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Steelers To Hire Patrick Graham As DC, Add Jason Simmons To Staff

By | at January 29, 2026 10:59 pm

As expected, Patrick Graham is heading to Pittsburgh. The veteran staffer is indeed being hired by the Steelers as their new defensive coordinator and departing the Raiders in the process, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.

Not long after it was learned Graham would interview for the position this week, signs pointed to a hire in this case. Graham was previously hired by Mike McCarthy as a linebackers coach for the Packers in 2018. McCarthy was brought in as Pittsburgh’s new head coach recently, and the two are reuniting for 2026.

Another ex-Packers staffer is joining the fold. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Thursday morning that Commanders defensive pass-game coordinator Jason Simmons would be joining Pittsburgh. According to Wilson, a deal has now been struck with Simmons (who also interviewed for the Steelers’ DC gig).

A “prominent” role on the defensive staff now awaits Simmons, Fowler adds. The 49-year-old worked in Green Bay from 2011-19, giving him considerable overlap with McCarthy. Plenty of other key staffing decisions remain at this point, but the Super Bowl-winning HC has largely begun by adding familiar faces.

For each of the past seven seasons, Graham has worked as an NFL defensive coordinator. He spent one year with the Dolphins and Giants before reuniting with former Patriots colleague Josh McDaniels in Vegas. Through the Raiders’ turbulence at the head coaching position since then, Graham remained in place as defensive play-caller for four seasons. It remains to be seen who the Raiders will hire as their new head coach, but Pete Carroll‘s replacement will need to add a D-coordinator shortly after arriving.

Graham helped lead Vegas to a ninth-place finish in scoring defense in 2023. The team posted middling (at best) numbers in many other categories during the rest of his tenure, with points allowed one of many issues for Vegas in 2025. The Steelers posted strong numbers during much of Teryl Austin‘s four-year defensive coordinator tenure. His final campaign in that role saw a regression in total and scoring defense, though.

Austin has been a strong candidate to depart Pittsburgh since Mike Tomlin stepped aside. Today’s news confirms Austin will be coaching elsewhere in 2026. The Steelers once again committed more financial resources to their defense than their offense this season; that can be expected to continue moving forward. Expectations will be high in Graham’s case given his experience and Pittsburgh’s roster construction.

The 47-year-old has found himself on the head coaching radar for several years. Graham has also been linked to a number of other defensive coordinator openings during recent hiring cycles. A change of scenery has long loomed as a distinct possibility in his case as a result, and one has now taken place. As the Steelers look to aim their drought for postseason victories, Graham and Simmons will each be counted on to handle key roles as members of McCarthy’s initial Pittsburgh staff.

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Steelers Nearing Patrick Graham DC Hire

By | at January 28, 2026 4:29 pm

4:29pm: An official interview has not yet taken place. It is believed to be scheduled for Thursday, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. Graham landing this job would mean a fourth DC opportunity.

1:51pm: Patrick Graham served as the Raiders’ defensive coordinator under three HCs, being retained by both Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll. With a to-be-determined Raiders HC arriving, Graham is close to landing on his feet elsewhere.

The Steelers are close to hiring him as their next DC, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reports. Graham scheduled an interview for the position. Graham, 47, spent a year on Mike McCarthy‘s Packers staff, serving as an assistant during the new Steelers HC’s final year in Green Bay (2018). He has been a defensive coordinator ever since.

A longtime Patriots staffer, Graham reunited with Josh McDaniels as the Raiders’ DC in 2022. This came after he had served in that capacity with the Dolphins (2019) and Giants (2020-21). Two ex-Patriot HCs (Brian Flores, Joe Judge) appointed Graham to those posts, and while a third hired him when the McDaniels reunion commenced, Graham impressed enough to stick around in Las Vegas under Pierce and Carroll. He appears close to reuniting with McCarthy.

The Raiders have struggled on defense for the better part of a two-plus-decade span. They have only ranked in the top half of the league in scoring once since their Super Bowl XXXVII season. That came under Graham in 2023, when the team ranked ninth. The Raiders were unable to sustain that form over the past two seasons, ranking 25th in each campaign. The team did lose prized free agent signing Christian Wilkins early in 2024, before a contentious 2025 separation, and lost a few starters (Robert Spillane, Tre’von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs) in free agency this past offseason.

Pittsburgh had employed Teryl Austin as its DC for the past four seasons. Mike Tomlin only had three DCs in 19 seasons; Keith Butler‘s stint covered 2015-21, and Dick LeBeau‘s second Steelers stop lasted from 2004-14). Graham has also been a regular on the HC carousel. He met about the Dolphins’ HC position this year and interviewed for the Commanders’ DC job. The Jaguars met twice with Graham about their HC post last year, while the Chargers and Seahawks interviewed him in 2024.

While more staff turnover will be expected, McCarthy plans to retain a few Tomlin assistants. Quarterbacks coach Tom Arth, DBs coach Gerald Alexander and linebackers coach Scott McCurley are coming back, Dulac adds. The team was also planning to retain veteran special teams coordinator Danny Smith, according to the Pat McAfee Show‘s Mark Kaboly, but that was before the McCarthy hire became known. Smith is now the Buccaneers’ ST coordinator.

McCurley will reunite with his longtime boss, as McCarthy oversaw the veteran defensive staffer throughout his Green Bay years before bringing him to Dallas as linebackers coach in 2020. McCarthy’s first Packers season (2006) doubled as McCurley’s NFL debut. Arth has coached the Steelers’ QBs for three seasons, while Alexander has been on the team’s staff for two stops.

After coaching on Tomlin’s staff from 2022-23, he was the Raiders’ safeties coach in ’24. Tomlin rehired him in 2025. Graham coming to Pittsburgh would make for a reunion with Alexander, who has been on the DC carousel previously.

Pittsburgh is also hiring Adam Henry as its new wide receivers coach, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe adds. Henry spent the past three years as the Bills’ wideouts coach. He has a connection to McCarthy, having been the Cowboys’ WRs coach from 2020-21 before leaving to be Indiana’s OC for a year. Henry has also coached wideouts with the 49ers, Browns and Giants since 2015.

While the Bills struggled at the position post-Stefon Diggs, Khalil Shakir made the transition from fifth-rounder to the team’s most reliable target during Henry’s time. The 2021 Cowboys also featured three 800-yard receivers (CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup) in 2021.

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Steelers To Interview Jake Simmons, Patrick Graham For DC Job

By | at January 27, 2026 4:54 pm

The Steelers have officially hired Mike McCarthy as their next head coach. Now, he will have to build his new coaching staff, starting with his coordinators.

Commanders pass game coordinator Jason Simmons and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham are Pittsburgh’s first two candidates for their DC job, per Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show.

Simmons, 49, has multiple connections with the Steelers. The 1998 fifth-round pick spent the first three years of his playing career in Pittsburgh. After he retired, his first coaching job was under McCarthy in Green Bay. Simmons worked for the Packers for nine years, primarily coaching the secondary with a two-year stint as an assistant special teams coach. He then took on defensive pass game coordinator roles with the Panthers and Raiders before joining Dan Quinn’s staff in Washington.

Graham, 47, has been the Raiders’ defensive coordinator since 2022. He started his coaching career in college before landing his first NFL job with the Patriots. After seven years in New England, he spent two years as the Giants’ defensive line coach before joining the Packers in 2018, McCarthy’s last year in Green Bay. Since then, Graham has held defensive coordinator jobs with the Dolphins and Giants. He was then hired by former colleague and then-Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels

Hiring Simmons would continue the Steelers’ pattern of investing in players and coaches that have a history with Pittsburgh – the franchise or the city. Outgoing defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, for example, grew up 60 miles outside of Pittsburgh and played college football at Pitt. McCarthy grew up in the city, which appeared to be a factor in his hiring, and current starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is the son of legendary Steelers linebacker Joey Porter. That is not to say Simmons is not a worthy candidate; he quickly reformed the Commanders pass defense after arriving in Washington, though the unit regressed significantly this past season.

Graham brings no direct connections to the Steelers outside of his one year under McCarthy in Green Bay. In the last three years, the Raiders’ defense has been their stronger side of the ball by far with three middle-of-the-pack finishes in yards allowed. The offense, by contrast, has been a bottom-10 unit.

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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 1-29-26 (11:10pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

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

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)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

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): Interviewed
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Jeff Hafley Emerging As Dolphins’ HC Frontrunner

By | at January 18, 2026 11:14 pm

JANUARY 18: Jackson adds in a follow-up report that it is a real possibility Miami does not allow Hafley to leave the building without a contract in hand following his Monday interview. An agent for another candidate tells Jackson that Hafley is the team’s top choice.

In addition to Graham and Hafley, the ‘Fins will have an in-person meeting with Kelvin Sheppard on Monday. The Graham and Sheppard summmits would satisfy the Rooney Rule and thereby make the Dolphins eligible to hire Hafley.

JANUARY 17, 10:05pm: A representative for one of the other candidates connected to the Dolphins’ vacancy told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald he believes the job is Hafley’s to lose at this point. With at least many of the seven remaining HC vacancies likely to be filled in the coming days, this situation will be worth watching closely.

2:08pm: Coming quick off the heels of news that he is being brought in for the second round of the Dolphins‘ interview process, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has “emerged as a frontrunner” for the head coaching job in Miami. No decisions have been made on either side, but Hafley seems to have the early favor of the Dolphins’ search committee.

Miami and Hafley are still moving forward with their interview processes, as usual, though. This isn’t John Harbaugh cancelling meetings after one in-person interview with the Giants just yet.

The Dolphins have first-round interviews still on the schedule for this weekend and are in the process of setting up more second-round interviews beyond Hafley. It seems, as they’re wrapping up the first round of interviews with Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Sunday and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham on Monday, Hafley will be kicking off the first of multiple in-person, second interviews. Dianna Russini of The Athletic has noted that they’re attempting to get former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski in for his in-person on Wednesday.

We also aren’t aware if the feelings are mutual for Hafley, though; Miami isn’t the only team to have moved him on to the next stage of the interview process, and according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Hafley is expected to be a finalist everywhere he’s interviewed. Pelissero notes that the Titans, Falcons, Raiders, and Cardinals have also requested second interviews for Hafley, and he’s in the process of completing another initial interview today with the Steelers.

In fact, Hafley is scheduled to come to Miami on Monday, and he already has his visit to Tennessee scheduled for the Tuesday, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. The Dolphins are certainly trying to get out ahead of what appears to be a lot of interest in Hafley by scheduling him early and pronouncing their interest very publicly. We’ll see if that tactic earns them any points with Hafley or if it turns on the pressure in his pursuit.

For the other candidates set to interview with Miami, it’s certainly discouraging, assuming Hafley prefers the Dolphins. It’s hard enough to overcome Hafley’s Green Bay ties to Miami’s new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan but adding in his proclamation from the media as an early frontrunner makes it necessary to hope Hafley prefers to be elsewhere. In fact, strangely, the rumor of Hafley being the frontrunner first was leaked by Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, whose source was an agent of one of the several other candidates for the job. After seeing the rumor confirmed by Pelissero this afternoon, seekers of the Miami job will be hoping the Dolphins don’t get their guy.

The only certainty anywhere comes out of Green Bay where Mike Garafolo reports the Packers have begun researching defensive coordinator candidates. While it’s still extremely up in the air where Hafley lands, it’s quite certain that he won’t be coming back to Green Bay. As Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post points out, Broncos defensive pass game coordinator/assistant head coach Jim Leonhard once turned down the Packers’ defensive coordinator position under Matt LaFleur thinking he’d be at Wisconsin long-term. Having since moved on from the Badgers, one would think Leonhard’s name would come up in Green Bay relatively soon.

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Dolphins Arrange HC Meetings With Kevin Stefanski, Patrick Graham

By | at January 13, 2026 9:09 pm

9:09pm: Graham will interview in Miami on Jan. 19, per Josina Anderson of The Exhibit.

3:52pm: An interview between Kevin Stefanski and the Dolphins regarding their HC vacancy has been expected. One will indeed take place.

Miami will interview Stefanski today, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. The meeting will be in person, which comes as no surprise. As a coach who is currently not under contract with another team. Stefanski is free to speak with suitors at any time.

The two-time Coach of the Year was seen by many as the top candidate on the market when his Browns tenure ended last Monday. The Ravens have since fired John Harbaugh, though, and he now represents the No. 1 target for several teams. Recent reports have pointed to the Giants and Falcons as the frontrunners in Harbaugh’s case. The coaching market may not see much movement until the Super Bowl winner makes his decision.

Stefanski’s fate may be closely tied to Harbaugh’s. Both Atlanta and New York are perceived to have Stefanski classified as Plan B in the event they are unable to land Harbaugh. Interest from other teams remains, of course, which leaves plenty of unanswered questions at this point in the hiring cycle. The Dolphins are among the teams which have been in contact with Harbaugh,

New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan is now on the interview committee that also includes Stephen Ross, Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, president Tom Garfinkel, senior VP of football administration Brandon Shore and Ross son-in-law Daniel Sillman, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. Aikman was onboard for the GM search, but the Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-announcing mainstay is helping the team find a head coach as well.

Stefanski has also interviewed with the Ravens, Raiders and Titans, making Miami his sixth meeting. The ex-Browns HC seems likely, even with Harbaugh and now Mike Tomlin unemployed, to land a second-chance job this offseason. Stefanski piloted a moribund Browns franchise to its second and third playoff berths since respawning back in 1999, taking Cleveland to the postseason in 2020 and ’23. The latter qualification was particularly impressive considering the Deshaun Watson albatross contract was on the books then; Stefanski earned his second Coach of the Year honor for reaching the playoffs behind in-season free agent signing Joe Flacco. The Browns winning just eight games over the past two seasons doomed the acclaimed leader, however.

In addition to the Stefanski meeting, the Dolphins have requested to interview Raiders DC Patrick Graham. The four-year Las Vegas staffer received an interview slip, per Pelissero. This would give Graham a chance at a Miami return. Graham spent the 2019 season as the Dolphins’ DC, serving in that capacity in Brian Flores‘ first HC season. Graham called Dolphins defensive plays in 2019, but the team allowed him to leave and become the Giants’ DC in 2020.

Graham managed to retain his Raiders DC role under three HCs, being retained by Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll. The Commanders are also hoping to meet with Graham about their DC gig.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

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2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 7, 2026 9:50 pm

The Browns, Cardinals, Falcons and Raiders followed the Giants and Titans in firing head coaches, making those calls between the Week 18 conclusion and Black Monday. The Ravens then moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons; two days later, the Dolphins canned Mike McDaniel. Following a wild-card loss, the Steelers and Mike Tomlin are separating after 19 years. Now, after an overtime divisional-round loss in Denver, Sean McDermott is out in Buffalo.

The 10 HC openings are tied with 1978, 1997, 2006 and 2022 for the most in one year. Here are the candidates connected to all those searches, including the two remaining jobs. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-29-26 (7:00pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

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Commanders Request To Interview Raiders’ Patrick Graham For Defensive Coordinator Job

By | at January 7, 2026 12:58 pm

One day after the Commanders fired defensive coordinator Joe Whitt, the first candidate to take over the role has emerged. The Commanders have requested an interview with Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

It appears the Raiders will grant the Commanders’ request. Washington plans to discuss the job with Graham on “Friday or Saturday,” a league source told Josina Anderson of The Exhibit.

Graham, a Yale alumnus, began his NFL coaching career as an assistant on Bill Belichick‘s staff in New England in 2009. He remained on Belichick’s staff and held multiple roles through 2015. After dividing the next three seasons between the Giants and Packers, he became a first-time defensive coordinator with the Dolphins in 2019.

Brian Flores, another former Belichick assistant, was the Dolphins’ head coach in Graham’s lone season in Miami. The Dolphins’ defense finished last in the NFL in scoring and 30th in yardage, but Graham still earned a promotion during the ensuing offseason.

Graham left South Florida to work for another ex-Patriots staffer, then-Giants head coach Joe Judge, who hired Graham as an assistant HC and D-coordinator. The Giants ranked ninth in scoring and 12th in yards in 2020, but the unit fell to 23rd and 21st, respectively, the next season. The Giants fired Judge afterward.

Although his run with the Giants didn’t go as planned, Graham quickly landed on his feet as the Raiders’ defensive coordinator. He initially coached under Josh McDaniels, yet another Belichick disciple. McDaniels lost his job during the 2023 campaign, but Graham remained in his post under Antonio Pierce and then Pete Carroll. The Raiders had a top 10 scoring defense in ’23, but they’ve otherwise ranked 25th or worse under Graham. However, they finished either 14th or 15th in yards in each of the past three seasons.

Carroll is now out after one year as the Raiders’ head coach, leaving Graham and the team’s other assistants in limbo. With that in mind, the 46-year-old Graham may jump at the chance to lead the Commanders’ defense if head coach Dan Quinn offers him the position.

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Raiders Retain Patrick Graham As DC

By | at January 29, 2025 10:50 pm

After looking into a few outside candidates, the Raiders are in position to maintain the status quo at the defensive coordinator spot. Pete Carroll is set to have continuity on that side of the ball for 2025.

Patrick Graham is working out a deal with the team which will see him remain in his role as DC, Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports. The door has remained open to such a possibility in the wake of Carroll’s hire, and as long as an agreement can be reached, that will prove to be the case. Vic Tafur of the The Athletic confirms this situation is trending in the direction of continuity. A deal has now been worked out, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Graham’s previous contract expired, but he has a new one in hand.

Graham has been with Vegas for the past three seasons, having served as a coordinator in the NFL each year dating back to 2019. The 46-year-old was naturally seen as a replacement candidate once Carroll was brought in, given the fact teams often undergo mass changes on the sidelines in the wake of a head coaching hire. A report from yesterday noted, however, that Graham and Carroll would meet to discuss working together in 2025.

It appears that effort will produce an arrangement allowing Graham to carry on with the Raiders. The former Dolphins and Giants DC interviewed twice with the Jaguars for their head coaching vacancy. Jacksonville ultimately hired Liam Coen, and in the wake of that move Graham emerged as a prime candidate for the team’s D-coordinator position. Instead, the Jags will need to look elsewhere.

The Raiders ranked 26th in the NFL in scoring defense during Graham’s first year at the helm, but the unit made a jump to ninth in that department in 2023. Expectations were high for this past campaign as a result, but injuries along the edge in particular helped lead to a regression. Despite overseeing a unit which fell back to 25th in points allowed, Graham is set to receive an extended look.

Vegas requested one external interview (Karl Scott) with respect to potential outside replacement candidates, while also speaking with defensive line coach Rob Leonard. It will be interesting to see what happens in the latter’s case with what was a perceived vacancy now set to remain filled. In any case, the Raiders will have defensive consistency on the sidelines in 2025 provided Graham and the team can come to terms on a new arrangement.

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Darrell Bevell Expected Raiders OC Favorite; Tom Cable Reunion On Radar

By | at January 28, 2025 6:12 pm

TODAY, 6:12pm: The Raiders are moving quickly in their search for a new OC, and that includes meeting with the favorite for the gig. The team interviewed Bevell for the job today, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

TODAY, 4:50pm: Pete Carroll is believed to have studied potential successor options in the event he landed a head coaching job. A familiar name has surfaced for the team’s second-most important coaching role.

Darrell Bevell is believed to be the frontrunner for the Raiders’ OC position, The Athletic’s Tic Tafur and Tashan Reed report (subscription required). Bevell and Carroll coached together for seven seasons in Seattle, with that period doubling as the best in Seahawks history. Bevell served as Seahawks OC from 2011-17. The Raiders have not begun OC interviews, but it should be expected Bevell receives a request soon.

[RELATED: Russell Wilson, Sam Darnold In Play For Raiders?]

Although Carroll fired Bevell after the 2017 season, the experienced play-caller had helped Russell Wilson develop into one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. Earlier in Wilson’s career, he formed an elite tandem with Marshawn Lynch. Yes, Bevell and Carroll did collaborate on a hotly debated goal-line play call that resulted in the Seahawks blowing a chance to win a second straight Super Bowl. But Carroll kept his OC on for three more seasons post-Super Bowl XLIX. Bevell has worked as an OC twice since his Seattle stay, doing so with the Lions and Jaguars. Both teams then moved him to interim HC after firing coaches in-season.

Bevell, 55, has been the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach since 2022. This stretch has doubled as a breakthrough period for Tua Tagovailoa, even with injuries frequently slowing the talented passer. An NFL assistant since 2000, Bevell has been an OC for four teams — a five-year Vikings run from 2006-10 began his time in that job — and has 15 seasons’ worth of experience in that role. Bevell met about the Browns’ OC job this month.

Patrick Graham served as Raiders DC under both Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce, but he twice met with the Jaguars about their HC post and then completed a coordinator interview. He is viewed as a frontrunner to join Liam Coen. But Carroll will still speak with Graham about potentially staying in Las Vegas, Reed and Tafur add.

The Raiders’ defense tumbled after showing improvement in 2023. After producing the Raiders’ first top-half scoring defense finish since 2002, Graham’s unit fell from ninth to 25th from 2023-24. Granted, the Raiders’ shaky offensive situation did not put Graham’s defense in good spots. And, in terms of total defense, Graham’s troops placed 15th in each of the past two years. Graham lost out on the Bengals’ DC post earlier this month, but he has been a coaching carousel regular in recent years.

Carroll also has a past with ex-Raiders HC Tom Cable, and The Athletic indicates the new Vegas leader is interested in reuniting with his former O-line coach. Cable has already enjoyed two stints with the Raiders. The first was more memorable, as it featured him taking over for Lane Kiffin during the 2008 season and keeping the Oakland HC job through the 2010 slate. Cable went 17-27 as the Raiders’ HC, though a chunk of that time came with JaMarcus Russell at quarterback.

Cable joined Bevell in Seattle from 2011-17, serving as Seahawks O-line coach, and returned to the Raiders to work under Jon Gruden in the same capacity. Cable, 60, has not coached since spending the 2021 season with the Raiders. Reuniting the Carroll-Bevell-Cable trio on offense may not be the most inspiring route for the Raiders, but it certainly would supply experience. The Chiefs’ coaching staff continues to show important that can be. Carroll and GM John Spytek are not at the Senior Bowl presently, with Reed noting they are focusing on putting a staff together. It will certainly be interesting a Seahawks South vibe comes to fruition.

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