Broncos Request DC Interview With Cardinals’ Vance Joseph
Vance Joseph‘s status in Arizona remains in limbo, but with Jonathan Gannon likely to make changes (and already connected to other names on the defensive side of the ball), it appears likely the veteran coach will be elsewhere in 2023. On that note, Joseph has received an unusual request.
The Broncos are interested in interviewing him for their defensive coordinator position, Mike Klis of 9News reports (on Twitter). Joseph has spent the past four years in Arizona, trekking south after the Broncos fired him in 2019. Joseph remains under contract with the Cardinals, who could block the move. But the fact the Broncos are seeking this interview in the first place offers intrigue.
While Joseph is not long removed from his two-year tenure as Denver’s head coach, the Broncos do have a new regime in place. John Elway hired Joseph in 2017, famously going with the defense-oriented leader after a process that included a Kyle Shanahan interview, and pulled the plug after Joseph’s 11-21 tenure. The Broncos now have George Paton in place as GM and Sean Payton running the show as head coach. The team features new ownership as well.
It would be interesting to see if Joseph goes through with the interview, but it would not be unprecedented to see a team’s former head coach return as its defensive coordinator. It’s happened twice in the AFC West in the not-so-distant past. The Broncos brought back Wade Phillips in 2015, doing so after firing him as HC (to pave way for Mike Shanahan‘s 1995 hire). Less time had passed for the Chiefs, who rehired Gunther Cunningham — their head coach from 1999-2000 — as DC in 2004. Cunningham stayed on as DC under Dick Vermeil and Herm Edwards for five seasons.
The Cardinals interviewed Joseph for their HC position early in their lengthy search process but ended up preferring two other DCs — finalists Gannon and Lou Anarumo. Joseph, 50, oversaw DVOA’s 24th-ranked defense in 2022 but had more success in previous seasons. Despite the Cards missing J.J. Watt for much of the season and having issues at cornerback, their 2021 defense ranked sixth in DVOA. In 2020, the metric measured Joseph’s Cards defense as the league’s 10th-best unit. In Denver, Joseph’s 2017 defense — which still featured some troops from the team’s Super Bowl-winning unit — ranked third in yards allowed. Though, the franchise’s quarterback issues that sank Vic Fangio initially keyed Joseph’s Denver ouster. Justin Simmons is the only defender left on the roster who played under Joseph.
Denver’s DC search has gone in a few directions. The most notable names now connected to it are Rex Ryan and Sean Desai, and Mike Zimmer has now been connected to both the Broncos and Cardinals. Ryan may now be the favorite here, despite having not coached since 2016. But Joseph — an ex-Colorado Buffalo — would certainly be an interesting addition to Denver’s mix.
Coaching Notes: Cards, Kingsbury, Chargers
Mentioned as a candidate to reunite with Sean Payton, Mike Zimmer also may be under consideration for another reunion. Jonathan Gannon, one of Zimmer’s original hires with the Vikings back in 2014, appears to have the veteran coach on his radar for his Cardinals staff, Howard Balzer of gophnx.com tweets. Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis also may be on Gannon’s radar to head to Arizona, per Balzer. Gannon spent four seasons on Zimmer’s Minnesota staff, working as the Vikings’ assistant defensive backs coach. Rallis, 29, was on Zimmer’s Vikes staff from 2018-20, before joining the Eagles. It will be interesting to see if Zimmer, 66, has multiple options to return to an NFL post.
As for Gannon’s Cardinals staff as a whole, some of Kliff Kingsbury‘s assistants are in limbo. Vance Joseph and others have not been informed of their future with the Cards, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. Joseph was initially a candidate to replace Kingsbury and interviewed for the job, but the four-year Arizona DC did not reach the finalist stage.
With all five HC positions now filled, here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- Back from Thailand, Kingsbury has now met with multiple teams. After interviewing for the Texans’ OC post, the four-year Cardinals HC met with the Ravens. The sides discussed an unspecified staff position, Anderson tweets. This Sunday interview of sorts did not produce an agreement. Kingsbury is still in line to collect considerable cash from his 2022 Cardinals extension, but the Texans and Ravens hired others — Bobby Slowik, Todd Monken, respectively — to run their offenses.
- Staying in Baltimore, Monken will have input in how the next Ravens offensive staff looks, per Anderson. The Ravens, as should be expected given their situation, followed through with their pledge to involve Lamar Jackson in the OC search as well (Twitter links). Monken, who collected two national titles while at Georgia, last coached in the NFL as the Browns’ OC in 2019.
- Justin Herbert‘s 2023 brain trust will consist of ex-Cowboy staffers. After hiring Kellen Moore, the Chargers are adding Doug Nussmeier as quarterbacks coach, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. Nussmeier, an OC at five college programs from 2008-17, was with the Cowboys for five seasons — the past three as QBs coach. The 52-year-old assistant had multiple offers for 2023 NFL gigs, per Russini (on Twitter).
- As the Broncos cycled through head coaches over the past several seasons, they kept Zach Azzanni in place. A Joseph hire back in 2018, Azzani stayed on as wide receivers coach under Vic Fangio and Nathaniel Hackett. Azzanni interviewed with both the Bills and Jets for the AFC East clubs’ respective wide receivers coach roles over the past two days, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). While these meetings could signal Payton has other plans for this job, Pelissero adds the Broncos could still retain the highly regarded position coach to work for a fourth HC.
- The Broncos will lose one of their quality control staffers to the Cowboys. Ramon Chinyoung is leaving Denver to become Dallas’ assistant offensive line coach, per 9News’ Mike Klis (on Twitter). The Cowboys are also hiring Will Harriger as an offensive assistant, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Harriger, who spent last season as a USC assistant, has worked with both Brian Schottenheimer and Dan Quinn. Harriger previously served as the Seahawks’ assistant quarterbacks coach from 2016-18 and later was part of Quinn’s Falcons staff.
- Shortly after the Broncos interviewed Rex Ryan for their DC job, the ESPN analyst’s son is in the mix for a title bump. The Jets requested an interview with Seth Ryan for their wide receivers coach position, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). A third-generation NFL coach, Seth is currently the Lions’ assistant receivers coach. Just 28, Ryan has an NFL assistant for four seasons. He has been with the Lions for the past two. Although Azzanni is also in the mix for this Jets job, Seth Ryan working for his father’s former team is on the radar.
2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker
Last year, 10 NFL teams hired new head coaches. Following the Panthers, Broncos and Texans’ hires, this year’s vacancy count sits at two. Last year’s Saints and Buccaneers moves, however, showed these job openings can emerge at unexpected points.
Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:
Updated 2-14-23 (1:30pm CT)
Arizona Cardinals
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Bengals): Conducted second interview 2/10
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 2/2; out of running
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed; potential finalist; hired as Panthers DC
- Brian Flores, linebackers coach (Steelers): Favorite?; second interview cancelled
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Hired
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/21; potential finalist; out of running
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/18; out of running
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview 2/7; likely out of mix
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Conducted second interview 1/25; to stay with Cowboys
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/26
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Interviewed 1/17
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview cancelled, prefers Texans’ job
Carolina Panthers
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/18
- Ken Dorsey, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/21
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): To remain at Michigan
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): In lead for job?; plans to stay with Lions
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/22
- Jerod Mayo, inside linebackers coach (Patriots): Interview declined
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/24-1/25
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/23
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Hired
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview postponed
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/14
- Steve Wilks, interim head coach (Panthers): Conducted second interview 1/25
Denver Broncos
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed 1/11
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Potential candidate?
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Potential candidate?
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Interviewed 1/9; to remain at Michigan; still in play?
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Potential candidate?
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/17
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/20; to stay with Cowboys
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Mentioned as candidate; team moving in different direction
- Jerry Rosburg, interim head coach/senior assistant (Broncos): No longer considered for job
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/19; frontrunner?; prefers Texans’ job
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Hired; Saints to receive first-, second-round picks
- David Shaw, former head coach (Stanford): Interviewed 1/11
Houston Texans
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/17
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Conducted second interview 1/25
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Early frontrunner?; interviewed 1/14
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/12; plans to stay with Lions
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview 1/25
- Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/16
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Hired
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/13
Indianapolis Colts
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/12; in finalist mix?
- Rich Bisaccia, special teams coordinator (Packers): Completed second interview
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Conducted second interview 2/1; no longer in running
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Conducted second interview 1/26; hired as Panthers DC
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Completed second interview 2/2
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Mentioned as candidate, to remain at Michigan
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/13; plans to stay with Lions
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/22
- Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview; no longer in running
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Conducted second interview 1/27
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Second interview scheduled for 1/28; to stay with Cowboys
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview on hold; Colts still wanted to meet
- Jeff Saturday, interim head coach (Colts): Conducted second interview 1/25; hire unlikely?; out of running
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Hired
- Bubba Ventrone, special teams coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/11; in finalist mix?
Coaching Rumors: Payton, Flores, Evero
By far the biggest name on this year’s coaching carousel, Sean Payton looks to have seen his momentum stall a bit. While Payton is interviewing with the Cardinals today, his candidacy has not produced a second interview anywhere yet. The Panthers met with Payton this week but just hired Frank Reich. While the Texans remain on the radar for the longtime Saints HC, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com does not get the sense much momentum is present for such a partnership. The Broncos have been connected to other names recently as well, but that path may be dwindling as well. There might not be a place for Payton — as odd as that sounds, given his track record — on this year’s market, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com offers (video link)
Trade compensation being required to land the Super Bowl XLIV-winning HC, with the price varying from a first-rounder and other early picks to two first-rounders, has affected teams’ plans here. Payton, 59, has also been mentioned as waffling on this year’s lot of jobs. Returning to FOX for another year and surveying the 2024 market, when two jobs he has long been connected to (Chargers, Cowboys), could be available might be what comes out of this run of interviews. Payton remains in this year’s mix, but buzz has died down.
Here is the latest from the coaching landscape:
- Regarding the Cardinals‘ search, Brian Flores remains firmly in the mix. GM candidates received the impression Arizona is high on the three-year Miami HC-turned-Pittsburgh linebackers coach, Fowler notes. Previously mentioned as a frontrunner — due partially to the Cards hiring ex-Patriots exec Monti Ossenfort as GM — Flores may have a right-hand man on defense lined up. Some around the league expect the ex-Dolphins HC to bring Gerald Alexander, Miami’s defensive backs coach for the past three years, with him to Arizona, per Fowler. With the Dolphins looking for a new DC, Alexander may be on the move anyway. While ESPN colleague Dan Graziano points to Vance Joseph and Aaron Glenn remaining strong candidates, Flores has generated the most buzz to this point. Flores has also interviewed for the Falcons and Vikings’ DC posts.
- Raheem Morris booked a second HC interview with the Colts and also met with the Broncos and Texans. Should the Rams‘ DC land a second HC opportunity, Albert Breer of SI.com notes Ejiro Evero is the team’s top candidate to replace him. The Denver DC is no lock to be available. He is under contract with the Broncos, who blocked a Falcons DC interview, and has gone through second HC interviews with the Colts and Texans. Denver could pass on retaining Evero by hiring a defensive-minded coach, of course. Evero came to Denver from Los Angeles; he spent five years on Sean McVay‘s staff.
- The Browns considered bringing in Vic Fangio for a DC interview, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes, but they stood down and ended up hiring Jim Schwartz. Cleveland having run a 4-3 defense in recent years may have been a reason for passing on a Fangio meeting, Cabot offers. Fangio has remained quite popular still, having interviewed for three DC jobs — the Dolphins, Falcons and Panthers — already.
- The Bills are making a change to their defensive staff. They fired safeties coach Jim Salgado, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com tweets. Salgado had been on McDermott’s staff throughout the head coach’s six-season tenure.
- Giants DC Don Martindale is attached to a three-year contract, Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Giants thought enough of the veteran coordinator, whom the Ravens did not bring back last year, they gave him the three-year deal as opposed to the more common two-year pact. Giants ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey also received extensive interest from other teams, with Duggan adding the Chargers joined the Panthers in offering him their ST coordinator jobs. McGaughey, who has been with the Giants since 2018, turned down a Bears interview and opted to stay and work for Brian Daboll.
Cardinals To Interview Vance Joseph For HC Job
Rumors of Vance Joseph being on the radar for a promotion in Arizona circulated last week, and the Cardinals are indeed interested in seeing what their defensive coordinator could provide the team as a head coach.
The Cardinals plan to interview Joseph for their HC job next week, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). Joseph, who has been Arizona’s DC since the team hired Kliff Kingsbury in 2019, has been an interviewee elsewhere since being fired as the Broncos’ HC following the 2018 season.
Although the Cardinals have a history of promoting from within at their GM position — a blueprint that may still be in place — the team has reached outside the organization for its head coaches. That common path has included mostly offense-based HCs this century. The Cardinals have gone offense (Kingsbury, Bruce Arians, Ken Whisenhunt and Dennis Green) with four of their past five HC hires. Only Steve Wilks, whom the team made a one-and-done after the 2018 season, came from the defensive side of the ball over the past 19 years.
Joseph, 50, is well-liked in the Cardinals’ building and, Kingsbury ties aside, may be one of the frontrunners for the position. Of course, Joseph almost certainly would not outflank Sean Payton. The Saints granted the Cards permission to interview Payton on Wednesday, generating intrigue regarding this year’s hottest coaching free agent. But the team will explore its options, as Payton is far from a lock to agree to terms with Arizona.
After helming back-to-back double-digit loss seasons in Denver, Joseph oversaw a last-ranked Arizona defense in 2019. The team showed considerable improvement in 2020 and ’21, however, ranking in the top 13 in both points and yardage in each campaign. This year’s Cards defense regressed, ranking 31st in points per game allowed (26.4) and slotting 24th in DVOA.
Michael Bidwill said he hopes to replace Steve Keim before landing on a head coach. A host of GM candidates have emerged for the team, including in-house staffers Quentin Harris and Adrian Wilson. In the wake of Keim stepping away from the team, Harris and Wilson shared his responsibilities. It would be interesting to see if the Cardinals, given the turbulent year they just had, would legitimately consider an in-house GM and a holdover HC.
Cardinals DC Vance Joseph Favored To Replace Kliff Kingsbury?
January 8: Owner Michael Bidwill has not told Kingsbury about his plans one way or another, as Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report. While Bidwill is doing his homework on coaching candidates, he no longer has Keim as a trusted sounding board, and the NFL.com duo suggest that a Kingsbury firing is not a sure thing. After all, Bidwill will already have to replace Keim, and an accompanying coaching change could be too much turnover, unless he can be sure he is getting an upgrade.
That is to say nothing of the fact that he would have to pay Kingsbury and Keim through at least 2026 while also paying his new coach and GM (previous reports indicated that the recent extensions that Bidwill greenlighted for Kingsbury and Keim ran through 2027, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that Kingsbury’s deal is guaranteed through 2026, with 2027 being an option year).
Rapoport and Pelissero name Sean Payton as a possible candidate to replace Kingsbury, and Florio notes that the Saints are expecting to hear from Arizona about the possibility of acquiring Payton’s rights. New Orleans has already granted the Broncos permission to interview Payton, and those two clubs appear to have trade compensation — which features a first-round draft choice — largely in place.
January 7: With the NFL’s regular season set to come to a close, ‘Black Monday’ has nearly arrived. One move which would, given recent reporting, come as little surprise would be the Cardinals parting ways with head coach Kliff Kingsbury. 
The 43-year-old signed an extension this past offseason, one in which general manager Steve Keim and quarterback Kyler Murray each inked long-term deals of their own to remain in Arizona. Things have not gone according to plan on the field or in the front office this season, however, to the point where it is something of an “open secret” that Kingsbury will be fired this Monday. Such a decision would reflect the team’s regression in 2022, but also invite questions with respect to his replacement.
On that point, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports (via Johnny Venerable of the PHNX Cardinals Podcast, on Twitter) that Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is expected to be “a lead candidate, if not the lead candidate” to succeed Kingsbury. Promoting the former would represent a level of internal maneuvering which would run counter to what many feel the organization should be aiming for.
Keim – who is currently away from the team – is also thought to be on his way out of Arizona, a departure which (if coupled with the firing of Kingsbury) would clear the way for a total re-tooling on the sidelines and in the front office, should ownership be inclined to move in that direction. Joseph, on the other hand, would be a familiar face to take on the HC role, as he has served in his current capacity since 2019. The Cardinals’ defense has seen two years of above-average ranks during that span, but the unit has taken a step back this year.
Heading into the final week of games in 2022, Arizona sits 29th in the league in terms of points allowed per game (25.7). The team has struggled in particular against the pass, and has been unable to establish a consistent pass rush during the campaign. In spite of that, Joseph, 50, has reportedly boosted his stock heading into the 2023 coaching cycle. His time in Arizona came after a two-year stretch as the Broncos’ head coach in which the team went 11-21.
That period, in turn, was preceded by one year spent in Miami as a DC in 2016. The Dolphins interviewed Joseph for their head coaching vacancy last offseason, before ultimately hiring Mike McDaniel. It will be worth monitoring how much outside interest he generates for HC (or at least coordinator) openings in the coming days and weeks should he hit the open market at all.
Coaching Rumors: Evero, Bevell, Downing
Ejiro Evero profiles as one of the more unusual coaching candidates in recent memory. The first-year Broncos defensive coordinator has delivered in his first season up from the position-coaching level, with Denver overcoming a stream of injuries — and the Bradley Chubb trade — to stay on course as a top-three scoring defense. Evero has come up on multiple teams’ HC radars, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. The Broncos might even be interested in talking to him about their job, Fowler adds, with Nathaniel Hackett barreling toward becoming this century’s 14th one-and-done coach. But Denver’s 3-7 record could delay a potential Evero ascent.
Evero, 41, spent the previous five years on Sean McVay‘s Rams staff but has been a longtime Hackett friend. The two played together at UC-Davis. The Broncos attempting a Hackett-for-Evero swap might be difficult, especially since the organization’s new owners would presumably like to start fresh considering how poorly this season has gone. But teams are monitoring Denver’s up-and-coming DC, who will almost certainly not have to worry about the playoffs scuttling any interview plans.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- Todd Downing‘s DUI arrest will undoubtedly have a significant effect on his near-future aspirations to become a head coach. Establishing some momentum during his two-year Titans OC stay — which has featured the 2021 team earning the AFC’s No. 1 seed without Derrick Henry available for the stretch run and this year’s squad move to 7-3, most recently after the team’s best offensive performance of the year — Downing should not expect to be on teams’ interview lists in 2023. A GM discussing this process told the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora the arrest will remove him from HC consideration during the upcoming cycle. Downing’s arrest has brought an NFL investigation and an internal probe, putting his status with the Titans on unsteady ground.
- Darrell Bevell is a Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator and a two-time interim head coach, and CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson notes the Dolphins quarterbacks coach/passing-game coordinator is gaining momentum for a possible run as a full-time HC gig (Twitter link). The Dolphins’ offensive success may earn both Bevell and OC Frank Smith looks. Bevell, 52, has not been on the HC interview radar in many years, bouncing around in assistant roles since the Seahawks fired him after the 2017 season. The Bills did interview Bevell in 2015, and the Lions gave him an interview after his 2020 interim stay. Aided by the arrivals of Mike McDaniel and Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa has taken a major step forward this season. The third-year southpaw still leads the league in QBR. It will be interesting to see if Bevell ends up receiving interview consideration soon as a result.
- Cardinals DC Vance Joseph has rebuilt his stock to the point he should be expected to land more interviews in 2023, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano adds. Joseph’s name has come up recently, despite his defense’s production dipping this season. Although the Cardinals have shown flashes defensively, they rank 31st and are coming off a nationally televised 38-10 loss to the 49ers. Joseph, who coached in Denver for two seasons, booked a Dolphins HC interview last year. With Kliff Kingsbury‘s Arizona staff potentially set to splinter, Joseph would at worst be a coordinator candidate elsewhere in 2023.
2022 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker
Last year, seven NFL teams opted to make a head coaching change. Sean Payton stepping away from the Saints created nine full-time vacancies available this year.
Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:
Updated 2-7-22 (1:45pm CT)
Chicago Bears
- Dennis Allen, defensive coordinator (Saints): Interview canceled
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/22
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Conducted second interview 1/25
- Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/16
- Matt Eberflus, defensive coordinator (Colts): Hired
- Brian Flores, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/14
- Leslie Frazier, defensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/21
- Nathaniel Hackett, offensive coordinator (Packers): Interviewed 1/15; hired by Broncos
- Byron Leftwich, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interview requested
- Doug Pederson, former head coach (Eagles): Interviewed 1/12
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): To conduct second interview 1/26; remaining in Dallas
Denver Broncos
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/21
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/20
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/19
- Luke Getsy, quarterbacks coach (Packers): Interviewed 1/14
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/13
- Nathaniel Hackett, offensive coordinator (Packers): Hired
- Jerod Mayo, linebackers coach (Patriots): Interviewed 1/19
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/18
- Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator (Rams): Finalist
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Finalist
Houston Texans
- Brian Flores, former head coach (Dolphins): Conducted second interview 1/31; finalist
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Conducted second interview 1/29; finalist; Informed by Texans he won’t be hired
- Joe Lombardi, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/15
- Jerod Mayo, linebackers coach (Patriots): Mentioned as candidate
- Josh McCown, longtime NFL QB: Conducted second interview 1/28; finalist; considered out of running?
- Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator (Rams): Conducted second interview 1/31; expected to be hired by Vikings
- Lovie Smith, defensive coordinator/associate head coach (Texans): Hired
- Hines Ward, wide receivers coach (Florida Atlantic): Interviewed 1/15
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Rich Bisaccia, former interim head coach (Raiders): Interviewed 1/31
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/3
- Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed 1/4
- Matt Eberflus, defensive coordinator (Colts): Completed second interview 1/20; hired by Bears
- Nathaniel Hackett, offensive coordinator (Packers): Conducted second interview 1/27; hired by Broncos
- Byron Leftwich, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Conducted second interview 1/25; expected to bow out?
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/7
- Bill O’Brien, former head coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/13
- Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator (Rams): Team wants to interview; interview delayed
- Doug Pederson, former head coach (Eagles): Hired
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Declined early interview; remaining in Dallas
Las Vegas Raiders
- Rich Bisaccia, interim head coach (Raiders): Interviewed 1/19
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/28
- Jim Harbaugh, former head coach (49ers): Mentioned as candidate; early frontrunner?
- Jerod Mayo, linebackers coach (Patriots): Interviewed 1/25
- Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator (Patriots): Hired
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview expected
Miami Dolphins
- Thomas Brown, running backs coach/assistant head coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/21
- Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator (Bills): Second interview expected; viewed as favorite?; hired by Giants
- Leslie Frazier, defensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/16
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/21
- Mike McDaniel, offensive coordinator (49ers): Hired
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Conducted second interview 2/5
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/20; remaining in Dallas
Minnesota Vikings
- Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/21
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/20
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Mentioned as candidate
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview 2/1
- Nathaniel Hackett, offensive coordinator (Packers): Interviewed 1/16; hired by Broncos
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Interviewed 2/2; to stay at Michigan
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/19
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Conducted second interview 1/31
- Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator (Rams): To be hired
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/19; remaining in Dallas
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/23; declined second interview
New Orleans Saints
- Dennis Allen, defensive coordinator (Saints): Hired
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 2/6
- Pete Carmichael, offensive coordinator (Saints): Declined interview request
- Brian Flores, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 2/1
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 2/2
- Byron Leftwich, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interview requested; granted permission
- Doug Pederson, former head coach (Eagles): Interviewed 1/30; hired by Jaguars
- Darren Rizzi, special teams coordinator (Saints): Interviewed 2/3
New York Giants
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/23
- Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator (Bills): Hired
- Brian Flores, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/27
- Leslie Frazier, defensive coordinator (Bills): Conducted second interview 1/28
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/26
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/24; remaining in Dallas
Vikings Request Permission To Speak With Six More Coaches About HC Job
And like that, we’ve got a growing list of candidates for the Vikings HC job. Following news that the Vikings requested permission to interview Todd Bowles for the gig, we’ve learned that the organization requested permission to interview six additional coaches:
- Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles) (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter)
- Nathaniel Hackett, offensive coordinator (Packers) (via Pelissero on Twitter)
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Cowboys) (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter)
- Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator (Rams) (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Twitter)
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys) (via Pelissero on Twitter)
- DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers) (via Pelissero on Twitter)
Five of those coaches have already been connected to other HC vacancies, but this is the first reported interview request for Ryans. The former NFL linebacker has been on the 49ers coaching staff since 2017, and he was promoted to defensive coordinator last offseason after Robert Saleh left for New York. During his first season in the role, the 49ers defense ranked third in yards allowed and ninth in points allowed.
Of course, the Vikings may not be sticking with only seven candidates. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin tweets that the Vikings have also explored the candidacy of Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
Per Pelissero (on Twitter), the Vikings are hoping to find a replacement for former GM Rick Spielman before they hire a replacement for former HC Mike Zimmer. However, considering the anti-tampering rules, the Vikings only have until Sunday to interview coaches on byes, so they have reason to speak with someone like Hackett ASAP. The Vikings plan to kick off their GM interviews on Sunday, with Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort first in line.
Dolphins Request HC Interviews With Cardinals’ Vance Joseph, Cowboys’ Kellen Moore
Vance Joseph has enjoyed some eventful years since leaving Miami in 2017. The Dolphins, however, are interested in bringing the veteran defensive coach back to south Florida.
The Dolphins requested a head-coaching interview with Joseph, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. This follows the team’s interview summons for Brian Daboll, Mike McDaniel, and Dan Quinn. Joseph, however, has more familiarity with the franchise. This marks Joseph’s first connection to an opening this year.
In addition to the Joseph inclusion, the Dolphins sent out a request to meet with Cowboys OC Kellen Moore, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Prior to taking the Broncos HC job, Joseph spent the 2016 season as the Dolphins DC. That did not go particularly well, with Miami ranking 29th in total defense that year. Nevertheless, Joseph impressed enough to beat out Kyle Shanahan to become Denver’s HC. The Broncos fired him after two years, however. Joseph went 11-21 in Denver, starting the franchise’s run of sub-.500 seasons. Joseph, 49, has run the Cardinals’ defense since 2019. Following two relatively mediocre seasons, Arizona’s defense has turned it around in 2021, including them ranking seventh in passing yards allowed.
Moore inked a three-year extension with the Cowboys towards the close of the 2020 season, but he’s remained a hot name in coaching circles. The rival Eagles requested an interview with him in January of 2021 before ultimately going with Nick Sirianni.

