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Seahawks Blocked Raiders’ Justin Outten Interview Request

By | at February 13, 2026 3:06 pm

The Seahawks could not block offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak from taking the Raiders’ head coaching job, but they are attempting to keep some of his assistants in Seattle.

The Raiders requested to interview Justin Outten – currently the Seahawks’ run game specialist/assistant offensive line coach – for a run game coordinator role in Las Vegas. That would represent a lateral move, so the Seahawks were able to block the interview, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Outten is among the Seahawks’ candidates to replace Kubiak, so the team understandably does not want him to leave until they complete their offensive coordinator hiring process. If they go in a different direction, the Seahawks could release Outten to pursue a job in Las Vegas, as the Ravens did with some of their assistants after officially hiring Jesse Minter. However, Seattle seems headed for an internal promotion to fill their OC vacancy, in which case the new hire may want to keep as much of Kubiak’s staff intact as possible.

Seahawks defensive backs coach/pass game specialist Karl Scott is also staying in Seattle, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He interviewed for the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator vacancy and was among the initial candidates to serve as Kubiak’s DC. The Raiders did not submit an official interview request for Scott, and he has now pre-empted such a meeting with his decision. Scott will likely be in the mix for defensive coordinator jobs next year.

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Seahawks Arrange Interviews With Four Internal OC Candidates

By | at February 11, 2026 4:24 pm

In the aftermath of Seattle’s Super Bowl victory, Klint Kubiak‘s departure became official. The Seahawks’ 2025 offensive coordinator will take charge of the Raiders next season.

As a result, head coach Mike Macdonald finds himself in need of a new OC for the third time in as many years. At least some external candidates will receive a look, but Kubiak’s replacement has a strong chance of coming from within the organization. The team will conduct four in-house interviews over the coming days.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Seattle will interview quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz, run-game specialist Justin Outten and tight ends coach Mack Brown. Their interviews will take place tomorrow and Friday. Each of them have been floated as logical targets for the Seahawks as a Kubiak replacement. Of course, every member of that quartet is also a candidate to follow Kubiak from Seattle to Las Vegas.

Janocko in particular is a name to watch in the Raiders’ case. The outcome of his Seahawks interview will be critical as a result as Kubiak aims to build his staff deep into the 2026 hiring cycle. Janocko, 37, previously worked with Kubiak in New Orleans. Provided the two continue their working relationship in a new setting once more, Seattle’s attention will turn elsewhere.

Peetz, 40, has worked in a number of roles over the course of his coaching career. He has previously been an offensive coordinator in college (LSU, 2021) but not at the NFL level. Outten had a one-year OC stint with the Broncos in 2022. The 42-year-old has also served in several other capacities over time. Brown was hired as part of Macdonald’s initial staff following five years with the Jets. He split his time between work on offense and defense over that time.

The Rooney Rule requires teams to conduct at least one in-person interview with an external minority candidate before making a coordinator hire. The list of staffers Seattle looks into will grow as a result, but the team’s attention will be aimed largely at in-house options.

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Raiders Officially Name Klint Kubiak Head Coach

By | at February 9, 2026 11:14 pm

The Raiders have made it official. The team announced this evening that they’ve named Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach.

Kubiak is now the 25th head coach in franchise history, and he’s the sixth since the team moved to Las Vegas. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Kubiak will receive a five-year contract from the Raiders.

Of course, this move doesn’t come as any surprise. The franchise seemed to be leaning towards Kubiak last week, and the 38-year-old was reportedly set to negotiate a deal with the organization. Then, Kubiak all but confirmed the news last night following the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win when he revealed that he’d indeed be taking his talents from Seattle to Las Vegas.

The son of Gary Kubiak, Klint has bounced around the NFL during his coaching career, including stops with the Vikings, Saints, and Seahawks as the offensive coordinator. It was that latter stop that made him seem destined to take the next step of his career, as Kubiak was the most popular name during this year’s hiring cycle. The 38-year-old ultimately interviewed for seven of the 10 HC vacancies, and he landed one of those opportunities in Las Vegas.

After helping guide Sam Darnold and the Seahawks offense to a surprising top-10 showing this past season, Kubiak will now be tasked with turning around a franchise that’s only made the postseason twice in the past 23 years. Besides landing on their new head coach, the Raiders are also anticipated to add a new franchise QB this offseason, as the team is expected to select reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall pick.

Before Kubiak can focus on the on-field product, he’ll have to quickly build out his staff. Considering his inexperience as a head coach, Jason La Canfora of Sportsboom.com writes that the Raiders are expected to prioritize experience as they look to fill out the coaching staff. One name in particular that could stand out is Jim Schwartz, who hastily left the Browns after losing out on their head coaching job.

Per La Canfora, the veteran defensive coach has several fans in the building. This includes Kubiak, and the offensive-minded head coach presumably wouldn’t meddle in Schwartz’s defensive approach. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady is also a “strong supporter” of the coach. Since the Raiders have traditionally shown a willingness to “spend heavily” on assistants, there’s an expectation among league sources that Schwartz will ultimately land in Las Vegas.

There would remain one hurdle in the Raiders’ pursuit, however: the Browns have Schwartz under contract through 2026, meaning Las Vegas would have to negotiate with the AFC foe to lure the coach. As Albert Breer of SI.com notes, this has led some to believe that Schwartz could simply sit out the upcoming campaign, and there’s some belief that the coach may be simply waiting for the Eagles DC job to open up.

On the offensive side of the ball, Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is a “natural candidate,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Prior to his success with Darnold, Janocko was credited with getting some of the best career showings from the likes of Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields, and Derek Carr. It’s no coincidence that the coach has also joined Kubiak in multiple stops, making him an obvious candidate for the gig. Of course, there’s also a chance the Seahawks simply look to promote him to their newfound OC vacancy.

Speaking of the Seahawks, Fowler notes that in-house options like offensive passing game coordinator Jake Peetz and running backs coach Justin Outten could also be options to replace Kubiak, as could Lions senior assistant Mike Kafka.

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Seahawks Likely To Pursue Internal Klint Kubiak OC Replacement?

By | at February 9, 2026 2:29 pm

Sunday night’s Super Bowl victory marked a successful end to Klint Kubiak‘s Seattle tenure. After one season as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Kubiak is in position to become the new head coach of the Raiders.

Replacing Kubiak will be a key priority for Seattle in the near future. Many of the coordinator openings around the NFL have of course already been filled, something which will limit the market for outside candidates in Seattle’s case. That may not prove to be particularly relevant, though.

There is a “strong possibility” the Seahawks will look to replace Kubiak through an internal promotion, ESPN’s Brady Henderson reports. He also predicts the list of staffers who will follow Kubiak from Seattle to Las Vegas will be relatively short. How things play out on that front will obviously influence the candidate pool the Seahawks have to choose from.

Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz and running backs coach Justin Outten are among the coaches Seattle had in place for the team’s Super Bowl run. Any or all of them will no doubt receive consideration from Kubiak as he pieces together his staff. Each could be seen as prime candidates to be promoted to the OC role in Seattle, however. In any event, the Seahawks are required to conduct at least one in-person interview with an external minority candidate to satisfy the Rooney Rule.

Head coach Mike Macdonald will soon have a third OC in place in as many years leading the Seahawks. Needless to say, he will look for a level of success much closer to Kubiak’s single campaign in Seattle than Ryan Grubb‘s one-and-done showing as offensive coordinator from 2024.

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

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 2-13-26 (3:00pm 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): Frontrunner?
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

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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Coaching Rumors: Ravens, Eagles, Weis, Witten, Seahawks, Chiefs

By | at January 15, 2026 3:16 pm

The Steve Bisciotti era in Baltimore has included two first-time HCs — Brian Billick, John Harbaugh — but the owner is not against a retread. Bisciotti specified there will not necessarily be a success baseline from that retread’s first coaching run in order for him to land the job as Harbaugh’s successor.

“The one thing that I know that I will probably take it on the chin is if our final candidate is an ex-coach who has a losing record,” Bisciotti said, via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley, “and you all are going to have to understand that we are going to be able to judge that failure with his circumstances and marry that up and not disqualify them.

“It’d be very easy for me to try and avoid those ex-head coaches because they have losing records, but I’m telling you, we are keen to their circumstances, and we won’t let their first shot at a job influence us negatively for this one.”

Bisciotti also pointed to the next Baltimore HC receiving plenty of time in the role, pointing to at least “five or six” years. Though, that will largely depend on the Ravens’ performance as Lamar Jackson‘s prime goes on. The Ravens’ search includes eight second-chance HC options thus far. Bisciotti will have input, but he specified (via Ravens.com’s Ryan Mink) Eric DeCosta, EVP Ozzie Newsome and president Sashi Brown are running the search.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • The Eagles have been connected to big names for their OC post, being tied to Kliff Kingsbury, Kevin Stefanski, Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll early in the process. A college option has also emerged on Philly’s radar. The Eagles have “poked around” on LSU OC Charlie Weis Jr., per the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard. Weis, who is following Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss, coached Jaxson Dart at with the Rebels and played a central role in an 11-1 season, overseeing Division II transfer Trinidad Chambliss. Just 32, the second-generation college coach has been a college OC since he was 25. Weis served as Florida Atlantic’s OC beginning in 2018 before moving to South Florida and then Ole Miss. Unlike Kiffin, Weis stayed on during the Rebels’ run to the CFP semifinals. The Eagles are planning to give their next OC full autonomy of the offense, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson, with Nick Sirianni long being a CEO HC.
  • Staying on the college level, Oklahoma announced Thursday that Jason Witten is joining its staff as tight ends coach. Witten, 43, had been the coach at Liberty Christian High School in Texas but was on the Cowboys’ radar for a job last year. Witten came up as a dark-horse HC candidate in Dallas last year but later said he did not discuss that role. Though, this Oklahoma gig — Witten’s first at the college level — could be a springboard to a future NFL position.
  • Seahawks running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu took a leave of absence recently and will not return to the team. Polamalu is now off the Seattle staff ahead of the team’s divisional-round game, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Polamalu took the leave in mid-December. Assistant offensive line coach Justin Outten and offensive assistant Michael Byrne have held Polamalu’s duties since the staffer’s exit. Polamalu, 63, has been with the Seahawks for two seasons. He has been in coaching since 1992, first arriving in the NFL in 2004.
  • After Andy Reid‘s worst season since his 2012 Eagles finale, the Chiefs are tinkering with their staff. They are moving on from wide receivers coach Connor Embree, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. Embree climbed from the quality control level to wideouts coach in 2023. Even as the Chiefs claimed a second straight Super Bowl title that season, the year began a downturn for Kansas City receivers. Experiments with Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore failed before another uneven passing season in 2024 commenced. After a 6-11 2025 slate, the Chiefs will look for another wideouts instructor.
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Seahawks Add Justin Outten, Rick Dennison To Staff

By | at February 18, 2025 1:38 pm

FEBRUARY 18: In addition to the Outten hire, the expected move of bringing in Dennison is now official. The former will have the title of assistant offensive line coach in addition to his run-game specialist role, while the latter will work as Seattle’s run-game coordinator.

FEBRUARY 13: Two former offensive coordinators are joining Klint Kubiak in Seattle. The Seahawks are adding Justin Outten to their coaching staff, and Rick Dennison is believed to be joining him.

This will be a reunion among ex-Broncos, as Dennison coached with Gary Kubiak during both the latter’s Denver coaching stints (the latter of which involving Klint). Outten and Klint Kubiak were together on a rather memorable 2022 Broncos staff. Outten is coming aboard as a run-game specialist, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

[RELATED: Seahawks Hire Klint Kubiak As OC]

Dennison, who is following Klint from New Orleans (per the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta), received Saints permission to interview with the Seahawks, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo add. Teams can block contracted assistants from leaving, but with the Saints changing coaching staffs, it is not too surprising they let Dennison explore other options.

Although coordinators regularly have leeway to bring in assistants, the Seahawks signing off in reuniting the two right-hand men on offense during Nathaniel Hackett‘s disastrous Broncos season is interesting. Both Kubiak and Outten called plays at points that season, with Hackett initially going around Outten to give play-calling duties — as the Broncos struggled mightily in Russell Wilson‘s debut — to his QBs coach. After the Broncos fired Hackett, Outten called plays during the team’s final two games.

A former Packers staffer, Outten spent the past two seasons on the Titans’ staff. He served as Tennessee’s running backs coach and run-game coordinator in 2023 and was retained under new HC Brian Callahan last season, when he coached tight ends. The Titans had planned to move on this offseason. It appears this Seattle role will be closer to his 2023 position, as the Seahawks look to generate more from their run game after Mike Macdonald expressed concern about it upon firing OC Ryan Grubb.

Dennison, 66, has spent much of his career working with the Kubiaks. A teammate of Gary’s in the 1980s and ’90s with the Broncos, Dennison coached on Mike Shanahan‘s staff alongside his former teammate from 1995-2005. Dennison stayed in Denver after Kubiak landed the Houston HC job in 2006, replacing his colleague as Broncos OC. Kubiak then hired him as Texans OC in 2010. Dennison coached with Gary Kubiak again in Baltimore and back in Denver, where he reprised his role as Broncos OC from 2015-16. While Denver’s Super Bowl-winning team is best remembered for its defense, Dennison was a key presence during the one-year Kubiak-Peyton Manning overlap.

Dennison worked with both Kubiaks in Minnesota and then rejoined Klint as part of the 2024 Saints’ staff, serving as a senior offensive assistant. Dennison has been an NFL staffer for 28 years. While the Seahawks have 30-somethings at HC and OC, they now have two 60-somethings (Dennison, Leslie Frazier) as key advisors.

Additionally, the Seahawks are adding Michael Byrne to their staff as an offensive assistant. Byrne is also following Klint Kubiak from New Orleans and also worked with the new Seattle OC at Texas A&M during the early 2010s. An analytics-geared staffer, Byrne also spent time with Pro Football Focus.

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Titans Add Reggie McKenzie To Front Office, Make More Coaching Staff Changes

By | at February 1, 2025 2:43 pm

Brian Callahan‘s first season in Tennessee wasn’t an ideal one. Following a 6-11 season that led to Mike Vrabel‘s dismissal, the Titans went a dismal 3-14 in Callahan’s first year as head coach. Naturally, Callahan and new general manager Mike Borgonzi are opting to make some changes across both the coaching and front office staffs this offseason in an attempt to turn things around, per Titans senior writer/editor Jim Wyatt.

In the front office, we already reported on Tennessee’s additions of Borgonzi as GM and Dave Ziegler as assistant general manager. In support of these two, the Titans have opted to bring on former Dolphins senior personnel executive Reggie McKenzie as vice president of football advisor.

McKenzie, a former pro linebacker from 1985-92, began his front office career just two years after his playing career came to an end. He began as a pro personnel assistant for the Packers in 1994, elevating to pro personnel director in 1997, and director of football operations in 2008. After 18 years in Green Bay, McKenzie was hired as general manager of the Raiders in 2012, holding the role for seven seasons before getting fired. He rebounded in his most recent role in Miami, which he held for six years before leaving for this new role in Tennessee.

The coaching staff is where many more changes are taking place. First off, tight ends coach Justin Outten, passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Chris Harris, and special teams assistant Anthony Levine are not expected to remain on Callahan’s staff in 2025. After they were initially retained in Callahan’s first year at the helm, the contracts of Outten, Harris, and Levine have expired and won’t be extended. Another holdover from the previous staff, Luke Stocker earned a promotion. After serving last year as assistant tight ends coach, he has earned the full role of tight ends coach for 2025.

Replacing Harris as passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach will be Tony Oden, a former senior defensive assistant/cornerbacks coach with the Jets, where he mentored players like Sauce Gardner. In 19 years of NFL experience, Oden has worked on the staffs of the Texans, Saints, Jaguars, Buccaneers, Lions, Dolphins, and 49ers. He’ll now join his eighth NFL franchise and his third in the AFC South.

We had already reported the addition of John Fassel as the new special teams coordinator. Following Fassel from the Cowboys‘ staff will be Rayna Stewart. A former NFL safety for two franchises currently in the AFC South, Stewart served the past three years as assistant special teams coach under Fassel in Dallas and will take on the same role in Nashville.

Lastly, having their fingers in both the front office and coaching pots, Scott Cohen has accepted the role of director of football strategy, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Cohen served this past year as a consultant for the Titans after nine years in the Ravens front office, most recently as director of football research. In his new role, Cohen will collaborate with Callahan and president of football operations Chad Brinker.

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Titans To Retain Justin Outten, Chris Harris, Others On Staff

By | at February 13, 2024 4:12 pm

Brian Callahan‘s first Titans staff will include a host of outside hires — one of which being his father, offensive line coach Bill Callahan — and a handful of holdovers. Among the holdovers: two staffers who have either been coordinators or were on the OC/DC carousel recently.

We heard last week the Titans were blocking Justin Outten interviews. Tuesday, the team revealed Outten will be part of Brian Callahan’s 2024 staff as tight ends coach. This will be a shift for Outten, who was the team’s run-game coordinator in 2023. In addition to Outten, the Titans are retaining assistant Chris Harris.

Outten served as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator in 2022, mostly operating in a non-play-calling capacity — save for the final two games, following Nathaniel Hackett‘s firing — during a disastrous season for the AFC West team. Outten interviewed for the Ravens’ OC job in 2023 but wound up in Tennessee. A Packers staffer prior to his Denver year, Outten was a Mike Vrabel hire. Callahan’s first staff will feature a few of those.

Harris interviewed for the Bears and Jaguars’ DC jobs this year and met with the Texans and 49ers about their DC vacancies in 2023. Harris, 41, spent three seasons coaching Commanders DBs under Ron Rivera. The Titans lured him away in 2023. Harris will remain in place as Tennessee’s defensive pass-game coordinator, along with his role as cornerbacks coach. This will be Harris and DC Dennard Wilson‘s first time working together.

The Titans are also retaining assistant special teams coach Anthony Levine, assistant D-line coach Clinton McMillan, defensive quality control coach Lori Locust and former Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker as an offensive assistant. The Titans are still searching for a special teams coordinator, but Levine will work under that to-be-determined staffer. Stocker, a Titan from 2017-18, and Levine wrapped their playing careers after the 2021 season.

Among the previously unmentioned new hires in Tennessee, Randy Jordan will take over as running backs coach. A former Raiders backup running back, Jordan spent the past 10 years as Washington’s RBs coach. Jordan was in place throughout Jay Gruden‘s HC tenure and through Rivera’s. Payton McCollum will leave Indianapolis for Nashville, moving from Colts offensive assistant to Titans assistant wide receivers coach. Ben Bloom will also come on board as the Titans’ OLBs coach. Bloom spent the past four seasons in Cleveland, working as Myles Garrett‘s position coach in 2023. Bloom previously spent nine seasons on Jason Garrett‘s Cowboys staff. Myles Garrett’s Defensive Player of the Year season aside, the Browns hired ex-Texans D-line coach Jacques Cesaire to replace Bloom last month.

Tennessee is also bringing back Tracy Rocker for a second tour of duty on staff. The Titans hired Rocker as their defensive line coach, which will mark a return for the veteran assistant, who served in this capacity under Mike Munchak from 2011-13. Rocker was also the Tennessee Volunteers’ D-line coach from 2017-19. Rocker, 57, does have a history with Wilson. The two coached together on the Eagles’ staff from 2021-22; Rocker stayed on this past season as Philly’s D-line coach.

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Titans To Hire Bo Hardegree; Team Blocking Justin Outten Interviews?

By | at February 8, 2024 11:08 am

Two one-and-done AFC West offensive coordinators are likely to be part of the Titans’ 2024 staff. One of them will be recent Raiders interim OC Bo Hardegree, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Hardegree is set to become the Titans’ QBs coach, which was his role to start last season in Las Vegas.

The Raiders elevated Hardegree shortly after the Josh McDaniels firing, with OC Mick Lombardi dismissed as well. Hardegree operated as Las Vegas’ play-caller during the season’s second half. The Raiders, however, made it known they were moving on from Hardegree upon elevating Antonio Pierce to their full-time HC post. An extensive OC search ended with Luke Getsy in Vegas, but the team’s previous play-caller will have a home elsewhere in the AFC.

[RELATED: Titans Hire Bill Callahan As O-Line Coach]

Hardegree has a history with new Titans HC Brian Callahan. The two were both offensive assistants in John Fox‘s final Broncos season (2014). While Hardegree has mostly held offensive assistant roles in his career, the 39-year-old staffer served as the Dolphins’ QBs coach for three seasons under Adam Gase. Hardegree was the Raiders’ QBs coach for 1 1/2 seasons before the November promotion.

Following McDaniels and Lombardi’s exits, the Raiders averaged 23 points per game. That ranked in the top half of the league, and it came with fourth-round rookie QB Aidan O’Connell at the controls. This production, which featured a larger dose of Josh Jacobs compared to the season’s first half, has helped Hardegree land on his feet.

The Titans also may have plans to retain one of Mike Vrabel‘s assistants on offense. Hired in 2023 — after an interesting season as Denver’s OC — Justin Outten appears in Callahan’s plans. The team has blocked other clubs from interviewing Outten, according to TheDraftNetwork.com’s Justin Melo (X link), who adds Outten has received interest for run-game coordinator roles. Teams can block lateral moves involving assistants under contract. Outten served as the Titans’ run-game coordinator in 2023.

Despite being the OC for a Broncos offense that cratered during Nathaniel Hackett‘s disastrous season in charge, Outten generated interest from teams last year. The Ravens interviewed him for their OC job, and the Rams considered a hire. Amid Denver’s struggles — which produced 2022’s 32nd-ranked scoring offense — Hackett bypassed Hackett and gave QBs coach Klint Kubiak play-calling duties late that year. Following Hackett’s firing, however, Outten took over the Denver play-calling role.

Kubiak is on track to become the Saints’ OC, while Hackett remains the Jets’ play-caller. Hardegree and likely Outten will work under Callahan and new OC Nick Holz in Nashville.

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