Sam Siefkes

NFC Coaching Rumors: Bucs, Bowles, Kafka, Martindale, Lions, Falcons, Cardinals

Liam Coen‘s Buccaneers divorce has become one of the most memorable staff separations in recent years. In addition to the Bucs’ OC search, multiple additional fallout items have emerged from Coen backtracking on an extension agreement to accept the Jaguars’ HC offer. Some around the league are now wondering how willing coordinator candidates will be to join up with Todd Bowles, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones writes. Bowles has evaded firing rumors for multiple seasons, though it was quieter on that front in 2024. While it is a bit odd that he continues to win division titles (3-for-3 in that regard), the rumors about the veteran HC’s murky status in Tampa persist.

On that note, Jones adds the Bucs should not be expected to let any coaches out of their contracts to follow Coen to Jacksonville. Bowles, Jason Licht and assistant GM Mike Greenberg attempted to reach Coen on Thursday, when he was supposed to sign his Bucs extension. Coen had already delayed the signing. The one-and-done Tampa Bay OC had even fibbed about a personal matter to continue his Jags negotiations, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicated during a Pat McAfee Show appearance the Bucs were plenty irked about his exit process.

Here is the latest from the NFC side of the coaching carousel:

  • The Bucs have completed four interviews with outside candidates, but an internal Coen replacement option has surfaced as well. Pass-game coordinator Josh Grizzard is on the radar to be promoted, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes. Grizzard, 34, has been in the NFL since 2017 and joined Bowles’ staff to work under Coen. The Bucs thought they had avoided a scenario in which they use a fourth OC in four seasons, via the Coen agreement, and Mayfield will now have a sixth play-caller since the 2021 campaign. An internal promotion would help ensure some familiarity.
  • Mike Kafka is still in the running for the Saints‘ HC job, though Kellen Moore and Mike McCarthy may be more likely to land the job. If the Giants’ OC were to pull an upset and jump from a 3-14 team to another club’s top coaching job, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes he would be expected to bring Wink Martindale with him as DC. Kafka and Martindale worked together in New York for two seasons, before the latter’s explosive 2024 exit. Martindale, who spent the 2024 season as Michigan’s DC, interviewed for the Colts and Falcons’ DC jobs this month.
  • Acting swiftly to fill the void created when Kelvin Sheppard made the jump to replace Aaron Glenn, the Lions are elevating another recent NFL linebacker. Detroit will promote Shaun Dion Hamilton to its LBs coaching post, 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz tweets. Hamilton attempted to make the Lions’ active roster in 2022 but instead found a job on their coaching staff. Dan Campbell hired Hamilton, an ex-Washington defender, as an assistant. He moved up to assistant LBs coach in 2023, and at 29, is climbing the ladder again.
  • The Falcons are making two hires for Jeff Ulbrich‘s defensive staff. They added Mike Rutenberg as pass-game coordinator and Nate Ollie as D-line coach. Rutenberg will follow Ulbrich from the Jets, having coached their linebackers for four seasons. The Robert Saleh hire oversaw the development of Quincy Williams from waiver claim to All-Pro, while Ollie was also on Saleh’s first Jets staff. The Colts hired him as D-line coach in 2022, and he landed with the Texans as assistant D-line coach last year.
  • The Cardinals are losing their linebackers coach to a college coordinator role. Virginia Tech hired Sam Siefkes to be its next DC. Jonathan Gannon had hired Siefkes after two years as a Vikings assistant. Prior to that, he had served in the college ranks, heading up Wofford’s defense. Additionally in Arizona, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes the team is not bringing back D-line coach Derrick LeBlanc. On the Dolphins’ staff before heading to Arizona in 2023, LeBlanc had spent nearly two decades at the college level.

NFL Coaching Updates: Cards, Fins, Browns

Jonathan Gannon has continued to put together his new coaching staff in Arizona over the past week, making numerous hires. The Cardinals have made three new additions this past week to the team’s defensive coaching staff.

First, Arizona is bringing in former Vikings assistant linebackers coach Sam Siefkes, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Siefkes spent two years with Minnesota before accepting the linebackers coaching position in Arizona. He’ll be paired with fellow new hire Robert Rodriguez who will be the new outside linebackers coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Rodriguez coached on the same Vikings staff as Gannon for a number of years but has spent the past three football seasons coaching the defensive line at Arizona State. He’ll remain in-state for his next NFL coaching job.

Lastly, the Cardinals have landed their new defensive line coach in Derrick LeBlanc, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. LeBlanc was most recently the assistant defensive line coach for the Dolphins and has coached at the college level, as well, at Arkansas and Kentucky.

Here are a few more coaching updates from around the NFL:

  • After losing LeBlanc to Arizona, the Dolphins have already filled his position, according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports. Miami has hired Western Kentucky defensive line coach Kenny Baker to fill the position of assistant defensive line coach. Baker’s defensive line helped the Hilltoppers to finish second in Conference USA in sacks, scoring defense, and yards per carry allowed in 2022.
  • New Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has opted to retain Ben Bloom in a different role for 2023. Bloom, who spent last season as the Browns defensive run game coordinator, has been given the position of defensive line coach, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. This isn’t Bloom’s first position coaching role, after coaching linebackers for the Cowboys in 2018 and 2019. He’s well-respected in league circles and is expected to be a rising name in NFL coaching.