As I pointed out last summer when I examined the longest-tenured head coaches in the league, a coach’s job is rarely safe in the NFL. At the time, more than half of the league’s head coaches had been with their current teams for two years or less, and since then, seven more clubs have made changes.
And if a head coaching position is tenuous, that’s doubly true for offensive and defensive coordinators. Not only do new head coaches typically bring in their own OCs and DCs, regardless of the previous coach’s performance, but teams will often replace a coordinator on one side of the ball or the other following a disappointing season by his unit. Over half the teams in the NFL will make a change at either OC or DC (or both) this winter.
We’ve been following all the latest updates on head coaches and offensive and defensive coordinators with our trackers, but as hiring season winds down, it’s worth rounding up all the changes in one spot. So here are 2015’s new head coaches, offensive coordinators, and defensive coordinators, along with 2014’s HCs, OCs, and DCs that have since found jobs elsewhere….
Head coaches:
- Atlanta Falcons: Hired Dan Quinn to replace Mike Smith.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Rex Ryan to replace Doug Marrone (opted out).
- Chicago Bears: Hired John Fox to replace Marc Trestman.
- Denver Broncos: Hired Gary Kubiak to replace John Fox.
- New York Jets: Hired Todd Bowles to replace Rex Ryan.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired Jack Del Rio to replace Tony Sparano.
- San Francisco 49ers: Promoted Jim Tomsula to replace Jim Harbaugh.
Offensive coordinators:
- Atlanta Falcons: Hired Kyle Shanahan to replace Dirk Koetter
- Baltimore Ravens: Hired Marc Trestman to replace Gary Kubiak.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Greg Roman to replace Nathaniel Hackett.
- Chicago Bears: Hired Adam Gase to replace Aaron Kromer.
- Cleveland Browns: Hired John DeFilippo to replace Kyle Shanahan.
- Dallas Cowboys: Promoted Scott Linehan to replace Bill Callahan
- Linehan called plays in 2014, but Callahan still held the formal OC title.
- Denver Broncos: Hired Rick Dennison to replace Adam Gase.
- Green Bay Packers: Promoted Edgar Bennett to replace Tom Clements
- While Bennett gets the OC title, Clements will assume Mike McCarthy‘s play-calling duties.
- Houston Texans: Promoted George Godsey to vacant role.
- Godsey and head coach Bill O’Brien called plays in 2014.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Hired Greg Olson to replace Jedd Fisch.
- New York Jets: Hired Chan Gailey to replace Marty Mornhinweg.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired Bill Musgrave to replace Greg Olson.
- San Francisco 49ers: Promoted Geep Chryst to replace Greg Roman.
- St. Louis Rams: Promoted Frank Cignetti to replace Brian Schottenheimer
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Hired Dirk Koetter to replace Marcus Arroyo.
- Arroyo had been acting as interim OC, replacing Jeff Tedford.
Defensive coordinators:
- Arizona Cardinals: Promoted James Bettcher to replace Todd Bowles.
- Atlanta Falcons: Hired Richard Smith to replace Mike Nolan.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Dennis Thurman to replace Jim Schwartz.
- Chicago Bears: Hired Vic Fangio to replace Mel Tucker.
- Denver Broncos: Hired Wade Phillips to replace Jack Del Rio.
- New York Giants: Hired Steve Spagnuolo to replace Perry Fewell.
- New York Jets: Hired Kacy Rodgers to replace Dennis Thurman.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired Ken Norton Jr. to replace Jason Tarver.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Promoted Keith Butler to replace Dick LeBeau.
- San Francisco 49ers: Promoted Eric Mangini to replace Vic Fangio.
- Seattle Seahawks: Promoted Kris Richard to replace Dan Quinn.
- Washington: Hired Joe Barry to replace Jim Haslett.
Other 2014 head coaches with new jobs:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Hired former Bills HC Doug Marrone as assistant head coach and offensive line coach.
- New Orleans Saints: Hired former Raiders HC Dennis Allen as senior defensive assistant.
- San Francisco 49ers: Hired former Raiders interim HC Tony Sparano as tight ends coach.
- University of Michigan: Hired former 49ers HC Jim Harbaugh as head coach.
Other 2014 OCs, DCs with new jobs:
- Baltimore Ravens: Hired former Jets OC Marty Mornhinweg as quarterbacks coach.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired former Bears OC Aaron Kromer as offensive line coach.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Hired former Bills OC Nathaniel Hackett as quarterbacks coach.
- San Diego Chargers: Hired former Falcons DC Mike Nolan as linebackers coach.
- San Francisco 49ers: Hired former Raiders DC Jason Tarver as senior defensive assistant and outside linebackers coach.
- Tennessee Titans: Hired former Steelers DC Dick LeBeau as assistant head coach.
- University of Alabama: Hired former Bears DC Mel Tucker as defensive backs coach.
- University of Georgia: Hired former Rams OC Brian Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator.
- University of Michigan: Hired former Jaguars OC Jedd Fisch as passing game coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and wide receivers coach.
- Washington: Hired former Cowboys OC Bill Callahan as offensive line coach.
- Washington: Hired former Giants DC Perry Fewell as defensive backs coach.