HEADLINES

Lou Anarumo

Bengals LB Coach James Bettcher Likely Successor To DC Lou Anarumo

July 2nd, 2023 at 11:29am CST by Rory Parks

Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo interviewed for the Giants’ head coaching job in 2022 and was a finalist for the Cardinals’ HC post this year. After a lengthy search process, Arizona chose Jonathan Gannon for the position, so Anarumo will return to Cincinnati for the upcoming campaign. Nonetheless, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic predicts that the 56-year-old will be a prominent member of next year’s coaching cycle (subscription required).

Should Anarumo leave the Bengals to become a head coach elsewhere in 2024, Dehner believes linebackers coach James Bettcher would most likely step into his shoes as Cincy’s DC. There are a number of reasons why that would be a logical move.

For one, a Bettcher promotion would represent schematic continuity, as he will have two years of experience working on Anarumo’s Bengals staff by the time the 2023 season comes to an end. And he also offers defensive coordinator experience himself, having served in that capacity with the Cardinals and Giants last decade.

During Bettcher’s tenure as Arizona’s DC from 2015-17, the club never finished outside of the top-six in total defense, a performance that earned Bettcher a head coaching interview in the desert following the 2017 season. That job ultimately went to Steve Wilks, and although Wilks reportedly offered Bettcher a chance to stay in his post, Bettcher accepted the Giants’ defensive coordinator position instead (he also received an offer from the Titans).

Bettcher’s time with Big Blue did not go according to plan, as the team finished in the bottom-10 in total defense in both of his seasons at the helm. In fairness, New York was not operating with much defensive talent at the time, particularly in the linebacking corps and secondary, which undermined Bettcher’s aggressive approach to play-calling. When Joe Judge became the Giants’ HC in 2020, he did not retain Bettcher, who sat out that season before taking a job as a senior defensive assistant with the 49ers in 2021.

Now 45, Bettcher joined the Bengals in his current role in 2022, a season that saw starting LBs Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt turn in the best performances of their careers. Cincinnati, of course, has emerged as an AFC heavyweight over the past several seasons, and while the Joe Burrow-led offense deservingly gets most of the credit for that development, the defense has steadily improved since Anarumo’s appointment as defensive coordinator in 2019. Last season, although the Bengals finished in the middle of the pack in terms of total defense, they did allow the sixth-fewest points per game and finished just outside the top-10 in takeaways.

If Anarumo’s unit continues its upward trajectory, or at least sustains its current level of performance, it stands to reason that he would generate more HC interest, and that the Bengals would want to promote a familiar and experienced candidate in Bettcher. Of course, the team would need to comply with Rooney Rule requirements before such a move could be made official.

2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

February 14th, 2023 at 1:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year, 10 NFL teams hired new head coaches. Following the Panthers, Broncos and Texans’ hires, this year’s vacancy count sits at two. Last year’s Saints and Buccaneers moves, however, showed these job openings can emerge at unexpected points.

Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:

Updated 2-14-23 (1:30pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Latest On Cardinals, Jonathan Gannon

February 13th, 2023 at 2:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cardinals paused their ongoing head coach search during Super Bowl weekend, but appear to have a list of finalists in place for the position. One of those is Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who is now free to meet with prospective employers with the Super Bowl in the books.

It was reported yesterday morning that the Cardinals were expected to request an interview with the 39-year-old. A follow-up later in the day seemed to point to Gannon not only being a candidate for the posting, but the one in the driver’s seat to be hired. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Gannon is expected to interview today.

The Cardinals had their search pared down to three candidates recently: Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores. The latter took the Vikings’ DC position last week, thus taking himself out of the running to become the new coach in the desert. That left many presuming the other two would be the only remaining contenders, but Gannon’s presence has changed the situation.

Schefter’s colleague Josh Weinfuss reports that the Cardinals have “focused” their resumed search on Anarumo and Gannon (Twitter link). While he emphasizes that Kafka should be considered out of the running altogether, that update underscores how highly-regarded Gannon is by an Arizona front office which is now led by general manager Monti Ossenfort alongside owner Michael Bidwill.

Gannon only has two years of coordinator experience, but his success in 2022 in particular makes him a logical candidate for a HC position. The Eagles were dominant in a number of categories as both their front seven and secondary helped guide the team to the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a trip to the Super Bowl. The performance of Gannon’s unit in the second half of the title game in particular was far from stellar, but he is still likely to be on the head coaching radar in the years to come should he not land the Cardinals position.

Weinfuss adds that a final decision on Arizona’s next head coach could come as soon as tonight, so much will depend on Gannon’s interview. None of the three finalists are considered candidates for the Colts’ vacancy, so the runners-up will be in position to remain in their current roles for the 2023 season.

Latest On Cardinals Coaching Search

February 10th, 2023 at 6:56pm CST by Ben Levine

FEBRUARY 10: Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill confirmed that the team’s new head coach will not be unveiled until after the Super Bowl. He said, via team reporter Darren Urban, that he and the front office will “pause throughout the rest of the weekend” and resume the search on Monday.

“We’re excited about the great progress we have made,” Bidwill said. “Every bit of advice as been ‘take your time’ and we have. I’m sure there are some frustrations with some of our fans, but we want to make the right decision, not the fastest decision.”

With only two known candidates remaining, it comes as little surprise that Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds he expects Arizona’s search process to “accelerate” after the Super Bowl has completed (video link). Barring a surprising hire being announced this weekend, Arizona will join Indianapolis in not having their new bench boss in place until the offseason has begun league-wide.

FEBURARY 8: There haven’t been many updates on the Cardinals’ head coaching search…besides the organization learning that they missed out on one of their top finalists. We learned recently that Brian Flores had backed out of the heading coaching race and would join the Vikings as their new defensive coordinator. That left Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as Arizona’s final two candidates.

[RELATED: 2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Since the Giants and the Bengals are out of the playoffs, the Cardinals could sign either of the coaches immediately. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the organization isn’t expected to make a hire until after the Super Bowl. Cardinals reporter Mike Jurecki says “word on the street” is that the organization will hold a press conference announcing their new head coach next Tuesday.

The Cardinals may simply be taking their sweet time by delaying their inevitable hire of Kafka or Anarumo. However, the fact that they’re delaying the hiring until after the Super Bowl at least opens the door to them considering candidates from the Eagles and Chiefs coaching staffs. As our Head Coaching Tracker shows, the Cardinals haven’t interviewed any coaches from these two teams.

With new general manager Monti Ossenfort now running the front office, any of Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, or Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo could suddenly emerge as a serious candidate. However, unless the organization had some unreported meeting with any of these coaches, it seems unlikely that they’d complete an interview and a hiring with a new candidate in only a matter of days (assuming the Tuesday press conference is accurate).

While Arizona has yet to hire a head coach, they have made one addition to the coaching staff. According to Jurecki (on Twitter), the organization is expected to hire Brant Boyer. The 51-year-old coach has spent the past seven years as the Jets’ special teams coordinator, and he’d presumably be taking on the same role in Arizona. Jeff Rodgers has served as the Cardinals’ special teams coordinator since 2019.

Lou Anarumo, Mike Kafka Set For Second Cardinals HC Interviews

February 4th, 2023 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

The first known finalists for Arizona’s head coaching vacancy have emerged. The Cardinals are set to meet for a second time with Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka (Twitter links via Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

Anarumo, 56, has been in Cincinnati since 2019, a spot which gave him his second career DC opportunity. His role in helping the Bengals emerge as AFC heavyweights over the past two seasons has increasingly been brought to the attention of the NFL community, as the 2023 coaching cycle continues. Anarumo’s unit surrendered the sixth-fewest points in the regular season in 2022, earning him and Bengals OC Brian Callahan interviews with the Cardinals this past week.

Most of the candidates named in Arizona’s search to date have a background on the defensive side of the ball. The Cardinals fielded the league’s second-worst scoring defense in 2022, and its roster turnover this offseason will include future Hall of Fame edge rusher J.J. Watt not returning. Immediately following the announcement of Kliff Kingsbury‘s firing, DC Vance Joseph was mentioned as a serious candidate to replace him. Several external candidates have been interviewed since, however, including Anarumo. The latter will meet virtually with new general manager Monti Ossenfort on Friday, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (Twitter link).

No timetable is yet known for Kafka’s interview, though it too will take place via Zoom. The 35-year-old took on an OC position for the first time in 2022, when he joined Brian Daboll‘s first Giants staff. His work as a QBs coach in Kansas City put him on the coordinator radar, though it still came as a surprise when he was given play-calling duties. That move paid dividends for Big Blue, as the Giants shattered expectations en route to a run to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Kafka has interviewed with four of the five teams which entered this offseason in need of a new coach, underscoring his perceived value around the league. He met with the Texans for a second time last month, though Houston has since made the expected move of hiring DeMeco Ryans as their new bench boss. With a second interview now on tap with Arizona, though, the possibility remains that he could land a HC job to cap off his noteworthy rise.

With the second round of their HC search set to begin soon, here is the updated breakdown of the Cardinals’ interview process:

Cardinals Request HC Interviews With Lou Anarumo, Brian Callahan, Mike Kafka

January 30th, 2023 at 2:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

2:45pm: In addition to Anarumo and Callahan, the Cardinals are set to meet with Giants OC Mike Kafka, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). That makes Arizona the fourth team to show interest in him, a testament to how quickly he has risen up the ranks in league circles despite his relative lack of experience. The 35-year-old’s time as a coordinator began this past season, his first with the Giants. His success in leading the team to the divisional round to the playoffs may not be enough to land him a HC gig this year, but it will keep him squarely on the radar for years to come. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets that Kafka’s interview will take place tomorrow.

12:08pm: The Bengals’ success in 2022 led to increasing calls for each of the team’s top assistants to receive head coaching interest. One day after their loss in the AFC title game, both of Zac Taylor‘s most well-respected lieutenants have received requests for interviews.

The Cardinals are seeking an interview with both defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan (Twitter links via Peter Schrager and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). The former began his NFL coaching career in 2012 as a DBs coach with the Dolphins. He held that role throughout his six-year tenure there, operating as interim DC in 2015.

That led him to the Giants for a single season, then his first full-time coordinator gig with the Bengals in 2019. Like Taylor’s rookie campaign as a bench boss, that season saw the team put up underwhelming numbers. However, Cincinnati’s defense showed improvement from one year to the next in terms of both yards and points allowed. In 2022, the Bengals ranked 16th and sixth, respectively, in those categories.

Given their continued improvement under Anarumo, eyebrows were raised in the early part of this year’s head coaching cycle that no interest was shown in him. Teams have, traditionally, slanted towards offensive candidates though a number of highly-regarded defensive assistants have represented exceptions to that general rule. Anarumo could become the latest such example, as the Cardinals look for a significant step forward defensively in 2023 and beyond.

Callahan, likewise, has flown under the radar relative to several other candidates with an offensive background. The 38-year-old was installed as Cincinnati’s OC as part of Taylor’s initial staff in 2019, following time spent as an assistant with the Broncos, Lions and Raiders. His first coordinator role has been marked by a slow start in terms of production, but a sharp turnaround in recent years with the Bengals assembling one of the top offenses in the league.

Callahan has seen his unit deliver top-10 scoring performances for each of the past two seasons; the Bengals also had an elite showing in terms of yardage in 2022, ranking eighth in that department. Callahan has helped guide the development of the team’s young nucleus on offense, a group led by quarterback Joe Burrow, wideouts Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, and running back Joe Mixon. Their shared success earned Callahan a HC interview with the Colts earlier this month.

It was reported yesterday that the Cardinals are narrowing their list of candidates for second interviews in the event Sean Payton is not acquired. That makes the inclusion of Anarumo and Callahan somewhat surprising, given how late in the process the team appears to be. Nevertheless, the pair are free to interview with Arizona – or any other interested team – at any time.

Here is an updated look at the Cardinals’ HC search:

Panthers’ Post-Rhule Fallout: Termination, Replacement, Trades

October 10th, 2022 at 10:04pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL news circuit was set ablaze today when news broke of the firings of Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow. The termination of Rhule was not necessarily a surprise, as he’s been firmly on the hot seat all year and the possibility of firing Rhule had been discussed “well before” today, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, but it did create a newsworthy fallout of information that is of interest to those who follow the sport.

Many have talked about the contract implications of Rhule’s termination, alluding to the millions of dollars still remaining on his contract. While it’s completely applicable to Rhule’s situation, it doesn’t sound like it is a concern to Carolina. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted out that “Carolina is on the hook for this season, but the salaries for the ensuing seasons are offset by what his future college job pays him.” Essentially, Rhule will absolutely get his guaranteed money, but the onus won’t be on Carolina to pay it. Whenever Rhule, who is presumed to be a top college coaching candidate for next year, gets another job, his salary from the new school will offset the amount the Panthers owe him.

It was also announced that Panthers defensive passing game coordinator & secondary coach Steve Wilks will sub in as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The defensive-minded former head coach of the Cardinals has apparently already begun to make the team his own. When Panthers owner David Tepper was asked why Snow was fired, he reportedly pointed the finger at Wilks, telling reporters to direct that question to the interim head coach, according to ESPN’s David Newton.

Here are a few more fallout items from today, starting with some ideas on Rhule’s replacement:

  • The biggest nugget to come out of today concerning Carolina is that, as most NFL executives expected Rhule to lose his job, many in league circles are expecting the Panthers to start dealing veteran assets in an attempt to accrue draft capital that might make the head coaching position more attractive, according to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post. The Panthers currently only hold four draft picks for 2023: first-, second-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks, supporting the idea that trading away veterans could improve their current situation. Trading away veterans with expensive contracts, such as star running back Christian McCaffrey or wide receiver Robbie Anderson, could prove troublesome, according to La Canfora, so the Panthers are reportedly willing to eat some of those salaries in order to facilitate moving those assets. Early reports claimed that the Bills have reached out about McCaffrey and that they did in the offseason, as well, according to Person, but Tom Pelissero of NFL Network clarified that, while every team will be calling about McCaffrey, the Panthers haven’t engaged in any trade talks yet. In addition to McCaffrey and Anderson, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports expects wide receiver D.J. Moore, defensive end Brian Burns, and defensive tackle Derrick Brown to be on the table.
  • Jeff Howe of The Athletic posed the question today of who might replace Rhule and offered quite a few suggestions. Howe started the list with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who took the Falcons to the Super Bowl as head coach in 2016. Next, he mentioned 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. Ryans interviewed for the Vikings’ job this offseason and was expected to interview for the Raiders’, as well. The 38-year-old has rocketed up coaching boards since retiring as a player in 2015. Another name mentioned was Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon who also interviewed for the Vikings last year, in addition to the Texans and Broncos. Howe went into great detail on every candidate, seeming to list anybody who may be up for a head coaching job in the next few seasons. His list included former NFL head coaches including the retired Sean Payton, Steelers senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, as well as the current interim head coach, Wilks. Other serious candidates Howe mentioned were Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The list essentially devolved into an article about anybody who may make the jump to NFL head coach in the next few seasons, pointing out “wait and see” candidates such as Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, and Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale.
  • One interesting name that came out of today’s rumors was former Panthers All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly. Joe Person of The Athletic advised that an eye be kept on Kuechly, who remains close with Wilks and new defensive coordinator Al Holcomb, to come back in some capacity. After retiring from a pro scout position last year, Kuechly has been working as an analyst on Panthers radio broadcasts.

Bengals Planning Zac Taylor Extension

February 8th, 2022 at 2:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

In charge of one of the longest-odds Super Bowl entrants in NFL history, Zac Taylor has transformed his career this season. The third-year Bengals HC has gone from the hot seat to extension candidate.

The Bengals are indeed preparing to give their young coach a new contract, with Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reporting the surprise Super Bowl team is planning to extend Taylor soon after Sunday’s game.

The ex-Sean McVay disciple was 6-25-1 as a head coach coming into this season and had only a partial year of NFL OC work (with the 2015 Dolphins) under his belt. Rumors about Taylor’s firing emerged, but Mike Brown opted to keep his play-caller for a third season. Taylor’s offense took a significant step forward, and Joe Burrow‘s ACL recovery went historically well — despite the burgeoning-superstar quarterback leading the NFL in sacks taken — to the point the Bengals have reached the third Super Bowl in franchise history.

Taylor’s offense features Burrow and near-lock Offensive Rookie of the Year winner Ja’Marr Chase, with Tee Higgins taking a step forward as well. Burrow and his skill-position troops compensated for Cincinnati’s below-average O-line, which the AFC champions will surely aim to bolster in the offseason. Cincinnati’s offense ranked seventh in scoring this season — the team’s highest mark since 2015.

At 38, Taylor is one of the youngest coaches in Super Bowl history. The Bengals, of course, have a track record of patience with their head coaches. Most notably, Brown gave Marvin Lewis 16 seasons — far more than most expected — after the latter turned the team around in the 2000s.

Cincinnati is also planning to keep most of Taylor’s staff. Extensions are in the works for several assistants, per Wilson, who notes wide receivers coach Troy Walters, linebackers coach Al Golden, D-line coach Marion Hobby and tight ends coach James Casey are among those set to receive new deals. Re-ups for DC Lou Anarumo and OC Brian Callahan should be expected as well. Each received moderate interest on this year’s coaching carousel, with Anarumo interviewing with the Giants and Callahan with the Broncos — former employers for each — and no other teams.

2022 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

February 6th, 2022 at 10:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Last year, seven NFL teams opted to make a head coaching change. Sean Payton stepping away from the Saints created nine full-time vacancies available this year.

Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:

Updated 2-7-22 (1:45pm CT)

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Giants Interview Lou Anarumo For HC Post

January 23rd, 2022 at 10:07am CST by Rory Parks

The Giants are interviewing Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo for their vacant head coaching position today, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). This appears to be the first time Anarumo has ever generated HC interest.

Anarumo, 55, began his coaching career as the RB coach at Wagner College in 1989, and he joined the NFL ranks over 20 years later, becoming the Dolphins’ defensive backs coach in 2012. He was briefly promoted to defensive coordinator partway through the 2015 season and resumed his role as DB coach for the 2016-17 campaigns under Adam Gase.

He served in that same capacity for the Giants in 2018 before being hired as the Bengals’ DC in 2019. When he took the job, Cincinnati was coming off a season in which it finished dead-last in total defense. In his first two years working under head coach Zac Taylor, the Bengals still fielded bottom-10 defenses, and Anarumo’s unit wasn’t much better in 2021 in terms of yards allowed. However, the defense did perform well this year when it mattered most, including last night’s divisional round win over the Titans, which featured three interceptions of Tennessee QB Ryan Tannehill.

Anarumo, a New York native, has ties to the organization that go beyond his one year as DB coach. He and Big Blue’s new GM, Joe Schoen, spent a few years together with the Dolphins, and while Schoen’s connections to other head coach candidates — namely, Bills OC Brian Daboll and DC Leslie Frazier — are more recent and probably more meaningful, the new top exec clearly sees something in Anarumo worth exploring.

Here’s an updated list of the Giants’ HC candidates:

Load More Posts