The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches
The NFL experienced a busy offseason on the coaching front. A whopping 10 teams changed coaches during the 2022 offseason, with the Buccaneers’ late-March switch pushing the number into double digits.
Fourteen of the league’s 32 head coaches were hired in the past two offseasons, illustrating the increased pressure the NFL’s sideline leaders face in today’s game. Two of the coaches replaced this year left on their own. Sean Payton vacated his spot in second on the longest-tenured HCs list by stepping down from his 16-year Saints post in February, while Bruce Arians has repeatedly insisted his Bucs exit was about giving his defensive coordinator a chance with a strong roster and not a Tom Brady post-retirement power play.
While Bill Belichick has been the league’s longest-tenured HC for many years, Payton’s exit moved Mike Tomlin up to No. 2. Mike Zimmer‘s firing after nine seasons moved Frank Reich into the top 10. Reich’s HC opportunity only came about because Josh McDaniels spurned the Colts in 2018, but Indianapolis’ backup plan has led the team to two playoff brackets and has signed an extension. Reich’s seat is hotter in 2022, however, after a January collapse. Linked to numerous HC jobs over the past several offseasons, McDaniels finally took another swing after his Broncos tenure ended quickly.
As 2022’s training camps approach, here are the NFL’s longest-tenured HCs:
- Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
- Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
- John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
- Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
- Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
- Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2025
- Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
- Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
- Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
- Frank Reich (Indianapolis Colts): February 11, 2018; extended through 2026
- Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2019; extended through 2027
- Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019
- Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
- Ron Rivera (Washington Football Team): January 1, 2020
- Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers): January 7, 2020
- Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
- Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
- Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
- Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
- Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
- Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
- Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
- Nathaniel Hackett (Denver Broncos): January 27, 2022
- Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
- Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
- Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
- Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
- Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
- Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
- Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
- Lovie Smith (Houston Texans): February 7, 2022
- Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
Chiefs WR Josh Gordon On Roster Bubble?
Josh Gordon is on the roster bubble in Kansas City. ESPN’s Adam Teicher writes that “it’s difficult to see a place” for Gordon on the Chiefs roster.
The Chiefs have seen plenty of turnover at wide receiver this offseason, with Tyreek Hill, Byron Pringle, Demarcus Robinson, and Marcus Kemp all out of the picture. The team reworked their depth chart via free agency (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling) and via the draft (second-round pick Skyy Moore), and that trio of wideouts will make up most of the Chiefs’ WR depth. The Chiefs are also still rostering Mecole Hardman, who is another presumable lock to make the roster.
While the Chiefs will obviously roster more than four receivers, Teicher opines that Gordon’s lack of special teams production makes him a long shot to make the squad. Instead, the Chiefs could pivot to a WR with more versatility. Teicher points to Daurice Fountain as a candidate for that fifth receiver spot, but the Chiefs are also rostering the likes of Corey Coleman, Justin Watson, and Gary Jennings (among others).
“They all bring something different to the table and that’s the unique part about it,” offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy told reporters (via Herbie Teope of The Kansas City Star). “I think there’s going to be a lot of diversity because everybody presents something different, so it’s going to be new. It’s going to be exciting.”
Gordon restarted another NFL comeback when he joined the Chiefs last September. He eventually made his way on to the active roster and ended up starting seven of his 12 games with Kansas City, hauling in five receptions for 32 yards and one touchdown. Gordon hasn’t seen time in 16+ games since his rookie year in 2012, and considering his continued suspensions, Gordon seemed like he’d be hard pressed to make Kansas City’s roster in 2022. Of course, many of us thought the same in 2021, and he ended up getting into a dozen games for the Chiefs.
Chiefs CB Deandre Baker Signs ERFA Tender
The Chiefs have another member of their secondary officially in the fold. Cornerback Deandre Baker has signed his exclusive rights free agent tender, per ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). 
The 24-year-old was originally a first round pick of the Giants in 2019. He started 15 of 16 games, but struggled in coverage, totalling 61 tackles and eight pass breakups. Expectations were high for a step forward the following year, but the end of his rookie season was his last action in New York.
Baker faced armed robbery charges for an incident in May 2020, which were later dropped. By that time, though, the Giants had cut ties with him, so the Georgia product was free to join any team as a free agent. He quickly did so, signing onto the Chiefs’ practice squad. He has been in Kansas City ever since.
Baker made just two appearances during the remainder of that 2020 campaign, but he did enough to earn a spot on the roster for this past season. He took on a larger workload than his first year with the Chiefs, but still started just one of the eight games he played in. By signing his tender, he is now in line to continue operating in a rotational capacity.
The Chiefs drafted Trent McDuffie in the first round of this year’s draft, adding a starting-caliber piece to their CB room. He will pair with L’Jarius Sneed at the top of the depth chart, along with Rashad Fenton as another key contributor. Baker will be in competition for a spot at the backend of the roster as he looks to further extend his second act in the NFL.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/17/22
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: QB Kurt Benkert
Houston Texans
- Waived: RB Scottie Phillips
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Chris Lammons, WR Aaron Parker
- Waived: CB Luq Barcoo
- Waived (injury-designation): WR Matthew Sexton
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Darryl Williams
New York Giants
- Received two-game suspension: LB Justin Hilliard
Benkert spent the 2021 season with the Packers, after three years with the Falcons. He was signed just over one year ago to provide insurance with the future of Aaron Rodgers in doubt, and Jordan Love as the only other signal-caller on the roster. He made one regular season appearance, but with Rodgers now signed to an extension and Love still under contract for at least two more years, the team is less in need of the 26-year-old this year.
Hilliard’s ban comes as a result of PED usage (Twitter link via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). The former UDFA tweeted an explanation, stating that he mistakenly took the wrong prescription medication, and that he will not appeal the suspension. The Ohio State alum played in two games with the Giants last season, logging 15 special teams snaps. This news will weaken what was already, as Schwartz notes, his tenuous grip on a 53-man roster spot.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/14/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Wyatt Ray
- Placed on IR: DE/OLB Jordan Smith
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: C Darryl Williams
Los Angeles Rams
- Re-signed: LB Travin Howard
Washington Commanders
- Signed: OT Willie Beavers, DT Justin Hamilton
Chiefs To Re-Sign RB Jerick McKinnon
Jerick McKinnon‘s renewed run of health enabled the veteran running back to play a key role for the Chiefs during their playoff run. Not long after the perennial AFC West champions lost Darrel Williams in free agency, they are bringing back McKinnon.
The eight-year veteran is re-signing with Kansas City, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The sides agreed on a one-year deal Monday. This news comes days before the Chiefs convene for their mandatory minicamp.
[RELATED: Cardinals, Darrel Williams Agree To Deal]
Although McKinnon famously missed all of the 2018 and ’19 seasons, after he had signed a high-end running back deal with the 49ers, he has been healthy for most of the past two. The Chiefs, added McKinnon on a one-year, veteran-minimum deal in 2021, only gave him 25 touches during the regular season. But they leaned on the backup in the playoffs, dialing up 48 touches in their three-game January slate.
McKinnon totaled 315 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in games against the Steelers, Bills and Bengals, seeing more time in the backfield than starter Clyde Edwards-Helaire did, though the first-stringer was returning from another injury — one that kept him out of the team’s wild-card game.
Kansas City has Edwards-Helaire back, and the team reached an agreement with former Tampa Bay back Ronald Jones months ago. The Chiefs used a seventh-round pick on running back Isiah Pacheco, signed two UDFA backs and have ERFA Derrick Gore on their roster. McKinnon, who turned 30 in May, may be set for another niche role in Andy Reid‘s offense.
The 49ers gave the former college quarterback and ex-Adrian Peterson backup a four-year, $30MM deal in 2018. At the time, that doubled as a top-five running back contract. But an ACL tear that year sidelined McKinnon for two seasons, the second coming after the injury did not properly heal. After a 2020 restructure, McKinnon returned to action and played all 16 San Francisco games. He totaled 572 scrimmage yards and scored six touchdowns for an otherwise injury-ransacked 49ers backfield.
While McKinnon did miss four regular-season games with the Chiefs, due to a late-season hamstring injury, his postseason availability proved key for a team that saw Edwards-Helaire miss time with separate maladies. The Chiefs keeping him around as additional CEH insurance makes sense.
Poll: Which AFC Team Had Best Offseason?
Due to a flurry of additions, the 2022 AFC presents a crowded competition for playoff and Super Bowl LVII access. Some of the top-tier teams addressed key weaknesses, and several middle-class squads took big swings in respective aims to improve their chances this season.
The fallout paints a picture in which barely any AFCers can be truly counted out for playoff contention. Future Hall of Famers, potential Canton inductees, and Pro Bowlers moving from the NFC — along with various intra-AFC changes — have made for one of the most captivating offseasons in modern NFL annals. While the offseason is not yet complete, most of the acquisition dominoes ahead of training camp have fallen. Which team did the best work?
With Russell Wilson joining the Broncos, the AFC West’s Wilson-Patrick Mahomes–Derek Carr–Justin Herbert quartet appears of the great quarterback armadas any division has fielded in the five-plus-decade divisional era. The Broncos gave up two first-round selections in a five-pick deal but were able to hang onto their young receivers. Denver, which moved to a younger coaching staff headed by first-time HC Nathaniel Hackett and two rookie coordinators, also added defenders Randy Gregory and D.J. Jones. Going from the Teddy Bridgewater–Drew Lock combo to Wilson represents one of the top gains any team made this offseason, but Denver’s divisional competition will not make improvement easy.
Entering the final year in which Herbert must be tied to his rookie contract, the Chargers addressed several needs. They added defensive help in free agency, via J.C. Jackson and Sebastian Joseph-Day, and traded second- and sixth-round picks for Khalil Mack. The team also extended Mike Williams at $20MM per year — days before the wide receiver market dramatically shifted — and drafted right guard Zion Johnson in Round 1.
The Raiders were partially responsible for the wideout market’s explosion, trading first- and second-round picks for Davante Adams and extending him at $28MM per year. That came shortly after the team’s Chandler Jones addition. Las Vegas’ Josh McDaniels–Dave Ziegler regime has greenlit extensions for Reggie McKenzie– and Jon Gruden-era holdovers — from Carr to Maxx Crosby to Hunter Renfrow. Will a Darren Waller deal follow?
Of last season’s conference kingpins, the Chiefs and Titans endured the biggest losses. Hill and Tyrann Mathieu‘s exits will test the six-time reigning AFC West champs, while last year’s No. 1 seed balked at a monster A.J. Brown extension by trading him to the Eagles for a package headlined by a 2022 first-rounder. Both teams did address some needs early in the draft, but the Bengals and Bills look to have definitively improved their rosters.
Cincinnati augmented its bottom-tier offensive line by signing La’el Collins, Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. The defending AFC champions retained almost their entire defense, though Jessie Bates is not especially happy on the franchise tag. Buffalo reloaded as well, adding Von Miller to a defensive line that has lacked a top-end pass rusher for a while. The team swapped out ex-UDFA Levi Wallace for first-round cornerback Kaiir Elam, and James Cook is the Bills’ highest running back draftee since C.J. Spiller 12 years ago. How significant will the Brian Daboll-for-Ken Dorsey OC swap be?
Although Cincy’s AFC North competition made improvements, some caveats come with them. The Ravens filled their center and right tackle spots, with first-rounder Tyler Linderbaum and veteran Morgan Moses, and are now flush with safeties following the arrivals of Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton. But Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson situation has reached a strange stage, with the top three Ravens power brokers indicating the former MVP has not shown extension interest. Cleveland landed Amari Cooper for Day 3 draft capital and, on paper, rivaled Denver’s QB upgrade. Historic draft compensation and a shocking $230MM guarantee was required for the Browns to pull it off. But their Deshaun Watson trade has generated considerable drama — to the point the ex-Texans Pro Bowler cannot be considered a lock to play in 2022.
Oddsmakers do not expect the Jaguars’ moves to translate to 2022 contention, but the team did hire a former Super Bowl-winning coach in Doug Pederson and spend wildly for lineup upgrades — from Christian Kirk to Brandon Scherff to Foye Oluokun — and used two first-round picks (Travon Walker, Devin Lloyd) to further upgrade its defense. Going from Urban Meyer to Pederson should offer stability to a franchise that has lacked it, never more so than in 2021.
The Jets chased big-name receivers for weeks but came away with Garrett Wilson in a highly praised three-first-rounder draft. New York’s last-ranked defense now has new pieces in first-rounders Sauce Gardner and Jermaine Johnson, along with DBs Jordan Whitehead and D.J. Reed. Miami made a stunning coaching change by firing Brian Flores, which produced a tidal wave of controversy, but the now-Mike McDaniel-led team also paid up for splashy additions in Hill and Terron Armstead while retaining steady edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah.
Are there other teams that warrant mention here? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on the new-look AFC in the comments section.
Tyreek Hill Addresses Effort To Stay With Chiefs; Davante Adams Contract Changed Talks
Davante Adams‘ desire to reunite with Derek Carr not only changed the Packers’ wide receiver situation; it directly impacted another Super Bowl contender’s aerial corps. Tyreek Hill went from negotiating a Chiefs extension in early March to being dealt to the Dolphins for five picks three weeks later.
The $30MM-per-year contract Miami authorized came after Kansas City balked at a deal similar to Adams’. Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said on the receiver’s first episode of his It Needed To Be Said podcast the Hill-Chiefs talks changed after Adams inked his $28MM-AAV Raiders deal. Shortly after the Adams extension, Rosenhaus “put pressure on the Chiefs” to hammer out an Adams-style accord, with the agent calling his client a superior player to the two-time Packer All-Pro.
“If they didn’t want to do that type of deal, then we would get them a blockbuster trade,” Rosenhaus said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I flat out told them that I felt like I could talk to teams around the league and bring a bunch of — bring great compensation. And I think the Chiefs initially wanted to challenge us and see what we could get from other teams contractually and what we could also get compensation-wise.”
Hill said he told Andy Reid he was not asking the Chiefs to top Adams’ Raiders contract, indicating that a pact in the $25MM- or $26MM-per-year range would be sufficient. Even after the Chiefs gave Rosenhaus permission to talk trades, which led to Jets and Dolphins offers, the high-powered agent asked his client if he wanted to stay in Kansas City. Although Hill said he did, Rosenhaus indicated during the podcast the Chiefs were “millions of dollars” short of the new asking price.
The Chiefs sent Hill to the Dolphins for five picks — including Miami’s first- and second-rounders this year — and the historically dominant deep threat signed a four-year, $120MM extension. That contract is backloaded, and A.J. Brown‘s $56MM fully guaranteed figure soon surpassed Hill’s $52MM. But only Aaron Donald and a handful of quarterbacks top Hill’s $30MM AAV.
“I tried my best,” Hill said of his effort to stay in Kansas City. “I talked to the big man, Andy Reid. I talked to the quarterback. I’m like, ‘Look, can we make something happen? Can we make something happen? Can the guaranteed money make sense to me? Can it make sense to my family, please?”
The ugly off-field baggage Hill carried into the league and the 2019 child-abuse allegation — which did not lead to a suspension — that threatened his place with the Chiefs allowed for an $18MM-per-year extension on a team-friendly structure ahead of the ’19 season. Hill outplayed the contract by playing an essential role on back-to-back Super Bowl-qualifying teams and producing 1,200-yard receiving seasons in 2020 and ’21. The 28-year-old speed merchant will now attempt to stay in top form away from Reid and Patrick Mahomes, while the Chiefs will attempt to replace their star wideout with a group effort involving JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore.
Chiefs Sign WR Skyy Moore, Complete Draft Class
More teams continue to finalize their 2022 draft class’ rookie contracts. The Chiefs are the latest to do so; the team reached an agreement with Skyy Moore, as the receiver confirmed on Instagram.
Moore enjoyed a productive three-year career at Western Michigan. He totaled 51 catches and 802 yards in his first season there, though he only played in five games during the pandemic-shortened season the following year. While he averaged over 15 yards per catch in each of his first two seasons, he only found the endzone six times across that span.
The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder took another step forward last year. Suiting up for 12 contests, he totaled 95 receptions, which placed him second in the Mid-American Conference and ninth in the country. He also ranked second in the MAC with 1,292 yards, and more than doubled his touchdown total with 10 — leading the conference in that category.
That placed him in the conversation to be drafted amongst the second tier of wideouts in this year’s class. Not surprisingly, the Chiefs selected him in the second round, as the team continued to rebuild its receiving corps. After the departures of Tyreek Hill, Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle, a number of new faces have been brought in. The most notable additions include JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and perhaps the most intriguing UDFA of the 2022 class, Justyn Ross.
Moore’s size and run-after-catch skillset could lead to usage similar to the way Hill was deployed. His speed should be well-utilized in Andy Reid‘s offense, and give the Chiefs a long-term option in the passing game, compared to the short-term deals signed in free agency to round out the position’s depth chart.
With Moore under contract, here is the full breakdown of Kansas City’s draft class:
Round 1: No. 21 (from Patriots) Trent McDuffie, CB (Washington) (signed)
Round 1: No. 30 George Karlaftis, DE (Purdue) (signed)
Round 2: No. 54 (from Patriots) Skyy Moore, WR (Western Michigan) (signed)
Round 2: No. 62 Bryan Cook, S (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 3: No. 103 Leo Chenal, LB (Wisconsin) (signed)
Round 4: No. 135 Joshua Williams, CB (Fayetteville State) (signed)
Round 5: No. 145 (from Seahawks) Darian Kinnard, OG (Kentucky) (signed)
Round 7: No. 243 (from Raiders through Patriots) Jaylen Watson, CB (Washington State) (signed)
Round 7: No. 251 Isaih Pacheco, RB (Rutgers) (signed)
Round 7: No. 259 Nazeeh Johnson, S (Marshall) (signed)
Latest On Chiefs’ Orlando Brown Jr.
The Chiefs’ offseason has seen the departures of key players like Tyreek Hill and Tyrann Mathieu, but the money saved as a result has long been thought to be earmarked for a long-term extension with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. After the latest development in the negotiating process, the 26-year-old provided some encouraging remarks with respect to a deal getting done soon. 
Brown said that he is “very confident” an extension will be finalized before the July 15 deadline, via Grant Gordon of NFL.com. “Especially simply based off the things that have come into effect within our division, the type of defensive ends that have been brought in, the type of players and all of that type of stuff” he added. “It’s not the year to go into the season with a backup left tackle. So, I’m very confident that the Kansas City Chiefs will get that done.”
The Chiefs traded for Brown last offseason as part of their efforts to rebuild their offensive line. The move gave them a replacement for Eric Fisher, and let Brown fulfil his goal of manning the blindside (as opposed to the right tackle spot, where he spent most of his time in Baltimore). With only one year remaining on his rookie contract, it was widely assumed a long-term deal would be coming at some point.
The Oklahoma product did nothing on the field to lessen the chances of an extension coming his way. He started all 16 games he appeared in, earning Pro Bowl honors for the third consecutive season. As was expected after the campaign, Kansas City placed the franchise tag on him, which will pay him $16.7MM in the absence of a new pact being signed.
Negotiations have been ongoing, but it was reported last month that the former third-rounder is seeking a deal which will place him atop the list league-wide in terms of compensation amongst left tackles. At a minimum, he is expected to join Trent Williams, David Bakhtiari and Laremy Tunsil as the only offensive linemen earning over $20MM per season.
Last week, another hurdle was cleared when Brown hired an agent. Interestingly, he become the first player to sign on with the Delta Sports Group, deliberately seeking a representative without pre-existing relationships with NFL executives. With that taken care of, both sides will be seeking traction in negotiations, as just over one month remains to finalize a deal. If Brown’s sentiments are reciprocated, though, he should have a new contract in hand by the time the 2022 season begins.