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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at February 15, 2026 10:15 pm

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 2-23-26 (10:40pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

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

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

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

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Greg Olson)

  • Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Mike LaFleur)

  • Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Title enhanced
  • Nate Scheelhaase, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Promoted

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

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

Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New England Patriots (Out: Terrell Williams)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Jets To Interview Lunda Wells For OC; Jon Gruden Denies Team Contacted Him

By | at January 30, 2026 8:02 am

JANUARY 30: Gruden emphatically denied that the Jets contacted him, telling WDAE: “There’s a lot of reports we’re not going to get into. There’s a lot of stupid rumors out there. Some of these reports are ridiculous. Let’s just say that there was never anything from the Jets and I wish them well in their search for a new offensive coordinator.”

JANUARY 28: After parting with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand on Tuesday, the Jets have identified a potential replacement in Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells. They’ll interview Wells today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

The Jets are the third team of the offseason to show OC interest in Wells, who previously met with the Commanders and will discuss the position with the Steelers. Now 42 years old, Wells began his NFL coaching career in New York in 2012 in a quality control role with the Tom Coughlin-led Giants.

Coughlin’s run as the Giants’ head coach ended after 2015, but Wells stayed on their staff during the short-lived Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur eras. He served as the Giants’ assistant offensive line coach from 2013-17 before working with their tight ends from 2018-19.

Wells is now coming off his sixth year in Dallas, where he has aided in the development of tight ends Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson. In joining the Jets, Wells would inherit a promising tight end in Mason Taylor, who posted a 44-catch season as a second-round rookie in 2025, as well as a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver in Garrett Wilson.

While Taylor and Wilson are bright spots, the Jets’ offense otherwise lacks weapons, especially with running back Breece Hall on the verge of free agency. More importantly, though, the Jets don’t have a clear answer at quarterback. It’s something general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn will have to address this offseason after last year’s Justin Fields gamble fell flat.

Although Wells will receive some consideration to run the Jets’ offense in 2026, Glenn is reportedly focused on hiring an experienced candidate to be the “head coach” of the unit. Frank Reich is the frontrunner, but Glenn also reached out to Jon Gruden about joining his staff, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports.

It’s unknown whether Gruden would have become the Jets’ offensive coordinator or taken on a different position, but he declined Glenn’s overtures. The longtime head coach, 62, hasn’t worked in the NFL since he served as a consultant with the Saints in 2023. Gruden hasn’t coached since he resigned his post with the Raiders in October 2021. He stepped down after emails he sent containing racist, sexist and homophobic remarks were leaked. Gruden, who sent those emails while working as an analyst at ESPN from 2011-18, is now suing the league.

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Jon Gruden’s Lawsuit Against NFL Allowed To Proceed To Open Court

By | at October 5, 2025 10:15 pm

Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden has scored a key victory in his ongoing lawsuit against the league and commissioner Roger Goodell. As relayed by ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr., the Nevada Supreme Court rejected the league’s petition seeking a rehearing of the court’s August decision that the league could not force Gruden into arbitration.

Gruden, 62, filed his suit in 2021, after he resigned as the Raiders’ head coach following a leak of emails containing racist, sexist, and anti-gay comments he sent when he was an on-air analyst for ESPN from 2011-18. He alleges the NFL selectively leaked those emails to force him out of the league, thereby sabotaging his coaching career and endorsement contracts.

When we last wrote about Gruden’s legal battle in July 2024, he had just lost a hearing conducted by the Nevada Supreme Court’s three-judge panel, which determined that the NFL could, in fact, remove Gruden’s case from the public forum of a state courtroom into the league-friendly arbitration setting (in which Goodell himself could serve as the arbitrator).

However, Gruden was ultimately successful in securing a rehearing in front of the court’s full seven-judge panel, which held in a 5-2 decision that the league’s efforts to force a claim against the league filed by a former employee into arbitration proceedings overseen by the league commissioner (and named defendant) was “unconscionable.”

The seven judges were unanimous in their denial of the NFL’s request for a rehearing, and now the league’s only recourse in its quest for arbitration is to note an appeal to the United States Supreme Court. Although the NFL has declined to comment on the matter, Van Natta’s sources have said such an attempt is unlikely. 

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details the difficulty that an appealing party in any case has in convincing the nation’s highest court to hear their appeal, and he also observes that Gruden has gained a tremendous amount of leverage. The NFL could try to make Gruden a settlement offer he cannot refuse in order to make the case go away, but Gruden has previously promised to “burn the house down” in pursuing this action.

In other words, he may rebuff any offer the league makes as he seeks to uncover the party or parties who leaked the emails. 

“I’m looking forward to having the truth come out and I want to make sure what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Gruden told ESPN. “What happened wasn’t right, and I’m glad the court didn’t let the NFL cover it up.”

Gruden has gotten back into league circles to some extent. In 2023, he worked as a consultant with the Saints, and he was seen doing work for the Chiefs in the 2024 offseason. It was reported last December that he could garner some NFL coaching interest in the 2025 cycle, but he did not land an interview.

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Jon Gruden Garnering NFL Coaching Interest

By | at December 31, 2024 5:18 pm

Jon Gruden has not coached in the NFL since 2021, but he could garner some interest in this year’s coaching cycle, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

While Gruden hasn’t held an official coaching job since he resigned as the Raiders head coach during the 2021 season after revelations that he sent racist, misogynistic, and homophobic emails while working for ESPN.

He has “remained engaged” with multiple NFL teams since then, according to Pelissero, including the Buccaneers – where he coached from 2002 to 2008 – and the Saints. Gruden was a coaching consultant in New Orleans after their acquisition of Derek Carr and even had the option to take the team’s offensive coordinator job, which later went to Klint Kubiak.

“There are multiple teams that have been doing extensive homework on Jon Gruden,” continued Pelissero, who added that his name could pop up as head coaching interviews commence.

Gruden led the Raiders to a 22-31 record in his 3 1/2 seasons as head coach. He will have to prove that he can still be an effective coach in 2025 and beyond while also answering questions about his personal controversies.

Current head coaching openings include the Jets, the Saints and the Bears, though other struggling franchises like the Giants, the Jaguars, and the Titans could fire their current head coaches after the end of the regular season.

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Jon Gruden Eyeing College HC Gig

By | at September 19, 2024 12:04 pm

Jon Gruden‘s lawsuit against the NFL has not been settled, and a return to the pro coaching ranks before it does remains highly unlikely. In the meantime, the former Raiders head coach is open to a college head coaching opportunity.

“Yeah, I’m interested in coaching,” Gruden said during an interview with CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello. “Hell yeah, I’m interested in coaching. I know I can help a team, I know I can help young players get better, and I know I can hire a good staff, and that’s the only thing I can guarantee. But yeah, I’m very interested in coaching at any level, period.”

The 61-year-old resigned midway through the 2021 season after emails he sent while an ESPN analyst were uncovered during an investigation into former Commanders owner Dan Snyder. Gruden filed a suit against the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, one which the league has attempted to handle via arbitration. Gruden has pressed to have the case heard in open court, although that process has hit a number of obstacles. In July, his legal team asked to have a split decision by the Nevada Supreme Court favoring arbitration overturned.

It remains to be seen if the case will ultimately be presided over by Goodell or an appointee (if the arbitration route is taken) or in open court provided Gruden’s appeals processes work out. A full-time coaching gig at the NFL level would come as a surprise at this point, but the former Buccaneers Super Bowl winner has played a temporary role on staffs recently. Gruden worked as a consultant with the Saints last year, and he spent time alongside Andy Reid and the Chiefs this offseason. His stock could be rebuilt with a successful run at the NCAA level.

Marcello notes that opinion is split amongst college administration officials and athletic directors with respect to a potential Gruden hire. A number of coaches with past off-the-field issues have received second chances at the NCAA level, though, and a market could pick up as Gruden eyes a long-term opportunity to coach again. It will be interesting to see if he manages to land a college gig while his lawsuit against the NFL continues to play out.

“If there’s somebody out there that thinks they need a candidate, somebody to come in there, maybe lather it up a little bit, jazz it up a little bit, I’ll be down here in Tampa,” Gruden added. “I’ll be ready to go if needed.”

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NFL Coaching Rumors: Harbaugh, Gruden, Harris

By | at August 4, 2024 9:49 pm

New Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh left the NFL to coach at his alma mater in Ann Arbor. It took him nine years, but he eventually led the Wolverines to a national championship before making his way back to the NFL. That’s not all that Harbaugh did during his time at the University of Michigan, though.

Under Harbaugh’s leadership, a former staffer named Connor Stalions was revealed to have led an effort to capture the play-calling signals of future opponents. Investigation into the initial allegations led to several penalties being imposed by the NCAA. According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Harbaugh is one of the parties targeted by the collegiate organization. He will be “charged with a Level 1 violation, the highest degree of penalty the NCAA can impose.”

Other coaches, including Stalions, Chris Partridge, and Denard Robinson also had Level 1 violations levied against them, while new Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore faces a Level 2 charge that could result in a suspension. The university itself also reportedly faces a Level 1 violation for an alleged “pattern of noncompliance within the football program” and efforts to obstruct the NCAA’s investigation.

With Harbaugh having departed for the NFL, NCAA violations don’t hold much weight. Should Harbaugh ever make the decision to return to the college ranks of coaching again, he may be forced to face the recourse for his actions and the actions of his staff.

Here are a couple other coaching rumors from around the league:

  • Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden‘s most recent exit from the NFL has been a messy one, resulting in Gruden’s attempted lawsuit against the league and its commissioner. While Gruden may be at odds with the NFL, he has slowly been accepted back into NFL coaching circles. In 2023, he worked as a consultant with the Saints, and according to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports, Gruden has been seen doing work for the Chiefs this offseason. Gruden has been spotted working with head coach Andy Reid and several assistants while decked out in Chiefs gear. Reid and Gruden are connected from their time working together for the Packers from 1992 to 1994. There haven’t been any reports of Gruden officially joining the staff in Kansas City, so there’s a chance he was just a camp visitor today.
  • Lastly, we could be seeing one of the latest instances of a former NFL player making their way into the coaching world. Per Zach Berman of PHLY, former NFL safety Anthony Harris has been working with the Eagles staff this summer. Harris spent six years of his eight-year career in Minnesota, where he once led the league in interceptions (6) despite only playing in 14 games. Following his time with the Vikings, Harris spent a season with Philadelphia as a starter for 14 games. He appeared in three games for the Broncos in 2022 before getting released and signing a free agent deal to return to Philadelphia, though he didn’t appear in any more contests with the Eagles. He remained a free agent all of last year and is technically one now. It’s unclear if he has any intentions to continue playing, seeing as he never officially retired, but if he’s trying his hand at coaching, it’s likely safe to say that his playing days are over.
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Latest On Gruden’s Lawsuit Against NFL

By | at July 6, 2024 5:57 pm

The next step of former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden‘s lawsuit against the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell has come and gone with yet another blow to the former head coach’s efforts. With the latest update provided by ESPN this week, the situation continues to seem inevitably headed towards an NFL-led arbitration.

For those unfamiliar with the situation, Gruden sued the league and its commissioner back in 2021 shortly after he felt he was pressured to resign from his job following backlash from the leak of several emails he had sent while he was an employee for ESPN. The emails were sent from 2011 to 2018 to former Commanders president and general manager Bruce Allen and contained inappropriate racist, sexist, and homophobic language. The correspondence was discovered amidst the NFL’s workplace culture investigation into Washington.

Gruden’s initial complaint accused the league of intentionally leaking only his documents selectively. As a result, he claims that the publication of those documents by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times “destroyed his career and scuttled endorsement contracts.”

A district judge in Las Vegas determined that that Gruden’s claims “could show evidence of ‘specific intent’ or an act designed to cause a particular result.” The league appealed to the Nevada State Supreme Court, where a three-justice panel determined (in a 2-1 split decision) that the league was able to force the civil case out of the state courts and into arbitration that could be overseen by Goodell, a named party in the lawsuit.

The two justices who ruled for the NFL claimed that Gruden “understood the NFL constitution allowed for arbitration to resolve disputes” and said that “it wasn’t clear whether Goodell or a designated third-party arbitrator would” oversee the arbitration. The dissenting justice called it “outrageous” that there would even be a possibility Goodell could arbitrate a dispute in which he is a named party.

After this all occurred, we relayed that Gruden had the option to request a rehearing with the three Nevada Supreme Court judges who comprised the split decision votes. He would then potentially have the option to petition for a rehearing including all seven justices that make up the State Supreme Court.

The latest update confirms that Gruden did take that first step, seeking a rehearing from the three-justice panel that made up the May 14 decision. Ultimately, Gruden and his team lost the bid as the panel’s decision was upheld. There have been no reports on whether or not Gruden still can or will seek a rehearing with all seven Nevada Supreme Court members. If his team is able to take this route, the losing party of that rehearing could have the option to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, as the NFL did with the Rams relocation case.

While speculation leaves the door open for plenty of possibilities, the odds continue to stack against Gruden getting anything out of this lawsuit. The NFL’s resources vastly outweigh those of Gruden and his attorneys, and the courts have a history of siding with the league. The signs continue to point towards an NFL-led arbitration that will either be headed by Goodell himself or a third-party selected by Goodell and the league.

Whether Gruden and company continue to fight back against what they perceive to be a targeted attack from the league and its leader is yet to be seen. After two major setbacks, the complainant has seen the direction in which this is moving and may decide to cut their losses and run. They’ve yet to exhaust all of their options, but this week’s July 1 decision has continued to limit their ability to fight on their own terms.

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Latest On Gruden’s Lawsuit Against NFL

By | at May 15, 2024 9:50 pm

Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden sued the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell back in 2021, shortly after he felt pressured to resign from his job following the release of several emails that contained inappropriate language from Gruden. The latest on the situation sees the Nevada State Supreme Court determine that Gruden’s case is subject to the league’s arbitration system, per A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports.

This split decision (2-1) by the State’s Court overrules a district court’s original decision and sends the case back down to be remanded to arbitration. When Gruden initially filed the complaint, the league pushed for the courts to toss the case, claiming that a clause in the former coach’s contract required him to file his claim through arbitration, according to ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr.

Gruden’s attorneys argued that this set an unfair precedent allowing an employer to “unilaterally determine whether an employee’s dispute must go to arbitration and also (allowing) the employer to adjudicate the dispute as the arbitrator.” The district court denied the NFL’s motion to dismiss, sending the case to the State Supreme Court, but the Supreme Court remanded the case back down to the lower court with an order to grant the arbitration motion from the NFL.

Gruden isn’t out of options just yet, though, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. Gruden’s first option is to make a request for a rehearing with the three Nevada Supreme Court judges who comprised the split decision votes. If the request is denied, Gruden can then petition for a rehearing with all seven justices on the State Supreme Court.

If these steps are taken, the loser is likely to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, something the NFL did with the Rams relocation case. There’s plenty of speculation that occurs after that, but the odds for Gruden getting anything out of this lawsuit remain long. The NFL’s resources vastly outweigh Gruden and his attorneys’, and the courts have a history of siding with the league. The battle is far from over for Gruden and company, though, as they deal with their first setback.

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NFC Coaching Notes: Martindale, Macdonald, Gruden, Saints, Canales, Bucs, Bears, Eagles

By | at February 1, 2024 2:16 pm

The Packers went off the board with their defensive coordinator hire, bringing in Boston College HC Jeff Hafley. Matt LaFleur has looked to the college ranks during each of his DC searches, wanting to hire then-Wisconsin staffer Jim Leonhard in 2021. Hafley’s hire comes after the Packers squeezed in another interview with a seasoned NFL coordinator. Don Martindale met with the Pack about the gig, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein tweets.

Martindale resigned his two-year post as Giants DC after a turbulent second season with Brian Daboll; he has since interviewed with the Jaguars for a job that went to Ryan Nielsen. Martindale has been accused of going rogue at points in New York, with the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz adding another footnote here. Ahead of the Giants’ Christmas game against the Eagles, Martindale is believed to have requested the equipment staff change linebacker Tomon Fox‘s number from 49 to 94 due to the DC’s plans of having him bumped up from the practice squad. That change was made without Daboll or GM Joe Schoen‘s approval.

As the Giants’ DC search continues, here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • The Saints–Jon Gruden connection persists. Although Gruden is not on the radar — at least, as far as we know — for the Saints’ OC job, a GM informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora the former Raiders and Buccaneers HC should be expected to have a bigger role with New Orleans in 2024. Gruden worked as a consultant last summer and met with Saints officials recently. The GM suggested the possibility Gruden could eventually replace Dennis Allen, which would be quite the development considering the circumstances surrounding Gruden’s Las Vegas exit. For now, Gruden, who is still suing the NFL, remains without an NFL job.
  • Unsurprisingly, Mike Macdonald confirmed he will start his Seahawks tenure as the team’s defensive play-caller. Though, the new Seattle HC said (via SI.com’s Albert Breer) he is open to that changing at some point. Michigan’s 2021 DC, Macdonald called plays for the Ravens over the past two years and became one of this year’s most popular HC candidates as a result. Although Pete Carroll carried a defensive background, he did not serve as the Seahawks’ defensive play-caller.
  • The Buccaneers have lost much of their offensive staff to Carolina, seeing one-and-done OC Dave Canales take three staffers (receivers coach Brad Idzik, run-game coordinator Harold Goodwin, O-line coach Joe Gilbert). Tom Moore, however, will be staying in Tampa, per Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager. Moore, 85, has been with the Bucs since Bruce Arians‘ 2019 arrival. The former Colts OC, who is now 85, has served as a consultant for the NFC South team. This will be Moore’s 47th NFL season.
  • Baker Mayfield finished last in QBR in 2022, seeing his Panthers stay responsible for that dismal result. Canales helping the inconsistent QB recover from what happened in Carolina represents a key reason for his HC hire, ESPN.com’s David Newton notes. A Canales selling point hinged on the Bucs’ downfield passing, with Newton adding Tampa Bay went from 24th in that area (6.9 air yards per attempt) in Tom Brady‘s final season to third in 2023 (8.4).
  • The Eagles have permitted quarterbacks coach Alex Tanney to explore opportunities elsewhere, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. During the period between Brian Johnson‘s exit and the Kellen Moore OC hire, Tanney asked the team for the opportunity. The Eagles are moving on, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. Tanney received interest from the Colts last year, and McLane points to Indianapolis under ex-Eagles OC Shane Steichen as a potential landing spot.
  • The Bears have hired three more assistants. Chad Morton is signing on as running backs coach, according to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser, while ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin adds Chris Beatty is coming in as wide receivers coach. Most recently with the Chargers, Beatty coached D.J. Moore at Maryland. A former NFL return man, Morton is following OC Shane Waldron from Seattle. Morton was the Seahawks’ RBs coach from 2017-23. Chicago also hired Jason Houghtaling as assistant O-line coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds; Houghtaling was Tennessee’s O-line coach in 2023.
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Mutual Interest Between Saints, Jon Gruden

By | at January 10, 2024 12:32 pm

The Saints are not expected to fire Dennis Allen, but another former Raiders head coach may be in the team’s plans. After spending time as a Saints consultant last year, Jon Gruden is on the radar for a full-time role.

If Gruden does not end up landing a head coaching job during this year’s cycle, NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan reports the former Raiders and Buccaneers HC is interested in joining the Saints as an assistant. The Saints share that interest and recently met with the free agent coach.

Gruden, whose lawsuit against the NFL is ongoing, met with Saints officials and attended a team meeting before the team’s Week 17 game in Tampa, Duncan notes. Gruden, who lives in Tampa, had dinner with Saints brass, including GM Mickey Loomis, that weekend. Gruden, 60, attended Saints minicamp in a consulting role and spent time at training camp as an unpaid observer.

“In Jon, we have a resource here that is football through and through,” Allen said in May. “And he’s had an opportunity to work with Derek Carr. “So what better [way to use that] resource than to just get some thoughts and ideas on how he worked with Derek and what he thought worked well with Derek?”

A Gruden-Saints partnership would be a major development, considering he sued the NFL — over the events that led to problematic emails leaking and the Raiders subsequently forcing him to resign — more than two years ago. That lawsuit has not exactly made Gruden a popular figure with Roger Goodell and league higher-ups, but Brian Flores has remained an active coach despite filing a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and multiple teams. A hearing in Gruden’s case is on tap Wednesday in the Nevada Supreme Court. He does not intend to settle the suit.

Should the Saints bring Gruden aboard, Duncan adds it would unlikely be as a replacement for offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. The Saints’ play-caller and NFL’s longest-tenured OC (at 15 years) is not a lock to return, but Gruden would be expected to join the staff in a senior assistant-type role. Allen returned to New Orleans in that fashion in 2015, though the ex-Raiders HC replaced DC Rob Ryan in 2016.

A rumor last month connected Gruden to what would be a stunning return to the Raiders, with such a reunion representing a potential path for his lawsuit to go away. The Raiders have not been connected to their two-time HC since and have begun sending out interview requests. Unsurprisingly, Gruden has not received any known requests from teams. It still appears another HC opportunity will be unlikely for the former Super Bowl-winning leader. Given Gruden’s age, his teams’ performance since the Bucs’ Super Bowl XXXVII victory and the nature of his latest Raiders departure, an assistant-level role represents a much more logical gateway back to the NFL.

Derek Carr made strides in Gruden’s offense, and the Saints had initially spoken to their quarterback’s four-year Oakland-Las Vegas HC about concepts that work best for the passer. Carr finished in the top 11 in QBR from 2019-20. Carr finished 14th under Josh McDaniels, who deemed him a poor fit (before being shown the door months later), and placed 17th in the metric during an injury-plagued Saints debut. Gruden has not worked as an assistant since his time as the Eagles’ OC in the mid-1990s.

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