AFC Coaching Notes: Texans, Browns, Ravens, Jaguars
We heard previously that new head coach Lovie Smith was going to retain defensive play-calling duties with the Texans, and it sounds like the defensive-minded coach won’t even add a DC to his staff. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the Texans won’t be hiring a defensive coordinator.
As Rapoport details, Smith is operating as if this is “his defense,” so he’ll continue to control that side of the ball for the time being. However, the reporter cautions that the Texans could fill the role eventually, and the team still has a number of “key spots” to fill on their staff.
The former Bears and Buccaneers HC had been in the college ranks for five seasons prior to resurfacing as the Texans’ defensive coordinator last year. Now, Smith will wear two rather important hats for the rebuilding team.
More coaching notes out of the AFC…
- The Texans are making other changes to their staff. Assistant receivers coach Ben McDaniels has been promoted to passing game coordinator and receivers coach, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network (on Twitter). The brother of Josh McDaniels, Ben McDaniels has bounced between the NFL and NCAA throughout his coaching career, including stints with the Bears, Buccaneers, and Broncos.
- After leaving for the University of Mississippi earlier this offseason, Chris Kiffin has changed his mind and will return to the Browns, reports Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal (on Twitter). The defensive line coach decided he wanted to continue working in the NFL, and the Browns were more than happy to welcome him back. The son of Monte Kiffin and brother of Lane Kiffin, Chris Kiffin has been the Browns D-line coach since 2020.
- The Ravens are hiring George Godsey as their tight ends coach, reports Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (via Twitter). Godsey was the Texans offensive coordinator between 2015 and 2016, and he most recently served as the Dolphins co-OC/tight ends coach with Miami. The veteran coach will be replacing Bobby Engram, who left to become the offensive coordinator at Wisconsin.
- The Jaguars are hiring former Chicago Bears outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey for the same role, reports Wilson (on Twitter). Shuey had been with the Bear since the 2018 season, but he wasn’t retained following the firing of Matt Nagy.
Dolphins To Interview Curtis Johnson For OC Job, Add Wes Welker To Staff
After hiring Jon Embree as assistant head coach/tight ends coach earlier today, the Dolphins are now eyeing offensive coordinator candidates. According to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the team is interviewing Curtis Johnson for their OC job.
[RELATED: Dolphins To Hire Jon Embree As Assistant Head Coach]
Johnson has had two long stints with the Saints, most recently as a senior offensive assistant (and wide receivers coach in 2021). The 60-year-old also had a stint as the Bears WRs coach, and he was head coach at Tulane between 2012 and 2015. Johnson coached at Miami (FL) between 1996 and 2005, so this would be a bit of a homecoming for the veteran coach.
Meanwhile, Armando Salguero reports (via Twitter) that the Dolphins have hired Wes Welker as their wide receivers coach. Welker appeared in 46 games for the Dolphins before turning into a Pro Bowler with the Patriots. Since his playing career ended, Welker has switched to coaching. He served on the Texans coaching staff in 2017 and 2018, and he’s been the 49ers wide receivers coach since 2019.
One coach who won’t be sticking around Miami is Gerald Alexander. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network (on Twitter), the Dolphins have fired the defensive backs coach. Wolfe described this as a “shocking move” considering how Alexander is viewed in NFL circles. The former second-round pick switched to coaching following his playing career, and he had been with the Dolphins since 2020.
Saints To Interview Robert Prince For OC Job
The Saints have already revamped their offensive coaching staff, and it sounds like they’ll consider adding an offensive coordinator to a grouping that includes Pete Carmichael and Doug Marrone. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter), the Saints will interview Cowboys wide receivers coach Robert Prince for their OC job.
[RELATED: Saints To Hire Doug Marrone; Pete Carmichael Ticketed For Non-OC Role]
Prince literally finalized his contract with the Cowboys yesterday, and he could already be on the move. The 56-year-old has been coaching since the 1980s, with his first NFL gig coming with the Falcons in 2004. He served as Boise State’s offensive coordinator between 2012 and 2013 before a long stint with the Lions.
Prince served as the Lions WRs coach for seven seasons, and he had a one-game stint as acting head coach in 2020. The veteran coach moved on to Houston in 2021, serving as the Texans wide receivers coach.
Carmichael was the Saints offensive coordinator for the past 13 years, and he is on track to stay on the staff under Dennis Allen. The veteran coach will serve in a different role, however, with Carmichael requesting the change. The team also added Marrone in an unknown role yesterday, and there were rumblings that they were eyeing ex-Jets OC John Morton.
Rod Marinelli Expected To Retire
It sounds like Rod Marinelli is calling it a career. The former Lions head coach is planning to retire, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Rapoport cautions that the 72-year-old “had interest in continuing to coach.”
Marinelli started his coaching career back in the 1970s, and he got his first crack at the NFL when he was hired as the Buccaneers defensive line coach in 1996. He was hired as the Lions head coach in 2006, and he ended up having a historic stint in Detroit…not in a good way, though. The Lions went 3-13 during his first season at the helm, but there was some optimism when the team improved to 7-9 in 2007.
Perhaps the high point of the Marinelli era in Detroit was the 2008 preseason, when the team went a perfect 4-0. Of course, the Lions famously didn’t win a game during the regular season, and Marinelli was fired following that 0-16 campaign. With a record of 10-38, Marinelli has the second-worst record among coaches with at least three seasons on their resumes (behind Bert Bell’s 10-46-2 record and tied with Steve Spagnuolo’s 10-38 record).
The veteran coach bounced around the NFL a bit following his stint in Detroit. He served as the Raiders interim defensive coordinator in 2020 following the firing of Paul Guenther, and he served as the team’s defensive line coach in 2021.
Coaching Notes: Wilks, Bills, Dolphins, Bears, Broncos
Steve Wilks is back with the Panthers. The team announced that they’ve hired the veteran coach as their new defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach.
Wilks played for the Carolina franchise during his stint in the AFL, and his first coaching gig was at a nearby college. Of course, Wilks also worked for the Panthers, starting as a defensive backs coach before working his way up to assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
The 52-year-old had a brief stint as the Cardinals head coach in 2018 before moving on to Cleveland as the Browns defensive coordinator in 2019. Now, he’s back in Carolina, replacing now-Raiders defensive pass-game coordinator Jason Simmons.
More coaching notes from around the NFL…
- The Bills have a new special teams coordinator, as the team announced the promotion of Matthew Smiley. The veteran coach has spent the past five years in Buffalo, serving as assistant ST coach. Per the team’s announcement, Smiley played a significant role in the development of kicker Tyler Bass and returner Andre Roberts. Smiley will replace Heath Farwell, who will be joining the Jaguars coaching staff.
- Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will be retaining special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter). Crossman has been with the Dolphins since 2019, and he earned a promotion to assistant head coach in 2021. The 55-year-old previously served as the ST coordinator with the Bills, Lions, and Panthers.
- Matt Eberflus continues to add to his coaching staff. The Bears announced that they’ve hired Tim Zetts as their assistant tight ends coach and Omar Young as an offensive quality control coach. The two coaches both have connections to the Packers franchise. Meanwhile, Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com writes that the Bears also hired David Walker as their new running backs coach. The 52-year-old last coached in 2018.
- Ben Steele will be the Broncos new assistant offensive line coach, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter). Chris Kuper, who previously served in the role, has been let go. Steele will report to Butch Barry, who is the full-time OL coach.
Falcons Have Discussed New Deal With RB Cordarrelle Patterson
Cordarrelle Patterson had a breakout offensive year during his age-30 season. While the veteran is set to his free agency this offseason, the Falcons are already looking to retain the Swiss Army Knife-like weapon. Owner Arthur Blank told reporters that the Falcons have already had discussions with Patterson’s agents.
“From our standpoint, we’d love to have [CP] back,” Blank said (via the team’s website). “We saw the same thing that you saw on the field. I think this is a very talented player, a very talented athlete. This is a good example of when a coach understands the scheme – which he does, Coach Smith – and he takes an athlete like this and can use him in a variety of ways I think you see the kind of production that he can have. He’s a terrific young man. He’s great with the fans. He’s great in the locker room. He’s a real competitor… I hope that he’ll be a Falcon this time [next] year.”
Patterson made a name for himself on special teams, but he took on a large offensive role in 2021. In 16 games (13 starts), Patterson finished with 1,166 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns on 205 touches. Thanks in part to his on-field production, Patterson became a fan favorite, and he reciprocated the love by wearing a sweatshirt stating “The City of Atlanta Changed My Life.”
The Falcons signed Mike Davis to a two-year deal last offseason, but they could choose to move on from the veteran if Patterson ends up commanding a (relatively) hefty contract. Fellow running back Qadree Ollison is also set to hit free agency.
Latest On Falcons WR Calvin Ridley
It’s uncertain if Calvin Ridley will be sticking around Atlanta. However, if the Falcons have their way, they’d naturally want their wideout to stay with the organization.
“We love the young man,” said owner Arthur Blank (via the team’s website). “He has had a great history in Atlanta. We’d love him to stay in Atlanta. Whether or not he wants to do that — he may decide that he wants a fresh start someplace else. We don’t know that. I don’t know that. I don’t have information to indicate that, but we’ll see how that plays out.
“We’ve been totally supportive in every way that we can be, both emotionally and financially in working with him as well as his agent. We’ll see, but I’m mostly concerned about him as a human being.”
The wideout announced in late October that he’d be stepping away from football to deal with his mental health. Nothing has really changed since that time, although we heard recently that Ridley hadn’t had a whole lot of communication with the Falcons. That report indicated that the receiver could be seeking a fresh start elsewhere, although there wasn’t a definitive trade request or anything.
The 2018 first-round pick emerged as one of the NFL’s top wideouts in 2020, finishing with 90 receptions for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns. This was going to be a pivotal year for the former first-round pick. The Falcons picked up his fully guaranteed fifth-year option but have not yet signed him to an extension.
AFC Coaching Notes: Bieniemy, Raiders, Broncos, Jaguars, Bills, Ravens
Another coaching cycle has come and gone without Eric Bieniemy getting a head coaching job, but that doesn’t mean the Chiefs offensive coordinator will automatically return to Kansas City. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter), Bieniemy‘s contract is expiring.
While the accomplished offensive coordinator could (and probably will) ink a new contract with the Chiefs, Pelissero warns that he would be a “hot free-agent OC target elsewhere.” You could make an argument that Bieniemy could improve his chances for a HC gig if he succeeds out of Andy Reid’s and Patrick Mahomes‘ shadows. Of course, if Bieniemy struggles without his elite offense, that would surely compromise any lingering chances he has of securing that elusive promotion.
Following a five-year stint as the Chiefs RBs coach, he earned a promotion to OC in 2018. Considering the Chiefs’ success, Bieniemy was a popular name in the coaching circuit in both 2019 and 2020. However, the 52-year-old didn’t generate as much interest during this year’s coaching cycle, as he was connected to only a pair of jobs (Saints, Broncos).
More coaching notes out of the AFC…
- Broncos special teams coordinator Tom McMahon will join the Raiders in the same role, reports Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter). The 52-year-old has been a ST coordinator in the NFL since he was hired by the Rams in 2009, and he worked alongside Josh McDaniels during his final season with the organization. McMahon has since served as the ST coordinator for the Chiefs, Colts, and Broncos.
- The Broncos natural replacement for McMahon, special teams assistant Chris Gould, was let go by the organization, reports Klis (on Twitter). The older brother of kicker Robbie Gould, Chris Gould had spent seven years with the Broncos organization. The 36-year-old had a brief career in the AFL before transitioning to coaching.
- More Broncos coaching notes: Broncos DL coach Bill Kollar is moving to a consultant-type role (via Klis on Twitter), while WR coach Zach Azzanni and offensive assistant Justin Rascati are sticking around (via Ryan O’Halloran of The Denver Post on Twitter). Azzanni actually had a second interview with the Falcons today, but Nathaniel Hackett “stepped up” to retain his WR coach (via Klis on Twitter).
- The Jaguars are hiring Mike McCoy as their QB coach, reports Pelissero (via Twitter). The former Chargers head coach was the Broncos OC in 2017 and Cardinals OC in 2018, but he’s been out of the NFL since that time.
- The Bills announced that they have hired Aaron Kromer as their new offensive line coach. This is Kromer’s second stint as the Bills OL coach, having served in the role in 2015 and 2016. The veteran coach was with the Rams between 2017 and 2020, but he wasn’t retained for 2021. Previously, Kromer was the Saints’ interim head coach in 2012 and the Bears offensive coordinator from 2013 to 2014.
- Zach Orr is joining the Ravens as their new linebackers coach, tweets Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Orr played for Baltimore for three years, including a 2016 campaign where he earned a second-team All-Pro nod. He also got his first coaching gig with the Ravens. After serving as a defensive analyst from 2017 to 2020, Orr joined the Jaguars to be their outside linebackers coach in 2021.
Vikings Request DC Interview With Lions’ Aubrey Pleasant
While Mike Pettine is “likely” to be the Vikings next defensive coordinator, that won’t stop Kevin O’Connell from considering other candidates. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter), the Vikings have requested an interview with Lions defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant for their defensive coordinator vacancy.
[RELATED: Mike Pettine Favorite For Vikings’ DC Job?]
Pleasant represented an interesting get for the Lions last offseason. Washington attempted to promote Pleasant ahead of the 2017 season, but he left for a lateral move with the Rams. He later interviewed for the Bengals’ DC job — one Lou Anarumo landed — in 2019 while overseeing the development of Rams corners Troy Hill and Darious Williams in Los Angeles.
Pleasant ultimately spent four years in Los Angeles, working alongside O’Connell in 2020. He took the “pass-game coordinator” promotion in Detroit for the 2021 campaign.
Meanwhile, Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports (via Twitter) that Broncos running backs coach Curtis Modkins is considering joining the Vikings staff as their new RB coach/run-game coordinator.
Lions Promote Ben Johnson To Offensive Coordinator
Ben Johnson was considered the favorite for the Lions offensive coordinator vacancy, and the tight ends coach ended up getting the gig. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter), the Lions are promoting Johnson to offensive coordinator.
The Lions have been seeking a new OC since parting ways with Anthony Lynn last month. Johnson emerged as a favorite for the job following a standout year in Detroit. After serving as an offensive quality control coach in 2019 and tight ends coach in 2020, Johnson took on even more responsibility in 2021.
While he still served as TEs coach, he saw an expanded role once Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties from Lynn around the midseason mark. Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (on Twitter), Johnson served as a “pseudo pass game coordinator.” Play-calling duties are still TBD for next season, per Birkett (on Twitter).
Recently, Johnson has played a big role in Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson‘s ascension, and he’ll now look to kick-start an offense that’s still finding itself in a post-Matthew Stafford era. Prior to his stint in Detroit, the 35-year-old spent years in Miami, working his way up from offensive assistant to wide receivers coach.