2021 January - Pro Football Rumors

Nick Sirianni To Call Eagles’ Plays

January 29th, 2021 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have a new head coach in Nick Sirianni and a new offensive coordinator in Shane Steichen. However, Sirianni will be the one calling plays.

[RELATED: Duce Staley Joins Lions]

“I do plan on calling the plays,” Sirianni told the team website. ““I know we’re going to work really hard throughout the week to make sure we’re ready,” Sirianni said. “And then we’re built with the right people in place to handle the challenges that I foresee as the most challenging things.”

The challenge, Sirianni says, will be to manage all aspects of the game while also calling the plays. Interesting, Sirianni has never called plays at the NFL level, despite serving as the Colts’ offensive coordinator in his last job. The Eagles trust his judgement, however. The 39-year-old guided the Colts through their transition from Andrew Luck to Philip Rivers. Under Sirianni’s watch, Rivers completed 68% of his throws for 4,169 yards with 24 touchdowns against eleven interceptions, leading Indy to the playoffs.

Recently, Sirianni also tapped a new quarterbacks coach, though the status of the actual QB position remains murky.

Texans Officially Hire David Culley

January 29th, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Zachary Links

It’s official. On Friday morning, the Texans formally announced the hiring of David Culley as their new head coach.

“Throughout his entire coaching career, David has shown an ability to lead and bring people together,” said Texans CEO Cal McNair in a statement. “David brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our team as somebody who has seen it all in this league. In his over 40 years of coaching, David has learned from many of the best coaches in the NFL while helping players navigate both the physical and mental side of the game. Highly regarded individuals from all over the league reached out to us throughout this process in support of David because of his unique ability to connect with those around him and his passion for the game and the relationships he creates.”

Culley spent the first 16 years of his coaching career in the college ranks before transitioning to the pros. In the NFL, the 65-year-old served as a key assistant for the Eagles, Chiefs, and Ravens. Beloved by Andy Reid and John Harbaugh, Culley came out of nowhere to win the Texans job. To some, that was a head-scratcher, but many around the league have applauded the Texans for their non-traditional hire. Of course, the list of believers includes new Houston GM Nick Caserio.

“Heading into this process, it was imperative to find a head coach that our entire organization could rally behind and David is unquestionably that leader,” Caserio said. “David’s infectious energy, passion for the game and ability to command a room was clear from the start. As he shared his vision for how a head coach should lead a football team, it further solidified our belief in him.”

Now, the bad news: Deshaun Watson still wants out. Teams have already begun circling the wagons and the Panthers may be among the most “aggressive” suitors.

Titans To Promote Todd Downing To OC

January 29th, 2021 at 9:26am CST by Zachary Links

The Titans are expected to promote tight ends coach Todd Downing to the role of offensive coordinator (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Downing takes over for Arthur Smith, who has left to serve as the Falcons’ head coach.

Smith also went from the Titans’ TE guru to the OC role, so the organization is hoping for similar success this time. Downing, 40, started out in the NFL as a football systems analyst with the Vikings in 2003. Since then, his NFL journey has included stops with the Rams, Lions, Bills, and Raiders.

This marks Downing’s second pro stint as an OC with his first coming in Oakland. Things didn’t go as planned for Downing as he lost quarterback Derek Carr to a serious back injury in the fall. Ultimately, his team placed near the middle of the pack in total yards and in the lower-third of the NFL for points scored.

Now, Downing will direct a Titans’ offense featuring QB Ryan Tannehill, running back Derrick Henry, and wide receiver A.J. Brown. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, head coach Mike Vrabel may hire a coordinator to take some of the defensive responsibilities off of his plate.

Lions To Hire Mark Brunell As QBs Coach

January 28th, 2021 at 6:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:40pm: A reality in which the top quarterback in Jaguars history mentors the passer the franchise hopes will surpass him in that regard will not come to pass. Brunell’s interview with the Lions is expected to him signing on as their QBs coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Rather than coaching Lawrence, Jacksonville’s presumptive first-round pick, Brunell may well be in line to work with a first-round passer in Detroit. The Lions, who hold the No. 7 overall pick, are expected to move on from Matthew Stafford soon.

4:29pm: Former Pro Bowl quarterback Mark Brunell is back on the NFL radar, this time as a coach. Despite Brunell having worked in the media industry in recent years, he is on multiple teams’ radars as a prospective quarterbacks coach.

Both the Jaguars and Lions are interested in Brunell for that job, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter links). Brunell is interviewing for Detroit’s QBs coach position Thursday, Rapoport notes.

New Jaguars coach Urban Meyer is interested in Brunell, former Chargers HC Mike McCoy and former Buccaneers and Giants OC Mike Sullivan for the job, per Wilson. Jacksonville’s next QBs coach will work under OC Darrell Bevell and will hold one of the NFL’s higher-profile position coach gigs, with Trevor Lawrence likely ticketed for Jacksonville.

Sullivan was most recently Denver’s QBs coach in 2018, but the veteran assistant began his NFL career in Jacksonville in 2002. The Steelers, however, have discussed their QBs coach position with Sullivan recently, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets.

While McCoy was the Broncos’ play-caller during Peyton Manning‘s first season in Denver (2012) and led the Chargers to the playoffs in 2013, he has experienced a rocky path in recent years. The Chargers ended his four-year stay as head coach after the 2016 season, and both the Broncos and Cardinals fired him as OC in-season in 2017 and ’18, respectively.

Brunell, 50, is the top quarterback in Jaguars history. He led the team to four straight playoff berths in his first four years as the team’s full-time starter, 1996-99, and twice guided the Jags to AFC championship games. Brunell was an NFL starter until 2006, his third season with Washington, and played in the league until age 41 before retiring in 2012. Brunell finished his career with the Jets, his multiyear stay overlapping with Anthony Lynn‘s time as Gang Green’s running backs coach. The Lions hired Lynn as their new offensive coordinator this week.

Eagles Hire Florida OC Brian Johnson As QBs Coach

January 28th, 2021 at 5:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles are adding another young coach to their offensive staff. Florida offensive coordinator Brian Johnson will head to Philadelphia to become the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach, Pete Thamel of Yahoo.com reports.

Johnson, 33, will head to the NFL level with an interesting resume and considerable momentum. After being promoted to Florida’s OC role in 2020, Johnson helped quarterback Kyle Trask become a Heisman finalist and tight end Kyle Pitts emerge as a potential top-10 pick. Trask threw 43 touchdown passes — 12 to Pitts — in 12 games.

Prior to mentoring Trask in Gainesville, Johnson helped develop Dak Prescott into as Mississippi State’s QBs coach. Prescott played his final two college seasons with Johnson as his position coach, and the future Cowboys passer emerged on the NFL radar after strong junior and senior seasons. Johnson interviewed for the South Carolina and Boise State HC openings but will be tasked with helping Nick Sirianni and Shane Steichen revive Carson Wentz‘s career while developing Jalen Hurts.

The Eagles will also hire former Titans OC Jason Michael, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Like Steichen, Michael has experience working with Sirianni. He worked as the Colts’ tight ends coach in 2019 and ’20. Michael was Tennessee’s OC from 2014-15.

FB Patrick DiMarco To Retire

January 28th, 2021 at 5:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Patrick DiMarco began the 2020 season on IR and ended it as a free agent, and the veteran fullback will not attempt to return next season. DiMarco announced his retirement Thursday (via Twitter).

Originally a Chargers UDFA in 2011, DiMarco became best known for his work with the Falcons. The ex-South Carolina Gamecock made the Pro Bowl in 2015 and was Atlanta’s primary blocking back from 2013-16.

DiMarco, 31, helped pave the way for Devonta Freeman‘s two Pro Bowl nods, aiding the Falcons’ transition from Steven Jackson to their Freeman-Tevin Coleman backfield in the mid-2010s. Freeman and Coleman combined for more than 1,600 rushing yards in 2016, when the Falcons boasted one of the highest-scoring offenses in NFL history.

The Bills signed DiMarco to a four-year, $8.5MM deal in 2017. Primarily working as a special teams contributor, DiMarco logged three 16-game seasons from 2017-19 but suffered an injury that prompted Buffalo to move him to IR ahead of Week 1. The Bills released DiMarco via injury settlement prior to their season opener.

Illustrating the role of the modern fullback, DiMarco logged just seven career carries. He did score four receiving touchdowns with the Falcons, however.

Texans Plan To Hire Pep Hamilton As QBs Coach

January 28th, 2021 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

A candidate for a few offensive coordinator positions, Pep Hamilton will instead join David Culley‘s first staff in Houston. The Texans are hiring the former Colts OC as their quarterbacks coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Hamilton spent the 2020 season as the Chargers’ QBs coach but received interest from three AFC teams for their respective OC posts. The Dolphins, Steelers and Titans interviewed Hamilton for those jobs. While two remain unfilled — Miami’s and Tennessee’s — Hamilton is expected to head to Houston.

The Texans are moving swiftly in filling out Culley’s first staff. They are eyeing ex-Bears and Buccaneers HC Lovie Smith for a defensive role and have current reserve quarterback Josh McCown in mind for an offensive position. McCown interviewed for Houston’s HC job but may well begin his coaching career as a Texans assistant.

Hamilton, 46, was Indianapolis’ OC from 2013-15. The Colts made the playoffs twice in that span, with the latter season featuring Andrew Luck leading the NFL with 40 touchdown passes. This past season, Hamilton mentored Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Justin Herbert. The other two high-ranking Bolts staffers behind Herbert’s rise, Anthony Lynn and Shane Steichen, respectively landed OC gigs with Detroit and Philadelphia. Hamilton appears set to land on his feet as well.

The Dolphins have seen each of the external candidates for their OC post commit elsewhere. Clemson OC Tony Elliott will not leave the ACC program, Mike McDaniel received a promotion to become the 49ers’ OC, and the Steelers promoted Matt Canada to their OC position.

Coaching Notes: Pack, Rathman, McCardell

January 28th, 2021 at 4:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers are making a change on special teams. They are firing ST coordinator Shawn Mennenga, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). A longtime college coach, Mennenga had previously served as Browns assistant ST coach before joining Matt LaFleur‘s staff in 2019. The Packers are expected to promote assistant ST coach Maurice Drayton to replace Mennenga, Pelissero tweets. At least one other team was interested in Drayton for such a role, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Drayton was in contention for this job two years ago.

Here is the latest out of Green Bay and from around the league:

Mike Pettine may not be locked in as Packers defensive coordinator next season. The veteran DC opted not to sign an extension last year, and Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes his contract is up. The Packers invested heavily in their pass rush and used three first-round picks on defenders from 2018-19 but dropped from 15th in defensive DVOA in 2019 to 17th this past season. Pettine is a holdover from Mike McCarthy‘s staff, having arrived in 2018.
Colts running backs coach Tom Rathman announced his retirement Thursday. The Colts hired Rathman in 2017, after his eight-year tenure as 49ers running backs coach ended. Rathman attempted to retire in 2019 and ’20, but the Colts successfully lobbied him to stay on, per The Athletic’s Stephen Holder (on Twitter). A decorated fullback who won two Super Bowls with the 49ers, Rathman coached running backs from 1997-2020. Sixteen of those years came in San Francisco.
Staying with the Colts, they are hiring former Jaguars QBs coach Scott Milanovich to replace Marcus Brady in that position, Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star tweets. Milanovich was Jacksonville’s QBs coach from 2017-19. Otherwise, he has spent his career in the CFL, having coached the Toronto Argonauts and, in 2020, the Edmonton Eskimos. The Colts promoted Brady to OC last week.
Longtime NFL wideout Keenan McCardell will resurface in Minnesota. The Vikings are hiring McCardell as receivers coach, per Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union (on Twitter). A longtime Jaguars pass catcher who broke into the coaching ranks in 2010, McCardell served as Jacksonville’s receivers coach from 2017-20 under Doug Marrone.
Ex-Colts DC Ted Monachino will be the Falcons‘ outside linebackers coach under Arthur Smith next season. Monachino, Indy’s DC from 2016-17, spent the past two years with the Bears. The Falcons also hired Jon Hoke to coach defensive backs. The older brother of Maryland HC Brady Hoke, Jon was the Terrapins’ defensive coordinator from 2019-20 but has coached NFL DBs for several seasons.

Roethlisberger Willing To Restructure Deal

January 28th, 2021 at 3:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after Art Rooney II indicated Ben Roethlisberger would need to restructure his contract to return to the Steelers next season, the future Hall of Fame quarterback said he would do so.

Roethlisberger, who has contended he wants to return for an 18th season, said Thursday he is not concerned about money for the 2021 season and is willing to restructure, Ed Bouchette of The Athletic reports (on Twitter). Roethlisberger’s deal calls for a whopping $41MM cap hit next season. The 38-year-old quarterback went to the Steelers about restructuring his contract.

“I want to do everything I can and made that very clear to them from the very beginning that it was my idea to basically help the team however I can this year,” Roethlisberger said, via Bouchette (Twitter links). “I am pretty sure I want to go one more year (because) I think I can do it and give us a real chance (at) winning.”

The Steelers are projected to be more than $30MM over a $175MM cap, though it is not known how far the cap will drop from this year’s $198MM ceiling. And that is without players like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Bud Dupree or Mike Hilton factoring into Pittsburgh’s 2021 payroll. More work will need to be done in order for the Steelers to move under the cap, but Roethlisberger agreeing to a pay cut would make matters much easier for the AFC North champions.

Roethlisberger signed his latest extension, which runs through 2021, in 2019. After counting $23.8MM against Pittsburgh’s 2020 cap, Big Ben’s contract balloons to the untenable $41.25MM figure next season. The decorated quarterback is due a $15MM roster bonus on the third day of the next league year. These numbers appear set to change soon.

Fond of restructures, the Steelers have continually made bad cap situations work. Though this year presents a greater challenge, due to the pandemic forcing a long-expected cap reduction. The franchise also has not made an investment in Big Ben’s surefire successor, even though it has Mason Rudolph and now Dwayne Haskins signed to low-cost deals. Roethlisberger returning at a reduced rate would surely help the Steelers next season, but the team losing several starters in free agency would make it difficult to assemble the kind of roster it possessed this past season.

Panthers To Pursue Deshaun Watson Trade

January 28th, 2021 at 3:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Even if the Texans have not let it be known they are serious about trading Deshaun Watson, there will be a number of teams who show interest in the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback. Count the Panthers as one of them.

The rebuilding NFC South squad is planning to make an “aggressive” pursuit for Watson, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). Carolina joins Miami and the Jets as teams closely connected to a potential run at Watson, though it is not yet known if the Panthers would appeal to Watson.

Watson holds a no-trade clause and is believed to be interested in both AFC East destinations. Both the Jets and Dolphins hold two 2021 first-round picks, which will increase their respective abilities to put together trade packages. The Panthers have, however, been mentioned as a suitor recently. Watson’s long-rumored trade request became fully known Thursday.

Regional appeal could seemingly be in play regarding a Watson-Carolina fit. The franchise quarterback is a Georgia native who played four seasons at Clemson in South Carolina. The NFL’s North Carolina-based franchise has a low-end franchise-QB salary on its books, after it signed Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year deal worth $63MM, but Bridgewater presumably would not impede the Matt Rhule-run squad from going after Watson.

When asked about Watson recently, new Panthers GM Scott Fitterer said the team will “be in on every deal,” per ESPN.com’s David Newton (on Twitter). The Panthers being an NFC team may have appeal to the Texans, who would surely prefer — if they were to trade Watson — to make a deal with an out-of-conference franchise rather than be forced to see Watson frequently in the coming years.

The Panthers reside in the middle of the pack when it comes to cap space, and thanks to Bridgewater’s $33MM in full guarantees, they would take a bit of a dead-money hit if they released or traded him. A player of Watson’s caliber would certainly supersede any near-future dead-money concerns for a franchise that recently gave HC Matt Rhule a seven-year contract. Watson’s $39MM-per-year deal runs through the 2025 season.

The team also has talented skill-position cogs Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson under contract for at least two more seasons — assuming Moore’s fifth-year option is picked up come May. Carolina will also be connected to quarterback prospects with its No. 8 overall pick. That selection, the Panthers’ 2022 first-rounder and likely more would be required in an offer for Watson.