Andrew Janocko Favorite To Become Raiders’ OC?
Refraining from a Josh McDaniels-like swerve after a Super Bowl, Klint Kubiak indeed signed a contract to become the next Raiders head coach. The Seahawks’ 2025 offensive coordinator generated considerable momentum thanks to his play-calling role on a Super Bowl-winning team.
The Seahawks may well promote from within, but a logical candidate for that role may be spoken for. Seattle quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is the “widely presumed” leader to follow Kubiak as Raiders OC, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. Janocko has worked under Kubiak during each of his three one-year OC stints — in Minnesota, New Orleans and Seattle — which makes a Las Vegas trek logical.
[RELATED: 2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]
The Raiders have not conducted any OC or DC interviews yet, but Kubiak naturally has names in mind for key staff positions. Janocko came up as a rumored Raiders option, but the Seahawks could dangle a carrot the Raiders cannot. Being in consideration for the Seattle OC would open the door to a play-calling role, while Kubiak will call plays in Vegas. Janocko is a clear candidate for the Seattle OC post, with Breer adding offensive line coach John Benton and pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz also figure to be options.
Janocko, 37, worked under both Kubiaks — Klint and Gary — in Minnesota; his tenure as a Vikings assistant also covered the Pat Shurmur and Kevin Stefanski Vikes OC stops. Janocko worked as a Vikings staffer from 2015-21. After Mike Zimmer‘s firing, Janocko ended up as the Bears’ quarterbacks coach. He coached Justin Fields for two seasons under Luke Getsy before rejoining Kubiak in New Orleans as Saints QBs coach.
Janocko’s work with Sam Darnold has generated understandable attention, and it would seem likely the veteran assistant ends up with an OC job in Vegas or Seattle. Janocko has only coached QBs since a 2021 shift to that role in Minnesota, previously residing as the Vikings’ wide receivers coach (2020) and an O-line staffer (2018-19). In Vegas, Janocko would join Kubiak in coaching near-certain No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. But the Raiders certainly need help elsewhere on offense. The Seahawks stand to feature mostly the same starting 11 from their Super Bowl LX win.
Benton, 62, has hovered on the O-line coach level since entering the NFL in 2003. He has been in that role with the Rams, Texans, Dolphins, 49ers, Jets, Saints and Seahawks. Peetz, 40, has been Seattle’s pass-game coordinator for two seasons. He has experience on the OC carousel as well, interviewing for the Lions’ job this year and the Buccaneers’ gig in 2024. Had McDaniels not spurned the Colts in 2018, he was planning to hire him as OC. While no promotion to that level has occurred yet for Peetz, the ex-Sean McVay assistant may end up in the Seahawks’ chair soon.
Lions O-line coach Hank Fraley also looms as a name to monitor for the Seattle OC job, Breer adds. The Seahawks interviewed Fraley for their OC role last year, scheduling a second interview, but the Lions reached an agreement to retain him and remove him from the Seattle search. Fraley also helped the Lions zero in on Drew Petzing as OC this offseason. Fraley, 48, has been with the Lions since 2018.
Teams Being Informed Of Maxx Crosby’s Desire For Trade; Knee Recovery Could Delay Raiders Departure
Recent reporting has indicated Maxx Crosby will seek a trade from the Raiders. The star edge rusher has not publicly stated a desire to leave, but further indications have emerged which point toward a split with Vegas happening relatively soon. 
Crosby’s camp has started informing other teams of his preference for a fresh start, Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom reports. He adds the five-time Pro Bowler has in fact “explicitly” told the Raiders he will not play for the franchise any longer. Of course, that does not guarantee a trade will take place.
“He told Tom Brady he will never play for the Raiders again,” an NFL general manager told La Canfora. “That’s a fact. He told them he’ll retire before he ever plays for them again. But I’m not sure they’re actually going to trade him.”
Myles Garrett made clear his desire to depart the Browns last offseason. In the end, though, an extension was worked out and doubts about his Cleveland future were quelled. Crosby was among the many high-profile edge rushers who wound up inking new deals with their respective teams in 2025. As such, he is on the books through the 2029 season on a pact which contains relatively consistent base salaries and cap charges.
Crosby played through a knee injury for much of the 2025 campaign. In advance of Vegas’ game against the Giants – one which essentially decided the owner of the No. 1 pick in the draft – the team elected to shut him down. That decision (one which was not unanimous, as then-head coach Pete Carroll objected) resulted in Crosby undergoing surgery. The Raiders wound up securing the top selection, paving the way for quarterback Fernando Mendoza to be added in the hopes of becoming their new franchise passer. In any event, a rebuild is in order as Vegas aims to build a new core around the team’s next QB and its other offensive pieces.
The Raiders’ defense has been anchored by Crosby since his arrival in 2019. The 28-year-old has recorded double-digit sacks four times in his career. He has received a second-team All-Pro nod twice while operating as Vegas’ best player through a turbulent stretch on the sidelines and in the front office. Brady – who holds the title of minority owner but is well known to have a substantial impact on the Raiders’ operation alongside Mark Davis and GM John Spytek – has been in place since last offseason. A Crosby extension worked out at that point delayed talks of a potential trade but speculation continues to swirl regarding this spring.
“Now I’ve got random people making big statements for me,” the former fourth-rounder said during an interview with Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd (video link). “They’re like, ‘Maxx must have told them this.’ For me, I just sit back and laugh because I know my truth and when I go to bed at night, I have a smile on my face because I don’t have to explain nothing to nobody. I’ve said it over and over again. I’m getting healthy… That’s all that I care about, so all the noise, it’s news to me sometimes.”
Crosby is unlikely to offer a public declaration one way or the other when it comes to his future. The status of his recovery will of course be key, but a longer recovery time than first expected will be in store. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Crosby’s procedure was actually a meniscus repair, rather than a trim. His timetable for a return to full health will thus be measured in months instead of weeks.
Nevertheless, several teams will no doubt show considerable interest in a Crosby trade. The market for a potential swap in this case is “incredibly robust,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. He adds no direct communication has taken place between player and team since the end of the season, so further dialogue will be something to watch for closely. In the meantime, suitors will continue to prepare offers for Crosby in the event Vegas becomes willing to entertain them.
Raiders Officially Name Klint Kubiak Head Coach
The Raiders have made it official. The team announced this evening that they’ve named Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach.
Kubiak is now the 25th head coach in franchise history, and he’s the sixth since the team moved to Las Vegas. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Kubiak will receive a five-year contract from the Raiders.
Of course, this move doesn’t come as any surprise. The franchise seemed to be leaning towards Kubiak last week, and the 38-year-old was reportedly set to negotiate a deal with the organization. Then, Kubiak all but confirmed the news last night following the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win when he revealed that he’d indeed be taking his talents from Seattle to Las Vegas.
The son of Gary Kubiak, Klint has bounced around the NFL during his coaching career, including stops with the Vikings, Saints, and Seahawks as the offensive coordinator. It was that latter stop that made him seem destined to take the next step of his career, as Kubiak was the most popular name during this year’s hiring cycle. The 38-year-old ultimately interviewed for seven of the 10 HC vacancies, and he landed one of those opportunities in Las Vegas.
After helping guide Sam Darnold and the Seahawks offense to a surprising top-10 showing this past season, Kubiak will now be tasked with turning around a franchise that’s only made the postseason twice in the past 23 years. Besides landing on their new head coach, the Raiders are also anticipated to add a new franchise QB this offseason, as the team is expected to select reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall pick.
Before Kubiak can focus on the on-field product, he’ll have to quickly build out his staff. Considering his inexperience as a head coach, Jason La Canfora of Sportsboom.com writes that the Raiders are expected to prioritize experience as they look to fill out the coaching staff. One name in particular that could stand out is Jim Schwartz, who hastily left the Browns after losing out on their head coaching job.
Per La Canfora, the veteran defensive coach has several fans in the building. This includes Kubiak, and the offensive-minded head coach presumably wouldn’t meddle in Schwartz’s defensive approach. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady is also a “strong supporter” of the coach. Since the Raiders have traditionally shown a willingness to “spend heavily” on assistants, there’s an expectation among league sources that Schwartz will ultimately land in Las Vegas.
There would remain one hurdle in the Raiders’ pursuit, however: the Browns have Schwartz under contract through 2026, meaning Las Vegas would have to negotiate with the AFC foe to lure the coach. As Albert Breer of SI.com notes, this has led some to believe that Schwartz could simply sit out the upcoming campaign, and there’s some belief that the coach may be simply waiting for the Eagles DC job to open up.
On the offensive side of the ball, Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is a “natural candidate,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Prior to his success with Darnold, Janocko was credited with getting some of the best career showings from the likes of Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields, and Derek Carr. It’s no coincidence that the coach has also joined Kubiak in multiple stops, making him an obvious candidate for the gig. Of course, there’s also a chance the Seahawks simply look to promote him to their newfound OC vacancy.
Speaking of the Seahawks, Fowler notes that in-house options like offensive passing game coordinator Jake Peetz and running backs coach Justin Outten could also be options to replace Kubiak, as could Lions senior assistant Mike Kafka.
Raiders, Titans Expected To Pursue WR Addition In Free Agency
The Raiders and the Titans are entering 2026 in similar situations.
Both franchises are hoping that new head coaches can reverse their fortunes. Both will have No. 1 picks at quarterback, assuming Las Vegas drafts Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza as expected. And both are expected to be in the wide receiver market in free agency, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Each team has one receiver with any meaningful experience under contract in 2026 and two 2025 draftees who had quiet rookie seasons. In Las Vegas, that trio is Tre Tucker, Jack Bech, and Dont’e Thornton, while Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, and Chimere Dike fill those roles in Tennessee.
That will likely bring the Raiders and the Titans in direct competition for the top wideouts who hit the market in March. George Pickens would the belle of the ball, but he will likely be tagged by the Cowboys. That would leave Alec Pierce as the most coveted young wideout in free agency. He put up a career-high 1,003 receiving yards in 2025 with excellent efficiency metrics for a second year in a row. In both seasons, he recorded 11.9 yards per target – which ranked first in 2024 and third in 2025 – while also leading the league in yards per reception (22.3, 21.3).
Other receivers expected to be available include Romeo Doubs, Rashid Shaheed, Jauan Jennings, Deebo Samuel, and Wan’Dale Robinson. Doubs has an appealing profile and could benefit from a bigger role in a new offense, while the other four have connections to the Raiders’ and Titans’ new coaching staffs. Klint Kubiak could try to bring Shaheed to Las Vegas after the two worked together in New Orleans in 2024 and Seattle in 2025. Jennings and Samuel both know new Titans head coach Robert Saleh from their shared time in San Francisco, though Saleh has not drawn from the 49ers for his new offensive staff. And Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll drafted and developed Robinson during his time as the Giants’ head coach.
Like any young quarterback, Mendoza and Cam Ward would benefit from veteran pass-catchers, especially ones who are already familiar with their new coaching staffs. As the two teams with the most salary cap space in the NFL (via OverTheCap), the Raiders and the Titans are both well-positioned to add impact receivers in free agency.
Final 2026 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LX in the books, the full 2026 NFL draft order has been set. Free agency is not far away, but attention will increasingly turn to April’s event as the offseason progresses.
The top of the first-round order is not subject to much in the way of speculation. The Raiders own the No. 1 selection and are widely seen as the landing spot for Fernando Mendoza, the lone quarterback regarded as a first-round lock at this point. How other QB-needy teams positioned throughout the order operate over the coming weeks – knowing there is a lack of high-end prospects this year – will make for an interesting storyline around the league.
This year’s NFL Combine will begin on February 23. Events such as the Senior Bowl have already taken place, leaving the Combine as the next major checkpoint in the evaluation of top prospects. Teams will begin arranging ‘Top 30’ visits with several players of interest relatively soon during the build-up to the draft. This year’s event will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.
Pending the inevitable trades which will shake up the order, here is a final look at how things stand leading up to Day 1:
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
- New York Jets (3-14)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- New York Giants (4-13)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
- Washington Commanders (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
- Miami Dolphins (7-10)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
- Chicago Bears (11-6)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Houston Texans (12-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- Denver Broncos (14-3)
- New England Patriots (14-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Klint Kubiak To Become Raiders’ HC
FEBRUARY 8: With Super Bowl LX behind him and the job done, Kubiak has confirmed that he will be the next head coach of the Raiders, per Stacey Dales of NFL Network. Las Vegas will be welcoming the Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator to potentially serve as head coach over the presumed No. 1 draft pick, Mendoza, for the 2026 NFL season.
FEBRUARY 1: A recent report pegged Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as the favorite for the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy. While no agreement was immediately struck upon the completion of Kubiak’s second interview with Las Vegas brass — nothing can be finalized until after Super Bowl LX — the club is “zeroing in” on Kubiak, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Pelissero’s NFL Network colleague, Ian Rapoport, says the Raiders believe they have their guy. 
More importantly, Kubiak himself intends to work out a deal with Las Vegas, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Kubiak, who also took a second interview for the Cardinals’ HC post on Saturday, was one of the most popular candidates in this year’s cycle. In all, he interviewed with seven of the 10 clubs in need of a head coach.
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero was among the candidates who interviewed twice with the Raiders. According to The Athletic’s Joe Person, Evero was still in contention to be hired during the time when Kubiak was weighing his options.
Las Vegas’ opening was not seen as particularly desirable. The club just finished a 3-14 season, does not have a particularly inspiring roster outside of a couple of high-end players, and plays in a difficult AFC West. However, the Raiders do have two things going for them: the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, and the second-most projected cap space in the league (just shy of $90MM, per OverTheCap.com).
With that No. 1 overall pick, the expectation is that the Raiders will select reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who quarterbacked Indiana to a 16-0 season and a CFP National Championship in 2025. Mendoza is easily the best passer in his class, and Las Vegas was said to be seeking an offensive-minded HC to pair with their presumptive top draft choice.
With Kubiak, the team has exactly that. The 38-year-old’s stock has risen sharply in recent years, including three different offensive coordinator stints. Each of Kubiak’s tenures with the Vikings, Saints and Seahawks have proven to be just one year in length, but they have elevated his status as one of the league’s most highly regarded offensive minds. Kubiak’s NFL resume also includes pass-game coordinator duties with the Broncos (2022) and 49ers (2023).
A coach in various capacities dating back to 2010, Kubiak has never led a college or pro staff before. He represents an unknown as a result, but that is also true of many other first-time head coaches hired during the 2026 cycle. The Raiders will aim for stability on the sidelines with this hire, something which has been sorely lacking during the franchise’s Vegas period. Changes on the coaching staff and in the front office have been commonplace in recent years.
A housecleaning took place last offseason with head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco each being dismissed after only one full season in their respective roles. The Raiders brought in John Spytek as GM, making him part of a front office influenced in large part by minority owner Tom Brady. Together, they played a key role in hiring Pete Carroll as head coach.
Expectations were high for at least modest success in 2025, with Carroll and a reunion with quarterback Geno Smith seeming to provide a strong floor for the Raiders. Not much (if anything) went according to plan, however, with Carroll firing two of his coordinators in the middle of the campaign. No observers were surprised when Carroll himself was dismissed one day after the season ended. That began a lengthy search, one which has now landed on Kubiak. Brady and Kubiak “hit it off” during the interview process, Schefter’s colleague Jeremy Fowler adds.
The Seahawks thrived with Kubiak and new quarterback Sam Darnold in place for 2025. Seattle earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC before winning two straight home games to reach next week’s Super Bowl. A strong defense has contributed greatly to their shared success over the course of the season, but Darnold was highly productive in the NFC title game (321 yards, three touchdowns, no giveaways). It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks fare next season with another new OC in place, the third since Mike Macdonald took over as head coach.
Provided the Kubiak agreement will become finalized after the Super Bowl, the Cardinals loom as the only NFL team with a head coaching vacancy. Kubiak’s decision to join the Raiders will thin Arizona’s list of final candidates even further.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Texans’ Dino Vasso Withdraws From Consideration For DC Jobs; Browns Interview Two Internal Staffers
Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso garnered considerable attention for a defensive coordinator job in this year’s coaching carousel. The 38-year-old staffer has decided to remain in Houston, however.
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Vasso has withdrawn from consideration for DC jobs. It sounds as if the Texans may have given him a raise to stay, as Rapoport adds Vasso has secured a contract extension.
Vasso initially joined the Texans as a cornerbacks coach in 2021 and held that role for three years. His duties were expanded slightly in 2024, when his title was upgraded to defensive backs coach. The Texans’ defense has certainly benefited from strong secondary play in recent seasons, and we previously heard that former Browns DC Jim Schwartz and current Texans DC Matt Burke have offered endorsements for Vasso.
Vasso’s work earned him recent DC interviews with the Titans and Cardinals, and he was also named as a legitimate contender for the Browns’ DC job (which recently became available upon Schwartz’s resignation). Even though Vasso did not take a Cleveland interview, he was a top candidate for that role, as Rapport notes. Shortly after the Vasso news broke, Rapoport’s colleague, Tom Pelissero, reported that the Browns have interviewed internal candidates Ephraim Banda (safeties coach) and Jason Tarver (linebackers coach) for the opening.
New Browns head coach Todd Monken has previously stated the team will keep Schwartz’s system in place, as Pelissero relays. As such, promoting an internal staffer would be a logical move, particularly since Cleveland’s defense was one of the league’s best in 2025. Banda interviewed for the Cowboys’ and Jets’ DC gigs this year, and Tarver worked as the Raiders’ DC from 2012-14.
According to Rapoport, Vasso would have been on the short list for the Raiders’ current defensive coordinator vacancy as well. Patrick Graham, who served as Las Vegas’ DC for the past four seasons, recently joined the Steelers in the same capacity. He will become an experienced voice for Mike McCarthy’s first staff in Pittsburgh, and the Raiders – who are planning to hire Klint Kubiak as their next head coach – will now have one fewer option to fill his spot.
The Titans ultimately hired Gus Bradley as their DC under new head coach Robert Saleh. The Cardinals’ and Browns’ searches will continue, and Vasso will remain a trusted advisor on the Texans’ defense for Burke and head coach DeMeco Ryans.
Houston led the league in both total defense and points per game in 2025. Although it will be difficult to replicate that performance in 2026, another strong showing will presumably keep Vasso’s DC stock high next year.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Likely To Seek Trade
FEBRUARY 7: The belief around the league is that Crosby “would be highly interested in pursuing a change of scenery,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes. The Raiders would indeed demand a significant return, but they won’t force Crosby to stay if he wants out, according to Russini. As of now, an offseason trade seems like a strong possibility.
FEBRUARY 5: The dustup between Maxx Crosby and the Raiders regarding his injury shutdown brought considerable awkwardness, and teams around the league monitored the situation closely. That is likely to continue.
As Klint Kubiak will soon prepare to transition from Super Bowl play-caller to one of the architects behind the latest Raiders rebuild, he will soon be briefed on the Crosby situation. We heard last month a Crosby trade would be in play, and Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reinforces that. Crosby is likely done in Las Vegas, according to Glazer, who indicated during an appearance on Yahoo Sports Daily the injury issue last season and the prospect of another Raiders rebuild will likely push the eighth-year edge rusher to seek a trade.
The Raiders would want to keep Crosby, per Glazer, who would expect any trade to unfold before the draft. A Crosby trade would arm the Raiders with considerable draft ammo, but it is important to note the player is more eager to find an exit door than the team is to accommodate him. That could lead to an impasse, but the Crosby trade watch continues as the 2025 season wraps.
As many as 20 teams contacted Glazer after the contentious injury shutdown occurred. With Crosby displaying elite form in 2025, the Raiders would certainly ask for a first-round pick and then some ahead of the All-Pro’s age-29 season. The Raiders are not strangers to holding multiple first-round picks in a draft, but they squandered opportunities upon trading Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. A new regime would be tasked with making a two-first-rounder draft pay off — in the event Crosby is moved before this one.
Pete Carroll was believed to be against a Crosby shutdown, moving the blame/credit (as the Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick) on the front office. This stands to benefit Kubiak, who will soon be coaching (barring a shocking course change) Fernando Mendoza and either have Crosby ready for an eighth season or a substantial picks package in exchange for trading the standout edge rusher.
The Raiders’ Carroll-Tom Brady-John Spytek regime extended Crosby last March, pushing his contract through 2029. Two years remained on the deal Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler authorized in 2022, and Crosby secured a $35.5MM AAV on his new pact. The Raiders would not be significantly affected by dead money, despite having paid Crosby recently, in the event of a trade. The contract includes a $30MM base salary for 2026 that would be transferred to an acquiring team. Rather than load up the deal with signing bonus money that would go on Las Vegas’ cap in the event of a trade, this regime made Crosby’s guarantee consist mostly of 2025 and ’26 base salaries.
Frontloading the contract will make it easier to move, pointing to this Raiders regime having a potential trade in mind when it structured the deal. If the Raiders trade Crosby, they would only be on the hook for his 2026 signing bonus proration ($5.1MM) in dead money. That represents an opportunity if Brady and Spytek want to go down this road.
When the shutdown happened before Week 17, Crosby “vehemently disagreed” with the decision. With Glazer reporting the edge rusher’s displeasure with the Raiders’ decision, it is not too hard to connect dots here. A report then indicated Crosby would evaluate his future in Vegas, and a video of him playing basketball and jumping on a trampoline despite an injured knee represented a clear message to the Raiders. The team, which also placed Brock Bowers on IR before a Week 17 loss to the Giants, had incentive to lose and completed the mission — a goal Crosby did not share.
Glazer pointed to a Micah Parsons-like return for Crosby. Las Vegas two first-rounders would be a bit of a surprise considering Parsons was heading into his age-26 season. But, as referenced above, Crosby is signed through 2029 on a contract that has since been dwarfed by Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson. That would be attractive to contending teams.
A bidding war would obviously benefit the Raiders, but we have seen these situations resolved peacefully in the recent past. Myles Garrett went from saying he was done in Cleveland to signing a four-year, $160MM extension. With the Raiders already paying Crosby, money may not resolve this matter. But no trade request has emerged. The Raiders have also refused to part with Crosby at recent trade deadlines, with Mark Davis confirming his top player’s unavailability at the 2024 deadline. The Patriots and Seahawks asked about Crosby before his extension last year. It does appear now, however, that Raiders fans need to prepare for the prospect of one of the best defenders in franchise history being moved soon.
More Changes To Eagles’ Offensive Staff Expected
The Eagles are making some changes to their offensive coaching staff under new coordinator Sean Mannion.
Packers wide receivers coach Ryan Mahaffey is moving to Philadelphia as the Eagles’ new run game coordinator, per Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mahaffey is replacing former Eagles assistant Jeff Stoutland, who served as the team’s run game coordinator for the last eight seasons in addition to his role as offensive line coach.
The 38-year-old former fullback has worked closely with Green Bay’s receiving corps in the last two years; before that, he served as the team’s assistant offensive line coach (2022-2023) and offensive quality control coach (2021). Mahaffey will also take on the role of tight ends coach in Philadelphia.
The Eagles may also be moving on from quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler. If they do, Raiders quarterbacks coach and interim head coach Greg Olson is a likely candidate, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. He coached Mannion while he was on the Rams in 2017 and the Seahawks in 2023, his final year as a player.
Olson, 62, has a long history in the NFL with offensive coordinator stints with five teams and QBs coach jobs with three more. Most recently, he worked with Geno Smith in both Seattle and Las Vegas, Derek Carr (also in Vegas), and Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff in Los Angeles.
2026 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled
As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. Here is the full breakdown of the five-member class:
Drew Brees, quarterback (2001-20)
Chosen by the Chargers in the second round after they had traded down (via the Falcons) from No. 1 overall, Drew Brees joined LaDainian Tomlinson in what is now a two-Hall of Famer 2001 Bolts draft class. It took a while longer for Brees to join the superstar running back on that Canton path, but he found it in New Orleans. Brees did begin to turn his career around by 2004, when he guided the Chargers to their first playoff berth in eight years and made the Pro Bowl (no small feat with prime Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the AFC at the time) in 2004. A John Lynch sack in a Broncos-Chargers Week 17 game in 2005, however, changed multiple franchises’ fortunes.
The Chargers gave the reins to 2004 first-rounder Philip Rivers, leading Brees to free agency. A Dolphins-Saints duel developed. Dolphins doctors not expressing confidence in Brees’ shoulder led the then-Nick Saban-coached team to bow out, and the Saints gave Brees a five-year, $60MM deal with $20MM guaranteed. He outplayed that contract and the rest of the deals he signed.
Brees lasted 15 years as the Saints’ starter. The franchise entered the Brees era with one playoff win in 39 years; the Saints now have 10 postseason victories, with the QB’s retirement marking a clear line of demarcation for the NFC South franchise.
Brees joined first-year HC Sean Payton upon signing with the Saints and guided them to the 2006 NFC championship game. That season followed a 3-13 campaign overshadowed by Hurricane Katrina. While the Saints lost to the Bears in the NFC title game, Brees earned his first and only first-team All-Pro honor. One of the best players never to win an MVP award — Tomlinson claimed the 2006 prize after scoring an NFL-record 31 touchdowns — Brees still lapped the QB field in other areas. The 13-time Pro Bowler has five 5,000-yard passing seasons. No one else has more than two.
Brees broke Dan Marino‘s single-season passing yardage record in 2008 and topped that total in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016. Brees broke his own single-season yardage record with 5,476 in 2011. That Saints team, which featured Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston as Brees’ top pass catchers, still holds the single-season yardage record (7,474) despite the NFL moving to a 17-game season in 2021. While Manning broke Brees’ yardage record in 2013, the New Orleans staple took down the ex-Colts and Broncos icon’s career marks later in the 2010s.
The Saints won their only Super Bowl thanks largely to Brees’ contributions. They started 13-0 in 2009 and earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Two fourth-quarter Tracy Porter interceptions helped the Saints hold off the Vikings and Colts. Brees earned Super Bowl XLIV MVP honors in the team’s 31-17 victory, completing 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately for Brees, a string of brutal playoff losses followed that coronation.
On the wrong side of Beastquake, a shootout loss to the 49ers the following year, the Minneapolis Miracle, and an infamous uncalled pass interference sequence that prompted the NFL try replay review for the play burned the Saints. But Brees extended his prime into his late 30s and set multiple career records.
Still holding the single-season completion percentage record (74.4% in 2018), Brees set the career touchdown pass standard with No. 540 in 2019. He had broken Manning’s career yardage record early in the 2018 season. Brady eventually caught Brees in both categories, but it took the Patriots and Buccaneers legend more time to do so.
While Rivers came out of retirement to delay his Hall of Fame case by five years, Brees’ San Diego successor was not certain to be enshrined in this class. Brees has been a first-ballot lock for a long time, playing through his age-41 season. Brees signed five Saints contracts, including a five-year, $100MM extension in 2012 and a pair of two-year, $50MM pacts (2018, 2020). His 2012 offseason helped set a precedent for franchise-tagged players, with an arbitrator ruling the Saints tagging him that year counted as his second tag (as the Chargers had tagged him in 2005). This helped protect players who changed teams, as the two-tag rule applied to a career rather than just one team.
Roger Craig, running back (1983-93)
As Bill Walsh‘s West Coast Offense was gaining steam, a former Nebraska cog became a pivotal chess piece in the Hall of Fame coach’s fifth San Francisco season. With the 49ers from 1983-90, Roger Craig shined as a dual-threat running back. Playing some fullback early in his career, Craig transitioned to the lead RB in Joe Montana‘s offense. The senior candidate became the first player to post a 1,000-1,000 season, doing so in 1985. Craig rushed for 1,050 rushing yards and accumulated 1,016 receiving yards that season. He led the NFL in receptions that year and finished with 15 touchdowns.
The 49ers drafted Craig in the 1983 second round. The team had acquired Wendell Tyler from the Rams that offseason, but both backs totaled 176 carries in ’83. Tyler led the 49ers in rushing in 1984, but Craig punctuated that season with a three-touchdown Super Bowl XIX effort. Craig totaled 135 scrimmage yards in the 49ers’ rout of the Dolphins, one that cemented San Francisco’s ’84 iteration — an 18-1 team — as being among the greatest squads in NFL history. Craig commandeered lead RB duties in 1985 and held them for the rest of the decade.
Craig earned All-Decade acclaim for his 49ers contributions. Famous for a high-knee running style, Craig produced three 1,000-yard rushing seasons and four 500-plus-yard receiving slates. He rushed for a career-high 1,502 yards — 46 of those on this gem in Anaheim — in 1988, helping the 49ers as they held extended QB battle between Montana and Steve Young. Craig then assisted Montana to MVP honors in 1989 with his third 1,000-yard year.
While Craig finished his career with stints on the Raiders (1991) and Vikings (1992-93), he is best remembered as a 49er. He finished his career with 13,100 scrimmage yards and 73 TDs. Craig joins Montana, Young, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Fred Dean and Charles Haley as Walsh-era 49ers enshrined in Canton.
Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver (2004-20)
The Cardinals had already found a wide receiver gem in 2003, selecting Offensive Rookie of the Year Anquan Boldin in the second round. That came after the team chose Bryant Johnson in the 2003 first round. But Arizona did well to take the best player available a year later, nabbing Larry Fitzgerald third overall. Drafted at just 20, Fitzgerald played his entire career with the Cardinals. Like Brees, this involved a few short-term contracts. It also featured a then-record-setting wide receiver pact (seven years, $113MM) in 2011.
Fitzgerald is almost certainly the best player in the Cardinals’ 100-plus-year history. The surehanded pass catcher earned 11 Pro Bowl honors and landed on the 2010s’ All-Decade team. The three-time All-Pro did not have some of the advantages at quarterback many of his Hall of Fame peers did. The Cardinals struggled to find a reliable arm between the Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer tenures, and they missed on Josh Rosen in 2018. But Fitzgerald earned one his All-Pro honors between the Warner and Palmer years. The Palmer-Bruce Arians stretch revitalized the veteran receiver, but his career peak occurred with Warner and Ken Whisenhunt.
Although Cooper Kupp made a strong argument for best wide receiver postseason, Fitzgerald’s totals still reign supreme. The 6-foot-3 wideout’s 546 receiving yards during the 2008 playoffs lead the field by a healthy margin (Kupp’s 478 in 2021 ranks second).
Helping a 9-7 Cardinals team — one that ranked outside the top 20 in DVOA — to Super Bowl XLIII, Fitzgerald posted four 100-yard receiving games and caught a single-playoff-record seven touchdown passes. This included three in an Arizona NFC championship win over Philadelphia and two against a menacing Pittsburgh defense. Fitzgerald’s second Super Bowl TD — a 64-yard catch-and-run — gave the Cardinals a lead late in the fourth quarter. Their defense could not hold it, and Fitz did not advance to another Super Bowl.
The Cards did reach another NFC championship game, motoring to the 2015 third round after a franchise-record 13 wins. After three straight sub-1,000-yard seasons, Fitzgerald resurfaced with 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Playing more of a slot role under Arians, Fitzgerald made a considerable difference in the Cardinals’ divisional-round win over the Packers. After two miraculous Aaron Rodgers-to-Jeff Janis heaves forced overtime, Fitz denied the Pack a possession with a 75-yard sprint and a 5-yard shovel-pass TD.
Fitzgerald retired in second place in career receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492). Fitz is more than 100 catches north of third place all time (Tony Gonzalez) and he sits more than 1,500 yards ahead of third place on that list (Terrell Owens). A model teammate and among the most dependable players in NFL history, Fitzgerald is among a handful of wide receivers enshrined on the first ballot.
Luke Kuechly, linebacker (2012-19)
Joining Cam Newton in driving the Panthers to their highest peak, Luke Kuechly is the most decorated player in team history. The star middle linebacker finished his career with seven straight All-Pro accolades. Five of those were first-team honors, elevating Kuechly to a high place among off-ball linebackers of any era.
The Panthers chose Kuechly ninth overall out of Boston College in 2012. Despite the lofty investment in a non-rush ‘backer, Kuechly immediately rewarded the Panthers and distinguished himself as an all-around player. Viewed as a top-notch coverage LB, Kuechly led the NFL in tackles during his rookie season – en route to a Defensive Rookie of the Year runaway – and in 2014. In between, Kuechly interrupted J.J. Watt’s Defensive Player of the Year reign, claiming that honor by making 156 tackles (10 for loss) to go with four interceptions. The Panthers claimed the NFC’s No. 2 seed that season.
Although Newton’s outlier MVP season powered the Panthers to a 15-1 record and Super Bowl 50 in 2015, Kuechly gave that No. 1-ranked offense backing by leading a Sean McDermott’s defense to a sixth-place finish.
Given a then-top-market extension (five years, $61.79MM) during the 2015 offseason, Kuechly followed it up with a four-INT season that included a Derrick Brooks-like TD rate. Kuechly notched two pick-sixes during the regular season and added two more in the playoffs, taking INTs back for scores in wins over the Seahawks and Cardinals. He later sacked Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 50.
Concussion trouble prompted Kuechly to end his career early. He suffered three from 2015-17, with a 2016 head injury keying a shutdown. While Kuechly did not sustain any documented concussions during his final two seasons, he retired shortly after the ’19 season – at just 28. Kuechly was on pace to be one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history, and he maximized his truncated run in the NFL. Becoming one of the highest-profile athletes in any sport to cite concussions in retiring early, Kuechly joins only former Lions great Joe Schmidt as the only off-ball LBs to earn five first-team All-Pro honors by 28.
Adam Vinatieri, kicker (1996-2019)
The NFL’s all-time leading scorer, Adam Vinatieri made three of the most important field goals in league history. The 1996 Patriots UDFA played until age 47, being one of just four players – joining kickers Morten Andersen and Gary Anderson and QB/kicker George Blanda – in playing into his late 40s. Passing Andersen late during his Indianapolis stay, Vinatieri’s 2,673 points more than 700 clear of the closest active player’s total.
While Vinatieri made two Super Bowl walk-off shots to launch the Patriots’ dynasty, his most impressive make came two weeks before Super Bowl XXXVI. The South Dakota State alum drilled a 45-yarder in the final minute during a snowy divisional-round game against the Raiders. Better known for the infamous Tuck Rule decision, that game also featured a Vinatieri game-winner after his previous make forced overtime.
Vinatieri stayed with the Patriots for 10 seasons and made a key difference in the AFC’s defining rivalry of that period. After Mike Vanderjagt shanked a game-tying try to leave the Colts eliminated as the No. 1 seed in Round 2 of the 2005 playoffs, they let their longtime kicker walk in free agency and gave Vinatieri – franchise-tagged by the Patriots in 2005 – a five-year, $12MM deal. Vinatieri signed five more Colts contracts, doing so after helping the team beat the Patriots in the 2006 AFC championship game and then defeat the Bears in the rain in Super Bowl XLI.
The four-time Super Bowl winner earned three first-team All-Pro nods, the last of those coming at age 42 in 2014, and while his 83.8% connect rate sits just 39th among qualified options, kickers continue to become more accurate. No one who entered the NFL before Vinatieri ranks above him on the all-time accuracy list. The 24-year vet joins Blanda, Andersen, Lou Groza and Jan Stenerud as Hall of Fame kickers.
Here are the players, coaches and contributors among this year’s finalists contingent that were not enshrined:
- Ken Anderson, QB
- Willie Anderson, T
- Bill Belichick, coach
- Jahri Evans, G
- Frank Gore, RB
- L.C. Greenwood, DE
- Torry Holt, WR
- Robert Kraft, owner
- Eli Manning, QB
- Terrell Suggs, EDGE
- Reggie Wayne, WR
- Kevin Williams, DT
- Jason Witten, TE
- Darren Woodson, S
- Marshal Yanda, OL
Belichick will likely be enshrined in 2027, but his omission this year proved shocking. Spygate and a voting system that lumps coaches and contributors with senior candidates is believed to be behind Belichick missing out. This could lead to a change in how the Hall of Fame inducts coaches. The North Carolina HC, he of eight Super Bowl wins (two as Giants DC), did not come up for a coaching job this offseason.
Eli Manning missed out for a second year. With the induction process altered to raise the bar for Hall induction, the postseason Giants hero continues to see his spottier regular-season work keep him out of Canton. The wide receiver logjam has gripped Holt and Wayne for a bit as well. Holt has been on the ballot for over a decade, with Wayne nearing that point.
Witten, who delayed his Hall of Fame clock by two years upon unretiring in 2019, sits fourth all time in career catches but was denied first-ballot enshrinement. A semifinalist this year, Rivers stalled his clock by five after his shocking return to the Colts. Gore sits third on the all-time rushing list, but he was only a one-time All-Pro. Still, Gore’s nine 1,000-yard rushing seasons will surely generate induction down the road.
Suggs, Yanda and Willie Anderson were among the final seven candidates considered for the Hall this year, according to Panthers.com’s Darin Gantt. Since tackles for loss became an official stat in 1999, Suggs is the leader with 202. The former Defensive Player of the Year will need to wait a bit longer before joining ex-Ravens teammates Ed Reed and Ray Lewis in Canton.
Ditto Yanda, an 2010s All-Decade guard who joined Reed, Lewis and Suggs on Baltimore’s Super Bowl XLVII-winning 2012 team. Willie Anderson was one of the game’s best tackles during a banner era for the position, dominating at right tackle for the Bengals and Ravens. By making the final seven, Suggs, Yanda and Willie Anderson will be automatic 2027 finalists, Gantt adds.