Mike Mccoy - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos Fire OC Mike McCoy

November 20th, 2017 at 9:28am CST by Zachary Links

There’s a big change going down in Denver. The Broncos have fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). To fill his spot, the Broncos are promoting assistant Bill Musgrave.

The Broncos are now 3-7 following a tough loss to the Bengals on Sunday. Brock Osweiler, who recently took over as starting quarterback, threw for 254 yards with one touchdown and one interception while completing 23 of 42 passes. His so-so day wasn’t enough to power the offense, particularly since the run game never really got going. Devontae Booker finished out as the top rusher with 44 yards off of 14 carries followed by 37 yards from 13 attempts by C.J. Anderson. Their averages of 3.1 and 2.8 yards per carry, respectively, were the latest examples of offensive futility in Denver.

“I’m disappointed that things didn’t work out because this is a special organization and a great place to be,” McCoy said in a statement released by the team. “I want to thank Vance [Joseph] for the opportunity he gave me and the entire organization from Mr. B all the way on down. I appreciate the hard work of our players and was proud to work with them along with the rest of our coaching staff. My family and I loved it here, and I’m very thankful for my time with the Denver Broncos.”

Musgrave spent the past two seasons as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator before the team opted against offering him a new contract in January. Under Musgrave’s command in 2016, the Raiders had the No. 6 ranked offense in the NFL. This offseason, he reportedly turned down offensive coordinator jobs elsewhere to join Denver as the quarterbacks coach. Today, his patience paid off.

As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes (Twitter link), McCoy has been fired from NFL jobs twice inside of ten months.

Broncos Hire Mike McCoy, Bill Musgrave

January 13th, 2017 at 7:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

A day after the Broncos lost stalwart defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, they have finalized agreements to bring in two key offensive assistants. The Broncos have hired Mike McCoy, most recently the Chargers’ head coach, as their offensive coordinator. Bill Musgrave, previously the Raiders’ O-coordinator, will join McCoy’s staff as the quarterbacks coach.

McCoy will replace Rick Dennison, Denver’s OC in both Gary Kubiak seasons, and will be tasked with repairing an offense that has fallen off its previously prodigious pace. Denver plummeted to the 27th-ranked attack last season.

McCoy will also head back to Denver, where he morphed into a hot HC candidate years ago. The Broncos employed McCoy as their OC from 2009-12, and the offensive mind became a sought-after coach following his myriad adjustments with the team’s offense.

McCoy took over as the OC when the Broncos hired Josh McDaniels and soon helped Kyle Orton to a strong stretch before the Broncos pivoted to Tim Tebow midway through the 2011 season. The John Fox-led Broncos rebounded from a 1-4 start and into the playoffs, but McCoy helping rearrange the offense midseason into a zone-read-based attack for the unconventional passer earned him praise around the league. The 44-year-old coach then helped Peyton Manning begin his run in Denver the following year, one that resulted in the quarterback winning comeback player of the year honors and the Broncos going 13-3.

The Chargers struggled the past two years but were hit with numerous injuries in that span, one that followed 9-7 seasons in McCoy’s first two years. Philip Rivers became a more efficient passer under McCoy, turning in his top three completion-
percentage seasons from 2013-15. Rivers topped out at 69 percent, which coincided with the Bolts’ 2013 playoff run. San Diego ranked fifth in total offense that season. The Bolts deployed top-16 offenses in three of McCoy’s four years.

The Broncos were also in the market for a quarterbacks coach following news that Greg Knapp wouldn’t be retained by Joseph (via Mike Klis of 9News, on Twitter). Musgrave will certainly be an interesting addition to the staff, as the longtime coach has led several high-powered offenses during his 20 years of coaching. Musgrave spent the past two seasons developing an intriguing young offense in Oakland. Prior to that, Musgrave served as the offensive coordinator for the Vikings and Jaguars, and he’s also been the quarterbacks coach for the Eagles, Falcons, and Redskins. Klis adds (on Twitter) that the Bills and Browns had expressed interest in Mugrave for their offensive coordinator vacancies.

Latest On Broncos Coaching Staff

January 13th, 2017 at 9:32am CST by Ben Levine

The Broncos coaching staff looks a whole lot different than it did 48 hours ago. On Wednesday, the organization announced that they had hired former Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph as their new head coach. Last night saw two more changes. Former defensive coordinator Wade Phillips joined the Rams while the Broncos were finalizing a deal with new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.

Defensive backs coach Joe Woods is considered the favorite to be promoted to the defensive coordinator position, although he still has some competition for the gig. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports (via Twitter) that the Broncos will also be interviewing Reggie Herring for the opening. Herring spent the past two seasons as the team’s linebackers coach, and he handled some defensive play-calling duties earlier this season. Herring has also served as the linebackers coach for the Texans, Cowboys, and Bears.

As we wrap our head around all of these coaching moves, let’s take a look at some additional changes in Denver…

While McCoy seems to be in the driver’s seat for the offensive coordinator gig, Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post notes (via Twitter) that the organization still plans on interviewing Bill Musgrave today. The long-time coach spent the past two seasons as the Raiders offensive coordinator.
The Broncos have parted ways with tight ends coach Brian Pariani, according to Troy Renck of ABC Denver7 (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post reports that offensive line coach Clancy Barone also won’t be back. Finally, Klis reports (via Twitter) that Joseph notified special teams assistant Tony Coaxum and offensive line assistant Jim Cregg that they also wouldn’t be retained for next season.
Joseph acknowledged that Phillips is “one of [his] football dads,” but he also admitted that Woods was “ready to be a coordinator,” as ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold passes along (via Twitter). Wolfe tweets that the Broncos loved Phillips, but the organization saw higher potential in Woods.
Jason La Canfora tweets that general manager John Elway was in favor of changes to the Broncos coaching staff even if former head coach Gary Kubiak stuck around. Klis adds (via Twitter) that Joseph wanted “sweeping changes” when it came to his new staff.

Lynn Would Keep Whisenhunt If Hired By L.A.

January 12th, 2017 at 1:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Things are heating up between the Chargers and Anthony Lynn. Lynn could be the man to replace Mike McCoy as head coach and if that’s the case, he’ll keep offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Chargers brass likes the idea of keeping Whisenhunt on the staff and that is a plus in Lynn’s quest to become head coach, Rapoport adds.

Whisenhunt, who is in the midst of his second stint as the Bolts’ play-caller, boasts seven-plus years of head coaching experience with the Cardinals and Titans. He was not given consideration for the head coaching vacancy, but the team has been intent on keeping him as OC regardless of the hire.

Quarterback Philip Rivers works well with Whisenhunt and he has been an advocate of continuity at a time when the Chargers are undergoing major changes. In 2017, he’ll be playing for the fourth head coach of his professional career in a brand new market. Amidst all the chaos, Rivers is hoping to have his plays called by the same OC as last year.

Coaching Notes: Redskins, Rams, Ravens

January 11th, 2017 at 4:47pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Redskins announced that they interviewed Gus Bradley for the defensive coordinator position on Wednesday. The former Jaguars head coach is reportedly Washington’s prime target to take over for the fired Joe Barry. Bradley was a successful D-coordinator in Seattle from 2009-12, during which time he became familiar with then-Seahawks executive and now-Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan.

As is the case with their defensive staff, changes might be on the horizon for the Redskins’ offensive coaches. With coordinator Sean McVay emerging as a serious candidate to grab the reins as Los Angeles’ head coach, the Redskins could turn to ex-Chargers HC Mike McCoy as his replacement, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. McCoy is also a candidate in Denver (where he served as an O-coordinator from 2010-12) and Buffalo, both of which named head coaches Wednesday.

More of the latest coaching-related info:

A potential head coaching interview between Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and the Rams is “in limbo,” per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. With the Falcons preparing for a Saturday playoff game against the Seahawks, Shanahan might not have time to meet with the Rams this week, La Canfora adds (Twitter link).
Former Buffalo offensive coordinator Greg Roman will sign on with the Ravens‘ coaching staff, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets. The Ravens are sticking with Marty Mornhinweg as OC, so Roman will be there in some kind of assistant role. Cabot notes that the Browns were eying him for an assistant gig.
The Jets will hire Dennard Wilson to succeed the fired Joe Danna as their defensive backs coach, according to Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday. Wilson had been with the Rams since 2012, when they hired him as their defensive quality control coach. He became the team’s defensive backs coach in 2015.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Bills To Hire Sean McDermott As Head Coach

January 11th, 2017 at 2:33pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s a done deal. The Bills are hiring Sean McDermott as their next head coach, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter) hears that McDermott will receive a five-year deal.

Initially, interim head coach Anthony Lynn appeared to be a shoo-in for the job, but amidst Lynn’s own reported trepidation about the partnership, the Bills conducted a thorough coaching search. Cardinals OC Harold Goodwin and Seahawks DC Kris Richard interviewed for the job while new Broncos head coach Vance Joseph and Eagles OC Frank Reich were named as candidates.

McDermott, meanwhile, was also a candidate for the Niners and the Chargers were looking to bring him in for a second interview. The Bills are crushing hard on the defensive guru they did not want to risk losing him to another team.

Meanwhile, McDermott has a solid relationship with former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy and Carucci hears hears that he would hire him as his offensive coordinator. McDermott’s likely DC in Buffalo will be Carolina linebackers coach Al Holcomb, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Broncos Hire Vance Joseph

January 11th, 2017 at 1:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos’ coaching search is over. The Broncos have agreed to a four-year deal with Vance Joseph, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). General manager John Elway has since confirmed the news via Twitter.

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For the last week or so, Joseph has been identified as the frontrunner for the Denver vacancy. From the start, GM John Elway indicated that the team had about “three or four” candidates in mind and Joseph was reportedly in the driver’s seat before he ever interviewed.

Joseph interviewed for Denver’s vacant head coaching position prior to the 2015 season when he was the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. When the Broncos hired Gary Kubiak, the club pushed to hire Joseph as their defensive coordinator, but Cincinnati blocked the move. After that, Joseph moved on to Miami and helped improve the team’s defense from a No. 25 DVOA rank in 2015 to No. 17 this year.

Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub also interviewed for the job. Anthony Lynn was “expected” to interview with Denver, but he never got the chance.

Next up for Denver is rounding out the staff. The Broncos have two offensive coordinator interviews set up for Thursday: Mike McCoy and Bill Musgrave, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Denver defensive backs coach Joe Woods will likely be elevated to DC, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Meanwhile, in Miami, linebackers coach Matt Burke is likely going to be promoted to DC.

Mike Klis of 9NEWS (on Twitter) first reported the Broncos’ offer to Joseph. Additional details provided by Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Extra Points: Stafford, Boldin, Tice, McCoy

January 8th, 2017 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

As the Dolphins and Steelers do battle, let’s take a look at some notes from around the league:

Lions quarterback Matt Stafford will not need surgery on his injured right middle finger, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Stafford was excellent for much of the season, but he completed just 58.6% of his passes for four touchdowns and five interceptions after the injury, and he could get nothing going in a frustrating season-ending loss to Seattle last night.
Lions WR Anquan Boldin had a nice first season in Detroit, and the 36-year-old wideout, who posted 67 catches for 584 yards and a team-leading eight touchdowns, plans to return for his 15th season in the league in 2017, according to Nate Atkins of MLive.com.
The contract for Raiders O-line coach Mike Tice is up, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, but Oakland has prioritized bringing him back. That makes sense, as the team is sending three offensive linemen to the Pro Bowl this year.
Former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy will apparently not be unemployed for long. Rapoport tweets that McCoy is largely considered the top offensive coordinator available and has been mentioned as many teams’ offensive coordinator of choice.
Even if the Dolphins were to pull off the upset in Pittsburgh this afternoon, the team is not counting on Ryan Tannehill to return next week, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). Tannehill was, at least, able to practice on Friday.
Ohio State WR Noah Brown will enter the NFL draft, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). The 6-2, 218-pound wideout had a breakout year for the Buckeyes, and is currently projected to be selected in the second or third round of the draft.
In a series of articles, OverTheCap.com offers a preview of the strongest and weakest offensive positions in this year’s free agent class, examines which linebackers could become cap casualties, and projects the 2017 compensatory picks.

Texans, Bill O’Brien Could Part After Season

January 7th, 2017 at 7:44pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

SATURDAY, 7:44pm: Texans owner Bob McNair said O’Brien will be back next season, via Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com (on Twitter). “I’m not going to fire him,” McNair said (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, on Twitter) after the Texans’ 27-14 wild-card win over the Raiders.

The 49ers, however, were intrigued by the possibility O’Brien could have been a late-arriving coaching free agent, Alex Marvez of Fox Sports tweets.

SATURDAY, 8:15am: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that several teams with head coaching vacancies are waiting to see how everything will play out in Houston before they make a hire. If O’Brien is fired, Rapoport notes that he “may soar to the top of the list” for many teams.

THURSDAY, 4:52pm: Although the Texans just reeled off their third straight nine-victory regular season and second consecutive AFC South-winning campaign under head coach Bill O’Brien, his job is in jeopardy, reports CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. O’Brien is currently preparing for a wild-card round showdown with the Raiders, which could be his last game with Houston if the team loses. Even a win over the banged-up Raiders wouldn’t necessarily save O’Brien, suggests La Canfora.

O’Brien’s problems with the Texans are related to a less-than-ideal relationship with general manager Rick Smith and an unenthusiastic view of quarterback Brock Osweiler, per La Canfora. The Texans guaranteed Osweiler, an ex-Denver backup, $37MM last offseason, but the 6-foot-8 signal-caller has been a colossal disappointment thus far.

Osweiler was among the league’s worst starters throughout the regular season, leading O’Brien to bench him in favor of Tom Savage toward the end of the year. Savage suffered a concussion in Week 17 and won’t be available against the Raiders, meaning O’Brien’s fate is back in the beleaguered Osweiler’s hands. The Texans will likely be stuck with Osweiler in 2017, too, as the team would incur $25MM in dead money by releasing him this offseason.

In the event the Texans do move on from O’Brien within the next couple weeks, it could significantly impact coaching searches around the league. The 47-year-old O’Brien is a proven commodity, having succeeded in leading roles with both Penn State and the Texans, and the offensive mind would surely draw interest from teams with head coaching vacancies if he were to hit the market. Of course, with the Texans joining the hunt for other candidates, it would also lead to an increase in clubs searching for head coaches. Both Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, an ex-Texans assistant, and former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy would be names to watch, according to La Canfora.

AFC Coaching Notes: Broncos, Browns, Jaguars

January 7th, 2017 at 10:22am CST by Ben Levine

Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is set to interview with the Broncos today, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Denver gig is the job that Shanahan “identifies with.” The reporter notes that the coordinator is also intrigued by the Jaguars head coaching position.

In a separate tweet, Rapoport notes that Shanahan will “be picky and patient” as he decides which opportunity he wants to pursue. As our head coaching tracker shows, the 37-year-old is also set to meet with the Rams and 49ers.

Let’s take a look at some other coaching notes coming out of the AFC…

Chiefs’ special teams coordinator Dave Toub interviewed for the Broncos head coaching gig this morning, and Mike Klis of Denver7 writes that the coach impressed the organization during the four-hour meeting.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is considered a favorite for the Broncos head coaching gig. If he ends up getting the position, Albert Breer of MMQB.com tweets that former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy could be an option as Denver’s new offensive coordinator.
After firing Ray Horton yesterday, the Browns have started searching for a new defensive coordinator. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets that the organization reached out to former Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley regarding the opening. ESPN’s Pat McManamon writes that the team also approached Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
We learned yesterday that Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is in “prime position” to get the Browns defensive coordinator gig, and Toni Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets that Williams would bring at least three additional Rams coaches to Cleveland (assuming he gets the job).
Fortunately for the Browns, it appears that at least one coach will be staying put. Cabot tweets that running backs coach Kirby Wilson isn’t expected to go elsewhere. The longtime coach is a “longtime friend” of Browns head coach Hue Jackson.