Former NFL G Justin Pugh Named Italian Football League Commissioner
For the past several years, efforts to expand the international influence of the NFL have grown with the league’s International Series of games. What began in 2007 as an annual trip across the pond has multiplied with games taking place in Mexico starting in 2016, Germany starting in 2022, Brazil starting in 2024, and Spain and Ireland last year. 2026 will see the introduction of France and Australia to the International Series. 
There are other ways to expand the influence of the NFL across the world, though, and according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, former Giants and Cardinals offensive guard Justin Pugh will undertake new efforts in the aim of the expansion of the game. Pugh has reportedly accepted a role as commissioner of the Italian Football League.
Established in 1980, the IFL has completed 44 seasons of American football. In that time, the league has seen 12 different Italian Bowl champions, though just six teams account for 32 of the league’s championships. The league even held Italian Bowl XLII in 2023 at Toledo’s campus stadium, marking the IFL’s first game held outside Europe.
The league has seen its struggles to survive as blueblood franchises frequently defect for competing leagues around the country. In his written statement as the league’s new commissioner, Pugh pledged to accelerate the evolution of the sport across Europe by modernizing the league’s infrastructure, strengthening its governance, and elevating its standards. He asserts that his years of competition in the NFL will help him transform the IFL into a structured, credible, and forward-looking institution “capable of connecting Italian Football to the broader international ecosystem of the game.”
Giants Not Planning Dexter Lawrence Trade; Contract Talks On Tap
Dexter Lawrence did not play up to his standard last season, and the Giants both changed their coaching staff and their front office reporting structure in the offseason. The team appears interested in gauging Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s trade market, but John Harbaugh slammed the door on Lawrence being available.
“He’s super, super important,” Harbaugh said, via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. “He’s a cornerstone football player. He’s not really a cornerstone — he’s more like the middle stone. He’s right in the middle and he’s a very big stone and he’s a very active, athletic stone … We want him. We need him.”
[RELATED: Assessing Giants’ Offseason Blueprint]
Lawrence was by far the top asset exchanged in the 2019 Odell Beckham Jr. trade, being the first-round pick the Giants obtained for Beckham that year. The Giants extended the All-Pro defensive tackle in 2023, handing out a four-year, $90MM deal that included $46.5MM guaranteed at signing.
Lawrence, 28, earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2022 and ’23 before tallying a career-high nine sacks in 2024. Last season, the Clemson product only registered a half-sack and tallied a career-low eight QB hits (after recording at least 16 from 2022-24).
While Dave Gettleman drafted Lawrence, Joe Schoen completed the extension. That was a recurring trend early in Schoen’s GM run, with Andrew Thomas and Daniel Jones being paid in 2023 as well. Lawrence’s deal, however, paid out its guarantees last year. As a result, Schoen said (via Duggan) he will meet with Lawrence’s camp this week.
With a trade seemingly off the table — though, Schoen confirmed (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) he will answer calls — extension would allow the Giants to reduce a $26.96MM Lawrence cap number.
“I’m not sure the elbow was great all (of 2025); I think that bothered him a little bit,” Schoen said. “The defense, as a whole, I felt like could have played better. So it’s definitely not Dexter. Nine sacks might have been an outlier before so the expectation rises. That’s rare for a nose tackle. That’s insane for a nose tackle to get nine. It’s in there. He still has a lot of good years left.”
A dislocated elbow sidelined Lawrence late in the 2024 season, with the standout NT reaching nine sacks in just 12 games. The Giants added incentives to Lawrence’s deal last summer. With some updates on the D-tackle market taking place over the past two offseasons, Lawrence’s $22.5MM AAV now ranks 11th among interior D-linemen. Praise from Harbaugh and Schoen this week will do well to arm Lawrence’s camp, even though his down 2025 season does not create considerable momentum for a new deal.
Lawrence’s cap number could do some of the work for him, however. The Giants could also complete a restructure on this contract, but they have historically been against joining the void years trend. That could be good news for Lawrence. Since Aaron Donald‘s retirement and the Raiders’ quick Christian Wilkins cut, the DT market features a gulf between Chris Jones ($31.75MM AAV) and the field; Milton Williams‘ $26MM-per-year contract is second at the position. A Lawrence extension would presumably land in that valley.
Giants Willing To Hear Trade Offers For Kayvon Thibodeaux
FEBRUARY 26: After just two days of the Combine, Thibodeaux has become a “name to keep an eye on,” for a potential trade, per SNY’s Connor Hughes. With Burns and Carter as their starting edge rushers, Thibodeaux may not be in the long-term plans of the Giants’ new regime. They will listen to trade offers, with some around the league expected Thibodeaux to eventually be dealt to another team.
FEBRUARY 24: Kayvon Thibodeaux was the subject of trade talks leading up to the deadline. No deal was reached, leaving him on course to remain with the Giants in 2026. 
New York picked up Thibodeaux’s fifth-year option last spring. As a result, he is due $14.75MM next season. A full-time starting gig does not await in this case, but the former No. 5 selection appears to still be in the Giants’ plans at this point.
“Right now, Kayvon’s gonna be with us,” general manager Joe Schoen said at the Combine on Tuesday (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). “He played well. He is going into his fifth year, and he’s motivated, and you can’t have enough pass rushers.”
Thibodeaux appeared to hit his stride during his second Giants season, posting 11.5 sacks and 35 quarterback pressures. The Oregon product has missed notable time through injury during both of his subsequent campaigns, however. Thibodeaux played 12 games in 2024 before managing 10 this past year. With only eight sacks across that span, he is not in position to operate as an edge rushing anchor for New York.
Brian Burns has proven to be an effective trade acquisition for the Giants. The former Panther has been a strong producer in two New York seasons, and he posted a career-high 16.5 sacks in 2025. Meanwhile, Abdul Carter saw his usage rate increase late in the year and he managed most of the output from his four-sack season down the stretch. Carter, selected third overall last spring, figures to pair with Burns as the Giants’ top edge rushers for years to come.
That leaves Thibodeaux in an interesting position. The 25-year-old has logged a snap share of at least 72% every year to date, but a path to a larger workload would only exist in the event of an injury to Burns and/or Carter. Extending Thibodeaux given his spotty track record would carry risk, while finding a trade partner willing to part with notable draft capital would no doubt be a challenge. Schoen noted (via Dan Duggan of The Athletic) no trade talks have occurred so far this offseason.
Free agency is set to include a number of veteran pass rushers like Trey Hendrickson and Bradley Chubb. Several younger options are on track to reach the market for the first time, and suitors could prefer to invest in them rather than acquiring Thibodeaux. In that case, efforts to work out a new Giants pact would be something to watch for.
Packers Line Up Special Teams Coordinator Interviews
The Packers are moving quickly to replace special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia after he suddenly stepped down this week. Their first three candidates are Cameron Achord, Tom McMahon, and Kyle Wilber, per Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber.
Achord, 39, has been the Giants’ assistant special teams coach since 2024. He was retained by new head coach John Harbaugh after New York’s solid special teams effort in 2025, which featured top-10 finishes in yards per kickoff return and average starting field position. Achord previously worked for the Patriots, winning a Super Bowl in his first year as an assistant special teams coach and receiving a promotion to coordinator in 2020. He left New England when Bill Belichick‘s tenure ended in 2023 and quickly signed on with Brian Daboll in New York.
McMahon, 56, was fired by the Raiders during the 2025 season, his fourth as the team’s special teams coordinator. He was originally hired by Josh McDaniels in 2022 and survived the team’s head coaching change to Antonio Pierce in 2024. McMahon was retained by Pete Carroll in 2025, but a disastrous year from Las Vegas’ special teams units led to his firing in November. McMahon previously held STC jobs with the Rams (2009-2011), Chiefs (2012), Colts (2013-2017), and Broncos (2018-2021).
Wilber, 36, is entering his second year as the Saints’ assistant special teams coach. He was a linebacker and special teams ace for the Cowboys and the Raiders for a decade before he moved into coaching. His first job as the Packers’ special teams quality control coach (2023-2024) may give him a leg up in the race for the open job in Green Bay.
NFC East Rumors: Giants, Okereke, Goedert, Eagles, Ertz, Cowboys
As our Giants Offseason Outlook covered, the team will be making some cost-cutting moves. Three “obvious” cuts are coming, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who tabs Devin Singletary, Graham Gano and James Hudson as soon-to-be released veterans. The Giants can save $5.25MM by releasing Singletary, $4.5MM by cutting Gano and $5.38MM by axing Hudson. Signed on the same day Saquon Barkley defected to the Eagles, Singletary was unable to remain New York’s starter for long. He lost his job to Tyrone Tracy in 2024 and saw Cam Skattebo leapfrog him last year. Tracy’s rookie deal runs through 2027, while Skattebo is signed through 2028. Gano has missed a staggering 28 games since signing a three-year, $16.5MM extension in 2023. The Giants benched Hudson, their hopeful swing tackle, after a penalty-filled Week 2.
While Jon Runyan Jr. was listed as a likely Giants cut months ago, Duggan places Bobby Okereke on the borderline. The team can save $9.25MM by releasing Runyan, while Okereke can bring back $9MM. Okereke, 29, is due a $3MM roster bonus on March 13. With the Giants projected to hold less than $7MM in cap space and making wholesale changes under John Harbaugh, significant roster changes are likely.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- The Eagles gave Dallas Goedert a pay cut in 2025, and while the longtime starter caught a franchise tight end-record 11 touchdown passes last season, The Athletic’s Zach Berman expects the sides to part ways soon. Goedert, 31, will be a free agent next month. A glaring hole will exist at tight end if/once the Eagles move on, but Berman anticipates the team adding a younger option. As PFR’s Connor Byrne noted in his Eagles Offseason Outlook piece, Goedert not being re-signed will tag the team with a hefty dead money bill ($20.49MM) stemming from void years. No other Philly TE surpassed 80 receiving yards in 2025.
- Goedert’s predecessor, Zach Ertz, is also unsigned for 2026. Coming off an ACL tear, Ertz does not want to retire just yet, ESPN.com’s John Keim notes. Ertz, 35, bounced back with the Commanders by combining for 1,158 receiving yards in his two-season tenure. Jayden Daniels relied on the 13-year veteran in 2024, and he posted a better yards-per-game figure (38.8) in 2025. Still, Ertz being in his mid-30s coming off an ACL tear will limit his market. It is quite possible he remains in free agency until he returns to full strength.
- The Commanders already took care of one free agent, re-signing punter Tress Way. The veteran specialist’s one-year contract is worth $3.04MM; almost all of that figure is guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.
- The Giants will need to make a decision on their right tackle soon. Jermaine Eluemunor profiles as a player the team may want to retain. He started 34 games over the past two seasons in New York and was a fifth-round Ravens draftee in 2017, playing two Baltimore seasons. Eluemunor, 31, could draw between $7-$10MM per year, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes. With Eluemunor already earning $7MM per year on his 2024 Giants deal, it should be expected the proven starter fetches more. He joins Braden Smith, Jack Conklin and Jonah Williams as experienced RTs set to hit the market.
- The Cowboys have made three new coaching hires. They are adding Kyle Fuller as assistant O-line coach and Scott Symons as inside linebackers coach, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer and CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer report. Fuller, who played for six teams in a seven-year O-line career, served as a Raiders quality control coach in 2025. Symons will make a cross-town move, being hired after three years as SMU’s DC. The Mustangs finished as a top-35 defense nationally in each of the past three seasons, winning 31 games in that span. Dallas is also hiring Demeitre Brim as assistant D-line coach, per Zenitz. Brim comes over after one season with the Golden Knights, previously coaching at Nebraska and Lehigh.
- Wrapping this coaching roundup, the Commanders are hiring LSU’s Jake Olsen to their defensive staff, Zenitz adds. Olsen spent the past two seasons as the Tigers’ safeties coach. Olsen was at Mizzou from 2022-23 but coached under new Commanders DC Daronte Jones at LSU in 2021.
Giants’ Dawn Aponte Hire To Strip Some Of GM Joe Schoen’s Power?
The fact that hiring John Harbaugh as head coach meant the Giants would be required to change their front office structure was no small story. In fact, it was such a big factor that it was part of the reason for a multi-day delay between when the team announced its intentions to hire Harbaugh and when the deal was finalized.
We’d only really gotten small tidbits about how different the structure would be, but Ian O’Connor of The Athletic dropped a few key details this evening that certainly show significant potential change.
Before O’Connor’s report today, the tidbits that we’d gotten were minor. Harbaugh wanted to have roster input. Harbaugh would report directly to owner John Mara and not general manager Joe Schoen. It was a similar situation to what Harbaugh had grown accustomed to in Baltimore and didn’t seem to be shaking up the boat too much. Schoen wanted to be sure Harbaugh wouldn’t be importing front office staffers to slowly take control of a front office that had been Schoen’s domain.
That appears to still be mostly the case, but there was one hire of Harbaugh’s that appears to be mixing things up. Per O’Connor, Harbaugh was pivotal in the team’s efforts to hire Dawn Aponte away from the league office. Aponte’s position with New York has been designated as senior vice president of football operations and strategy. According to Pat Leonard of NY Daily News Sports, she will be responsible for “strategic planning for football operations, analytics, salary cap management, player contract negotiations, compliance, and working closely with the college and pro personnel departments.”
That’s not all Leonard says. If it seems like several of those responsibilities would usually reside with the general manager, it’s because they would. Per Leonard, Schoen has essentially been “relegated to handling scouting” and the “rest of the building reports to Dawn.” In addition, both O’Connor and Leonard report that Aponte will report to Harbaugh, so it is beginning to look as if Harbaugh is encroaching quite a bit more than initially understood on the duties of the general manager.
O’Connor’s report doesn’t pose the situation as nearly as much of a takeover as Leonard is painting it out to be, though. He includes quotes from Harbaugh on how impressed he’s been with Schoen and how well they are working together as they both work on building the team’s new staff and future roster. But, if what Leonard claims is true, it’s hard not to believe that Schoen is getting quietly pushed into a corner. The Giants paid a lot of money and agreed to a lot of concessions in order to bring Harbaugh in to lead their team. Time will tell how each new change will affect the team’s future success.
2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker
The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.
Updated 2-23-26 (10:40pm CT)
Offensive Coordinators
Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)
- Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired
Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)
- Bryan McClendon, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Interview requested
- Tommy Rees, offensive coordinator (Browns): Hired
- Drew Terrell, wide receivers coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/20
Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Mentioned as candidate
- Declan Doyle, offensive coordinator (Bears): Hired
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/12
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Mentioned as candidate
- Scottie Montgomery, wide receivers coach (Lions): To interview
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interview requested
Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)
- Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected
Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)
- Connor Senger, pass-game coordinator (Cardinals): Interview requested
- Press Taylor, pass-game coordinator (Bears): Promoted
- Troy Walters, wide receivers coach (Bengals): Declined interview
Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)
- Travis Switzer, run-game coordinator (Ravens): Hire expected
Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)
- Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
- Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted
Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)
- David Blough, quarterbacks coach (Commanders): Mentioned as candidate; promoted to Washington OC
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/14
- Tee Martin, quarterbacks coach (Ravens): Interviewed
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/13
- Jake Peetz, pass-game coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Drew Petzing, former offensive coordinator (Cardinals): Hired
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed 1/15
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)
- Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired
Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Greg Olson)
- Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
- Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview
Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)
- Marcus Brady, pass-game coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/15
- Brian Callahan, former head coach (Titans): Interviewed 1/16
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): To interview
- Shane Day, quarterbacks coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/15
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Hired
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interviewed 1/19
- Drew Terrell, wide receivers coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/19
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Rumored candidate
Los Angeles Rams (Out: Mike LaFleur)
- Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Title enhanced
- Nate Scheelhaase, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Promoted
Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interview requested
- Bobby Slowik, passing game coordinator (Dolphins): Promoted
New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)
- Brian Callahan, former head coach (Titans): Interview expected
- Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 2/1
- Shane Day, quarterbacks coach (Chargers): To interview
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/31
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Hire expected
- Matt Nagy, former offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Hired
- Robert Prince, wide receivers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/23
- Willie Taggart, running backs coach (Ravens): Joining staff in different capacity
- Alex Tanney, pass-game coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/30
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interview requested
- Charlie Weis Jr., offensive coordinator (LSU): Mentioned as candidate
New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)
- Darrell Bevell, passing game coordinator (Dolphins): Conducted second interview 2/1
- Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed 1/28
- Jon Gruden, former head coach (Raiders): Declined Jets’ overtures
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Panthers): Hired
- Greg Roman, former offensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/28; considered finalist
- Lunda Wells, tight ends coach (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/28
Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)
- Klayton Adams, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interview blocked
- Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator (Colts): Conducted second interview 1/28
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/20
- Declan Doyle, offensive coordinator (Bears): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Josh Grizzard, former offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Conducted second interview 1/28
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Conducted second interview 1/29
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/17
- Sean Mannion, quarterbacks coach (Packers): Hired
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview
- Matt Nagy, former offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/21
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed 1/16
- Bobby Slowik, senior pass-game coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/23
- Frank Smith, former offensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interview requested
- Charlie Weis Jr., offensive coordinator (LSU): Withdrew from search
Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)
- Brian Angelichio, tight ends coach (Vikings): Hired
- Scott Tolzien, quarterbacks coach (Saints): Interviewed 2/2; withdrew from consideration
- Lunda Wells, tight ends coach (Cowboys): Interview expected
Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)
- John Benton, offensive line coach (Seahawks): Rumored candidate
- Mack Brown, tight ends coach (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/13
- Brian Fleury, tight ends coach (49ers): Hired
- Hank Fraley, offensive line coach (Lions): Rumored candidate
- Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/12
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Rumored candidate
- Justin Outten, run-game specialist (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/13
- Jake Peetz, pass-game coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/12
- Connor Senger, pass-game specialist (Cardinals): To interview
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)
- Brian Callahan, former head coach (Titans): To conduct second interview 1/22
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/16
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed
- Dan Pitcher, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/21
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Hired
- David Shaw, pass-game coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/10
- Israel Woolfork, quarterbacks coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/10
Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Hired
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/26
- Thad Lewis, former quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/26
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Mentioned as candidate
- Bobby Slowik, senior pass-game coordinator (Dolphins): Mentioned as candidate
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interviewed
- Adam Stenavich, offensive coordinator (Packers): Interviewed 1/26
Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)
- David Blough, quarterbacks coach (Commanders): Promoted
- Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
- Tee Martin, quarterbacks coach (Ravens): Interview scheduled
- David Raih, tight ends coach (Commanders): Interviewed
- Drew Terrell, pass-game coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/9
- Lunda Wells, tight ends coach (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/8
Defensive Coordinators
Arizona Cardinals
- Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Rumored candidate
- Charlie Bullen, outside linebackers coach (Giants): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Mentioned as candidate
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 2/9
- Nick Rallis, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Retained
- Karl Scott, defensive backs coach (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Interview requested; withdrew from search
Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)
- Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Interview requested
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/30
- Anthony Weaver, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired
Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed 2/7
- Charlie Bullen, defensive pass-game coordinator (Giants): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Jonathan Cooley, defensive pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 2/9
- Mike Rutenberg, defensive pass-game coordinator (Falcons): Hired
- Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Interviewed 2/7; finalist
- Cory Undlin, defensive pass-game coordinator (Texans): Held in-person interview 2/14; finalist
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate; withdrew from search
Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/9
- Charlie Bullen, interim defensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/15
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed 1/16
- Jonathan Gannon, former head coach (Cardinals): To conduct second interview 1/20
- Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Conducted second interview 1/17
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Zach Orr, defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed
- Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Eagles): Hired
- Matt Patricia, defensive coordinator (Ohio State): Mentioned as candidate
- Jeff Ulbrich, defensive coordinator (Falcons): Interview blocked
- Aaron Whitecotton, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interviewed
Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)
- Jonathan Gannon, former head coach (Cardinals): Hired
- Al Harris, defensive backs coach (Bears): Interviewed 1/21
- Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/22
- Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Eagles): To interview
Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive run game coordinator (Packers): To interview
- Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Rumored candidate
- Jeff Howard, safeties coach (Seahawks): To interview 2/14
- Rob Leonard, run-game coordinator (Raiders): Promoted
- Zach Orr, former defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): To interview 2/13
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
- Karl Scott, defensive backs coach (Seahawks): Rumored candidate, to stay in Seattle
- Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Rumored candidate
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate, withdrew from search
- Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Rumored candidate
Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)
- Steve Clinkscale, defensive backs coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Adam Fuller, safeties coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/28
- Chris O’Leary, defensive coordinator (Western Michigan): Hired
- Zach Orr, defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/23
- Aubrey Pleasant, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/24
- Dylan Roney, outside linebackers coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Dennard Wilson, former defensive coordinator (Titans): Interviewed 1/23
Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)
- Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
- Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed
New England Patriots (Out: Terrell Williams)
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
- Shane Bowen, defensive coordinator (Giants): Mentioned as candidate
- Zak Kuhr, linebackers coach (Patriots): Clear frontrunner
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Mentioned as candidate
New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)
- Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/22
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Mentioned as candidate
- Dennard Wilson, former defensive coordinator (Titans): Hired
New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)
- Mathieu Araujo, cornerbacks coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed
- Brian Duker, pass-game coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
- 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
Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Hired
- Jason Simmons, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): To interview; hired for different role
San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)
- Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
- Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed
Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)
- Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Hired
- Aaron Whitecotton, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interview requested; hired as DL coach
- Al Harris, defensive backs coach (Bears): Interviewed 1/24
- Mike Rutenberg, defensive pass-game coordinator (Falcons): Interview requested
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/24
Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)
- Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator (Steelers): Interviewed
- Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Brian Flores, former defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/14
- Jonathan Gannon, former head coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/15
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interview requested
- Al Harris, defensive backs coach (Bears): Interviewed 1/22
- Daronte Jones, defensive pass-game coordinator (Vikings): Hired
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Mentioned as candidate
- Karl Scott, defensive backs coach (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Jeff Ulbrich, defensive coordinator (Falcons): Mentioned as candidate; staying with Falcons
- Dennard Wilson, former defensive coordinator (Titans): Interviewed 1/10
Giants Finalize Coaching Staff Under Harbaugh
Teams around the NFL have been announcing their finalized coaching staffs for the 2026 football season, and the Giants joined the fray on Friday. We had already reported on several of the changes to new head coach John Harbaugh‘s staff, but there were a few new updates to be gleaned from the team’s announcement. 
First, before the team’s announcement, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported that former Titans linebackers coach Frank Bush would be joining the Giants as their new inside linebackers coach. Bush is very familiar with new Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. Bush served as Wilson’s linebackers coach for the past two years in Tennessee. Per Dan Duggan of The Athletic, he also serves double duty as a mentor to Wilson.
Also, while Friday’s announcement was technically finalizing the team’s coaching staff, they will already be potentially looking to replace an assistant position coach. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, recently named assistant defensive line coach Matt Robinson will be heading to Las Vegas to join new Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Leonard‘s staff.
Formerly, the Ravens outside linebackers coach, Robinson initially followed Harbaugh from Baltimore but will now join the Raiders as their new secondary coach. He will be reuniting with Leonard now, who worked alongside Robinson as outside linebackers coach for a year in Baltimore. Per Schefter, the Giants gave their permission for Robinson to leave and supported him in doing so.
The only other update concerning a position coach has to do with Willie Taggart. When it was first announced that he was joining New York’s staff, it was unclear what role the former Ravens running backs coach would hold as he was still a potential candidate to be offensive coordinator for the Giants. Ultimately, he will retain the title he had held in Baltimore with his new team.
The offense and defense both saw additions of assistant roles in the announcement. On offense, Noah Riley was named football analyst/quality control and Adam Schrack and Mike Snyder were both named offensive quality control. On defense, Brendan Clark was named defensive quality control. Riley, Schrack, and Clark all come over from Baltimore, where they most recently filled roles as defensive football analyst, offensive quality control, and defensive quality control, respectively. Snyder was most recently an offensive assistant for two years with the Texans and has experience with the Falcons and Bears, as well.
Lastly, the announcement showed the addition of T.J. Weist as assistant special teams coach and Megan Rosburg as assistant to the head coach/defensive assistant. Weist most recently spent five years assisting the Ravens with special teams but wasn’t retained with the team after the 2023 season. Rosburg, the daughter of former longtime Ravens special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg, will carry over a role similar to the one she held for the last four years in Baltimore.
Giants HC John Harbaugh, Rex Ryan Discussed Defensive Coordinator Job
When new Giants head coach John Harbaugh was assembling his staff in late January, he didn’t dismiss the possibility of hiring Rex Ryan as his defensive coordinator. That didn’t occur, but Harbaugh confirmed he discussed the position with Ryan.
“I talked to Rex about that job at length,” Harbaugh told Ian O’Connor of The Athletic. “Rex is a guy I love and have a lot of respect for.”
Harbaugh wound up passing on Ryan and other D-coordinator candidates in favor of Dennard Wilson, who ran the Titans’ defense from 2024-25. He chose Wilson after receiving a recommendation from rookie Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, O’Connor reports.
Now the successor to Harbaugh in Baltimore, Minter worked for him as a Ravens assistant from 2017-20. Like Minter, Ryan was also on Harbaugh’s staff at one point. In 2008, Harbaugh’s first year as a head coach, Ryan was in his fourth and final season as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator. He left to become the Jets’ head coach the next year.
In Ryan’s first two seasons in charge, his ferocious defenses overcame Mark Sanchez‘s poor quarterback play to lead the Jets to back-to-back AFC title game appearances. However, the franchise has suffered through a league-worst 15-year playoff drought since then. From 2011-14, the first four years of the Jets’ skid, they mustered an ugly 26-38 mark. That led to Ryan’s ouster, but he immediately resurfaced as the Bills’ head coach in 2015.
While Ryan at least experienced some success with the Jets, his tenure in Buffalo was fruitless and fleeting. After winning 15 of 31 games, the Bills pulled the plug on Ryan with a week left in the 2016 season.
Now a 63-year-old ESPN analyst, Ryan hasn’t coached anywhere since the Bills fired him. The possibility of Ryan returning to New York as the Giants’ DC will go down as an interesting what-if, but Harbaugh will roll with Wilson instead.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/13/26
There were two reserve/futures deals signed in the NFL today:
New York Giants
Seattle Seahawks
- DE Jalan Gaines
After the Seahawks announced 15 reserve/futures deals yesterday, two members of their practice squad from last year found deals today. Gaines, a rookie who signed as an undrafted free agent with Seattle out of Illinois State, will remain with the team for the offseason. Jackon, an undrafted rookie who spent the summer in Denver before making his way to Seattle after failing to make the 53-man roster, finds his third NFL home within a calendar year as he heads to New York.