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Michael Hodges

2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

February 9th, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a crowded carousel previously stopped, the 49ers opened their defensive coordinator position. Here is how the NFC champions’ search looks:

Updated 3-2-24 (10:00am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dave Ragone)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Ken Dorsey)

  • Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Bills): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed

Carolina Panthers (Out: Thomas Brown)

  • Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
  • Brad Idzik, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Luke Getsy)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Brian Callahan)

  • Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
  • Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Promoted

Cleveland Browns (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Mick Lombardi)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Kellen Moore)

New England Patriots (Out: Bill O’Brien)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Pete Carmichael)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Brian Johnson)

  • Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/23
  • Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Matt Canada)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Shane Waldron)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Dave Canales)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Tim Kelly)

  • Nick Holz, passing game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Eric Studesville, associate head coach/running backs coach (Dolphins): Interview requested

Washington Commanders (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): On team’s radar
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Hired

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Mike Macdonald)

  • Zach Orr, inside linebackers coach (Ravens): Promoted

Buffalo Bills

  • Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Promoted
  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview

Chicago Bears (Out: Alan Williams)

  • Joe Barry, former defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/27
  • Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): To interview
  • Eric Washington, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Bills): Hired
  • Terrell Williams, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Titans): To interview

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Dan Quinn)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Joe Barry)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Mike Caldwell)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Derrick Ansley)

  • Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Hired

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Raheem Morris)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Vic Fangio)

New England Patriots

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Promoted
  • Michael Hodges, linebackers coach (Saints): To interview
  • Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach (Panthers): To interview
  • Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Don Martindale)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Sean Desai)

  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Vic Fangio, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
  • Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/22

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
  • Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
  • David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
  • Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Promoted
  • Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Clint Hurtt)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Shane Bowen)

  • Brandon Lynch, cornerbacks coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/30
  • Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Hired

Washington Commanders (Out: Jack Del Rio)

  • Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Considered a candidate
  • Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Hired

Patriots To Interview Broncos’ Christian Parker, Saints’ Michael Hodges For DC

January 19th, 2024 at 8:43am CST by Sam Robinson

Two coaches on Sean Payton‘s staffs will meet with the Patriots about their defensive coordinator position. Broncos DBs coach Christian Parker and Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges will meet about the gig, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport note.

Often reluctant to hand out titles during Bill Belichick‘s run, the Patriots have not gone into a season with a pure DC on their staff since Matt Patricia‘s initial departure following Super Bowl LII. Brian Flores and Jerod Mayo have operated as de facto Pats DCs, with an obvious assist from Belichick, since Patricia left for Detroit’s HC job. Mayo appears ready to change the team’s policy regarding the position.

Parker, 32, is among the few coaches held over from previous Broncos staffs. Payton thought enough of the Vic Fangio-era hire to interview him for the DC job that ended up going to Vance Joseph last year. This will, then, mark Parker’s second meeting about an NFL DC post. That meeting will occur today, per Pelissero.

The only Broncos assistant kept from the Fangio staff, Parker has been the Broncos’ DBs coach for the past three seasons. That tenure overlaps with Patrick Surtain‘s three-year career. Both Surtain and Justin Simmons have earned All-Pro recognition under Parker, who came over from Green Bay in 2021. Denver also coaxed production from new starters P.J. Locke and Ja’Quan McMillian, the latter a rookie UDFA slot corner, this season.

This does mark Hodges’ first DC interview. A Payton hire back in 2018, Hodges, 37, has been in place as New Orleans’ linebackers coach since 2020. The Saints have deployed Demario Davis as one of the NFL’s most versatile linebackers during Hodges’ span as the position coach. Davis has earned first- or second-team All-Pro acclaim in five straight seasons, totaling at least 105 tackles and 20 combined sacks during Hodges’ four years leading the position group. As a whole, the Saints have ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense during each of Hodges’ seasons in his current role.

Parker and Hodges accompany Panthers outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu as candidates for this position. Parker’s Broncos interview represents this trio’s only previous meeting about a DC post, with Mayo opting for up-and-coming candidates thus far. Patriots defensive reliability has been one of this century’s NFL hallmarks. The Belichick-led unit ranked as a top-15 scoring defense 21 times in his 24-season tenure, finishing as a top-10 unit in 18 of those years.

Staff Notes: Giants, Pats, Saints, Broncos

February 24th, 2020 at 9:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Judge will turn to another team’s staff to add a key assistant. The new Giants HC is hiring Buccaneers assistant special teams coach Amos Jones to his staff, Tom Rock of Newsday reports. Jones was on the Mississippi State staff during part of Judge’s tenure in Starksville as a player and graduate assistant, and Rock notes the 60-year-old assistant will play myriad roles for Judge. Jones will act as Judge’s right-hand man during game days, helping with in-game strategy, while aiding with analytics and in-week planning as well. Jones has worked in the NFL since 2007, but this appears a more diverse job description compared to the special teams roles he’s previously held in the league. From 2012-18, Jones served as the ST coordinator for the Steelers, Cardinals and Browns. He caught on with Bruce Arians again in Tampa but will join former pupil Judge in New York.

Here is the latest from the coaching/staffing realm:

  • The Saints lost linebackers coach Mike Nolan to the Cowboys, who hired him as defensive coordinator. New Orleans will fill the vacancy on its defensive staff by promoting Michael Hodges to LBs coach, the team announced. Previously the Saints’ assistant linebackers coach, Hodges has spent three seasons in New Orleans. The first two came as a defensive assistant.
  • Dante Scarnecchia cannot seem to stay away. After retiring for the second time in six years, the acclaimed Patriots offensive line coach is at the Combine representing the team, Michael Giardi of NFL.com tweets. The 72-year-old coach retired last month. During his first retirement — which lasted from 2014-15 — Scarnecchia still helped the Pats with scouting.
  • The Broncos and analytics director Mitch Tanney will part ways, Mike Klis of 9News notes. Tanney’s exit follows that of director of football administration Mike Sullivan‘s January exit. The Broncos hired longtime CAA agent Rich Hurtado to replace Sullivan, but Klis adds Tanney’s replacement will likely come from within. The five-year Broncos staffer could have a new gig lined up, with the Denver Post’s Ryan O’Halloran tweeting Tanney may have a bigger role with another team on tap.

Bengals Notes: Eifert, Staff, O-Line

February 24th, 2019 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Tyler Eifert has been one of the most injury-riddled players in the NFL over the past few seasons, he may still have an avenue back to Cincinnati. The Bengals may be able to bring him back on a cheaper, incentive-laden deal than the one he signed last year, Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Eifert decided between the Bengals and Rams last year, and with Zac Taylor coming from Los Angeles to Cincinnati, he may view Eifert as a possible target. Eifert received more than $4MM last year but did not trigger any performance incentives. The 28-year-old tight end posted a workout video on Twitter recently, showing he has made significant strides since breaking his ankle last season. Eifert, though, has missed an astounding 34 games since his 2015 Pro Bowl season. His previous backups, Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah, are also free agents. So, the Bengals will have to make a few moves to solidify this position this offseason. Jared Cook, Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Jeff Heuerman highlight a thin tight end free agent group.

Here is the latest from southwest Ohio:

  • The Bengals are interested in giving Saints defensive assistant Michael Hodges a promotion. The team submitted a request to interview Hodges for its vacant linebackers coach position, Alex Marvez of Sirius XM Radio tweets. A two-year New Orleans staffer, Hodges primarily works under Mike Nolan in working with linebackers. Nolan and Saints DC Dennis Allen were linked to the Bengals’ now-filled DC job, but the franchise clearly likes what the Saints have done to revamp their defense. The Bengals were also interested in Chargers assistant defensive line coach Eric Henderson, a Bengal from 2006-08, but he accepted a job with the Rams instead, Marvez adds (via Twitter).
  • While the Bengals have a new coaching staff, which is still being filled out, their front office remains unchanged. That will mean a similar approach in free agency. The Bengals are not expected to be players for big-name UFAs, Dehner notes. Cincinnati is one of the more conservative franchises on this front, but Dehner does expect more roster changes than the team has seen in recent years. This may mean being connected to second-tier free agents. With a new coach in place for the first time since 2003, that can be assumed.
  • Cordy Glenn and Billy Price came in last year to fill spots on Cincinnati’s offensive line, but the team is still expected to pursue upgrades — either through free agency or the draft — for the right side of the front, Dehner notes. The Bengals’ 2015 draft choices of Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher did not end up working out. The former never found his footing and the latter started just one game in 2018. Taylor coached Ja’Wuan James with the 2015 Dolphins, potentially creating a possible landing spot for the UFA right tackle. However, Dehner expects the team select a right tackle with one of its first two picks.