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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 2-18-26 (10:39am 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)

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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Mike LaFleur Will Call Cardinals’ Offense; Wink Martindale Among DC Candidates

By | at February 3, 2026 8:56 pm

The Cardinals were the second-to-last team to hire a new head coach this cycle, putting them behind the ball in the search for their coordinators.

With an offensive-minded head coach in Mike LaFleur, Arizona’s defensive coordinator hire will be crucial. LaFleur will call plays for the offense, per team reporter Darren Urban, but he will need to find someone he trusts to take up those duties on defense. The first-time head coach may also be looking to add some experience to his staff.

Former Ravens and Giants defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale could fit the bill. He is a “name to watch” in the Cardinals’ search for a defensive play-caller, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Martindale, 62, just finished a two-year stint as Michigan’s defensive coordinator. The Wolverines were not as dominant as they were under their last two defensive coordinators, Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter, but they still ranked 19th and 29th in points in 2024 and 2025, respectively. But in Martindale’s previous three seasons as a DC – two with the Giants and his last year with the Ravens – his unit ranked no better than 17th in points allowed and 25th in total defense. However, in Martindale’s first three years as Baltimore’s DC, the Ravens boasted a top-three scoring defense.

Martindale’s blitz-heavy scheme could benefit a Cardinals defense that registered just 30 sacks in 2025, tied for the third-fewest in the NFL. He would also bring four decades of experience on the defensive side of the ball and connections to plenty of assistant coaches around the league who can fill out his staff.

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Jets To Hire Brian Duker As DC

By | at January 28, 2026 11:02 pm

The Jets have put an end to a drawn-out defensive coordinator search. They’re hiring former Dolphins pass game coordinator Brian Duker, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The 36-year-old Duker was not publicly on the radar for the Jets’ job until they held a virtual interview with him on Tuesday. He’ll now reunite with head coach Aaron Glenn, whom he teamed with in Detroit from 2021-23. Glenn was the Lions’ defensive coordinator then, while Duker served as a defensive assistant, safeties coach and defensive backs coach.

After helping develop Lions safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, Duker left for Miami. He spent two years with the Dolphins, but with new head coach Jeff Hafley and his staff coming in, Duker will exit to take on a bigger role with a different AFC East team in 2026.

Duker became the ninth coach to interview for the Jets’ DC gig, a position that once looked likely to go to the experienced Don “Wink” Martindale. Although Martindale was the only candidate who landed a second interview, he and the Jets didn’t close the deal. Glenn’s preference to call the defensive plays had something to do with it, Connor Hughes of SNY reports. It’s also part of the reason why Broncos pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard was “never an option” despite also interviewing with the Jets.

At the outset of the search, Glenn did not make it known that he intended to call plays in 2026, but plans changed along the way, per Hughes. Duker, who has no play-calling experience, will act as Glenn’s second in command next season. The duo will aim for more successful results after the Jets finished the year 25th in yards, 31st in points, and somehow failed to intercept a single pass.

The Jets’ defensive struggles led to the mid-December firing of Steve Wilks. Defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Chris Harris replaced Wilks for the final three games of the season, but the Jets allowed a whopping 106 points in that span. Harris nonetheless interviewed for the full-time role, but Glenn will turn to Duker instead.

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Jets Remain In Contact With Frank Reich; Aaron Glenn Could Call Defensive Plays?

By | at January 27, 2026 9:42 am

Frank Reich emerged over the weekend as a candidate to watch for the Jets as their coordinator searches continue. A hire in his case could be drawing near.

Conversations are “progressing” between Reich and the Jets, SNY’s Connor Hughes reports. An agreement remains the team’s priority as this point while head coach Aaron Glenn attempts to fill out his staff. Tanner Engstrand is set to remain in New York for 2026, but his responsibilities for next season are still unclear.

As Hughes notes, Engstrand could wind up retaining the title of offensive coordinator for 2026. In the event he were to be hired, though, Reich would handle play-calling duties. The longtime NFL quarterback – who spent one year of his playing career with the Jets – has worked as an offensive coordinator on two occasions (Chargers from 2014-15; Eagles from 2016-17). Reich’s Philadelphia tenure included a Super Bowl championship but then-head coach Doug Pederson called plays at the time.

Reich worked as the Colts’ head coach for four-plus years, with his time there ending midway through the 2022 season. He lasted less than one full campaign during his debut season as the Panthers’ head coach, one in which play-calling duties changed hands along the way. Since his most recent NFL gig came to a quick end, Reich has worked at Stanford. A return to the pro game remains something to watch for in the 64-year-old’s case, though.

Meanwhile, the search for defensive coordinator Steve Wilks‘ replacement is ongoing. Don Martindale remains a leading candidate at this point, per Hughes, although he cautions a hire on that front is not considered as certain as it was in recent days. Martindale has a lengthy track record in the NFL, having been a DC with three teams. After a less-than-cordial departure from the Giants in 2023, Martindale spent the past two seasons as Michigan’s defensive coordinator.

A return to the NFL would be in store in the event of a Jets agreement. Other options are still being explored, however. According to Hughes, candidates who met with the team received the impression Glenn’s preference would be to call plays himself. That leaves the door open to Chris Harris remaining New York’s D-coordinator through 2026 (after he took over from Wilks) but in a role which does not include play-calling duties.

Prior to landing the Jets’ HC gig last winter, Glenn called plays with the Lions during his four-year run as their DC. Detroit ranked seventh in points allowed during the 2024 season, but Glenn’s tenure there included a number of middling showings in terms of total defense. New York bottomed out on defense during Glenn’s first HC season, one in which Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams were traded away. Significant improvement on that side of the ball will be a key priority over the coming months.

How the Jets go about that on the sidelines remains unclear at this point. Neither Reich nor Martindale have been connected to any other coordinator openings around the NFL so far. One or both could be in the fold soon, but that will depend in large part on what Glenn decides his role will be in 2026.

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Wink Martindale Set For Second Interview For Jets’ DC Job

By | at January 24, 2026 11:15 am

Former Ravens and Giants defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale is in New York for a second, in-person interview for the Jets’ defensive coordinator vacancy, per SNY’s Connor Hughes.

Martindale, 62, is entering his 30th year as a coach. He spent the last two years as Michigan’s defensive coordinator but did not uphold the standard by his predecessors, Mike Macdonald and Jesse Minter, two of his former assistants in Baltimore who are now head coaches for the Seahawks and the Ravens, respectively. Martindale was not retained by new Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham for the 2026 season, making him a free agent and positioning him for a move back to the NFL.

With a second interview, Martindale is emerging as a top candidate for the Jets’ DC job, if not an outright frontrunner. He has been in contact with head coach Aaron Glenn “throughout the process, going back a few weeks,” according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. The two coaches have not overlapped with the same team during their time in the NFL – including Glenn’s playing career – but they no doubt are familiar with each other given their time in the NFL.

Martindale’s blitz-heavy system could help the Jets get more out of a pass rush that only produced 26 sacks in 2025, the second-fewest in the NFL. Sending Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys at the trade deadline certainly did not help, but he only produced one sack in his first eight games. Jermaine Johnson only recorded three sacks, though he was only a year removed from a torn Achilles. But Glenn’s credentials as the Lions’ defensive coordinator got him the job in New York, so the team is likely expecting him to find ways to generate pressure regardless of his personnel.

Martindale, who had a heavy hand in creating the systems now run by Macdonald, Minters, and other NFL DCs, may not have the best recent history, but he is still a respected defensive mind with a knack for pressuring opposing quarterbacks.

Here is an overview of the Jets’ search for a new defensive coordinator:

  • Mathieu Araujo, cornerbacks coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
  • Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed
  • Chris Harris, interim defensive coordinator (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
  • Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed
  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed
  • Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Conducting second interview 1/24
  • Jim O’Neil, defensive assistant/safeties (Lions): Interviewed
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Wink Martindale, Jim Leonhard, DeMarcus Covington Among Jets’ DC Interviewees

By | at January 16, 2026 3:31 pm

The Jets’ defensive coordinator search has flown under the radar during a frenzied HC carousel, but it has taken shape Friday. The team announced eight candidates for the job.

In addition to interim DC Chris Harris, seven others received interviews. Don Martindale (Michigan), Jim Leonhard (Broncos), Ephraim Banda (Browns), Jim O’Neil (Lions), DeMarcus Covington (Packers), Daronte Jones (Vikings) and Mathieu Araujo (Dolphins) interviewed for the position.

Harris was reported as being likely to interview to keep the job, one he took on after the Steve Wilks firing, and Martindale came up as a candidate as well. The Jets submitted an interview request for Jones. Otherwise, their actions have been pretty quiet on this front.

Entering his rookie season as a head coach, Aaron Glenn tapped the experienced Wilks as his first defensive coordinator. The decision worked out so poorly that Glenn gave Wilks the ax in mid-December. Wilks lost his job the day after a 48-20 blowout loss to the Jaguars in Week 15.

The results didn’t necessarily improve in three games under Harris, who opened 2025 as the team’s defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. With Harris taking over for Wilks, the Jets surrendered a combined 106 points in losses to the Saints, Patriots and Bills.

Although Buffalo rested most of its key offensive players in Week 18, its Mitchell Trubisky-quarterbacked offense still teed off on the Jets for 470 total yards and 35 points. The Jets didn’t pick off Trubisky in that game, clinching an interception-less season for their defense. They became the first team to achieve that ignominious feat. While Harris is at least receiving consideration for a promotion to the full-time job, it would be a surprise to see the Jets choose him over the rest of the field.

Nobody from this octet carries more experience than the 62-year-old Martindale, most recently a D-coordinator at Michigan over the past two seasons. He has been a DC in the NFL for three teams – the Broncos (2010), the Ravens (2018-21) and the Giants (2022-23). Martindale’s Giants tenure ended after a rift with then-head coach Brian Daboll. The two got into a fiery confrontation before parting ways.

O’Neil and Covington join Martindale as former D-coordinators in the NFL. A defensive assistant in Detroit since 2024, O’Neil handled DC duties in Cleveland from 2014-15 and in San Francisco in 2016. He’s also a former Jets coach, having worked in multiple roles under Rex Ryan from 2009-12. Covington was the Patriots’ DC in 2024 under one-and-done head coach Jerod Mayo. He’s now the Packers’ defensive line coach and run game coordinator.

An NFL safety from 2005-2014, Leonhard spent three seasons as a member of Ryan’s defense in New York. The 43-year-old started his coaching career with Wisconsin in 2016. He worked as the Badgers’ DC from 2017-22.

Leonhard is now in his second season with the Broncos, who hired him as a defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator last year. Sean Payton promoted Leonhard to assistant head coach this season.

With the top-seeded Broncos chasing a championship, Leonhard may be a few weeks away from earning a Super Bowl ring as a key part of their staff. He’s also on the Cowboys’ radar as they search for a new D-coordinator.

Banda and Jones are also in the mix for the Dallas job. Previously a college DC at Miami and Utah State, Banda has been the Browns’ safeties coach since 2023. He fulfilled his interview request with the Cowboys today, too, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

Jones, LSU’s coordinator in 2021, has coached in the pros with the Dolphins, Bengals and Vikings since 2016. He started his second Vikings stint in 2022 and has worked as a defensive pass game coordinator under DC Brian Flores since 2023. Flores, whose contract has expired, could leave for another job as a head coach or an assistant. If that happens, the Vikings may promote Jones to replace Flores.

Araujo was on the Yale staff before then-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hired him as an assistant DBs coach in 2022. He spent the past two seasons as Miami’s cornerbacks coach, but Araujo’s future is uncertain in the wake of McDaniel’s firing. If the Jets don’t hire Araujo and the Dolphins’ next head coach doesn’t retain him, he’ll have to look elsewhere in 2026.

Along with failing to record an INT, the Jets finished the year a lowly 25th in total defense and 31st in scoring. Their next defensive coordinator will have his work cut out in improving the unit, especially after the Jets traded cornerstone lineman Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner before the Nov. 4 deadline. The Jets received a haul of picks in those deals, though, and they’ll enter the offseason with a hefty amount of cap space. Between their draft capital and spending room, Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey will be in position to give the team’s next defensive coordinator more to work with in 2026.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

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Jets Unlikely To Fire OC Tanner Engstrand; Chris Harris Keeping DC Job In Play

By | at January 7, 2026 4:56 pm

Even compared to their Robert Saleh seasons, the Jets took a significant step back in 2025. The team tumbled to 3-14 and will hold the No. 2 overall pick. This comes after a season in which they were noncompetitive in many games.

The Jets will certainly consider drafting a quarterback second overall, though this could depend on which passers declare for the draft, and Aaron Glenn will be a key part of the decision. The Jets are not expected to fire Glenn, despite some rumors he was in danger of being a one-and-done HC, but his Year 1 showing obviously underwhelmed.

New York’s offense ranked 29th in scoring and yardage. Brady Cook, in particular, looked overmatched when making starts at the end of the season. The Jets benched Justin Fields midway through the year, a move that will likely precede a 2026 release. As for who will be calling the shots in 2026, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes OC Tanner Engstrand does not appear in danger of losing his job.

Engstrand did not have too much to work with this season. After the Jets lost Alijah Vera-Tucker for the year, Garrett Wilson went down seven games in. He somehow finished the season as the Jets’ leading receiver, with just 395 yards. This season marked the first time no Jet surpassed 500 receiving yards since the disastrous 1976 Lou Holtz-led campaign. The Jets did acquire Adonai Mitchell from the Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade, but adding to this room will probably be a priority after the team eschewed notable pushes for auxiliary weapons in free agency last year.

Glenn brought Engstrand with him from Detroit, where he served as the Lions’ pass-game coordinator. Engstrand, 43, held that role for two seasons under Ben Johnson. Engstrand was not closely linked to any other OC jobs during last year’s cycle, and he will assuredly enter 2026 on a hot seat based on what the Jets showed in his first season. The team also will need to re-sign Breece Hall, a long-stated goal, if it wants its leading 2025 skill player back.

On defense, Glenn fired Steve Wilks late in the season. Chris Harris replaced him, but the results were ugly to close out the campaign. The Jets gave up 35 first-half points to the Patriots in Week 17 and allowed a Bills team resting some starters, including Josh Allen, to score 35 in a one-sided Week 18 matchup. Bringing Harris back would not be a great look, but Cimini adds that will be considered. Outside options will also be on the table, however, as the Jets look to recover after a dismal 3-14 slate.

One of the outside options could be Don Martindale, Cimini offers. Martindale had a memorably explosive exit from New York two years ago, after a confrontation with Brian Daboll that led to his Giants ouster, and served as Sharrone Moore’s DC at Michigan over the past two years. Martindale, 62, and Glenn have not worked together previously.

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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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Wink Martindale Interviews For Falcons’ DC Job, To Meet With Colts; Bengals On Radar

By | at January 14, 2025 2:27 pm

After a year out of the NFL, Wink Martindale is squarely on the radar to return. Two teams have set up interviews with the veteran defensive coordinator, while a third could be eyeing the Michigan DC.

The Falcons announced they have completed an interview with the former Ravens and Giants DC. Martindale is scheduled to meet about the Colts‘ job Wednesday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Despite a turbulent New York exit, Martindale looks to be aiming to follow ex-Baltimore coworker Mike Macdonald by turning a one-year Ann Arbor stay into a return to the league.

In addition to Martindale’s Falcons and Colts meetings, Pelissero points out the Bengals — who fired Lou Anarumo after six seasons in that role — could have interest. Business is picking up for a coach who had previously ascended to the HC carousel. The Colts interviewed Martindale twice for the job Shane Steichen landed; Steichen will now determine if a fit will exist with one of his former competitors.

Martindale’s most recent NFL act certainly caught interest. After the Giants fired two of his lieutenants, Martindale stormed into Brian Daboll’s office and resigned his post. This came after the brash DC was accused of going rogue at points during the 2023 season. Rumblings about a Martindale-Daboll separation lingered for much of that ’23 campaign, and the dustup combusted quickly. The Jaguars were the only team to interview Martindale for their DC job last year, leading him to Michigan.

The Wolverines ranked 19th in points allowed per game (19.9) this season, marking only a slight step back from Jim Harbaugh‘s unbeaten national champion team. Martindale’s unit came for an 8-5 Michigan squad, with the Big Ten program’s defense in far better shape than its offense (113th in scoring) in its first post-Harbaugh season.

After a poor showing running the 2010 Broncos’ defense, Martindale found his footing with the Ravens. Baltimore’s defense ranked in the top three in scoring each year from 2018-20, before a step back commenced in 2021. The Ravens moved on from their DC, hiring Macdonald from the Michigan staff, in 2022. A Giants team thought to be rebuilding saw its defense climb to 17th in scoring defense in 2022, helping an undermanned team reach the divisional round. New York’s unit regressed in 2023, however.

Anarumo will be competing with Martindale for two of these jobs, with the former Bengals DC up for the Colts and Falcons’ positions as well. The veteran staffer will meet with the Colts on Wednesday and Falcons on Thursday, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds. While these jobs are available now, a host of new ones will likely be opening up once teams decide on HCs. Anarumo is on a few prospective HCs’ lists, Breer adds, pointing to a second-chance opportunity being more likely than not for the well-regarded coordinator.

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Brian Daboll Expected To Take Over Giants’ Play-Calling Duties

By | at June 27, 2024 9:07 pm

Two summers ago, rumors pointing to Brian Daboll — the Bills’ play-caller for four years — considering a CEO role in his first year as Giants HC. That came to fruition, and Daboll kept OC Mike Kafka holding the play sheet for most of the past two seasons.

Rumors of a change have persisted this offseason, however. As we move closer to training camp, it looks all but confirmed the Giants will feature a new play-caller this season. After calling plays at OTAs — for what that’s worth — Daboll continued to do so at minicamp. A Kafka shift to a non-play-calling OC is expected to continue into the regular season, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes.

Considering how last season went, Daboll preferring to have full control makes sense. It certainly would not be out of the question for the Giants to consider moving on; they have not employed a coach into a fourth season since Tom Coughlin. Daboll also came under fire for his temper last season, with a highly publicized feud with DC Don Martindale — one producing an explosive final act in the HC’s office — ending his New York stay after two seasons.

Daboll also has a proven track record calling plays, having been at the controls in Buffalo when Josh Allen morphed from raw prospect to superstar. That role landed him the Giants’ HC job in 2022. With last year’s 6-11 showing throwing the Giants off course after Daboll’s Coach of the Year campaign, the third-year leader mentioned he would consider making this change. Daboll also called plays for the Chiefs, Browns and Dolphins during three prior OC stints, though his Bills work stands out.

Daboll’s dustups with Martindale included rumors of the DC and assistant Drew Wilkins going rogue. Additionally, Raanan indicates Daboll confronted Martindale during the Giants’ Week 13 bye. Daboll allegedly yelled, “So, you think I’m a clown?” at Martindale from a doorway while the latter was running a defensive meeting. Daboll’s tirades grew tiresome for the staff, per Raanan, who notes some staffers viewed the fiery HC as having stopped listening to his assistants. Martindale did not contact Daboll or Schoen after cursing out Daboll in his office. Martindale is now the Michigan DC.

Kafka certainly deserved praise for coaxing a quality season from Daniel Jones in 2022, doing so when the Giants featured Saquon Barkley and little else in terms of weaponry. That season ending in the divisional round launched Kafka onto the HC radar. Kafka received more HC interest this year, interviewing with the Seahawks and Titans. After the Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald, the Giants blocked Kafka from interviewing for their OC position. Big Blue then gave Kafka a snazzier title, moving him to assistant head coach.

Daboll’s feud with Martindale aside, an early-offseason report noted most of the HC’s anger was directed at Kafka last season. That set the table for this change, and it is also safe to say Kafka is on shaky ground in New York. With Martindale gone, the Daboll-Kafka relationship will surely be monitored closely as the year progresses.

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