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Latest On Commanders’ HC Search, Mike Macdonald Pursuit

By | at February 5, 2024 10:00 pm

The Commanders became the eighth and final team to hire a head coach this offseason, bringing in former Cowboys DC Dan Quinn. Further details have emerged on Washington’s search, one which included a number of turns before its eventual conclusion.

[RELATED: Commanders Spoke With Belichick About HC Job]

Once Adam Peters was installed as general manager, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson became the candidate most closely associated with Washington’s HC vacancy. That remained the case until late in the search process, when signs pointed to the Commanders carrying a more open-minded approach. Indeed, SI’s Albert Breer notes how Peters, owner Josh Harris and hiring committee member Rick Speilman were “rankled” by the widespread outside perception the job was Johnson’s to lose.

The latter elected (as he did in 2023) to withdraw from head coach consideration for the Commanders and Seahawks. The timing of that decision – which Washington’s front office became aware of while flying to Detroit – has not gone over well, and Johnson has become the subject of reporting pointing to poor interviews and a high asking price. With him out of the running, Washington and Seattle both turned their attention to Mike Macdonald as a top target.

As Ben Standig and Dianna Russini of The Athletic report, the Commanders were keen on the ex-Ravens defensive coordinator until the Seahawks “swooped in with more money” (subscription required). As they note, Macdonald received a six-year contract with Seattle – standard practice in the NFL being four- or five-year agreements for coaches – something which no doubt factored into his decision to head to the Emerald City.

The Athletic report also corroborates others from last week which stated the Commanders offered their HC position to Macdonald around the same time he was finalizing his agreement with the Seahawks. That has led to concerns that Quinn, whose run at the helm of the Falcons included a 43-42 record, was no higher than third on Washington’s priority list. The 53-year-old’s leadership traits have, on the other hand, earned considerable praise in Dallas and elsewhere during Washington’s vetting process.

Quinn is in place (along with his offensive and defensive coordinators) as the Commanders aim to move forward from a disappointing final campaign under Ron Rivera. With the dust having settled on the HC cycle, both Washington and Seattle can proceed with their respective coaches, although the process undergone by the former in particular to arrive at this point is certainly noteworthy.

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Mike Macdonald Received HC Offer From Commanders?

By | at February 2, 2024 10:22 pm

After a succesful two-year run as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, Mike Macdonald was one of the top head coaching candidates around the league. He took the Seahawks’ HC position on Wednesday, but that does not appear to have been the only offer on the table.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports the Commanders offered their head coaching position to Macdonald. The timing in this matter is critical, given the involvement of Lions OC Ben Johnson in both Washington’s and Seattle’s searches. Florio notes the Commanders’ offer was made after Johnson made it known he was electing to remain in Detroit for at least one more season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds (via Earl Forcey of 106.7 The Fan) that Washington contacted Macdonald while he was en route to Seattle to inquire about his continued interest in the position.

That certainly points to Macdonald being the team’s preference over its eventual hire, Cowboys DC Dan Quinn. For much of the hiring cycle, Johnson appeared to be the Commanders’ top choice, with his decision forcing the team to move in a different direction. As Schefter’s colleague John Keim reports, however, Johnson was not seen as a unanimous top choice at any point in the vetting process. No offers had been made to Johnson (or any other candidate) before the highly-acclaimed OC bowed out of the running, Keim adds.

Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik also agreed to take himself out of the picture after receiving head coaching interest, although Keim notes he was never considered a likely hire for Washington. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Dan Graziano adds that while Johnson was considered by many around the league to be the Commanders’ top choice, Macdonald may have actually been the team’s No. 1 option.

The 36-year-old led the Ravens to a first-place finish in a number of defensive categories in 2023, and he will be tasked with overseeing a turnaround on that side of the ball with the Seahawks. Offensively, however, Seattle offers much more in the way of known commodities compared to Washington. The latter team has an unsettled QB situation which will likely be addressed with the second overall pick in this year’s draft, along with plenty of room for improvement along the O-line. The Commanders’ defense also bottomed out late in the 2023 season, and it will be a focus for free agent and draft moves. Macodonald’s decision to forgo the Commanders in favor of the Seahawks – if he did indeed have such an opportunity – is thus reasonable.

Quinn will be at the helm moving forward in the nation’s capital, and the ESPN piece notes how his leadership traits were well-received in his interview process. The beginning of his tenure with Washington will, however, likely be marked with the belief he was not atop the team’s pecking order for coaching candidates.

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Chip Kelly On Commanders’ OC Radar

By | at February 2, 2024 10:14 pm

Chip Kelly may have come up during Dan Quinn‘s meetings with the Commanders. The new Washington HC brings a defensive expertise to the nation’s capital, highlighting the importance of the upcoming offensive coordinator hire. Kelly looks to be under consideration.

Out of the NFL since his one-and-done stint as 49ers HC, Kelly has emerged as a candidate for the Commanders’ OC post, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. Kelly is believed to have interviewed with the Raiders about their OC job — one expected to go to fellow college staffer Kliff Kingsbury — but Quinn is believed to have mentioned the UCLA HC’s name during at least one of his interviews with another team.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Quinn brought up Kelly during one of his HC meetings outside of Washington, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. Kelly, 60, has been the Bruins’ head coach for the past six seasons. As Jim Harbaugh, Jeff Hafley and others have shown recently, the landscape of the college game — one now included the transfer portal and NIL components — has driven coaches to look into NFL returns. Kelly is believed to have met with the Raiders twice about their OC job. With the Commanders’ play-calling gig open, the former Eagles and 49ers HC may still have a chance to return to the league.

A coveted candidate back when the Eagles hired him to replace Andy Reid in 2013, Kelly guided that Philadelphia edition to the playoffs. His 2014 squad, which lost starting QB Nick Foles to injury during the season, added a second straight 10-win season. That Eagles squad narrowly missed the playoffs, but Kelly’s early success prompted Jeffery Lurie to demote Howie Roseman and let his HC run the show in 2015. That made for a memorable year, one that ended with Kelly’s in-season ouster and Roseman being restored as GM. The 49ers hired Kelly in 2016, but after a 2-14 season, the team made a second straight HC a one-and-done (after Jim Tomsula) to lead to the Kyle Shanahan six-year contract.

UCLA’s offense ranked in the top 20 in points from 2020-22 but dropped to 70th last season. The Bruins are also set to join USC in moving to the Big Ten for the 2024 season, moves that brought about the effective demise of the Pac-12 when most of the Los Angeles-based schools’ rivals moved to exit last year.

After being off the NFL radar for years, Kelly resurfaced as a coordinator candidate last month. Kelly, who has never been an NFL assistant, had not conducted an interview with a team between his San Francisco firing and the recent Las Vegas meeting. No Commanders interview is believed to have taken place, but it would not surprise if one transpired. Eric Bieniemy received some late buzz about potentially staying on as OC under Washington’s next head coach; it would still surprise if one of Ron Rivera‘s coordinator hires was given that chance.

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Commanders Hire Dan Quinn As HC

By | at February 1, 2024 10:12 pm

All eight of the open head coaching positions are now filled. The Commanders are moving forward with Dan Quinn. The Cowboys’ defensive coordinator will change jobs in the NFC East and land his second HC gig, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Based on Quinn’s past and the job market, his Washington landing is a moderate surprise. Quinn enjoyed two stints with the Seahawks, the second of which as their DC on both 2010s Super Bowl teams. He emerged as the first candidate on Seattle’s radar when Pete Carroll was pushed out, but the Seahawks went in a different direction by hiring Mike Macdonald. Although the Washington process featured some late curveballs, the team is hiring one of its original candidates.

A regular on the 2022 and 2023 coaching carousels, Quinn has been selective since re-establishing his value in Dallas. The three-year Cowboys DC was close to becoming the Broncos’ head coach in 2022 but bowed out of the 2023 HC market early, opting to keep going in Dallas. A year later, the former Falcons HC has committed to trying his hand as a sideline leader once again.

This hiring period produced five defense-oriented HC hires, though it did not include opportunities for Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel. The Commanders saw their presumed favorite for the position — Lions OC Ben Johnson — inform them he was no longer interested in HC jobs this year. That came as Commanders brass flew to Detroit for scheduled interviews with both Johnson and Lions DC Aaron Glenn. Hours after the Johnson news, Texans OC Bobby Slowik — who had interviewed twice with the Commanders — made a pledge to stay in Houston. These developments, however, did not prompt Washington to expand its search by including Belichick or Vrabel.

Quinn, 53, certainly brings familiarity with the Commanders. The Cowboys went 5-1 against their rivals during Quinn’s three-year run calling the shots on defense. Quinn will join a team that has considerable offseason resources and one with a changing reputation, with Josh Harris replacing unpopular owner Dan Snyder last year. The Commanders will enter this offseason holding the No. 2 overall pick and possessing — as of now, at least — an NFL-leading $73MM-plus in cap space.

Harris will pair Quinn and longtime 49ers exec Adam Peters, with the pair replacing a Ron Rivera-run power structure. That said, GM Martin Mayhew is expected to stay on; though, he will likely not have the GM title much longer. Hired as the team’s president of football operations, Peters will control the roster; Quinn will report to Peters. The two will be tasked with reviving a franchise that has not strung together consecutive 10-win seasons since the early 1990s.

While some expected Peters to align himself with an offense-oriented HC, the exits of Johnson and Slowik from this race effectively prevented that from happening. Although the Commanders interviewed OC Eric Bieniemy, he was not viewed as a serious candidate for the job. (Though, it will be interesting to see if Quinn considers Bieniemy to stay on as OC.) That left only defense-geared candidates, and Macdonald’s Seattle commitment further narrowed Washington’s options. In Quinn, however, the Commanders are hiring one of the league’s top defensive coordinators and a coach who experienced great success early during his Falcons stay.

During Quinn’s time in Dallas, the Cowboys’ defense awakened after the 2020 unit allowed a franchise-record 473 points. Spurred by the arrivals of Quinn and Micah Parsons in 2021, the Cowboys dropped that total by 115 despite the NFL expanding its season to 17 games. Dallas finished in the top seven in scoring defense during each of Quinn’s three seasons calling plays. While Quinn’s defense faceplanted during a shocking loss to the Packers in the wild-card round, his body of work once again generated extensive interest on the coaching carousel.

In Atlanta, Quinn went 43-42. Joining the Falcons after coaching in two straight Super Bowls as the Seahawks’ DC, Quinn had the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. That 11-5 team had the Patriots dead to rights, up 28-3 late in the third quarter. But Quinn’s defense — one missing top cornerback Desmond Trufant — could not stop a Tom Brady-piloted comeback that effectively sent the Falcons into a tailspin. Quinn led the team back to the playoffs in 2017 but failed to produce a winning record over his final two full seasons, being fired early during the 2020 campaign.

Quinn interviewed for the Commanders, Seahawks, Titans, Panthers and Chargers’ jobs. Going through his second interview with the Commanders on Monday, Quinn became the pick over Bieniemy, Glenn and Ravens D-line coach Anthony Weaver. The field had thinned for the Commanders, and the team has plenty of work to do to start the Peters-Quinn era.

With the incoming power brokers having no ties to Sam Howell, Washington should be considered likely to draft a quarterback second overall. The team going defense with this hire will help address one of the NFL’s weakest units. The Commanders finished last in both scoring defense and yards allowed in 2023, leading to Jack Del Rio‘s firing and Rivera’s ouster. Harris drove the team to trade both Montez Sweat and Chase Young on deadline day, and while those moves gutted the pass rush, Del Rio’s unit had struggled throughout. The Commanders do still roster upper-echelon defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne; though, Allen has said he is not interested in being part of a rebuild.

Washington, which has not finished a season with a winning record since finishing 8-7-1 in 2016, has plenty of work to do on both sides of the ball. But the future suddenly looks much brighter compared to where the team stood during most of the Snyder era. With that wreckage in the team’s rearview mirror, Harris’ new hires will be tasked with restoring the reputation this franchise lost decades ago during Snyder’s woeful run as owner.

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2024 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at February 1, 2024 9:55 am

The Commanders’ hire has wrapped this year’s cycle. Barring a team making an 11th-hour change, the 2024 HC carousel has come to a stop. The final breakdown produced five defensive coaches being hired compared to three with backgrounds on offense. Many teams are still searching for offensive and defensive coordinators, however.

Updated 2-1-24 (10:37am CT)

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Jerod Mayo, linebackers coach (Patriots): Hired

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

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Latest On Commanders’ HC Search

By | at January 30, 2024 4:24 pm

Ben Johnson loomed as the favorite for the Commanders’ HC job for over two weeks, but a curveball looks to have disrupted the NFC East franchise’s search process.

Despite being interested in the North Carolina native since last year and being prepared to pursue him for a second straight offseason, the Panthers did not wait for the Lions’ season to end, instead hiring Dave Canales last week. That seemed to be a prelude to Johnson’s Washington arrival, but the prominent HC candidate has once again pledged to stick with Detroit. This creates uncertainty for Josh Harris‘ club.

Although ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicates Johnson did not appear a slam dunk for the Washington job, he mentions Commanders brass was en route to Detroit to interview Johnson and Aaron Glenn when word emerged the Lions’ OC was bowing out of another search. Johnson’s decision surprised many, per Schefter, even though the young play-caller made the same move last year.

The Commanders indeed had Johnson installed as the frontrunner here, per Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano. As for who is most likely to land the job now, Vacchiano indicates Dan Quinn and Mike Macdonald have been viewed as sleepers during this process. These two have been sought-after candidates, but the “sleeper” label appears to have been applied because Johnson was viewed as a borderline prohibitive favorite to become the next Commanders HC.

Quinn has interviewed twice with the Commanders, Macdonald once. Both are in consideration for the other HC vacancy. A Seahawks-Quinn reunion became rumored immediately after Pete Carroll‘s ouster, while Macdonald is interviewing with the team today.

Johnson, 37, received a raise to stay in Detroit last year. Another pay bump is not believed to be forthcoming, Schefter adds, noting Johnson’s current Lions deal runs through the 2025 season. The Lions should again be expected to field a quality offense. Jared Goff is signed through 2024, though he is on track to become a higher-paid QB before next season. Pass-catching pillars Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta remain on rookie deals, though the former is a clear extension candidate in 2024. Three of Detroit’s five O-line starters — Taylor Decker, Frank Ragnow, Penei Sewell — are under contract for 2024 as well.

More attractive jobs could also open up in 2025. The Cowboys and Eagles spent time deliberating about their head coaches, and although Mike McCarthy and Nick Sirianni are returning, they are going to do so on hot seats (McCarthy especially, as he is a lame duck). The Jaguars’ patience with Doug Pederson could wear thin as well, given the disappointing season the team just completed. Although no head coach has been fired following a playoff berth since Mike Mularkey (Tennessee) six years ago, the Bills just became the third team in the home-field advantage era (1975-present) to lose back-to-back home divisional-round games. Sean McDermott‘s seat has likely warmed as well, though it might not rival the two coaches overseeing NFC East powers presently.

As the Commanders continue their search, they do still have Texans OC Bobby Slowik in the mix. While Slowik has only been a play-caller for one season, he joins Adam Peters in having spent extensive time in San Francisco. Here is how the Washington search looks following Johnson’s surprise exit:

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Seahawks Schedule Second HC Interview With Ben Johnson; Team To Meet With Mike Macdonald

By | at January 29, 2024 10:04 pm

The Commanders and Seahawks saw a number of the top remaining candidates for their head coaching vacancies become available via their team’s respective losses on Sunday. Washington’s intentions remain clear, but Seattle will also speak with the names most frequently connected to its own opening.

The Seahawks are set to interview Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson tonight along with Ravens DC Mike Macdonald tomorrow, SI’s Albert Breer reports. In the former’s case, this summit will be a second interview which comes amidst expectations he is the top choice of the Commanders. The latter, meanwhile, has not yet taken part in a Seahawks meeting.

In spite of that, it was reported during the weekend that the Seahawks were interested in speaking with Macdonald. The Ravens and Lions were eliminated on Sunday, leaving their staffers free to interview with and accept offers from teams prepared to offer a head coaching position at any time. Both Johnson and Macdonald have been amongst the most sought-after candidates in this year’s cycle, and their futures could become clear in the coming days.

The Panthers were prepared to (once again) make a push to land Johnson, one of the top young offensive minds in the league. He was tapped as Carolina’s top choice, but the same is true of Washington. With the Panthers having moved on to Dave Canales, the Commanders are in pole position to land the 37-year-old.

Johnson would be a welcomed addition to any staff, but the Seahawks will have other options if he does take the Commanders gig. Macdonald, like Johnson, has only been an NFL coordinator over the past two years, but his work with Baltimore’s defense has quickly upped his head coaching stock. Prior to tomorrow’s sit-down with the Seahawks, he will meet today with the Commanders.

Of course, another name looming over the Seattle vacancy is Dan Quinn. The current Cowboys defensive coordinator has elected to turn down HC interest in the past, but a chance to succeed Pete Carroll in Seattle could await him. Quinn is among the staffers to have already conducted a second interview with the team, and Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes Quinn could presently be considered a “slight favorite” for the job. However, Seattle is high on Macdonald, he adds.

Indeed, NBC Sports’ Peter King confirms Quinn’s history with Seattle (having previously served as the team’s DC) is unlikely to represent a deciding factor in the team’s ultimate decision. Plenty is still to be determined as the Seahawks enter the next phase of their coaching search. Both they and the Commanders will be worth watching closely as the HC cycle approaches its end.

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Coaching Notes: Callahan, Browns, Vrabel, Seahawks, Smith, Johnson, Texans, Jets

By | at January 24, 2024 5:34 pm

The Titans ended Brian Callahan‘s five-year stay as a non-play-calling Bengals OC, hiring the veteran assistant as their Mike Vrabel successor. Although Callahan has never been his team’s primary play-caller, he will not give his first Tennessee OC that responsibility. Callahan will call Titans offensive plays, veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky notes. Callahan has spent five years learning from Bengals HC/play-caller Zac Taylor. He also worked under Jon Gruden in 2018 and Gary Kubiak in 2015. Not calling plays in Cincinnati undoubtedly held Callahan back, considering the success the Bengals’ offense generated during Joe Burrow‘s early years.

During a busy day on the coaching carousel, here is the latest from around the league:

  • Duce Staley will land on his feet. The recently dismissed Panthers running backs coach will take the same position with the Browns, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports. The Jets had planned to make Staley an offer as well, but the veteran RBs coach will replace Stump Mitchell in Cleveland. Staley has coached running backs for the past 11 seasons, doing so with the Eagles, Lions and Panthers. The former NFL running back will have a chance to coach Nick Chubb, assuming the perennial Pro Bowler returns from his ACL tear.
  • The Browns are also working to hire one of Nick Saban’s former assistants to replace the other position coach they fired last week. Tommy Rees, who landed the Notre Dame OC job in his 20s and held the same position at Alabama last season, is on the Browns’ radar, The Athletic’s Zac Jackson tweets. A former Chargers assistant, Rees is expected to become the Browns’ tight ends coach. Cleveland dismissed T.C. McCartney last week.
  • Two casualties of this coaching carousel are candidates to land elsewhere soon. Ex-Falcons HC Arthur Smith and recently dismissed Eagles OC Brian Johnson have generated interest around the league, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Smith is being monitored as an OC candidate, per Russini, with a handful of teams looking into the three-year Atlanta HC. Prior to Smith’s Falcons tenure, the ex-Titans OC generated widespread interest as a head coach option in 2021. Johnson has not achieved similar status, and Russini does not confirm the one-year Eagles play-caller is on the OC radar. Though, that would not surprise considering Johnson received multiple HC interview requests during this cycle.
  • Mentioned recently as a candidate on the Seahawks‘ radar, Vrabel may be receiving some support from Seattle players. Some Seahawks view Vrabel as the best option for the job, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline. Although Vrabel now has three interviews completed or booked, the Seahawks have not yet met with him. They have met with their former DC, Dan Quinn, who was the first name to emerge as the top Pete Carroll successor option. The Dallas DC should still be considered the frontrunner, Pauline adds. Quinn has a second interview scheduled for Friday, but the Seahawks have a few targets set for second meetings this week.
  • The Texans are not bringing back defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. Lovie Smith hired Cesaire in 2022, whose contract is expiring. DeMeco Ryans‘ club did set a single-season sack record, with 46, which is quite something considering this franchise employed J.J. Watt for nine seasons. A former NFL D-lineman, Cesaire has been a D-line coach in the league since 2020.
  • On the subject of AFC D-line coaches, the Jets are retaining theirs. Aaron Whitecotton‘s contract was set to expire, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, but the New York Post’s Brian Costello notes the team reached an extension agreement Wednesday. Considering the success the Jets have had up front over the past two seasons, it is unsurprising they made a commitment to keep the Robert Saleh lieutenant around. The Jets also interviewed former Titans assistant Tony Dews for their RBs coach job, The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt tweets. Tennessee’s tight ends coach in 2023, Dews worked alongside current Jets staffers Todd Downing and Keith Carter in Tennessee.
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Commanders Scheduling Second HC Interviews With Dan Quinn, Raheem Morris

By | at January 23, 2024 7:40 pm

TUESDAY, 7:40pm: Another candidate has earned a second interview with the Commanders, as ESPN’s John Keim reports that Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver is expected to meet again with the organization.

Weaver is also in consideration for the Falcons head coaching job, where he also earned a second interview. Weaver has spent the past three seasons in Baltimore, including the past two as the DL coach/associate head coach.

MONDAY, 5:55pm: The Commanders are lining up second interviews with head coach candidates. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Commanders are expected to host Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on an in-person interview. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is scheduling a second interview with the Commanders.

Following the Cowboys’ disappointing playoff loss, it didn’t take long for Quinn to hit the interview trail. He met with the Commanders last week, and he’s already earned second interviews with the Titans and Seahawks.

Following a third-straight standout year by the Cowboys defense, Quinn is once again a popular name on the head coaching market. The veteran coach reportedly rejected previous HC opportunities in order to stick with Dallas, but it sounds like he’s more open to moving on in 2024. The former Falcons head coach has also been connected to the Panthers and Chargers jobs.

Morris is also a popular HC candidate this offseason. We previously heard that Morris earned second interviews with the Panthers and Seahawks, and in addition to the Commanders, Schefter notes that the coordinator is also expected to take a second interview with the Falcons.

Morris has served as the Rams defensive coordinator since 2021. He served as Atlanta’s interim head coach in 2020 following the firing of (who else) Dan Quinn. Morris’s stint in Atlanta spanned six years, and he had a previous three-year stint as the head coach in Tampa Bay.

In addition to Quinn and Morris, the list of Commanders head coach candidates includes:

Washington Commanders

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Titans To Conduct Second HC Interviews With Thomas Brown, Dan Quinn

By | at January 22, 2024 11:36 am

The list of finalists for the Titans’ head coaching position continues to grow. Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan is slated to conduct a second interview with Tennessee, and the same is true of two other staffers.

Tennessee has lined up a second interview with Panthers OC Thomas Brown, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports. The in-person meeting will take place today, he adds, noting Brown’s virtual interview went well. Meanwhile, the Titans plan to speak for a second time with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, per Wolfe’s colleague Tom Pelissero.

The latter will meet with Tennessee in person on Wednesday, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. A few days from now, therefore, the Titans will have a firm picture of their finalists for the position. By interviewing Brown, along with former Stanford head coach David Shaw, the team will have satisfied the Rooney Rule once the former’s meeting is complete. As a result, Tennessee will be free to hire its next coach in the very near future.

Brown has not been connected to a HC opening other than the one in Nashville. He has nevertheless emerged as one of the top up-and-coming offensive minds in the league in large part for his work with the Rams. The 37-year-old came to Carolina as part of Frank Reich‘s highly-acclaimed staff this offseason, but the team’s offense struggled both before and after Reich’s midseason dismissal. Brown is in place for now, but he is not expected to remain in Carolina once the team hires its next coach.

Quinn, by contrast, has once again been one of the hottest candidates in the hiring cycle. The former Falcons HC has been linked to the Seahawks in particular as they search for a Pete Carroll replacement. Quinn – who spent two seasons as Seattle’s DC – has a second interview lined up with his old team. He is also an outlier amongst Tennessee’s finalists (at least so far) because his background is on the defensive side of the ball.

In looking for a Mike Vrabel successor, the Titans could look to focus more on the offensive candidates available to them. That approach would lend itself to Callahan and/or Brown, but more clarity will no doubt emerge in the coming days as the team goes through its second round of interviews.

Here is an updated look at the Titans’ search:

 

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