Steelers Request HC Interviews With Jesse Minter, Brian Flores, Anthony Weaver
The Steelers continue adding candidates in their search for a new head coach. They’ve requested interviews with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Vikings D-coordinator Brian Flores and Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, per reports from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
Looking for a replacement for Mike Tomlin, whose 19-year run with the franchise ended Tuesday, the Steelers previously sent out interview requests for Rams assistants Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase. Aside from Scheelhaase, all of the Steelers’ early candidates come with a defensive background. The same was true of Tomlin when the Steelers hired him in January 2007.
Minter doesn’t have any head coaching experience, but his strong work as an assistant has made him a hot commodity across the league. All nine teams with a head coaching vacancy have either requested an interview or have conducted one with the 42-year-old, who has effectively teamed with Jim Harbaugh over the past few seasons.
Minter was Harbaugh’s D-coordinator at Michigan from 2022-23. He followed Harbaugh to the Chargers after a national championship-winning campaign with the Wolverines. The Chargers’ defense has ranked near the top of the league in back-to-back seasons under Minter. The unit finished 2024 first in scoring and 11th in yards, and it ranked ninth in scoring and fifth in yards this season.
Flores, who went 24-25 as the Dolphins’ head coach from 2019-21, was on Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh in 2022. He served as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach that year. Flores then left to run the Vikings’ defense, a group that finished 2025 third in yards and seventh in points. Flores’ contract is now up after three successful seasons, but head coach Kevin O’Connell has made it known that retaining him is a high priority. However, the Vikings will have to fend off teams that consider Flores a head coaching candidate and others that want him as a defensive coordinator.
Weaver has already held head coaching interviews with the Cardinals, Falcons and Ravens in the past week. A former defensive lineman with the Ravens and Texans from 2002-08, Weaver has coached with those two teams and the Jets, Bills, Browns and Dolphins since 2012. He was the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator from 2024-25, but with head coach Mike McDaniel out, Weaver’s future in Miami is uncertain. Even if the 45-year-old doesn’t leave the Dolphins for a head coaching job, he could be an assistant elsewhere in 2026.
Mike McDaniel, Brian Daboll Among Eagles’ OC Candidates
After removing Kevin Patullo from the offensive coordinator role on Tuesday, the Eagles have begun reaching out to potential replacements. Former head coaches Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll are atop the Eagles’ list, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. It’s unknown if either will interview for the job.
More to come…
Oregon QB Dante Moore Will Not Enter 2026 NFL Draft
Quarterback Dante Moore will not enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Moore announced on Wednesday that he will return to Oregon for his junior season.
This is a major blow to teams aiming to use a high pick on a quarterback in this year’s draft. Before Moore decided to stay in school, he and Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning signal-caller, Fernando Mendoza, were considered locks to go near the top of the draft. With Moore out of the picture, Mendoza is undoubtedly the No. 1 option heading into the proceedings. It seems likely the Raiders will take him first overall.
The Jets (second), Cardinals (third) and Browns (sixth) are other clubs that could conceivably choose a QB in the top 10, but the likelihood of that has decreased with Moore remaining at Oregon. Moore’s NIL valuation checks in at approximately $2.3MM, per On3. That undoubtedly made it easier for Moore to delay his NFL career. It’s also worth noting that the 20-year-old could benefit from further seasoning at the college level.
Before jumping to the pros in 2027, Moore will aim to build on a breakout campaign in which he completed 71.8% of passes and threw for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Moore guided Oregon to a 13-2 record, but Mendoza’s Hoosiers ended the Ducks’ season with a 56-22 blowout in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Moore, whom ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranked as the second-best prospect in this year’s class, may end up as part of a deeper group of draft-eligible QBs next year. Texas’ Arch Manning and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers represent other potential high picks in 2027. Meanwhile, it’s unknown if any QBs other than Mendoza will come off the board in the first round this year. Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Mississippi’s Trinidad Chambliss, who now round out Kiper’s top three prospects at the position, are among names to watch. Unfortunately for teams in dire need of a franchise QB, neither looks like a slam-dunk first-rounder right now.
Steelers Request HC Interviews With Rams’ Chris Shula, Nate Scheelhaase
One day after Mike Tomlin resigned, Pittsburgh has picked a pair of Rams assistants as its first head coaching candidates. The Steelers have requested interviews with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Pittsburgh turned heads when it tapped Tomlin, then just 34 years old, as Bill Cowher‘s successor in January 2007. Tomlin went on to last 19 years in the Steel City. He won a Super Bowl, led the Steelers to the playoffs 13 times, and famously didn’t post a losing season before stepping down from the role Tuesday.
As a future Hall of Famer and a Pittsburgh institution, Tomlin will be a tough act to follow for anyone, let alone a first-time head coach. Shula and Scheelhaase don’t carry any head coaching experience, but they’ve earned strong reputations for their work on Sean McVay‘s staff. Teams in the market for head coaches have taken notice of the two this offseason.
There are nine clubs that don’t have a head coach. Seven have requested interviews with the 39-year-old Shula, grandson of the legendary Don Shula.
Chris Shula has worked under McVay in various roles since 2017, the beginning of the head coach’s tenure in Los Angeles. Shula took over as the Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2024. In their first post-Aaron Donald season, the Rams finished a below-average 17th in points and 26th in yardage. They improved to 10th and 17th, respectively, in those categories in 2025. The Rams also ranked fifth in takeaways and seventh in sacks during the regular season.
Scheelhaase, 35, is a former Illinois quarterback who began his coaching career at the school in 2015. He went on to work for Iowa State, including as its offensive coordinator in 2023, before jumping to the pros in 2024. He spent last year as the Rams’ offensive assistant and passing game specialist. McVay moved Scheelhaase to pass game coordinator duties this season.
Considering the Steelers, Ravens, Browns and Raiders have all requested interviews with Scheelhaase, it’s clear his stock around the league is rising. It helps that the Rams boast one of the game’s premier aerial attacks. Quarterback Matthew Stafford may be weeks from winning his first MVP. His favorite target, Puka Nacua, led the league with 129 receptions during the season, and Davante Adams hauled in an NFL-best 14 touchdowns.
Thanks in part to Shula and Scheelhaase, the Rams are still alive heading into the divisional round. They’ll face the Bears on Sunday with a spot in the NFC title game on the line. Whenever the Rams’ season ends, they could lose at least one of their up-and-coming assistants to a team in need of a head coach. Pittsburgh, which is looking for its fourth sideline leader since 1969, has emerged as a potential landing spot.
Falcons To Interview Antonio Pierce For HC Job
Former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has emerged as a candidate in Atlanta. The Falcons will hold an in-person interview with Pierce this week, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Pierce didn’t coach in 2025, instead spending the season with CBS as an NFL analyst. Matt Ryan, the Falcons’ new president of football, worked at CBS for three years before returning to Atlanta to lead its front office. Ryan will at least consider turning to his former CBS colleague to replace the fired Raheem Morris.
Like Morris, Pierce carries a sub-.5o0 record as an NFL head coach. Pierce got off to a decent start in taking over as Las Vegas’ interim HC in 2023, however.
After the Raiders fired Josh McDaniels, Pierce guided the team to a 5-4 finish during an 8-9 campaign. Pierce won over his players, including star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who would have requested a trade had the Raiders hired a different head coach. That was enough to convince owner Mark Davis to promote Pierce to the full-time role.
While Davis hoped Pierce would be the Raiders’ first multiyear answer on the sidelines since Jon Gruden, it didn’t work out that way. Crosby’s standout play continued in 2024, but so did the Raiders’ woes at quarterback, among other areas. The Raiders stumbled to a 4-13 record, leading Davis and heavily influential minority owner Tom Brady to send Pierce packing a year ago.
Despite a 9-17 record in Vegas, Pierce is now under consideration for multiple HC openings. The former linebacker interviewed with the Giants, one of his ex-teams, last week. The Giants are aggressively pursuing John Harbaugh, who’s also on the Falcons’ radar. If Pierce is a serious candidate for either job, where Harbaugh ends up could affect his chances of landing a second head coaching opportunity this offseason.
WR Adam Thielen Announces Retirement
Retirement rumors followed Adam Thielen in 2025, and the veteran wide receiver will indeed step away from the game. The 13-year vet announced his retirement Wednesday following a late-season Steelers cameo.
Suiting up with Pittsburgh after a waiver claim, Thielen was with three teams in 2025. The Panthers traded Thielen to the Vikings in August, giving the accomplished pass catcher a chance to return home to a team attempting to follow up its 14-3 campaign with another playoff berth. As that fizzled, Thielen wound up on a postseason-bound club after the Steelers claimed his contract in December.
Once Minnesota moved on, it became known Thielen would retire after the season. He played an auxiliary role in the Steelers’ loss to the Texans on Monday night, catching two passes for 25 yards. Thielen also posted a 1,000-yard season as a Panther in 2023. But he will be best remembered for his contributions in his home state.
Playing 11 seasons with the Vikings, Thielen ranks in the top five in receptions, yardage and touchdown catches with the franchise. His 55 TD grabs as a Viking trail only Cris Carter and Randy Moss in team history. For his career, Thielen caught 64 touchdown passes, adding nine with Carolina. No additional scores came with Pittsburgh, but the former UDFA did carve out a role as Aaron Rodgers searched for tertiary targets alongside D.K. Metcalf.
Starring at Division II Minnesota State, Thielen became one of the most unlikely wide receiver success stories by catching on with the Vikings after a rookie minicamp tryout. Following a 2013 redshirt year of sorts, Thielen became a key player during the Mike Zimmer seasons. After finishing with fewer than 150 receiving yards in 2014 and ’15, Thielen erupted for 967 during Sam Bradford‘s 2016 Minnesota season and sustained that momentum after that year. Thielen eclipsed 1,200 yards in 2017 and ’18, topping out with a career-high 1,373 in Kirk Cousins‘ Vikes debut, and saw his first stint with the franchise last through the 2022 season.
The Vikings gave Thielen two extensions during his initial Twin Cities tenure. Minnesota re-upped Thielen on a four-year, $19.25MM extension in 2017 — after the team had applied a second-round RFA tender. That proved to be incredibly team-friendly, and the Vikings returned to the table to give their then-Stefon Diggs complement a four-year, $64.8MM deal in 2019. The Vikings had both Thielen and Diggs on big-ticket deals in 2019, but they traded the mercurial standout to the Bills in March 2020. Minnesota then added Justin Jefferson as its lead option, but Thielen remained an essential piece in the Cousins-piloted offense.
Thielen combined for 24 TD receptions over Jefferson’s first two seasons, helping Cousins to big numbers (as the QB signed two Vikes extensions). After Kevin O’Connell‘s first season produced a 13-win showing, the Vikings released Thielen upon being unable to agree on a reworked contract. A nice market formed for the street free agent, and the Panthers ponied up $25MM over three years to give their to-be-determined No. 1 overall pick (eventually Bryce Young) a veteran to target. While Carolina missed on some investments during Scott Fitterer‘s final year as GM, Thielen totaled 1,014 receiving yards to lead the woeful 2023 Panthers edition by a wide margin.
Rebuffing trade interest in Thielen in 2024, the Panthers reworked his contract this past year but eventually relented on a trade. They sent Thielen back to Minnesota in a deal that brought a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2026 fifth to Carolina. Thielen being active for more than 10 games in 2025 triggered a condition on the Vikings’ side of the trade; that bumped the 2026 pick Minnesota received to a sixth-rounder. The Vikes also collected a 2027 seventh in the late-summer swap.
Thielen’s second Vikings stint did not offer much of consequence, as Minnesota fell out of contention during a rocky J.J. McCarthy debut season. Thielen surpassed his Minnesota 2.0 output (eight receptions) by catching 11 passes in just five Steelers regular-season games.
John Harbaugh Planning In-Person Falcons, Titans Interviews
Day 8 of the John Harbaugh watch produced the first in-person meeting for the high-profile coaching candidate. The Giants booked that summit and have Harbaugh on-hand today.
Unless the Giants can convince Harbaugh they are the perfect fit today, it appears the veteran HC will have more visits to make. Harbaugh is currently planning in-person meetings with the Falcons and Titans, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. The early expectation points to both meetings taking place over the next three days.
Considering this is Harbaugh’s first time on the coaching carousel in 18 years, it would make sense he takes more than one in-person meeting. The Giants, after all, have not done well to keep their interest a secret. It does not seem Harbaugh would lose leverage with the Giants if he leaves their facility today to take other meetings.
The Falcons were the first team to meet with Harbaugh officially, but the visit was virtual. The Titans initially came up as a team trailing the Giants and Falcons in these sweepstakes, but a subsequent report pegged Tennessee as being one of the three frontrunners to land this market’s top prize.
As for the Giants, Harbaugh has done plenty of homework. He has researched how the organization is run and spoken with ownership about potential improvements, according to Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano. Harbaugh, 63, is also not believed to have issues working with GM Joe Schoen, whom the Giants are retaining for a fifth year atop the front office.
Schoen used a first-round pick in last year’s draft on quarterback Jaxson Dart, whose presence could help lead Harbaugh to New York. Dart reportedly intrigues Harbaugh, though the Falcons and Titans also have young signal-callers who may appeal to the coach.
The Falcons spent the eighth overall pick on Michael Penix Jr. two years ago. Penix was unspectacular in his first two seasons, though, and he added to a long injury history with a partially torn ACL in Week 11. Led by new president of football Matt Ryan and a to-be-determined general manager, the Falcons will have to decide how to proceed at quarterback this offseason. It seems likely the Falcons will part with Kirk Cousins, which would at least put them in the market for a capable insurance policy behind Penix.
One thing is clear about Atlanta: QB issues aside, there’s enviable talent on hand with running back Bijan Robinson, No. 1 wide receiver Drake London and a defense that produced the NFL’s second-most sacks in 2025. However, the team could lose tight end Kyle Pitts to free agency after he earned second-team All-Pro honors this season. Harbaugh, whose Ravens were often known for excellent tight end play during his tenure, may push to retain Pitts.
The Titans, meanwhile, took former Miami signal-caller Cam Ward No. 1 overall in 2025. Ward struggled as a rookie, but there was little help around him. Adding more talent in the offseason will be an obvious priority for GM Mike Borgonzi, who will have the cap space and draft capital to do it. Roughly two months before free agency, Borgonzi could massively upgrade the team’s head coaching position in moving from the Brian Callahan–Mike McCoy duo to Harbaugh.
More to come.
NFC East Notes: Smith, Cowboys, Draft, Giants, Eluemunor, Eagles, Commanders
Mentioned as a player who could move back to tackle, Tyler Smith is not going down that road yet. The Cowboys have seen Smith become an All-Pro at guard, and Brian Schottenheimer said (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer) the recently extended standout will be staying there entering the 2026 offseason. The second-year Dallas HC did indicate the door will be open to shift Smith outside, however. Smith lined up at guard for the bulk of 2025, but the 2022 first-round pick — who filled in for Tyron Smith at left tackle as a rookie — saw 203 snaps on the blind side this season. Smith is 3-for-3 in Pro Bowls as a guard; he signed a guard-record $24MM-per-year extension last September. As it stands, 2024 first-round pick Tyler Guyton will enter the offseason as Dallas’ top LT.
Here is the latest from the NFC East:
- Jerry Jones made good on past comments the Cowboys could trade into the draft assets acquired in the Micah Parsons trade for veteran talent, acquiring Quinnen Williams at the deadline. The Cowboys used a 2027 first-round pick as the headliner in a deal to acquire the Pro Bowl defensive tackle from the Jets. The team still has two first-round picks in 2026. “Don’t think that we couldn’t do some trading with those two No. 1s,” Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “All of the value that you get out of having these extra picks and having some flexibility under the cap, we’re going to take advantage of it.” The Cowboys hold the Nos. 12 and 20 overall picks in the upcoming draft. Moving down the board would provide extra capital for a Cowboys team in dire need of defensive help; based on Dallas’ impressive first-round track record, it would surprise to see the team trade one of these two picks for veteran talent.
- The Commanders hold the No. 7 overall pick, and top sacker Von Miller is headed to free agency. While Miller is interested in staying, he will turn 37 in March. Washington is interested in adding EDGE talent in the draft or free agency, GM Adam Peters said (via The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala). The team has Dorance Armstrong entering a contract year. After pursuing Joey Bosa and DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency last year, Washington signed Miller over the summer.
- Among the non-Saquon Barkley storylines during the memorable Hard Knocks: Offseason HBO offering on the Giants from 2024 covered Jermaine Eluemunor‘s free agency. The former Raiders right tackle sought a two-year deal rather than a longer-term commitment, betting on himself. After playing out a two-year, $14MM pact, Eluemunor should command a decent deal ahead of his age-31 season. Indeed, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz notes the Giants’ two-year RT is expected to command a “far bigger” contract than he did in 2024. Pro Football Focus graded the 31-year-old blocker 54th among tackles this season. He did start 31 games — at both right and left tackle — for the Giants over the past two seasons. Eluemunor will carry 76 career starts into free agency.
- A November ankle surgery sent Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba to IR. The operation appears likely to cost the rookie offseason time. The 2025 second-round pick said (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s E.J. Smith) he hopes to be ready by the late summer. Mukuba made 10 starts as a rookie. The Eagles also have Reed Blankenship and Marcus Epps set for free agency at safety; one year remains on Sydney Brown‘s rookie contract.
Cards Request Arthur Smith HC Meeting
Not closely connected to John Harbaugh, the Cardinals’ HC search has been a background item as the sweepstakes for the ex-Ravens leader heat up. But Arizona is moving along with non-Harbaugh candidates.
One of them is Arthur Smith. The Steelers’ two-year OC received an interview request from the Cardinals on Wednesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. This is Smith’s second request; he met with the Titans, one of his former NFL employers, are meeting with him today.
The Steelers’ season is now over, clearing Smith’s schedule regarding coaching interest. Smith, 43, was a coveted candidate once upon a time; his star has dimmed a bit after three straight 7-10 seasons as the Falcons’ HC. Smith did receive interviews for the Bears and Jets’ positions last year.
While not the HC prospect he once was, Smith did coax a solid season from Aaron Rodgers after helping a Russell Wilson-guided team to the playoffs last season. After a 28th-place offensive ranking in 2023, the Steelers rebounded under Smith by finishing 16th in scoring last season. They moved to 15th in 2025. Rodgers finished with 3,322 yards in 16 starts, throwing 24 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. The all-time great averaged only 6.7 yards per attempt, but Pittsburgh’s offense lacked much firepower beyond D.K. Metcalf.
Smith leaned into the run with Atlanta, almost by choice due to the team’s QB situation. After the Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Colts in 2022, Smith oversaw offenses piloted by Marcus Mariota and then Desmond Ridder. The Falcons stood down on QB investments in 2023, giving the job to Ridder. That turned out to be a mistake, one that played the lead role in Smith being fired. But the former Titans OC is back in the mix for a top job. With nine vacancies now — including the Steelers’, with Smith boss Mike Tomlin stepping down after 19 years — Smith is a name to follow once again.
Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is how the Cardinals’ process looks as of Wednesday morning:
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Patriots): Interview requested
- Matt Burke, defensive coordinator (Texans): Interview requested
- Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator (Packers): Interview requested
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Contacted
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/10
- Mike LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Rams): To interview
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/13
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): To interview
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): To interview
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/9
Teams Contact Steelers On Mike Tomlin’s Rights; Tomlin Not Planning To Coach In 2026
As the Saints’ Sean Payton situation reminded earlier this decade, a coach stepping away while under contract can be valuable to a team. New Orleans fetched first- and second-round picks from Denver in a 2023 trade for Payton’s rights. The Steelers will be in a similar position after Mike Tomlin‘s exit.
Teams are already seeing if a Tomlin trade is viable. Clubs have reached out to the Steelers following Tomlin’s decision to resign, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Calls came in hours after Tomlin’s exit, and while this process should be relevant in the not-too-distant future, Rapoport indicates the interested teams were told Tomlin is not planning to coach in 2026.
One interested team was told Tuesday Tomlin was not planning to take an interview, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson tweets. It appears that view may apply to the full 2026 market. Tomlin gave Art Rooney II no indication (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac) he plans to coach in the near future, potentially tabling any trade market for multiple offseasons.
Tomlin, 53, is believed to have drawn interest from CBS, ESPN, FOX and NBC for an analyst role. Two years remain on Tomlin’s Steelers contract, something that would need to be revisited if/when Tomlin wants to coach again.
The Steelers have seen this scenario play out before. Bill Cowher walked away after the 2006 season, heading to CBS. Cowher, however, remains with the network nearly two decades later. Cowher was 49 when he stepped down after 15 years as Steelers HC. Tomlin was believed to have having thoughts about walking away before the 2025 season began, and his quick exit following Pittsburgh’s wild-card loss to Houston all but confirmed this has been on the longtime leader’s mind for a while.
A report before the Steelers’ wild-card game indicated TV interest had emerged, with Tomlin having a standing invite from networks if he decided to leave coaching. It will be interesting to see where Tomlin lands. Payton joined FOX shortly after his Saints exit, but rumors about his 2023 destination swirled over the ensuing months. Payton became a coveted coaching commodity on the 2023 carousel, eventually ending up with the Broncos. Payton, 59 when hired in Denver, has led the Broncos to back-to-back playoff berths. His team will debut in these playoffs as the No. 1 seed Saturday.
It took less of a trade package for the Buccaneers to land one-and-done CBS game analyst Bruce Arians in 2019. Tampa Bay sent Arizona a sixth-round pick and collected a seventh in return for the then-66-year-old HC’s rights. Tomlin would fetch more in a swap. While he does not bring a play-calling acumen Payton did, the quotable ex-Steelers leader established one of the highest floors in coaching history by going 19 years without a losing season. Tomlin ventured to 13 playoff brackets, won eight AFC North titles and appeared in two Super Bowls. The Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII, giving Tomlin a strong chance at the Hall of Fame down the road.
While the Steelers could have a chance to recoup notable draft capital for Tomlin’s rights — possibly as soon as 2027 — they must conduct their first coaching search in 19 years. Brian Flores, who stopped through Pittsburgh in 2022 as Tomlin gave him a rebound opportunity as linebackers coach (with his discrimination lawsuit in its early stages), has come up as a name to monitor. The Steelers also looked into Marcus Freeman, but he is staying at Notre Dame.
Rams DC Chris Shula came up as a connected name in Pittsburgh as well, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Shula, 39, has received interview requests from the Cardinals, Ravens, Raiders, Dolphins, Giants and Titans thus far. The popular candidate could be added in Pittsburgh soon, but no requests have come out. The Steelers have traditionally gone young with their HCs, hiring Tomlin and Cowher at 34.