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Vance Joseph

Raiders To Interview Kevin Stefanski For HC Job

By | at January 8, 2026 1:31 pm

Kevin Stefanski is now on four teams’ interview lists. After making meeting arrangements with the Falcons, Giants and Titans, the ex-Browns HC is on the Raiders’ radar.

Las Vegas brass will meet with Stefanski today, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Stefanski, Vance Joseph and Matt Nagy are meeting with the team today. As PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker displays, Vegas’ Klint Kubiak meeting is scheduled for Friday.

It is certainly not surprising Stefanski demand is this high. This cycle is light on offense-oriented candidates with experience, and Stefanski spent six years coaching the Browns. This tenure brought the most success Cleveland has had since rebooting.

The Browns extended Stefanski in 2024 but fired him Monday following an 8-26 record over the ensuing two seasons — a mark Jimmy Haslam deemed unacceptable this week. Haslam, however, retained GM Andrew Berry despite fingerprints on what is widely viewed as the worst trade in NFL history.

That said, the Browns’ catastrophic Deshaun Watson acquisition brought a line of demarcation during Stefanski’s tenure. The ex-Vikings OC managed to bag two Coach of the Year awards, the second of which coming after the Watson trade. Joe Flacco stepping in and running Stefanski’s offense, despite the Browns missing Nick Chubb and two starting tackles, to make a playoff berth brought only the Browns’ third playoff berth since respawning in 1999. Stefanski was responsible for the second trip as well, re-routing Baker Mayfield‘s career and then having the Browns in a divisional-round duel with a dominant Chiefs team.

Stefanski is just 43 despite having six years’ experience as a head coach. Even with John Harbaugh on the market, it would surprise if Stefanski did not land a second-chance job during this year’s cycle. There are now eight HC vacancies, as the Dolphins have fired Mike McDaniel. He stands to become an intriguing bounce-back candidate, though it is also possible the 42-year-old leader settles as a high-end OC option. Stefanski receiving multiple offers may not be out of the question, and the Raiders’ pattern of HC firings does not make their job overly appealing. Though, the No. 1 pick represents a solid selling point.

The Raiders’ confirmed interviews are mostly on the offensive side so far. Broncos QBs coach and pass-game coordinator Davis Webb joins Nagy, Kubiak and Stefanski in this area of expertise. Thus far, Joseph is the only confirmed interviewee on the defensive side. Teams regularly go in the other direction after a firing, and the Raiders canned two defensive coaches — Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll — over the past two years. Considering Tom Brady‘s push for Ben Johnson in 2025, the Raiders looking toward the offensive side makes sense.

3 comments Las Vegas Raiders

2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 7, 2026 9:50 pm

The Browns, Cardinals, Falcons and Raiders followed the Giants and Titans in firing head coaches, making those calls between the Week 18 conclusion and Black Monday. The Ravens then moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons; two days later, the Dolphins canned Mike McDaniel. Here are the candidates connected to all eight of the HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-11-26 (10:48pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Tennessee Titans

10 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New York Giants PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans

Cardinals, Falcons, Giants, Raiders, Ravens, Titans To Interview Vance Joseph

By | at January 7, 2026 8:58 pm

JANUARY 7, 8:58pm: Another new team has been added to Joseph’s docket. According to senior NFL insider Josina Anderson, in addition to the Giants and Raiders, Joseph will interview with the Ravens on Thursday for an opportunity to replace John Harbaugh in Baltimore.

The Browns remain the only team leaving Joseph off the invite list at the moment. Luca Evans of the Denver Post confirmed today through sources that Cleveland had not yet requested an interview. Instead, it’s the former Browns who could be looking to Vance to help their defense reestablish the identity that made the Ravens so notorious for years.

JANUARY 6, 3:48pm: Add the Falcons to Joseph’s itinerary. Atlanta brass will discuss its recently vacated HC position with the Denver DC this week, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. This makes Joseph on the radar for five of the six available positions thus far. The Browns can make it a sweep.

Last year, Joseph met with only the Jets and Raiders. After the Broncos’ defense delivered a second straight strong season under Joseph, more teams have taken notice. While Joseph will shift his focus back to the Broncos’ divisional-round game next week, his bye period will be eventful.

JANUARY 6, 12:03pm: Vance Joseph‘s second Broncos stint has boosted his stock, and after seven years back on the coordinator level, the former head coach is poised to become a strong candidate for a second-chance opportunity. Several teams will meet with the Denver DC about HC vacancies.

The Cardinals, Giants, Raiders and Titans will huddle up with Joseph, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Because the Broncos secured the AFC’s bye slot, Joseph can discuss HC jobs with teams beginning Wednesday of this week. The interviews must be virtual, but Joseph will conduct them all this week.

Joseph’s Cardinals interview is perhaps the most interesting, as he spent four years as their DC. The veteran staffer’s Denver return showed a willingness to return after being fired. While the Cardinals did not technically fire Joseph in 2023 — as they dismantled Kliff Kingsbury‘s staff upon dismissing the HC — they passed on Joseph as the Kingsbury successor.

Joseph interviewed for the Arizona job shortly after Kingsbury’s ouster but did not meet about the position a second time. The Cards gave the job to another defensive-minded coach, Jonathan Gannon, whom they fired Monday.

The Raiders met with Joseph about their HC vacancy last year, eventually giving the job to Pete Carroll. That will make for an interesting meeting this time around, as the team fired Carroll after a 3-14 season. The Giants and Titans came up as interested parties for Joseph ahead of this year’s carousel launch.

There are a host of defensive-minded HC candidates this year but few offense-oriented options for teams. This has allowed Joseph, 53, to move into stronger position to become a second-chance HC. Joseph went 11-21 as the Broncos’ HC from 2017-18, but his quarterback situation — headlined by Case Keenum and the Paxton Lynch draft miss — did plenty to hurt those teams’ chances. After helming a third-ranked defense last season, Joseph repeated that finish in 2025.

The Broncos enter the playoffs third in scoring defense and second in yardage, as Joseph’s defense has powered them to the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2015. While Denver is highly unlikely to lose OC Joe Lombardi, the prospect of losing Joseph and QBs coach Davis Webb is firmly in play.

8 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Denver Broncos Las Vegas Raiders New York Giants Tennessee Titans

Titans Request HC Interviews With Matt Nagy, Steve Spagnuolo, Vance Joseph, Lou Anarumo

By | at January 6, 2026 9:04 am

JANUARY 6: Tennessee’s interview with Anarumo will take place tomorrow, per Rapoport. He and Pelissero add the Nagy interview will be on Thursday. Spagnuolo will also interview Thursday, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Those three will be joined by recently unemployed staffers Kevin Stefanski and Raheem Morris as candidates to speak with the Titans at least once.

JANUARY 5: The Titans were the first team to fire their head coach during the 2025 season, moving on from Brian Callahan on Oct. 13. They replaced Callahan with interim choice Mike McCoy, but it didn’t lead to a turnaround. With the Titans’ offseason now underway after a 3-14 campaign, they’re working to find Callahan’s full-time successor.

Tennessee has requested interviews with two Chiefs assistants – offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo – as well as Broncos D-coordinator Vance Joseph and Colts DC Lou Anarumo (via reports from Jordan Schultz, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). The Titans are also expected to request a meeting with Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, per Schultz. Kingsbury’s name previously came up in connection to the Titans’ job on Sunday.

General manager Mike Borgonzi is leading the Titans’ search, though the next hire will come with owner Amy Adams Strunk‘s blessing. The fact that Borgonzi is considering Nagy and Spagnuolo for the job isn’t a surprise. Borgonzi worked in Kansas City’s front office from 2009-24, giving him plenty of familiarity with Nagy and Spagnuolo.

Both Nagy and Spagnuolo come with head coaching experience, but the former had far more success in his first stop. Nagy led the Bears to a 34-31 mark and two playoff berths from 2018-21. He earned Coach of the Year honors in his first season in Chicago.

Although Nagy doesn’t call the plays as Kansas City’s O-coordinator (that responsibility belongs to Andy Reid), his offensive background appeals to the Titans. Getting the most out of quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, will be among their next head coach’s most important tasks.

An acclaimed defensive assistant throughout his career, the 66-year-old Spagnulo has won four Super Bowls as a coordinator (three with the Chiefs, one with the Giants). However, his initial stint as a full-time head coach couldn’t have gone much worse. The then-St. Louis Rams went 10-38 under Spagnuolo from 2009-11. Spagnuolo later held the interim gig with the Giants after Ben McAdoo‘s firing in 2017. He went 1-3 in that brief run, but Spagnuolo’s stock has since gone way up during his brilliant seven-year reign atop the Chiefs’ defense.

Joseph, one of Spagnuolo’s fellow AFC West D-coordinators, is also a former head coach. While Joseph struggled to an 11-21 mark with the Broncos from 2015-16, his success since returning to Denver as an assistant in 2023 could lead to a second chance as a sideline general. Thanks largely to Joseph’s defense, which ranks first in sacks, second in yards and third in points, the 14-3 Broncos will enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Anarumo is the lone candidate in this group who has not worked as a head coach. Now 59, Anarumo was an assistant at various colleges before joining the Dolphins’ defensive staff in 2012. He earned his first D-coordinator job with the Bengals in 2019. Anarumo stayed in place for six years, a span in which the Bengals went to two AFC title games and a Super Bowl, but the team fired him after its defense finished 25th overall in 2024.

Anarumo quickly caught on with the Colts, who spiraled to an 8-9 mark after starting 8-2 in 2025. The Colts’ defense ended the year an underwhelming 21st in points and 23rd in yards, but injuries to DeForest Buckner, Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward took away three of Anarumo’s best players for significant periods of time. The Titans obviously aren’t holding that against him.

The Chiefs, Colts and Commanders failed to qualify for the playoffs, which means Nagy, Spagnulo, Anarumo and Kingsbury are eligible to interview as early as Tuesday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic relays. With the Broncos on a bye, Joseph will be available to discuss the Tennessee job on Wednesday. He’ll do so via Zoom, according to Mike Klis of 9News.

18 comments Denver Broncos Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Mike McCarthy, Antonio Pierce Among Giants’ HC Candidates

By | at January 2, 2026 11:51 am

The Giants’ head-coaching search informally started immediately after firing Brian Daboll, but recent discussions have created an initial list of candidates to interview, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

Several coaches are already known to be on the Giants’ radar, including Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman, Packers DC Jeff Hafley, Colts DC Lou Anarumo, Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, and Browns HC Kevin Stefanski. Giants interm HC Mike Kafka is also expected to interview with the team after auditioning for the full-time job since Daboll’s removal.

Interview requests will be much stronger indications of the Giants’ interest. Their lengthy list of candidates is primarily focused on former head coaches and current coordinator, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

The formal interview process has technically already begun, as candidates not employed by an NFL team can interview right away. Former Packers and Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy and and former Raiders HC Antonio Pierce are on the Giants’ list. Pierce, a former Pro Bowl linebacker, played in New York for five seasons and earned a Pro Bowl nod and a Super Bowl ring in the process. That connection to the franchise – as with Jets HC Aaron Glenn – could give Pierce a leg up in the Giant’s hiring process, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

For coaches currently working for an NFL team, interview requests must wait until the regular season ends. The Giants’ interest seems to be focused on defensive coordinators, as Hafley (Packers), Vance Joseph (Broncos), Chris Shula (Rams), and Jesse Minter (Chargers) are all expected to receive interview requests. Hafley, a New Jersey native, in particular “seems to have some traction in New York,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Any coach for a non-playoff team can be interviewed as soon as Week 18 concludes. If the Broncos secure a first-round bye, Joseph (and any other coaches employed by a team with a bye) can only be virtually interviewed until the end of the wild card round. Coaches without a bye can be interviewed until the end of the divisional round. After the divisional round, teams can begin in-person interviews with coaches for teams eliminated by the playoffs.

Other coaches who have an “outside chance” to be interviewed by the Giants include Texans DC Matt Burke and Panthers DC Ejiro Evero, per Raanan. Current head coaches that are fired at the end of the season, especially Stefanski, could also be considered by the Giants. They could also seek to follow the wave of hiring young offensive coordinators from the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay coaching tree such as Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown or Jaguars OC Grant Udinski.

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Broncos’ Vance Joseph Viewed As Strong HC Candidate; Davis Webb’s Stock Rising?

By | at December 10, 2025 3:22 pm

Buzz about Vance Joseph receiving a second chance in a head coaching role continues, as the Broncos ride a 10-game win streak into Week 15. Denver’s defense has powered this run, and Joseph stands to benefit soon.

Although Joseph scored interviews this past offseason, helming a top-tier defense for a second straight year makes him a superior candidate this time around. Teams are also looking at coaches with HC backgrounds during this cycle, and even though Joseph’s two-year Denver HC stay did not go well, his background plus a seven-year run as a DC (with the Cardinals and Broncos) since bodes well for his candidacy, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano.

Joseph went 11-21 with the Broncos from 2017-18, but he did not exactly draw good cards at quarterback. Hired over Kyle Shanahan in 2017, Joseph oversaw a QB situation that toggled between Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch in 2017 before leading a team that signed Case Keenum in 2018. Siemian, Osweiler and Keenum have been better known as backups, while Lynch became one of this century’s biggest quarterback busts. This situation sunk Joseph, who coaxed above-average play from a defense still housing holdovers from Denver’s Super Bowl 50 lineup.

The first-time HC also did not have full autonomy over his staff at the time, according to Graziano. Then-GM John Elway was involved here as well. Joseph’s second Broncos roster was also 6-6, but it lost Chris Harris and Emmanuel Sanders late that year to help key a four-game, season-closing skid ahead of another HC change. Joseph rebounded in Arizona but has done his best coordinator work in Denver, where the team ranks fourth in scoring defense (after finishing third last year).

Joseph remains well-liked in Miami, where he was a one-year DC — before being hired as Broncos HC — according to Fowler. The Raiders interviewed Joseph this past year, and Graziano adds he could be a candidate in Las Vegas again. The Raiders have memorably hired two Denver DCs — Dennis Allen, Jack Del Rio — as HCs over the past 15 years.

As we covered in a Trade Rumors Front Office post last month, DCs could dominate this year’s hiring cycle. Joseph joins Chris Shula (Rams), Jeff Hafley (Packers), Robert Saleh and Jesse Minter (Chargers) as surefire candidates, while Fowler adds Seahawks DC Aden Durde, Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile and Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver are on the radar as well.

With offensive coaches still the quickest way to success and quarterback stability, teams will undoubtedly search for candidates on that front. That will ensure a few of these DCs stay put, but others in this lot will likely land jobs. Joseph, 53, and Saleh having previous HC experience also separates them from this batch of defensive play-callers.

Additionally, Broncos QBs coach Davis Webb looks to be a rising commodity within the coaching community. The third-year Denver QBs coach is viewed as “strong candidate,” per Graziano, presumably alluding to his OC prospects. Just 30, Webb has helped the Broncos since arriving after Russell Wilson‘s disastrous 2022 season. Wilson improved under Webb, Sean Payton and OC Joe Lombardi in 2023, and Bo Nix‘s success has surprised many — even if 2025 has brought inconsistency.

Webb could be a candidate to follow Joseph as OC, Graziano adds. The former reserve QB having experience in the Giants organization could bode well for him here, as they again search for stable leadership. Joseph and Webb leaving would represent a blow for a Broncos team that has completed a turnaround under Payton, and the Denver staff will be one to closely monitor when the hiring period begins next month.

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Vance Joseph’s Head Coaching Stock Rising; Broncos DC Discusses Future

By | at November 30, 2025 10:08 am

Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who also served as the team’s head coach from 2017-18, interviewed for the Raiders’ and Jets’ HC posts in this year’s carousel. While he did not appear to be a serious contender for either job, an October report suggested he would be back on the head coaching radar in a more meaningful way in 2026, and Mike Klis of 9News confirms as much.

According to Kils, Joseph is the candidate who has been mentioned most frequently with respect to one of the HC vacancies in the upcoming cycle. After working as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator from 2019-22, the 53-year-old joined Sean Payton’s first staff in Denver in 2023. Although his ‘23 unit finished near the bottom of the league in terms of both total defense and points per game, his 2024-25 defenses have been among the NFL’s best.

As Klis notes, Joseph is particularly well-regarded for his ability to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks, which is perhaps the most important attribute of a defense in the modern game. The Broncos have amassed a league-leading 112 sacks in the past one-and-a-half seasons, which is one of the reasons why Joseph is expected to generate so much HC interest (he has already been connected to the Titans’ vacancy).

When asked earlier this week about the attention his work has earned, Joseph predictably downplayed his HC aspirations while acknowledging that working under Payton has provided him with valuable insight as to how to “fix” a team (which is similar to what Commanders offensive coordinator and former Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, Joseph’s ex-boss, recently said about working under Dan Quinn).

“It’s flattering, but my second time through the process, or my third or fourth time through the process, I don’t think about it,” Joseph said. “I really don’t because I know it’s about winning. Everyone wants to hire winners. They want to hire someone who’s fixed something. And there’s no better example than what we’ve done here the last three years. Being with Sean Payton helped my learning with how to fix a team.”

Joseph posted a disappointing 11-21 record in his two seasons as the Broncos’ bench boss, but Denver’s quarterback situation during that time left much to be desired. Additionally, Joseph’s team was 6-6 in 2018 before injuries to Pro Bowlers Chris Harris and Emmanuel Sanders helped key a four-game skid to close that season.

As of the time of this writing, the 9-2 Broncos are just a half-game behind the Patriots for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Naturally, Joseph indicated his attention is focused on his team’s postseason push, and he said he will be happy to return to Denver if he does not land an HC job in 2026.

“The key is to win. And not worry about the process,” he said. “It’s the Broncos’ season right now and that’s my focus, honestly. If it happens, I’ll be happy. And if it doesn’t, I’m still going to have a good job. I have good players. I’m in a great city. I have no worries, honestly.”

His accomplishments aside, there could be another reason for the buzz around Joseph. As our Sam Robinson recently wrote in a subscribers-only piece, the would-be 2026 crop of offensive-minded HC talent (like Kingsbury) has not generated much momentum in 2025, which could make teams more inclined to consider defensive-oriented candidates.

8 comments Denver Broncos

Titans’ HC Search Underway; Team To Prioritize Previous HC Experience?

By | at October 19, 2025 9:13 am

Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker might have final say over roster decisions, but both he and first-year general manager Mike Borgonzi will run the search for the club’s next head coach in the wake of Brian Callahan’s dismissal. As Albert Breer of SI.com reports, the duo is not waiting to begin the process and is already researching potential candidates.

Breer adds that Tennessee is not hiring a search firm to aid in the hunt. He also says Brinker and Borgonzi intend to be open-minded and will not focus on a particular “type” of coach.

It is unclear whether he simply means the Titans will consider offense- and defense-oriented coaches, or if the club’s open-mindedness will extend to candidates without previous HC experience. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the lack of success with Callahan – who had not risen above the coordinator ranks when he was hired in 2024 – makes it likely Tennessee opts for a candidate with a head coaching gig on their resume (along with “strong leadership qualities”).

Several of the names that already have been floated as potential targets, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, do have recent experience in an HC post. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, who first reported Nagy’s and Smith’s candidacy, subsequently added Mike McCarthy and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to the list, and those coaches have also served as bench bosses in the past (McCarthy with the Packers and Cowboys, Joseph with Denver).

However, both Rapoport and Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) name Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as a candidate to watch, with Russini also identifying Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver as someone who could interest Tennessee brass. Both men have interviewed for HC positions in recent history, with Anarumo earning a second interview for the Cardinals’ top job in 2023 and Weaver advancing to the second interview stage with the Saints, Falcons, and Commanders over the last two years.

Although neither Anarumo nor Weaver have landed a head coaching job yet, they could be popular interviewees in the upcoming cycle. Whether the Titans are the club to give them their first HC opportunity in light of the disastrous Callahan tenure remains to be seen, but even though Schefter says the club prefers an experienced hand, the ESPN scribe acknowledges Brinker and Borgonzi will cast a wide net in their evaluation process.

As Schefter also points out, Brinker was part of the Packers’ last HC search, which culminated in the Matt LaFleur hire. Titans assistant GM Dave Ziegler, who worked as a personnel advisor with the Saints last year, was part of New Orleans’ hunt for a new head coach after Dennis Allen was fired during the 2024 campaign. The Saints hired Kellen Moore shortly after Ziegler accepted his current job with the Titans.

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Vance Joseph Moving Back Onto HC Radar

By | at October 8, 2025 4:57 pm

After the Broncos took significant steps forward defensively last season, the Jets and Raiders interviewed Vance Joseph for their respective head coaching posts. Denver’s third-year defensive coordinator should expect more interview slips in 2026.

The Broncos’ defense helped buy their offense time to mount a comeback Sunday in Philadelphia, and the team pulled off a 21-17 upset win. Joseph helmed Patrick Surtain to a Defensive Player of the Year showing last season, and recently extended edge rusher Nik Bonitto has an NFL-most seven sacks through five games. Joseph’s name is coming up again regarding head coaching interest, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano.

[RELATED: Recent Broncos Extensions Highlight Post-Russell Wilson Recovery]

Although Joseph interviewed for both the New York and Las Vegas gigs, he did not appear near the lead for either job. Joseph has been back on the DC level for the past seven seasons, having moved from his Broncos HC stint (2017-18) to Cardinals DC and a return to Denver as the AFC West club’s defensive boss. Sporadic success has come for Joseph, who has one of the league’s better units to work with early in Year 3 back in Colorado.

The rare coach who agreed to return as a coordinator for a team he once led as head coach, Joseph gone through a few HC interviews since his January 2019 Broncos ouster. He met about the Dolphins’ job in 2022, and the Cardinals interviewed him about succeeding ex-boss Kliff Kingsbury in 2023. Hired over Kyle Shanahan in 2017, Joseph went 11-21 as Broncos HC. That stint has hurt his chances of seeing a second opportunity.

To be fair, the Broncos did not outfit Joseph with much at quarterback during those seasons. As Paxton Lynch became one of this era’s biggest busts, Joseph had Trevor Siemian as his primary starter in 2017. The Broncos then gave Case Keenum by far his most lucrative contract (two years, $36MM) in 2018 but moved on from the journeyman after one season. Joseph’s second Broncos team also stood 6-6 before injuries to Pro Bowlers Chris Harris and Emmanuel Sanders helped key a four-game skid to close that season, leading to the team’s Vic Fangio hire. Keenum and Siemian moved toward the backup tier fairly soon after their Broncos tenures.

Fangio appeared to be higher on Sean Payton‘s DC wish list in 2023, but the current Eagles DC indicated it was too soon for him to return to Denver (the team had fired him in January 2022). Joseph, 53, saw his best two Cardinals defenses finish just outside the top 10 in scoring. The Broncos ranked third last season and sit second entering their Week 6 London matchup with the Jets. This momentum continuing should generate momentum for Joseph, as he is now seven years removed from his first HC opportunity.

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Jets Start Submitting HC Interview Requests

By | at January 17, 2025 11:28 am

JANUARY 17: Griese declined the Jets’ interview request, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. That makes him the first candidate to turn down the chance to meet with the team. New York has, of course, nevertheless compiled a long list of targets as the search process for a new full-time head coach continues.

JANUARY 6: The Jets have been free to interview coaching candidates not currently under contract to other teams. Now that the regular season is over, however, formal interview requests can be made to speak with staffers employed elsewhere.

The Jets have been quite busy on that front, sending out requests to numerous staffers as they map out the next phase of their search process. New York has already interviewed former head coaches Ron Rivera and (after the expiration of his Browns consulting contract) Mike Vrabel. The same will also be true of former Jets coach Rex Ryan, who said on Monday he sees himself as the top candidate.

In addition to those three, a slew of coaches have received an interview request. That includes Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, as noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Slowik is in his second season leading Houston’s offense after he followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco. The Texans put up strong numbers during quarterback C.J. Stroud‘s rookie season, leading to head coaching interest in Slowik’s case. The 37-year-old’s unit regressed in 2024, but he has still landed at least one interview request this time around.

The Jets have also requested an interview with Arthur Smith, per Rapoport. That comes as little surprise given the interest New York showed in Smith this past offseason for a role on the team’s offensive staff. Smith instead took the Steelers’ OC gig, but a recent report noted he was likely to receive a look for head coach from the Jets. After three years at the helm of the Falcons (which consisted entirely of 7-10 seasons), Smith immediately moved on to his current role in Pittsburgh. He turned aside interest for North Carolina’s head coaching position, but it will be notable if he explores any HC vacancies at the NFL level this winter.

Another offensive staffer who has received an interview request is Joe Brady. Rapoport reports the Bills’ play-caller has received a slip from the Jets, one which could very well be followed by others shortly. Brady had a forgettable tenure under Matt Rhule with the Panthers, but he has been in Buffalo since 2022. The 35-year-old took over as interim OC midway through last season, and that move sparked improvement in the team’s run game in particular. Brady remained in place on a full-time basis for 2024, and he again guided Buffalo to a strong showing on offense.

Remaining on the offensive side of the ball, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports New York is interested in speaking with Matt Nagy. The former Bears head coach would meet the Jets’ desire to add an experienced leader on the sidelines, although Nagy’s Chicago tenure did not yield much in the way of success after 2018. Following his Chicago firing after the 2021 campaign, Nagy returned to the Chiefs to serve as their QBs coach. The 46-year-old was then promoted to offensive coordinator (in a non play-calling capacity) last offseason following Eric Bieniemy‘s departure. Nagy’s work in that role has put him on the HC radar, with the Saints also being a team believed to have interest.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Brian Griese has also received an interview request. The longtime quarterback had a stretch working as an ESPN analyst from 2009-22, but since then he has worked as a member of the 49ers’ coaching staff. This season marked his third as San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach, and as such Griese has played a large role in developing Brock Purdy into a candidate for the NFL’s next mega-extension at the position. Given his lack of coaching experience, a jump to HC would come as a surprise at this point, but Griese could receive some consideration from the Jets.

Vikings QBs coach Josh McCown is another staffer with an offensive background whom the Jets are looking into. Schefter reports the 45-year-old has received an interview request. McCown’s playing career ended in 2020, and it did not take long for him to transition to coaching. He coached the Panthers’ quarterbacks last season before taking on the same role with the Vikings for 2024. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has understandably received praise for Sam Darnold‘s strong play this year, but McCown’s role has no doubt helped his stock as well.

Having moved on from Robert Saleh midseason and struggled under interim HC (and former defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich), it would come as no surprise if an offensive staffer were to be targeted by the Jets. Not all candidates have that background, though. Schefter reports Vance Joseph has received an interview request, one which may well be followed by others this cycle. His work leading the Broncos’ defense (No. 7 in yards allowed, No. 3 in scoring) has not gone unnoticed, and a second head coaching opportunity could come about as a result. Joseph, 52, coached the Broncos in 2017 and ’18.

Another popular candidate is Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Jets have submitted a request. Glenn has been in his current role since 2021, and after receiving confidence from head coach Dan Campbell in the wake of previous poor outings his unit has shown improvement this year. Despite dealing with several injuries, the Lions ranked seventh in scoring defense en route to the top seed in the NFC. Glenn has not worked as a head coach in the NFL before, but the 2025 cycle could present his first opportunity to do so.

Rounding out defensive candidates, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports Brian Flores is on the list of staffers New York wishes to speak with. His success as Vikings defensive coordinator has boosted his stock, and the former Dolphins coach made it clear earlier this season he would welcome another opportunity to lead a staff. Other suitors could be in play as well, and Flores’ interview process will be worth watching closely.

Other candidates will no doubt emerge soon, but for now the Jets have a long list of targets as they seek out Saleh’s long-term replacement. It will be interesting to see where Ulbrich fits into this equation; in any event, though, he figures to have considerable competition for the gig.

8 comments New York Jets
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