HEADLINES

Shane Steichen

Cardinals To Request HC Interview With Jonathan Gannon

February 12th, 2023 at 8:00pm CST by Rory Parks

8:00pm: In an update to his previous reporting, Balzer states rather definitively that Gannon “will be the Cardinals’ new head coach” (Twitter link). He adds that there is a “strong possibility” Browns QBs coach Drew Petzing is hired for the OC role, something SI’s Albert Breer tweets would come as no surprise if Gannon were to be hired. Petzing and Gannon have history with each other dating back to their time spent with the Vikings.

10:16am: When Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said that his team’s new head coach would not be announced until after today’s Super Bowl, it led to plenty of speculation that he wanted to interview one of the coordinators participating in the title bout. That turned out to be the case, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Arizona is expected to request an HC interview with Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon (Twitter link).

Gannon interviewed for the Texans’ head coaching position in January and was at one time considered the frontrunner for the post, particularly since he had interviewed for the same job last year. Houston, however, pivoted to DeMeco Ryans, and until today, Gannon had not been formally connected to any other HC opening in this year’s cycle.

It’s easy to see why the Cardinals would have interest in Gannon. The 39-year-old, who just wrapped his second season as Philadelphia’s DC after a three-year stint as the Colts’ defensive backs coach, oversaw a unit that ranked second in the league in total defense and eighth in points allowed in 2022. The Eagles also boasted the best pass defense in the NFL — which reflects well on Gannon given his background as a DBs coach — and posted a whopping 70 sacks (60 of which came from a base front, as opposed to a blitz).

In a lengthy feature on Gannon’s life and career, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says that Gannon’s scouting experience — he spent several years as a college and pro scout with the Rams — has boosted his stock as a top HC candidate. Gannon himself confirmed that the GMs he has spoken with appreciate the fact that he knows and understands that side of the business.

Gannon also has a strong relationship with new Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort, as Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Breer adds that Bidwill also did a great deal of background work on Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, though no interview has been requested as of the time of this writing. It presently appears as if Steichen is in line to land the Colts’ head coaching job, so the Eagles could find themselves looking to replace both of their top coordinators in short order.

The strength of Gannon’s Arizona candidacy will depend, at least in part, on whom he taps as his offensive coordinator, as Howard Balzer of PHNX tweets. Kyler Murray may not be ready to return to action until midway through the 2023 season, but he is the team’s franchise quarterback, and his performance will largely drive the team’s fortunes in the coming years. So in addition to bringing the right head coach aboard, the team also needs to hit on its OC hire.

Bengals DC Lou Anarumo and Giants OC Mike Kafka are the Cardinals’ other two head coaching finalists.

Don Martindale, Brian Callahan Out Of Colts HC Pursuit

February 10th, 2023 at 10:33am CST by Sam Robinson

10:40am: Callahan has also been informed he is no longer in the mix for the Indy job, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Although the Cardinals interviewed Callahan as well, he is not believed to have advanced to the finals of that race. These developments will keep Callahan in Cincinnati for a fifth year as the AFC contender’s offensive coordinator.

Only one of the 10 HC-seeking teams last year (Denver) interviewed Callahan, and he was a late entry into both the Arizona and Indianapolis searches this year. Keeping Callahan for another season will continue to ensure continuity for a rising Bengals team, which has seen its Joe Burrow-led offense ignite over the past two seasons.

10:33am: As the Colts move closer to ending their long-running search for a head coach, Don Martindale is no longer believed to be in the running. The Giants’ defensive coordinator is out of the mix, Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.

The 2022 Giants DC hire is staying in New York, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News notes (via Twitter). Martindale remains attached to a three-year Giants contract. This represents a positive development for Brian Daboll‘s staff, which still risks losing offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. The young play-caller remains in the race for the Cardinals’ head coaching job. Kafka did not receive a second Colts interview.

One of eight Colts candidates to have gone through a second interview, Martindale joins Ejiro Evero among that lot in no longer being in contention for the position. Evero was one of the first names to be connected to a second Indianapolis meeting, but he accepted Carolina’s DC offer. The Colts are also now unlikely to bump Jeff Saturday up to their full-time HC.

Martindale took over a Giants defense that featured gaping holes at linebacker and cornerback, and while DVOA viewed the Giants as a bottom-tier defense (29th), the group fared well in spots the help Daboll’s team to key wins during one of the more surprising runs to the divisional round in recent memory. Dexter Lawrence‘s breakthrough under Martindale certainly looks like a seminal development, with the former first-round pick now squarely on the radar for a monster extension.

Should Saturday and Martindale indeed be out of the running, it would leave Rich Bisaccia, Brian Callahan, Aaron Glenn, Raheem Morris and Shane Steichen left in the race. With the Colts likely waiting until after Super Bowl LVII, Steichen — finishing up his second season as Eagles OC — remains a name to watch here. Many around the NFL believe Jim Irsay is targeting Steichen, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports tweets.

Colts Unlikely To Conduct Third HC Interviews; Team Pivoting Away From Jeff Saturday?

February 9th, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts have delivered this hiring period’s top non-Sean Payton-related headlines. Both the team’s steady interest in retaining Jeff Saturday and its connection with a third round of interviews have injected confusion into a drawn-out search.

As this process (presumably) hits the homestretch, neither may be in the equation any longer. Saturday is not expected to be named the full-time Colts head coach, Zak Keefer of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Colts are also unlikely to follow through with the rumored third sets of interviews. With the Colts’ second round of meetings lasting between 10 and 12 hours, it would seem unnecessary for the team to buck tradition and bring in candidates for third summits.

[RELATED: Who Will Become Next Colts HC?]

Jim Irsay‘s fondness for Saturday has kept the interim coach in the picture, with Keefer not completely ruling out another surprise decision from the owner. Nearly three months after GM Chris Ballard and others attempted to dissuade Irsay from naming Saturday interim HC, the owner heard more pitches against removing Saturday’s interim label. No team has promoted an interim coach to a full-time position since the Jaguars did so with Doug Marrone in 2017.

Saturday, who went 1-7 after moving from an ESPN analyst role to coaching his former team, being out of the running would ensure a more experienced coach leads the Colts in 2023. Among a host of finalists, one name might be worth monitoring. Irsay is believed to have flown to Philadelphia to meet with Eagles OC Shane Steichen ahead of his interview with Ballard the next day, Keefer adds. Steichen cannot be hired until after Super Bowl LVII. With the Colts not expected to make a hire until after Sunday’s season-ender, Steichen should probably be considered a true finalist. The Colts are believed to have winnowed down their list to a few candidates this week.

Steichen is likely one of the candidates who would plan to retain DC Gus Bradley. The Colts have prevented Bradley from exploring outside opportunities due to multiple candidates wanting to retain him. Several, in fact, want to keep not only Bradley but his defensive staff, according to Keefer. Steichen coached alongside Bradley with the Chargers from 2017-20, with the duo finishing that stay as an OC-DC combo. Raheem Morris coached with Bradley with the Buccaneers from 2006-08 as well, though Morris being a defensive coach would make Bradley an interesting fit, and was with Bisaccia last season in Las Vegas.

The prospect of leaving much of their defensive staff intact would be an interesting call for a team that went 4-12-1, though Bradley’s unit obviously presented fewer problems than the offense this season. While Eric Bieniemy interviewed with the Colts — the Chiefs OC’s lone meeting thus far in this process — Steichen and Brian Callahan are the only former offensive coordinators to have interviewed for the Indianapolis gig twice. Among those two, only Steichen has called plays previously. Fellow finalists Morris, Rich Bisaccia, Aaron Glenn and Don Martindale have expertise on the defensive side.

Poll: Who Will Become Next Colts HC?

February 3rd, 2023 at 11:56am CST by Sam Robinson

Five years after their Josh McDaniels-to-Frank Reich pivot, the Colts are again conducting a rather interesting head coaching search. This process may well produce an unusual stage.

Indianapolis potentially planning a third round on HC interviews, after holding 12-hour meetings — in some cases — with candidates during the second round, adds a memorable wrinkle to its search to replace Reich. A third round of a coaching search has not happened in at least 40 years, Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star notes. GM Chris Ballard has run the search, but Jim Irsay will make the call. Where will this search end up?

Almost everyone involved in this Indy journey has been mentioned as a finalist or scheduled a second interview. Dan Quinn hopped off the ride midway through, doing so hours after he scheduled a second meeting about the position. Ben Johnson backed out after his virtual interview, staying with the Lions. Giants OC Mike Kafka also has not been mentioned as being summoned for a second meeting. DeMeco Ryans cancelled his virtual interview and chose the Texans over the Broncos. Jim Harbaugh was mentioned as a candidate in December, but the ex-Colts QB did not interview. Otherwise, this search remains one of the most wide open in memory.

Rich Bisaccia, Brian Callahan, Ejiro Evero, Aaron Glenn, Don Martindale, Raheem Morris, Jeff Saturday and Shane Steichen have either gone through a second interview or will do so soon. Eric Bieniemy and Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone have also been mentioned as potential finalists, though neither is believed to have scheduled a second meeting.

This search has produced the rare mix of all three phases, with Bisaccia and Ventrone representing the special teams wing. Ventrone, 40, was Reich’s ST coordinator throughout the latter’s HC tenure, while Bisaccia, 62, is the rare interim HC to have guided his team to the playoffs. The Raiders passed on Bisaccia, leading him to Green Bay. Could he join John Harbaugh as a former ST coordinator to become a head coach?

Irsay went offense twice in 2018, hiring McDaniels and then Reich. This year’s lot of OCs in contention includes Andy Reid‘s right-hand man. Ballard and Bieniemy worked together in Kansas City for four years, and since Ballard left for Indiana, Bieniemy has become Reid’s top lieutenant. Of course, that has famously not led to a head coaching opportunity. Both Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy earned HC chances as Reid’s HC, but teams have paused on Bieniemy, 53. After this latest Chiefs attack led the NFL in offensive DVOA despite trading Tyreek Hill, will the Colts be the team that goes with the oft-bypassed candidate?

Callahan and Steichen are the only other offense-based candidates linked to having paths to the job. Steichen is just 37 and worked with Reich during the future Colts leader’s time as Chargers OC. Ex-Reich lieutenant Nick Sirianni gave Steichen the play-calling reins midway through last season, and it made a major difference in the Eagles’ trajectory. Philadelphia led the NFL in rushing in 2021 and has produced a top-three attack this year, as Jalen Hurts has made considerable strides as a passer. Callahan, 38, does not call plays in Cincinnati but is a candidate for both the Colts and Cardinals’ HC gigs. Joe Burrow is primed to book one of Zac Taylor‘s assistants a promotion, and Callahan is this year’s candidate.

Evero, 42, leads the league in connections to jobs during this year’s cycle, being summoned by all five HC-seeking teams for interviews and being pursued for DC gigs. It appears the Broncos’ DC will land on his feet, despite Nathaniel Hackett‘s one-and-done, and Denver remains interested in keeping him. The Rams also have Evero in mind as a Morris contingency plan. Morris, 46, would be a second-chance HC, but the ex-Buccaneers leader’s first chance came more than 10 years ago. He has rebuilt his stock in Los Angeles, helping the Rams to a Super Bowl LVI win, and Sean McVay staffers are quite popular on coaching carousels. Morris also has a near-three-month run as an interim leader under his belt, having replaced Quinn with the 2020 Falcons.

Martindale, 59 is believed to have interviewed well in his second meeting (the Irsay stage), and he played a key role in the Giants making a surprising surge to the divisional round. He coached the Ravens to three top-five defensive finishes in four DC seasons. Glenn, 50, started late in coaching due to his playing career spanning 16 seasons. The ex-cornerback joins Evero and Callahan as Cards candidates.

Saturday, of course, is the main variable here. Irsay stunned the NFL by hiring the former Pro Bowl center as his interim coach, pulling him off various ESPN sets and onto the sideline. Saturday, 47, won his first game but oversaw a brutal stretch in the weeks that followed. The Colts lost their final seven games and blew an NFL-record 33-point lead during that stretch. While Irsay’s unorthodox choice appeared to backfire, the owner bypassed advice against hiring Saturday in November and is believed to be receiving similar counsel now. Will the Irsay-Saturday partnership somehow continue? The 1-7 record aside, he has consistently been mentioned as a live candidate. With the Panthers passing on Steve Wilks, no interim HC has been promoted in six years.

Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this situation in the comments section.

Latest On Colts’ HC Search

February 2nd, 2023 at 12:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

While this year’s coaching search has been labeled a long-running endeavor, five of last year’s hires happened during February’s first week. But the Colts’ search has begun to stand out.

Just about every name connected to Indianapolis’ quest to replace Frank Reich has been mentioned as a potential finalist or interviewed a second time. Eight second interviews are believed to have taken place or soon will, with other candidates mentioned as prospective finalists. There may be another round of meetings coming.

[RELATED: Jim Irsay Still Eyeing Jeff Saturday For HC?]

The Colts are nearly through with their second interviews, but Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes the team is considering a third round. A rarely seen round three would include a few candidates, through Garafolo adds the team is already being quite thorough during its second run of meetings. Some of the Colts’ second interviews have run as long as 12 hours (Twitter links). As of Thursday morning, the team had conducted 21 total interviews, Zak Keefer of The Athletic tweets.

Indy’s expansive search can partially be explained by Irsay not sitting in on the first round of interviews — all conducted virtually — but a team that employed an interim HC for half of this past season obviously had a head-start on this process. The Colts also have not needed to navigate any Sean Payton dominoes, as they were the one team that did not meet with the new Broncos HC over the past two-plus weeks. The team did, however, see DeMeco Ryans cancel an interview. Ryans nixed Cardinals and Colts meetings, leading to his agreement with the Texans.

Considering how Indianapolis’ 2018 search unfolded — Josh McDaniels backing out of an agreement just after Super Bowl LII — Irsay and GM Chris Ballard operating this way makes sense. Reich, who emerged once the team regrouped from the McDaniels debacle, was not hired until a week after that Super Bowl. The Colts also just completed one of the worst years in franchise history, with Irsay’s impulsiveness playing a role in it. The wide net the franchise has cast will need to produce a coach who will work with a long-term quarterback — after years of stopgap measures — and lead a roster still housing several Pro Bowlers.

Of the names still in the Colts’ mix, a few are also on the Cardinals’ list. Brian Callahan, Ejiro Evero, Aaron Glenn and Mike Kafka have met with both teams. Kafka, however, is one of the few coaches to not interview with Indy’s contingent a second time or be mentioned as a finalist. Kafka’s Giants coworker — DC Don Martindale — is believed to have impressed during his second interview, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweets. The Colts plan to interview Eagles OC Shane Steichen on Friday or Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). The team cannot interview Steichen again until after Super Bowl LVII.

The Colts dragging this process out much longer does run the risk of the team missing out on some of its preferred assistant hires, but at this point, determining the right leader has eclipsed everything else for the suddenly downtrodden AFC South team. Here is how Indy’s complex search stands midday Thursday:

Colts Schedule Second HC Interviews With Shane Steichen, Rich Bisaccia

January 29th, 2023 at 10:29am CST by Rory Parks

The Colts have added two more names to their list of HC finalists. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Indianapolis will conduct a second interview with Eagles OC Shane Steichen this week, while Tom Pelissero of NFL.com says that Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia will get a second look as well.

Steichen, who also secured HC interviews with the Panthers and Texans in this year’s cycle, has quickly turned into a hot commodity on the head coaching market. The 37-year-old was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2020 — which happened to be Justin Herbert‘s impressive rookie year — and he joined Philadelphia in the same capacity in 2021. Eagles HC Nick Sirianni handed Steichen the play-calling reins midway through the 2021 season, and the Eagles’ pivot to a run-heavy offense drove them to last year’s playoff bracket. Jalen Hurts’ progression as a passer this year helped the team secure the NFC’s No. 1 seed and a spot in today’s NFC Championship Game.

Bisaccia, 62, is one of the league’s most-respected third phase coaches. Of course, he took over as the Raiders’ interim HC in the wake of Jon Gruden‘s resignation in 2021, and he led Las Vegas to a 7-5 record down the stretch, which was enough to secure a playoff berth. That level of success earned him an interview to retain the position on a full-time basis, but the organization pivoted to Josh McDaniels instead. Bisaccia also took an HC interview with the Jaguars last offseason before accepting a job as Green Bay’s special teams coordinator.

Steichen and Bisaccia join a large group of candidates to advance from the Colts’ first round of virtual interviews — which did not include owner Jim Irsay — to a second round of meetings for which Irsay will be present. That group includes interim HC Jeff Saturday, Broncos DC Ejiro Evero, Rams DC Raheem Morris, and Giants DC Wink Martindale. Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy and Indy’s own ST coordinator, Bubba Ventrone, also remain in the mix.

The shadow of Saturday continues to loom over these proceedings. Despite both internal and external backlash, Irsay is said to be “pushing” to remove the interim tag from Saturday’s title and keep the Colts’ former center aboard as the team’s permanent head coach. Here’s the full list of Indianapolis’ HC candidates:

Panthers Request Interviews With Three Offensive Coordinators For Head Coach

January 9th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Ely Allen

9:45pm: Carolina has added a third current offensive coordinator to their requests, this time one from the AFC. Rapoport reports that the Panthers have requested to interview Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey for their open head coaching position.

Dorsey’s rise as a coach has been fairly quick. After joining the Panthers organization initially as a scout in 2011, Dorsey quickly transitioned to quarterback coach, mentoring quarterback Cam Newton during the seasons in which Newton won MVP and led his team to the Super Bowl.

Dorsey was a casualty when the Panthers fired former offensive coordinator Mike Shula and was hired a year later to be the Bills’ quarterback coach under Sean McDermott. Dorsey’s success coaching second-year quarterback Josh Allen led to multiple teams reaching out about hiring him as their offensive coordinator. When Brian Daboll was hired to coach the Giants, Dorsey was promoted to offensive coordinator in Buffalo for the 2022 season.

After one season at the helm of the offense, Dorsey is getting his first interest for a head coaching position. Coincidentally, that interest just happens to be coming from the franchise that broke him into the coaching ranks of the NFL 10 years ago.

9:26pm: The Panthers’ search to replace former head coach Matt Rhule continued this evening as the organization requested interviews with Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, as reported separately by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. The two have become popular names in the 2023 head coaching market. Both Steichen and Johnson had received requests from the Texans and Colts today, as well. This makes six candidates who appear to be in the running for the open head coaching position in Carolina.

Steichen, formerly the offensive coordinator for the Chargers, took over as Philadelphia’s play caller when Nick Sirianni was named head coach in 2021. Steichen has played a crucial role in the development of quarterback Jalen Hurts. Together, in only their second season of work together, the two led a third-ranked Eagles offense to the NFC’s top seed.

Johnson is a holdover assistant coach in Detroit from the Matt Patricia-era to the Dan Campbell-era. Campbell was so impressed with Johnson he promoted the former tight ends coach to offensive coordinator this past offseason. Johnson excelled in the role, helping turn the Lions’ season around from a 1-6 start to a 9-8 record despite sporting the league’s worst scoring defense. Johnson helped the offense fire around quarterback Jared Goff and coached a rushing attack that saw running back Jamaal Williams break Barry Sanders record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 17.

Carolina is also expected to interview former Colts head coaches Frank Reich and Jim Caldwell, who more recently coached the Lions, and interim head coach Steve Wilks will get an opportunity to state his case after just falling short of a division title despite a disastrous start to the season. University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has been in contact with the team, as well, to discuss the position.

The Panthers will have plenty of routes to choose from in their search. Whether they decided they prefer the experience of veteran coaches like Caldwell or Harbaugh, they decide they would like to see more out the small samples provided by Wilks and Reich, or if they decide they want to give a debut opportunity to the younger coordinators, Carolina will do their due diligence in their search.

Colts Request HC Interviews; Jeff Saturday Wants To Stay

January 9th, 2023 at 6:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

On display knocking the Packers out of the playoff race, the Lions finished off a remarkable turnaround this season. Early interest is coming in for Dan Campbell‘s coordinators.

Following a Texans interview request, OC Ben Johnson received another from the Colts, whom Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) are interested in speaking with Lions DC Aaron Glenn. Jeff Saturday is believed to remain in the equation for Jim Irsay‘s team, but the owner said last month he looked forward to meeting with a host of candidates for the gig. The Colts will also attempt to meet with Rams DC Raheem Morris, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (on Twitter), and Eagles OC Shane Steichen, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This run of HC interest represents quite the rise for Johnson, who started last season as Detroit’s tight ends coach. For Glenn, the HC interest comes a few months after rumors of his potential ouster as Detroit’s DC surfaced. The Lions, however, completed an incredible bounce-back effort by going from 1-6 to 9-8.

Glenn’s defense did not cross the finish line with particularly strong marks. The Lions’ late-season surge still ended with their defense in last place in yards allowed and 28th in scoring. A crucial December loss to the Panthers ended with Carolina setting franchise records in total yards and on the ground. Still, the development of players like Aidan Hutchinson, James Houston, Jeff Okudah and Kerby Joseph reflects well on Glenn, who was up for the Saints’ HC job that went to Dennis Allen last year. Glenn, 50, took over Lions DC duties in 2021 but spent the previous five years on Sean Payton‘s staff.

Jared Goff finished the season fifth in QBR — by far the highest placement of his career — and closed his second Lions campaign with a 29-7 TD-INT ratio. Behind one of the league’s better offensive lines, Jamaal Williams also put together a 1,000-yard season that ended with him leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns (17 — a number that broke Barry Sanders‘ 31-year-old Lions record). Johnson, 36, has gone from never calling plays at any level prior to 2022 to being a sought-after interviewee.

Morris, a former Buccaneers coach and Falcons interim HC, wrapped his second season as the Rams’ DC. While 2022 proved to be a rough year for the defending Super Bowl champions, Morris’ work shaping the 2021 Rams’ defense will still make him an intriguing candidate. Morris, 46, has experience coaching on both sides of the ball at the NFL level. Mostly a defensive coach, he helmed the Falcons’ wide receivers from 2016-19.

The Texans also requested a Steichen meeting, but the Eagles’ continued growth on offense — as Jalen Hurts morphs from a player with long-term questions to a surefire extension candidate — has been expected to generate looks for their play-caller. Ex-Colts OC Nick Sirianni gave Steichen play-calling duties midway through last season, and the 37-year-old assistant drove the team to becoming the league’s top rushing attack. The Eagles rank third in total yards and points this season, and Hurts took a major leap as a passer.

Despite the Colts completing their worst regular season in at least 11 years, Irsay has stumped for Saturday on multiple occasions since making the controversial hire. Saturday wants to stay on as head coach, Mike Chappell of CBS4 notes, adding that while no interview has been scheduled one should be expected. It would be odd (and wildly unpopular) for the coach in charge of the Colts’ first seven-game losing streak to end a season since the team’s 1953 expansion year would stay on, but that scenario remains in play.

Texans Request Five HC Interviews

January 9th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions made major strides on offense this season, and their young coordinator received an interview request Monday. Not long after their Lovie Smith firing, the Texans requested an interview with Ben Johnson, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Other interview requests are coming in fast.

49ers DC DeMeco Ryans, Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon and Broncos DC Ejiro Evero are on the team’s candidate list, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adding the Texans have requested interviews with each defensive play-caller (Twitter link). While KPRC’s Aaron Wilson reported Evero, Johnson and Gannon are expected to be in the mix, he added Ryans is not expected to pursue the job. It will be interesting to see how the former Texans linebacker proceeds regarding this request.

Johnson has been with the Lions since Matt Patricia‘s hire in 2019. Dan Campbell not only kept Johnson on but promoted him this past offseason. The production of Jared Goff and Jamaal Williams certainly will boost Johnson’s chances, and this probably will not be the only job he winds up being linked to during this cycle.

Johnson’s age (36) and the experience levels of the other candidates are notable here. The Texans made two odd hires in 2021 and ’22, adding 60-somethings in Smith and David Culley despite neither being on the radar for other teams at the time. GM Nick Caserio made each a one-and-done, leading to rumblings about his own future. Evero is the oldest of this bunch, at 42, with Gannon being 40 and Ryans — a Texans inside linebacker from 2006-11 — having entered the profession a bit later. The 38-year-old DC, however, will be one of this interview cycle’s top names, considering what he has done with the 49ers’ defense this season.

Robert Saleh‘s successor, Ryans has rocketed onto the HC tier — to the point he is expected to land a job — after elevating San Francisco’s defense to the No. 1 spot. The 49ers launched their 10-game win streak by mounting a four-game streak in which they held opponents without a second-half touchdown. It will certainly be interesting if Ryans passes on a meeting with his former team, but the Texans’ past two coaching searches — each involving Josh McCown, despite no NFL staff experience — have surprised. The Broncos also requested a Ryans meeting.

The other Eagles coordinator — OC Shane Steichen — joins Gannon among the Texans’ interview requests, Rapoport adds (via Twitter). Considering Jalen Hurts‘ progression and the Eagles’ run to the NFC’s No. 1 seed, it should be expected Steichen — the former Chargers OC — receives attention during this year’s cycle. Steichen is 37. The Eagles, who were linked to veteran QBs via trade this past offseason, rank third offensively and have shown malleability under Steichen. Nick Sirianni gave Steichen the play-calling reins midway through the 2021 season, and the Eagles’ pivot to a run-heavy offense drove them to last year’s playoff bracket. Hurts’ progression as a passer this year led to the team’s latest crack at the NFC’s top seed.

The reported frontrunner, Gannon was a finalist for Houston’s HC position last year. That makes his inclusion in Caserio’s third HC search in three years more intriguing. The Eagles also progressed significantly on defense, using a menacing pass rush — one that fell two sacks shy of the 1984 Bears’ single-season record — to spearhead a unit that ranks second in total defense. It is entirely possible the Eagles lose both their coordinators this year, but candidates might be choosey with regards to the Texans, given their recent history.

Evero makes for one of the more unusual candidates in recent years. The Broncos finished 5-12 and fired the coach who brought in Evero — Nathaniel Hackett — after 15 games, making him just the third coach since the 1970 merger to be canned before his first season wrapped. But Evero was on Sean McVay‘s first five Rams staffs and was rising before Hackett hired him. Despite steady injuries and Denver’s offense cratering under Hackett, Evero’s defense finished seventh this season.

Panthers’ Post-Rhule Fallout: Termination, Replacement, Trades

October 10th, 2022 at 10:04pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL news circuit was set ablaze today when news broke of the firings of Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow. The termination of Rhule was not necessarily a surprise, as he’s been firmly on the hot seat all year and the possibility of firing Rhule had been discussed “well before” today, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, but it did create a newsworthy fallout of information that is of interest to those who follow the sport.

Many have talked about the contract implications of Rhule’s termination, alluding to the millions of dollars still remaining on his contract. While it’s completely applicable to Rhule’s situation, it doesn’t sound like it is a concern to Carolina. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted out that “Carolina is on the hook for this season, but the salaries for the ensuing seasons are offset by what his future college job pays him.” Essentially, Rhule will absolutely get his guaranteed money, but the onus won’t be on Carolina to pay it. Whenever Rhule, who is presumed to be a top college coaching candidate for next year, gets another job, his salary from the new school will offset the amount the Panthers owe him.

It was also announced that Panthers defensive passing game coordinator & secondary coach Steve Wilks will sub in as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The defensive-minded former head coach of the Cardinals has apparently already begun to make the team his own. When Panthers owner David Tepper was asked why Snow was fired, he reportedly pointed the finger at Wilks, telling reporters to direct that question to the interim head coach, according to ESPN’s David Newton.

Here are a few more fallout items from today, starting with some ideas on Rhule’s replacement:

  • The biggest nugget to come out of today concerning Carolina is that, as most NFL executives expected Rhule to lose his job, many in league circles are expecting the Panthers to start dealing veteran assets in an attempt to accrue draft capital that might make the head coaching position more attractive, according to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post. The Panthers currently only hold four draft picks for 2023: first-, second-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks, supporting the idea that trading away veterans could improve their current situation. Trading away veterans with expensive contracts, such as star running back Christian McCaffrey or wide receiver Robbie Anderson, could prove troublesome, according to La Canfora, so the Panthers are reportedly willing to eat some of those salaries in order to facilitate moving those assets. Early reports claimed that the Bills have reached out about McCaffrey and that they did in the offseason, as well, according to Person, but Tom Pelissero of NFL Network clarified that, while every team will be calling about McCaffrey, the Panthers haven’t engaged in any trade talks yet. In addition to McCaffrey and Anderson, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports expects wide receiver D.J. Moore, defensive end Brian Burns, and defensive tackle Derrick Brown to be on the table.
  • Jeff Howe of The Athletic posed the question today of who might replace Rhule and offered quite a few suggestions. Howe started the list with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who took the Falcons to the Super Bowl as head coach in 2016. Next, he mentioned 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. Ryans interviewed for the Vikings’ job this offseason and was expected to interview for the Raiders’, as well. The 38-year-old has rocketed up coaching boards since retiring as a player in 2015. Another name mentioned was Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon who also interviewed for the Vikings last year, in addition to the Texans and Broncos. Howe went into great detail on every candidate, seeming to list anybody who may be up for a head coaching job in the next few seasons. His list included former NFL head coaches including the retired Sean Payton, Steelers senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, as well as the current interim head coach, Wilks. Other serious candidates Howe mentioned were Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The list essentially devolved into an article about anybody who may make the jump to NFL head coach in the next few seasons, pointing out “wait and see” candidates such as Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, and Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale.
  • One interesting name that came out of today’s rumors was former Panthers All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly. Joe Person of The Athletic advised that an eye be kept on Kuechly, who remains close with Wilks and new defensive coordinator Al Holcomb, to come back in some capacity. After retiring from a pro scout position last year, Kuechly has been working as an analyst on Panthers radio broadcasts.
Load More Posts