A few teams have blocked assistants from interviewing contracted staffers this week. The Chargers are now one of them. Despite firing head coach Brandon Staley and GM Tom Telesco, the Bolts are not giving all their assistants permission to explore opportunities.
The Giants sought an interview with Bolts special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken, but NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes the AFC West team prevented that meeting from taking place. The Giants fired longtime ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey earlier this week.
Ficken worked as the Chargers’ ST coordinator for the past two seasons. With this block taking place, he would be under contract — and likely in consideration to stay in Los Angeles under the next HC. Ficken, 43, has been an NFL staffer since 2007. Not a special teams lifer, Ficken spent 15 years with the Vikings coaching several positions. Though, he has concentrated on special teams for the past 11 years.
Additionally, the Giants have hired their next offensive line coach. Former Raiders O-line coach Carmen Bricillo will take over. The Giants moved fast to replace Bobby Johnson, whose unit allowed a staggering number of sacks this season. Collectively, Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito (along with wideout Parris Campbell) took 85 sacks. Only the 1986 Eagles (104) have allowed more in a season.
Bricillo most recently followed Josh McDaniels to Las Vegas. While the 47-year-old assistant coached on the Patriots’ staff, he did not overlap with Brian Daboll. Bricillo coached on Bill Belichick‘s staff from 2019-21, working as the team’s O-line coach over the final two seasons. Prior to Bricillo’s New England stay, he spent over a decade in the college ranks, much of it at Division I-FCS Youngstown State.
While the Raiders fired McDaniels and Dave Ziegler this season, an O-line that featured unremarkable pieces powered Josh Jacobs to a rushing title in 2022. With the Raiders moving on from their brief Patriot Way experiment, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur notes Bricillo was unlikely to return.
Blocking is normal. It also tells the coach that if the new HC doesn’t want you, NYG does, kinda gives the ST coach something to think about it in the back of his mind
Also this OL coach was very solid with the raiders. And Bobby Skinner loves him
The only issue I have with a team blocking a coach is in situations such as this, where the previous regime was fired. If the new Chargers’ HC doesn’t want Ficken, he may find himself out of work next season. There is nothing to say the Giants won’t make a hire before that decision is made.
I agree. If a HC is fired, his assistants should be free of there contracts as well. Or should at least be allowed to interview. Because the new HC may dump them anyways.
The improvement of Chargers ST since his arrival has to be considered in his retention. ST was a mess, couldn’t tackle, couldn’t cover, could evaluate reliable FG/EP kickers but had a pretty good punter (now in Cleveland). The team now is in a much better place with ST.