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Josh McDaniels

2025 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

January 26th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

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)

Patriots Hire Josh McDaniels As OC

January 21st, 2025 at 11:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

Josh McDaniels is indeed returning to New England. The 2025 season will mark his third stint as offensive coordinator of the Patriots, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The team has since announced the move.

McDaniels emerged as a candidate to watch in the aftermath of Mike Vrabel being hired as New England’s head coach. He has served as the team’s offensive coordinator for a combined total of 13 years across his first two stints. He interviewed for the role earlier today, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Schultz adds McDaniels has continued to live in Foxborough since his last New England gig came to an end. Prior to the news of his hire coming out, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported the 48-year-old was viewed as the favorite. Now, the six-time Super Bowl champ will again take charge of the team’s offense, although of course this time he will do so while working under Vrabel rather than Bill Belichick.

McDaniels’ first stint with the organization saw him quickly rise through the ranks. After starting as a personnel assistant in 2001, he made his way up to QBs coach in 2004 before taking over as OC in 2006. With Tom Brady leading the way, McDaniels oversaw an elite offense during his first three years as a coordinator, including a record-breaking unit in 2007.

McDaniels parlayed that performance into the head coaching job with the Broncos. An 11-17 record (along with a videotaping scandal) led to his ouster after only a year-plus, and he landed back in New England ahead of the 2012 season. That second stint lasted a decade, with McDaniels at the helm as the team transitioned from Brady to Cam Newton to Mac Jones. McDaniels got the most out of Jones during the QB’s rookie campaign, as the first-round pick tossed 22 touchdowns, went 10-7, and earned a Pro Bowl nod.

McDaniels then parlayed that performance into his second head coaching gig, this time with the Raiders. He had similar results in Las Vegas, as his squad went 9-16 before McDaniels was fired during the 2023 campaign. The coach has spent the past year-plus out of football, but Albert Breer of TheMMQB says the coach has been keeping busy. Per Breer, McDaniels used the past year to refine his own offensive approach. This meant studying offenses in both the NFL and college, and Breer believes McDaniels will be able to apply more “user-friendly” lessons to a “pretty complex offense.”

Even during his time off, the coach was continually connected to his long-time organization. There were rumblings he could join the staff in 2024 if Belichick stuck around; the team instead pivoted to Jerod Mayo, who brought in Alex Van Pelt to lead his offense. Of course, that coaching staff was cleared out following a dismal 2024 campaign, making way for Vrabel to take over operations (and for McDaniels to rejoin the familiar role).

McDaniels’ ugly head coaching stints have probably shut the door on any near-future opportunities, so Vrabel made have landed a long-term OC. Now, McDaniels will be tasked with guiding a offense that showed some offensive promise with rookie Drake Maye under center.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Coaching Rumors: Belichick, McDaniels, Patriots, Packers, Cowboys

January 14th, 2025 at 5:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bill Belichick has come up in connection to the Raiders and Cowboys’ HC jobs. Though the ties have been loose to this point, the recently hired North Carolina coach’s staff may be causing some unrest in Chapel Hill. Belichick having only hired a few assistants — including retaining interim HC Freddie Kitchens as OC and adding son Steve as DC — despite having a $10MM staff budget has made multiple staffers nervous, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes. This report drew a rebuke from the Tar Heels’ new GM (Michael Lombardi), who indicated (via X) the team was being diligent and had hired three more staffers Sunday.

When the Cowboys separated from Mike McCarthy on Monday, Belichick came up. Reports described a situation where mutual interest would have existed, were Belichick truly available. When Belichick-Raiders tie emerged, the prospect of a quick North Carolina departure was quickly shot down. Though, Belichick’s $10MM buyout — which drops to $1MM after June 1, impacting a potential 2026 jump (albeit at age 73 by that point) — has not spooked NFL teams thus far. The coach who once famously resigned as Jets HC in early 2000 may still be caught in NFL rumors until the Cowboys fill their post, as the rookie college HC was connected as a potential 2025 option at multiple points in 2024. Jerry Jones‘ willingness to pay Belichick’s $10MM buyout has also drawn skepticism.

For now, Belichick appears to be sticking with the Tar Heels despite having immense NFL interest last year. Here is the latest on the Dallas situation and other coaching matters:

  • One of Mike Vrabel‘s rumored options for the Patriots‘ OC job came off the board today, as the Browns promoted Tommy Rees to replace Ken Dorsey. Vrabel said Tuesday (during an appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show) he would conduct an expansive search to replace OC Alex Van Pelt, and he confirmed Josh McDaniels will be a candidate. Vrabel-McDaniels rumors have circulated for weeks now, and the underwhelming HC returning to the place where he won three Super Bowl rings as a coordinator would make sense. McDaniels has not been tied to North Carolina, despite helping Belichick as he searched for his 2025 landing spot, and has not coached since the Raiders fired him hours after the 2023 trade deadline. McDaniels and Vrabel overlapped on the Patriots from 2001-08 and have maintained a good relationship. With a possible third Pats OC stint in play, McDaniels has not been connected to any other team.
  • The Packers previously lured Tom Clements out of retirement, but their quarterbacks coach is again calling it quits, ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky notes. Having coached Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, Clements has been an NFL staffer since 1997. The 71-year-old assistant was with the Packers from 2006-16 under McCarthy, unretired to be the Cardinals’ QBs coach from 2019-20 and then rejoined the Pack in 2022 as QBs coach. Collecting a Super Bowl ring and being on staff for two of Rodgers’ four MVP awards, Clements was the Packers’ OC from 2012-14 and Bills OC from 2004-05.
  • In Deion Sanders, the Cowboys already looked toward an off-grid name to start their search to replace McCarthy; it is possible another will surface soon. Although Jason Witten has no coaching experience beyond the high school level, Florio names names him as a candidate to watch to rise all the way to the Cowboys’ HC post. Some in the organization believe the Dallas tight end great will ascend to the team’s HC job at some point, though Florio does not indicate he will definitively be a 2025 option. With Witten coaching at Liberty Christian School in Texas for four years, it would stand to reason the Cowboys would want him to gain some seasoning at the pro or college levels before he becomes a true consideration for the job.

Mike Vrabel Expected To Become Patriots’ Next HC

January 11th, 2025 at 11:33pm CST by Ely Allen

11:33pm: As if the below reporting wasn’t enough indication of where this coaching search was headed, Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports confirmed that the Patriots are indeed negotiating a deal with Vrabel to become their next head coach. Schultz claims that, “barring something unforeseen, the expectation remains that both sides will reach an agreement.”

4:21pm: The Patriots seem to be well on their way to replacing one former player-head coach with another. After firing former linebacker Jerod Mayo after only one season as head coach, it appears that New England is narrowing in on another former linebacker to replace him. While it has already been established that former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is the “heavy favorite,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that contract talks are already underway.

In the segment, Pelissero’s colleague, Ian Rapoport, doubled down on Vrabel as the overwhelming favorite to land the job. Though he did mention that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is under heavy consideration, as well, Rapoport reports that nobody he has connected with on the subject believes anyone other than Vrabel will be hired for the job. The new information in the segment is the bit from Pelissero that the Patriots have already started contract talks with Vrabel’s agent, indicating that a decision is well underway.

This is supported by a recent report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who says that, while Johnson interviewed well with New England, he plans to continue meeting with other teams. She adds that the Patriots are reportedly “pushing for a quick resolution to their HC search,” with many around the league expecting a decision this weekend. With that soon of a decision expected, it’s hard to believe New England plans on hiring anyone but the person with whom they’re already discussing a contract.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn even declined to interview for the job in New England. Glenn’s refusal to kowtow to the Patriots’ nominal attempt to fulfill the Rooney Rule with a decision already made highlights a continuing issue with New England’s hiring process. Last year, the team circumvented the rule by having a written succession plan for Mayo to take over for Bill Belichick. This year, the team seems to be scheduling interviews just to meet the requirements — at least two interviews with a minority or female candidate — despite having allegedly already made their decision. The team has currently fulfilled that requirement with interviews of former Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.

Vrabel’s first stint as a head coach was widely viewed as a successful one. As a first-time head coach, Vrabel racked up a 54-45 regular season record and three consecutive postseason berths. His first trip to the playoffs resulted in a trip to the AFC Championship Game, while his next two visits were one-and-dones. He was fired by Tennessee after two consecutive losing seasons in 2022 and 2023 and served as a coaching and personnel consultant in Cleveland this year after failing to land the Chargers’ head coaching gig.

As the decision to bring on Vrabel seems to be drawing nearer and nearer, so, too, is the assumption that he will reunite Josh McDaniels with his former team. Josh Jones of CBS Sports reiterated today the prediction that McDaniels will serve as Vrabel’s offensive coordinator.

Mike Vrabel ‘Heavy Favorite’ For Patriots Job; Josh McDaniels In Mix To Return As OC?

January 9th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Vrabel‘s Patriots interview will take place today, and with the Patriots having satisfied the Rooney Rule, they could make a hire soon. Though, both Lions coordinators — Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn — have received requests as well. Johnson’s interview is set for Friday.

Nothing, however, has emerged suggesting Vrabel’s pole position here has been threatened. The former Patriots linebacker and Titans HC is viewed as the “heavy favorite” for the New England job, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. It will be interesting to see how eager Vrabel is here, as he has also come up in just about every other search during this year’s cycle. But a Patriots offer could be on tap soon.

[RELATED: Aaron Glenn Declines Patriots HC Interview]

The Pats passed on a Vrabel pursuit last year, which certainly represented a risk since a proven HC with close ties to the team could have been scooped up shortly after his Titans dismissal. A year later, though, Vrabel is still available. This probably played into Robert Kraft‘s decision to fire Jerod Mayo so soon. Vrabel, 49, turning the Patriots down could throw this search off axis; though, Johnson’s immediate interest in taking an interview here is notable in the event the team pivots from what appears a Vrabel-centric plan.

Before the New England job became available, Vrabel connections to Josh McDaniels emerged. The northeast Ohio natives and former Patriots coworkers have stayed close, to the point OC rumors regarding McDaniels are still coming out. Buzz indeed is connecting McDaniels to being Vrabel’s OC with the Pats or another team, Fowler adds. That scenario would be the most interesting in Foxborough, as it would mean a third go-round in the role for the polarizing coach.

McDaniels has failed twice as a head coach, being fired during his second season by both the Broncos and Raiders. The unpopular leader’s days as a head coach are probably over, but he has proven to be a quality coordinator in New England. McDaniels, 48, served as Patriots OC from 2006-08 — a period that featured Tom Brady go from three-time Super Bowl winner complementing a stout defense to the All-Pro tier after a record-setting 2007 — and again from 2012-21. The latter period brought the Pats three more Super Bowl wins and elevated Brady to an unassailable perch. McDaniels’ work with Mac Jones in 2021 has also aged well, given the events of the former first-rounder’s career since, and it would stand to reason the Patriots would be interested in another reunion.

Vrabel overlapped with McDaniels throughout his playing days with the Pats, with the Bill Belichick assistant joining the team in 2001 — when Vrabel signed as a free agent — and then leaving for Denver shortly before the Matt Cassel trade sent Vrabel to Kansas City. McDaniels also has continued to communicate with Belichick, discussing potential landing spots for his former boss. He was tied to following Belichick to another NFL destination, but after the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC chose the college route, McDaniels remains unattached.

The Tar Heels kept Freddie Kitchens onboard, with a potential OC role in play, and hired ex-Raiders staffer Matt Lombardi — the son of new North Carolina GM Michael Lombardi — recently, per 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz. The younger Lombardi may be joining the ACC program as QBs coach, teaming with Kitchens. McDaniels has not worked since his Raiders ouster, so it will be worth monitoring a potential North Carolina trip if he is shut out of this year’s NFL hiring cycle. Though, Vrabel could certainly see to it that he isn’t.

Mike Vrabel Latest: McDaniels, Rees, Cowden, Ohio State

December 18th, 2024 at 4:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

After being shut out during this year’s HC interview cycle, Mike Vrabel is expected to resurface as one of the top candidates in 2025. Vrabel has built considerable momentum considering where his stock was coming off his Titans firing, to the point staff options are starting to emerge in connection with the second-chance HC aspirant.

Vrabel has already been connected to the Bears, Jets and Patriots. It would stand to reason the six-year HC veteran will take a few interviews. Unlike former mentor Bill Belichick, Vrabel appears likely to become an NFL head coach again soon.

Prior to what could be a blitz of Vrabel rumors over the next several weeks, SI.com’s Albert Breer connected him to two offensive coordinator options during an interview with ESPN 1000‘s Kap & J.Hood; h/t Yardbarker.com. Browns pass-game specialist Tommy Rees is coming up in connection with a Vrabel hire, while Breer adds Josh McDaniels — whose Patriots tenure overlapped with Vrabel’s linebacker run in New England — is also being mentioned as a potential Vrabel OC.

Vrabel has worked as a Browns consultant this year, doing so while Rees has served as the team’s QBs coach. Rees previously spent three years as Notre Dame’s OC and was Alabama’s offensive play-caller in Nick Saban’s final season. Rees is just 32 and has been an NFL staffer for one year, but he certainly brings worthwhile college credentials.

A veteran of the HC interview circuit, McDaniels appears highly unlikely to be asked to lead a team again. His one season leading an offense away from the Patriots (a 2011 Rams gig) did not go well, either. But McDaniels being onboard during Tom Brady‘s rise and again during the legend’s extended run in his 30s and 40s should keep him in conversations. Though, the ex-Raiders coach did not partake in any known interviews following that firing. McDaniels and Vrabel overlapped in New England from 2001-08, and Breer notes the Cleveland-area natives have maintained a relationship since. McDaniels makes for a natural North Carolina OC candidate, seeing as he helped his former boss pick a destination in recent weeks. But McDaniels has not coached in college since 1999.

Vrabel, 49, is also being loosely tied to one of his former Titans coworkers. Not every team looking to hire a head coach will be in the GM market; the Bears are not, and it does not look like the Saints are firing Mickey Loomis. But the Jets are; the Jaguars may be in this boat soon, too. If a GM slot is available, Breer adds Ryan Cowden could be a name to watch. Cowden took a job with the Giants after his interim GM stay with the Titans wrapped. Vrabel wanted Cowden to be named full-time GM in Tennessee, with that being among the causes of friction between the then-Titans HC and ownership.

An interesting competitor could emerge for Vrabel as well. Ryan Day’s Ohio State status may depend on how the Buckeyes fare in the upcoming playoff, and Graziano adds rumblings have pegged Vrabel as a top candidate if that job becomes open. Vrabel is an Ohio State alum who coached under Urban Meyer from 2011-13, between his retirement as a player and debut as an NFL assistant.

Belichick looks to have taken the North Carolina job because no surefire NFL landing spot would reveal itself. Vrabel, however, probably has a much better shot to land a job soon. Though, it will be interesting to see where Ohio State — should the Big Ten power move on from Day — would fall in Vrabel’s pecking order.

Bill Belichick Fallout: NFL, NIL, Bears, Kitchens, Lombardi, Falcons, Patriots

December 12th, 2024 at 10:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bill Belichick had a chance to gauge his market last year and certainly did not like the result. Although he had believed he was a true contender for the Falcons job hours before the team’s Raheem Morris hire, some of the animosity he created while in New England may well have shown up during the 2024 coaching carousel’s spin.

Several of the teams who held a coaching vacancy “quickly” dismissed the notion of interviewing Belichick, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reports (subscription required). While the Falcons interviewed Belichick twice — with plenty of fallout coming from that saga — the Chargers, Commanders, Raiders, Panthers, Seahawks and Titans also needed a coach. None interviewed Belichick, leading him to what amounted to a months-long media tour. That is now complete, as Belichick accepted North Carolina’s offer to lead its program.

[RELATED: Bill Belichick’s Contract Details Emerge]

This obviously proved shocking, in the grand scheme, as it will all but certainly end Belichick’s run as an NFL head coach and keep him 14 wins short of Don Shula‘s all-time record. However, the NFL’s second-winningest coach is now believed to be “disgusted” by what the league has become, according to ESPN.com’s Seth Wickersham, who adds Belichick and his confidants — Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia and ex-Patriots staffer and Browns GM Michael Lombardi among them — began to look to the college level as a possible destination months ago.

Set to turn 73 in April, Belichick did not exactly have the luxury of waiting another year and hoping for more attractive jobs to open up come 2026. And one team with a vacancy already ruled out Belichick, per Howe. This would seemingly mean in addition to the Jets, with that fit — due to mutual feelings — never pointing toward a pursuit. The Bears and Saints need a coach. Belichick and his confidants had viewed the Bears as the most attractive opening thus far, but Wickersham adds Chicago was unlikely to consider the eight-time Super Bowl winner. Belichick’s circle of trust expects the Bears to target an offensive coach, a route that has become quite popular over the past several years.

Indeed, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz adds Belichick believed he would have many options to coach again in the NFL. Teams, however, were not eager to allow him to bring in his various preferred staffers. The Patriots’ post-Tom Brady decline played a significant role in teams’ view of Belichick and willingness to use what is being viewed as an old-school model, and even the interest of having him only operate as a coach — as opposed to a coach/de facto GM — was weak enough that this college jump took place. Belichick NFL interest existed, per Schultz, but it fell short of assuring him a job would await.

The subject of personnel power came up frequently this year regarding Belichick. Although Arthur Blank said Belichick did not ask for full personnel control during his interviews last year, the issue helped impede him. As Belichick undoubtedly would have threatened the power Falcons president Rich McKay and GM Terry Fontenot have, it is believed Blank was steered away from his initial goal of hiring the 24-year Patriots HC. Other owners were also skeptical, per Wickersham, of Belichick not throwing his weight around. Additionally, Wickersham indicates Fontenot discussing the Falcons’ draft strategies, from a position of knowledge, annoyed Belichick.

The Patriots had attempted to curb some of Belichick’s power around the 2021 draft, Howe adds, but that effort effectively fell apart in 2022. Belichick had lieutenants like Scott Pioli and Nick Caserio during his historically successful New England run, but both had left — Pioli in 2009, leading to more Belichick power, and Caserio in 2021. The latter’s departure coincided with the above-referenced Patriots effort to work more collaboratively. Robert Kraft is believed to have played a lead role in Belichick’s market cooling this offseason, and the owner later admitted he fired his longtime coach — rather than the party line of a mutual parting being reality.

At North Carolina, Belichick will have the kind of control he held in New England. While some big coaching names on the football and basketball sides have left their respective sports due to the chaos the transfer portal and NIL landscape have caused, Wickersham adds Belichick views the current college setup as “more transactional and less relational,” pointing to a coach carrying decades of experience in the pros being well equipped to step down and navigate the destabilized college level. Belichick said Thursday (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) coaches have reached out to him about NFL-inspired rule changes.

Belichick said he had always hoped to coach in college. This will still be one of the more interesting transitions in coaching history, as he had coached in the NFL only and had done so for 49 consecutive seasons. Belichick’s father, Steve, coached at Navy for more than 30 years and was a North Carolina assistant in the mid-1950s. Signing a five-year contract, Bill Belichick said is not planning to use the Tar Heels as a springboard back to the NFL. That would be more likely to take place with a younger coach, but with Bruce Arians (at 66) being the oldest NFL HC ever hired, Belichick had seen his chances dwindle at the sport’s top level.

Lombardi, who worked with Belichick in Cleveland and New England, is joining his longtime colleague as North Carolina’s GM. Schools are adding these positions with more frequency as the sport’s compensation model has radically changed. (Andrew Luck is now Stanford’s GM.) Lombardi spent a year as Browns GM, working alongside Joe Banner back with the Browns in 2013, and joined the Patriots in 2014. He has not held a position since, becoming a regular media presence.

Freddie Kitchens, who is most famous for his Browns one-and-done as head coach in 2019, had served as North Carolina’s interim coach post-Mack Brown. Belichick announced he is retaining the former NFL staffer. It would not surprise to see McDaniels, Patricia and Joe Judge join their former boss as well, though it is not known which former Patriots staffers are coming. Steve and Brian Belichick also will undoubtedly be in play to rejoin their father; Steve is the Washington Huskies’ DC, while Brian stayed on under Jerod Mayo with the Pats.

Belichick will be celebrated as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. His late New England decline notwithstanding, his six Super Bowl wins as a head coach lead the field by two. In the salary cap era, Belichick’s six titles are three more than anyone else. He will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2026, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. That will result in some other decorated coaches who have been waiting to be pushed down the list.

Bill Belichick Takes Second North Carolina HC Interview; Jets Off Radar

December 8th, 2024 at 12:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

DECEMBER 8: Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) hears that Belichick’s interest in the UNC job is real, and that if he is offered the gig, he will accept it. Russini says that while Belichick is indeed motivated by breaking Shula’s record, that pursuit is not the “be-all, end-all.” She adds that Belichick was “turned off” by the lack of attention he received in this past offseason’s coaching cycle, and that he wants to run a football program without interference (it is unclear whether that contradicts earlier reports suggesting that Belichick is not necessarily seeking full control of football operations at his next stop).

However, there is still plenty of skepticism surrounding Belichick’s willingness to join the college ranks. Former and current Belichick associates tell Mark Maske of the Washington Post that the 72-year-old is focused on a return to the NFL, and that his conversations with UNC are intended to send a message to NFL front offices that he will have options and that there needs to be a sense of urgency about hiring him.

DECEMBER 6: The prospect of Bill Belichick taking an initial plunge into the college ranks in his 70s has generated understandable skepticism in NFL circles, as it has been widely reported the high-profile coaching free agent wants to return to the NFL. If his North Carolina connection is a bluff, however, it is fairly far down the runway.

Belichick met with Tar Heels reps a second time about their newly vacant HC position, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports, indicating this summit took place Thursday in Manhattan. Now holding a few media gigs, Belichick looks to be making it clear he wants to return to coaching next year — and a college debut may actually be in the cards, as farfetched as it sounds.

The six-time Super Bowl-winning HC does not want to be left out of a job during the upcoming cycle, Jones adds. But the Tar Heels’ timeline probably does not align with Belichick’s. The ACC program wants to have a Mack Brown successor in place early next week, Jones adds.

NFL teams who have not yet fired coaches cannot begin interviewing candidates on other staffs until after the wild-card round. Belichick can begin interviewing early, but teams must comply with the Rooney Rule and will naturally be interested in conducting several interviews. That cannot realistically happen until mid-January. If Belichick is a serious candidate for the North Carolina gig, he would need to bypass the 2025 NFL carousel.

Set to turn 73 in April, Belichick is not a guarantee to be on multiple additional NFL carousels. As mentioned several times in this space, no team has hired a coach older than 66 (Bruce Arians). Age undoubtedly factored into the lack of interest in Belichick this year, with the Falcons passing on a short-term partnership with the legendary coach. No other team conducted an official interview. That could well be the reason Belichick is open to the college game, even as the Division I-FBS level has seen massive changes over the past few years.

Belichick passing on this NFL cycle threatens to end his chances of breaking Don Shula‘s long-held career wins record. At 333 wins between the regular season and playoffs, Belichick is 14 shy of Shula. The former Patriots and Browns HC also wants to keep the record down the road, per Jones. Andy Reid‘s Kansas City success could threaten that. Reid, 66, just signed a five-year Chiefs extension and sits on 295 career wins. The prospect of Patrick Mahomes‘ current coach eventually moving into Shula range exists, even as Reid has been tied to seemingly annual retirement reports. His latest extension, one that made him the league’s highest-paid HC, should cool those rumors for a while.

Former Cardinals HC Steve Wilks is also a candidate for the job, according to Jones. Fired after one season as 49ers DC, Wilks has not been a head coach since his 2018 Cardinals one-and-done — a stint that prompted him to join Brian Flores‘ class-action discrimination suit. Wilks also has a recent past in the college ranks, being Missouri’s defensive coordinator in 2021, and an extensive past in North Carolina. The former Panthers interim HC is a North Carolina native who has spent much of his career in Charlotte.

As for Belichick’s NFL prospects, Jones confirms a recent report that indicated some of his former lieutenants — including longtime OC Josh McDaniels — are ready to rejoin him if he lands another NFL job. The Jaguars continue to come up for the free agent coach, with Jones adding Belichick’s smoothest path to having full control over a football operation again would stand to come with a Jacksonville franchise seemingly ready to reboot.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Belichick did not ask to run Atlanta’s football ops, and Jones reinforces the notion Belichick — who received steady criticism for his Patriots GM work late in that tenure — is not seeking full control. The Jags would offer Belichick a lower-profile media market and a roster that features an entrenched young quarterback, in 25-year-old Trevor Lawrence. A locked-in QB, albeit one that has been inconsistent, would seemingly appeal to a coach working on a shorter-term timetable due to his age. If Belichick does enter serious negotiations with the Jaguars, it is not expected he would work with GM Trent Baalke, who is on the hot seat.

Regardless of how the coaching landscape shakes out in the NFL early next year, Jones adds Belichick will not consider the Jets. The ex-Jets DC who famously resigned from his HC post in early 2000, leading to a contentious Jets-Patriots trade, is no fan of Woody Johnson and has taken shots at the organization — one responsible for launching the 2007 Spygate investigation.

Belichick-Jags connections have been coming up since September, and it appears this prospect remains on the radar. He has also been tied to the Giants and Cowboys, jobs that are also not yet available. As such, it still seems highly unlikely Belichick would punt on a path back to the NFL by taking a college job so early. Though, until the Tar Heels hire a coach, that avenue is still in play.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

More Bill Belichick Fallout: Kraft, Falcons, Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, Commanders

April 17th, 2024 at 10:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Plenty has emerged in the wake of Bill Belichick going from eight-time Super Bowl champion to unemployed, but as the legendary coach regroups, some additional information about what went down in Atlanta — along with other teams’ coaching searches — has come to light.

Connecting some dots based on what has previously come out this offseason, ESPN.com’s Don Van Natta, Seth Wickersham and Jeremy Fowler report in an expansive piece that Falcons execs dissuaded Arthur Blank from hiring Belichick and Robert Kraft played a major role in the process that ended up veering away from an overqualified candidate who had initially appeared the favorite for the job Raheem Morris now has.

On the morning of the day Morris became the pick, Belichick still viewed himself as likely to land the job. Blank confirmed the 24-year Patriots HC did not ask him for personnel control, but power brokering — given Belichick’s outsized influence and experience — is believed to have still gone down in Atlanta’s front office. As a result, Belichick felt “blindsided” by the Morris hire.

CEO Rich McKay and GM Terry Fontenot did not want to work with Belichick, according to ESPN, which adds the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC was willing to work with the fourth-year GM (while confirming he and McKay’s less-than-stellar relationship). A previous report pointed to Belichick’s concern with Fontenot and the Falcons’ overall power structure. Fontenot, McKay and Falcons president Greg Beadles were part of the Falcons’ second Belichick interview.

Going so far as to reveal Falcons brass’ final rankings for the HC job, Fowler, Van Natta and Wickersham indicate Belichick did not finish in the top three for the Atlanta position. Beyond unanimous top choice Morris, Mike Macdonald and Texans OC Bobby Slowik respectively slotted second and third in this process.

Kraft is believed to have played a role in Blank backing off his initial hope to hire Belichick. A conversation between Blank and his longtime friend came after the Jan. 15 Blank-Belichick yacht meeting, and ESPN reports the Patriots owner warned the Falcons boss not to trust the accomplished HC.

Seeing as this comes during an offseason that has seen more information come out — via the much-discussed The Dynasty series — about Kraft’s issues with Belichick, it is hardly surprising the longtime Pats owner would provide such a warning. Robert Kraft, who considered ousting Belichick after 2022 (before son Jonathan Kraft advised against), referred to Belichick as “very, very, very arrogant, per ESPN. A Robert Kraft spokesman denied the owner, who was naturally complimentary of the game’s second-winningest HC upon the January separation, disparaged Belichick to Blank.

Belichick had already assembled a coaching staff, with some familiar names indeed believed to be part of it. Beyond plans to bring Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge aboard, former Texans VP (and Patriots staffer) Jack Easterby was on the radar to be part of a Belichick Atlanta staff. Falcons execs expressed reservations about this staff, with ESPN adding Blank also questioned why this group failed elsewhere. Belichick reportedly responded by saying this group was comprised of “better soldiers than generals.” Judge has since joined Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss staff. The Texans moved on from Easterby in 2022.

New Commanders GM Adam Peters, a Patriots scout in the 2000s, discussed the HC position with Belichick. Minority owner Magic Johnson pushed for Washington to hire the Maryland native, but Josh Harris — who spoke to Kraft about Belichick in December — had decided he would not make that move. We had heard previously the NBA and NHL owner wanted a more collaborative approach, which many current NFL owners prefer, rather than handing the keys to one person. With Harris wanting a front office-oriented leadership structure, Peters has final say on Commanders football matters. Belichick was not interested in the Chargers.

The three other NFC East HC jobs may well be open in 2025, and ESPN notes Belichick would be interested in the Cowboys, Eagles and Giants positions — should they open up. The Eagles did work on Belichick before determining Nick Sirianni would stay, with Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman viewed as fans of the future Hall of Famer, and the former has been close with Jerry Jones for many years. Lurie looks to have joined the Falcons in expressing hesitancy in greenlighting a Belichick move that would bring major changes while qualifying as a short-term fix.

Belichick, who turned 72 on Tuesday, is now six years older than the oldest HC ever hired (Bruce Arians). Any team that considers a 2025 hire would be adding someone who will turn 73 before coaching his next NFL game.

A Belichick confidant also expressed doubt the former Giants DC would earn another HC job unless Jones signs off on a Cowboys hire. Mike McCarthy‘s lame-duck status will keep Belichick rumors going, it would seem, but for now, a TV gig appears in the works. Belichick is expected to join Peyton Manning‘s Omaha Productions for analysis-based work. ESPN’s Pat McAfee also announced Belichick will be part of his show’s draft coverage (video link).

Fifteen wins shy of Don Shula‘s career record, Belichick is believed to have informed allies he expects to land at least one interview next year. While the NFC East jobs are worth monitoring, the bumps the Patriot Way has taken — coupled with Belichick’s age and implied threat to organizations’ status quos — leave it far from certain he will have a third opportunity to lead an NFL team.

Raiders Announce Finalized 2024 Coaching Staff

February 24th, 2024 at 2:40pm CST by Ely Allen

When the season ended, the Raiders stayed true to the wishes of many players, hiring interim head coach Antonio Pierce into the permanent role for the 2024 NFL season. Today, Las Vegas officially announced the entirety of the new staff under Pierce, cluing us into some developments that we hadn’t yet reported on. We were aware of the hires of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, offensive line coach James Cregg, senior offensive assistant Joe Philbin, quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello, assistant quarterbacks coach Fred Walker, and running backs coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams on offense as well as the hiring of assistant head coach Marvin Lewis. Here’s a rundown of the remaining staff updates.

On the offensive side of the ball, with quarterbacks, running backs, and offensive line covered, Getsy made the call to retain Edgar Bennett as wide receivers coach. Bennett has an extensive history with star wideout Davante Adams as the two have spent time together in both Green Bay and Vegas. Last year’s tight ends coach Jerry Schuplinski is now a senior offensive assistant with the Rams, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, so former Bears assistant offensive line coach Luke Steckel has been hired in his place. Steckel previously coached tight ends in Tennessee in 2021 and 2022, mentoring Chigoziem Okonkwo to an impressive rookie season. Steckel will be assisted by newly promoted assistant tight ends coach Mitch Singler, who served the past two years as offensive quality control for the Raiders.

Additionally, pass game coordinator Scott Turner has officially been retained after being considered a candidate for the Patriots offensive coordinator position, and former Bears assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts has been added to the staff with the title of assistant offense. Lastly on offense, we were aware that the new head coach’s son, De’Andre Pierce, would be joining the staff, but whereas his initial position was reportedly going to be offensive quality control coach, we now know that he will be an offensive assistant.

On the defensive side of the ball, we had some idea of the fate of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who had been permitted to take interviews for head coaching jobs but was being blocked from lateral moves, and those ideas are now confirmed as he’ll be retained as coordinator. The team’s announcement shows that defensive line coach Rob Leonard and senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan have been retained, as well. Additionally, Matt Feeney, who has spent the past two seasons as a defensive quality control coach, has been promoted to assistant defensive backs coach.

Also on defense, we knew of the hiring of Mike Caldwell as linebackers coach, but today’s announcement informed us that he’ll hold the additional title of run game coordinator, as well. We also saw initial reports that Ricky Manning Jr. was being brought on as defensive backs coach, but he is officially listed now as cornerbacks coach with former Steelers assistant defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander being hired to coach safeties. Alexander assisted with a secondary in Pittsburgh that included Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Damontae Kazee, and Keanu Neal. Together, the two will replace Chris Ash, who was not retained as defensive backs coach, and Jason Simmons, who was recently hired as defensive pass-game coordinator in Washington. Also, we had reported the addition of former Jets defensive line coach Andre Carter to the staff, and we now know his new title in Las Vegas to be pass rush specialist.

Lastly on defense, we were informed of the hiring of Marcus Lewis as assistant linebackers coach and Josh Phillips as assistant defense. Lewis has recent experience as a defensive analyst at Arizona State and NFL experience after spending five years with the Bengals as an assistant working with the defensive line and linebackers. Phillips most recently served as head coach at Sarasota HS (FL), leading the team to a 1-9 record in his only season at the helm.

On special teams, we officially received word that both special teams coordinator Tom McMahon and assistant special teams coach Derius Swinton II would both be retained under Pierce. It appears that former NFL wideout Danny Amendola, who had been brought on as a coaching assistant to work specifically with returners, has not been retained, and Kade Rannings has been added to the staff as a second assistant special teams coach.

Lastly, the team announced that former director of football research and strategy Matt Sheldon will be on the sideline in the role of game management coach. Also, Jon Gruden‘s son, Deuce Gruden, is a surprising holdover as an assistant strength and conditioning coach after being retained by McDaniel’s staff following his father’s resignation in 2021.

There you have it. Though, much will remain the same with Pierce taking over the full-time role as head coach, plenty of changes were necessary. After another short head coaching stint by Josh McDaniels, Pierce seemed to rejuvenate a deflated squad to close the season. With a new staff of his own and a full offseason to work together, it will be interesting to see what Pierce will be able to accomplish in Las Vegas in 2024.

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