Mike McDaniel, Brian Daboll Among Eagles’ OC Candidates
After removing Kevin Patullo from the offensive coordinator role on Tuesday, the Eagles have begun reaching out to potential replacements. Former head coaches Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll are atop the Eagles’ list, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. It’s unknown if either will interview for the job.
McDaniel and Daboll join the previously reported Kevin Stefanski and Kliff Kingsbury as established offensive coaches on the Eagles’ radar. Judging by that group of four, the Eagles and head coach Nick Sirianni are aiming high in their quest to upgrade an offense that fell flat in 2025.
In 2024, Kellen Moore‘s lone season running their offense, the Eagles ranked seventh in scoring and eighth in yards. Running back Saquon Barkley put together the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history, helping the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship. Their offense was unable to follow up on that performance after Moore left to become the Saints’ head coach.
In the wake of Moore’s departure, Sirianni opted for continuity in promoting Patullo from pass game coordinator to OC. The Eagles won 11 games en route to their second straight NFC East crown, but their offense frustrated the team and its fans throughout the season.
Barkley’s rushing total declined from 2,005 to 1,140, which played a big role in the Eagles’ below-average offensive performance. Despite boasting a strong offensive line (albeit one that went without cornerstone right tackle Lane Johnson for a large chunk of time), a championship-winning QB in Jalen Hurts, and pass catchers A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, the Eagles finished 19th in total offense and 24th in scoring.
Considering their past accomplishments, either McDaniel or Daboll could end up as Sirianni’s pick to help Philadelphia’s offense rebound in 2026. McDaniel, long considered one of the game’s brightest offensive minds, is coming off a four-year run as the Dolphins’ head coach. He got plenty out of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at times, especially when the Dolphins led the league in total offense and finished second in scoring in 2023. Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane joined Tagovailoa as part of a well-oiled offensive machine that year, but the unit’s production fell off a cliff in the past couple of seasons.
Hill missed almost all of 2025 after suffering a torn ACL in Week 4. That didn’t help Tagovailoa, who performed so poorly that McDaniel benched him for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers in Week 16. Ewers was at the helm for the last three games of a 7-10 campaign for McDaniel, who lost his job after two straight sub-.500 seasons. Although his final two years in Miami didn’t go well, McDaniel is highly likely to stay in the league as either an offensive coordinator or a head coach in 2026.
Like McDaniel, Daboll is fresh off a first-time head coaching stint that began with a flourish but ended with a thud. The Giants went 9-7-1 and won a playoff game in 2022, Daboll’s rookie year as a head coach. He meshed well with quarterback Daniel Jones, who landed a four-year, $160MM extension in the ensuing offseason. That wound up as a major misfire for the Giants. Jones endured a horrid 2023 in which a torn ACL limited him to six games. After he failed to bounce back the next season, the Giants released him in late November.
After combining for a 9-25 mark from 2023-24, Daboll entered this season on the hot seat. The Giants remade their QB room in the offseason with two free agent pickups, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, as well as first-round pick Jaxson Dart. Wilson began 2025 as the Giants’ starter, but Daboll pulled the plug on the former star after an awful showing in a loss to the Chiefs in Week 3. Dart took over under center and went on to impress as a rookie, though Daboll didn’t last the year. The Giants fired him after a 2-8 start.
Daboll went a dismal 20-40-1 as New York’s head coach, but he joins McDaniel as someone who at least figures to work as a coordinator next season. Taking over the Eagles’ offense would give Daboll his fifth try as an NFL O-coordinator. He previously held the position with the Browns (2009-10), Dolphins (2011), Chiefs (2012) and Bills (2018-21). The Giants hired Daboll after a particularly fruitful run in Buffalo, where he helped Josh Allen go from raw prospect to superstar.
Also a former Alabama offensive coordinator and QBs coach, Daboll has prior working experience with Hurts and Smith. The three were together in 2017, a national championship-winning season for the Crimson Tide. Hurts was at the helm for the majority of the season, but after a rough first half in the title game, Alabama benched him for Tagovailoa. It ended up as a wise move in a 26-23 win over Georgia. Smith caught the game-winning 41-yard touchdown in overtime.
Adding to his familiarity with Hurts and Smith, Daboll coached Barkley in New York from 2022-23. General manager Joe Schoen let Barkley walk to the division rival Eagles in free agency in March 2024. Barkley, who has become an integral part of the Eagles’ offense since then, could reunite with Daboll soon.
Steelers Request HC Interviews With Rams’ Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase
One day after Mike Tomlin resigned, Pittsburgh has picked a pair of Rams assistants as its first head coaching candidates. The Steelers have requested interviews with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Pittsburgh turned heads when it tapped Tomlin, then just 34 years old, as Bill Cowher‘s successor in January 2007. Tomlin went on to last 19 years in the Steel City. He won a Super Bowl, led the Steelers to the playoffs 13 times, and famously didn’t post a losing season before stepping down from the role Tuesday.
As a future Hall of Famer and a Pittsburgh institution, Tomlin will be a tough act to follow for anyone, let alone a first-time head coach. Shula and Scheelhaase don’t carry any head coaching experience, but they’ve earned strong reputations for their work on Sean McVay‘s staff. Teams in the market for head coaches have taken notice of the two this offseason.
There are nine clubs that don’t have a head coach. Seven have requested interviews with the 39-year-old Shula, grandson of the legendary Don Shula.
Chris Shula has worked under McVay in various roles since 2017, the beginning of the head coach’s tenure in Los Angeles. Shula took over as the Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2024. In their first post-Aaron Donald season, the Rams finished a below-average 17th in points and 26th in yardage. They improved to 10th and 17th, respectively, in those categories in 2025. The Rams also ranked fifth in takeaways and seventh in sacks during the regular season.
Scheelhaase, 35, is a former Illinois quarterback who began his coaching career at the school in 2015. He went on to work for Iowa State, including as its offensive coordinator in 2023, before jumping to the pros in 2024. He spent last year as the Rams’ offensive assistant and passing game specialist. McVay moved Scheelhaase to pass game coordinator duties this season.
Considering the Steelers, Ravens, Browns and Raiders have all requested interviews with Scheelhaase, it’s clear his stock around the league is rising. It helps that the Rams boast one of the game’s premier aerial attacks. Quarterback Matthew Stafford may be weeks from winning his first MVP. His favorite target, Puka Nacua, led the league with 129 receptions during the season, and Davante Adams hauled in an NFL-best 14 touchdowns.
Thanks in part to Shula and Scheelhaase, the Rams are still alive heading into the divisional round. They’ll face the Bears on Sunday with a spot in the NFC title game on the line. Whenever the Rams’ season ends, they could lose at least one of their up-and-coming assistants to a team in need of a head coach. Pittsburgh, which is looking for its fourth sideline leader since 1969, has emerged as a potential landing spot.
Falcons To Interview Antonio Pierce For HC Job
Former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has emerged as a candidate in Atlanta. The Falcons will hold an in-person interview with Pierce this week, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Pierce didn’t coach in 2025, instead spending the season with CBS as an NFL analyst. Matt Ryan, the Falcons’ new president of football, worked at CBS for three years before returning to Atlanta to lead its front office. Ryan will at least consider turning to his former CBS colleague to replace the fired Raheem Morris.
Like Morris, Pierce carries a sub-.5o0 record as an NFL head coach. Pierce got off to a decent start in taking over as Las Vegas’ interim HC in 2023, however.
After the Raiders fired Josh McDaniels, Pierce guided the team to a 5-4 finish during an 8-9 campaign. Pierce won over his players, including star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who would have requested a trade had the Raiders hired a different head coach. That was enough to convince owner Mark Davis to promote Pierce to the full-time role.
While Davis hoped Pierce would be the Raiders’ first multiyear answer on the sidelines since Jon Gruden, it didn’t work out that way. Crosby’s standout play continued in 2024, but so did the Raiders’ woes at quarterback, among other areas. The Raiders stumbled to a 4-13 record, leading Davis and heavily influential minority owner Tom Brady to send Pierce packing a year ago.
Despite a 9-17 record in Vegas, Pierce is now under consideration for multiple HC openings. The former linebacker interviewed with the Giants, one of his ex-teams, last week. The Giants are aggressively pursuing John Harbaugh, who’s also on the Falcons’ radar. If Pierce is a serious candidate for either job, where Harbaugh ends up could affect his chances of landing a second head coaching opportunity this offseason.
Vikings Expect QB Competition In 2026
Although he missed his entire rookie campaign with a torn meniscus in his right knee, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy entered 2025 as the team’s unquestioned starter. After the former Michigan Wolverine’s first year at the helm didn’t go as planned, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell revealed that they expect to bring in competition for McCarthy in the offseason.
Adofo-Mensah used the 10th overall pick on McCarthy two years ago. However, when meeting with the media on Tuesday, he stopped short of guaranteeing the 22-year-old a starting job in 2026 (via Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune).
Asked if he wants McCarthy to start next season, Adofo-Mensah said: “I want the Vikings to achieve our goals. And I think one of those goals is to make playoff runs. I think he has the character and ability to be the person to do that. If I say that in 2026, that kind of binds us into a certain area.”
On the possibility of a quarterback competition, O’Connell stated (via Rob Kleifield of the team’s website): “I think there has to be. That’s what’s going to make everybody better in that room. It’s going to be what makes our entire offense thrive through that competition.”
With McCarthy on the shelf a year ago, the Vikings turned to a battle-tested veteran option in Sam Darnold. Even If McCarthy didn’t go down with his injury in the preseason, the plan was always for Darnold to at least start 2024 under center. It couldn’t have gone much better for the Vikings, who stunningly finished 14-3 under Darnold.
Despite fizzling out in the playoffs, Darnold went on to land a three-year, $100.5MM contract with the Seahawks in free agency last March. With the Seahawks now sitting as the No. 1 seed in the NFC heading into the divisional round, Darnold proved his 2024 breakout wasn’t a fluke.
The Vikings, on the other hand, didn’t get much from their quarterbacks during a 9-8 year in which they failed to reach the postseason. Three different injuries – a high ankle sprain, a concussion and a hairline fracture in his right hand – limited McCarthy to 10 games. While the Vikings went 6-4 in his starts, McCarthy threw more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11). He completed just 57.6% of passes while ranking near the bottom in the league in traditional passer rating (72.6) and QBR (35.7).
Late-August free agent pickup Carson Wentz arguably performed better than McCarthy in his five starts, but a shoulder injury knocked him out for the year in late October. With McCarthy and Wentz unavailable, the Vikings had to turn to undrafted rookie Max Brosmer for two starts. Brosmer fared horribly in those outings, which is part of the reason the Vikings will have to look outside for QB help in the coming months.
If the Vikings had been successful in their attempt to to re-sign Daniel Jones last year, they’d have been in better position to handle McCarthy’s performance- and injury-related struggles in 2025. But Jones, who ended 2024 in Minnesota after flaming out with the Giants, accepted the Colts’ less lucrative offer because he saw a clearer path to playing time in Indianapolis. It wound up as a wise decision for Jones, who revived his career before tearing his Achilles in early December.
Despite a major injury, Jones is a strong bet to earn a much richer deal than the one-year, $14MM pact he signed with the Colts last offseason. While Jones is interested in re-signing with the Colts, he could end up back on the Vikings’ radar if he reaches free agency in March.
Wentz, Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, Geno Smith, Malik Willis, Aaron Rodgers (who held talks with the Vikings a year ago), ex-Viking Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Justin Fields and Anthony Richardson are among other signal-callers facing uncertain futures as either trade candidates, release possibilities or soon-to-be free agents. Depending on how aggressive the Vikings are at the position in the offseason, any of those passers could fit into their plans.
Adofo-Mensah noted the Vikings are still “excited about where [McCarthy] can go.” That suggests they may not make a significant splash under center, but their handling of the game’s most important position will be a key offseason storyline.
Eagles Interested In Kevin Stefanski, Kliff Kingsbury For OC
The Eagles are in the market for an offensive coordinator after removing Kevin Patullo from the position on Tuesday. Although the unit fell well short of expectations in 2025, there remains plenty of talent on hand. That could help head coach Nick Sirianni lure a high-profile name to replace Patullo.
Former head coaches Kevin Stefanski and Kliff Kingsbury are among the possibilities for Philadelphia. The team will give both Stefanski and Kingsbury “a real look” in its search for Patullo’s replacement, a league source told Josina Anderson of The Exhibit.
Stefanski lost his job as the Browns’ head coach after the season, but he stands a good chance of immediately landing a second HC opportunity. The 43-year-old is reportedly a Plan B option for the Giants and Falcons if they don’t hire John Harbaugh.
As PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, Stefanski has also interviewed with the Ravens, Raiders, Titans and Dolphins. The AFC North veteran may have yet another option if the Steelers, who saw Mike Tomlin resign on Tuesday, come calling.
Although he’s a Philadelphia native, the widespread interest in Stefanski as a head coach may make him an unrealistic target for the Eagles. Kingsbury, meanwhile, has interviewed for the Ravens’ head coaching position. The Titans also requested a meeting, but it’s unknown if or when that will occur. It’s also unclear if anyone else will consider Kingsbury for their HC opening.
Like Stefanski, Kingsbury is seeking his second opportunity as a head coach. He led the Cardinals to a 28-37-1 record from 2019-22. While that’s an unimpressive mark, Kingsbury guided the Cardinals to their most recent playoff berth in 2021. He also meshed well with much-maligned quarterback Kyler Murray, who made the Pro Bowl twice under Kingsbury. Murray hasn’t regained that form since Kingsbury’s exit.
Kingsbury, who coached at Houston and Texas Tech from 2008-18, returned to the college level as a senior offensive analyst at USC in 2023. That was quarterback Caleb Williams‘ last season with the Trojans. He joined the Bears as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft. Kingsbury also went back to the pros that year as the Commanders’ offensive coordinator under head coach Dan Quinn.
Washington followed Chicago in selecting a QB with its top pick, choosing Jayden Daniels second overall. With Kingsbury at the controls, Daniels enjoyed a jaw-dropping introduction to the pros. The dual threat rolled to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and helped the Commanders to an NFC Championship Game appearance. They suffered a lopsided defeat to Philadelphia, potentially Kingsbury’s next employer.
After the Commanders’ offense finished top seven in scoring and yardage a year ago, expectations were the unit would continue to thrive in 2025. Injuries, including to Daniels and No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin (among others), played a significant role in preventing that.
With three different injuries holding Daniels to seven starts, Washington’s offense fell to 22nd overall in points and yards. The team and Kingsbury parted ways after a bitterly disappointing 5-12 campaign, sending him back to coaching free agency.
With Kingsbury now on the Eagles’ radar, it’s worth pointing out that there’s familiarity between the two sides. Before Kingsbury went to Washington in 2024, he interviewed to become the Eagles’ O-coordinator. They instead chose Kellen Moore, who went on to assist in a Super Bowl-winning campaign. Thanks in large part to an otherworldly season from running back Saquon Barkley, the Eagles boasted one of the league’s best offenses then.
Moore parlayed his success in his lone season with the Eagles into the Saints’ head coaching gig. His departure led Sirianni to bump Patullo up from his previous role as the team’s pass game coordinator. The promotion didn’t go as planned for Patullo, who looked in over his head. Despite an enviable collection of linemen and skill players such as Barkley, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, the Eagles were an underwhelming 19th in scoring and 24th in yards in 2025.
Facing a banged-up 49ers defense in the wild-card round, the Eagles mustered just 307 total yards in a 23-19 loss on Sunday. Two days later, they’re looking for a new offensive leader. Depending on how the HC hiring cycle unfolds, either Stefanski or Kingsbury could end up as Sirianni’s choice to revive a stagnant offense in 2026.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/13/26
The NFL’s latest reserve/futures deals…
Buffalo Bills
- OL Nick Broeker
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Devin Veresuk
Los Angeles Chargers
- LS Peter Bowden, WR Dalevon Campbell, DL TeRah Edwards, WR Luke Grimm, WR JaQuae Jackson, RB Amar Johnson, LB Emany Johnson, C Josh Kaltenberger, TE Tanner McLachlan, OLB Garmon Randolph, G Branson Taylor, QB DJ Uiagalelei, CB Isas Waxter, TE Thomas Yassmin
New York Giants
- DL Marlon Tuipulota
Pittsburgh Steelers
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/13/26
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Kristian Wilkerson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Alex Johnson
New England Patriots
- Signed: CB Miles Battle, RB D’Ernest Johnson, OT Lorenz Metz, WR Trent Sherfield
- Released: DL Fabien Lovett, WR Brandon Smith
The Patriots are the third team of the season for Sherfield, who spent time with the Broncos and Cardinals. Sherfield has never been much of a receiving threat (he combined for three catches in 12 games with Denver and Arizona), but he has been a solid special teamer since his career began in 2018. The 29-year-old posted a 51% special teams snap share in 10 games with the Broncos. After they cut him in mid-November, he played 63% of ST snaps in two contests with the Cardinals.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/13/26
Four playoff teams made minor moves on Tuesday. Here’s a look:
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return from IR: TE Lucas Krull
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed from practice squad: OLB Nick Hampton
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: TE George Kittle (story)
- Signed from practice squad: TE Brayden Willis
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return from IR: ILB Chazz Surratt
In the wake of Kittle’s season-ending Achilles tear, the 49ers are calling on Willis to serve as depth behind Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell. Willis, a 2023 seventh-round pick from Oklahoma, has appeared in 23 games with the 49ers in three seasons. He played in six of the 49ers’ regular-season contests in 2025 and logged 98 of his 111 snaps on special teams.
Surratt, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 12, missed the Seahawks’ last six games of the regular season. He got an extra week to recover after top-seeded Seattle earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. With the Seahawks preparing to host the 49ers in a divisional round matchup Saturday, Surratt could return to action. The 28-year-old wasn’t a factor on defense in the regular season, but he posted a 40% snap share on special teams. Surratt finished second among Seahawks special teamers in tackles (11).
Cardinals Request HC Interview With Texans DC Matt Burke
After overseeing another dominant performance on Monday, Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke has landed on the Cardinals’ radar as a head coaching candidate. The Cardinals have requested an interview with Burke, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
The Cardinals are familiar with Burke, who worked as their defensive line coach in 2022. That was Kliff Kingsbury‘s last year as Arizona’s head coach. The team is now looking for a replacement for Kingsbury’s successor, Jonathan Gannon, who lost his job after going 15-36 in three seasons.
After his lone season in the desert, Burke joined DeMeco Ryans‘ staff as Houston’s defensive coordinator. Burke previously garnered experience in that role with the Dolphins from 2017-18.
Ryans called the defensive plays during Burke’s first two seasons, both AFC South-winning campaigns, and did so again to begin 2025. However, Ryans handed those duties to Burke after an 0-3 start. The Texans then rolled to a 26-0 shutout over the Titans in Week 4, which began a superb run for the Texans’ defense and the team as a whole.
Although the Texans didn’t win a third straight division title, Burke’s defense led them to a 12-5 record and another playoff berth. Houston finished the season first in total defense, second in scoring, third in takeaways and eighth in sacks. The team’s stop unit continued its tremendous play when it overwhelmed the Steelers in a 30-6 wild-card round win on Monday. In what proved to be Mike Tomlin‘s last game as Pittsburgh’s head coach, the Texans scored two defensive touchdowns (one on a fumble return, another on an interception return), picked up four sacks and held the Steelers to a measly 175 total yards.
Burke and the Cardinals are preparing to take on the Patriots in the divisional round on Sunday. In the meantime, he could speak with the Cardinals sometime this week. Here’s their current list of head coaching candidates, courtesy of PFR’s HC Search Tracker:
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Patriots): Interview requested
- Matt Burke, defensive coordinator (Texans): Interview requested
- Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator (Packers): Interview requested
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Contacted
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/10
- Mike LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Rams): To interview
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): To interview 1/13
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): To interview
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): To interview
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/9
Bills WR Tyrell Shavers Suffers Torn ACL
The Bills’ already thin receiving corps has taken another hit. Tyrell Shavers will miss the rest of the postseason with a torn ACL, head coach Sean McDermott announced (via Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network).
Shavers suffered his injury in the second quarter of the Bills’ win over the Jaguars in the wild-card round last Sunday, though he still played in the second half. Fellow receiver Gabe Davis also tore his ACL in the same game. Regardless of how far the Bills advance in the playoffs, neither Shavers nor Davis will take the field again until sometime next season at the earliest.
While Shavers appeared in all 17 regular-season games after earning a roster spot over the summer, he wasn’t a significant part of the Bills’ passing attack in 2025. The third-year man from San Diego State hauled in 15 receptions for 245 yards and a touchdown.
Even though he didn’t post gaudy numbers, the Bills regard Shavers as a reliable blocker and special teamer. He finished third among their receivers with a 39% offensive snap share. Shavers was also on the field for 55% of special teams snaps in the regular season.
Now preparing to face top-seeded Denver and its elite defense in the divisional round on Saturday, the Bills will scramble to cobble together a full group of receivers in the next few days. Along with Shavers and Davis, Josh Palmer is done for the year with an ankle injury. That leaves slot target Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Brandin Cooks as the only healthy wideouts on Buffalo’s roster, though Curtis Samuel could come off IR to rejoin the fray soon. An elbow injury has held Samuel out since Nov. 16, but the Bills opened his practice window Monday.
Barring outside acquisitions, the Bills will have to dip into their practice squad to fill out their receiving corps against the Broncos. Mecole Hardman, Kristian Wilkerson and Stephen Gosnell are their in-house options. Hardman, a three-time Super Bowl winner with the Chiefs, is easily the most established member of the trio. Wilkerson has six NFL games under his belt (three with the Patriots in 2021, three with the Raiders in 2024). Gosnell, an undrafted rookie from Virginia Tech, hasn’t played since the preseason.
The receiver position has been a sore spot for the Bills throughout the season. Although general manager Brandon Beane made attempts to improve it before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, he was unable to complete any deals. The Bills are still standing over two months later, but a worsening receiver situation will add to the difficulty of knocking off the Broncos and earning a second straight trip to the AFC Championship Game.