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Chargers Interview Marcus Brady For OC

By | at January 15, 2026 3:48 pm

Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady interviewed for the team’s offensive coordinator vacancy on Thursday, making him the first candidate to replace Greg Roman.

Brady, 46, is a former CFL quarterback who began coaching for the Montreal Alouettes as soon as he ended his playing career with them. After two years as a wide receivers coach, he was promoted to offensive coordinator for a year before taking the same job with the Toronto Argonauts in 2013.

In 2018, Brady moved to the NFL as a quarterbacks coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2021 but lost his job in November of 2022, leading to a short stint as a consultant with the Eagles. He stayed in Philadelphia for another season before joining Jim Harbaugh‘s staff in Los Angeles in his current role.

During his time in the NFL, Brady has worked with a number of young star quarterbacks – including Andrew Luck, Jalen Hurts, and Justin Herbert – as well as established veterans like Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers. His familiarity with Herbert and the Chargers current offense makes him a logical candidate to take over Roman’s job while instituting key changes to strengthen the team’s passing attack.

The Chargers will interview other candidates for their OC gig, but they may want to wrap up their hiring process quickly so they can turn their attention to the other side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has received head coaching interest from several teams and could be leaving Los Angeles in the coming weeks.

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49ers Designate Fred Warner For Return

By | at January 15, 2026 3:35 pm

JANUARY 15: As expected, Warner will not play against the Seahawks. Shanahan confirmed (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) the 49ers will not activate the star linebacker from IR this week. Warner’s chance to return would come if San Francisco pulls an upset Saturday.

JANUARY 13: Fred Warner‘s lengthy onramp to a potential playoff cameo will pass a key mile marker Tuesday. Warner is returning to 49ers practice.

The 49ers are designating the All-Pro linebacker for return, ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner notes. A reemergence in Saturday’s divisional-round game is not expected, per Wagoner, but a comeback for a potential NFC championship game is in play.

[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]

Sidelined with a fractured and dislocated ankle since mid-October, Warner has made considerable progress. Rumblings about a potential return before season’s end surfaced soon after. As recently as early December, however, it was considered unlikely. Two weeks ago, however, the prospect of Warner coming back gained steam. He progressed to running on a side field last week, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows notes.

Snake-bitten by injuries yet again, the 49ers finished their wild-card win in Philadelphia down three first-team All-Pros. Nick Bosa has been out for months and is not coming back. George Kittle went down during the game with an Achilles tear; Kittle has already undergone surgery, per Kyle Shanahan. Warner has not played since Week 6. Still, the 49ers found a way to win, rallying behind Christian McCaffrey — who missed most of last season before returning in full force this year — and a returning Trent Williams to eliminate the defending champion Eagles.

The 49ers played the Eagles without others at linebacker. The team suited up for its wild-card assignment without starters Dee Winters and Tatum Bethune. Warner’s primary replacement, Bethune is out for the remainder of the season. Winters played all 17 regular-season games but missed the wild-card outing with an ankle injury. With Warner not set to come off IR until at least next week — should the 49ers pull an upset in Seattle — Winters’ status this week will be something to closely monitor. Garret Wallow, who began the season with the the Broncos, and Eric Kendricks — an 11th-year veteran who had committed to the 49ers in 2024 only to reconsider and join the Cowboys — played extensively Sunday and would be in line to do so again if Winters cannot go against the Seahawks.

Following Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman in becoming a perennial All-Pro as a San Francisco linebacker, Warner landed his second extension this offseason. The 49ers gave their dominant second-level defender a three-year, $63MM deal. As injuries have hounded the team in most years, Warner had been the constant, staying on the field and establishing a Hall of Fame-caliber resume by soaring to four All-Pro first teams. Warner, 29, had missed only one career game coming into this season. He played through a leg fracture in 2024. He will now attempt a return to action after a serious injury.

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Coaching Rumors: Ravens, Eagles, Weis, Witten, Seahawks, Chiefs

By | at January 15, 2026 3:16 pm

The Steve Bisciotti era in Baltimore has included two first-time HCs — Brian Billick, John Harbaugh — but the owner is not against a retread. Bisciotti specified there will not necessarily be a success baseline from that retread’s first coaching run in order for him to land the job as Harbaugh’s successor.

“The one thing that I know that I will probably take it on the chin is if our final candidate is an ex-coach who has a losing record,” Bisciotti said, via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley, “and you all are going to have to understand that we are going to be able to judge that failure with his circumstances and marry that up and not disqualify them.

“It’d be very easy for me to try and avoid those ex-head coaches because they have losing records, but I’m telling you, we are keen to their circumstances, and we won’t let their first shot at a job influence us negatively for this one.”

Bisciotti also pointed to the next Baltimore HC receiving plenty of time in the role, pointing to at least “five or six” years. Though, that will largely depend on the Ravens’ performance as Lamar Jackson‘s prime goes on. The Ravens’ search includes eight second-chance HC options thus far. Bisciotti will have input, but he specified (via Ravens.com’s Ryan Mink) Eric DeCosta, EVP Ozzie Newsome and president Sashi Brown are running the search.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • The Eagles have been connected to big names for their OC post, being tied to Kliff Kingsbury, Kevin Stefanski, Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll early in the process. A college option has also emerged on Philly’s radar. The Eagles have “poked around” on LSU OC Charlie Weis Jr., per the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard. Weis, who is following Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss, coached Jaxson Dart at with the Rebels and played a central role in an 11-1 season, overseeing Division II transfer Trinidad Chambliss. Just 32, the second-generation college coach has been a college OC since he was 25. Weis served as Florida Atlantic’s OC beginning in 2018 before moving to South Florida and then Ole Miss. Unlike Kiffin, Weis stayed on during the Rebels’ run to the CFP semifinals. The Eagles are planning to give their next OC full autonomy of the offense, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson, with Nick Sirianni long being a CEO HC.
  • Staying on the college level, Oklahoma announced Thursday that Jason Witten is joining its staff as tight ends coach. Witten, 43, had been the coach at Liberty Christian High School in Texas but was on the Cowboys’ radar for a job last year. Witten came up as a dark-horse HC candidate in Dallas last year but later said he did not discuss that role. Though, this Oklahoma gig — Witten’s first at the college level — could be a springboard to a future NFL position.
  • Seahawks running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu took a leave of absence recently and will not return to the team. Polamalu is now off the Seattle staff ahead of the team’s divisional-round game, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Polamalu took the leave in mid-December. Assistant offensive line coach Justin Outten and offensive assistant Michael Byrne have held Polamalu’s duties since the staffer’s exit. Polamalu, 63, has been with the Seahawks for two seasons. He has been in coaching since 1992, first arriving in the NFL in 2004.
  • After Andy Reid‘s worst season since his 2012 Eagles finale, the Chiefs are tinkering with their staff. They are moving on from wide receivers coach Connor Embree, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. Embree climbed from the quality control level to wideouts coach in 2023. Even as the Chiefs claimed a second straight Super Bowl title that season, the year began a downturn for Kansas City receivers. Experiments with Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore failed before another uneven passing season in 2024 commenced. After a 6-11 2025 slate, the Chiefs will look for another wideouts instructor.
2 comments Baltimore Ravens Kansas City Chiefs Philadelphia Eagles Seattle Seahawks

Commanders Hire D.J. Williams As QBs Coach

By | at January 15, 2026 2:49 pm

The Commanders are already transitioning from Kliff Kingsbury to David Blough at OC, giving a recently retired quarterback the play sheet ahead of his 31st birthday. Washington is now adding another key voice for Jayden Daniels.

D.J. Williams, son of Commanders exec and former Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams, is coming over from the Falcons to be Washington’s next QBs coach, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. D.J. Williams spent the past two seasons with the Falcons, first as assistant QBs coach and then as QBs coach.

This decision comes after the Panthers made the move to keep another Commanders candidate. Carolina is promoting assistant QBs coach Mike Bercovici to pass-game coordinator, insider Jordan Schultz tweets. Bercovici received an interview request from the Commanders about the job but will remain on Dave Canales‘ Carolina staff. Bercovici, 32, has been with the Panthers since Frank Reich‘s 2023 stopover.

Previously a five-year Saints assistant, Williams will join his father in Washington after interviewing for the job. The former Grambling State QB mentored Michael Penix Jr. over the past two seasons, being hired just before Atlanta completed an unusually assembled quarterback room by signing Kirk Cousins to a big-ticket contract and then drafting Penix. The latter was inconsistent before being shut down due to injury this season, but Washington will bring in his position coach to work with Daniels.

This will be an interesting setup for the Commanders, who jettisoned a seasoned play-caller in Kingsbury. Blough was on the Lions’ OC radar, leading to this Commanders promotion. Blough entered the 2025 season as Washington’s assistant QBs coach, moving up a rung on the ladder when QBs coach Tavita Pritchard became Stanford’s HC. It will now be Blough overseeing Williams as the top offensive staffers in Washington ahead of Daniels’ third season.

Bercovici has been part of Bryce Young‘s development since the diminutive passer’s 2023 arrival, but he also worked both under Kingsbury in Arizona (2020-22) and with Daniels at Arizona State. Bercovici was with the Sun Devils as a graduate assistant in 2019, Daniels’ freshman season with the then-Pac-12 program. It would appear the Panthers’ decision to promote Bercovici prevented a reunion with the standout quarterback, but Doug Williams certainly carries plenty of clout in Washington. The former Washington starting QB, now working in an advisory role, has been in the franchise’s front office since 2014.

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Cowboys To Interview Christian Parker, Charlie Bullen, DeMarcus Covington For DC Job

By | at January 15, 2026 2:42 pm

The Cowboys’ search for a new defensive coordinator continues to expand.

Dallas will interview Eagles pass game coordinator Christian Parker and Giants interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen on Thursday, with Packers run game coordinator DeMarcus Covington scheduled for Friday, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Parker, 34, spent six years as a college coach before getting his first NFL job with the Packers. He then serves as the Broncos’ defensive backs coach from 2021 to 2023 before taking on his current position in Philadelphia. In Denver, he played a crucial role in the development of cornerbacks Patrick Surtain and Riley Moss. Similarly, he oversaw the breakout rookie seasons by Eagles cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in 2024.

Bullen, 42, has NFL experience with the Dolphins and Cardinals as well as some time in college at Iowa and Illinois. He was hired as the Giants outside linebackers coach in 2024 and quickly integrated Brian Burns into the Giants’ pass rush following his trade from the Panthers. Bullen then took over the team’s interim DC after Shane Bowen was fired in November. The unit improved significantly at the end of the year, allowing just 33 points in their last three games.

Covington, 36, spent four years at the college level before an eight-year stint in New England. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2024 but was not retained on Mike Vrabel‘s new staff. Covington went to Green Bay in the offseason and held the defensive line together after the departure of Kenny Clark and injuries to multiple key players. He could be promoted to replace defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley if he leaves for a head coaching job, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Parker, Bullen, and Covington are the latest additions to a long list of candidates for the Cowboys’ DC job. Other requested or scheduled interviewees include former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and their own defensive line coach, Aaron Whitecotton.

2 comments Dallas Cowboys Green Bay Packers New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles

Vance Joseph ‘Strong Candidate’ For Cardinals’ HC Job?

By | at January 15, 2026 2:01 pm

With John Harbaugh appearing to be out of the mix, other dominoes should soon start to fall on the HC market. But the Cardinals were not viewed as a serious contender for the longtime Ravens leader’s services. Their search should not be affected much by the Giants’ expected hire.

Arizona has 13 other names in this race. One of them would be a familiar hire. Vance Joseph was the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator for four seasons under Kliff Kingsbury, and 9News’ Mike Klis notes the current Broncos DC is expected to become a strong candidate for the Cards’ top job. Joseph has a strong relationship with Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, per Klis.

Joseph has gained steam during his third season back in Denver. The Cardinals initially hired Joseph after the Broncos fired him as their head coach, and Joseph coached the likes of Patrick Peterson, J.J. Watt and Zach Allen in Arizona. One of those seasons included a playoff berth (2021) despite Watt missing most of it and Peterson having defected to the Vikings in free agency. Joseph’s Arizona tenure produced two top-12 defenses (2020, ’21) but ended on a down note, with the Cards ranking 31st in 2022.

Joseph, 53, interviewed for the Cards’ HC job in 2023 but lost out to Jonathan Gannon. That led him back to Denver under Sean Payton, and the move has paid off for both sides. Denver enters the divisional round as the AFC’s No. 1 seed, and Joseph’s defense finished the regular season ranked third in points for a second straight year. Joseph has overseen Allen’s rise into a first-team All-Pro, after second-team honors came the interior D-lineman’s way in 2024, and Patrick Surtain‘s 2024 Defensive Player of the Year campaign looks good on the second-chance HC option’s resume.

Joseph has also interviewed for the Falcons, Ravens, Raiders, Giants and Titans’ HC jobs. The Cardinals would be making an interesting move by going defense-defense with their past two HC hires if they choose Joseph, but that scenario appears firmly in play. Joseph’s candidacy will partially be determined by how far the Broncos’ season extends. He will be free to interview in-person anywhere next week if the Bills eliminate the Broncos, but if Denver wins, he cannot conduct an in-person interview until the Super Bowl bye week.

Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is how Arizona’s process stands as of Thursday afternoon:

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Steelers Request HC Interview With Packers DC Jeff Hafley

By | at January 15, 2026 1:02 pm

The Steelers requested to interview Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley for their head coaching vacancy, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Hafley, 46, has become one of the most popular head coaching candidates in this year’s hiring cycle. He came up as a defensive backs coach with multiple college programs before making the jump to the NFL in 2012. After seven seasons with three different teams, he returned to college as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, which he quickly parlayed into a four-year stint as Boston College’s head coach.

In 2024, the Packers made a bold move to fire defensive coordinator Joe Barry, despite his solid results in his three years in charge. They installed Hafley as his replacement in the hopes that he could turn a good unit into a great one.

He succeeded. In Hafley’s debut year, the Packers finished sixth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed, both significant improvements from their 2023 rankings. They took a step back to 11th and 12th this year, though losing Micah Parsons – arguably the best defensive player in the NFL – to a torn ACL certainly contribute to some of their struggles down the stretch.

Hafley’s players have generally given him rave reviews, specifically regarding his ability to build relationships with his players. That was a hallmark of Mike Tomlin‘s 19 years in Pittsburgh and something the franchise will likely look for in his successor. He has also worked with both Matt LaFleur and Kyle Shanahan, giving him some connections he can call on when building his staff. His recent history at Boston College may also give him a stronger chance of bringing some college coaching talent to the NFL.

Hafley has also received head coaching interest from the Cardinals, Falcons, Raiders, Dolphins, Titans, and Giants, though that last job no longer seems to be available. Here’s a full overview of the Steelers’ current candidates:

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Dolphins Arrange HC Interviews With Jesse Minter, Robert Saleh

By | at January 15, 2026 12:19 pm

The Dolphins were recently among the teams to request an interview with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as well as 49ers DC Robert Saleh. Both in-demand staffers will speak with Miami.

[RELATED: HC Search Tracker]

Minter and Saleh will conduct interviews with the Dolphins today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Both will take place virtually, per NFL rules. Three other candidates have already interviewed once with Miami, and another will do so this weekend.

The Dolphins continue to widen their search for one of the eight remaining head coaching vacancies around the league (presuming John Harbaugh‘s Giants deal winds up being finalized as expected). Miami’s most recent process resulted in a highly-regarded Kyle Shanahan staffer taking over (Mike McDaniel). The team could wind up taking a similar route by hiring Saleh, who returned to San Francisco in 2025 following the end of his Jets head coaching tenure.

Saleh’s unit has dealt with a slew of injuries this season but it has helped bring the 49ers to the divisional round of the playoffs. San Francisco’s D-coordinator from 2017-20 during his first stint with the team, Saleh would provide the Dolphins or any other suitor with an experienced presence on the sidelines. The 46-year-old is also one of the top candidates to have served as a head coach at the NFL level.

Minter, meanwhile, has received an interview request from every team seeking a new head coach. That comes as little surprise, but it underscores the competition Miami could face in a potential bidding war for his services. The Dolphins’ opening was recently reported to be seen as less attractive than others around the league. It will be interesting to see if that impacts the choices made by some of the top candidates as they weigh their options.

A defensive coordinator with multiple college teams, Minter has held that role with the Chargers for the past two years. His success in that capacity has landed him firmly in the conversation to become a head coach during the 2026 hiring cycle. Quarterback uncertainty looms over the Dolphins right now, but Minter, 42, would primarily be tasked with overseeing the team’s defense in the event he were to land the HC gig.

Here is an updated look at Miami’s search:

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Steelers Submit HC Interview Request For Ejiro Evero

By | at January 15, 2026 10:46 am

The Steelers are slightly behind other teams in terms of seeking out candidates for their head coaching vacancy. They continue to move quickly in establishing a list of initial targets, though.

Pittsburgh has requested an interview with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That represents the fifth active NFL DC to receive a slip from the Steelers. Owner Art Rooney II left the door open to a deviation in approach with respect to finding Mike Tomlin‘s replacement during yesterday’s remarks, but for now a blueprint appears to be in place which is similar to previous Pittsburgh searches.

Tomlin, just like Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll before him, was a young coaching candidate with a defensive background at the time of his hire. No member of that trio had been a head coach at the NFL level when they took charge of the Steelers. Evero fits the same profile, and it will be interesting to see if he or another one of the staffers in a similar position emerges as a finalist.

Evero signed an extension with the Panthers prior to the start of the 2025 campaign. The 45-year-old can be expected to continue his Carolina tenure into next season and beyond as a result, unless of course he lands a head coaching opportunity. Evero has received interview requests from the Falcons and Raiders as part of their ongoing searches. Interest on the Steelers’ part has now emerged as well, confirming Evero’s status as one of the top defensive coaches on the market.

After one season as the Broncos’ DC, Evero took the same position in Carolina. Results have varied over the past three seasons, with Carolina undergoing a number of roster changes during that span. In 2023, though, Evero’s unit ranked fourth in the league in points allowed. The Panthers finished mid-pack in both total and scoring defense this season en route to a postseason appearance.

Here is an updated look at where things stand early in the Steelers’ search:

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Lions To Conduct Zac Robinson OC Interview; Team Requests Arthur Smith Meeting

By | at January 15, 2026 9:53 am

The Lions‘ search for a new offensive coordinator continues to expand. Current Falcons OC Zac Robinson is the latest candidate to line up an interview.

Robinson will speak with Detroit today about the position, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That makes two teams interested in his case. The Buccaneers have already interviewed Robinson for their OC opening. With a Todd Monken reunion seemingly unlikely, Tampa Bay could show continued interest in his case.

The Falcons in the process of finding a new head coach and general manager. Once Raheem Morris‘ replacement is in place, several new staffers will no doubt be brought in. Knowing a change of scenery is likely, Robinson is exploring his options on the coaching market. A Lions agreement would make plenty of sense in his case.

From 2019-23, Robinson worked on the Rams’ staff. That time included a pair of seasons working alongside quarterback Jared Goff. A Detroit hire would thus pave the way for a reunion between Robinson and Goff with the Lions looking to rebound from a poor showing during John Morton‘s one-and-done campaign in the offensive coordinator role.

Detroit is also among the teams interested in Arthur Smith. An interview request has been submitted for the Steelers OC, Rapoport reports. Smith has been connected to multiple head coaching openings, but a lateral move to a new coordinator gig could be in store as well. Pittsburgh will have a new head coach relatively soon, so considerable movement elsewhere on the staff is likely.

Smith’s tenure as head coach of the Falcons produced three straight 7-10 seasons, but it was preceded by a Titans OC gig which boosted his stock. For the past two seasons, the 43-year-old has called plays for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has finished 16th and 15th in scoring during Smith’s time with the team. Stronger production would be expected in the case of the Lions, a team which flourished under Ben Johnson and is looking to duplicate his level of success.

Detroit has previously been linked to Jake Peetz and Tee Martin as OC candidates. The Lions have also set up interviews with former head coaches in the form of Mike McDaniel and Mike Kafka. Robinson’s meeting will add to the list of targets, and it will be interesting to see if Smith pursues an interview amongst head coaching interest.

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