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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)

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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Giants’ Charlie Bullen Withdraws From DC Searches, Signs Extension

By | at February 13, 2026 9:09 am

Despite interest from the Browns and Cardinals, Giants outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will stay put in 2026, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Bullen has withdrawn from defensive coordinator searches in favor of a contract extension with the Giants. He’ll also add run-game coordinator to his duties.

Next season will be the third in New York for Bullen, who joined then-head coach Brian Daboll‘s staff in 2024. Two weeks after the Giants fired Daboll last November, interim head coach Mike Kafka canned defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. Kafka handed interim DC responsibilities to Bullen for the rest of the year.

Although the Giants’ defense improved on Bullen’s watch, his future had hung in the air since the Giants brought in new head coach John Harbaugh in mid-January. Harbaugh went on to pick Dennard Wilson as his defensive coordinator. However, evidenced by Bullen’s extension and promotion, the 41-year-old has clearly won over Harbaugh.

In his first season working with Harbaugh and Wilson, Bullen will play a key role in attempting to improve a bottom-of-the-barrel run defense. The 2025 Giants gave up 145.3 rushing yards per game, the worst mark in the NFC and the second-highest figure in the league. Only the Bengals (147.1) had a tougher time against opposing ground games.

Meanwhile, both Cleveland and Arizona have now seen two potential defensive coordinators withdraw from their searches. Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso elected to stay in Houston last week. Bullen is also content in his current role, leaving rookie Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur and first-year Browns HC Todd Monken to look elsewhere.

The Cardinals may already have their answer in incumbent D-coordinator Nick Rallis, whom they’re expected to retain. The next DC in Cleveland will have an especially difficult act to follow replacing the acclaimed Jim Schwartz, who resigned after the team didn’t promote him to head coach.

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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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John Harbaugh Retains Two Giants Coaches, Hires Two From Ravens Staff

By | at January 26, 2026 11:20 pm

John Harbaugh is about to complete his first week as the Giants’ new head coach, and as promised, he is making some changes in New York.

Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen and tight ends coach Tim Kelly are the only two members of Brian Daboll‘s staff that will retain their jobs under Harbaugh, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

Bullen was hired before the 2024 season and served as the team’s interim defensive coordinator for the last four games of the 2025 season. His position group has arguably been the best part of the Giants’ defense over the last two years.

Brian Burns, Azeez Ojulari, and Kayvon Thibodeaux combined for 20 sacks and 32 tackles for loss in 2024; Burns put up 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss on his own this past season. Bullen also put together a decent defensive showing to end the season. His debut was a rough 33-15 loss to the Patriots, but after a Week 14 bye, the Giants allowed only 72 points and forced eight turnovers in their last four games.

Kelly also arrived in New York in 2024. He has not gotten much out of the Giants’ tight ends, though both Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger both took a step forward this past season. Kelly’s pre-Giants coaching career is not especially encouraging, either. Harbaugh may have preferred to hire George Godsey, his former tight ends coach in Baltimore, but Godsey already took a job as Georgia Tech’s offensive coordinator.

Harbaugh will be bringing other members of his previous staff to New York. The Ravens initially blocked a lateral move for special teams coordinator Chris Horton, but reversed course after hiring Jesse Minter. They are also letting running backs coach Willie Taggart follow Harbaugh, per Ian O’Connor of The Athletic.

Taggart’s role with the Giants is not yet known. He interviewed for the offensive coordinator job, but that is still expected to go to Harbaugh’s most recent OC in Baltimore, Todd Monken. Monken is still a candidate for the Browns’ head coaching job, but if he does not get it, he will immediately join Harbaugh’s staff in New York, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes.

Monken completing the expected Maryland-to-New York trek would only leave Taggart available for a lateral move, which the Ravens would have to permit. Given that Taggart’s hiring was reported before the Giants made their OC hire – and after Minter was hired – Baltimore seems to have allowed him to leave.

The same appears to be true of defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, who is also among Harbaugh’s initial hires, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. He spent the last two years in Baltimore and played a key role in developing Travis Jones, though he could not get enough out of the rest of the unit in 2025 after Nnamdi Madubuike‘s season-ending injury. News of Johnson’s move to New York also came after the Ravens officially brought Minter aboard, indicating that he wanted to go in a different direction at the position.

Harbaugh could also be considering a much bigger reunion with a former Ravens coach: Rex Ryan.

“I’m not ruling anything out,” Harbaugh said on WFAN after being asked about hiring his former defensive coordinator (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio). “A guy like Rex, he’s around the game, he knows the game. He’s going to have to get updated a little bit with some of the scheme stuff, but I’ll tell you, no one calls a better game than Rex Ryan.”

Bringing the former Jets and Bills head coach back to the NFL would be a major swing on Harbaugh’s part, especially if he hired him as the Giants’ defensive coordinator. That job would come with play-calling duties, a tall task after a decade away from coaching.

Still, Ryan has interviewed for jobs in each of the last three hiring cycles. He was a finalist for the Broncos’ DC gig in 2023, interviewed for the same job with the Cowboys in 2024, and managed to insert himself in the Jets’ head coach search last offseason. He no doubt would jump at the opportunity to return to the league, especially under a former longtime colleague like Harbaugh.

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Kevin Abrams Part Of John Harbaugh’s Initial Giants Firings

By | at January 21, 2026 10:58 pm

The Giants took significant strides in deciding to pursue, and ultimately land, John Harbaugh as their next head coach. The move required the acceptance that things hadn’t been working for quite some time and that bringing in someone from an organization that is known for its stability could unlock the secrets to success, even if meant breaking a few eggs. Several eggs were broken today, as Harbaugh began the process of letting go of any coaches he doesn’t intend to carry with him on his first staff in New York.

Per Ryan Dunleavy of NY Post Sports, this included a majority of the defensive staff. Defensive line coach Andre Patterson, inside linebackers coach John Egorugwu, defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Marquand Manuel, and cornerbacks coach Jeff Burris were all told today that they wouldn’t be returning for the 2026 campaign. Apart from the defense, Jordan Raanan of ESPN reported that special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial was also told to clean out his office.

The only remaining position coach on the defensive side of the ball is Charlie Bullen, who served as outside linebackers coach before being named interim defensive coordinator for the team’s final five games of the season. Bullen will be the only one who gets a chance to return to his position group, headlined by stars Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter. According to Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York, Bullen is open to returning under the new defensive coordinator, but “several teams are circling him” with hopes of poaching. Even the rival Cowboys interviewed him for their open DC position.

Throughout the day, Harbaugh held face-to-face meetings with incumbent assistants under contract for next year, though some of the dismissed staffers didn’t get to make their case to the new head coach. Those coaches were informed by general manager Joe Schoen that they were “not part of Harbaugh’s plans and free to look elsewhere.” Per separate reports from Hughes and Raanan, Bullen and Patterson were the two in-person meetings; Patterson coached through the 2025 season as he dealt with prostate cancer.

None of the moves were major surprises — that is, until Ian Rapoport dropped the bomb that senior vice president of football operations and strategy Kevin Abrams had been let go, setting off a chain of stunned reactions from the local beat reporters. Abrams had been a respected employee of Big Blue since 1999, spanning four general managers and even serving as an interim fifth GM in 2017.

Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Abrams was a key contributor on negotiating contracts and, per FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, was once considered the GM-in-waiting behind Dave Gettleman before Gettleman’s tenure came to an abrupt end. Whenever Schoen came in to replace Gettleman, Abrams took a backseat to allow for a smooth transition and even took a further step back so that Brandon Brown could come in as assistant general manager, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic. Though several reporters’ reactions confirmed it, it was Hughes who voiced that Abrams was seemingly “untouchable for just about every Giants regime.”

While the reactions were those of shock, all seemed to be on the same page that these moves are necessary in order to elevate out of the pitfalls of the past. Harbaugh’s hiring, including the days of discussion about reporting roles, was designed to provoke a departure from “bad organizational habits,” per Pat Leonard of NY Daily News. Leonard claims Harbaugh “must act quickly and harshly to dismantle the Giants’ toxicity.” Leonard’s fiery rhetoric continued with phrases like “half measures will not do,” “ripped out at the root,” “there can be no delay,” and “no protection of tenured employees for the sake of relationships.”

While softer language conveyed the message from other accounts, the message itself was clear. Leonard argued that Harbaugh could have toed the party line and moved unwanted personnel to positions of less importance but that would just continue the cycle of politics. Instead, Harbaugh is taking the initiative to make the moves necessary to enact actual change in the building. More shocking changes could rise up on the horizon, as well.

To fill out the new holes on the defensive staff, Harbaugh took the obvious initial route of requesting interviews with several of his former staffers in Baltimore, just to be blocked by his former team. Though team owner Steve Bisciotti implied sweeping coaching changes in the future, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, the executive is still acting in the Ravens’ best interests and giving the eventual new head coach first dibs at the guys still under contract in Baltimore.

Dunleavy points out that a worst-case scenario could see Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter named head coach of the Ravens. According to senior NFL insider Josina Anderson, Minter concluded his in-person, second-round interview with the team today, and Dunleavy asserts that, due to Minter’s prior history on the Ravens’ coaching staff, he may be one of the few head coaching options to deny Harbaugh a chance to interview the defensive staffers that Minter may want to retain.

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Cowboys To Interview Christian Parker, Charlie Bullen, DeMarcus Covington For DC Job

By | at January 15, 2026 2:42 pm

The Cowboys’ search for a new defensive coordinator continues to expand.

Dallas will interview Eagles pass game coordinator Christian Parker and Giants interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen on Thursday, with Packers run game coordinator DeMarcus Covington scheduled for Friday, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Parker, 34, spent six years as a college coach before getting his first NFL job with the Packers. He then serves as the Broncos’ defensive backs coach from 2021 to 2023 before taking on his current position in Philadelphia. In Denver, he played a crucial role in the development of cornerbacks Patrick Surtain and Riley Moss. Similarly, he oversaw the breakout rookie seasons by Eagles cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in 2024.

Bullen, 42, has NFL experience with the Dolphins and Cardinals as well as some time in college at Iowa and Illinois. He was hired as the Giants outside linebackers coach in 2024 and quickly integrated Brian Burns into the Giants’ pass rush following his trade from the Panthers. Bullen then took over the team’s interim DC after Shane Bowen was fired in November. The unit improved significantly at the end of the year, allowing just 33 points in their last three games.

Covington, 36, spent four years at the college level before an eight-year stint in New England. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2024 but was not retained on Mike Vrabel‘s new staff. Covington went to Green Bay in the offseason and held the defensive line together after the departure of Kenny Clark and injuries to multiple key players. He could be promoted to replace defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley if he leaves for a head coaching job, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Parker, Bullen, and Covington are the latest additions to a long list of candidates for the Cowboys’ DC job. Other requested or scheduled interviewees include former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and their own defensive line coach, Aaron Whitecotton.

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Giants To Interview Darren Rizzi For HC; Team Prioritizing Experience In Search

By | at January 8, 2026 4:45 pm

It is certainly not a secret any longer the Giants are quite interested in John Harbaugh. They are not the only ones, and they may not have the best sales pitch to make. Though, the recently fired HC is believed to hold at least some interest in the position.

The Giants are still moving through their candidate list, however. The latest is Darren Rizzi, the current Broncos special teams coordinator. Big Blue requested a Rizzi HC meeting, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Rizzi has worked under Sean Payton on multiple occasions in Denver and New Orleans, but he has a lengthy history with Giants GM Joe Schoen. Rizzi is the third coach on the Broncos’ staff to receive an interview request, joining Vance Joseph and Davis Webb. Both are on the Giants’ radar.

Schoen and Rizzi were both in Miami from 2009-16. Rizzi served as the Dolphins’ assistant ST coach and then ST coordinator (2010-16) during that span, as Schoen was in the front office before leaving for Buffalo in 2017. Rizzi, 55, is also a New Jersey native. The interview is expected to take place Friday or Saturday, per Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero.

Rizzi received consideration for the Saints’ job, one a few candidates — Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Brady, Mike McCarthy — withdrew from. Some Rizzi momentum developed, but Kellen Moore ended up being the hire. Rizzi also interviewed for the Jets’ HC post last year. Payton had offered Rizzi the Broncos’ ST coordinator position as a fallback option.

Rizzi spent 2019-24 as the Saints’ ST coordinator, finishing last season as New Orleans’ interim HC post-Dennis Allen. Rizzi went 3-5 as the Saints’ interim boss, with most of that stint coming after Derek Carr was shut down.

This Giants search now includes seven former head coaches or interim leaders, with Rizzi and Mike Kafka checking the latter box. Experience matters during this Giants search, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. The team went with two former coordinators with its past two hires — Brian Daboll, Joe Judge — but whiffed on second-chance HC option Pat Shurmur in 2018.

The Giants were obviously successful when they last hired a retread, with Tom Coughlin guiding the team to two Super Bowl championships during his 12-year tenure. Still, it would be a major surprise if Rizzi landed the job. ST coordinators almost never rise to the HC level. And this is one of the few teams that tried that route, with Judge faceplanting as the Patriot Way brand sustained a series of hits during this time.

Assuming the Giants move on from Kafka, his interim DC — Charlie Bullen — is expected to draw coordinator interest elsewhere, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. The Giants’ defense improved under Bullen, though the team’s two wins did come against fairly unmotivated teams (Raiders, Cowboys) to close the season. Bullen, 41, coached with Rizzi in Miami before stops in Arizona. Daboll hired him to succeed Drew Wilkins as outside linebackers coach in 2024.

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Giants Fire DC Shane Bowen

By | at November 24, 2025 10:56 pm

Further changes along the sideline are taking place in New York. Shane Bowen‘s defensive coordinator tenure with the Giants has come to an end.

Bowen has been fired, as first reported by NJ.com’s Art Stapleton. The move comes after interim head coach Mike Kafka‘s second game at the helm. The Giants once again found themselves in position to close out a win yesterday, but they wound up dropping a 34-27 contest in overtime to the Lions. With defensive breakdowns still an issue, Bowen is being replaced. The news is now official, per a team announcement.

On five occasions this season, the Giants have held a lead of 10 or more points but gone on to lose; that includes three blown double-digit leads in the fourth quarter. That trend has led to increasing calls for Bowen to be dismissed. The 38-year-old’s job security was a talking point after the 2024 campaign with owner John Mara publicly criticizing him. As of early September, Bowen joined then-head coach Brian Daboll as a candidate to be replaced during the season.

Kafka took over from Daboll two weeks ago, and he did not make any immediate moves in terms of coordinator changes. Nevertheless, it was reported at the time Bowen was on thin ice. Overall, the former Titans DC’s unit ranks 30th in both points and yards allowed, something which has played a major role in New York’s 2-10 record. Today’s decision thus comes as little surprise.

In a move which many predicted in the immediate aftermath of the Bowen firing, outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will take over as interim DC. Kafka has informed the team of Bullen’s promotion, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. This will be Bullen’s first stint as a coordinator at the college or NFL levels.

After beginning his coaching career at Iowa, Bullen began working at the NFL as a Dolphins assistant. He worked with the team’s linebackers from 2016-18 before doing the same with the Cardinals over a four-year span. Bullen served as Arizona’s outside linebackers coach during the final three years of that tenure before holding that same title with Illinois for the 2023 campaign.

Bullen joined the Giants in 2024, the same time Bowen was hired following the period which saw Don Martindale‘s feud with Daboll lead to his departure. Things have not gone according to plan since that move, with a number of notable defensive additions (such as the free agent signings of cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland this past spring) not yielding an improved showing in terms of defensive production in Bowen’s second season.

The Giants will play the Patriots in the final game of Week 13. The team’s bye will follow, and then Kafka and Bullen will have a four-game run to close out the campaign. How those two fare in their respective roles down the stretch will be a central storyline for the team and help determine how the coaching staff is handled ahead of the 2026 hiring cycle.

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NFC Coaching Notes: Eagles, Clay, Pettine, Vikings, Panthers, Giants, Lions, Rams

By | at February 16, 2024 4:31 pm

The Eagles‘ changes at offensive and defensive coordinator show how quickly job security can evaporate in the NFL, and Nick Sirianni‘s seat has heated up as a result. But the Eagles are not changing out all their coordinators. They will extend special teams boss Michael Clay, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This marks the second straight year in which the Eagles have extended Clay, who is going into his fourth season as their ST coordinator. Just 32, Clay has been a special teams coach in the NFL since 2015, serving as the 49ers’ assistant ST coach for five years. Clay debuted with the Eagles, however, joining Chip Kelly‘s staff in 2014. The Eagles vaulted from 31st to 10th on Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings in 2023.

Philly is adding former Titans inside linebackers coach Bobby King to their staff, ESPN.com’s Tim McManus tweets. While Brian Callahan kept a handful of Mike Vrabel assistants, he did not retain King. Under King’s guidance last season, Titans free agency pickup Azeez Al-Shaair tallied 163 tackles — the most by anyone during the franchise’s 25-season Titans period.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Fired as the Jaguars’ defensive pass-game coordinator last month, Deshea Townsend has another gig lined up. The Lions are hiring the former NFL cornerback in the same capacity, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Townsend, who won two Super Bowls during his 12-year Steelers run as a player, has been in coaching since his 2011 retirement. Prior to his two-year Jacksonville stay, Townsend coached DBs with the Bears, Giants and Titans and Cardinals. The Lions recently lost DBs coach Brian Duker to the Dolphins.
  • After working as a Vikings senior defensive assistant over the past two years, Mike Pettine will have a more defined role this year in Minnesota. The Vikings announced the veteran DC and ex-Browns HC will be their outside linebackers coach in 2024. Still carrying an assistant HC title, Pettine worked with the Vikes’ OLBs under Brian Flores last season. This will be the 57-year-old coach’s 22nd season in the NFL.
  • The Vikings also hired Marcus Dixon to be their defensive line coach. Brought over from the Broncos, Dixon was a Nathaniel Hackett hire in Denver. Ejiro Evero took Dixon with him from the Rams in 2022; he served as the Broncos’ D-line coach for two years. The Broncos are losing their only two pre-Sean Payton defensive assistants this offseason, seeing DBs coach Christian Parker rejoin Vic Fangio in Philadelphia. Evero tried to take both Parker and Dixon with him to the Panthers last year, per 9News’ Mike Klis, but the Broncos blocked the effort and kept them around to work under Vance Joseph.
  • The Giants are doling out some new titles. QBs coach Shea Tierney and DBs coach Jerome Henderson will respectively serve as the team’s offensive and defensive pass-game coordinators. Henderson has been with the Giants since 2020, while Tierney came over from the Bills with Brian Daboll. The Giants also moved former safety Mike Adams from assistant secondary coach to assistant DBs coach.
  • Additionally, Big Blue hired Charlie Bullen to replace Drew Wilkins as outside linebackers coach. Daboll fired Wilkins, a longtime Don Martindale right-hand man, and that choice keyed an explosive conclusion to the Daboll-Martindale relationship. Wilkins is now with the Patriots. Bullen spent last season as Illinois’ OLBs coach; he spent the previous four years coaching linebackers with the Cardinals. The veteran assistant previously worked with Dolphins LBs under Joe Philbin and Adam Gase.
  • The Rams recently interviewed former Packers pass-game coordinator Greg Williams for their inside linebackers coach gig, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. This is not the ex-St. Louis Rams DC better known for Bountygate; the two-G Greg Williams spent time with the Broncos and Cardinals prior to spending last season in Green Bay.
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