Tyke Tolbert

Titans To Hire Bill Callahan As O-Line Coach

The Titans’ decision to hire Brian Callahan naturally put one of this era’s best offensive line coaches in play to trek to Nashville. That will now come to fruition.

Brian Callahan will add his father, Bill, to his first Titans staff, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports. The Titans requested permission for a Callahan-Callahan meeting about the job, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. As strange as that sentence looks, the Browns could have blocked this partnership from taking place; they are not expected to do so.

[RELATED: Titans To Hire Nick Holz As OC]

Naturally one of the more interesting position coach hires in recent years, Bill Callahan leaving for Tennessee would stand to bring an upgrade for Ran Carthon‘s team. Pro Football Focus ranked the Titans’ O-line last in 2023. This came after an offseason overhaul removed veterans from the equation. Left tackle Andre Dillard struggled, and PFF did not view ex-49ers starter/swingman Daniel Brunskill as effective at right guard. The Titans are expected to release Dillard soon, while other changes are likely on tap. Callahan will take over the mentorship of 2023 first-rounder Peter Skoronski, who is on the radar to move to left tackle this offseason.

The former Raiders HC has settled back in as an NFL O-line coach following his dismissal as Nebraska’s HC in the 2000s. Callahan was in place with the Cowboys in 2014, as the team added Zack Martin to its impact collection of young talent — a group that included Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Ronald Leary. Bill Callahan spent the past four seasons in Cleveland, and the Browns have rolled out one of the NFL’s best O-lines in that span.

Ex-Bills draftee Wyatt Teller morphed into a Pro Bowler in Cleveland, while perennial Pro Bowler Joel Bitonio added two first-team All-Pro distinctions under the elder Callahan. Even as injuries battered the team’s tackles, the Browns were able to provide enough protection for November pickup Joe Flacco to salvage a playoff run.

Callahan, 67, canceled an interview for the Jets’ OC job last year upon signing a Browns extension. That deal is believed to have paid him more than $3MM per year, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. That is a lofty salary for a position coach, illustrating Callahan’s value to the Browns. It is worth wondering if he will accept a pay cut to join his son. The Callahans have not previously been on the same NFL staff, setting up an interesting chapter.

Additionally, the Titans are bringing in veteran wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, according to NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Tolbert coached alongside Brian Callahan in Denver during the 2010s. Both were on Denver’s staff from 2011-15, with Tolbert overseeing the development of Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Emmanuel Sanders during that span. Tolbert, 56, spent the past two seasons with the Bears in the same position. Making changes to their offensive staff, the Bears fired Tolbert last month.

As they make changes to start Brian Callahan’s run, the Titans are moving on from outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow and inside linebackers coach Bobby King, according to veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. Crow spent six seasons with the team under Mike Vrabel; King was in Tennessee over the past three years.

Six-year Titans defensive line coach Terrell Williams is out as well, but The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes he has already found a new gig. The Lions are hiring Williams as their run-game coordinator on defense. An NFL assistant since 2012, Williams was on the Dolphins’ staff during Dan Campbell‘s 2015 season spent mostly as Miami’s interim HC.

Bears Fire OC Luke Getsy, Four Assistants; Matt Eberflus To Stay

Ahead of the Bears’ seminal quarterback decision, they will have a new play-caller. The team is firing two-year offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. The Bears are also moving on from quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, per Pelissero.

It does indeed appear Matt Eberflus will be back. After Ryan Poles praised the job Eberflus did in his second season, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports the defensive-oriented HC is set to stay for a third year. The former Colts DC is expected to remain the Bears’ defensive play-caller, per Rapoport, though the early expectation is Eberflus hiring a DC to at least be a key voice in game-planning.

He was steady at the wheel,” Poles said of the 53-year-old HC, via the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley. “He fought to get back above water and get things the way they were. His ability to adapt and adjust, really take input from the players, to get this thing on the right path was incredible. I think a lot of people would have been in really bad shape and crumbled to the pressure. He got better with the pressure, and so did our football team.”

The Bears evaluated their staff over the past two days, and although Eberflus hovered on a hot seat early this season, the Bears rallying to finish 7-10 represented progress after a lengthy losing streak spanned from the second half of last season through October 2023. As the calendar turned to 2024, Eberflus was not expected to be fired. This news assuredly points to Poles staying on for a third year; the GM was viewed as a better candidate to stick than Eberflus coming into 2024.

Chicago improved from 29th to 12th in total defense from 2022-23 and from 32nd to 20th in points allowed in Eberflus’ second season. The Bears hired Eberflus with the intention he would be a CEO coach, rather than the play-caller, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Wearing both hats this season following DC Alan Williams‘ September exit, Eberflus did make strides. It will be interesting, then, to see if the Bears stick with Eberflus as their defensive play-caller. Despite a 3-14 debut season and a 1-5 start to the ’23 campaign, the veteran defensive coach has survived.

In addition to Getsy and Janocko, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert and running backs coach Omar Young, per ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, will not join Poles and Eberflus next season. Despite improvement from Justin Fields and a career-best season from trade acquisition D.J. Moore, the Bears are removing the top pieces from their offensive staff. They have been viewed as a bit more likely to trade Fields and use the No. 1 overall pick on USC’s Caleb Williams, though definitive traction in either direction remains elusive. But Fields is close to becoming a more expensive commodity, with his fifth-year option decision on the horizon come May, while Williams would be tethered to a rookie contract for at least three years.

Chicago’s offense improved from 28th to 20th in yardage and from 23rd to 18th in scoring over Getsy’s two seasons, though the ex-Packers assistant remained in the crosshairs. A change at this juncture would point to the Bears leaning toward making the long-rumored move to trade Fields and start over with a higher-ceiling rookie. This was the 39-year-old Getsy’s first OC gig; he had previously served as Aaron Rodgers‘ QBs coach.

Thanks largely to Fields’ gifts as a runner, the Bears led the NFL in rushing in 2022 and finished second this season. The latter ranking came despite the Ohio State alum missing four games due to injury. No single Bears rusher totaled more than 700 yards, however, and only Khalil Herbert topped 500 among the team’s three-headed running back setup. WR2 Darnell Mooney (414 yards) also did not make much of an impact in his fourth season, despite the former fifth-round pick being a previous 1,000-yard receiver. Chicago finished 27th in passing yards, inviting more speculation about Fields’ Windy City future.

Janocko, 35, came to Chicago after seven seasons in Minnesota. While Janocko spent his entire NFL career with the Vikings, he only coached quarterbacks in one of those seasons (2021). Tolbert, conversely, has been a specialist throughout his career. The 56-year-old assistant has coached wide receivers for six teams since 2003. On the Cardinals’ staff when Anquan Boldin broke through as a rookie, Tolbert later coached Demaryius Thomas for seven seasons in Denver, collecting a Super Bowl ring for the latter stay. The Bears hired him after four seasons with the Giants. Young came to Chicago from the college ranks in 2022; the team promoted him from the quality control level to RBs coach last year. Assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts has also been let go, the team announced.

It seems unlikely Eberflus will sign an extension, as his four-year deal runs through 2025, but the Bears showing faith in their coach to keep him in place despite the likelihood of a No. 1 overall QB investment coming in. Should that happen, the team’s next OC hire will obviously become quite important.

NFC Coaching Notes: Lions, Bears, Giants, Falcons, 49ers

Dan Campbell and the Lions will begin interviewing candidates for the offensive coordinator vacancy this week, reports Dave Birkett of Detroit Free Press (on Twitter). However, tight ends coach Ben Johnson remains the favorite for the job.

Campbell took over play-calling duties from the one-and-done Anthony Lynn midseason, but Johnson’s responsibilities expanded in Detroit, as well. The 35-year-old has spent the past two seasons as the Lions tight ends coach, playing a big role in Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson‘s ascension.

Previously, Johnson served as the Lions offensive quality control coach. He also had a seven-year stint on the Dolphins coaching staff.

More coaching notes out of the NFC…

  • The Bears continue to add to their coaching staff. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Bears have hired Tyke Tolbert as their new wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. The 54-year-old coach had spent the previous three seasons as the Giants WRs coach. Tolbert has also had stints with the Broncos, Panthers, Bills, and Cardinals. Meanwhile, the Bears announced that they’ve hired Chris Morgan as their offensive line coach. The veteran coach was the assistant offensive line coach with the Steelers in 2021, and he had a stint as the Falcons OL coach from 2015 to 2020.
  • Bobby Johnson will be joining Brian Daboll in New York. According to Michael Silver (on Twitter), the Bills offensive line coach will be joining the Giants coaching staff in the same role. Johnson ended up spending three seasons in Buffalo. Meanwhile, the Giants are hiring Laura Young as their director of coaching operations, reports ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter). This is believed to be the organization’s “first known woman hire on the coaching side.” Young previously served as the player services coordinator for the Bills.
  • The Falcons have hired Michael Pitre as their new running backs coach, the team announced (on Twitter). Pitre held the same role with the Bears this past season. The Falcons have been searching for a new RB coach since Desmond Kitchings left Atlanta to be the OC at Virginia.
  • Jon Embree won’t be back as the 49ers tight ends coach/assistant head coach next season, reports Matt Maiocco NBC Sports Bay Area (on Twitter). Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that Embree declined a pay cut to return to San Francisco. The coach had spent the previous five seasons with the 49ers and was often credited for George Kittle‘s development.

Jason Garrett Expected Back As Giants OC

The Giants dropped from 18th to 31st in scoring offense last season, and Daniel Jones did not make considerable strides. But the team is not planning to make big changes to its offense.

Jason Garrett is expected to stay on as New York’s offensive coordinator, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes. Some potential turnover at this position coach level could take place, and Raanan adds assistants like tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens, QBs coach Jerry Schulplinski and wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert may take on increased responsibility. (Tolbert has interviewed for Minnesota’s OC job.) But Garrett will still run the show.

This is not especially surprising. Dave Gettleman said last month, as Garrett interviewed for the Chargers’ HC job, he was “antsy” about the prospect of losing his OC. Keeping Garrett will ensure Jones only has two play-callers in his first three seasons, though the Giants have plenty of improvements to make on offense. Saquon Barkley‘s expected re-emergence will certainly help.

Joe Judge already fired a coach Garrett brought in, ex-Cowboys O-line assistant Marc Colombo, and Raanan adds the new Giants HC’s hands-on approach with the team’s offense caused tension between he and Garrett. Last season was Garrett’s first as a full-time play-caller since 2012.

One of the changes on Big Blue’s staff will be replacing Dave DeGuglielmo. The veteran O-line coach is not expected back, and Raanan notes that the Giants have interviewed ex-Texans O-line coach Mike Devlin and Giants assistant O-line coach Ben Wilkerson for the job.

Vikings To Interview Tyke Tolbert For OC

The Vikings will interview Giants wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert for their offensive coordinator vacancy (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Tolbert worked closely with recently-retired coordinator Gary Kubiak in Denver, so Tolbert could help the Vikings keep the same system in place.

Tolbert was on Kubiak’s staff during the Broncos’ run to Super Bowl 50. He impressed during his time in Denver, and Kubiak has long lobbied for Tolbert to get his big break.

He’s an amazing coach, a great person, handles personalities extremely well [and] gets the most out of his players,” Kubiak said in 2016 (via the Broncos’ team website). “So I think that would be an exceptional thought. He’s a heck of a football coach.”

The Vikings were a disappointment on the whole, but that was mostly on the defense. Offensively, the Vikings saw Dalvin Cook rush for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns while rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson showed serious promise. In terms of talent, Tolbert would have tons to work with.

Position Coaches: Gilbride, Flaherty, Lupoi, Tolbert

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is beginning to fill out the position coaching spots in Carolina. Kevin M. Gilbride will be in charge of the team’s tight ends and Pat Flaherty is expected to be named the team’s offensive line coach, per Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. Gilbride has extensive experience as a tight ends coach, serving in the position with the Giants from 2014-17 and with the Bears from 2018 until he was fired last month.

The Panthers will be the fifth NFL organization to hire Flaherty as an offensive line coach. Flaherty worked as the offensive line coach from 2004-2015 with the Giants followed by a one-year stint with the 49ers, a two-year stint with the Jaguars, and a a short period with the Dolphins in 2019. While Flaherty brings a long line of experience, he was fired in Miami prior to the end of training camp after struggling to implement the team’s scheme.

  • The Falcons have named Browns defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi as the team’s defensive line coach and run game coordinator, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Lupoi was a collegiate defensive lineman at Cal, where he began his coaching career in 2008. After a stint with the University of Washington as the defensive line coach, he joined the staff at Alabama, eventually becoming the team’s defensive coordinator in 2018. Lupoi moved to the professional coaching ranks for the first time when he joined Freddie Kitchens‘ staff prior to this season.
  • Giants new head coach Joe Judge will not be making changes to the entire coaching staff. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, reports that Judge is expected to retain wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert. While New York struggled in many areas this season, the receiving corp showed impressive depth. Tolbert was credited with helping late-round pick, Darius Slayton, become a legitimate receiving option.

Coaching Rumors: Vikings, Giants, Cowboys

As had been expected, Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski will garner an interview for the club’s vacant offensive coordinator position. Stefanski, who’s coached tight ends, running backs, and quarterbacks for Minnesota, will meet with head coach Mike Zimmer this weekend, reports Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Meanwhile, former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell‘s interview with Zimmer will take place on Friday, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Ex-Giants head coach Ben McAdoo and former Broncos play-caller Mike McCoy have also speculatively been mentioned as candidates for the Vikings’ OC role, but neither has yet been asked to interview.

Here’s more from the 2018 coaching carousel:

  • The Giants have officially hired former Panthers special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey for the same role in New York, per Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. This had been the expected outcome, but the Giants waited until they’d officially named Pat Shurmur as their new head coach before making any other staff additions. McGaughey, who’s also led special teams units with the 49ers and Jets, coached Carolina to a No. 6 ranking in ST DVOA in 2017. The Giants, meanwhile, ranked dead in the same metric last a season ago. Ex-Cardinals assistant special teams coach Anthony Blevins could also be joining New York’s special teams staff in the near future, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert will join the Giants under new head coach Pat Shurmur, according to Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). Tolbert, who led the Broncos’ wideouts from 2011-17, was fired earlier this month as part of a staff shakeup. However, he reportedly drew a good deal of interest around the NFL before deciding on the Giants, per Klis. That comes as no surprise, as Tolbert nearly left Denver last offseason when the Titans expressed interest.
  • The Cowboys interviewed assistant offensive line coach Marc Colombo for their vacant tight ends coach job today, reports Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). Colombo, who played for Dallas from 2005-10, was reportedly “in the mix” to become the Cowboys’ full-time offensive line coach earlier this year after Dallas fired Frank Pollack. However, the Cowboys ultimately selected former Bengals OL coach Paul Alexander for the job. Colombo, for his part, joined Dallas’ staff in 2015.
  • The Packers formally announced their 2018 coaching staff today, and the club noted a few new additions that we haven’t yet noted here at PFR. While previous reports had indicated Jim Hostler would be Green Bay’s wide receivers coach, he’ll actually take the title of offensive passing game coordinator, with David Raih — formerly the Packers’ “offensive perimeter” coach — is handling wideouts. Meanwhile, defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery will stay with Green Bay after previously having accepted a job as Texas A&M’s associate head coach/defensive line, tweets Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Broncos Shake Up Coaching Staff

Black Monday did not result in Vance Joseph‘s ouster, but his first staff is splintering as the Broncos begin an effort to re-emerge from a 5-11 season.

The Broncos are gutting their coaching staff, making decisions to fire wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, running backs coach Eric Studesville and special teams coordinator Brock Olivo, Mike Klis of 9News and Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post report (all Twitter links).

DC Joe Woods and OC Bill Musgrave are going to be back, Jhabvala and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport report (Twitter links). The Broncos, though, will be looking for a third ST coach in three years after Olivo’s units struggled with turnovers and the allowing of big plays this season.

Studesville was the Broncos’ longest-tenured assistant and was the team’s interim coach after Josh McDaniels‘ tenure ended late in the 2010 season. Tolbert served as wideouts coach since the ’11 campaign, joining when John Fox‘s tenure began. Studesville declined an interview for the Jets’ OC vacancy last year and was fired despite the Broncos’ rushing attack climbing from the No. 27 to No. 12 between 2016 and ’17. This season marked the first since 2011 the Broncos didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver.

Rapoport notes (on Twitter) Gary Kubiak‘s expanded front office role likely has meant he’s been involved in the decisions, with John Elway‘s personnel department being one of the NFL’s smallest groups.

West Rumors: Pulley, 49ers, Broncos

The Chargers received upper-echelon production from Matt Slauson last season, with the veteran continuing to function well at center despite being a natural guard. Slauson being moved back to guard this offseason opens the door at center, and the Bolts have 2016 third-round pick Max Tuerk seemingly waiting in the wings after essentially redshirting as a rookie. But second-year UDFA Spencer Pulley is throwing off that natural succession plan presently. Pulley is currently the Bolts’ starting center, Eric Williams of ESPN.com notes, while pointing out that it’s still May and Tuerk will have a chance to compete.

I have a great comfort level with Spencer,” Philip Rivers said, via Williams. “That’s what he played in college his whole time there at Vandy. Slauson was great there last year, and Spencer played some there in that Cleveland game and a few other times, so I have a good feel with him. He’s had a heck of an offseason, so he’s in there right now with the first group and we’ll see how it goes.”

Pulley being ahead of Tuerk, who started at USC before catching the Mike McCoy-led Chargers’ eye last April, complicates matters for the former Trojan. Because the Chargers used their most recent third-round pick on Indiana interior lineman Dan Feeney, who joins second-round pick Forrest Lamp in the interior-line mix for Los Angeles. Williams doesn’t mention Feeney as a prime candidate here, so the Bolts could work him in at guard for now. Feeney did take reps at center earlier this offseason. Regardless of how this situation works out, the Chargers will have a remade interior line after relocating Slauson and cutting D.J. Fluker and Orlando Franklin.

Here are some more Western-division notes.

  • Kyle Shanahan plans to divide offense-management responsibilities based on how the ball travels. The new 49ers coach did not hire an offensive coordinator, as he’ll function in that role after serving as an OC for three different teams since 2013, but he assigned two assistants jobs. Mike McDaniel will be in charge of the ground game, and Mike LaFleur will oversee the passing attack, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports. Bobby Turner, who worked with both in Atlanta after many seasons on Mike Shanahan‘s staffs in Denver and Washington, is the team’s running backs coach. So, it looks like he and McDaniel will be working together for a 49ers team that saw Tom Rathman move on after many years of being involved with the team’s rushing attack.
  • Carlos Henderson rated as Broncos wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert‘s No. 5 wide receiver prospect, according to Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post. The Louisiana Tech prospect went to the Broncos in the third round and was the 10th wide receiver off the board. Wolfe expects Henderson to challenge for a return job as well after taking back three kickoffs for scores in his three-year college career. He and fifth-round rookie Isaiah McKenzie (five punt-return TDs from 2014-16) figure to enhance a Denver return game that’s struggled since Trindon Holliday‘s short but explosive run ended after the 2013 season.
  • It is clear to Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post that the Broncos want to give Paxton Lynch every chance to win the starting quarterback job over Trevor Siemian. Lynch is a high-risk, high-reward gunslinger, while Siemian is a no-nonsense game manager, but Kiszla points to the division rival Chiefs to explain why Denver wants Lynch to win the job. Kansas City’s Alex Smith, the definition of a solid, game-manager type quarterback, has been just good enough to get the Chiefs beaten in the playoffs, which prompted the team to jump through hoops to draft the immensely talented but erratic Patrick Mahomes in the first round of this year’s draft.
  • Derek Carr‘s extension talks with the Raiders are expected to ramp up, with the fourth-year passer believed to be in position to sign a deal that is a “strong step aboveAndrew Luck‘s five-year, $122.97MM deal.

Rory Parks contributed to this report.

AFC Coaching Notes: Jaguars, Broncos, Jets, Raiders

It hasn’t been the best two-to-three weeks for the Bills organization. The team fired Rex Ryan in late December, and general manager Doug Whaley held a subsequent news conference that left some questioning his competence. Then there’s the whole Tyrod Taylor fiasco, as the organization could potentially be stuck with the quarterback’s $27.5MM salary.

Following the hiring of Sean McDermott as their new head coach, Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula made it clear that their organization is not dysfunctional.

“I know how I run my life, run our business,” Terry Pegula told Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. “I know how we treat people, and I know the people we have in our organization. You can’t pin 17 years [out of the playoffs] on the Pegulas. We’ve been around for X-number of years.

“There’s no foundation, no truth to this dysfunctional talk. I consider it an insult to our organization and the Bills and the good people with the Sabres. They can’t be real happy to hear that.”

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

  • The Jaguars have hired Joe DeCamillis as their new special teams coordinator, reports Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter). DeCamillis, 51, spent the past two seasons serving in the same role with the Broncos, and he previously served as coordinator for the Bears and Cowboys. This will be a reunion of sorts for DeCamillis, who served as a special teams coach with the Jaguars from 2007 through 2008.
  • With all of the changes to the Broncos coaching staff, there will be at least one member sticking around. Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post reports (via Twitter) that Tyke Tolbert will continue on as the team’s wide receivers coach. Tolbert reportedly turned down an offer from the Titans for the same role.
  • Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville has already interviewed for the Jets offensive coordinator vacancy, reports ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini (via Twitter). The writer notes that the organization has “strong interest” in the long-time coach.
  • League sources tell Brian Costello of the New York Post that the Jets will have a tough time convincing “any candidate with options” to take their offensive coordinator gig. The writer notes that Todd Bowles‘ lack of job security and the Jets’ questionable quarterback depth may scare some potential candidates away.
  • The Raiders are making some coaching changes under new offensive coordinator Todd Downing. Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reports (via Twitter) that the team will be promoting senior offensive assistant Jake Peetz to quarterbacks coach. Peetz has spent seven years coaching in the NFL.