Patriots Hire Dont’a Hightower As LBs Coach
The trend of former players turning to coaching after their playing careers end continued today with former Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower getting hired to coach his former team’s linebackers group, according to his agents at SportsTrust Advisors. ESPN’s Mike Reiss posted that the hiring seemed to complete the main coaching hires on the defensive side of the ball, indicating that cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino would be returning to coach the position in 2024. 
Hightower was a 2012 first-round addition out of Alabama for the Patriots back in 2012. An immediate starter, Hightower performed at a high level for the entirety of his ten-year career, all of which saw him play in red, white, and blue. The two-time Pro Bowler’s only big issue throughout his career was durability. Throughout his time in New England, he only appeared in every game of a season once and missed 11 games in 2017 due to a torn pectoral muscle. He also was one of the few NFL players who opted out of the 2020 season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hightower would return for the 2021 season and, after going unsigned in 2022, would retire in 2023. Hightower finished his career with 569 total tackles, 43 tackles for loss, 27 sacks, two forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. He hit the quarterback 67 times, intercepted them once, and deflected 18 passes over his career.
Hightower will return to the NFL as a coach for the only team he ever played for, joining his former teammate, and new head coach, Jerod Mayo. With former defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington taking over as defensive coordinator, Hightower is joining new defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery, returning safeties coach Brian Belichick, and Pellegrino as the position coaches on the defensive staff. This should conclude the major hires on this side of the ball, though minor roles may still be filled.
Speaking of a minor coaching role, New England is reportedly finalizing a deal to bring in former Panthers assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler, per Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal. Kugler is a hot name in coaching circles who is viewed as a possible candidate for offensive coordinator jobs in the not-too-distant future.
Buccaneers Hire Thomas McGaughey As ST Coordinator
After the Giants fired long-time special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey a month ago, the veteran coach became a hot name around the league for different vacancies. After interviewing at a few other spots, McGaughey will reportedly land with the Buccaneers as their new special teams coordinator, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.
The Buccaneers spared no effort in their attempts to find Keith Armstrong‘s replacement. On the day the team interviewed McGaughey, the Buccaneers also confirmed an interview with former Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman, according to Buccaneers senior writer/editor Scott Smith. Smith also reported that Tampa Bay gave defensive/special teams assistant Keith Tandy an opportunity to interview for the coordinator job, as well. Seahawks special teams coach Larry Izzo also was confirmed to have interviewed, per Smith.
Interview reports continued to roll in over the last two days, with Aditi Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports posting that Saints assistant special teams coach Phil Galiano would get to interview for a potential return to Tampa Bay, where he coached back from 2012-13. Jenna Laine of ESPN unveiled the most recent interviewee yesterday to be University of Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods.
McGaughey is a respected special teams veteran who has spent significant time coaching at the college and professional level. After starting as a graduate assistant at the University of Houston, McGaughey first broke into the NFL as a Bill Walsh Minority Fellow for the Chiefs in 2001. He earned the assistant special teams coordinator job the following year but left in 2003 to become the special teams coordinator back at his alma mater in Houston.
After two years back with the Cougars, McGaughey returned to the NFL for assistant special teams coordinator jobs with the Broncos and Giants. Once again, he would depart for a coordinator gig at the collegiate level, this time heading to LSU. After three years in Baton Rouge, McGaughey finally got his first NFL coordinator position with the Jets in 2014. He followed that up with a one-year stint in the same position for the 49ers and a two-year stint with the Panthers.
In 2018, McGaughey returned for his second job with the Giants, this time as the official special teams coordinator. He held the position for six years despite multiple hurdles along the way. The position group he inherited was a mess, he was diagnosed with periampullary cancer in 2020, and injuries decimated his unit this past season, leading to his eventual dismissal.
Despite the poor results at times in New York, many teams were interested as soon as he became available. McGaughey interviewed for the job in New England and was an interviewee in Tennessee, as well, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. In the end, though, he’ll end up replacing Armstrong, who made the move to retire a little over a week ago after five years in Tampa Bay.
The team made two other adjustments to their staff in the last few days. Dan Graziano of ESPN reported that Saints assistant offensive line coach Kevin Carberry would be joining the Buccaneers staff as the team’s new offensive line coach. Additionally, defensive assistant Mike Chiurco, who previously served as assistant to the head coach under Bruce Arians, is no longer with the team, per Greg Auman of The Athletic.
Chiefs Activate WR Skyy Moore, Place DE Charles Omenihu On IR
As the Chiefs continue to prepare for their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance (their fourth in five years) and attempt to become the first team to win consecutive Super Bowls since the Patriots did it in the ’03 and ’04 seasons, the team continues to tinker with its roster. Today’s adjustment saw Kansas City activate wide receiver Skyy Moore off of injured reserve and place defensive end Charles Omenihu on IR in his place. 
After a fairly pedestrian rookie season last year, Moore was expected to take on a bigger role in his sophomore campaign. Unfortunately, Moore was only barely outpacing his rookie numbers when he suffered a knee injury in a Week 15 victory in New England that would land him on IR and force him to miss the remainder of the regular season.
After the team’s Wild Card win over the Dolphins, Kansas City opened the young wide out’s 21-day practice window, allowing him to return in time for the Super Bowl if possible. Today was the last possible day that the Chiefs were able to activate him off of IR. Moore was a full participant in practice today, so he should be able to step in as a second-string receiver should things continue to trend in the right direction.
Omenihu, third on the team in sacks this season (7.0), suffered a torn ACL in the Chiefs’ AFC Championship win over the Ravens. With his season officially over, it was only a matter of time before he found himself on IR. As it turns out, Kansas City was waiting until it could add a new name to the active roster in his place. The injury means Omenihu will miss a grudge match against his former team on the biggest stage possible.
As for the rest of the Chiefs’ injury report, all but two players were full participants at today’s practice, meaning running back Isiah Pacheco and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, who both were limited participants for most of the week before the AFC title game, are in better shape heading into the season finale. Today’s sole limited participant was running back Jerick McKinnon, who has served as the team’s second receiving back throughout the season.
The only non-participant at today’s practice was first-team All-Pro guard Joe Thuney. Thuney missed the team’s win in Baltimore with a pectoral injury and isn’t expected to make a comeback this weekend. Head coach Andy Reid told reporters that he “would probably bet towards (Nick) Allegretti playing” in the Super Bowl, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Allegretti made his second start of the season a week and a half ago as an injury replacement for Thuney and is expected to make his third on Sunday.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/7/24
Today’s only reserve/futures deal:
Detroit Lions
The next NFL stop for Smith will be Detroit after an uneventful season in Denver. Smith had initially followed Sean Payton and company to the Broncos after five seasons with the Saints, but injuries and an inability to make his way off the practice squad led to only one game appearance in 2023, in which he played only ten snaps for Denver. When healthy, Smith has proven to be a productive supporting receiver, demonstrated by 17 touchdowns over the course of his four-year rookie contract in New Orleans. If he can shake the injury bug and get to looking like his old self, the veteran could be a nice addition to a talented, young wide receiving corps.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/6/24
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Dan Chisena
Detroit Lions
- OL Netane Muti
New England Patriots
- WR Kawaan Baker
Jaguars Give K Riley Patterson Futures Deal
Leaving Jacksonville due to a mid-offseason Sean Payton decision, Riley Patterson kicked for two teams this past season. The former Jaguars kicker has a chance to return to his old job in 2024.
The Jaguars gave Patterson a reserve/futures contract Monday, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco tweets. A Jaguar in 2022, Patterson kicked for the Lions and Browns in 2023. With Brandon McManus not under contract for 2024, Patterson is the only kicker signed to the Jags’ offseason roster.
McManus’ sudden availability changed the Jags’ plans at kicker last year. After the Broncos designated their longtime kicker as a post-June 1 cut, the Jags quickly signed him. They then traded Patterson back to the Lions. Patterson, who has been shuttling from Detroit to Jacksonville throughout his NFL career, kicked in 13 Lions games this season. Although he made 15 of 17 field goals with the Lions, an ongoing practice competition led the NFC North champions to cut him after giving Michael Badgley — their primary 2022 kicker — his job back.
Badgley finished the season as Detroit’s kicker, being memorably left on the sidelines as Dan Campbell opted to go for two second-half fourth downs in field goal range, while Patterson filled in for Dustin Hopkins in Cleveland. Patterson, 24, attempted just one field goal with the Browns.
Being cut by the Lions before the 2022 season, Patterson was 30-for-35 with the Jaguars — following a waiver claim — that year. He kicked a game-winning field goal to complete the team’s comeback win over the Chargers in the wild-card round. This season, McManus went 30-for-37; he missed five of his 10 attempts from beyond 50 yards. McManus, 32, is set to become a free agent in March.
RB Rex Burkhead Announces Retirement
Despite being a sixth-round pick, Rex Burkhead managed to play 10 NFL seasons. The veteran running back did not play during the 2023 campaign and will not attempt to come back.
The former Bengals, Patriots and Texans back announced his retirement Monday. This will wrap a productive career as a supplementary back, with Burkhead’s most notable work coming in New England. Burkhead, 33, did venture to Las Vegas for a Raiders workout while Josh Jacobs was away on the franchise tag last summer, but no reunion between he and Josh McDaniels came to pass.
The Patriots initially signed Burkhead during the 2017 offseason, adding him while letting LeGarrette Blount walk in free agency. Burkhead and James White represented constants in the Pats’ backfield over the ensuing four years, with the likes of Dion Lewis, Sony Michel, Damien Harris and Cordarrelle Patterson mixing in at various points. The Patriots mostly used Burkhead as a backup running back and an auxiliary pass catcher. He managed eight touchdowns in 2017 (three receiving) but made his most memorable contributions during the ’18 playoffs. The Patriots saved an IR-return slot — back when NFL rules only allowed teams to bring two players off IR in a season — for Burkhead, who had suffered an early-season concussion.
Although the Chiefs’ rise was imminent, the Patriots delayed that ascent when they ousted the No. 1-seeded team in the 2018 AFC championship game. The Pats won an overtime thriller in Kansas City. Finishing with 64 scrimmage yards that night, Burkhead scored in the final minute of regulation to give the Pats a lead and then secured the visitors a walk-off win after a 2-yard TD to punctuate the first drive of overtime. Burkhead collected a Super Bowl ring soon after.
Burkhead was part of a crowded Bengals backfield earlier in the 2010s, seeing Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill garner most of the work. The Nebraska alum only surpassed 100 scrimmage yards in one of his four Cincinnati seasons — his 2016 platform year — but the Patriots gave Burkhead three contracts — the most notable a three-year, $9.75MM accord in 2018.
Closing out his career with the Texans, Burkhead signed two more deals with the rebuilding team — one run by ex-Patriots exec Nick Caserio. Burkhead delivered a 149-yard showing to help the Texans upset the Chargers in Week 16 of that season; that result ended up denying the Bolts a playoff berth. At 31, Burkhead finished the 2021 season with a career-high 427 rushing yards. Over the course of his career, Burkhead earned just more than $18MM.
Chiefs Designate RB Jerick McKinnon For Return
FEBRUARY 5: While McKinnon’s status in practice will be monitored closely, Rapoport notes there is a “very real chance” he is activated in time for the Super Bowl (video link). Signs are certainly pointing toward Kansas City having a full array of backs available on Sunday.
FEBRUARY 3: The Chiefs will be shorthanded in the front seven for Super Bowl LVIII, but they could have added depth in the offensive backfield. Kansas City designated running back Jerick McKinnon for return from injured reserve on Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes. 
McKinnon was placed on IR in December, a move which guaranteed he would miss the final three weeks of the regular season. A groin injury left him on the sidelines through Kansas City’s three-week postseason run back to the Super Bowl, but the veteran will now be an option to return to the lineup in the event he is activated in time. Kansas City has five activations remaining.
In the 2021 postseason, McKinnon racked up 315 scrimmage yards in three games. His playoff production fell off last year with only 92 total yards, however, and his usage in the 2023 campaign took a step back. The 31-year-old received just 21 carries in 12 contests this season, one in which Isiah Pacheco confirmed his status as the Chiefs’ lead back. McKinnon averaged only 2.9 yards per carry this year, though he did chip in with 192 yards and four touchdowns in the passing game.
A healthy McKinnon would give Kansas City a number of options to choose from in the backfield. The team has, to no surprise, leaned mainly on Pacheco in the playoffs. Former first-rounder Clyde Edwards-Helaire has also been used sparingly, receiving 10 postseason carries to date. After he was a healthy scratch for last year’s Super Bowl, Edwards-Helaire is in line to play in next Sunday’s title game. The Chiefs also have La’Mical Perine available as a special teams contributor.
Kansas City designated wideout Skyy Moore to return in mid-January, and his status will be worth watching in the coming days to see if he will be an option for the Super Bowl. O-lineman Prince Tega Wanogho would also use up one of the team’s remaining activations (and a roster spot) if he were to be brought back into the fold in the near future. At a minimum, though, McKinnon should be able to play next week as he searches for a second career Super Bowl win.
Commanders Hire Kliff Kingsbury As New OC
After reports yesterday that former Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury was a leading candidate in Washington after deciding not to take the job in Las Vegas, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Kingsbury has agreed to become the next offensive coordinator for the Commanders. The team has now announced the hire.
Three days ago, the NFL world was under the impression that Kingsbury would become the next offensive play-caller in Las Vegas. That story changed yesterday with Kingsbury informing multiple people in the Raiders organization that he would not be joining the team. After a reported “contractual hang-up,” the Commanders swooped in, setting Kingsbury in their sights. Reportedly, Kingsbury was aiming for a three-year pact, and the Raiders only made a two-year offer. Per Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, Washington awarded Kingsbury the three-year contract he desired.
New Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was one of five defensive-minded coaches to assume a new head coaching role this offseason. With the former offensive coordinators who took head coach jobs in Tennessee and Carolina planning to call plays for their respective offenses, it only made sense that Kingsbury would set his focus on the five other teams. With the Falcons and Patriots already having filled their roles, that left Vegas, Washington, and Seattle.
Another reason Washington makes sense is because, though it seems like an uphill battle right now, there’s still an outside chance that USC quarterback Caleb Williams could end up in DC with Kingsbury. Williams has long been considered the favorite to go No. 1 overall in this year’s draft. Though Chicago currently holds the rights to the top pick in the draft, the Commanders brass have made it clear that they have an interest in acquiring Williams. With Kingsbury’s most recent position being as a senior offensive analyst at USC over Williams, the new play-caller could be manifesting a reunion in Washington with his former college quarterback.
If not, Kingsbury will be tasked with righting the ship in Washington. Second-year quarterback Sam Howell was deemed the starter coming into 2023. For a team that spent a good amount of time behind, the Commanders depended a lot on Howell’s arm, resulting in the young passer leading the league in pass attempts. Unfortunately, the one-dimensional nature of the team’s offense led to Howell also leading the NFL in sacks taken, interceptions thrown, and pick sixes.
In Washington, Kingsbury will hope for better health in 2024 as he works to improve a porous offensive line. Antonio Gibson is set to be a free agent, but Brian Robinson and rookie running back Chris Rodriguez are both set to return for Kingsbury. Two of the team’s top receivers, Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, will be back with a potentially re-tooled supporting cast as Curtis Samuel, Jamison Crowder, and Byron Pringle are all set to test free agency.
Kingsbury will have his work cut out for him as he attempts to turn around an offense that finished 25th in points scored and 24th in yards gained. He may have the benefit of working with some new faces, but regardless, he should have a decent arsenal of weapons to help Quinn win some games in DC.
QB Sean Mannion Retires, To Join Packers’ Coaching Staff
Nine years after entering the NFL, veteran quarterback Sean Mannion has made the decision to retire from playing football. According to Brady Henderson of ESPN, the former Rams passer is not walking away from football completely as he’ll hang up his cleats but pick up a whistle. Mannion will reportedly be accepting a job on the Packers’ coaching staff. 
Mannion came into the league as a third-round pick out of Oregon State for the Rams of St. Louis. Leaving Corvallis with 13,600 passing yards and 83 passing touchdowns, Mannion went to the NFL with the title of the Pac-12’s all-time passing leader.
Mannion was drafted to serve as a third-string passing option, sitting behind Nick Foles and Case Keenum as a rookie. The following year, No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff would replace Foles, and eventually Keenum, on the depth chart. Over the last two years of his rookie contract, Mannion would serve as the primary backup behind Goff. He would leave Los Angeles having played in 10 games for the Rams, making one start over those four years.
The next two years saw Mannion play on two one-year contracts with the Vikings backing up Kirk Cousins. In 2021, he would sign with the Seahawks as a free agent, but after he was released prior to the start of the season, Minnesota scooped Mannion up, signing him to a practice squad deal. In 2019 and 2021, Mannion appeared in four games, starting two. He would spend the last two years bouncing between the Vikings’ and Seahawks’ practice squads while not appearing in any games.
For his career, Mannion appeared in 14 total games with three of those being starts. He finished his playing career with a 60.9 completion percentage, throwing for 573 yards and one touchdown to three interceptions.
The title of his position with the Packers is not yet known, but Henderson claims that Mannion will be working with quarterbacks and the passing game. As of right now, Green Bay already has a quarterbacks coach in Tom Clements and a passing game coordinator in Jason Vrable, so it’s assumed Mannion will be working in some sort of offensive assistant or quality control position.