Saints To Interview Kellen Moore Before Super Bowl
JANUARY 26: With the Eagles advancing to the Super Bowl, the Saints did not want to wait until February to speak with Moore about their head coaching vacancy. Their decision-makers will travel to Philadelphia to interview Moore in-person Monday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, positioning him as a frontrunner for the job.
Interestingly, Moore will be in New Orleans the week after, where the Eagles will be using the Saints’ facility as they prepare for another championship matchup with the Chiefs, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football.
JANUARY 25: With Joe Brady electing to remain in place with the Bills for at least one more year, another candidate is out of the running for the Saints’ head coaching position. New Orleans is the only team with a HC vacancy, and the list of staffers still in the running is well known at this point. 
Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver have now conducted second interviews with the Saints. Their in-person meeting were slightly delayed by the weather earlier this week, something which also pushed back the team’s timing regarding Mike McCarthy. The former Cowboys head coach is free to speak with the Saints at any time, but a higher priority appears to be in place.
Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football confirms McCarthy remains interested in interviewing for the Saints’ head coaching gig. Interestingly, though, he adds the team does not plan on speaking with him before conducting a second interview with Kellen Moore. The latter was unable for a meeting of any kind this week with the Eagles preparing for the NFC title game, but he can speak with the Saints next week regardless of its outcome.
On Monday, it was reported McCarthy’s interview was set to take place over the coming days. That has not proven to be the case despite his status as a coaching free agent. The 61-year-old had a Bears interview request blocked by the Cowboys while the possibility remained he would remain with Dallas for next season. McCarthy and the Cowboys ultimately parted ways, though, leaving the former Saints OC on the lookout for his next opportunity.
Shortly after the most recent McCarthy update regarding New Orleans’ search, it was learned Moore was among the targets of a second interview request. If the Eagles lose tomorrow, the former Cowboys and Chargers OC will be free to speak with New Orleans and (if offered) take the HC position at any time. Even if Philadelphia advances to the Super Bowl, Moore will be available for an in-person interview during the bye week which is in place before the game. Of course, the 35-year-old could not be hired by the Saints until after the Super Bowl if the team elected to go in that direction.
Kafka and Weaver are in the same position as McCarthy in that their timelines are not tied to this weekend’s results. Especially with that in mind, it is telling that the Saints do not intend to move forward with their search until Moore (who was at one point viewed as the frontrunner for the Cowboys’ gig) becomes available. With every other head coaching vacancy now filled, New Orleans does not have the threat of Moore taking another position and the team can therefore afford to remain patient.
Cowboys Conduct DC Interview With Andre Curtis; Matt Eberflus Remains Likely Hire
With Mike Zimmer no longer in the fold, the Cowboys are in need of a new defensive coordinator. Matt Eberflus is a name to watch closely on that front, but at least one other option has received a look. 
Dallas conducted a DC interview with Andre Curtis, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Curtis has experience in a number of positional roles across his time in the NFL, the most recent being as the Bears’ safeties coach. He has held that title since 2022.
Curtis began his coaching career at the Virginia Military Institute, working as the program’s linebackers coach for four years. That was followed by a two-year stint at Georgia Southern before he received his first NFL opportunity. The 48-year-old held a role on the Giants’ staff from 2006-08, and after that he worked with the Rams, Saints and Seahawks. Curtis worked his way up to passing game coordinator at the end of his Seattle tenure, serving in that role for three years.
As DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. notes, this interview satisfies the Rooney Rule requirement for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator spot. He adds, however, that Eberflus is still on track to earn the position. Eberflus had his first head coaching stint come to an abrupt end midway through the season when the Bears fired him, but prior to his Chicago posting he built up his stock as the Colts’ DC. It would be feasible for the 54-year-old’s next coaching opportunity came at the coordinator level.
Hill notes, though, that Curtis is a prime candidate to work as Dallas’ defensive backs coach. Having worked together with Eberflus in Chicago, the pair could look to continue their relationship with the Cowboys. Familiarity also exists between Curtis and new head coach Brian Schottenheimer dating back to their shared time in Seattle. Nothing is in place yet, but at this point it would come as no surprise if Curtis’ next stop in his coaching stop were to come in Dallas.
Titans To Hire Dave Ziegler As Assistant GM
Mike Borgonzi is in place as the Titans’ new general manager. He will not have the final say on certain roster-building fronts, but he has a number of key decisions to make regarding the rest of Tennessee’s front office. 
Once it was learned Borgonzi was the Titans’ pick for GM, Dave Ziegler‘s name emerged as one to watch regarding a role of some kind on the staff. To no surprise, then, the two are set to work together in 2025. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports a deal is being finalized to make Ziegler Tennessee’s next assistant general manager.
When Chad Brinker – now the Titans’ lead executive – was hired in 2023, Anthony Robinson was also brought in as an assistant GM. The latter was fired earlier this month alongside Ran Carthon, however, leaving Brinker in place to play a lead role in reshaping the Tennessee front office. Ziegler will bring notable experience to that group given his NFL tenure.
The 47-year-old’s front office career began in 2010 with the Broncos. Ziegler worked as a Denver scout for two seasons before moving on to the Patriots in 2013. During his New England tenure, he worked his way up to director of player personnel before receiving his first GM opportunity. Hired alongside Josh McDaniels, Ziegler was tasked with bring the ‘Patriot Way’ to the Raiders in 2022. Their efforts on that front did not go according to plan, though, and midway through their second season in place they were both fired.
Ziegler did not need to wait long to find his next opportunity, taking on a role with the Saints in July. As Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football notes, Ziegler has played a key role in the team’s ongoing head coaching search (New Orleans’ vacancy is the only one which remains around the league). His absence will therefore be felt by the Saints moving forward.
The Titans will of course be a team to watch closely as the draft approaches given Borgonzi’s stated willingness to entertain offers for the No. 1 pick. Considering Ziegler’s background in scouting, he will no doubt have a key role in evaluating the 2025 prospect class and thus in shaping the Titans’ overall plan regarding the draft. Beyond that, it will be interesting to see how he fits into the team’s front office structure.
Seahawks Conduct OC Interview With Packers’ Adam Stenavich
A pair of finalists recently emerged regarding the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator vacancy. The team is continuing to expand its list of candidates, however. 
Seattle has met with Packers OC Adam Stenavich, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. Stenavich just finished his sixth season in Green Bay, and with the team out of contention for the Super Bowl he could be hired away at any time. It will be interesting to see if a second interview is arranged in the near future.
Stenavich worked as a graduate assistant at Michigan in 2012 and ’13 before working as an offensive line coach at Northern Arizona and then San Jose State. His first NFL gig came 2017 with the 49ers. The 41-year-old worked as an assistant O-line coach in San Francisco for two seasons before joining Matt LaFleur‘s initial Packers staff in 2019.
For three years, Stenavich served as Green Bay’s offensive line coach; in 2021, he had run game coordinator added to his title. When Nathaniel Hackett and Luke Getsy departed during the 2022 offseason, it came as little surprise he was promoted to OC. LaFleur has continued to handle play-calling duties since then, but Stenavich’s stock has risen during his time in a coordinator role.
The Bears met with Stenavich as part of their wide-ranging HC search. Chicago ultimately went in a different intra-divisional direction by bringing in former Lions OC Ben Johnson. No other teams spoke with Stenavich for a head coaching gig, but now he is a candidate for one of the league’s coordinator openings. Seattle has already interviewed Klint Kubiak and Grant Udinski twice, so it will be worth watching closely to see if the team adds Stenavich to the groups of finalists.
Via PFR’s OC/DC Tracker, here is an updated look at the Seahawks’ ongoing search to find Ryan Grubb‘s replacement:
- Thomas Brown, interim head coach (Bears): Interviewed
- Hank Fraley, offensive line coach (Lions): Conducted second interview 1/21; staying with Lions
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Saints): Conducted second interview 1/17
- Byron Leftwich, former offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed
- Adam Stenavich, offensive coordinator (Packers): Interviewed
- Grant Udinski, assistant quarterbacks coach (Vikings): Conducted second interview 1/17
Mike Zimmer Will Not Return To Cowboys, Likely To Retire
When the Cowboys elected to part ways with former head coach Mike McCarthy earlier this month, the writing was on the wall for defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who joined the Dallas staff in 2024 and whose future with the club was tied to McCarthy’s. Zimmer has now confirmed that he will not return to the Cowboys as a member of new HC Brian Schottenheimer’s staff, and that he will likely retire from coaching in the NFL (per WFAA’s Ed Werder, who confirms prior reports that Matt Eberflus is in line to replace Zimmer as DC). 
Given that Zimmer is now 68, retirement was an obvious option as soon as it became clear he was unlikely to be back with the Cowboys in 2025. Now, it seems he is more certain about stepping away from the NFL sidelines for good. Werder adds Zimmer likely would have been interested in Dallas’ HC position had he received an offer, but that did not come to pass.
Zimmer began his coaching career as a defensive assistant with the University of Missouri in 1979, and his first professional gig came as a defensive assistant on the Cowboys’ staff in 1994 (he earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the club in 1995). He worked his way up the Dallas ranks and operated as the team’s defensive coordinator from 2000-06 before taking the same job with the Falcons in 2007 and then working as the Bengals’ DC from 2008-13.
Although Cincinnati famously never won a playoff game during Marvin Lewis‘ tenure as head coach, Zimmer’s arrival in the Queen City coincided with the team’s ascension to regular competitiveness. During his six-year stint as defensive coordinator, the Bengals never finished lower than 15th in total defense and posted two top-10 and two top-five finishes in that span. That run of success garnered Zimmer head coaching interest, and the Vikings hired him as their HC in 2014.
Over the course of eight years in Minnesota, Zimmer coached the team to a record of .500 or better five times. The Vikings made three playoff appearances during his tenure, but after a pair of losing seasons in 2020 and ’21 – along with no runs beyond the divisional round during his overall time in Minnesota – Zimmer was dismissed. For the following two years, he remained out of the pro game by handling a consultant role under Deion Sanders at Jackson State and then Colorado.
After seeing Dan Quinn depart to take the Commanders’ head coaching gig, the Cowboys prioritized experience in looking for his replacement. Rex Ryan was firmly in the running last offseason, but in the end Zimmer returned to his former position amidst high expectations. Quinn led Dallas’ defense to a fifth-place finish in both points and yards allowed in 2023, and a repeat of that performance would have gone a long way in allowing for another postseason appearance this past year.
In addition to Zimmer’s unit losing a number of key players after they followed Quinn to Washington, though, injuries were a defining aspect of the campaign. The likes of Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown (amongst others) all missed time with major ailments and the Cowboys ranked near the bottom of the league in several defensive categories. Especially with McCarthy not coming back, Zimmer’s decision to step away comes as little surprise.
The latter said in August he would welcome the opportunity to once again serve as a head coach in the NFL, but he added he felt that would be unlikely. Interest in Zimmer could be generated if he changed course and elected to continue coaching, but for the time being it appears his time on the sidelines is coming to an end after 23 years as either a coordinator or head coach at the pro level.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
NFL Injury Notes: Hurts, Rapp, Elliss, Flowers
Jalen Hurts‘ knee has been a talking point during the week after it was injured during the Eagles’ divisional round victory. The team will have its franchise quarterback in place tomorrow, although his mobility will remain something to monitor.
Hurts made progress in practice over the past few days, and he was listed as a full participant. He does not carry a designation heading into Sunday, confirmation that he will be in the lineup for the NFC title game. The two-time Pro Bowler did say, however, that he anticipates he will wear a knee brace tomorrow (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk).
Philadelphia’s offense has continued to rely heavily on running back Saquon Barkley through the first two rounds of the playoffs. He has racked up 355 scrimmage yards to date in the postseason, and he will no doubt be a focal point against the Commanders tomorrow. Nevertheless, Hurts’ mobility will important to watch given his capabilities as a rusher and his significance to the ‘Philly Shove’ in short yardage and goal line situations.
Here are some other injury notes from around the NFL:
- Regarding tomorrow’s other conference title game, the Bills will be shorthanded in the secondary. Safety Taylor Rapp exited last week’s win over the Ravens with a hip injury, and he has not practiced since. Head coach Sean McDermott ruled Rapp out yesterday. As a result, second-round rookie Cole Bishop – who handled a part-time role on defense during the regular season – is in line to start.
- The Broncos were the first team to be eliminated from the postseason by the Bills, and their defense was dealt an injury blow in the process. Rookie edge rusher Jonah Elliss suffered a fractured scapula bone in his right shoulder during the loss to Buffalo, as detailed by Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. Elliss, the Broncos’ third-rounder in last year’s draft, had an impressive debut campaign with five sacks despite only logging a 38% defensive snap share. Tomasson writes he is expected to be fully recovered in time for offseason workouts in April, so a clean bill of health for the 2025 campaign should come to pass.
- Zay Flowers suffered a knee sprain in Week 18, and it kept him out of the wild-card and divisional rounds. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said after Baltimore’s season-ending defeat (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) the second-year wideout could have been in play for this week had the team advanced to the AFC title game (subscription required). More notably, Harbaugh added surgery may be required during the offseason on the affected knee. After an encouraging rookie season, Flowers topped 1,000 receiving yards and earned a Pro Bowl nod. His health for 2025 will of course be of great importance to the Ravens.
Bears Request OC Interview With Cardinals’ Israel Woolfork
The list of offensive coordinator candidates for the Bears continues to grow. Chicago has requested an interview with Israel Woolfork, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. 
[RELATED: Bears Add Antwaan Randle El, Al Harris To Staff]
Woolfork’s playing career ended in 2012, and he immediately transitioned to coaching. From 2013-21, he worked on the staff at Miami (Ohio), holding different titles along the way. Woolfork began as a graduate assistant before coaching the team’s running backs and then its receivers.
His entry into the NFL came with the Browns. Woolfork was involved in the Bill Walsh coaching fellowship program for 2021 and ’22, and after that process he landed his first position coaching gig at the pro level. The Cardinals hired him as their quarterbacks coach in 2023, and he has remained in that role for the past two years.
Kyler Murray was sidelined for the beginning of last season as he rehabbed his ACL tear. He managed to play eight games upon returning to the lineup, though, and his performances to close out the year laid the foundation for this past campaign. The Cardinals enjoyed a relatively strong start to 2024, posting a 6-4 record before the bye. The team fell out of contention in the NFC West toward the end of the campaign, but Woolfork’s work with Murray and Arizona’s other passers has now generated interest at the coordinator level.
New head coach Ben Johnson will no doubt call plays during his debut Chicago campaign, but his decision not to retain Thomas Brown leaves the team in need of another offensive coordinator hire. The Bears went with Shane Waldron last offseason, but his tenure proved to be short-lived. Brown served as interim play-caller (and, eventually, head coach) to close out the campaign but Johnson was of course Chicago’s top target for outside HC candidates. His offensive coordinator search will be one to watch closely as it expands.
Via PFR’s OC/DC Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand:
- Declan Doyle, tight ends coach (Broncos): Rumored candidate
- Hank Fraley, offensive line coach (Lions): Rumored candidate; staying with Lions
- Bo Hardegree, quarterbacks coach (Titans): Interview requested
- Israel Woolfork, quarterbacks coach (Cardinals): Interview requested
Buccaneers Conduct OC Interviews With Marcus Brady, Grant Udinski
The Buccaneers are moving quickly in their bid to find Liam Coen‘s replacement. Three candidates have now been attached to the team’s offensive coordinator opening. 
Tampa Bay conducted a virtual interview with Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady on Saturday, per a team announcement. The same is also true of Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinsky. Earlier today, it was learned the Buccaneers have submitted an interview request for Rams offensive assistant Nate Scheelhaase.
Prior to beginning his NFL coaching tenure in 2018, Brady had a long spell in the CFL. He served as offensive coordinator of the Montreal Alouettes as well as the Toronto Argonauts, winning a total of three Grey Cups in that span. After three seasons working with the Colts’ quarterbacks, Brady was promoted to OC and served in that capacity in 2021 and ’22.
The 45-year-old worked as a senior offensive assistant with the Eagles in 2023 before taking his current job in Los Angeles. The Chargers underwent a number of changes on the sidelines with the arrival of Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman this offseason, and one of the outcomes was increased efficiency from quarterback Justin Herbert (who posted a league-best interception rate of 0.6%). Brady’s role in that success landed him an interview with the Patriots for their OC posting this month.
Udinski began his college coaching career in 2019, and he followed Matt Rhule from Baylor to the Panthers to start his NFL tenure. After two years in Carolina, Udinski was hired by the Vikings as part of Kevin O’Connell‘s initial staff. For the past two years, the 28-year-old has worked as an assistant QBs coach and during the 2024 campaign he also had the title of assistant offensive coordinator.
Udinski was another coach who spoke with the Patriots about their OC gig before they elected to reunite with Josh McDaniels. He is also a finalist for the Seahawks’ vacancy, having conducted a second interview last week. The Bucs therefore may have competition for the services of Udinski – who, unlike Brady does not have coordinator experience – depending on how the teams evaluate him as a candidate for this year’s hiring cycle.
Tampa Bay appeared to have Coen in place for 2025 and beyond with a new deal agreed to during the week. In the wake of the Jaguars firing general manager Trent Baalke, though, Coen met with Jacksonville a second time and was ultimately hired as the team’s new head coach. Todd Bowles is thus in need of another new OC this offseason, and it will be interesting to see how his latest search plays out.
Jets Hire Darren Mougey As GM
JANUARY 25: ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted out the news that Mougey’s hiring has been made official. Mougey will team up with Glenn, the new head coach, to establish the next era of Jets football.
JANUARY 24: The Jets made their head coaching hire earlier this week, and their general manager vacancy is now set to be filled. After Lance Newmark appeared to be the top target, though, the team has moved in another direction. 
Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey will be hired by the Jets. He was among the staffers who lined up a second interview for this week, so it comes as little surprise he is set to get the nod. Still, after Newmark looked to have a deal all but in place on Tuesday, this is a notable pivot on New York’s part.
The Jets were open to bringing in a head coach or a general manager first during the 2025 cycle, and Aaron Glenn wound up being the initial hire in the team’s case. The former Lions defensive coordinator has a history with New York as a player, and Newmark represented a familiar face with Glenn given their time spent together in Detroit. A natural fit was in place, but the Jets opted to conduct follow-up interviews with both Mougey and Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown before making a final decision.
Mougey’s meeting took place yesterday, and Troy Renck of the Denver Post notes he returned to the Broncos’ facility to await word on whether or not he received the Jets’ GM job. No subsequent reports have emerged at this point confirming Mougey has won out, and SNY’s Connor Hughes indicates he has not received finality from his sources indicating Mougey has beaten out Newmark and Brown. But provided the team ultimately announces this news he will be set to undertake his first general manager role. The 39-year-old has been with the Broncos throughout his front office career, so this will double as his first posting with any other organization.
Mougey quickly transitioned from his playing career to the scouting world as an intern with the Broncos in 2012. By 2020, he had reached the level of assistant college scouting director while continuing to rise through the ranks. Mougey took over as director of player personnel for 2021, and the following year he was promoted to assistant GM. After working under both John Elway and George Paton, he will now lead a staff of his own.
New York conducted a wide-ranging search for both the head coach and general manager positions, and in a matter of days both vacancies have now been filled. The quarterback position will remain a talking point until clarity emerges on the Aaron Rodgers front, and a number of other key priories – including potential extensions for cornerback Sauce Gardner and wideout Garrett Wilson – are in place. How Mougey and Glenn address them will be key in shaping the organization’s direction moving forward. Paton and the Broncos, meanwhile, will now have a notable front office vacancy to fill.
Via PFR’s GM search tracker, here is a final look at how the Jets’ process played out:
- Mike Borgonzi, assistant general manager (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/8; hired by Titans
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Conducted second interview 1/23
- Thomas Dimitroff, former general manager (Falcons): Interviewed 12/16
- Ray Farmer, senior personnel executive (Rams): Interviewed 1/9
- Brian Gaine, assistant general manager (Bills): Interviewed 1/14
- Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/10
- Ryan Grigson, senior vice president of player personnel (Vikings): Interviewed 1/11
- Alec Halaby, assistant general manager (Eagles): Interviewed 1/8
- Darren Mougey, assistant general manager (Broncos): To be hired
- Jim Nagy, Senior Bowl director: Interviewed 12/19
- Lance Newmark, assistant general manager (Commanders): Conducted second interview 1/21; hire expected; still a candidate
- Louis Riddick, former director of pro personnel (Eagles): Interviewed 1/2
- Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): Interviewed 12/17
- Chris Spielman, special assistant to president/CEO (Lions): Interviewed 1/11
- Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of player personnel (Packers): Interviewed 1/14
Raiders To Hire Pete Carroll As HC
Pete Carroll recently emerged as the top name to watch regarding the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy. He is indeed on track to take over on the sidelines in Vegas. 
Carroll and the Raiders are negotiating an agreement, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report. No deal is in place at the moment, but that is the goal on both sides. Provided this hire comes to pass, Vegas will have its new HC-GM combo in place. An agreement has now been reached, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter noting this will be a three-year contract including a team option for a fourth year.
Ben Johnson was seen as the Raiders’ top head coaching target, with a major offer being expected. The quarterback position is certainly a different story in Vegas as opposed to Chicago as things stand, however, and the former Lions OC ultimately chose to take the Bears’ gig. That took the most in-demand coaching candidate off the market and forced the Raiders to pivot.
On Monday, it was reported Carroll had become the frontrunner for the Vegas posting. The former Seahawks Super Bowl winner interviewed with the Bears before they elected to bring in Johnson, but since he also spoke with the Raiders it was clear a market existed for a return to the NFL. The 73-year-old discussed the Cowboys’ vacancy with Jerry Jones yesterday, but instead of making a serious run at that position he will take over a Raiders team which has undergone major changes recently.
Not long after his minority stake in the franchise was officially purchased, Tom Brady became a central figure in Vegas’ head coaching and general manager searches. Antonio Pierce was fired after one full season on the sidelines, and at the time that move was made it appeared general manager Tom Telesco would be safe. Just two days later, though, Telesco was also dismissed after his debut campaign running the front office. With Brady and Jed Hughes (who played a role in Carroll’s Seahawks hire in 2010) leading the way, the Raiders have now filled both vacancies.
Former Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek reached agreement with the Raiders on Wednesday to take over as the team’s new general manager. Now, he and Carroll will look to lead the franchise in a new direction from a culture perspective will overseeing a roster rebuild. The quarterback position is one of many which needs to be addressed in the spring.
Prior to today’s news, the oldest head coaching hire in NFL history came when 66-year-old Bruce Arians took charge of the Buccaneers. His Tampa Bay tenure included a Super Bowl win with Brady under center, and now the latter will look to steer the Raiders back to contention with Carroll on the sidelines. Given his age, it will be interesting to see how deep into this contract Carroll lasts.
In any event, owner Mark Davis’ willingness to allow for a long-term plan to be put in place by the Carroll-Spytek tandem will make for a key storyline. Davis informed Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler they would have three years to oversee a rebuilding effort upon being hired in 2022, but he pulled the plug midway through Year 2 of that setup. Davis was known to favor something other than the ‘Patriot Way’ approach this time around, and that has proven to be the case with the new faces in the front office and on the sidelines.
Carroll coached the Jets in 1994 before taking charge of the Patriots from 1997-99. It was not until 2010 that he got his next NFL head coaching opportunity, but in the intervening years he had a successful tenure at USC which included a national title. His 14-year Seahawks run produced a pair of Super Bowl appearances and the franchise’s only championship.
Carroll stepped aside from Seattle last offseason, although he attempted to reverse course on that move. In the end, the Seahawks moved on by hiring Mike Macdonald as head coach. That left Carroll out of coaching, and in August he expressed contentment with that situation. Things have obviously changed since then, though, and now he will take charge of a Raiders team with considerable ground to make up moving forward.
Each of the other three teams in the AFC West (coached by Andy Reid, Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton) qualified for the playoffs in 2024. Expectations will remain high in Kansas City, Los Angeles and Denver in the immediate future, whereas the Raiders face a number of questions at this point. It is now known that Carroll – who of course had considerable sway regarding roster moves in Seattle – will be tasked with adding Vegas to the list of playoff contenders in the division during the latest chapter of his decorated coaching career.