Chargers To Hire OL Coach Butch Barry
The Chargers are starting to fill out Mike McDaniel‘s offensive staff, starting with his offensive line coach.
Butch Barry, who spent the last three years as the Dolphins’ offensive line coach, will take up the same position in Los Angeles, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. Barry previously worked with McDaniel as the 49ers’ assistant offensive line coach during McDaniel’s final season in San Francisco
In Miami, Barry worked closely with left tackle Patrick Paul and center Aaron Brewer in Miami, with both making noticeable improvements from 2024 to 2025, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Before that, he served as the Broncos’ offensive line coach in 2023 after a two-year stint in San Francisco.
Barry is replacing veteran offensive line coach Mike Devlin, who worked with the Jets’, Texans’ and Ravens’ offensive lines. Devlin worked under Greg Roman in Baltimore in 2022 and joined his staff in Los Angeles in 2024. The Chargers had one of the best tackle duos in the NFL in 2024, but when both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt suffered season-ending injuries this past season, the rest of the O-line was badly exposed. The interior spots – primarily held by Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, and Mekhi Becton – were already shaky, and losing the best bookends in the league proved too much to recover from. The Chargers allowed 60 sacks, the second-most of any team in 2025, and Justin Herbert suffered a few injuries as a result.
Barry will be tasked with improving the unit, which may prove difficult right away. The Chargers have not provided a timeline for Slater’s return, but the severity of his injury – a torn patellar tendon – could put his availability for 2026 in doubt. Alt’s timeline is similarly unclear, but his recovery from surgery to repair a high ankle sprain should not take as long. Alt can hold down the blind side until Slater gets back on the field, but Los Angeles will still need a right tackle during that period. They could also change out multiple interior offensive linemen – potentially all three – which will require Barry to identify and coach up replacements who fit in McDaniel’s scheme.
Ladell Betts, Tyke Tolbert Among Those Joining Dolphins’ Staff
A former NFL running back, Ladell Betts made his debut coaching in the league last season. The Giants employed the former Washington cog as its RBs coach in 2025, but he is heading to Florida.
The Dolphins will hire Betts for the same role, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Betts is among Jeff Hafley‘s new hires. Veteran wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert will be Miami’s new wideouts coach, per NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Zach Yenser is coming over from the Texans to be the Dolphins’ new offensive line coach, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson linked Yenser to Miami previously, and he adds the team is hiring Ryan Downard from the Packers as DBs coach.
Prior to Betts’ New York arrival, he coached RBs at his alma mater — Iowa — for four seasons. Betts, 46, spent the previous seven seasons coaching at the high school level. Betts was Clinton Portis‘ top backup for much of his Washington tenure, which lasted from 2002-09. He finished his career with the Saints in 2010.
Tolbert, 58, has been coaching wideouts in the NFL since 2003. He comes over after a two-year stint as Titans WRs coach. This will be Tolbert’s eighth gig coaching wideouts in the pros. Prior to the Titans, Tolbert coached Cardinals, Bills, Panthers, Broncos, Giants and Bears receivers from 2003-23. He has not previously worked with either Hafley or OC Bobby Slowik. Tolbert earned a Super Bowl ring while in Denver.
Hafley will bring Downard with him from Green Bay. Downard, 37, has ties to both Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan. The Packers had kept Downard on their staff through the Mike Pettine, Joe Barry and Hafley DC tenures. He oversaw Xavier McKinney‘s first-team All-Pro season in Hafley’s debut and helped Evan Williams prosper early as a fourth-round pick. Downard will also serve as Dolphins defensive pass-game coordinator, per ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky.
Yenser worked under Slowik in Houston, and he spent the past two seasons as the Texans’ assistant O-line coach. He had served as Kentucky’s O-line coach under Liam Coen in 2023. This will mark Yenser’s first shot at being an NFL O-line coach. Yenser also worked with Slowik in San Francsico.
Additionally, Wilson notes Sullivan is expected to bring at least one Packers scout with him immediately. The Dolphins are expected to hire Green Bay staffer Venzell Boulware. The former college lineman spent his final collegiate season (2018) at the University of Miami.
Jets Interview Brian Duker For DC
Add Dolphins pass game coordinator Brian Duker to a growing list of candidates for the Jets’ defensive coordinator position. The Jets have completed a virtual interview with Duker, per a team announcement.
[RELATED: Jets, OC Tanner Engstrand Part Ways]
Duker spent the past two seasons in Miami, where he worked under defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. With Weaver likely on his way out of Miami after the hiring of new head coach Jeff Hafley, the 36-year-old Duker may end up elsewhere in 2026 even if the Jets don’t hire him.
Before joining the Dolphins, Duker formed a rapport with Jets head coach Aaron Glenn while the two were on the same staff in Detroit. With Glenn serving as the Lions’ defensive coordinator, Duker held three different roles – defensive assistant, safeties coach and defensive backs coach – from 2021-23. Duker assisted in the development of safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch along the way.
Although Duker doesn’t have any play-calling experience in the NFL, it may not matter in this case. Glenn reportedly prefers to handle those duties himself, which could point to someone with little to no experience as a defensive coordinator serving in that role with the Jets next season.
Veteran DC Steve Wilks was at the helm for most of 2025, but Glenn fired him in mid-December. Defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Chris Harris took over for Wilks for the final three games of the season. The Jets’ immense struggles continued after that. In losses to the Saints, Patriots and Bills, they surrendered a total of 106 points.
New York’s defense, which said goodbye to cornerback Sauce Gardner and lineman Quinnen Williams in Nov. 4 trade deadline deals, ended the year 25th in yards and 31st in points. Worse, the Jets failed to record an interception.
Duker became the ninth candidate to interview for the Jets’ job. Here’s the rest of the list:
- Mathieu Araujo, cornerbacks coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed
- Chris Harris, interim defensive coordinator (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
- Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed
- Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Conducted second interview 1/24
- Jim O’Neil, defensive assistant/safeties (Lions): Interviewed
Dolphins Promote Bobby Slowik To OC
Newly hired Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley has found his offensive coordinator. The Dolphins are promoting senior passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik to the OC role, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
This will be the second NFL offensive coordinator job for the 38-year-old Slowik, who held the position with the Texans from 2023-24. Slowik got off to an auspicious start in Houston, which orchestrated an impressive turnaround under then-rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans.
The Texans’ offense finished 2023 11th in scoring and 14th in yards, helping the team to 10 wins and an AFC South title. Quarterback C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick in the 2023 draft, earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and a Pro Bowl nod.
On the heels of a successful first year in Houston, Slowik drew serious head coaching consideration in January 2024. The Panthers, Titans and Seahawks all interviewed Slowik, who emerged as a finalist for openings in Atlanta and Washington. Slowik didn’t get any of those jobs, but another strong offensive showing in 2024 may have convinced someone to hire him.
While the Texans put together a second straight 10-win, division-winning campaign last year, their offense took steps backward. With Stroud’s numbers declining to a noticeable degree, the Texans ranked an underwhelming 19th in scoring and 22nd in total offense. After the unit mustered a mere 14 points in a loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round, the Texans fired Slowik exactly one year ago today.
A couple of weeks after his Texans tenure ended, Slowik reunited with then-head coach Mike McDaniel in Miami. The two first worked together on Kyle Shanahan‘s staff in San Francisco from 2017-2021. Slowik spent the first two of those seasons in a defensive quality control post before joining McDaniel, then the 49ers’ run game coordinator, as an offensive assistant.
The Slowik addition didn’t do much to help the Dolphins in 2025. The team sputtered to a 7-10 record, ending McDaniel’s four-year run as its head coach. A feeble passing attack was among the reasons the Dolphins’ offense slumped to a 25th-place mark in points and ranked an even worse 26th in yards.
With quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at the helm for most of the year, the Dolphins had the game’s eighth-worst passing offense. During the sixth (and worst) year of his career, Tagovailoa finished 26th out of 28 qualifying passers in QBR and posted a mediocre 88.5 passer rating.
With Tagovailoa’s 15 interceptions leading the league through Week 15, McDaniel benched him for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers. Tagovailoa didn’t play again in 2025, and the Dolphins have since replaced McDaniel with Hafley and Frank Smith with Slowik.
Before the Dolphins promoted Slowik, the Eagles showed interest in him for their vacant OC gig. Landing that job would have given Slowik a chance to work with a more talented offense and a clear-cut starting quarterback in Jalen Hurts. The Dolphins have at least a couple of legitimate weapons in running back De’Von Achane and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, but the futures of Tagovailoa and wideout Tyreek Hill are up in the air as the offseason approaches.
Cardinals Schedule Second HC Interview With Anthony Weaver
Continuing a busy week, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has booked a second head coaching interview with the Cardinals, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. That meeting will take place Sunday.
Weaver held second head coaching interviews with the Ravens and Steelers earlier this week. The 45-year-old is also a candidate in Buffalo, which will discuss its open job with him today.
Weaver remains “very much in the mix” to end up as Mike Tomlin‘s successor in Pittsburgh, Peter Schrager of ESPN reports. However, after he wraps up his summit with the Bills, he’ll turn his attention back to Arizona.
Weaver joins Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile as the first two candidates to set up second interviews with the Cardinals. Unsurprisingly, Campanile is “firmly in the mix” to land the position, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Either Weaver or Campanile would be a second straight defensive-minded hire for Arizona, which is coming off a subpar three-year run with Jonathan Gannon at the controls. The Cardinals fired Gannon after he went 15-36 and posted a dreadful .294 winning percentage.
A defensive lineman with the Ravens and Texans from 2002-08, Weaver has garnered over a decade of experience as an NFL coach since his playing career ended. The two-time defensive coordinator (with the Texans in 2020 and the Dolphins since 2024) has managed mixed results in that role.
Houston’s Weaver-led defense ranked 27th in points and 30th in yards, and he didn’t keep the job for a second season after the Texans moved on from head coach Bill O’Brien and interim HC Romeo Crennel. Weaver then returned to his former stomping grounds in Baltimore, where he coached the defensive line under coordinators Wink Martindale and Mike Macdonald from 2021-23.
Weaver parlayed his work with the Ravens into a promotion in Miami, whose defense was a significant strength in his first season at the helm. The Dolphins finished fourth in total defense and 10th in scoring. Although they fell to 22nd and 24th in those respective categories in 2025, it’s clear teams aren’t holding that against Weaver.
Almost three weeks since Gannon’s ouster, here’s where the Cardinals’ HC search stands:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): To conduct in-person interview
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Patriots): Interview requested
- Matt Burke, defensive coordinator (Texans): Interviewed
- Anthony Campanile, defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Conducted second interview 1/22
- Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator (Packers): Interviewed 1/14
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Contacted
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10, considered “strong candidate”
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/10
- Mike LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/13
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Interviewed
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/15
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): To conduct second interview 1/25
Dolphins Interview Clint Hurtt For DC
As he works to assemble his first staff with the Dolphins, Jeff Hafley has identified Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt as a defensive coordinator candidate. The Dolphins have interviewed Hurtt for the position, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Hafley’s interest in Hurtt suggests incumbent Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is on his way out, which isn’t a surprise. Weaver is a candidate for a handful of head coaching jobs. If he doesn’t land any of those, he’ll likely serve as an assistant on another staff in 2026.
If Hurtt takes over for Weaver, it would represent a homecoming of sorts for the 47-year-old. Hurtt is a former Miami Hurricanes defensive tackle who began his coaching career there in 2003 as a graduate assistant.
After going on to coach defensive lines at Miami, FIU and Louisville, Hurtt got his start in the NFL as the Bears’ assistant D-line coach in 2014. He became the Bears’ outside linebackers coach the next season and stayed in Chicago through 2016.
Hurtt’s tenure in the Windy City led to prominent roles on Pete Carroll‘s staff in Seattle. He served as the Seahawks’ assistant head coach and DL coach from 2017-21, and then Carroll promoted him to defensive coordinator. The results left plenty to be desired, though. The Seahawks’ defense ranked 25th in scoring in back-to-back seasons under Hurtt. The unit also finished 26th in yards in 2022 and 30th in 2023.
With Mike Macdonald replacing Carroll as the Seahawks’ head coach in 2024, Hurtt joined coordinator Vic Fangio‘s defensive staff with the Eagles. Part of a Super Bowl-winning team in his first year in Philadelphia, Hurtt has overseen two straight Pro Bowl campaigns for Jalen Carter. Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo and Milton Williams (now a Patriot) are among other D-linemen who have held their own on Hurtt’s watch over the past couple of years.
Whether the Dolphins hire Hurtt or another candidate, Hafley has made clear that he will call defensive plays in 2026, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
“it’s really important to me,” Hafley said. “The details will be exactly how I want them.”
The Dolphins hired Hafley after a successful two-year stint as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator. The Packers were especially effective in 2024, when they ranked sixth in scoring defense and fifth in yards allowed. Hafley and his coordinator choice will have their work cut out in attempting to turn around a Miami defense that finished 24th and 22nd in those respective categories in 2025.
Dolphins Hire Chris Tabor As ST Coordinator, Kyle Smith As Assistant GM
A few days into his tenure as the Dolphins’ head coach, Jeff Hafley has made the first addition to his staff. The Dolphins have hired Chris Tabor as their special teams coordinator, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The 54-year-old Tabor is on his way to Miami after one season as AFC East rival Buffalo’s special teams coordinator. Tabor’s status with the Bills was uncertain after the club fired head coach Sean McDermott on Monday, but he’ll now become an ST coordinator with a fifth NFL team.
A coach at various colleges from 1993-2007, Tabor jumped to the pros as the Bears’ assistant ST coordinator in 2008. Dave Toub was then in charge of the unit, one that also had future Hall of Fame return man Devin Hester in the fold.
After three years working under Toub, Tabor ran the Browns’ ST unit from 2011-17. He and Hafley overlapped in Cleveland from 2014-15, when the latter was the Browns’ defensive backs coach.
Tabor returned to Chicago to lead its ST group from 2018-21, which preceded a two-year run in Carolina in the same role. He ended 2023 as the Panthers’ interim head coach, replacing the fired Frank Reich, but managed just one win in six games. Tabor didn’t coach anywhere in 2024.
With Tabor leading the Bills’ special teams in 2025, running back Ray Davis earned first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner. Pro Football Focus ranked the unit ninth overall this season, while the Dolphins checked in at 28th. Craig Aukerman is now out after just one season as Miami’s ST coordinator.
In addition to bringing in Tabor, the Dolphins made another notable hire on Friday. The team added Kyle Smith as its assistant general manager, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Smith, the son of former Chargers GM A.J. Smith, had been with the Falcons since 2021. The 41-year-old spent 2023-25 as the Falcons’ assistant GM under Terry Fontenot, whom they fired after the season. Smith will now team up with new Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Coaching Rumors: Cardinals, Kingsbury, Webb, 49ers, Falcons, Petzing, Lions, Fraley, Jaguars, Commanders
As the Steelers and Bills’ searches get underway, the Browns, Cardinals and Raiders’ processes have shifted into the background a bit. Two candidates (Mike McDaniel, Jesse Minter) pulled out of the Cleveland search, while Kevin Stefanski exited the Vegas derby. No known candidates have interviewed for the Arizona job and withdrawn, but insider Jordan Schultz still expects the NFC West team to have a difficult time attracting a quality candidate. Citing an organizational reputation in paying lower-end money to coaches, as evidenced most recently by Jonathan Gannon‘s bottom-tier HC salary, Schultz also points to the Cardinals’ standing in the NFC West as a deterrent to candidates. The division produced three playoff teams this season, and the Cards have not booked a postseason berth since 2021. They also carry a significant QB decision, with some of Kyler Murray‘s 2026 money guaranteed. It is not a lock Murray will be traded or released, but the next HC has a sketchier path to landing a successor due to this draft’s makeup.
Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:
- The Cardinals’ three-year OC, Drew Petzing, landed on his feet by winning the race for the Lions‘ play-calling post. Petzing can thank former Vikings coworker Hank Fraley, in no small part, for this job. Detroit’s O-line coach made a recommendation for Petzing, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who adds the Lions’ push to keep Fraley — an OC candidate last year — made his word valuable on this year’s carousel. The Lions wanted some familiarity in their hire, Breer adds. While Petzing has never worked with Dan Campbell, his past with Fraley helped. Detroit was burned by familiarity last year, as John Morton‘s second Lions stint did not work out. But they will try their hand with Arizona’s previous play-caller (and ex-Vikings Mike Zimmer-era staffer).
- Jeff Ulbrich intends to retain some of his staffers under Stefanski. The second-year Falcons DC appears set on keeping DBs coach Justin Hood. The 49ers requested a meeting with Hood for a high-ranking job, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, but the Falcons blocked it. (This would not have been for a DC job, as the Falcons could not block that.) Hood, 39, has only been in the NFL since 2021 and was not an Ulbrich hire. Hood was part of Jimmy Lake‘s defensive staff in 2024; prior to that, he was a three-year quality control coach with the Packers. But he is now an Atlanta priority.
- Davis Webb remains in the Raiders’ HC search and has been connected to the Bills, impressing in interviews. The third-year Broncos QBs coach cannot complete another interview until next week, but a potential pairing with an OC has come up. Webb linking up with Kliff Kingsbury has circulated as a possibility, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. This would be interesting given the experience disparity, as Kingsbury was Webb’s coach at Texas Tech. Webb, 30, played under Kingsbury, 46, for three seasons in Lubbock before transferring to Cal in 2016. Kingsbury is no longer in the running for any HC jobs but has been linked to the Ravens and Titans’ OC posts.
- The Commanders are making another key promotion on their offensive staff. Darnell Stapleton, part of Dan Quinn‘s first two staffs, is moving up to the offensive line coach position, ESPN’s Dan Graziano tweets. Stapleton, 40, spent the past two years as Washington’s assistant O-line coach. That was his first NFL job, having come to the NFL after two seasons as Florida’s O-line coach. Stapleton has worked closely with new OC David Blough since coming to D.C., per Graziano. Shane Toub is moving into Stapleton’s former position. The son of longtime Chiefs ST coordinator Dave Toub, Shane spent the past three seasons as a quality control staffer. Dan Quinn kept him from Ron Rivera‘s final staff and is now promoting him to a position coaching role.
- The Jaguars are hiring Dolphins cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Among the Jets’ DC candidates, Araujo evidently will not land that job. Araujo reunites with former Dolphins coworker Anthony Campanile, though the Jags’ current DC is still up for the Cardinals’ HC job. Araujo was on all four McDaniel Miami staffs, three of those including Campanile.
Dolphins Request OC Interview With Texans QBs Coach Jerrod Johnson
The Dolphins have requested to interview Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson for their offensive coordinator vacancy, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
This is the first official interview request for Johnson, though he is drawing from other teams as well, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. The 37-year-old is a former quarterback who spent time with seven NFL teams, though he never appeared in a regular-season game.
After ending his playing career in 2016, Johnson took coaching fellowships with the 49ers (2017) and the Colts (2019). The latter opportunity turned into a full-time job as an offensive quality control coach. Johnson then took over as the assistant quarterbacks coach in Minnesota in 2022 before moving to Houston to develop first-round pick C.J. Stroud in 2023.
Stroud’s rookie season is certainly a feather in Johnson’s cap, but his regression over the last two years offers some reason for concern. Stroud has taken a step back in nearly every statistical category from his rookie season, though he only took 23 sacks in 2025 after 90 in his first two seasons.
The Dolphins also submitted a request to interview Cowboys assistant special teams coach Carlos Polk for their special teams coordinator vacancy, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Polk has held his current title with five different NFL teams dating back to 2010. This is his second stint in Dallas; he worked under Jason Garrett in 2019 before joining Brian Schottenheimer‘s staff last offseason.
Titans Seeking Experienced OC
Almost every head coaching candidate the Titans spoke to had experience in the position at the NFL level. Robert Saleh‘s staff will unsurprisingly target a veteran play-caller on offense as well. 
So far, the Titans have been connected to former head coaches Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll with respect to their offensive coordinator position. Daboll’s top OC destination appears to be Tennessee, although he is also interested in returning to the Bills as their head coach. The list of Titans targets is set to expand shortly.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Tennessee’s options include former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Packers OC Adam Stenavich and Dolphins pass-game coordinator Bobby Slowik. Each have them has been a coordinator at the pro level before, and all but Stenavich have called plays during at least one NFL stint.
Kingsbury has conducted multiple head coaching interviews recently, and he was among the staffers linked to Tennessee in that regard. The former Cardinals HC also met with the Ravens about their offensive coordinator position. Without a hire taking place on either front, Kingsbury remains on the market at this point. His NFL stints have included time overseeing the development of quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels, and working closely with Cam Ward during his second year and beyond will be a top priority for any OC hire.
Smith also met with the Titans early in their head coaching search. The 43-year-old was then linked to OC vacancies in Detroit and Los Angeles. The Lions and Chargers (provided Mike McDaniel does not land a head coaching position) have filled them, however. Smith thus looms as another offensive coordinator option with experience not only as a play-caller but as a head coach as well.
Slowik, 39, followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco to Houston in 2023. During his two seasons as the Texans’ offensive coordinator, Slowik’s unit ranked 13th and then 19th in scoring. He received an interview request from the Eagles, but one could also be coming shortly from the Titans. Stenavich has been with the Packers since Matt LaFleur‘s arrival in 2019. For the past four seasons, he has operated as Green Bay’s offensive coordinator (albeit without calling plays).
The Titans ranked 30th in total and scoring offense in 2025. Improving on the team’s showing under former head coach Brian Callahan and interim replacement Mike McCoy will be a major priority for next season, and a veteran OC will likely be leaned on to lead the way.