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Kevin Stefanski To Weigh In On Falcons GM Search

By | at January 20, 2026 12:38 pm

The Falcons have made their first two major hires of the offseason in president of football operations Matt Ryan and head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Their search for a new general manager begun before those moves became official, but Stefanski is expected to “have a voice” in the search, according to The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

Of course, a new head coach helping the team pick their next general manager is not much of a surprise. The process typically goes the other way around, but the Falcons’ new structure has the GM reporting to Ryan. So, hiring Stefanski first and involving him in the search will allow him to find a true partner as they work to build a team together.

It is worth noting that Ryan did not participate in the first stage of interviews, so his real influence will not come until the second round, when Stefanski will also be involved.

Had the Falcons not landed Stefanski, their other targets for second interviews were Jeff Hafley and Jesse Minter, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Both would have been immediately available for those in-person meets, which could have allowed the Falcons to move just as quickly as they did with Stefanski.

Instead, Hafley ended up in Miami, and Minter is a finalist for multiple head coaching vacancies around the league. Hafley’s new GM, former Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan, had come in from Green Bay just a few weeks before he was hired, while Minter could end up in Baltimore, where he previously worked with Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta during his stint as a defensive assistant.

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Falcons Hire Bill Callahan As OL Coach

By | at January 20, 2026 11:39 am

New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski is starting to build his new staff, and his first major hire is a reunion with offensive line coach Bill Callahan, per team reporter Tori McElhaney.

Callahan, 69, is one of the most respected OL coaches in the NFL. He has coached for nine different teams, including Stefanski’s Browns from 2020 to 2023. In 2024, he followed his son and then-Browns offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, to Tennessee when he was hired as the Titans’ head coach.

Callahan’s offensive line ranked fifth and sixth in sacks allowed during his two seasons as their coach despite the team’s investments in the unit. That was representative of the entire offense, though, as their quarterbacks had a tendency to hold onto the ball for too long, partially because receivers were not open downfield.

When the Titans fired Brian Callahan in October, his father unsurprisingly left the team shortly after. In another predictable move, he followed Stefanski to Atlanta, something that was referenced by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo shortly after Stefanski was hired.

In Atlanta, Callahan will replace Dwayne Ledford, who was also the Falcons’ run game coordinator. He is expected to draw interest around the league, per Garafolo. Perhaps he could follow Arthur Smith, the coach who brought him into the NFL in 2021 after 15 years at the college level, to his next destination.

Stefanski is expected to take other Browns assistants with him. At the top of his list is offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who will likely take the same job in Atlanta

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 1-23-26 (1:50pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens 

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Mathieu Araujo, cornerbacks coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
  • Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed
  • Chris Harris, interim defensive coordinator (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
  • Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed
  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed
  • Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Interviewed
  • Jim O’Neil, defensive assistant/safeties (Lions): Interviewed

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

2 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Falcons Retain DC Jeff Ulbrich

By | at January 19, 2026 10:05 am

The Falcons have a new head coach in place, and they are among the teams set to bring in a new offensive coordinator. A full housecleaning on the sidelines will not be taking place, though.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is being retained, Atlanta announced on Monday. This news comes about thanks to a three-year contract agreement, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. Ulbrich arrived last offseason to take over the Falcons’ defense, and his success in that regard did not go unnoticed.

The Falcons blocked an attempt from the Cowboys to interview Ulbrich for their DC opening. That suggested retention was a strong possibility in his case. Indeed, when Kevin Stefanski was officially hired as the team’s new head coach, signs pointed further to Ulbrich remaining in place. Today’s confirmation thus comes as little surprise. According to ESPN’s John Keim, the Commanders were also interested in this case regarding their D-coordinator opening, but that is now a moot point.

Ulbrich was with the Falcons from 2015-20. During much of that span, he worked as the team’s linebackers coach; the 2020 campaign saw him take over interim D-coordinator duties. The following year, Ulbrich was hired by the Jets as their new defensive coordinator. The 48-year-old held that role for three years before becoming New York’s interim head coach in 2024 following Robert Saleh‘s firing.

Ulbrich returned to a familiar setting last offseason by taking on the Falcons’ DC gig. In 2025, Atlanta set a new franchise record with 57 sacks, good for second in the league. Pass rush production had been a major issue for years in the Falcons’ case, but a foundation in that regard led by first-round selections Jalon Walker and James Pearce is now in place. Ulbrich will look to continue overseeing their development while guiding a unit which also ranked in the top half of the NFL against the pass this season.

The offensive coordinator spot is likely to officially open soon, as Zac Robinson continues to weigh his options around the NFL and Stefanski prepares to arrange his staff. A number of new faces will no doubt be in place shortly, but Ulbrich will continue during his second Atlanta stint.

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Falcons Hire Kevin Stefanski As HC

By | at January 17, 2026 11:04 pm

On the day John Harbaugh‘s Giants hire became official, another major domino in the head coaching market is set to fall. Kevin Stefanski‘s next gig has been lined up.

Stefanski is finalizing a deal with the Falcons to become their next head coach, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Stefanski, 43, flew to Atlanta earlier today to meet with team officials. That interview has now produced an accepted offer, as confirmed by a team announcement. This is a five-year deal, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” a statement from new president of football Matt Ryan reads.

Ryan’s hire last week represented the first major piece of business for Atlanta. It recently become known the team’s preference was to hire a new head coach before filling the only current general manager vacancy in the NFL. Today’s news thus comes as no surprise. Likewise, the fact Stefanski is set to take charge of the Falcons fits with several reports leading up to his agreement.

At the time of his Browns firing, Stefanski loomed as the top HC candidate on the market. Shortly thereafter, Harbaugh’s dismissal changed the pecking order amongst available staffers. There was a widespread expectation Harbaugh would be the first candidate to take one of the nine available positions in this year’s cycle, with Stefanski soon to follow. In particular, the Giants and Falcons were named as frontrunners in Harbaugh’s case. Stefanski, meanwhile, was seen as Plan B for both teams. Shortly after learning Harbaugh would not be an option, Atlanta’s attention clearly shifted back to Stefanski.

Earlier today, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported Stefanski would be open to retaining Jeff Ulbrich as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator. WFAA’s Ed Werder confirms Ulbrich – who was blocked from interviewing with the Cowboys for their DC opening – is expected to remain in place. Meanwhile, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes former Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is a strong candidate to follow Stefanski to his new home.

As part of a lengthy stint with the Vikings, Stefanski spent one season as the team’s OC. That year cemented his status as one of the top head coaching candidates at the time, and his first HC opportunity came in Cleveland. The Browns won double-digit games twice during his tenure (2020 and ’23). On both occasions, Stefanski took home Coach of the Year honors.

The high points of Stefanski’s Cleveland stint brought about a pair of playoff berths but otherwise it resulted in four losing seasons. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, the Browns have won just eight games. Overall, Stefanski’s six seasons produced a record of 45-56. The Falcons will hope to provide him with a stable QB situation (although with Michael Penix Jr.‘s injury situation, that may prove difficult). In any case, a strong offensive line and a skill-position group headlined by running back Bijan Robinson and receiver Drake London awaits Stefanski.

After Arthur Smith guided them to three consecutive 7-10 seasons, the Falcons made a change on the sidelines. A reunion with Raheem Morris took place during the 2024 hiring cycle. His first year back in Atlanta ended with a finish of 8-9 and extended the team’s playoff drought. Expectations were higher for this season, one which ended on a four-game winning streak to yield another 8-9 mark. Owner Arthur Blank acted quickly once the campaign was over, firing Morris along with GM Terry Fontenot and embarking on the restructuring which has landed Ryan in a position of considerable power.

Stefanski was among the Titans’ HC finalists and was scheduled to conduct a second interview with Tennessee tomorrow. He was also a strong candidate to speak with the Ravens for their vacancy a second time. Those arrangements are now moot, while two of the NFL’s head coaching vacancies have been filled.

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Kevin Stefanski Considered ‘Top Candidate’ For Falcons HC

By | at January 17, 2026 4:00 pm

Head coaching searches are starting to come into focus this weekend. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is considered the “top candidate” for the open Falcons job. He’s set to conduct his second interview with Atlanta today and some sources believe they may attempt to pull the trigger.

The reason this could be a possibility is because, as Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS reported this morning, the Falcons are Rooney Rule compliant, so if they truly believe Stefanski is the man for them in his second interview today, they are able to hire him. The Rooney Rule requires NFL teams interviewing new head coaches or general managers to interview at least two minority candidates. The interviews must be in-person to satisfy the Rooney Rule, but Atlanta has publicly disclosed which of its interviews were virtual or in-person. Based on Jones’ report, at least two of their minority candidates must have conducted their first interview in person.

Aside from the second interview that John Harbaugh cancelled in favor of accepting the Giants’ head coaching position, no other candidate has been scheduled for a second interview in Atlanta, except for Stefanski. Stefanski, though, still has plenty of interest from other teams hoping he stays available after today’s meeting. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, he’s scheduled to head to Tennessee tomorrow following today’s interview, and the Dolphins and Ravens are both working to bring him in for second, in-person interviews on Wednesday, as well.

An indicator Stefanski may be likely to take Atlanta up on a potential offer was reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who claimed that the 43-year-old coach had done research on the potential aspect of working with current Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Team owner Arthur Blank has reportedly expressed a desire to hold on to Ulbrich, who he believes would immediately become a top DC candidate if put on the free agent market. The Cowboys requested to interview him for their open position a little over a week ago, but Blank denied their request. If Stefanski and Ulbrich seem like a good fit, the Falcons may be well on their way to filling out their staff for the 2026 NFL season.

Lots of eyes will be on reports coming out of Atlanta over the next several hours as it looks like the coaching dominos may be starting to fall. An agreement today would mark the closing of the second head coach opening in this cycle, after the Harbaugh deal was made official earlier today.

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Kevin Stefanski Likely To Take Second HC Interviews With Falcons, Ravens, Titans

By | at January 17, 2026 9:14 am

JANUARY 17: Stefanski’s second interview with the Falcons will occur today, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. He’s scheduled to meet again with the Titans on Sunday.

JANUARY 16: The first major domino in the 2026 hiring cycle has (more or less) fallen. With John Harbaugh no longer on the market, attention will turn to Kevin Stefanski and his destination.

The two-time Coach of the Year has loomed as one of the top candidates since his Browns tenure came to an expected end. Stefanski is nearing a tour of interested teams for second interviews. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the list of teams expected to arrange a follow-up includes the Falcons, Ravens and Titans.

Both Atlanta and Tennessee came up as aggressive Harbaugh suitors. The expected Giants HC is believed to have lined up a second Falcons meeting and a first Titans summit — both in-person meetings — for this week, but each ended up being canceled after Giants negotiations heated up with a deal being expected. The Titans had an offer ready.

Stefanski, 43, becomes an interesting consolation prize. The Falcons were mentioned as a team viewing Stefanski as a strong plan B, and with Harbaugh appearing Big Apple-bound, it looks like Atlanta will need to move on.

Despite being fired by the Browns, Stefanski booked six HC interviews. He also met with the Raiders, Dolphins and Giants. The six-year Browns leader won only eight games over the past two seasons, drawing Jimmy Haslam‘s ire and becoming an interesting fall guy as the Browns have struggled to stay afloat after authorizing the Deshaun Watson contract, but the two-time Coach of the Year appears on track to land a second chance immediately. Stefanski guided the Browns to their second and third playoff berths since the franchise’s 1999 relaunch, the second of which producing a Joe Flacco Comeback Player of the Year award.

The Falcons are prepared to hire a head coach before a GM. This could appeal to Stefanski, who was hired before the Browns added GM Andrew Berry back in 2020. Matt Ryan will have a significant say in personnel, stepping away from CBS to work with the team that drafted him. It remains to be seen how powerful the GM will be in this arrangement.

As for the Titans, they are prioritizing experience this time around. Of the 19 candidates Tennessee has interviewed or scheduled meetings with, 15 are former HCs. The Titans saw first-timer Brian Callahan wash out quickly; they are looking to another AFC North veteran in the wake of that firing. Despite Mike Borgonzi‘s ties to Matt Nagy, Stefanski appears an early frontrunner to land this job.

Baltimore’s search began several weeks after Tennessee’s, and having the chance to coach Lamar Jackson represents an advantage the Ravens hold over the other HC-seeking teams on this year’s market. Steve Bisciotti said this week the Ravens will consider second-chance candidates whose first tenures were rocky. Stefanski qualifies, going 45-56 in Cleveland. It would be fascinating to see Stefanski end up in Baltimore due to the history between these two franchises; it’s a scenario that appears in play.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

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Falcons Schedule Joe Brady HC Interview

By | at January 16, 2026 2:34 pm

Joe Brady will attempt to help the Bills to a second straight AFC championship game Saturday. On Sunday, two head coach interviews await the Buffalo offensive coordinator.

Brady’s Ravens meeting will take place then, while NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the Falcons will also meet with Brady about their HC post. Brady has now been connected to the Dolphins, Falcons and Ravens’ HC positions.

A Falcons connection would have formed previously, with ex-Atlanta GM Terry Fontenot in New Orleans when Brady worked on Sean Payton‘s staff. But the Falcons fired Fontenot earlier this month. They will still meet with Brady, who is finishing his second full season as Bills OC.

Last year’s coaching carousel included Brady meetings with the Bears, Jaguars, Jets and Saints. A second New Orleans meeting was on the radar, but Brady joined Kliff Kingsbury and Mike McCarthy in pulling out of that search. Brady, 36, follows Brian Daboll as a Josh Allen play-caller to land on HC carousels. He joins Kingsbury, Kevin Stefanski and Mike McDaniel as recent play-callers drawing considerable interest on this year’s cycle. Brady, though, does not carry the HC experience that trio does.

Like Kingsbury in 2025, Brady could be choosey due to Allen’s status as probably the game’s best quarterback. Kingsbury, who chose to stay and mentor Jayden Daniels for a second season, saw his philosophy clash with the front office and Dan Quinn. Sean McDermott backed Brady after a midseason Bills swoon, and the team has again ranked highly — despite some issues staffing its wide receiver positions — on offense. Buffalo ranked fourth this season after a second-place 2024 scoring finish, with Allen having another strong campaign despite some receiver plans not working out. James Cook won the rushing title, marking the first Bills player to do so since O.J. Simpson 49 years ago.

The Falcons have more defense-minded candidates on their radar, but Brady joins McDaniel, Stefanski and Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak in the mix for this job. Stefanski, who has come up as a John Harbaugh backup plan, is expected to meet with the Falcons for a second interview soon.

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Eagles Arrange Zac Robinson OC Interview

By | at January 16, 2026 12:45 pm

Zac Robinson drew extensive OC interest during the 2024 hiring period, but the Falcons are overhauling their football operation after firing Raheem Morris. Robinson is likely headed elsewhere, and he remains an interesting candidate.

After Buccaneers and Lions meetings, Robinson is set to speak with the Eagles about their OC vacancy, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Robinson will meet with Philadelphia today.

The Eagles have been connected to four former HCs for this job — Mike McDaniel, Kliff Kingsbury, Brian Daboll, Kevin Stefanski — but it is unclear if any will interview. Philly has also been mentioned as doing work on new LSU OC Charlie Weis Jr. Robinson, however, marks the first known meeting for this job.

Although Nick Sirianni is an offense-oriented coach, he has not called plays in Philly since midway through the 2021 season. The Eagles are planning to keep this setup, giving their OC hire autonomy over a talented offense — albeit one that has been known for odd-year underachievement. The Eagles fired (or perhaps demoted) Kevin Patullo this week, doing so two years after ousting Brian Johnson following his first season in the role.

Tasked with preparing Kirk Cousins to take over in 2024 while developing an entirely different passer in Michael Penix Jr., Robinson was seen as a firing candidate had Morris retained the Atlanta HC position. The Falcons ranked 24th offensively this season, one that featured Penix struggles before a season-ending injury. Though, Robinson coaxed a quality contract year from Kyle Pitts and had Bijan Robinson over 2,000 scrimmage yards — an NFL-leading 2,298 — for the first time. It would not appear Robinson will be asked back in Atlanta, but it also seems like there is enough early interest to allow for a second-chance OC post — rather than dropping back to a position coaching role.

Robinson, 39, also carries additional appeal from his background on Sean McVay‘s staff. Robinson spent five years on the Rams’ staff before following Morris to Atlanta. The Eagles have not used any ex-McVay or Kyle Shanahan staffers in their OC role just yet. Looking for their fifth OC in five years, the Eagles must interview at least one external minority candidate to comply with the Rooney Rule.

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Falcons Prefer To Hire HC Before GM

By | at January 15, 2026 11:00 pm

The Falcons have a new president of football in Matt Ryan, who landed the job on Jan. 10 despite a lack of front office experience. The former Falcons and Colts quarterback and ex-CBS analyst immediately took on the task of finding a new general manager and head coach for Atlanta. Both positions are vacant after owner Arthur Blank fired Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris on the heels of a second straight 8-9 season.

The Falcons’ head coach and GM searches are occurring concurrently, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The team would prefer to hire a head coach before a GM, though, Albert Breer of SI.com says. That isn’t a surprise, as Ryan is already in place as the de facto GM.

Blank said last week that Ryan has “final decision-making authority,” meaning he’ll outrank Fontenot’s replacement. However, Ryan insists Atlanta’s next GM will not be a figurehead.

“The final decisions that I am going to have to make is who we hire, but we are empowering (the HC and GM) to go out there and do their job and I have expressed that in the interviews that we have had,” Ryan stated (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic).

Ryan hasn’t conducted any GM interviews, but some of the candidates he beat out for his job may be in the running, per Ledbetter. Lions chief operating officer Mike Disner, Panthers executive vice president of operations Brandt Tilis, 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, and Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham interviewed for the president of football position. Those meetings also counted as GM interviews, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (via Scott Bair of Marquee Sports). It’s unclear if the Falcons will hold more discussions with anyone from that group.

Turning to the Falcons’ head coaching search, Blank revealed that Ryan has led the interviews (via Ledbetter). Ryan has met with eight candidates so far, including John Harbaugh, but he’ll come off the board when he finalizes an agreement with the Giants. Here’s the entire group the Falcons have considered so far, courtesy of PFR’s HC Search Tracker:

Coaches with defensive backgrounds comprise the majority of the list. That’s OK with Ryan, who said he’s not pushing for an offensive-minded hire (via Kendall). When Ryan makes his pick, he won’t meddle into how that individual puts together a coaching staff. Rather, Blank said Ryan will enable the coach to pick his assistants, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports relays. Blank has made it clear he’d prefer for the next head coach to retain defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. However, if Morris’ successor doesn’t want to keep Ulbrich, it seems he’ll be allowed to hire a different D-coordinator.

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