Patriots Interested In Klint Kubiak, Scott Turner For OC Position
The Patriots have cast a wide net in their search for a new offensive coordinator. Several outside candidates are already known to be on the team’s radar, but the list of staffers drawing interest continues to grow. 
New England has already met with 49ers assistant Brian Fleury for the OC gig, but he is not the only member of Kyle Shanahan‘s staff to have done so. Passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak also spoke with the Patriots about the position. In addition, as Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes, the Patriots plan to interview Raiders passing game coordinator Scott Turner this week.
Kubiak has been connected to three other coordinator vacancies during the 2024 hiring cycle as he considers a potential return to a coordinator posting. The 36-year-old held the position for one year (2021) with the Vikings before joining the Broncos the following year as their QBs coach. This past offseason, he joined Shanahan’s staff as passing game coordinator, making him a key figure guiding an offense which put up elite numbers in several categories and helped lead the team to the Super Bowl.
Because of that success, Kubiak can interview again during the upcoming week, but he cannot be hired until the end of the season. That does not apply to Turner, whose season ended after Week 18 with the Raiders falling short of the postseason. The latter has not yet been mentioned as a candidate for any OC opening around the league, but like Kubiak, he has coordinator experience.
Turner oversaw the Commanders’ offense from 2020-22, though he never guided the unit to a finish better than 23rdin scoring over that period. The 41-year-old spent this season with the Raiders, a team which underwent considerable staffing changes midseason with Antonio Pierce taking on head coaching duties. He is in place on a full-time basis, leaving open the possibility Turner and other assistants will be headed elsewhere this offseason.
Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley is the only Patriots candidate to have a second interview lined up so far. While he might therefore be the favorite for the position, New England is certainly employing a wide-ranging approach in its search to find a Bill O’Brien replacement.
Here is an updated look at the Patriots’ search:
- Thomas Brown, offensive coordinator (Panthers): Interviewed
- Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Rams): To conduct second interview 1/29
- Tanner Engstrand, pass-game coordinator (Lions): To interview
- Brian Fleury, tight ends coach (49ers): Interviewed
- Luke Getsy, former offensive coordinator (Bears): Interviewed
- Klint Kubiak, passing game coordinator (49ers): Interviewed
- Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Interviewed 1/23; hired as Bengals OC
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested; hired as Falcons OC
- Scott Turner, passing game coordinator (Raiders): Interview expected
- Shane Waldron, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed; hired as Bears OC
Raiders To Fire OC Mick Lombardi, Promote Bo Hardegree
9:51am: Rather than Turner, the Raiders are promoting quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree to OC, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. McDaniels also hired Hardegree in 2022, while he and Kelly were both with the Broncos (2014) and Bears (2015). Unlike Turner, Hardegree does not have play-calling experience. He joined the Raiders after stints as an offensive assistant with the Jefs (2019-20) and Patriots (2021). That said, Hardegree, 39, did coach the Dolphins’ quarterbacks for three seasons under Adam Gase prior to following Gase to New York.
9:45am: Coming out of the overnight firing of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, the Raiders are also moving on from their offensive coordinator. They are firing Mick Lombardi, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer.
Lombardi, 35, operated as a non-play-calling OC during his two seasons in Las Vegas. While Lombardi was not a longtime Patriots staffer like McDaniels and Ziegler, he did come over from New England in 2022. The Raiders hired Lombardi after he spent the previous three seasons in Foxborough.
Lombardi’s name did not come up much during McDaniels’ tenure, but the two’s ties did not leave the young assistant on steady terrain. Mick Lombardi is the son of former NFL GM Michael Lombardi; Matt Lombardi also joined the Raiders’ staff as assistant wide receivers coach this offseason. This marked Mick’s first shot as an offensive coordinator.
Mick Lombardi served as the Patriots’ assistant quarterbacks coach in 2019 and the team’s wide receivers coach from 2020-21. While Jakobi Meyers — a Lombardi charge in New England — has played well since signing a three-year, $33MM deal, the Raiders’ offense exited Week 8 ranked 30th in DVOA and in points scored. The team has not scored more than 20 points on offense all season, with Maxx Crosby‘s safety being the only time the team broke out of the teens — in a Week 6 win over the Patriots.
In quickly moving on from their second-year power brokers, the Raiders made assistant GM Champ Kelly their interim general manager and bumped linebackers coach Antonio Pierce — a first-time NFL staffer — to interim HC. The team is now considering pass-game coordinator Scott Turner for the OC role, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Turner would be likely thrust into a play-calling OC post, with Pierce not a realistic candidate to call offensive plays. Turner served in that role for the past three seasons, in Washington, but Ron Rivera fired him following the 2022 campaign.
Prior to joining McDaniels and Bill Belichick, who also employed Michael Lombardi during two different stints (in Cleveland and New England), Mick Lombardi worked as a lower-level staffer with the Jets and 49ers. He has been an NFL staffer since 2013, breaking into the league on Jim Harbaugh‘s third 49ers staff. Turner, 42, is also a second-generation NFL staffer. Scott’s father, Norv, coached the Raiders from 2004-05.
2023 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker
As the head coaching carousel spun for several weeks, many teams made coordinator changes as well. Teams seeking new head coaches are conducting OC and DC searches, and a handful of other teams that did not make HC changes are also searching for top assistants.
This is a big year for offensive coordinator hires, with nearly half the league making changes. Here are the teams searching for new OCs and DCs. As new searches emerge, they will be added to the list.
Updated 3-1-23 (3:31pm CT)
Offensive Coordinators
Arizona Cardinals
- Drew Petzing, quarterbacks coach (Browns): Hired
- Drew Terrell, wide receivers coach (Commanders): Interview requested
- Joel Thomas, running backs coach (Saints): Interview requested
- Troy Walters, wide receivers coach (Bengals): Interview requested
Baltimore Ravens (Out: Greg Roman)
- Brian Angelichio, tight ends coach (Vikings): Conducted second interview
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interview being arranged
- Dave Canales, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Conducted second interview 2/6
- Bobby Engram, offensive coordinator (Wisconsin): Interviewed twice
- George Godsey, tight ends coach (Ravens): Interviewed
- Chad Hall, wide receivers coach (Bills): Interviewed 2/1
- Brian Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Eagles): Expected to interview?
- Byron Leftwich, former offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Georgia): Hired
- Doug Nussmeier, former quarterbacks coach (Cowboys): Interviewed
- Chad O’Shea, wide receivers coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/23
- Justin Outten, offensive coordinator (Broncos): Conducted second interview 2/7
- Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Received interest, extended by Bengals
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Mentioned as candidate
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/24
- James Urban, quarterbacks coach (Ravens): Interviewed
Carolina Panthers (Out: Ben McAdoo)
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach, (Rams): Hired
- Jim Bob Cooter, passing-game coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
Dallas Cowboys (Out: Kellen Moore)
- Brian Angelichio, tight ends coach (Vikings): Interviewed 2/2
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed
- Jeff Nixon, running backs coach (Panthers): Interviewed
- Brian Schottenheimer, offensive consultant (Cowboys): Hired
Denver Broncos (Out: Justin Outten)
- Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Saints): Interviewed; to stay with Saints
- Joe Lombardi, former offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired
Houston Texans (Out: Pep Hamilton)
- Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Patriots): Interviewed
- Jerrod Johnson, assistant quarterbacks coach (Vikings): Interviewed; named quarterbacks coach
- Kliff Kingsbury, former head coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 2/10
- Bobby Slowik, passing-game coordinator (49ers): Hired
- Troy Walters, wide receivers coach (Bengals): Interview requested
Indianapolis Colts (Out: Parks Frazier)
- Jim Bob Cooter, passing-game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
- Tee Martin, wide receivers coach (Ravens): Interview requested
Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Eric Bieniemy)
- Matt Nagy, quarterbacks coach (Chiefs): Hired
Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Joe Lombardi)
- Joe Brady, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interview requested
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/25
- Jerrod Johnson, assistant quarterbacks coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/25
- Kellen Moore, former offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Hired
- Greg Olson, senior offensive assistant (Rams): Interviewed 1/24
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Mentioned as candidate
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interview requested
- Luke Steckel, tight ends coach (Titans): Interviewed 1/26
Los Angeles Rams (Out: Liam Coen)
- Marcus Brady, offensive consultant (Eagles): Interviewed
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Mentioned as candidate
- Brian Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Eagles): Interviewed
- Mike LaFleur, former offensive coordinator (Jets): Hired
- Wes Phillips, offensive coordinator (Vikings): Declined interview request
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Mentioned as candidate
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Mentioned as candidate
New York Jets (Out: Mike LaFleur)
- Darrell Bevell, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Declined interview request
- Marcus Brady, offensive consultant (Eagles): Interviewed
- Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Patriots): Interviewed 1/17
- Bill Callahan, offensive line coach (Browns): Declined interview request
- Nathaniel Hackett, former head coach (Broncos): Hired
- Brian Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Eagles): Interviewed
- Klint Kubiak, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/22
- Chad O’Shea, wide receivers coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/20
- Kevin Patullo, passing-game coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Mentioned as candidate
Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Shane Steichen)
- Brian Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Eagles): Promoted
- Kevin Patullo, passing-game coordinator (Eagles): Mentioned as candidate
- Nate Scheelhaase, offensive coordinator (Iowa State): Interviewed
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Byron Leftwich)
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): To conduct second interview 2/15
- Dave Canales, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
- Jim Bob Cooter, passing-game coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed 1/26
- Ronald Curry, passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/31
- Pep Hamilton, offensive coordinator (Texans): Declined interview request
- Klint Kubiak, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/26
- Keenan McCardell, wide receivers coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/26
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Georgia): Interviewed 1/31
- Scottie Montgomery, running backs coach (Lions): Interviewed 2/13
- Kellen Moore, former offensive coordinator (Cowboys): mentioned as candidate
- Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Interviewed 1/27; conducted second interview with Bucs but will remain with Bengals
- Shea Tierney, quarterbacks coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/31
Tennessee Titans (Out: Todd Downing)
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interview requested
- Tim Kelly, passing-game coordinator (Titans): Hired
- Charles London, quarterbacks coach (Falcons): To interview
- Matt Nagy, quarterbacks coach (Chiefs): Interview requested
Washington Commanders (Out: Scott Turner)
- Darrell Bevell, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Declined interview request
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Hired
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/24
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Declined interview request
- Charles London, quarterbacks coach (Falcons): Interview requested
- Anthony Lynn, assistant head coach/running backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/1
- Greg Roman, former offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 2/14
- Pat Shurmur, former offensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed; fallback option?
- Eric Studesville, running backs coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/23
- Ken Zampese, quarterbacks coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/18
Defensive Coordinators
Arizona Cardinals (Out: Vance Joseph)
- Dave Borgonzi, linebackers coach (Bears): Interviewed 2/17
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Interview requested
- Nick Rallis, linebackers coach (Eagles): Hired
Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dean Pees)
- Ejiro Evero, former defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interview blocked
- Vic Fangio, former head coach (Broncos): Interviewed
- Brian Flores, linebackers coach (Steelers): Interview requested; mutual interest?
- Jerry Gray, defensive backs coach (Packers): Interview requested
- Al Holcomb, interim defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Ryan Nielsen, co-defensive coordinator (Saints): Hired
Buffalo Bills (Out: Leslie Frazier)
- John Butler, defensive backs coach (Bills): Mentioned as candidate
Carolina Panthers (Out: Al Holcomb)
- Ejiro Evero, former defensive coordinator (Broncos): Hired
- Vic Fangio, former head coach (Broncos): Interviewed
- Marquand Manuel, safeties coach (Jets): Interviewed
- Kris Richard, co-defensive coordinator (Saints): Interviewed
Denver Broncos
- Sean Desai, defensive assistant (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/7
- Ejiro Evero, former defensive coordinator (Broncos): Released from contract
- Brian Flores, linebackers coach (Steelers): Interview cancelled
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Hired
- Matt Patricia, senior football advisor (Patriots): Interviewed 2/22
- Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed
- Kris Richard, former co-defensive coordinator (Saints): Interviewed
- Rex Ryan, former head coach (Bills): Conducted second interview 2/18; considered favorite?
- Mike Zimmer, former head coach (Vikings): Mentioned as candidate; interviewed for separate Broncos job
Houston Texans
- Matt Burke, defensive line coach (Cardinals): Hired
- Chris Harris, defensive backs coach (Commanders): Interview requested
- Kris Kocurek, defensive line coach (49ers): Mentioned as candidate; expected to remain with 49ers
- Marquand Manuel, safeties coach (Jets): Interviewed 2/7
- Cory Undlin, passing-game specialist/secondary coach (49ers): Mentioned as candidate
Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Renaldo Hill)
- Derrick Ansley, defensive backs coach (Chargers): Promoted
- Doug Belk, defensive coordinator (Houston): Interviewed
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Interviewed
Miami Dolphins (Out: Josh Boyer)
- Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/27
- Sean Desai, defensive assistant (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/25
- Vic Fangio, former head coach (Broncos): Hired
- Kris Richard, co-defensive coordinator (Saints): Interviewed 1/26
Minnesota Vikings (Out: Ed Donatell)
- Sean Desai, defensive assistant (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/24; to withdraw from search
- Ejiro Evero, former defensive coordinator (Broncos): Expected to interview
- Brian Flores, linebackers coach (Steelers): Hired
- Ryan Nielsen, co-defensive coordinator (Saints): Interview requested
- Mike Pettine, defensive assistant (Vikings): Interviewed 1/25
New Orleans Saints (Out: Ryan Nielsen, Kris Richard)
- Joe Woods, former defensive coordinator (Browns): Hired
Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Jonathan Gannon)
- Sean Desai, defensive assistant (Seahawks): Hired
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed 2/21-2/22
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Interviewed
- Glenn Schumann, co-defensive coordinator (Georgia): Interviewed
- Chris Shula, defensive backs coach (Rams): Interviewed
- Jim Leonhard, defensive coordinator (Wisconsin): Interviewed
- Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Eagles): Mentioned as candidate
San Francisco 49ers (Out: DeMeco Ryans)
- Vic Fangio, former head coach (Broncos): On radar
- Chris Harris, defensive backs coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/31
- Kris Kocurek, defensive line coach (49ers): On radar
- Steve Wilks, former interim head coach (Panthers): Hired
Raiders Hire Scott Turner
4:12pm: That was fast. Evidently, the Raiders will greenlight this hire early. The team announced Turner’s addition to McDaniels’ staff Friday afternoon.
3:34pm: Just as Mike LaFleur did recently, Scott Turner is expected to have another job lined up. The Raiders are planning to meet with the former Commanders OC, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes a hire is on track to follow (Twitter link).
Turner will meet with the Raiders next week. Should the second-generation NFL staffer join Josh McDaniels‘ staff, this will mark the second straight team to hire him after previously employing his father as head coach. Norv Turner was the Raiders’ HC from 2004-05. Scott Turner has a Las Vegas past as well, having played in college at UNLV.
Days after the season ended, the Commanders fired Scott Turner after three years. While the team’s issues at quarterback effectively capped what could be accomplished during this time, a host of Commanders voiced frustrations about the direction of Turner’s attack. Washington, however, has still not settled on a Turner replacement.
The Raiders have McDaniels and Mick Lombardi in place as their HC-OC duo, with McDaniels holding play-calling reins. But the team will soon search in earnest for a new quarterback. Turner should be expected to play a key role there, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com offering (via Twitter) a job overseeing the Raiders’ passing game is expected.
Turner, 40, finished the 2019 season as the Panthers’ OC and ended up rejoining Ron Rivera in Washington. Turner’s offenses never ranked inside the top 20 in scoring, with the team’s quarterback merry-go-round — featuring a large dose of former UDFA Taylor Heinicke — often sputtering. Dan Snyder kept Rivera for a fourth season, but Turner hit the job market.
The Raiders ranked 12th offensively in McDaniels’ oft-scrutinized debut — one marred by blown leads — but are now in the process of finding a Derek Carr trade partner and searching for a replacement. The Raiders did not have much luck with quarterback continuity between Rich Gannon and Carr, with Norv Turner’s stay overlapping with an unremarkable Kerry Collins tenure. The team will still have Davante Adams, who said he will not seek a trade despite its plan to deal Carr, and Josh Jacobs. Vegas is expected to retain Jacobs, who is a franchise tag candidate.
Coaching Notes: Turner, Colts, Cards, Flores
In addition to the previously reported player gripes about the state of the Commanders‘ offense, John Keim of ESPN.com notes others in the organization expressed frustration about the inconsistencies within the team’s offensive philosophy. Washington fired three-year OC Scott Turner on Tuesday, despite having signed him to a three-year extension, and signs point to the team making a more concerted effort to focus on its run game. Ron Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew expressed a desire to run more, even after the Commanders ranked fourth in rushing attempts (538). But Keim adds a litany of complaints surfaced about the nature of the offense — from the team deviating from effective plays to Turner’s scheme being difficult for quarterbacks to digest. Concern about the offense emanated inside the building throughout the year, per Keim, who adds Rivera sat in on offensive meetings at points amid the unrest.
The Commanders’ issues at quarterback and on their O-line, a unit full of veterans, hamstrung Turner’s unit. So did injuries, as the team planned to have Brian Robinson play a major role from the start. The two gunshot wounds he sustained in August derailed those plans, and Carson Wentz barely ended up playing with the third-round rookie this season. While outside candidates will be interviewed, Keim adds the Commanders generally like their offensive scheme. QBs coach Ken Zampese, a second-generation NFL assistant who was previously the Bengals’ OC, will likely be an in-house candidate.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- The Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury after four seasons and did so less than a year after signing him to an extension that ran through 2027. While Kingsbury firing rumors had been brewing for months, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson notes (via Twitter) the young HC did not appear to be expecting it. When a “surprised and distraught” Kingsbury addressed his staffers, he mentioned some of them could be retained. One of them might be DC Vance Joseph, who has been connected to a possible promotion. The former Broncos HC served as Kingsbury’s DC throughout his four-year tenure.
- One of Frank Reich‘s Colts staffers earned an interview for the team’s HC vacancy. Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone met with Jim Irsay and Co. about the position Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Ventrone, 40, broke into coaching after 10 NFL seasons as a player. After spending time on Bill Belichick‘s staff, Ventrone joined Reich’s staff in 2018 and has been in position as Indy’s ST coordinator since. This is his first interview for a head coaching gig. The Colts can interview their own staffers, unattached coaches and Eagles or Chiefs staffers this week but must wait until midway through next week to begin meeting with candidates from teams playing on wild-card weekend.
- Although Brandon Staley guided the Chargers to the playoffs, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com does not get the sense the second-year HC’s job is 100% safe. A loss to the Jaguars may prompt Chargers ownership to change course. Sean Payton lurking may well affect Staley’s standing, should the Jags prevail. The Bolts job came up several months ago for Payton, who already lives in Los Angeles, and this potential partnership has been a poorly kept secret in NFL circles.
- Brian Flores will interview for the Browns‘ DC job Thursday, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets, though the Steelers linebackers coach is believed to have other teams interested. Flores’ discrimination lawsuit is ongoing, but the former Dolphins HC just wrapped a season on Mike Tomlin‘s staff. The Browns are also interviewing Jim Schwartz and Sean Desai, with a Jerod Mayo request out there as well.
- Two more Panthers assistants have left to join Matt Rhule at Nebraska. Rob Dvoracek and Garett McGuire have left the Panthers to become the Cornhuskers’ linebackers and wide receivers coaches, respectively, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Both were in low-level assistant roles with Carolina and each played for Rhule — Dvoracek at Temple, McGuire at Baylor. These exits follow Terrance Knighton‘s; Knighton departed the Panthers in-season.
Commanders Fire OC Scott Turner
The Commanders will be on the hunt for a new play-caller for the 2023 season. They are firing Scott Turner, NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay reports (on Twitter).
Turner had been in place as Washington’s OC throughout Ron Rivera‘s three-year tenure, and the second-generation coach was with Rivera in Carolina as well. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported minutes ago Turner was on shaky ground, and the Commanders will look for an upgrade on the market. Rivera confirmed the move shortly after the reports emerged.
This decision comes 10 months after Washington extended Turner, but the team has consistently struggled to put up points during Rivera’s tenure. Washington has finished 25th, 23rd and 24th in points scored from 2020-22. Although the team’s quarterback instability undoubtedly represents the main reason for those rankings, Turner will pay the price.
The son of Norv Turner, Scott landed his first NFL job under Rivera in 2011, becoming an offensive quality control staffer with the Panthers in Rivera’s first season. After some moves around the league and a year under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, Turner resurfaced in Carolina during Rivera’s final two Panthers seasons. In the wake of the Panthers firing Rivera (and Norv Turner moving to a non-OC role) in 2019, Scott Turner finished that year running Carolina’s offense. He parlayed that into the Washington gig. (Washington also fired Norv Turner back in 2000, after he lasted seven years as HC.)
Rivera had gone with the same OC-DC pairing — Turner, Jack Del Rio — throughout his Washington tenure, but assuming he stays on as the Commanders’ HC, a hot seat will await. Washington made the playoffs in 2020, albeit with a 7-9 record, but has not cleared .500 during Rivera’s stay. That will ramp up the pressure on the veteran coach for the 2023 season.
With Washington, Turner was tasked with running offenses built around several different quarterbacks. The team, which has started six Week 1 QBs since 2017, has seen injuries impact its QB room significantly during Rivera’s tenure. Alex Smith‘s return from his gruesome leg injury aided the then-Washington Football Team in 2020, when Smith started over Dwayne Haskins. But Haskins still started six games for Washington that year. Smith’s retirement led to the Commanders signing Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2021. Fitzpatrick lasted barely 10 plays that season, going down in Week 1 and never playing again. This year’s Carson Wentz experiment largely busted.
The Commanders traded two Day 2 picks for Wentz but went just 2-5 in his starts, benching him for both Taylor Heinicke and Sam Howell this season. Wentz did not have the chance to play with rookies Brian Robinson and Jahan Dotson much, but after returning from his broken finger, he threw three interceptions in a Week 17 loss that eliminated the Commanders. With the team having the chance to save $26MM by cutting Wentz, it would be a bit of a surprise if he returns in 2023.
Quarterback issues aside, this move also comes after Commanders players showed frustration with the team’s play-calling, Sam Fortier of the Washington Post writes. Logan Thomas said last week, “The way I put it is: We got so much talent, we should be scoring more points than we have,” with Fortier adding nine other players expressed issues with Turner’s play-calling. Washington extended Terry McLaurin, drafted Dotson in Round 1 and has Curtis Samuel on an $11.5MM-per-year deal. Both its top running backs (Robinson, Antonio Gibson) also were Day 2 choices. Turner’s replacement will be tasked with maximizing this lot of higher-end investments.
Commanders To Extend OC Scott Turner
Washington will start a different Week 1 quarterback for a sixth straight season, acquiring Carson Wentz to be the latest. But the team ensured play-calling continuity by agreeing to terms on an extension with Scott Turner.
Turner, who took over as Washington’s offensive coordinator when Ron Rivera arrived in 2020, agreed to a multiyear extension, J.P. Finlay of NBC Sports Washington tweets.
Formerly the Panthers’ quarterbacks coach, who moved up to Carolina’s OC to close out the 2019 season, Turner will aim to maximize Wentz’s talents. Turner, 39, has been in the NFL since 2011 and is on his second run as an OC. The second-generation NFL play-caller has mentored Dwayne Haskins, Ryan Fitzpatrick (briefly) and Taylor Heinicke. Turner will be tasked with rehabilitating Wentz’s career, which has skidded off track after the Eagles and Colts traded him in the past year.
Washington did not rank inside the top 20 in points or yards during Turner’s first two seasons, but the team did not exactly have much at quarterback during that time. This led to the Commanders sending the Colts two Day 2 picks and a 2022 second-round swap for Wentz. How Wentz performs may well determine Rivera and Turner’s fates come 2023.
Commanders Extend OC Scott Turner
Scott Turner is staying put. This week, the Commanders agreed to a multi-year contract extension with their offensive coordinator, according to J.P. Finlay of NBC Sports Washington (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Commanders Trade For Wentz]
The new deal will keep him in place through 2024 as he guides an offense led by Carson Wentz. Turner has history with Commanders coach Ron Rivera, dating back to the Panthers where he served as a quality control coach (2011, 2012) and quarterbacks coach (2018, 2019).
They work well together, though they’ve yet to see real results in D.C. Washington has ranked just 28th in total yards over the last two years with Turner at the helm. The acquisition of Wentz, they hope, will change that. The Commanders have churned through a number of quarterbacks since 2020, but Wentz and his ninth-ranked QBR should help to steady things.
Before dealing for Wentz, the Commanders reportedly offered three first-round picks for Russell Wilson. Ultimately, they were topped by the Broncos, but Wentz should still provide Turner with a significant upgrade under center.
Coaching Notes: Giants, O’Connell, Browns
Since former Mississippi State coworker Joe Judge landed the Giants‘ HC job, Freddie Kitchens has been linked to a staff position. A report circulated Tuesday indicating Judge will hire Kitchens for an unspecified role (Twitter link via AL.com), but ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets nothing is finalized between the Giants and the former Browns coach. The Giants have hired a quarterbacks coach, Jerry Schuplinski, but certainly could add the longtime offensive assistant in another capacity.
Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:
- Before deciding to reunite with Scott Turner, Ron Rivera interviewed 2019 Redskins offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell for the job, J.P. Finlay of NBC Sports Washington notes. Rivera was interested in former Giants HC Pat Shurmur for OC, but he declined the interview and opted for the Broncos’ play-calling job. O’Connell landed on his feet as well, becoming the Rams’ offensive coordinator.
- While the Kitchens hire is not yet certain, veteran secondary coach Jerome Henderson will be joining Judge’s Giants staff, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio tweets. Most recently the Falcons’ DBs coach/defensive passing-game coordinator, the 50-year-old Henderson has also coached the Jets’, Browns’ and Cowboys’ secondaries dating back to 2008. Henderson was a 1991 first-round pick who played eight NFL seasons.
- The Giants will also add Jody Wright to their staff, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman (Twitter link). Wright worked with Judge at Mississippi State in the 2000s and was most recently an offensive assistant with the Browns under Kitchens in 2019. Wright also spent time at Alabama during the 2010s and was an assistant head coach at UAB prior to relocating to Cleveland.
- On the subject of the Browns, they are not retaining several Kitchens staffers. Most notably, Kevin Stefanski will not bring back quarterbacks coach Ryan Lindley, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Lindley, tight ends coach John Lilly, assistant defensive line coach John Parella and quality control staffers Deuce Schwartz, Tyler Tettleton and Alonso Escalante will not be back. Lindley, 30, served as Browns running backs coach after Kitchens was promoted to OC midway through the 2018 season, and the former quarterback held Cleveland’s QBs coach job this past season.
- The Cardinals hired another recent Browns staffer, bringing in offensive assistant Jim Dray, Yates adds. A former Cardinals seventh-round pick in 2010 as a tight end, Dray played eight seasons — mostly in Arizona and Cleveland — and wound up with the Browns in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach.
- Recently notified he was out in Cleveland, James Campen may have an opportunity with Carolina. The Panthers are interested in the former Browns offensive line coach, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. Campen was Mike McCarthy‘s offensive line coach from 2007-18 and spent 15 years as a Green Bay assistant prior to his Cleveland move last year. The Browns hired Bill Callahan to replace him on Monday.
Redskins Hire Scott Turner As OC
The Redskins’ Scott Turner interview produced a job offer. The second-generation coach will become Washington’s new offensive coordinator, the team announced. Washington also announced that Nate Kaczor would return as the team’s special teams coordinator.
The son of former Redskins head coach Norv Turner, Scott worked under Ron Rivera with the Panthers from 2018-19. Scott Turner will succeed Kevin O’Connell in this role. O’Connell was initially a candidate to remain with this new Redskins regime and even drew consideration for the HC job Rivera eventually secured. But the one-year coordinator now appears headed elsewhere.
Scott Turner served as Rivera’s quarterbacks coach in Carolina, up until Rivera’s dismissal. After Rivera was ousted, Turner was elevated to OC and he impressed with his play-calling acumen. The 37-year-old assistant will now be tasked with developing Dwayne Haskins.
While Turner worked with young Panthers signal-callers this season in Kyle Allen and Will Grier, the Redskins having selected Haskins in the first round makes this a much higher-profile assignment for the young assistant. Turner previously served as Carolina’s offensive quality control coach from 2011-12, so this will be his third job working with Rivera.
Cam Newton played well under the guidance of the Turners to start the 2018 season. The dual-threat quarterback had the Panthers at 6-2 and was completing passes at a higher rate. However, Newton’s midseason shoulder injury altered the franchise’s quarterback situation. Newton being done for the 2019 season after Week 2 thrust Allen into action. After the UDFA showed initial promise under the Turners, keeping the Panthers afloat in the NFC playoff race, he faltered down the stretch as the Panthers lost their final eight games.
Despite featuring All-Pro Christian McCaffrey, the Panthers ranked 28th in offensive DVOA (31st in passing offense). Washington possessed one of the few lesser-regarded attacks by comparison, ranking 30th in this metric.
In other Redskins news, Joe Person of The Athletic reports that former Panthers DL coach Sam Mills III will be joining Rivera’s Washington staff (Twitter link).
Tom Pelissero of NFL.com first reported that Turner would be hired (Twitter link).
