Buccaneers To Hire Chandler Whitmer As Quarterbacks Coach
After winning a national championship as Indiana’s co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2025, Chandler Whitmer is heading to the NFL. Whitmer has agreed to become the Buccaneers’ QBs coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Fresh off a perfect season at Indiana, where he helped quarterback Fernando Mendoza to a Heisman Trophy, Whitmer received multiple NFL offers, per Pelissero. A late-January report connected the 34-year-old to the Raiders, who will likely use the No. 1 pick in April’s draft on Mendoza. Instead, though, Whitmer will work with Buccaneers starter Baker Mayfield in 2026.
Whitmer, a former college QB at Illinois, Butler Community College and UConn, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2019. He went on to hold the same position at Clemson in 2020 before jumping to the pros as a quality control coach with the Chargers.
After three seasons on former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley‘s staff, Whitmer worked as a pass game specialist with the Falcons in 2024. Zac Robinson, who became the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator last month, was in charge of the Falcons’ offense then. Whitmer is now the latest ex-Falcons staffer to reunite with Robinson in Tampa Bay, joining senior offensive assistant Ken Zampese and passing game coordinator T.J. Yates.
Although Mayfield enjoyed the best three-year stretch of his career under previous quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, the Bucs moved on after the signal-caller’s numbers declined this past season. Mayfield posted career highs in completion percentage (71.4) yards (4,500), touchdowns (41) and passer rating (106.8) over 17 games in 2024. The 30-year-old logged perfect attendance again in 2025, but he completed a far less impressive 63.2% of throws for 3,693 yards, 26 TDs and a 90.6 rating.
AFC North Staff Notes: Steelers, Ravens
Here’s the latest coaching news from a pair of AFC North cities:
- The Steelers are adding IUP offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. to their staff in an unspecified role, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The move reunites Cignetti and new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, who worked together in New Orleans from 2000-01 and again in Green Bay in 2018. Then in his 13th year as the Packers’ head coach, McCarthy hired Cignetti as the team’s quarterbacks coach. McCarthy didn’t survive the season, though, as the Packers fired him after a 4-7-1 start. Cignetti has since coached at the college level, including a run as Pitt’s offensive coordinator/QBs coach from 2022-23, but will now return to the pros.
- Ramon Chinyoung Sr. will serve as the Steelers’ running backs coach in 2026, the team announced. It’s another familiar addition for McCarthy, who has now hired Chinyoung twice. As the Cowboys’ head coach in 2023, McCarthy brought in Chinyoung as the team’s assistant offensive line coach/quality control. McCarthy lost his job in Dallas after 2024, but Chinyoung stayed on Brian Schottenheimer‘s staff this past season. Chinyoung is set to work with Steelers running back Jaylen Warren in his new gig, while fellow RB Kenneth Gainwell is slated to reach free agency after totaling 1,023 yards (537 rushing, 486 receiving), 73 catches and five touchdowns in 2025.
- Eddie Faulkner, who preceded Chinyoung as Pittsburgh’s running backs coach, is expected to take the same position with the rival Ravens, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. During his seven-year tenure in Pittsburgh, Faulkner oversaw career years from the Warren-Gainwell tandem in 2025 and four straight 1,000-yard seasons from Najee Harris from 2021-24. He’ll now coach the Ravens’ Derrick Henry-led backfield in Baltimore.
- Elsewhere on the Baltimore staff, the Ravens are finalizing a deal with P.J. Volker to work as a defensive assistant, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Volker, coming off a three-year stretch as Navy’s defensive coordinator, is “extremely close” with new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, Zrebiec notes. The two were teammates at Mount St. Joseph and later coached together at Indiana State and Georgia State.
Browns HC Todd Monken To Call Offensive Plays; Latest On DC Jim Schwartz
After a successful three-year run as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, Todd Monken became the Browns’ head coach last week. During his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Monken announced he’ll continue to call offensive plays in his new job (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com).
Monken, now in his second stint in Cleveland, first worked there as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2019. However, head coach Freddie Kitchens called the plays then.
With Kitchens on his way out after a one-and-done season, Monken took the offensive coordinator position at Georgia in 2020 and went on to win two national championships in three years with the Bulldogs.
Monken returned to the NFL with the Ravens in 2023 and proceeded to lead top-tier offenses in back-to-back years. Quarterback Lamar Jackson won the MVP in Monken’s first season at the helm. Jackson nearly pulled off the feat again in 2024, when the Ravens finished first in yardage and third in scoring. Meanwhile, with 1,921 rushing yards that year, running back Derrick Henry fell just short of becoming the first player to reach 2,000 in two different seasons.
The Ravens dropped to 11th in points and 16th in total offense in Monken’s final year at the controls, though an injury-plagued season for Jackson was the main culprit. He missed four games and was seldom at full strength in his 13 appearances.
Jackson and Henry are elite talents, which is something the Browns’ offense is sorely lacking. There’s no clear in-house answer at quarterback, where Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson may compete for the starting job over the summer. Tight end Harold Fannin, who enjoyed a standout rookie year as a third-round pick, may be the Browns’ best offensive weapon. That honor belonged to wide receiver Jerry Jeudy a year ago, but his production plummeted this past season.
On the ground, second-round rookie running back Quinshon Judkins racked up 827 yards and seven TDs in 14 games in 2025. Judkins averaged just 3.6 yards per carry before fracturing his fibula and dislocating his ankle in Week 16. Those injuries shouldn’t affect the former Ohio State star in 2026, though, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s more efficient under Monken and new offensive coordinator Travis Switzer. Before joining Monken’s staff last week, Switzer impressed under him as the Ravens’ run game coordinator from 2024-25.
In order to maximize their skill players’ potential, the Browns will need to sufficiently address myriad questions along their offensive line this season. Pro Football Focus ranked the unit as the second-worst O-line in the league in 2025, and now a handful of Browns blockers are a little over a month from reaching free agency.
Guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, who have put together quality careers, don’t have contracts. Tackles Jack Conklin and Cam Robinson and center Ethan Pocic are also scheduled to hit the open market in March. Having suffered an early December Achilles tear, Pocic will be a free agent at an inopportune time.
Monken and Switzer will attempt to turn around an offense that was one of the league’s worst in 2025. Fortunately for then, there’s less work to do on the other side of the ball.
Led by coordinator Jim Schwartz, the Browns’ defense was a clear bright spot. The group ranked fourth in total defense and 14th in scoring, and all-world pass rusher Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record with 23.
A couple weeks after the early January firing of head coach Kevin Stefanski, Schwartz joined Monken and Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase as finalists for the role. Schwartz now wants out of Cleveland after the team passed on him in favor of Monken.
Schwartz still has two years left on his contract, though he may end up elsewhere in 2026 if his relationship with the Browns is beyond repair. Regardless, Monken revealed that the Browns will continue with the same defensive system.
“We’re not planning to change the (defensive) system,” he declared (via Zac Jackson of The Athletic). “We’re built for the system the (players are) in currently. I’m not gonna get into staffing (today) because it’s not the time to get into that, but (the players) can rest assured we’re going to keep the same system.”
Monken said he has “a lot of respect for Jim Schwartz, as I would hope he has for me,” but declined to comment on Schwartz’s status. With Monken working to assemble his staff, an answer regarding Schwartz’s future could come sooner than later.
Bears Request OC Interview With Connor Senger; Troy Walters Declines Interview
Now in the market for an offensive coordinator to replace the departed Declan Doyle, the Bears have requested an interview with Cardinals passing game coordinator Connor Senger, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. The Bears also requested an interview with Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters, but he declined, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
It’s unclear why Walters turned down the Bears, but it may have something to do with the fact that their offensive coordinator doesn’t call plays. Head coach Ben Johnson handles those duties. The allure of calling plays led the 29-year-old Doyle to exit Chicago for Baltimore last week.
Senger, 30, is coming off his fourth season in Arizona and first in his current role, but his future is uncertain in the wake of a head coaching change. New head coach Mike LaFleur, who’s taking over for Jonathan Gannon, may elect to go in another direction.
Even if LaFleur wants to keep Senger, it’s possible he’ll take a different job elsewhere. Before the Bears showed interest in Senger, the Bills and Packers requested to interview him for their open quarterbacks coach positions.
A former Wisconsin and Wisconsin-Oshkosh QB, Senger began in the NFL as a coaching fellow in 2022 and has steadily risen through the ranks. He was an offensive quality control coach in 2023 and an assistant QBs coach in 2024.
Under Senger’s guidance this past season, the Cardinals finished seventh in the league in passing despite backup signal-caller Jacoby Brissett starting for the injured Kyler Murray in 12 of 17 games. Their QBs combined for 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions and ranked a respectable 13th in traditional passer rating (92.5).
While Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. didn’t progress as hoped in his second season, third-year wideout Michael Wilson broke through during a 78-catch, 1,006-yard, seven-touchdown campaign. Meanwhile, with 126 grabs, 1,239 yards and 11 scores, Trey McBride was the most prolific tight end in the game. Only superstar Rams receiver Puka Nacua (129) amassed more catches than McBride.
In heading to Chicago for a promotion, Senger would join a reigning division champion that boasted a top-10 offense in 2025. Unlike the Cardinals, the Bears are set at quarterback with Caleb Williams. They also have an enviable group of weapons consisting of running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, receivers Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and D.J. Moore, and tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet.
Ravens To Add Joe Lombardi To Staff
Joe Lombardi was fired one week ago in a move which ended his tenure with the Broncos. That paved the way for in-demand quarterbacks coach Davis Webb to be promoted as Denver’s new offensive coordinator. 
Lombardi has not needed to wait long to line up a new opportunity, however. The Ravens are hiring him as a senior offensive assistant, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports. This will allow for a reunion between Lombardi and new Baltimore OC Declan Doyle.
The pair worked together under Sean Payton in both New Orleans and Denver. In both cases, offensive coordinator gigs elsewhere in the NFL came about based on their work with Payton. Lombardi has been an OC with the Lions and Chargers during his career; both of those jobs were preceded by stints as the Saints’ quarterbacks coach. The 54-year-old reunited with Payton for 2023 and remained Denver’s offensive coordinator for three years.
Doyle’s first OC opportunity came about during last year’s hiring cycle. He was a member of Ben Johnson‘s Bears staff, but that role did not include play-calling responsibilities. The opportunity to call plays for the first time in his career was a key factor in Doyle, 29, deciding to leave Chicago and come to Baltimore. There is of course risk in having an inexperienced offensive coordinator paired with a rookie head coach in the form of Jesse Minter. Having Lombardi in place as a veteran presence on staff could be prove to be beneficial.
The Ravens posted strong offensive numbers during Todd Monken‘s first two years as the team’s offensive coordinator. Baltimore experienced a regression in 2025, a season in which quarterback Lamar Jackson spent much of the time sidelined through injury or playing through a series of nagging ailments. The Ravens will obviously look for better luck on the health front moving forward, but improved efficiency in the passing game in particular would go a long way in allowing for a return to the playoffs in 2026.
For Lombardi, a strong showing during his third stint partnering with Doyle would help his future coordinator stock. Minter, meanwhile, will continue the process of building his initial Baltimore staff with a number of key hires already taken care of.
Scott Tolzien, Chase Haslett To Remain On Saints’ Staff
Scott Tolzien and Chase Haslett have both received interest from the Steelers as Mike McCarthy pieces together his staff. In each case, though, a departure from the Saints will not be taking place. 
Tolzien has chosen to stay in New Orleans, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. Pittsburgh conducted an offensive coordinator interview with him yesterday, and Schultz notes Tolzien was considered a “top candidate” for the Pittsburgh job. Instead, Tolzien will carry on in his role as quarterbacks coach for New Orleans in 2026.
Schultz reported on Monday that Haslett interviewed with the Steelers for the role of pass-game coordinator and tight ends coach. A hire on that front would have allowed for a reunion with McCarthy. Haslett’s first coaching opportunity in the NFL came under McCarthy with the Cowboys. After five years on McCarthy’s Dallas staff, Haslett joined the Saints as their TEs coach. Per Schultz, the 33-year-old has joined Tolzien in deciding to remain in place for now.
New Orleans underwent a number of changes on the sidelines last offseason, something which is of course commonplace when new head coaches arrive. Kellen Moore took on HC duties for the first time, and he led the Saints to a 6-11 record. Momentum was built toward the end of the campaign with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough delivering a number of encouraging performances. Shough is now positioned for a full season atop the depth chart, and continued development on his part would boost Tolzien’s coaching stock.
Taysom Hill may have played his final game with the Saints, while Foster Moreau is a pending free agent. The tight end position could look much different in 2026 for New Orleans as a result. Haslett will play a key role on Moore’s staff regardless of how things shake out at the tight spot next year.
Jets To Conduct Second OC Interview With Frank Reich
As coordinator hirings continue to take place around the league, the Jets appear to be nearing a decision for their OC gig. Frank Reich is set to conduct an in-person interview today, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports. 
Reich has already spoken with New York once, and this follow-up is a clear sign of mutual interest between the parties. As of one week ago, conversations between Reich and the Jets were progressing, so today’s update comes as little surprise. Per Rosenblatt and the New York Post’s Brian Costello, an OC hire could be made as early as Tuesday.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has made a number of changes to his staff recently. He initially kept 2025 offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand in the fold, but a demotion was in store. After discussing the matter, Glenn and Engstrand ultimately decided to part ways. The search for a new OC continues, but Reich is clearly a name to watch for New York.
The 64-year-old has been an NFL staffer dating back to 2006. He has worked as a coordinator on two occasions (Chargers 2014-15, Eagles 2016-17). Those stints led Reich to his first head coaching opportunity with the Colts. A run of almost five full years in Indianapolis was followed by a disastrous Panthers HC gig which lasted less than one season. Reich was dismissed late in the 2023 campaign, and he was out of coaching last year.
Glenn’s search for a new defensive coordinator recently resulted in a reunion with former Lions colleague Brian Duker. Early in the process of interviewing candidates, it did not appear as though Glenn would call plays on defense. That is now the expectation, however, something which made an impact on staffers like Don Martindale as they contemplated joining the Jets. An increased level of defensive involvement on Glenn’s part will make his OC hire particularly important.
New York finished 29th in both total and scoring offense in 2025. Improvement in many areas will be sought out during the offseason, with the quarterback position unsettled as things stand. Before a solution can be found on that front, a coordinator addition will need to be made. Reich could soon be in the fold, depending on how he fares in his second interview.
NFL Will Return To Mexico City In 2026
Early on Monday, league announcements stated the NFL reached an agreement to continue staging games in Madrid in 2026 and beyond. Next season will also see the league’s first ever contest played in Paris. 
At that point, there were eight overseas games slated to take place during the 2026 season. When speaking to reporters during Super Bowl media day, though, commissioner Roger Goodell announced a return to Mexico City will also take place next season. That confirms nine contests will be played outside the United States during the 2026 campaign as the league’s exploration and cultivation of foreign markets continues.
The Estadio Azteca has recently been undergoing renovations in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It last hosted an NFL game in 2022, but a return in December of this year will be taking place. An NFL statement later revealed the league will continue staging games in Mexico City during the 2027 and 2028 seasons as well as part of a new agreement which has been reached.
Goodell also confirmed (via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated) the NFL’s intention is to play 16 international games per year in the future. In the likely event the regular season is expanded from 17 games to 18 relatively soon, an arrangement which sees every team play one contest outside the United States annually is expected to be made. For now, the 2026 campaign is set to include an increase in overseas games compared to the seven which took place this past season.
London will once again host three regular season games next year, while Munich and Rio de Janeiro will each serve as the location of one contest. In addition to a Madrid return and a Paris debut, the league will also stage a game in Melbourne for the first time in 2026. It is already known the Rams will be involved in the inaugural Australia contest, while the Saints be making the trip to Paris. It has yet to be announced which teams will participate in the NFL’s return to Mexico City.
Giants To Hire Matt Nagy As OC
The Giants have landed on their new offensive coordinator. Matt Nagy is heading to New York, as first reported by Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. 
Nagy had spent the past four seasons in Kansas City. After his Bears head coaching tenure ended, he returned to the Chiefs as their quarterbacks coach in 2022. For the next three seasons, Nagy operated as the team’s offensive coordinator (a role which did not involve play-calling duties). He turned down an extension offer, making it clear to head coach Andy Reid before the start of the 2025 season a departure was his intention.
The 2026 hiring cycle appeared to include a clear opportunity for Nagy to land a second HC gig. The Titans were long thought to be a destination in his case given the presence of former Chiefs front office staffer Mike Borgonzi. In the end, though, the Titans hired Robert Saleh as their new head coach. The NFL’s remaining vacancies were filled over time, leaving an offensive coordinator gig as Nagy’s next target. The 47-year-old will now take charge of an offense, with the New York OC post including the responsibility of calling plays.
The Giants were successful in their push to hire John Harbaugh as their new head coach. Once his deal was in place, many expected Todd Monken to follow Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York. The two worked with each other on the Ravens’ staff for three seasons. Harbaugh attempted to recruit Monken for the Giants’ offensive coordinator post, but the opportunity loomed for a first ever NFL head coaching opportunity with the Browns at the time. Monken wound up joining Cleveland as the team’s new head coach last week.
Monken’s decision forced Harbaugh to pivot. A long list of coordinator candidates emerged, with many receiving an interview. Nagy – who spoke with the Eagles about their OC gig – was not known to be a Giants target as of Tuesday, but he will now take charge of New York’s offense. Harbaugh was known to be seeking a veteran for this position, and Nagy fits the bill. He began his career by working on Reid’s Eagles staff before advancing to the role of offensive coordinator during his first stint with the Chiefs.
Nagy earned Coach of the Year honors in 2018, his first season at the helm of the Bears. Chicago went 12-4 that year, but Nagy did not manage a winning record during any of his three subsequent seasons in place. It remains to be seen if a second opportunity to lead a staff will come about in Nagy’s case. For now, his attention will turn to developing a young Giants offense as the team looks for immediate success under Harbaugh.
New York added quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo during the 2025 draft. Both players figure to be a part of the team’s core for years to come, with the same being true of wideout Malik Nabers. The Giants ranked 17th in scoring this past season despite dealing with a number of injuries on offense and the transition from Brian Daboll to Mike Kafka as head coach. With several new faces on the sidelines, it will be interesting to see how the Giants fare in 2026.
Rams Extend Sean McVay, Les Snead
The Rams will move forward with their Sean McVay-Les Snead partnership for the foreseeable future. Los Angeles announced on Monday the team’s head coach and general manager have each signed an extension. 
McVay’s future has been a talking point during recent years with the possibility of a pause from coaching being floated on multiple occasions. Despite recently during 40, he is already a veteran of nine years as an NFL head coach. That stretch has brought about plenty of success for the Rams, and expectations will remain high moving forward.
Snead has been in place since 2012. Each of his first five years in the role of GM produced a losing record, but the McVay hire proved to be a turning point. The Rams have finished above .500 all but once since 2017. During that stretch, they have also reached a pair of Super Bowls, winning one. The highly effective tandem will, to no surprise, remain intact for years to come.
Details on both deals were not disclosed. Nevertheless, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports the joint extensions have the same length. Given the success both McVay and Snead have enjoyed, their respective job securities are certainly not in doubt. Both can be expected to remain in place until they wish to depart the organization.
“As we enter their 10th season together, it is only fitting to reflect on the tremendous success Sean and Les have brought to this franchise, and the indelible impact they have made on Los Angeles and the NFL,” a statement from owner Stan Kroenke reads in part. “They continue to embody the standard of this franchise to compete for championships, consistently delivering a product that our fans and city can be proud of… We are thrilled they will be leading the Los Angeles Rams for years to come.”
Snead’s most recent extension came in September 2022. The 55-year-old worked his way through the scouting ranks early in his NFL career before leading the Falcons’ player personnel department from 2009-11. Snead was then hired as the Rams’ GM, and he is now the league’s sixth-longest tenured staffer in that position. He is in line to continue climbing the list in that regard.
McVay has cemented his status as one of the league’s top offensive minds over the course of his HC tenure. The Rams have posted double digit wins seven times under McVay, who has helped develop several members of his staff on their way to head coaching gigs of their own. The latest example in that regard is Mike LaFleur, who parlayed his OC tenure in Los Angeles into the Cardinals’ head coaching position. With his latest contract now worked out, McVay’s attention will turn to finding a LaFleur replacement.
The Rams were seen by many as a serious Super Bowl contender throughout the 2025 campaign, one which yielded a 12-5 record. Los Angeles edged Carolina on the road in the wild-card round before winning in overtime in Chicago one week later. That set up a rematch with the division rival Seahawks in the NFC title game. Seattle secured a 31-27 victory, ending the Rams’ season. The team has not waited long to make a new commitment to its HC-GM pair.
McVay and Snead have combined to win 102 regular season and playoff games during their time together. That total is second to only Andy Reid and Brett Veach (Chiefs) for active head coach-general manager tandems. Adding further to that total will be the expectation for all involved moving forward.
For now, the future of quarterback Matthew Stafford is unclear. The MVP finalist has not yet decided if he will continue playing in 2026, and losing him to retirement would of course deal a blow to Los Angeles’ offense. In any case, McVay will continue operating on the sidelines with Snead remaining in place in the front office as the Rams look to go one step further next season.