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Rams Add Kliff Kingsbury, Robert Woods To Staff; Aubrey Pleasant Not Returning

By | at February 23, 2026 7:05 pm

Kliff Kingsbury agreed to join the Rams’ coaching staff on Feb. 6, but his specific role was not publicized for over two weeks. The Rams announced Monday that Kingsbury will work as an assistant head coach.

Kingsbury is officially returning to Southern California three years after serving as an offensive analyst at USC. After coaching star quarterback Caleb Williams that year, the former Cardinals head coach returned to the NFL as the Commanders’ offensive coordinator in 2024.

The Bears chose Williams first overall in the 2024 draft. Kingsbury wound up helping the No. 2 pick, Jayden Daniels, to an otherworldly rookie campaign. Not only did the dual-threat signal-caller earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, but he guided the Commanders to the NFC title game. Philadelphia steamrolled Washington that day, 55-23, and the Commanders did not bounce back last season.

With Daniels and No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin battling injuries that cost them a combined 17 games, the Commanders’ offense plummeted from fifth in scoring to 22nd in the matter of a year. The team reversed its record from 12-5 to 5-12, and Kingsbury reportedly clashed with Commanders general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn along the way.

Kingsbury and the Commanders went their separate ways Jan. 6, but he drew plenty of interest in the month before he agreed to partner up with McVay. The 46-year-old interviewed for head coaching vacancies in Baltimore and Tennessee. He also talked to those two teams and the Giants about their offensive coordinator openings.

Brian Johnson, Kingsbury’s colleague in Washington, will rejoin him on Los Angeles’ staff. After two years as the Commanders’ assistant head coach/offensive pass-game coordinator, he’ll serve as a senior offensive assistant.

The Rams’ offensive staff will also include one of their former wide receivers, Robert Woods. A highly successful Ram from 2017-21, Woods retired from playing on Feb. 17. The 33-year-old will now reunite with McVay, who’s bringing Woods aboard as an assistant WRs coach.

McVay also hired former Rams offensive lineman Brian Allen, one of Woods’ old teammates, as an assistant OL coach. The 30-year-old Allen played his entire career as a member of the Rams, with whom he started in 32 of 50 games from 2018-23. He was the Rams’ No. 1 center on their Super Bowl-winning 2021 team.

In other adjustments to his offensive staff, McVay promoted WRs coach Eric Yarber to senior offensive assistant/WRs and upgraded Rob Calabrese from offensive assistant to WRs coach. Jimmy Lake will move from senior defensive assistant to pass-game coordinator/defensive backs coach, while Michael Hunter will come in as an assistant DBs coach. Hunter held that job at Ohio State over the past two seasons.

Lake’s promotion suggests the Rams will not retain Aubrey Pleasant, who is no longer listed among their coaches. It’s unclear why the sides appear to have parted ways.

Pleasant first worked for McVay as the Rams’ cornerbacks coach from 2017-20. After dividing the next two seasons between Detroit and Green Bay, he returned to the Rams as their pass-game coordinator/DBs coach in 2023. He continued to handle the PGC role from 2024-25, but McVay also bumped him to assistant head coach.

Pleasant landed D-coordinator interviews with the Cardinals, Browns, Raiders and Chargers earlier this winter. Those teams hired different candidates instead, but perhaps he’ll take an assistant position with one of them or some other club.

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at February 15, 2026 10:15 pm

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)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

  • Travis Switzer, run-game coordinator (Ravens): Hired

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)

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)

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)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

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)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

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)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Raiders To Interview Aubrey Pleasant For Defensive Coordinator

By | at February 13, 2026 11:48 am

The Raiders have requested and received permission to interview Rams assistant head coach/pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant for their defensive coordinator job, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Pleasant will meet with the Raiders today.

With the Cardinals deciding to retain defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, there are only three DC openings left in the NFL. The Patriots and Browns have the other vacancies. While New England is expected to promote 2025 play-caller Zak Kuhr from inside linebackers coach, Pleasant is a candidate to wind up in Cleveland. He’d face the tall task of replacing Jim Schwartz on first-year head coach Todd Monken‘s staff.

Patrick Graham was the Raiders’ DC for the past four seasons, but the Steelers hired him for the same post on Jan. 30. The Raiders have since picked a new head coach in former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who knows Pleasant well from their time as former NFC West adversaries.

Kubiak was the 49ers’ offensive pass-game coordinator in 2023, the same year the division-rival Rams brought in Pleasant. The teams split their two matchups that season. While Kubiak left the division to run the Saints’ offense in 2024, he did face the Rams again in a 21-14 loss.

Kubiak returned to the NFC West last season to take on Pleasant and the Rams in three crucial matchups. The Seahawks picked up two wins, including a 31-27 triumph in the NFC title game. After the Seahawks cruised to a 29-13 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX last Sunday, Kubiak officially joined the Raiders. He’s now behind the 8-ball in scrambling to fill his coaching staff in mid-February, but Pleasant could be a strong pickup during the late stage of the coordinator hiring cycle.

Pleasant has no experience running a defense, though he has garnered significant experience as a coach since he began as an intern with the Browns in 2013. He has also served as an assistant with Washington, Detroit and Green Bay. Several teams have interviewed Pleasant for DC gigs since 2022, and this could be the offseason he finally lands one of those jobs.

Whether the Raiders hire Pleasant or someone else, trade rumors centering on their best defensive player, Maxx Crosby, are likely to persist. Thanks in part to a fifth straight Pro Bowl effort from Crosby, the Raiders ranked a respectable 14th in total defense in 2025. Trading the pass-rushing star wouldn’t do their next defensive coordinator any favors, but the Raiders may bite if another team makes a massive offer.

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Browns To Conduct DC Interview With Aubrey Pleasant; Team Requests Jonathan Cooley, Charlie Bullen Meetings

By | at February 9, 2026 1:39 pm

With the Browns‘ head coaching position going to Todd Monken, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will not be with the team any longer. His resignation has created a DC opening in Cleveland for the first time in three years.

The list of candidates to replace Schwartz has grown. Rams defensive pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant will speak with the Browns this afternoon, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Meanwhile, Charlie Bullen, currently the outside linebackers coach of the Giants, has received a Browns interview request, per Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo.

Both Pleasant and Bullen are also candidates for the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator opening. That is not the case for Panthers defensive pass-game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, but he too is on Cleveland’s radar. Cooley has received a DC interview request as well, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Pleasant’s first NFL coaching gig came in 2013. That season, he worked as an intern with the Browns. Since then, the former UDFA has held a number of roles on various NFL teams. Much of Pleasant’s coaching career has come with the Rams, though. He has worked with the team during two different stints; back in Los Angeles since 2023, he received the added title of assistant head coach one year later.

Bullen is also a veteran staffer, with experience at the college and pro levels. The 41-year-old joined the Giants’ staff in 2024, and he took over from Shane Bowen midway through this past campaign after Bowen’s dismissal. New York brought in Dennard Wilson as defensive coordinator, ensuring Bullen would not receive the gig on a full-time basis. His first full season leading a defense would come about in 2026 in the event of a Browns (or Cardinals) hire.

Cooley had not been connected to any D-coordinator openings prior to today. A former Rams staffer, he worked under Ejiro Evero in Los Angeles. The two were reunited in Carolina in 2023. Cooley worked as the Panthers’ secondary coach during his first season with the team. For the past two years, he has held his current title.

Via PFR’s Coordinator Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand with the Browns:

  • Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
  • Charlie Bullen, defensive pass-game coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
  • Jonathan Cooley, defensive pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
  • Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): To interview 2/9
  • Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Interviewed
  • Cory Undlin, defensive pass-game coordinator (Texans): Mentioned as candidate
  • Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate; withdrew from search
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Cardinals Request DC Interviews With Charlie Bullen, Aubrey Pleasant

By | at February 4, 2026 2:57 pm

The Cardinals made a rather surprising offensive coordinator hire Wednesday, changing Nathaniel Hackett‘s plans after he had previously committed to becoming the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach. Arizona is now on the hunt for a DC.

Interview slips are going out, with NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reporting Charlie Bullen and Aubrey Pleasant are under consideration for this job. Bullen finished last season as the Giants’ interim DC, while Pleasant is the Rams’ defensive pass-game coordinator. Bullen is a former Cardinals assistant, working in Arizona during Kliff Kingsbury‘s time as head coach.

[RELATED: NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Pleasant has been a regular on the DC interview circuit, and he worked with Mike LaFleur for the past three seasons. It is certainly not uncommon for new HCs to bring staffers with them from their previous teams, and Pleasant has extensive experience interviewing for DC posts.

Pleasant is a two-stint Rams assistant, serving as cornerbacks coach from 2017-20, DBs coach in 2023 and assistant HC/pass-game coordinator over the past two seasons. Sean McVay assistants regularly land promotions, as the LaFleur Cardinals hire showed most recently.

The Bears and Jaguars sent Pleasant interview slips last year. The Rams met with him about replacing Raheem Morris in 2024. The Saints and Vikings discussed their positions with him in 2022. Back in 2019, the Bengals began his time on the DC carousel with an interview. The Chargers discussed their DC position with Pleasant this year. None of these meetings has produced a hire, but with LaFleur working with the Sean McVay assistant previously, this could present the best path for upward mobility yet for the 13-season NFL staffer.

John Harbaugh is prepared to retain Bullen as outside linebackers coach, but the Giants cannot block a DC interview since it represents a promotion to the coordinator tier. The Cowboys interviewed Bullen for their defensive coordinator gig earlier this offseason.

Bullen, 41, was on all four Kingsbury Cardinals staffs. After a season as Arizona’s assistant linebackers coach in 2019, he climbed to ILBs coach during Vance Joseph‘s time as DC. Bullen was on the past two Giants staffs, mentoring Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter in that span. Burns posted a career-best 16.5 sacks in 2025, earning him his first All-Pro honor. Bullen also spent seven seasons in Miami, working under Joe Philbin, Dan Campbell and Adam Gase.

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Chargers Request DC Interview With Rams’ Aubrey Pleasant

By | at January 22, 2026 9:59 pm

Jim Harbaugh had Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale installed as co-defensive coordinators for two seasons at Michigan. That may be a tell about where the Chargers plan to go at DC now that Minter has been named John Harbaugh‘s Ravens HC replacement.

The Chargers must interview at least one external minority candidate before any Clinkscale promotion — a rumored Minter succession plan — can commence, and they are moving on their DC search hours after Minter’s pledge to return to Baltimore.

[RELATED: Chargers To Hire Mike McDaniel As OC]

Rams defensive pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant has received a Chargers DC interview request, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Pleasant has received a few interview slips during his time in the NFL ranks; he is now on stint No. 2 with the Rams. The Bolts cannot interview Pleasant until at least next week, with Rams staffers on hold until their season is over or during their Super Bowl LX bye week.

Also a former Michigan assistant (but before Jim Harbaugh’s time as the program’s HC), Pleasant has been an NFL staffer since 2012. He served as Sean McVay‘s cornerbacks coach from 2017-20 and has been in charge of the Rams’ DBs since 2023. In between, Pleasant was on the Lions and Packers’ staffs. The Rams ranked 19th against the pass this season.

The Bears and Jaguars sent Pleasant interview slips last year. The Rams met with him about replacing Raheem Morris in 2024. The Saints and Vikings discussed their positions with him in 2022. Back in 2019, the Bengals began his time on the DC carousel with an interview. None of these meetings has produced a hire, and the Clinkscale rumor could point to the Chargers following this trend.

Clinkscale has coached under Jim Harbaugh longer than Minter, arriving in Ann Arbor in 2021. He has mentored a secondary that has featured modest investments at cornerback and one that coaxed rebound seasons from the likes of Kristian Fulton, Elijah Molden and Donte Jackson over the past two years. Clinkscale, who is also Black, would not count toward the Rooney Rule since he is already on the Chargers’ staff. It will be interesting to see if the Bolts move quickly to promote him or if this DC search includes a few names.

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Jaguars Conduct DC Interview With Rams’ Aubrey Pleasant

By | at January 28, 2025 10:54 am

The list of candidates for the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator position continues to grow. A third interview for the position has now taken place.

Jacksonville announced on Tuesday that the team met with Aubrey Pleasant for the DC gig. Pleasant has spent the past two years with the Rams as part of his second stint with the team. He has not served as a defensive coordinator before, but taking the Jacksonville job would deal a blow to Los Angeles’ staff.

Pleasant – who has been in the NFL since 2013 – held the title of defensive backs coach/pass-game coordinator upon reuniting with Sean McVay in 2023. This past season, he was promoted to assistant head coach while remaining a key figure on defense. Given how highly regarded Pleasant is by the Rams (along with his experience as a positional coach), it comes as little surprise he is on Jacksonville’s radar.

That is, of course, especially true with Liam Coen at the helm of the Jags. His first Rams stint (2018-20) overlapped with Pleasant’s, so the two are familiar with one another. The Bears requested to speak with Pleasant for their defensive coordinator position, but he did not wind up doing so. As a result, this is his first interview in the 2025 hiring cycle.

Jacksonville’s defense underperformed in a number of categories in 2024, the first with Ryan Nielsen at the helm. The former Saints and Falcons coordinator has yet to find his next gig, but it will not be in Duval County for 2025. Not long after it was learned Coen would take charge of the team, Patrick Graham‘s name emerged as one to watch closely regarding the DC position. He has since interviewed with Jacksonville, as has Vikings staffer Daronte Jones. It will be interesting to see how many other candidate emerge as this search unfolds.

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2025 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 26, 2025 9:57 pm

Last year, half the league changed up at offensive and defensive coordinator. As most HC-needy teams have now filled their open positions, the coordinator carousel has accelerated. Here is how the market looks now. When other teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 2-21-25 (1:59pm CT)

Offensive coordinators

Chicago Bears (Out: Chris Beatty)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Ken Dorsey)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Brian Schottenheimer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Ben Johnson)

  • John Morton, pass-game coordinator (Broncos): Hired

Houston Texans (Out: Bobby Slowik)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Press Taylor)

Las Vegas Raiders 

New England Patriots (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Klint Kubiak)

New York Jets (Out: Nathaniel Hackett)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kellen Moore)

  • Kevin Patullo, pass-game coordinator (Eagles): Promoted

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Ryan Grubb)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Liam Coen)

Defensive coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Jimmy Lake)

Chicago Bears (Out: Eric Washington)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Lou Anarumo)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Mike Zimmer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Aaron Glenn)

  • Larry Foote, inside linebackers coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Kelvin Sheppard, linebackers coach (Lions): Promoted

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Gus Bradley)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

  • Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach/running game coordinator (Packers): Hired
  • Jonathan Cooley, pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
  • Patrick Graham, former defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed 1/27
  • Daronte Jones, defensive pass-game coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/27
  • Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/28

Las Vegas Raiders 

New England Patriots (Out: DeMarcus Covington)

  • Ryan Crow, outside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/21
  • Terrell Williams, defensive line coach (Lions): Hired

New Orleans Saints (Out: Joe Woods)

New York Jets (Out: Jeff Ulbrich)

  • Chris Harris, former defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator (Titans): Interviewed 1/29
  • Steve Wilks, former defensive coordinator (49ers): To be hired

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Nick Sorensen)

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Bears Request To Interview Aubrey Pleasant For DC

By | at January 22, 2025 7:31 pm

With Ben Johnson taking over as the new head coach in Chicago, it appears that a complete staff overhaul is likely underway. While there hadn’t been an announcement on whether or not defensive coordinator Eric Washington would be returning for a second year with the team, that question was seemingly answered when the Bears requested to interview Rams assistant head coach & passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant for Washington’s position, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

In Washington’s second tenure as an NFL defensive coordinator, he led a bend-but-don’t-break defense that finished 27th in the league in yards allowed but 13th in points allowed. His first DC job was at Carolina from 2018-19 after seven seasons as the Panthers defensive line coach. He led a middling group in his first season before the team’s success on defense plummeted the following year. While he may be considered as a candidate to keep his job, it seems that Johnson is beginning the process by looking for an outside candidate.

That search will start with Pleasant, who has been in Los Angeles for the last two years. Pleasant has bounced around a bit since entering the NFL coaching ranks as an intern for the Browns in 2013. He worked for four years after that in Washington as both an offensive assistant and a defensive quality control coach. The next four years covered his first stint in Los Angeles as the Rams cornerbacks coach. He left that role to serve as defensive backs coach & passing game coordinator in Detroit before the Lions fired him after two years. He finished out that year as an offensive consultant for the Packers before getting rehired by the Rams in his current role.

Pleasant is considered a major part of the team’s defensive success late in this past season despite the team’s continued reliance on rookies and other young contributors. He’s never been a defensive coordinator, so this would be his time calling plays in the NFL. He was a rumored candidate for the DC position in Green Bay last year and was expected to interview for the Rams’ open job, but nothing materialized, and he found himself in his current role.

He’s not the first candidate we’ve heard mentioned in connection to Johnson. Former Saints head coach Dennis Allen and former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo were both rumored candidates to join Johnson wherever he went. While Allen may soon receive an invitation of his own, Anarumo has been hired as the Colts’ new DC. For now, Pleasant is the only candidate for whom we’ve seen reports of an interview request.

Here’s a look at how the early prospects for the position are shaping up:

  • Dennis Allen, former head coach (Saints): Rumored candidate
  • Lou Anarumo, former defensive coordinator (Bengals): Rumored candidate; hired by Colts
  • Aubrey Pleasant, assistant head coach & passing game coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
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Rams Promote Aubrey Pleasant To Assistant Head Coach

By | at May 16, 2024 11:15 am

Aubrey Pleasant was a candidate to be promoted to the Rams’ defensive coordinator position as the team replaced Raheem Morris. He did not land that gig, but he has nevertheless seen his importance to the organization acknowledged with a new title.

Pleasant – Los Angeles’ defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator – has been given the additional title of assistant head coach, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He adds that head coach Sean McVay‘s announcement of the promotion to the team was well received, a sign of how Pleasant is viewed in the organization.

The Wisconsin grad began coaching in 2010, one year after his playing career came to an end. Pleasant’s first college opportunity came at Michigan, and he spent the 2011 and ’12 campaigns with the Wolverines. That was followed by a jump to the NFL level, which saw him spend time in Cleveland and Washington before his first Rams stint. That tenure (from 2017-20) came with the title of cornerbacks coach.

Pleasant moved on to the Lions and Packers, working as an offensive consultant with Green Bay in 2022. He was brought back by the Rams last offseason, though, and he was a key figure on Morris’ defensive staff. The latter took the Falcons’ head coaching gig during this year’s hiring cycle, creating the Los Angeles DC vacancy. That post was ultimately filled when another internal candidate (linebackers coach Chris Shula) was promoted.

Pleasant spoke with the Rams prior to their decision to tap Shula for the coordinator gig. He was also connected to the Packers’ DC opening, an indication that he could be a strong coordinator candidate in the 2025 hiring cycle and beyond. Taking on his latest title could also help Pleasant’s future head coaching aspirations.

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