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Author: Ben Levine

Buccaneers Interview Three More Candidates For ST Coordinator Job

By | at January 15, 2026 6:47 pm

The Buccaneers are casting a relatively wide map as they search for a replacement for fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey. Over the past two days, we’ve learned that the organization has added three more candidates to their interview list.

[RELATED: Buccaneers Fire ST Coordinator Thomas McGaughey]

The team announced yesterday that they completed an interview with Craig Aukerman. The long-time NFL coach has been a coordinator in multiple stops, including stints with the Chargers, Titans, and Dolphins. He’s coming off his first season as Miami’s special teams coordinator, but considering their search for a new head coach, there’s a good chance Aukerman will be seeking a new gig for 2026.

The Buccaneers then announced today that they interviewed Anthony Levine Sr. for the role. The long-time Ravens special teams ace got his coaching start in Baltimore, serving as a coaching assistant. He moved to the Titans in 2022 to serve as an assistant special teams coach, and he actually spent the 2023 campaign working under Aukerman. Levine moved back to the Ravens in 2025 to serve as an assistant ST coach.

Finally, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported today that the Buccaneers interviewed Eagles ST coordinator Michael Clay. While the coach isn’t under contract for the 2026 season, his contract doesn’t technically expire until next month, so the Eagles had to grant permission for the chat. Clay has been Philly’s special teams coordinator since the 2021 campaign.

The trio will join Lions assistant special teams coordinator Jett Modkins, who interviewed for the job earlier this week. These coaches will be looking to improve a Tampa Bay special teams unit that earned the third-lowest Pro Football Focus grade this past season.

2 comments Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Steelers Request HC Interview With 49ers OC Klay Kubiak

By | at January 15, 2026 5:19 pm

Klint Kubiak is one of the most popular names in this year’s hiring cycle. Now, his brother is starting to generate some interest. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Steelers have requested an interview with 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak for their head coaching vacancy.

Kubiak started his NFL coaching career in 2021, when he joined Kyle Shanahan‘s 49ers staff as a defensive quality control coach. He quickly earned a promotion to assistant quarterbacks coach, and after two years in that role, he was named the team’s offensive passing game specialist.

The 49ers operated without an offensive coordinator after Mike McDaniel left for the Dolphins in 2022. But with Shanahan deciding to shake up his staff last offseason, Kubiak earned a promotion to offensive coordinator.

The 49ers offense improved their points total in 2025 despite dealing with a number of injuries on offense. The team had to turn to backup QB Mac Jones for nearly half their games, with the signal-caller guiding the squad to a 5-3 record. Former first-round receiver Ricky Pearsall found himself in and out of the lineup, and tight end George Kittle missed a handful of games. Plus, the 49ers navigated the entire season without one of their highest-paid offensive weapons in Brandon Aiyuk.

Thanks to the surprising showing from the depleted 49ers offense, Kubiak is now generating interest from the Steelers for their head coaching vacancy. His father, Gary Kubiak, had multiple stints as an NFL head coach, while his brother, Klint Kubiak, has been connected to nearly every vacancy after guiding the Seahawks offense to one of the league’s top performances in 2025.

Now, Klay will garner his first HC interview, and he joins a growing list of candidates to replace Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh. While Kubiak doesn’t have the same resume as some of his competitors for the job, the Steelers haven’t been afraid of hiring inexperienced coaches in the past. Tomlin only served one season as a defensive coordinator before earning Pittsburgh’s HC job.

Kubiak is now the eighth coach to garner an interview request from the Steelers:

8 comments Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers

Lions To Interview Mike Kafka For OC Job

By | at January 12, 2026 9:15 pm

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.

3 comments Detroit Lions New York Giants

Cowboys’ Donovan Ezeiruaku Arrested On Reckless Driving Charge

By | at January 12, 2026 9:04 pm

Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku was arrested yesterday in Texas, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.

Ezeiruaku was jailed for a reckless driving charge. He was later released on a $500 bond. The Cowboys said they were aware of the arrest but offered no further comment, per Watkins.

Following a standout career at Boston College, the Cowboys selected Ezeiruaku with the 44th selection in this past year’s draft. He had a productive rookie campaign in Dallas, starting nine of his 17 appearances while tallying 40 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks. He graded out 38th among 117 qualifying edge defenders on Pro Football Focus.

While Ezeiruaku already led Cowboys edge rushers in snaps in 2025, the team is set to be even more reliant on him in 2026. Sam Williams, Jadeveon Clowney, and Dante Fowler are all set to hit free agency, and the front office will surely be looking for some extra reinforcement at the position this offseason.

It’s uncertain how much Ezeiruaku’s arrest will factor into their plans. The NFL generally waits for the legal process to play out before launching an investigation and handing down a potential suspension (or fine) under the personal conduct policy.

10 comments Dallas Cowboys

Giants’ Chris Mara Had Informal Meeting With John Harbaugh

By | at January 12, 2026 7:08 pm

The Giants and Falcons have emerged as the frontrunners in the John Harbaugh sweepstakes. While the Falcons were quick to announce this evening that they completed an interview with the head coaching candidate, the Giants are also making it clear that they’re aggressively pursuing the former Super Bowl winner.

[RELATED: Falcons Meet With John Harbaugh]

Giants executive Chris Mara told Ian O’Connor of The Athletic that he met for lunch with Harbaugh yesterday and had an “informal meeting” at the coach’s house. O’Connor adds that sources from both the organization and the coach have made it clear that Harbaugh “remains very interested in the Giants job.”

This in-person meeting follows a 30-minute conversation between Harbaugh and Giants GM Joe Schoen last week, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan echoes that Schoen spoke with Harbaugh about the Giants head coaching job.

Depending on who you ask, this may have been the first sit-down that Harbaugh’s had with a potential suitor. While the Falcons themselves reported today that they definitively interviewed Harbaugh, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post says their “interview” was merely a “phone conversation.” In fact, Schwartz compared the conversation to the calls Harbaugh has fielded from other potential suitors. The reporter adds that the Giants will have a formal sit-down with Harbaugh later this week or early next week.

While it may be semantics, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network’s categorizes Harbaugh’s meeting with the Falcons today as a “virtual” conversation, which included Matt Ryan and other Atlanta execs who have been involved in the search. This would seemingly qualify as an official interview, although the Giants may have an issue with that positioning.

If there’s any takeaway, the Giants clearly want us know that they’re serious about their Harbaugh pursuit. On the flip side, we’re plenty aware that the court of public opinion will have no bearing on where the coach lands, no matter how hard the Giants may try.

10 comments Atlanta Falcons New York Giants

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/12/26

By | at January 12, 2026 6:59 pm

Today’s reserve/futures deals:

Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Commanders

4 comments Carolina Panthers Green Bay Packers Jacksonville Jaguars New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Transactions Washington Commanders

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/12/26

By | at January 12, 2026 6:45 pm

One practice squad move to pass along:

New England Patriots

Sebastian Gutierrez has bounced around the NFL a bit since going undrafted out of Minot State in 2022. He’s seen time in two career games, one with the Raiders (2022) and one with the 49ers (2024). He’s spent most of the 2025 campaign on New England’s practice squad.

0 comments New England Patriots Transactions

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/12/26

By | at January 12, 2026 6:34 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Texans will get some extra reinforcement on their secondary and special teams for tonight’s playoff matchup. A rookie sixth-round pick, Jaylen Reed has spent half of the 2025 season on the sideline. He started the season on PUP thanks to a knee injury, but he managed to make his NFL debut in late October. He ended up getting into seven games (one start) for Houston, collecting 14 tackles (12 of which came in one game) in 73 defensive snaps. He landed on injured reserve in December after suffering a forearm injury that required surgery.

0 comments Houston Texans New England Patriots Pittsburgh Steelers Transactions

Vikings Confident Brian Flores Will Be Back As DC

By | at January 12, 2026 5:56 pm

While Brian Flores‘ contract technically doesn’t expire until after the Super Bowl, the current Vikings defensive coordinator is effectively a free agent. While Flores has generated interest for at least one head coaching job, there’s confidence that he’ll land back in Minnesota if he’s unsuccessful during this year’s hiring cycle.

[RELATED: Ravens To Interview Brian Flores For HC Vacancy]

As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes, the Vikings “remain confident” that Flores will be back on their sideline in 2026, barring him getting a head coaching gig. Florio even suggests that the organization may already have a tentative deal lined up for Flories, although neither side would commit until the veteran coach exhausts all of his promotion opportunities.

While Flores never held the role of defensive coordinator in New England, he made a name for himself as a defensive wiz during his time with the Patriots. He lost some of his shine following a tumultuous head coaching gig in Miami, but he’s seemingly rehabbed his image thanks to his recent stint as the Vikings defensive coordinator. Following solid showing in 2023 and 2024, Flores’ unit posted top-five numbers in 2025, putting him firmly back on the head coaching map.

Of course, Flores still isn’t generating the same interest as some of his peers. While there were rumblings that Tom Brady could recruit Flores to Las Vegas, the veteran coach has only generated one definitive interview with the Ravens. While a lack of interviews would increase Flores’ chances of sticking in Minny, Albert Breer of SI.com says the defensive coordinator is actually a “strong fit” for the Baltimore job. As Breer notes, the Ravens will be seeking a coach who fits “the franchise as much as the franchise will morph to the new coach,” and Flores would apparently be a good match for Baltimore’s operation.

On the flip side, Flores’ pending lawsuit against the NFL could dissuade suitors from pursuing him as a head coach. Flores’ claims against the league and three teams – the Broncos, the Giants, and the Texans – revolve around the coach’s belief that those organizations allegedly conducted sham head coaching interviews to comply with the Rooney Rule. The NFL recently filed a petition for writ of certiorari with SCOTUS in an effort to keep all of Flores’ claims in arbitration rather than open court. This would further delay any trial or hearing on the merits of the suit, which Flores initiated nearly four years ago.

3 comments Baltimore Ravens Minnesota Vikings

Dolphins Request HC Interview With Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard

By | at January 12, 2026 5:26 pm

For the second-straight season, a Lions defensive coordinator could be on the move. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Dolphins have requested permission to interview Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard for their head coaching vacancy.

[RELATED: Dan Campbell Endorses Kelvin Sheppard]

Sheppard doesn’t come with as much fanfare nor experience as Aaron Glenn did last offseason. The former third-round pick joined Detroit’s coaching staff as an OLBs coach in 2021, and he shifted to linebackers coach in 2022. He held that role for three seasons before earning the promotion to defensive coordinator ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Detroit’s defense took a step back with Sheppard at the helm, as the team’s points-per-game mark jumped from 20.1 in 2024 to 24.3 in 2025. This led some to speculate that the 38-year-old may not even retain his current role in 2026. However, coach Dan Campbell was quick to endorse his coordinator, noting that Sheppard has grown into the job throughout the year.

Further, Sheppard has a bit of an excuse thanks to the number of injuries on Detroit’s defense. Star safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph plus cornerbacks D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, and Ennis Rakestraw all spent time on injured reserve, with several of those players unavailable for the stretch run of the season. While injuries are only part of the reason for the Lions’ defensive regression, they seemingly also helped Sheppard maintain his reputation.

Now, he’ll have a chance to take the next step of his career in Miami. Sheppard actually had the most productive season of his playing career with the Dolphins in 2015, and he may be tasked with turning around a franchise that’s looking to return to their winning ways. The Dolphins currently have one of the shortest list of head coaching candidates in the league, although more names will surely be added over the next few days. The team’s current list of definitive and rumored targets includes:

4 comments Detroit Lions Miami Dolphins
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