampa Bay would be an attractive one given the success seen when the team is fully healthy on offense.
That was not the case often in 2025, but Baker Mayfield along with an intriguing skill-position group and an offensive line anchored by left tackle Tristan Wirfs represents a strong core to work with. Some holdovers from Monken’s Tampa stint – including wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin – are still with the team, although Evans is a pending free agent so a reunion in that case would not be assured.
Monken’s Bucs offenses finished mid-pack in scoring during each of his three seasons with the team. Tampa Bay ranked ninth in total offense in 2017, though, and followed that up with a third-place finish the following year. He would seek a repeat of that success in the event a return to the Buccaneers were to take place.
Titans To Conduct HC Interview With Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll is among the top candidates for an offensive coordinator gig during the 2026 hiring cycle. He will receive at least one look from a team in need of a new head coach, however. 
The Titans have arranged a HC interview with Daboll, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The sides will meet each other on Friday. This represents the first known head coaching interview in Daboll’s case.
The 50-year-old saw his tenure with the Giants come to an end midway through the 2025 campaign. Very little went according to plan for Daboll and Co. after New York’s surprising run to the divisional round during his first year in charge. The team posted a losing record in each of the two seasons following that initial success and sat at 2-8 when Daboll was dismissed. Overall, his Giants run produced a record of 20-40-1.
A head coaching hire at this point would thus come as a surprise. Still, Daboll’s stock was boosted in large part by his strong run as the Bills’ offensive coordinator from 2018-21. He also has OC experience dating back to his time in Cleveland, Miami and Kansas City. The possibility of Daboll joining the Raiders alongside Brian Flores has been floated, and Dianna Russini of The Athletic confirms Daboll is currently a candidate for “multiple” offensive coordinator positions.
The Titans tapped Brian Callahan as their Mike Vrabel replacement. Things did not work out as planned, and he joined Daboll as a head coach dismissed in the middle of the 2025 season. Tennessee is known to be seeking experience with the team’s next HC hire, something made abundantly clear by the list of candidates receiving interest. Daboll is the 23rd staffer to be connected at some level to the Titans’ opening and the 15th with head coaching experience at the NFL level.
In other Titans news, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports interviews with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Packers DC Jeff Hafley will take place today. Tennessee will then speak with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith tomorrow. All three of those coaches had previously received an interview request, but today’s update confirms they will be part of a long list of candidates to speak with the team about one of the NFL’s eight HC openings.
Here is an updated look at where things stand with the Titans:
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed
- Anthony Campanile, defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Mentioned as candidate
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): To interview 1/16
- Marcus Freeman, head coach (Notre Dame): Rumored candidate; staying at Notre Dame
- Jonathan Gannon, former head coach (Cardinals): To interview 1/18
- Jason Garrett, former offensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/9
- Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/13
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Contacted
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/7
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interview requested
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Mentioned as candidate
- Mike McCarthy, former head coach (Cowboys): To interview
- Mike McCoy, interim head coach (Titans): Interviewed
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview 1/14
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): To interview 1/13
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): To interview 1/12
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/8
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview requested
- Steve Sarkisian, head coach (Texas): Rumored candidate; expected to stay at Texas
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): To interview 1/13
- Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/8
- Kevin Stefanski, former head coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/10
Packers, Matt LaFleur Expected To Reach Extension Agreement
With the Packers’ season now over, attention will turn to the future of their coaching staff. Head coach Matt LaFleur is currently under contract for one more season, but that could change very soon. 
Leading up to Green Bay’s wild-card game on Saturday, it was reported LaFleur was not coaching for his job and that extension talks would occur after the season ended. To no surprise, then, the seven-year HC said yesterday that he and president Ed Policy spoke briefly with one another after the Packers’ loss to the Bears. He added further talks would be coming shortly, and that is indeed the case.
Efforts will be made to work out a new LaFleur contract over the coming days, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. He adds the sides are expected to reach an agreement. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network also anticipates a deal being struck (video link). Policy is known to prefer coaches and GMs not operating in a lame-duck situation, so the status of general manager Brian Gutekunst – also under contract through 2026 – will be worth watching. It was reported yesterday that LaFleur and Gutekunst are not a package deal.
That leaves the door open to a number of possibilities in the Packers’ case. The team reeled off three straight 13-win campaigns at the beginning of LaFleur’s tenure. That was followed by an 8-9 season and the transition to Jordan Love at quarterback. Green Bay has reached the playoffs in each of Love’s three seasons as QB1; the Packers have just one postseason victory during that span, however. Overall, LaFleur has a regular-season winning percentage of .654 but a playoff record of 3-6.
“I mean, this is one of one,” the 46-year-old said of his desire to remain in Green Bay (via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette). “I love this place… I love our players, the locker room, everybody in our organization. I mean, this is a unique place. The community has been outstanding.”
There are currently eight head coaching vacancies around the NFL. LaFleur would join John Harbaugh as one of the top candidates on the market in the event of a firing, and Rapoport confirms teams are monitoring his situation. A dismissal would come as a surprise at this point, however. Talks producing a new agreement appears to be a far likelier outcome with negotiations set to take place.
Mutual Interest Between Steelers, Aaron Rodgers For 2026 Deal
Last summer, Aaron Rodgers strongly indicated the 2025 campaign would be his last in the NFL. His one-year stint in Pittsburgh has gone well, though, and it could continue beyond tonight’s game. 
The Steelers have been willing to keep Rodgers in the fold for next season, and midway through the campaign it was reported Pittsburgh’s hope was for that to take place. The future Hall of Famer, meanwhile, has left the door open to playing at least one more year. It appears an extended arrangement would be welcomed by both parties.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms (video link) there is a mutual interest between Rodgers and the Steelers to continue their partnership. The relationship between Rodgers and head coach Mike Tomlin remains strong, and Pittsburgh managed to win the AFC North this season with a 10-7 record. Aiming for a similar level of success in 2026 could obviously prove beneficial for all involved.
Rodgers’ legacy certainly took a hit during his Jets tenure, and a messy parting of ways with New York left his future unclear for much of last offseason. Limited free agent interest was shown, but a short-term Steelers pact long loomed as a reasonable proposition on both sides. A one-year deal was ultimately finalized, and it has proven to be worthwhile. Rodgers is now 42, but he missed only one game this season.
The four-time MVP did not match the statistical output of his best seasons, but an efficient passing output has proven sufficient in Pittsburgh this year. Improvements along the offensive line and at the receiver position would go a long way in providing a boost on offense for 2026. Keeping Rodgers in the fold would also give the unit a high floor next season.
The Steelers have been unable to find a long-term Ben Roethlisberger replacement since his retirement after the 2021 season. Efforts in the draft and along the free agent and trade routes have not yielded the desired results, but Rodgers has proven to be an effective stopgap option. Veteran Mason Rudolph and sixth-round rookie Will Howard are under contract for next season, so stability on the depth chart can be expected moving forward. It is unclear at this point if Rodgers will also be in the fold, but another deal being worked out with the Steelers would not come as a surprise.
Falcons Meet With John Harbaugh
John Harbaugh has completed his first interview. Although the Giants have come up as the most interested party, they did not land the first meeting. The Falcons did.
Atlanta announced an interview with Harbaugh occurred Monday. More meetings will be expected for the in-demand candidate, but it is certainly notable the Falcons completed the first one. Even with the Giants showing persistent interest, the Falcons joined them in closely monitoring Harbaugh even before the Ravens fired him.
[RELATED: Kevin Stefanski In Play As Harbaugh Backup Plan For Falcons, Giants?]
The recently fired coach was believed to be setting up meetings, and based on the reported interest so far, this should be a busy week. Harbaugh spent the weekend making staff preparations, and a report earlier today indicated the Falcons and Giants were viewed as the early leaders. Though, the Browns, Dolphins and Titans are also believed to remain in play.
The Falcons, who were also linked to Harbaugh along with the Giants shortly after his Ravens ouster, were believed to be “increasingly interested” in the former Super Bowl-winning HC. They make sense as a logical landing spot, and the team now figures to move toward choosing its next HC now that Matt Ryan is officially on board in a high-ranking front office role. Though, the Saturday Ryan hire also came with a warning the Falcons were not yet ready to go “all in” on Harbaugh. That seems to separate them from the Giants, who have shown extensive interest throughout this process.
Were Harbaugh to choose the Falcons, he would immediately become the most prominent football presence in the building. It would be interesting for the Falcons to hire Ryan only to give a head coach final say in personnel, but Harbaugh would also give the team a seasoned leader to complement an unproven executive. Harbaugh, 63, is not believed to be seeking full roster control. But it should be expected he would wield considerable influence wherever he goes. The Falcons rebuffed Bill Belichick, with the previous football ops staff playing key roles in dissuading Arthur Blank from that hire. Two years later, Harbaugh would profile as a somewhat similar addition.
Belichick was believed to be Blank’s preferred hire, but CEO Rich McKay and then-GM Terry Fontenot were believed to have made the lead efforts to impede that hire. Raheem Morris then received his walking papers, along with Fontenot, after back-to-back 8-9 seasons. The Falcons, though, improved on defense and have some important pieces on offense. It should not be considered certain Michael Penix Jr. is Atlanta’s long-term QB option, but his presence will certainly impact the Falcons’ HC hire.
Atlanta has Bijan Robinson soon to be tied to a through-2026 contract, via the fifth-year option that will be exercised by the May deadline, and Drake London is an extension candidate. Kyle Pitts has come up as a franchise tag option. The Falcons also have Pro Bowl guard Chris Lindstrom along with cornerstone left tackle Jake Matthews; right tackle Kaleb McGary is signed through 2027, though he missed all of this season. Fontenot’s trade-up for James Pearce Jr. cost Atlanta a first-round pick, but the team improved its anemic pass rush in 2025. Only the Broncos outperformed the Falcons in sacks (57), with Pearce and fellow first-rounder Jalon Walker making big early impacts.
Plenty of Harbaugh interviews should come, and it will be interesting if the accomplished leader will need second meetings before agreeing to terms. Giants, Dolphins and Titans meetings should be expected, and the Browns are believed to be interested in booking a summit. For now, though, the Falcons are the only team to have met with this carousel’s top name.
Commanders Request Interview With Mike Bercovici For QBs Coach Job
The Commanders moved quickly to secure David Blough as their next offensive coordinator, and they are now in the process of filling his staff.
Panthers assistant quarterbacks coach Mike Bercovici is one of Washington’s early targets. The Commanders requested to interview him for their quarterbacks job, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Bercovici, 32, is a former quarterback who played at Arizona State in college. After brief stints with the Chargers and the Cardinals, which featured no regular season playing time, he moved to the now-defunct American Alliance of Football. He retired from playing when the league folded in 2019 and went back to Arizona State to start his coaching career.
Bercovici quickly made the jump into the NFL’s coaching ranks when Kliff Kingsbury – the Commanders’ last offensive coordinator – hired him for a role on his Cardinals staff in 2020. When Kingsbury was fired after the 2022 season, Bercovici was hired by then-Panthers head coach Frank Reich as an assistant wide receivers coach. When Dave Canales arrived in Carolina in 2024, he moved Bercovici to his current role.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has made notable strides in the last two years, and Bercovici likely deserves some credit for his development. He would be tasked with taking Jayden Daniels to another level after the former LSU quarterback followed up his Offensive Rookie of the Year debut with a disappointing, injury-riddled sophomore campaign. The two overlapped for a year at Arizona State, with Bercovici serving as a graduate assistant while Daniels started at quarterback as a true freshman.
Cowboys To Interview Zach Orr, Aaron Whitecotton For DC Vacancy
The Cowboys’ search for their next defensive coordinator has expanded to include two new candidates.
The team requested an interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr (via Clarence Hill of DLLS Sports). They will also interview their current defensive line coach, Aaron Whitecotton, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Orr, 33, succeeded Mike Macdonald as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator in 2024. The unit regressed at the beginning of his debut season, but moving Kyle Hamilton back to a traditional safety role and inserting Ar’Darius Washington into the starting lineup stabilized the secondary. This past season, Baltimore’s defense had another rough start with an especially weak pass rush. Another round of midseason adjustments – including trades for Alohi Gilman and Dre’Mont Jones – yielded some results, but they did not last through the end of the season.
Despite his shaky results, Orr’s connection to Macdonald and John Harbaugh is one reason that other teams may be interested. He may also be a free agent in the coming weeks. The Ravens are currently looking for a new head coach after firing Harbaugh, and their eventual hire may not retain Orr in his current job.
Whitecotton has spent the last 13 years coaching in the NFL with the last eight as a defensive line coach for the Bills (assistant), 49ers (assistant), Jets, and Cowboys. Despite the additions of Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams to Dallas’ defensive line, the unit (and the defense as a whole) still struggled in 2025. Whitecotton’s familiarity with those key players, however, could upgrade his candidacy in the eyes of the team.
Lions To Interview Mike Kafka For OC Job
The market for Mike Kafka is heating up. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Giants interim head coach will interview for the Lions offensive coordinator job on Wednesday.
We heard earlier tonight that Kafka was set to meet with the Buccaneers for the same role. The 38-year-old met with the Giants last week about a promotion to full-time head coach. As the NFL’s coaching carousel continues to spin, he could receive more interest. Teams that were eliminated from the playoffs may make staff changes this week, and others that lose offensive coordinators to head coaching jobs could call Kafka, too.
His results with the Giants are not encouraging, but those struggles were mitigating by a lack of talent on the roster. His past success as the Chiefs’ passing game coordinator could be a better indicator of his abilities with a stronger set of playmakers and a more reliable quarterback.
The Lions have both of those in Detroit already. Jared Goff may not be at the same level as Patrick Mahomes, but he flourished under the team’s last offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson. His successor, John Morton, was not able to capture the same magic, leading head coach Dan Campbell to take on play-calling duties midway through the season. That was a sign that Morton was unlikely to remain in his job for 2026, and Campbell indeed relieved him of his duties after the regular season.
Kafka would not be asked to focus on developing a young quarterback as he was in New York. Instead, his job will be to take the talented pieces already populating the Lions offense and reform the unit into one of the league’s best.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article.