Ex-Lions OC John Morton Joins Broncos Staff For Playoffs
Former Lions offensive coordinator John Morton has returned to the Broncos’ coaching staff in a consultant role for the postseason, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Morton, 56, was hired by Detroit last offseason to replace Ben Johnson. Lions head coach Dan Campbell took over offensive play-calling midseason, essentially spelling doom for Morton’s job security.
He was fired after the regular season concluded, which freed him up to return to Sean Payton‘s staff to help the No. 1-seeded Broncos chase a Super Bowl. Morton struggled to mount an air attack with Russell Wilson at the helm in 2023, but he coached Bo Nix to a third-place finish in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2024.
Nix did not take much of a second-year leap. His 2025 statistics are similar to his rookie campaign, as are Denver’s overall offensive results. Morton’s re-introduction to the unit is not going to suddenly turn them into The Greatest Show on Turf, but he could certainly assist in their weekly game-planning, especially against a tougher slate of opponents relative to their regular-season schedule.
Morton has yet to receive any interest from another team for a 2026 coaching job. The door may be open for him to return to a position on Payton’s staff next season. A credited role in the Broncos’ potential postseason success could also revitalize interest in Morton, who has a long history as a coach with plenty of connections around the league.
Kevin Stefanski Considered ‘Top Candidate’ For Falcons HC
Head coaching searches are starting to come into focus this weekend. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is considered the “top candidate” for the open Falcons job. He’s set to conduct his second interview with Atlanta today and some sources believe they may attempt to pull the trigger. 
The reason this could be a possibility is because, as Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS reported this morning, the Falcons are Rooney Rule compliant, so if they truly believe Stefanski is the man for them in his second interview today, they are able to hire him. The Rooney Rule requires NFL teams interviewing new head coaches or general managers to interview at least two minority candidates. The interviews must be in-person to satisfy the Rooney Rule, but Atlanta has publicly disclosed which of its interviews were virtual or in-person. Based on Jones’ report, at least two of their minority candidates must have conducted their first interview in person.
Aside from the second interview that John Harbaugh cancelled in favor of accepting the Giants’ head coaching position, no other candidate has been scheduled for a second interview in Atlanta, except for Stefanski. Stefanski, though, still has plenty of interest from other teams hoping he stays available after today’s meeting. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, he’s scheduled to head to Tennessee tomorrow following today’s interview, and the Dolphins and Ravens are both working to bring him in for second, in-person interviews on Wednesday, as well.
An indicator Stefanski may be likely to take Atlanta up on a potential offer was reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who claimed that the 43-year-old coach had done research on the potential aspect of working with current Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Team owner Arthur Blank has reportedly expressed a desire to hold on to Ulbrich, who he believes would immediately become a top DC candidate if put on the free agent market. The Cowboys requested to interview him for their open position a little over a week ago, but Blank denied their request. If Stefanski and Ulbrich seem like a good fit, the Falcons may be well on their way to filling out their staff for the 2026 NFL season.
Lots of eyes will be on reports coming out of Atlanta over the next several hours as it looks like the coaching dominos may be starting to fall. An agreement today would mark the closing of the second head coach opening in this cycle, after the Harbaugh deal was made official earlier today.
Eagles Interview Mike Kafka For OC Job, Request Interview With Jim Bob Cooter
The Eagles have two more candidates to succeed Kevin Patullo as their offensive coordinator: Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka and Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter.
Kafka interviewed for the job on Saturday, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. He has also received OC interest from the Lions and the Buccaneer, in addition to an earlier interview for the permanent head coaching gig in New York that will go to John Harbaugh. Harbaugh is expected to bring in his own staff, so Kafka will not continue as the Giants’ OC, either.
Though Kafka is better known for his coaching stints with the Chiefs and the Giants, he began his NFL career as an Eagles fourth-round pick in 2010. He appeared in four games in 2011, his only regular-season action in his six years in the league. He retired from playing in 2015, spent a year as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Northwestern, before joining Andy Reid‘s staff in Kansas City. He played a crucial role in developing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ passing game in general, which helped him secure the OC job under Brian Daboll in New York. The Eagles may be interested in that expertise to revitalize an air attack that sputtered out at the end of the seasons.
The Eagles also requested an interview with Cooter, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. He has a more recent connection to Philadelphia. He served as a consultant on Nick Sirianni‘s staff in 2021, when he first worked under then-Eagles OC and now-Colts head coach Shane Steichen. After a year as the Jaguars’ passing game coordinator under Doug Pederson, Cooter took his current job in Indianapolis. The Eagles’ OC job would appear to be a lateral move, but Cooter would have his first play-calling opportunity since his three-year stint as the Lions’ offensive coordinator from 2016 to 2018. Teams hiring head coaches are increasingly looking for proven play-callers, making it more difficult to vault from a non-play-calling OC position directly into a top job.
Seahawks’ Sam Darnold Battling Oblique Injury, Expected To Play In Divisional Round
JANUARY 17: Darnold has not thrown since hurting his oblique on Thursday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, though NFL Network’s Steve Wyche indicates the Seahawks shut him down out of an abundance of caution. It is an injury that the veteran quarterback has never dealt with before, but he team is optimistic that Darnold will play on Saturday night against the 49ers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
JANUARY 16: Playing the first season of a three-year, $100.5MM contract, quarterback Sam Darnold helped guide the Seahawks to a 14-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Seahawks are preparing for a rubber match against the NFC West rival 49ers on Saturday, but Darnold unexpectedly popped up on the injury report Thursday. He’s questionable with an oblique issue, per Brady Henderson of ESPN.com.
Darnold, who said he “felt a little something” on his left side, practiced on a limited basis Thursday. The two-time Pro Bowler is fully confident he’ll play Saturday. If not, the Seahawks will turn to veteran backup Drew Lock. Considering Darnold hasn’t missed a game since 2023, it would be a major surprise to see Lock under center versus San Francisco.
Between his time with the Vikings last year and his work with the Seahawks this season, Darnold has helped his teams to an incredible 28-6 record since 2024.
Once considered a bust, the former No. 3 overall pick of the Jets surpassed 4,000 yards for the second straight year in 2025. He ranked third in yards per attempt (8.5), threw 25 touchdowns and posted a 99.1 passer rating, though he did toss the third-most interceptions in the league (14).
Darnold didn’t throw a pick in either of the Seahawks-49ers regular-season matchups, which the teams split, but his production was unspectacular. He combined to go 36 of 49 for 348 yards and no touchdowns. Darnold will aim for better numbers in the teams’ third and final showdown of the season while attempting to rebound from an ugly playoff loss with the Vikings last January. The Rams sacked Darnold nine times in a 27-9 blowout in the wild-card round. He went 25 of 40 for 245 yards, a TD and a pick.
Darnold’s rough showing against the Rams ended his tenure with Minnesota, which allowed him to depart in free agency. Darnold’s Seahawks contract includes incentives that he has already collected, as Henderson details. Seattle’s offense finished eighth in the league, which earned Darnold $500K. He racked up another $500K in incentives for passing yards, completion rate and a playoff berth. Postseason win incentives are still on the table for Darnold, who will make his second career playoff start Saturday. That’s assuming his oblique injury doesn’t stand in the way.
Indiana HC Curt Cignetti Not Interested In NFL Jobs
It doesn’t appear Curt Cignetti will become the next college head coach to try his hand in the NFL. The Indiana head coach shot down any potential interest in the pros on Saturday, per Brett McMurphy of On3.
“I’m not an NFL guy,” Cignetti said. “I made that decision a long time ago. I’ve always been a college football guy.”
Cignetti and his No. 1-ranked Hoosiers are gearing up for Monday’s national championship game against No. 10 Miami. A win would clinch a perfect 16-0 season for Indiana and the first national title in football for the school. While Indiana has long been known more for its success in basketball, Cignetti has drastically turned around its football program since arriving in November 2023.
Indiana entered last season fresh off a 3-9 campaign, its third straight sub-.500 effort, but has done a 180 under Cignetti. Before taking the Indiana job, the former West Virginia quarterback worked as the head coach at IUP (2011-16), Elon (2017-18) and James Madison (2019-23). Cignetti has been resoundingly successful at every stop, evidenced by his 145-37 record. He led JMU through a smooth transition from the FCS level to FBS in his last two years with the Dukes, and 13 of their players followed him to Indiana.
The Hoosiers went 11-2 and earned a College Football Playoff berth in 2024, the beginning of what has been an incredible two-year run. They’ve gone 26-2 under Cignetti, who inked an eight-year, $93MM extension in October. The 64-year-old has since earned AP Coach of the Year and Big Ten Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season.
Kurtis Rourke, now with the 49ers, quarterbacked the Hoosiers in Cignetti’s first season. Cignetti persuaded current starter Fernando Mendoza to transfer from California in December 2024.
In what will likely go down as his only year with the Hoosiers, Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy. If Mendoza enters the 2026 NFL Draft, odds are the Raiders will take him with the first overall pick. In the meantime, he and Cignetti have one more hurdle to clear together on Monday.
Aaron Rodgers Not Expected To Re-Sign With Steelers
Mike Tomlin resigned as the Steelers’ head coach this week, ending a 19-year run with the franchise. Future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers was Tomlin’s last quarterback in Pittsburgh. With Tomlin gone, it’s likely Rodgers has thrown his final pass as a Steeler, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says.
This isn’t especially surprising in the wake of comments owner Art Rooney II made following Tomlin’s exit.
“Aaron came here to play for Mike, so I think it’ll most likely affect his decision,” Rooney said of Rodgers’ future.
During his trip to free agency last offseason, Rodgers reportedly told the Vikings they were his preferred team. After Minnesota didn’t reciprocate, the longtime Packer and ex-Jet pivoted to Pittsburgh on a one-year, $13.65MM contract.
In their only year working together, Rodgers and Tomlin formed a strong bond during a 10-7 campaign. With Rodgers providing an upgrade over predecessor and fellow short-term stopgap Russell Wilson, Tomlin went out with his eighth AFC North title and 13th playoff berth.
With his Steelers tenure likely over, it’s unclear if the 42-year-old Rodgers will aim to play a 22nd season in 2026. Rodgers said before the season that it would probably be his last, but he left the door open for a 2026 return in late December. While a Monday morning report pointed to mutual interest in Rodgers continuing as a Steeler next year, that was before their season fizzled out with a 30-6 loss to the Texans in the wild-card round. Tomlin stepped down the next day.
If this is it for Rodgers, his illustrious career will conclude on a respectable note. The Steelers didn’t have a great offensive supporting cast around him, but Rodgers completed 65.7% of passes, amassed 3,322 yards, tossed 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions, and posted a 94.8 passer rating in 16 games. That may be enough to convince other teams to pursue him as a short-term fix in the offseason.
With Rodgers seemingly done in Pittsburgh, it’s unknown which route the team will take at quarterback this offseason. Mason Rudolph is under contract for another year, but he’s likely better off in a backup role. Sixth-round pick Will Howard, who didn’t throw a pass as a rookie, is another in-house option. Otherwise, free agency, the trade market and the draft will be potential avenues for the Steelers. With still a couple of months before decisions are made on that front, the Steelers are working to find a new head coach for the first time since 2007.
Cowboys Scheduling Second Interviews With Defensive Coordinator Candidates
Almost two weeks since they fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys are getting closer to hiring his replacement, Josina Anderson of The Exhibit reports. The Cowboys are setting up second interviews with the top contenders for the position.
Vikings pass game coordinator Daronte Jones will be in Dallas to meet team brass today, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. Former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has scheduled a Jan. 20 in-person visit with the Cowboys, per Anderson. While Eagles pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker hasn’t booked an in-person sitdown yet, that’s expected to take place, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN relays.
Broncos assistant head coach and pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard was part of the Cowboys’ first round of interviews, but it’s unclear if they’ll meet with him in person. He’s ineligible for now, Archer notes. The Broncos would have to lose in the divisional round or AFC title game first. Otherwise, a Leonhard meeting would have to wait until the bye week before the Super Bowl.
Hiring Gannon, who’s on the market after winning just 15 of 51 games in Arizona, would continue the Cowboys’ recent trend of choosing ex-NFL head coaches to run their defense. Dating back to 2014, Rod Marinelli, Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer and Eberflus have held the job for various periods.
Nolan, Zimmer and Eberflus lasted just one year apiece in Dallas. The Cowboys would surely prefer more stability in the post, whether they choose Gannon or one of the other candidates.
Gannon’s also in the running to join Quinn’s staff as the Commanders’ next defensive coordinator, while the Titans will interview him for their head coaching position on Sunday. If the 43-year-old ends up in Dallas or Washington, it would give him a second chance as an NFL defensive coordinator and a return to the NFC East. He led the Eagles’ defense from 2021-22, and the unit’s elite performance helped the team win the NFC in the second of those seasons. Gannon left for Arizona after a Super Bowl LVII loss to Kansas City.
Either Jones or Parker would be a first-time professional D-coordinator in Dallas, though the former was in charge of LSU’s defense in 2021. Jones has spent the past three seasons under Vikings DC Brian Flores, whose contract expired earlier this week. The Vikings aim to re-sign Flores, but if he departs (perhaps for a head coaching job), Jones has come up as a potential successor. Jones is also on the Jets’ radar, having already interviewed for their DC role.
Parker, 34, began his pro coaching career as a defensive quality control assistant with the Packers in 2019. He spent two seasons in Green Bay before coaching Denver’s defensive backs from 2021-23. Parker just wrapped up his second year on Vic Fangio‘s defensive staff with the Eagles, who ranked No. 1 against the pass during a Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign. The eliminated Eagles didn’t enjoy the same success in 2025, but their pass defense still ranked eighth overall. It’s now possible they’ll lose Parker to a familiar foe.
Regardless of which candidate takes over as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, owner Jerry Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer will expect far better results in 2026. The Cowboys’ offense was among the game’s best in 2025, but a poor defensive performance doomed the team to a 7-9-1 record. Eberflus’ group allowed the most points in the league and the third-most yards.
Dolphins Lining Up Second HC Interview With Jeff Hafley
Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has emerged as a strong candidate for Miami’s head coaching job. The Dolphins are setting up a second interview with Hafley, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. It’ll be the first in-person meeting between the two sides.
Hafley has an important connection in new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, a longtime Packers employee. He and Hafley spent the past two years together in Green Bay.
Hafley’s defense has been an above-average group in back-to-back seasons, especially when it ranked top 10 in points (sixth) and yards (fifth) in 2024. While the unit fell to a still-respectable 11th in scoring and 12th in total defense in 2025, losing Micah Parsons to a season-ending ACL tear in mid-December didn’t help Hafley’s cause.
Parsons went down in a loss to the Broncos in Week 15, the beginning of a ruinous skid for the Packers. After starting 9-3-1, they lost four in a row to finish the regular season 9-7-1. The Packers nonetheless clinched a playoff berth and jumped out to a 21-3 halftime lead in the wild-card round against the Bears, but a second-half collapse led to a 31-27 loss.
Although Green Bay’s defense yielded a whopping 25 fourth-quarter points to Chicago, it didn’t affect Hafley’s stock around the league. Along with the Dolphins, Hafley has interviewed with the Cardinals, Falcons, Raiders, Steelers and Titans. The Dolphins are the first team to request a second meeting with him.
If Miami hires him, the 46-year-old Hafley would add to the franchise’s long-running list of first-time NFL head coaches. The Dolphins haven’t selected anyone with prior head coaching experience in the league since Dave Wannstedt took the reins in 2000. Hafley’s lone stint as a head coach came with Boston College from 2020-23, a four-year span in which the Eagles went 22-26 and played in two bowl games.
Kevin Stefanski Likely To Take Second HC Interviews With Falcons, Ravens, Titans
JANUARY 17: Stefanski’s second interview with the Falcons will occur today, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. He’s scheduled to meet again with the Titans on Sunday.
JANUARY 16: The first major domino in the 2026 hiring cycle has (more or less) fallen. With John Harbaugh no longer on the market, attention will turn to Kevin Stefanski and his destination.
The two-time Coach of the Year has loomed as one of the top candidates since his Browns tenure came to an expected end. Stefanski is nearing a tour of interested teams for second interviews. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the list of teams expected to arrange a follow-up includes the Falcons, Ravens and Titans.
Both Atlanta and Tennessee came up as aggressive Harbaugh suitors. The expected Giants HC is believed to have lined up a second Falcons meeting and a first Titans summit — both in-person meetings — for this week, but each ended up being canceled after Giants negotiations heated up with a deal being expected. The Titans had an offer ready.
Stefanski, 43, becomes an interesting consolation prize. The Falcons were mentioned as a team viewing Stefanski as a strong plan B, and with Harbaugh appearing Big Apple-bound, it looks like Atlanta will need to move on.
Despite being fired by the Browns, Stefanski booked six HC interviews. He also met with the Raiders, Dolphins and Giants. The six-year Browns leader won only eight games over the past two seasons, drawing Jimmy Haslam‘s ire and becoming an interesting fall guy as the Browns have struggled to stay afloat after authorizing the Deshaun Watson contract, but the two-time Coach of the Year appears on track to land a second chance immediately. Stefanski guided the Browns to their second and third playoff berths since the franchise’s 1999 relaunch, the second of which producing a Joe Flacco Comeback Player of the Year award.
The Falcons are prepared to hire a head coach before a GM. This could appeal to Stefanski, who was hired before the Browns added GM Andrew Berry back in 2020. Matt Ryan will have a significant say in personnel, stepping away from CBS to work with the team that drafted him. It remains to be seen how powerful the GM will be in this arrangement.
As for the Titans, they are prioritizing experience this time around. Of the 19 candidates Tennessee has interviewed or scheduled meetings with, 15 are former HCs. The Titans saw first-timer Brian Callahan wash out quickly; they are looking to another AFC North veteran in the wake of that firing. Despite Mike Borgonzi‘s ties to Matt Nagy, Stefanski appears an early frontrunner to land this job.
Baltimore’s search began several weeks after Tennessee’s, and having the chance to coach Lamar Jackson represents an advantage the Ravens hold over the other HC-seeking teams on this year’s market. Steve Bisciotti said this week the Ravens will consider second-chance candidates whose first tenures were rocky. Stefanski qualifies, going 45-56 in Cleveland. It would be fascinating to see Stefanski end up in Baltimore due to the history between these two franchises; it’s a scenario that appears in play.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Raiders To Interview Mike McDaniel For HC Job; Ejiro Evero Lands Second Interview
The Raiders have lined up a head coaching interview with Mike McDaniel, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The former Dolphins head coach will meet with the Raiders in Miami on Monday.
The Raiders will also hold an in-person interview with Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero next week, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Evero, who has already met with the Raiders virtually, is the first candidate to set up a second interview with the club.
McDaniel has been a hot commodity across the league since the Dolphins fired him on Jan. 8. The 42-year-old has already interviewed with the Falcons, Ravens, Browns and Titans.
If McDaniel doesn’t receive a second head coaching chance in 2026, he may spend the season as an offensive coordinator. The Chargers, Lions, Buccaneers and Eagles have all shown interest in McDaniel in an OC role. Other than Philadelphia, all of those teams have booked interviews with McDaniel.
McDaniel, a longtime Kyle Shanahan protege, worked as a non-play-calling O-coordinator in San Francisco in 2021. After McDaniel’s lone season in that position, the Dolphins brought him in to replace Brian Flores. The results over McDaniel’s first two years in South Florida were encouraging. Led by McDaniel’s high-flying offense, the Dolphins combined for a 20-14 regular-season mark and earned back-to-back playoff appearances.
Although the Dolphins didn’t win either of their postseason contests, McDaniel got the most out of Tua Tagovailoa, who quarterbacked the league’s top-ranked offense in 2023. Miami’s offense sputtered in each of the past two seasons, though, and McDaniel benched Tagovailoa for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers for the team’s final three games in 2025. The Dolphins finished 7-10, their second straight sub-.500 campaign, and elected to move on from McDaniel. He ended his Dolphins tenure 35-33.
If McDaniel winds up in Las Vegas, expectations are he’d work with a second consecutive first-round quarterback. The Raiders, who went 3-14 under one-and-done head coach Pete Carroll in 2025, will pick first in April’s draft. Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning signal-caller, Fernando Mendoza, is the heavy favorite to go No. 1 overall.
Evero, 45, is among the candidates McDaniel will attempt to fend off in the Raiders’ search for Carroll’s replacement. Considering the Raiders are meeting with Evero again, it’s clear he’s a serious contender for the position.
Evero, briefly a safety with the Raiders in 2004, has worked in various coaching roles in the NFL since 2007. He was the Broncos’ D-coordinator in 2022, and though the team struggled during its ill-fated Nathaniel Hackett season, its defense allowed the league’s seventh-fewest points. Then-Panthers head coach Frank Reich hired Evero to run the team’s defense in 2023.
While Carolina’s defense ranked a lackluster 29th in points allowed during Evero’s first season at the controls, it surrendered the fourth-fewest yards that year. The unit plummeted to last-place rankings in both categories in 2024, but it was a much more respectable 15th in scoring and 16th in total defense this season. The Panthers, despite an 8-9 record, won the NFC South. The Rams ended their season with a 34-31 wild-card round win, and multiple teams have shown interest in Evero since then.
Along with the Raiders, the Falcons and Steelers have requested interviews with Evero. Having signed an extension with Carolina before the season, Evero will stay put if a team doesn’t choose him as its next head coach.