Texans Schedule Second HC Interviews With Mike Kafka, Ejiro Evero
Houston’s third consecutive offseason spent searching for a new head coach is heading into its next phase. The Texans are set to conduct a second interview with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). 
The 35-year-old met virtually with the Texans this past Sunday, one day after New York’s surprisingly successful campaign came to an end. Now, he is set to interview in person with Houston’s front office. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes that the sit-down is scheduled to take place in Houston on Wednesday.
Kafka has enjoyed a quick rise up the ranks of NFL assistants receiving serious consideration for head coaching jobs. He was already a popular name in league circles last offseason when he left Kansas City (where he worked closely alongside Patrick Mahomes as the team’s quarterbacks coach) to join Brian Daboll‘s new staff in the Big Apple.
That represented not only his first OC opportunity at both the college and NFL level, but, to the surprise of many, his first time handling play-calling duties. Daboll’s time as Buffalo’s OC led to the expectation that he would carry on in a similar capacity with the Giants, but his decision to delegate to Kafka proved to be a successful one. New York put up middle-of-the-road numbers in terms of scoring and yardage totals, but ranked fourth in the regular season with an average of 148 rushing yards per game. The postseason saw New York continue that success against the Vikings, though their loss to the Eagles was certainly a different story.
Kafka is still a logical candidate for a second interview, as is Ejiro Evero. The Broncos defensive coordinator will also meet with the Texans’ brass tomorrow, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets. The 42-year-old is, like Kafka, relatively inexperienced in terms of serving as a coordinator, with 2022 being his first DC gig, but his success has made him a hot commodity during this year’s cycle.
Evero has met with all five teams currently in need of a new head coach, illustrating the way he is viewed around the league. He led the Broncos’ defense to solid rankings in terms of yards allowed in particular, a testament not only to the unit’s talent and his coaching ability, but also his success in maintaining consistency in the wake of Denver’s offensive struggles. Evero has previously worked with the Rams, Packers, 49ers and Buccaneers at the NFL level, all-but exclusively seeing time on the defensive side of the ball.
After seeing David Culley and Lovie Smith each receive their walking papers after one-year stints, Texans owner Cal McNair recently indicated that he would take a more hands-on approach to the 2023 search. Adding either Kafka or Evero would provide the team with a much younger option on the sidelines, and presumably set the franchise up for long-term stability.
With the team’s set of second round interviews beginning to take shape, here is the latest on Houston’s HC search:
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/17
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/17; to conduct second interview 1/25
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Early frontrunner?; interviewed 1/14
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/12; plans to stay with Lions
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/22; to conduct second interview 1/25
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/16
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/20
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/13
Ravens To Interview Justin Outten For OC Position
The list of candidates for the Ravens’ vacant offensive coordinator position continues to grow. Baltimore has an interview lined up with Broncos OC Justin Outten, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
The Ravens had been linked to four other candidates prior to this news (Zac Robinson, Chad O’Shea, Dave Canales and Brian Angelichio), as the team searches for its Greg Roman replacement. The latter’s departure came as little surprise given the increasing calls for his firing which emerged during the season, but it created an intriguing vacancy given the uncertain future surrounding quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Outten, 39, followed Nathaniel Hackett to Denver last offseason as a familiar coach to help form his first Broncos staff. Things did not at all go according to plan, however, and Hackett failed to last the full season before being let go. Not long before that happened, he ceded play-calling duties to QBs coach Klint Kubiak.
However, Outten did call plays for the final two games of the season, the time in which Jerry Rosburg operated as Denver’s interim head coach. That brief stretch marked the first time the former was given such responsibilities at the pro level, as his NFL resume is relatively short compared to some other staffers around the league. Outten spent three years as Green Bay’s tight ends coach before what will likely be a one-and-done stint in Denver. He was an assistant with the Falcons in 2017 and 2018.
Despite his relative lack of experience, Outten has drawn interest in this year’s sizeable OC market. Both the Titans and Rams have requested interviews with him, although in both cases it was not specified at the time what position they were seeking to give him. Tennessee is looking for a new play-caller, but, given the news that Sean McVay is remaining in Los Angeles, the Rams are not.
In Baltimore, Outten would take on play-calling duties in the event he were to be hired at the OC level. The Ravens established themselves as a dominant run team during Roman’s tenure, but deficiencies in the pass game were prevalent both with and without Jackson in the lineup. That area is therefore expected to be a main point of focus in the team’s ultimate hire, though head coach John Harbaugh has maintained that a strong ground presence will still be relied upon moving forward. Whether Outten has a part to play in that could be revealed in the near future.
Sean Payton Expected To Meet With Broncos, Cardinals
The 2023 head coaching cycle continues to unfold, and the most coveted candidate remains at the center of the latest developments. Sean Payton continues to stand out as the presumed favorite for the Broncos’ vacancy, but his schedule will not be limited to Denver this week. 
The former Saints head coach is set to meet with the Broncos in Denver for a second interview, as detailed by NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan. That initial report was quickly met by others confirming that nothing firm has been scheduled for the Broncos and their coaching finalists as of yet, but in a follow-up, Duncan tweets that the 59-year-old will travel to Denver this Wednesday, suggesting he will interview that night or Thursday.
Payton – who is still under contract with the Saints, meaning a trade package must be agreed upon for him to take a new job elsewhere – has long been connected to Denver. After their Nathaniel Hackett hire resulted in a disastrous performance on offense in particular, the Broncos are expected to pivot to an experienced bench boss. Payton would certainly fit that bill, and bring a championship pedigree to the Mile High City.
It was reported last week that quarterback Russell Wilson spoke to Payton in an attempt to recruit him, something which would be helped by the Rob Walton-led ownership group comfortably being able to meet his salary demands (believed to in the $20-$25MM per year range). Duncan notes that, especially after the relative success of Payton’s first interview with the Broncos, interest between the two sides “appears to be mutual.”
In light of that, Denver7’s Troy Renck adds that Payton is widely believed to have the “inside track” for the Broncos’ position. As Renck notes, the Hackett hire was rushed by general manager George Paton last year in no small part by his looming Jaguars interview; taking a more methodical approach (including second interviews with a shortlist of finalists) has thus always been the intention of this year’s search committee.
Not long after New Orleans granted Denver permission to interview Payton, it was reported that the teams had at least a rough agreement in place on the trade compensation necessary to facilitate a move. Any package the Saints receive would include at least one – if not two – first-round picks, something which is particularly noteworthy in Denver’s case given the price they paid Seattle for Wilson last offseason. ESPN’s Jeff Legwold notes (on Twitter) that some around the league believe a package including the Broncos’ 2023 first-rounder (which will be no higher than 28th overall, given the 49ers’ win yesterday) along with one or both of their thirds would be necessary; Denver does not have a second-rounder this year.
Payton has, of course, drawn considerable interest from other teams as well. One of those is the Panthers, with whom he is expected to meet today. Another is the Cardinals, who were granted permission for an interview one week ago. Veteran Cardinals reporter Howard Balzer reports that Payton will meet with the team this Thursday (Twitter link). That news comes not long after Arizona confirmed the hiring of new general manager Monti Ossenfort, a move which widely expected to precede the arrival of a new bench boss.
It also, however, partially contradicts what had been reported above. In a follow-up, Balzer tweets that Payton’s Denver interview has been delayed, and that his meeting with the Cardinals will take place in Arizona. Between his sit-downs with the Panthers and Cardinals, along with interest shown by the Texans and, presumably, a second interview with Denver at some point, much remains to be determinized with respect to the biggest coaching domino on the current NFL landscape.
Broncos Interim HC Jerry Rosburg Interested In Remaining HC
The Broncos terminated first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett late into this season, naming senior assistant Jerry Rosburg to serve as the interim head coach in his stead for the two remaining games of the season. As Denver looks to find their head coach for the 2023 season, Rosburg has expressed his desire to be considered, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. 
Rosburg has been coaching football in some capacity for at least the past 44 years. Despite his experience as a defensive position coach in the ranks of college football, Rosburg’s entire focus in the NFL has been on special teams. His first position in the league came with the Browns in 2001 as the team’s special teams coordinator, a role he kept for six years. After a single season in the same role with the Falcons, Rosburg took the special teams coordinator position in Baltimore, which would remain his home for the next 11 years.
In 2018, Rosburg decided it was time to hang up the whistle and announced his retirement from coaching. When Hackett was hired to lead the Broncos, Rosburg was brought out of retirement with the intention that he would assist Hackett in game management. When Hackett was fired, the interim job was originally offered to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who reportedly declined the position out of loyalty to the former head coach.
As a result, Rosburg was given the interim role. Rosburg was not stagnant as head coach. He reportedly claimed that it was his decision to fire special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry. Rosburg also told the media that it was general manager George Paton who lured him out of retirement, not Hackett. During Rosburg’s two-game tenure, the team showed a new level of competitiveness, rebounding from a blowout Christmas Day loss to the Rams to take the Chiefs down to the wire the next week and defeat a playoff-bound Chargers team that inexplicably ran its starters for most of the game the week after that.
Rosburg is not considered a favorite for the job, according to Fowler, but his performance as the interim head coach was well-received by team executives, leading to them allowing a lengthy end-of-season meeting with the 67-year-old for him to state his case. The favorites are likely to remain former Saints head coach Sean Payton, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and former Stanford head coach David Shaw, but Rosburg’s success in a small sample size has at least earned him the courtesy of consideration.
Latest On Sean Payton
JANUARY 22: A league source tells Ben Volin of the Boston Globe that, since the Chargers’ head coaching job will not become available this year, the Panthers’ and Texans’ posts will be of most interest to Payton. In Volin’s opinion, the fact that Wilson called Payton to sell him on the Broncos’ job is not a good omen for Denver, and if Payton were to be lured to Houston, he may ultimately push general manager Nick Caserio out and take over as de facto GM. Both Houston and Carolina have the cash to pay Payton the salary he wants.
JANUARY 20: Payton’s Panthers interview has not been cancelled. He will meet with the team Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. That will be the former Saints HC’s third interview in a week. He met with the Texans on Jan. 16 and Broncos on Jan. 17.
JANUARY 19: The Broncos search for their fifth head coach since 2014 has been rolling this week as the franchise moves quickly and effectively in their plans. Denver’s three-person team of Broncos CEO and owner Greg Penner, owner Condoleezza Rice, and general manager George Paton has been cruising through initial interviews with a potential plan to move one to three finalists forward for second interviews next week, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. 
Most speculation is that a final three is emerging, similar to last year’s trio of finalists which consisted of Nathaniel Hackett, Kevin O’Connell, and Dan Quinn. The obvious frontrunner in his year’s search is former Saints head coach Sean Payton. Quinn is projected to join Payton as a finalist for the second straight year, while former Stanford head coach David Shaw is reportedly a sleeper candidate to round out the top three.
Payton interviewed on Tuesday and appears to have lived up to the hype in the meeting. Contradicting earlier reports that the Broncos and Saints were “on the same page” with respect to the trade compensation necessary to acquire Payton’s contract, Klis avers that the two parties “have not engaged in trade talks.” There is also a rumor that, despite interest from essentially every other team in the NFL with an open position, Payton will either end up with the Broncos or back on television with FOX, a belief reported by Denver7’s Troy Renck.
Payton was scheduled to interview with Carolina tomorrow, but those plans are “on hold” as Panthers owner David Tepper is spending time with the grieving players of his MLS team, Charlotte FC, following the passing of young defender Anton Walkes in a tragic boating accident today in Miami, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Russell Wilson has reportedly reached out to Payton, according to Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd who was quoted on his show saying, “Wilson has contacted Sean, legally, by the way, through channels. He wants Sean Payton. He needs fixing. He knows he needs fixing.”
Following their Tuesday morning meeting with Payton, the interview trio met with Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris who impressed them “with his preparation and plan to win.” The same three executives interviewed 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans today in San Francisco and will travel to Dallas for a meeting with Quinn tomorrow. This will conclude the initial interview process, and Denver will choose candidates moving forward out of the above-mentioned Payton, Quinn, Shaw, Morris, and Ryans and previously interviewed candidates Ejiro Evero, who is the team’s current defensive coordinator, and Jim Caldwell, who formerly served as the Colts and Lions head coach. The team also previously interviewed Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, but Harbaugh announced his decision to remain in Ann Arbor.
Whomever the franchise decides to move forward with will meet with a new group of executives consisting of Penner, his wife and co-owner Carrie Penner Walton, and controlling owner Rob Walton. Paton will reportedly also be available to spend time with the final candidates and participate in follow-up discussions.
It’s certainly sounding like Payton will be one of the few to move forward next week as both parties sound hellbent on the union. That being said, Quinn is being considered a “co-favorite” and Shaw’s Stanford connections to the Penners and Rice make him a candidate to be brought in next week, as well. We’ll just have to wait through the weekend to see how the next round in the process unfolds.
Titans To Interview Charles London For OC; Titans, Rams Seeking Justin Outten Meetings
Charles London‘s schedule is filling up. In addition to his Thursday interview with the Commanders, the Falcons’ quarterbacks coach will meet with the Titans, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets.
Tennessee is also interested in Justin Outten, though it is not certain the Denver OC is on the radar to replace Todd Downing. The Titans want to interview Outten for an unspecified staff position, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). Nathaniel Hackett brought Outten over from Green Bay, making it unlikely he stays in Denver. Additionally, Pelissero tweets the Rams want to meet with Outten. Both the Rams and Titans are looking for an OC, but each team is requesting an Outten meeting for an unspecified job on their offensive staff.
[RELATED: Broncos Block Ejiro Evero From Falcons DC Interview]
London has been Atlanta’s QBs coach for two years, coming over shortly after Arthur Smith was hired, and has a history with the Titans. Although London’s roles as position coaches have come elsewhere, he stopped through Tennessee as an offensive assistant in 2011. That may be less relevant than London having spent two seasons working under Smith. The Titans have promoted their past two OCs (Smith, Downing) from within.
Outten went through a rather complicated year in Denver. Hackett attempted to interview Adam Stenavich and Jason Vrable, but the Packers blocked those moves. Those denials led to Outten’s Denver arrival. At the time, the Denver OC job was a non-play-calling opportunity. That changed down the stretch, with the embattled Hackett handing play-calling duties to QBs coach Klint Kubiak. This move bypassed Outten, who was previously the Packers’ tight ends coach. Outten, however, called plays during Denver’s final two regular-season games.
The Titans have already reached out to two Chiefs staffers — Eric Bieniemy and Matt Nagy — about the OC position. Because Andy Reid is the Chiefs’ primary play-caller, the Chiefs cannot block Bieniemy from taking the interview; the next Titans OC will call plays. More names should enter the equation soon, however.
The Rams’ OC search has not heated up yet, with Sean McVay recently indicating he will be back for a seventh season. An Outten hire for an unspecified position would be more interesting for the Titans, considering their play-caller is not yet in place. McVay is the Rams’ play-caller and has gone without an OC before.
Saints Seeking Two First-Round Picks For Sean Payton?
In the aftermath of the “Tuck Rule” game 21 years ago, the Buccaneers sent the Raiders a monster haul for Jon Gruden. Oakland collected two first-round picks, two second-rounders and $8MM in cash from Tampa Bay. Although the Bucs went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII a year later, their draft capital took a major hit when they replaced Tony Dungy with Gruden.
This trade has become relevant again, with Sean Payton on the market and Saints GM Mickey Loomis discussing his trade price with teams. While Payton said Loomis would likely ask for a mid- to late-first-round pick for his rights this year, NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan points to the Raiders-Bucs trade. Loomis has told teams he wants a Gruden-esque package for Payton’s rights, with Duncan noting two first-round picks will be the starting point.
Should a team offer two first-rounders in future drafts, Duncan adds the Saints will want “higher mid-round picks” in the 2023 draft as part of the package as well. If the ante will be upped to this point, the HC-needy teams keen on hiring Payton will have more to consider. Though, the Broncos and Saints were reported to have agreed on compensation that includes a first-rounder and change already.
From the Saints’ perspective, such a haul would make sense. Four of the five HC-seeking teams have been connected to Payton, and he will have interviewed with three of them — the Texans, Broncos and Panthers — by week’s end. Payton is also expected to command a top-market coaching salary, as he has obvious leverage via the expanding market for his services and the option of staying at FOX for another year. Payton is seeking a four-year deal worth $20-$25MM per year, per Duncan. Judging by reports of the Broncos being set for an “ultra-aggressive” HC push and Panthers owner David Tepper being willing to give Payton “just about anything he wants,” the salary component here will be the lesser issue for teams.
The Broncos having just traded two first-round picks and two seconds for Russell Wilson certainly complicates their interest in meeting this asking price, though they did acquire a 2023 first-rounder in the Bradley Chubb trade. The Texans would be in better position to meet it, considering the Deshaun Watson swap armed them with three first-rounders. Houston holds two first-round picks and two seconds in the upcoming draft, but sending much of the Watson haul for a coach also would complicate the rebuilding team’s ability to stock its roster.
Payton said recently the Saints’ compensation would change “considerably” if this process is tabled to 2024, when just one season would remain on his contract. Loomis, however, has told Saints staffers he is comfortable waiting a year to trade Payton’s rights, according to Duncan. Teams in the Payton sweepstakes could attempt to test Loomis’ desire here, considering the Saints sent their 2023 first-rounder to the Eagles just before last year’s draft. But the Texans, Panthers and Broncos have fallen on hard times recently. The Saints’ potential push for a huge haul would attempt to capitalize on that while giving themselves a package that would help their now-Dennis Allen–led operation, which did not start especially well in 2022.
“It’s complicated because I have such great respect for him,” Loomis said of Payton last week. “He’s a close friend of mine. He’s a great coach. I want the best for him. I do. We do, collectively as an organization. But I also recognize that … his contract is a valuable asset to our club, and it’s our duty to maximize that.”
The Gruden ask is on the high end of the spectrum in terms of modern swaps for coaches. Bill Parcells cost the Jets first-, second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 1997; the Patriots received a package headlined by first- and fourth-rounders for Bill Belichick in 2000. Mike Holmgren cost the Seahawks a second-rounder in 1999; Herm Edwards cost the Chiefs a fourth in 2006.
Payton, 59, is believed to be 50-50 on coaching in 2023, potentially waiting out other jobs that might be available next year. That was believed to be Payton’s plan before this round of interviews started, but Duncan adds the Texans and Broncos meetings are believed to have gone well. The 16-year Saints HC was particularly impressed with Denver’s ownership group, though he is also intrigued by Houston’s draft capital and cap space. The Texans’ projected $40MM is projected to be among the top five entering the offseason.
Payton’s comfort level with the Broncos’ new ownership has been reported on multiple occasions, and the Rob Walton-fronted contingent would be able to pay top dollar in terms of salary. But the Broncos’ ability to build a team around Wilson would be greatly impacted by a two-first-rounder package. Dan Quinn has been mentioned as leading Denver’s non-Payton contingent; the Cowboys DC interviews with the Broncos on Friday.
Broncos, Texans Remain In Play For Sean Payton; Panthers Preparing Big Offer?
Sean Payton has gone through with two of his scheduled interviews, meeting with the Texans on Monday and the Broncos on Tuesday. As of Wednesday afternoon, both teams remain in play for the costly coaching candidate.
The Broncos may still be in the lead, though Payton has not committed to returning to coaching this year. Denver remains in “very strong position” to be able to lure Payton away from his FOX sabbatical, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. We heard previously Payton was willing to work with Russell Wilson, the QB’s shockingly mediocre season aside, and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes the money the Broncos will be willing to pay will be a factor in these sweepstakes.
Rob Walton‘s ownership group will be able to comfortably out-offer other teams, should the Broncos view Payton as a bank-breaking HC candidate. The team did just see its 1-B candidate, Jim Harbaugh, decide to stay at Michigan. That could increase a Broncos offer. However, the Panthers look to be willing to pay up in terms of money and power. David Tepper is prepared to give Payton “just about anything he wants,” Maske adds (on Twitter). The prospect of Payton wanting to join the Panthers, who would need to give the Saints valuable draft compensation for his rights, remains uncertain.
Payton is expected to meet with Tepper and Co. this week, he said during an interview with Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd (video link). That meeting is expected to take place in New York. Tepper chasing a prime commodity is not exactly new. He shelled out a seven-year contract for Matt Rhule in 2020 — a deal the Panthers were able to escape after three years, thanks to Rhule’s Nebraska accord — and pursued Deshaun Watson for two years. Thus far, however, the NFL’s second-wealthiest owner has struck out. It will be interesting to see how the Panthers’ NFC South proximity affects a deal, should Payton be interested. Intra-divisional coach trades — both involving the Patriots and Jets — occurred in 1996 and 2000, deals that sent Bill Parcells‘ rights to the Jets and Bill Belichick‘s to the Pats.
In terms of trade compensation, Payton expects the Saints to ask for a mid- to late-first-round pick and reminded Cowherd the Broncos do, in fact, hold a first-round pick (the 49ers’ choice via the Bradley Chubb trade) despite sending their own to the Seahawks for Wilson. Payton and Saints GM Mickey Loomis have discussed the situation, per NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan, who expects a 2023 first-rounder or a future first to anchor this trade package. Payton adds a future No. 1 choice could potentially complete a deal.
Payton said recently ownership and the front office are the most important factors here, and the 16-year New Orleans HC is believed to be intrigued by Denver’s new owners. As far as how personnel power would go with Payton and George Paton, it would be difficult to envision the Broncos’ current GM — who was hired before this ownership group arrived — fielding final-say power over a coach with Payton’s pedigree. Payton, who did confirm teams’ quarterback situations will factor into his decision, has also been rumored to want to bring personnel staffers with him to his next coaching destination.
While the Texans are well behind the Broncos in terms of achievements and have not won more than four games in a season since 2019, they do again have — thanks to the Watson trade — four picks in the first two rounds. This includes the No. 2 overall selection this year. Payton confirmed the Texans are in the running, citing some familiarity with the Cal McNair-fronted ownership group — through years of Saints joint practices with the Texans — along with the team’s draft capital and potentially favorable division. As far as the Cardinals go, Duncan would be “stunned” if Payton became their next head coach (Twitter link). The Saints have granted permission for the Cards to interview Payton, though no confirmed meeting time has surfaced.
Cardinals Request HC Interview With Ejiro Evero
Ejiro Evero is turning into a very popular name for head coaching gigs. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter), the Cardinals have requested permission to interview the Broncos defensive coordinator for their head coaching vacancy.
[RELATED: Cardinals Hire Monti Ossenfort As GM]
Evero has bounced around the NFL coaching ranks in pursuit of promotions, culminating in him being hired as the Broncos defensive coordinator prior to the 2022 campaign. That unit certainly wasn’t a world beater this past year, but Evero earned praised for guiding what was ultimately the league’s seventh-best total defense. In fact, the coach impressed so much, he was offered an in-season promotion to interim head coach following the firing of Nathaniel Hackett. Evero decided to retain his DC title for the rest of the season, although he did garner an interview for the full-time position after the season.
The 42-year-old has now been connected to every head coaching vacancy in the NFL. Besides Denver’s vacancy, he previously interviewed with the Colts and Texans. The Panthers also recently requested permission to speak with him.
Evero joins a growing list of candidates that includes Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, former Saints head coach Sean Payton, former Colts head coach Frank Reich, and 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. Following yesterday’s news that the Cardinals were hiring Monti Ossenfort as their new general manager, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes that owner Michael Bidwell is in favor of pairing the former Patriots executive with Flores, the Patriots’ former defensive coordinator. Flores indeed has momentum here, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
Regardless, we should be getting some clarity on the vacancy soon. Bidwill said today that he expects to make a hire “in a matter of days,” per NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano (on Twitter). It’s uncertain if today’s developments have changed Bidwell’s timeline.
Jim Harbaugh To Stay At Michigan
Stationed once again on an NFL head coaching carousel, Jim Harbaugh does not intend to leave Michigan. He confirmed Monday he will stay in Ann Arbor.
Following a statement from Michigan president Santa Ono indicating Harbaugh informed him he would continue as the Wolverines’ HC, Harbaugh confirmed the same (Twitter links). After his previous statement included the phrase, “No one knows what the future holds,” this one is more declarative about his intentions. Barring something unforeseen, Harbaugh is coming back for a ninth season leading his alma mater.
“I love the relationships that I have at Michigan — coaches, staff, families, administration, President Santa Ono and especially the players and their families,” Harbaugh said. “My heart is at the University of Michigan. I once heard a wise man say, ‘Don’t try to out-happy happy.’ Go Blue!”
A year after interviewing for the Vikings’ HC job, Harbaugh met with the Broncos a week ago today. He was the first candidate to interview for Denver’s HC vacancy and has been connected to the team since Nathaniel Hackett‘s firing. Harbaugh, 59, has expressed a desire to someday return to the NFL, citing unfinished business from his four-year run with the 49ers. That business will again be on hold, as Harbaugh again jumped off the NFL carousel. Harbaugh called Broncos CEO Greg Penner on Monday morning to inform him of the decision to stay at Michigan, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.
While the Vikings did not offer Harbaugh their HC job in 2022, the eight-year Michigan HC was believed to be the Broncos’ 1-B option. Sean Payton has resided as Denver’s 1-A for a bit now, and Harbaugh’s decision to remain in the college ranks further amplifies the Broncos’ Tuesday meeting with Payton. Both Payton and Rams DC Raheem Morris will meet with new Broncos ownership Tuesday in Los Angeles.
The Broncos and Harbaugh were in talks, but Klis adds the parties did not come close to discussing a contract. Penner and co-owner Condoleezza Rice have ties to Harbaugh dating back to his Stanford days, and ex-Broncos GM-turned-consultant John Elway does as well. These connections appeared to increase the chances Harbaugh would finally make the jump back to the league. This probably will not be the last Harbaugh-NFL connection, given the news cycles surrounding the fiery leader’s future over the past several years. But the Broncos must move on.
Reports of Harbaugh being interested — especially as a report of Michigan being investigated for potential violations surfaced — in returning to the NFL ended up again preceding an announcement Michigan will keep its HC. He contacted the Panthers about their job, speaking with David Tepper. That conversation did not endear Harbaugh to the Panthers, it appears, and the Colts — rumored to be interested back in December — had not set up an interview. Here is how the Broncos’ HC search looks as of Monday afternoon:
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed 1/11
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Interviewed 1/9; to remain at Michigan
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): To interview 1/17
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): To interview 1/20
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Mentioned as candidate; team moving in different direction
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): To interview 1/19
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): To interview 1/17; Broncos, Saints in agreement on trade compensation
- David Shaw, former head coach (Stanford Cardinal): Interviewed 1/11