Chargers Interview Dennard Wilson For DC
One day after new Titans head coach Robert Saleh fired him, Dennard Wilson is now a candidate for the Chargers’ defensive coordinator position. The Chargers have interviewed Wilson for the job, per a team announcement.
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is seeking a replacement for trusted confidant and former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who took the Ravens’ HC gig on Thursday. Considering the success Minter had during his two-year stay in Los Angeles, he’ll be a tough act to follow for the Chargers’ next D-coordinator. The Bolts’ Minter-led defense finished top 10 in scoring twice in a row, including No. 1 in 2024, and was fifth in yards allowed in 2025.
Wilson has ties to the Harbaugh family, having worked as Baltimore’s defensive backs coach under then-Ravens HC John Harbaugh in 2023. He parlayed that position into the Titans’ defensive coordinator role from 2024-25. The unit was 30th in scoring in Wilson’s first year, but it was a far stingier second in total defense. However, after it ranked 28th and 21st, respectively, in those categories in 2025, Wilson is now seeking employment.
Along with the Titans and Ravens, the 43-year-old Wilson has served on defensive staffs with the Rams, Jets and Eagles since his NFL coaching career began in 2012. He was the passing game coordinator and DBs coach for the 2022 Eagles, whose top-ranked pass defense helped them advance to the Super Bowl.
Wilson is the first official D-coordinator meeting for the Chargers, who have requested interviews with Ravens DC Zach Orr and Rams pass game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant. There’s a belief that Harbaugh will ultimately promote DBs coach Steve Clinkscale to replace Minter. If that’s the case, Wilson could still end up on the Chargers’ staff in some capacity. He’s also on the Commanders’ radar, having interviewed for their D-coordinator opening on Jan. 10.
Chargers Request Zach Orr DC Interview
The Chargers lost defensive coordinator Jesse Minter yesterday. One of the NFL’s top head coaching candidates of this year’s cycle is now in place with the Ravens. 
Los Angeles could look to Baltimore to find Minter’s replacement. The Chargers have requested an interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr for their DC vacancy, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Orr has held his current title with Baltimore for the past two years.
When Mike Macdonald departed to become head coach of the Seahawks in 2024, the Ravens took the familiar route of promoting from within. A former Baltimore linebacker, Orr took on the D-coordinator role as Macdonald’s replacement. The 33-year-old has been held in high regard in Baltimore throughout his tenures in the organization.
Orr struggled during his first season as DC. Changes were made along the sidelines and on the field which brought about a turnaround, though. The Ravens finished 2024 ranked ninth in points allowed. This season, things did not go according to plan. Orr’s unit consistently struggled, albeit with injuries partially to blame. Baltimore dropped to 18th in scoring defense in 2025.
That did not stop Orr from receiving external DC interest. The former UDFA interviewed with the Cowboys for their D-coordinator gig before Dallas ultimately hired Christian Parker for the role. Orr’s Ravens status remains unclear at this point with Minter likely to handle play-calling duties in Baltimore. He and Orr worked together from 2017-20.
The Chargers have Steve Clinkscale – who served as a co-DC alongside Minter at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh – in place as a strong internal replacement candidate. Los Angeles is required to conduct at least one interview with an external minority candidate, however. The team requested an interview with Rams defensive pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant. Orr is now in position to receive a look as well, and it will be interesting to see if the Chargers find themselves in position to bring in Baltimore’s DC in the wake of Minter joining the Ravens.
Bills To Interview Mike McDaniel For HC Position
Mike McDaniel reached an agreement with the Chargers earlier this week to become their new offensive coordinator. He remains on the market for a head coaching gig at this point of the hiring cycle, however. 
McDaniel will conduct an interview with the Bills today for their HC vacancy, as first reported by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. This in-person summit will come in the wake of McDaniel withdrawing from the Browns’ search. That seemed to leave him short on head coaching opportunities, but at least one of the league’s five remaining vacancies could be a possibility in his case.
McDaniel’s job security with the Dolphins remained a talking point through the end of the 2025 campaign. A relatively strong finish to the season appeared to help his standing in the organization, but having already moved on from general manager Champ Kelly owner Stephen Ross elected to clean house not long after Week 18 wrapped up. The Dolphins have since brought in Jon-Eric Sullivan and former Packers colleague Jeff Hafley to lead the way.
The Bills, meanwhile, will continue to have Brandon Beane guiding the front office. The veteran general manager was promoted to president of football operations shortly after the decision was made to fire head coach Sean McDermott. A number of familiar names – such as current offensive coordinator Joe Brady, former OC Brian Daboll and ex-Josh Allen teammate Davis Webb – have been strongly linked to Buffalo as the search for McDermott’s replacement unfolds.
The Bills went up against McDaniel’s Dolphins eight times in the regular season and once in the playoffs during his Miami stint. There is of course a high degree of familiarity already in this case as a result, but it will be interesting to see what takes place following this interview. Buffalo has other meetings set for this weekend, so a small group of finalists should emerge relatively soon.
Buffalo owner Terry Pegula along with Beane and executives Brian Gaine and Terrance Gray are present for the upcoming set of interviews, Breer notes. He adds Allen will take part in the interviews as well, confirming Pegula’s comments on that matter from earlier this week. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Allen will have a “significant say” in the Bills’ ultimate HC decision. Buffalo’s McDermott replacement will be the second head coach of the 2024 MVP’s NFL career.
Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where the Bills currently stand:
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/22
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/21
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/22; prefers Buffalo gig
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Rumored candidate
- Anthony Lynn, run-game coordinator (Commanders): To interview 1/24
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview 1/23
- Grant Udinski, offensive coordinator (Jaguars): To interview 1/25
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): To interview 1/24
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Rumored candidate
Ravens Hire Jesse Minter As HC
Jesse Minter is officially coming back to Baltimore. The former John Harbaugh assistant will be hired as his successor. The Ravens announced the decision Thursday.
Canceling his second Browns interview earlier today, Minter has chosen one of Cleveland’s AFC North rivals. The fit is natural, given Minter’s past in Maryland. The two-year Chargers DC has worked under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and in Los Angeles, but prior to that, he spent four seasons as a Ravens assistant. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport initially reported the Minter hire was close.
It is rather interesting the Ravens will hire one of John Harbaugh’s former assistants given Steve Bisciotti‘s comments regarding the HC’s underachievement. But Minter drew widespread interest from around the league. Following Bisciotti’s comments about giving the new hire a long runway, Minter received a five-year contract (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
The Ravens have also been known for in-house hires. They promoted GM Eric DeCosta to succeed Ozzie Newsome and previously elevated position coaches to replace coordinators. Minter never rose above the position coach tier during his previous Baltimore stint, which involved defensive back coach roles, but he has impressed during his years as a defensive coordinator — at both the college and pro levels.
Minter, 42, did go through a second interview with the Raiders, who conducted that meeting on Tuesday. Minter did his second Ravens interview Wednesday. He also met about the Steelers’ HC job. That interview followed summits with the Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Falcons, Giants and Titans.
Minter was one of this cycle’s most popular names, and the Chargers look to have anticipated him leaving. L.A. began DC research recently, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. While DBs coach Steve Clinkscale has come up as a frontrunner to succeed Minter as the Bolts’ DC, the team will at least need to meet with one external minority candidate to constitute a search.
The Raiders were believed to have “heavy interest” in Minter, per insider Jordan Schultz. While Las Vegas has been tied to preferring an offensive HC, Minter came up Wednesday as the team’s top defensive option. But Minter canceled his Browns meeting after his second Ravens interview, following Mike McDaniel in bowing out of that search. That will add some more spice to the long-running Baltimore-Cleveland rivalry, as the Browns held him as a clear finalist.
Jim Harbaugh brought Minter with him from Ann Arbor in 2024, and the Chargers have ranked as a top-10 scoring defense each season. Minter restored a defense that was unable to take flight under Brandon Staley. The Bolts ranked first defensively in 2024 and ninth this season. The team did so despite minimal investments, as we discussed in September, on that side of the ball. Derwin James and Khalil Mack were the only Bolts defenders earning more than $6.5MM per year, and teams noticed Minter maximizing his talent.
The Ravens gave Minter his first NFL job, hiring him as a defensive assistant in 2017. That came after Minter served as Georgia State’s DC 2013-16. Previously, he was Indiana State’s DC for two seasons. The Sycamores hired Minter for that role at age 27, and he has steadily climbed the ladder since. The Ravens promoted Minter to assistant DBs coach in 2019 and DBs coach in 2020, when he served under Don Martindale.
Minter became Vanderbilt’s DC in 2021 before joining Jim Harbaugh for the same role at Michigan. The Wolverines steamrolled to a 15-0 national championship-winning season in 2023, and their defense — co-coordinated by Minter and Clinkscale — led Division I-FBS with 10.4 points allowed per game. Harbaugh gave Minter the nod at DC upon coming to L.A., and the Bolts completed a quick turnaround to book a wild-card spot. They repeated as a playoff team in 2025, and Minter — who did not draw any HC interviews on last year’s cycle — became a coveted candidate in 2026.
This is only the fourth HC hire in Ravens history, thanks to Brian Billick and John Harbaugh’s lengthy tenures. Baltimore fired Bill Belichick and hired Ted Marchibroda in 1996. This marks the first defense-based HC hire in franchise history, with Marchibroda and Billick coming from offensive backgrounds and Harbaugh a former special teams coordinator. Harbaugh lasted 18 seasons, but blown leads and repeated playoff shortcomings during the Lamar Jackson era keyed the end of his wildly successful run.
Minter will have big shoes to fill, but the Ravens have joined the Steelers in presenting a high floor. The Ravens lost more than 10 games in a season just once during Harbaugh’s time — the 2015 campaign that featured a season-ending Joe Flacco injury — and they have Jackson signed through the 2027 season.
Extension talks with the superstar quarterback are expected, and Jackson was believed to have provided input during the coaching search. The Ravens still have Kliff Kingsbury on their OC radar, according to Rapoport. Joe Brady, who also met about Baltimore’s HC position, is also believed to be a coordinator candidate. Brady, though, remains up for a promotion in Buffalo. He is also part of multiple HC searches. Five jobs remain open.
Kingsbury came up as a Ravens option shortly after Harbaugh’s ouster, and he interviewed for both the team’s HC and OC jobs. Considering the success Kingsbury had with Jayden Daniels in 2024, he would be an appealing staffer to pair with Jackson. It will also be interesting to see if this hire impacts Harbaugh’s ability to fill out his Giants staff, as Minter could be interested in retaining some assistants. Harbaugh already got to work dismantling the Giants’ staff Wednesday.
The Ravens still employ some defenders from Minter’s first Baltimore stint. Marlon Humphrey arrived during Minter’s first season, playing under the then-DBs coach, while Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington were 2020 draftees. The Ravens traded for two-year Minter pupil Alohi Gilman before the deadline. This hire would point to the team being interested in re-signing the ex-Chargers starter.
Entering the 2025 season having ranked below 10th defensively just once over the past nine seasons, the Ravens finished 18th in scoring defense and 24th in yardage. Minter will be tasked with restoring Baltimore to its upper-crust version. His OC hire will be critical, but the Ravens have employed HCs without offensive backgrounds throughout the Jackson and Flacco eras. Running the risk of losing play-callers is nothing new here, and unlike the 2008 Harbaugh hire, the Ravens will opt for familiarity rather than taking a chance on someone with no history with the franchise.
Chargers Request DC Interview With Rams’ Aubrey Pleasant
Jim Harbaugh had Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale installed as co-defensive coordinators for two seasons at Michigan. That may be a tell about where the Chargers plan to go at DC now that Minter has been named John Harbaugh‘s Ravens HC replacement.
The Chargers must interview at least one external minority candidate before any Clinkscale promotion — a rumored Minter succession plan — can commence, and they are moving on their DC search hours after Minter’s pledge to return to Baltimore.
[RELATED: Chargers To Hire Mike McDaniel As OC]
Rams defensive pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant has received a Chargers DC interview request, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Pleasant has received a few interview slips during his time in the NFL ranks; he is now on stint No. 2 with the Rams. The Bolts cannot interview Pleasant until at least next week, with Rams staffers on hold until their season is over or during their Super Bowl LX bye week.
Also a former Michigan assistant (but before Jim Harbaugh’s time as the program’s HC), Pleasant has been an NFL staffer since 2012. He served as Sean McVay‘s cornerbacks coach from 2017-20 and has been in charge of the Rams’ DBs since 2023. In between, Pleasant was on the Lions and Packers’ staffs. The Rams ranked 19th against the pass this season.
The Bears and Jaguars sent Pleasant interview slips last year. The Rams met with him about replacing Raheem Morris in 2024. The Saints and Vikings discussed their positions with him in 2022. Back in 2019, the Bengals began his time on the DC carousel with an interview. None of these meetings has produced a hire, and the Clinkscale rumor could point to the Chargers following this trend.
Clinkscale has coached under Jim Harbaugh longer than Minter, arriving in Ann Arbor in 2021. He has mentored a secondary that has featured modest investments at cornerback and one that coaxed rebound seasons from the likes of Kristian Fulton, Elijah Molden and Donte Jackson over the past two years. Clinkscale, who is also Black, would not count toward the Rooney Rule since he is already on the Chargers’ staff. It will be interesting to see if the Bolts move quickly to promote him or if this DC search includes a few names.
Jesse Minter Cancels Browns HC Interview
Jesse Minter was scheduled to interview with the Browns for a second time today. Instead, that will no longer be the case. 
Minter has canceled his follow-up, as first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. This news comes as the Chargers defensive coordinator “likely” feels other HC options are more certain at this time, she adds. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Minter’s second interview with the Ravens yesterday went “very well.”
The Raiders are also in the running at this point, Schultz confirms. Minter met with Vegas for a second time on Tuesday. That makes him one of only two finalists still on the market as things stand in the Raiders’ case. Today’s Browns update certainly points in the direction of Minter winding up with either the Ravens or the Raiders relatively soon.
Minter is now the second candidate to withdraw from Cleveland’s ongoing search. Mike McDaniel recently did the same, and he is now positioned to become the Chargers’ next offensive coordinator. The Browns will once again turn their attention elsewhere with Minter no longer in the running as well. Internal and external finalists remain in contention.
The possibility of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz being promoted to head coach has long been a talking point during the 2026 hiring cycle. Keeping Schwartz within the organization in one capacity or another is seen as a high priority, and he was recently reported to be the favorite for the HC gig. Todd Monken has interviewed twice with the Browns, meaning he is a candidate to return to Cleveland instead of his expected move of following John Harbaugh to the Giants as their offensive coordinator.
The Browns are also among the teams which have shown considerable interest in Jaguars OC Grant Udinski. The sides will meet for a second interview tomorrow. Meanwhile, Cleveland has also requested a follow-up with Rams pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. One cannot be arranged until next week, since Los Angeles advanced to the NFC championship game.
Minter was among the finalists for the Falcons before they ultimately hired Kevin Stefanski. A two-year coordinator at the NFL level, Minter has loomed as one of the top defensive HC candidates in particular throughout the hiring cycle. The 42-year-old has previously worked with the Ravens, and his time in the AFC West has made him a familiar face to the Raiders. Signs point to Minter joining one of those teams as the coaching landscape comes further into focus.
Raiders Aiming For Offense-Minded HC To Pair With Fernando Mendoza?
Firing defense-minded head coaches in back-to-back years, the Raiders would presumably be more interested in going in another direction during this year’s cycle. Teams regularly take this route after a hire does not work out, and it indeed looks like Las Vegas wants to go offense with its 2026 HC appointment.
The Raiders want to pair an offense-oriented coach with likely No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, veteran insider Jordan Schultz notes. The team may also be willing to wait on this weekend’s conference championship games or perhaps through Super Bowl LX.
Klint Kubiak and Davis Webb both interviewed for the Raiders’ HC position, doing so virtually. The Broncos and Seahawks’ bye weeks allowed for their assistants to discuss jobs early, and Schultz adds both look to have made good impressions. Each remains in the running, and while Jesse Minter appears to be a live candidate as well, he may be fighting an uphill battle due to where the Raiders are aiming.
The team canned Antonio Pierce a year after removing his interim tag. After an aggressive Ben Johnson pursuit fell short, the Raiders veered about as far in the opposite direction as possible by hiring Pete Carroll, who became the oldest HC in NFL history this season. Carroll finished 3-14, edging a disinterested Chiefs team in Week 18 to avoid a two-win campaign. The Raiders hold the No. 1 pick as a result of Carroll’s performance, giving his replacement a silver lining as the organization retools yet again.
Mendoza holds the honor of spearheading one of the great stories in modern college football history, with non-traditional power Indiana emerging to go 16-0 and win the national championship on the back of its Heisman-winning quarterback. He is expected to be the Raiders’ No. 1 pick, as the franchise has taken a few unsuccessful swings at QB since releasing Derek Carr in 2023. To avoid having Mendoza lose his play-caller — granted, this has not been an issue for the Raiders in a long time — to another HC job, the Silver and Black could pair him with an offense-geared leader from the start.
It would seem a bit early on Webb, but the Broncos’ QBs coach is impressing in interviews. The 30-year-old assistant has garnered interest for second interviews, and this report certainly points to the Raiders being interested in a follow-up meeting. Should Denver pull an upset and edge New England without Bo Nix, Webb’s stock could skyrocket ahead of Super Bowl LX. The Raiders cannot interview him again until the Broncos are eliminated.
The same rules are in place with Kubiak, the first year Seahawks OC. Kubiak has yet to run the same team’s offense in consecutive seasons, but he certainly would be asked back in Seattle if not hired by a team this year. While Sam Darnold finished just 19th in QBR, the Seahawks went 14-3 and saw Jaxon Smith-Njigba lead the NFL in receiving. Kubiak, 39 next month, would give the Raiders access to a Shanahan-style attack, as the second-generation coach was on the 49ers’ staff previously and grew up observing his father (Gary) and Mike Shanahan‘s similar offensive approaches.
Webb remains in the running for the Ravens’ HC job, while the Bills have him on their radar as well. Kubiak interviewed with the Cardinals and Ravens while also emerging early as a potential Bills candidate. Joe Brady, Nate Scheelhaase, Mike LaFleur and Klint’s brother Klay — the 49ers’ OC — are the other offensive candidates to interview for the Vegas job.
Chargers Expected To Hire Mike McDaniel As Offensive Coordinator
The Chargers are close to naming Mike McDaniel their next offensive coordinator, Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington of ESPN report. McDaniel, who’s having dinner with team brass on Tuesday, is expected to take the job.
While McDaniel dropped out of the running to become the Browns’ head coach on Tuesday, he remains a candidate for the openings in Las Vegas and Baltimore, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. If he doesn’t land with the Raiders or Ravens, though, McDaniel is primed to sign a deal to join Jim Harbaugh‘s staff in Los Angeles. The Chargers have informed other candidates they’re planning to hire McDaniel, Dianna Russini of The Athletic relays.
After McDaniel’s four-year run as the Dolphins’ head coach ended on Jan. 8, the Lions, Eagles and Buccaneers joined the Chargers in showing interest in him for their offensive coordinator positions.
The Lions have since hired Drew Petzing, though the Eagles and Buccaneers each regarded McDaniel as their top target, per Darlington. However, McDaniel’s desire to return to California will win out. He previously worked there from 2017-21 as an assistant on Kyle Shanahan‘s staff in San Francisco.
McDaniel’s success with the 49ers led the Dolphins to hire him as their head coach, and the move paid dividends initially. The Dolphins combined for a 20-14 record and earned playoff berths in McDaniel’s first two seasons. Their offense impressed in finishing sixth in yards and 11th in scoring in 2022, but the unit found another gear in 2023.
During an 11-win campaign, the Dolphins scored the most points and racked up the second-most yards in the NFL. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the league in passing en route to a Pro Bowl nod, while Tyreek Hill ended the year tops in receiving yards.
Unfortunately for McDaniel, the 2023 campaign proved to be his peak in Miami. After the Dolphins combined for a 15-19 mark over the past two seasons, owner Stephen Ross fired him. A significant Tagovailoa decline helped lead to McDaniel’s ouster. The left-hander played so poorly in 2025 that McDaniel benched him for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers ahead of Week 16. Tagovailoa sat out each of Miami’s final three games. The Dolphins’ offense wrapped up the year 25th in points and 26th in yards.
As the fifth overall pick in 2020, Tagovailoa entered the league one selection before Chargers QB Justin Herbert. The 27-year-old put together his second Pro Bowl season in 2025 to help the Chargers to 11 wins and a playoff berth. However, after an ugly 16-3 loss to the Patriots in the wild-card round, Harbaugh fired offensive coordinator and longtime friend Greg Roman.
In Roman’s second and last year running their offense, the Chargers racked up the 12th-most yards in the league, but they struggled to put points on the board. LA was just 20th in scoring, though it hurt Roman’s cause that the team’s starting tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, didn’t play together all year.
Slater sat out the entire season with a torn patellar tendon, while an ankle injury ended Alt’s campaign after just six games. The Chargers were also shorthanded at running back, where offseason free agent pickup Najee Harris tore his Achilles in Week 3 and first-round rookie Omarion Hampton fractured his ankle and wound up missing eight games.
Although this season didn’t go according to plan for the Chargers, they’re now on the verge of reeling in one of the game’s most respected offensive minds. The 42-year-old McDaniel is slated to work with an enviable group of talent that will include Herbert, Slater, Alt, Hampton, wide receivers Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre Harris, and tight end Oronde Gadsden II. While it doesn’t appear McDaniel will receive his second head coaching job this winter, that could change a year from now if he revives the Chargers’ offense in 2026.
Mike McDaniel Withdrawing From Browns’ HC Search
One of the biggest names on this year’s HC and OC carousels, Mike McDaniel has options. And he will not be going to Cleveland. The former Dolphins HC informed the Browns he is not taking their second interview, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports.
McDaniel is out of this Browns race, but he has met with the Raiders and Ravens. Multiple OC offers have also come in, per Pelissero, who adds McDaniels’ Chargers OC meeting is today. McDaniel was slated to meet with the Browns in-person Wednesday.
The Browns have been connected to McDaniel since before firing Kevin Stefanski, but since the former’s Dolphins ouster, he has been the most popular non-John Harbaugh name available. The Browns, Falcons, Ravens, Raiders and Titans have interviewed him for HC jobs. The Bolts, Eagles, Ravens, Lions and Buccaneers scheduled OC interviews. New Titans HC Robert Saleh is also believed to have interest in bringing his ex-49ers coworker to Tennessee as his play-caller.
Cleveland had a second McDaniel interview booked. The AFC North team is believed to be strongly considering promoting DC Jim Schwartz, though it has requested a second meeting with Rams pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. Jaguars OC Grant Udinski landed a second interview as well. The Rams remaining in the playoffs has Scheelhaase’s second meeting on hold. Ravens OC Todd Monken, who seems to have a landing spot in place with the Giants as OC, is going through a second Browns HC interview today.
Although Stefanski led Cleveland to playoff berths in 2020 and 2023, the Browns have slipped back to their regular place — well, since their 1999 relaunch — in the NFL hierarchy after combining for just eight wins over the past two seasons. This job is rarely seen as a coveted position, with Jimmy Haslam known for meddling. This is the first time, however, the Browns have searched for a head coach since authorizing the disastrous Deshaun Watson extension. That contract is expected to remain on the payroll this year, and a historic dead money bill — from void years created through restructures — is on tap for 2027. That will affect this search, with the Browns being hamstrung by that 2022 mistake for at least two more years.
It is interesting that McDaniel would back out of a head coaching search when he is not assured to stay on the HC radar. But working with a solid quarterback as an OC would naturally appeal to the four-year Dolphins coach. The Bills’ HC job is also open, though McDaniel has yet to be connected to that appealing position. But he could have the opportunity to work with Justin Herbert in L.A., Baker Mayfield in Tampa or even Lamar Jackson in Baltimore — after being mentioned as an option for the Ravens’ HC or OC role.
McDaniel’s destination should be known soon. He is also not the only candidate to withdraw from a search during this year’s cycle. Stefanski exited the Raiders’ HC search, soon becoming the next Falcons leader.
Coaching Rumors: Bucs, McDaniel, Morris, Bolts, Eagles, Vikings, Jags, Commanders
Mike McDaniel is still on the HC carousel, meeting with the Raiders on Monday and set for a second Browns interview Wednesday. He has landed on a few teams’ OC radars, including the Lions, Chargers, Eagles, Titans and Buccaneers. The Tampa gig could appeal given Todd Bowles‘ hot-seat status. The prospect of McDaniel joining the Bucs with an arrow toward succeeding Bowles is on the radar, per SI.com’s Albert Breer. The Bucs have promoted from within twice in the Jason Licht GM era, elevating OC Dirk Koetter and then giving Bowles the job after Bruce Arians‘ mid-offseason retirement in 2022. Bowles survived a collapse this season, firing OC Josh Grizzard. It would be interesting to see if he would hire an OC who could be in line to replace him down the line.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- If the Chargers lose Jesse Minter to one of the remaining HC jobs, Jim Harbaugh may well look to promote from within. Defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale has a “very good chance” of being Minter’s DC successor, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes. Harbaugh confirmed internal staffers would be considered if Minter leaves. This would add up considering Clinkscale’s past. He worked as Michigan’s DBs coach in 2021 before being the Wolverines’ co-DC alongside Minter from 2022-23. While Minter received the DC opportunity in Los Angeles, Clinkscale came along with Harbaugh in 2024. The Chargers would need to comply with the Rooney Rule, of course, meaning one external minority would need to be interviewed before this rumored promotion becomes final.
- Raheem Morris has interviewed for the Cardinals, Giants and Titans’ HC jobs. With New York and Tennessee moving in different directions, Morris is down to either Arizona or the coordinator level. The two-time HC not receiving a third opportunity at a top job could lead to a TV future, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Morris has come up as a possible Commanders DC option, and other teams would surely consider the former Rams coordinator. But he could be joining Mike Tomlin in the media soon.
- Although Nick Sirianni and GM Howie Roseman are the point men in the Eagles‘ offensive coordinator search, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes both Jeffery Lurie and his son have been sitting in on interviews. Julian Lurie has recently been named to a position within the organization, being listed as a business and football strategy staffer. Via PFR’s Coordinator Search Tracker, Philly has some big names on its radar.
- The Vikings are moving on from offensive line coach Chris Kuper, with ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert indicating the four-year Minnesota staffer’s contract expired. Minnesota will be looking for a new O-line coach for the first time in the Kevin O’Connell era. This was Kuper’s first crack as a top O-line coach, having been an assistant OL coach with the Broncos and Dolphins previously. Kuper, 43, was an eight-year Broncos O-lineman from 2006-13.
- Jaguars assistant O-line coach Keli’i Kekuewa is taking over as Stanford’s O-line coach, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Kekeuwa spent one season in Jacksonville; he will follow ex-Commanders staffer Tavita Pritchard to Palo Alto. Offensive assistant Trevor Mendleson should receive consideration to replace him, per the Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran.
- Pritchard’s old job as Commanders QBs coach went to D.J. Williams; Washington has since named Danny Etling as its assistant QBs coach, Zenitz adds. A Patriots seventh-round pick in 2018, Etling bounced around the NFL before being cut by the Packers in August 2023. He spent the 2024 season with the UFL’s Michigan Panthers. This will be the ex-LSU QB’s first coaching job. Etling, 31, was a college teammate of new Commanders OC David Blough at Purdue before transferring.