HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Falcons Hire Zac Robinson As OC

January 27th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Raheem Morris set to make the move from Los Angeles to Atlanta, at least one Rams staffer will join him. The Falcons are hiring Rams QBs coach/passing game coordinator Zac Robinson as offensive coordinator, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. This agreement will include a three-year contract, SI’s Albert Breer adds.

As Rapoport unsurprisingly notes, Robinson represented Morris’ top choice for the position. The latter took the head coaching position in Atlanta in a reunion with his former team. Now, he will bring at least one familiar face along with him, bringing an end to Robinson’s busy involvement in this year’s coordinator hiring cycle.

The 37-year-old was connected to several OC openings around the league, making him a logical candidate to depart Sean McVay‘s staff. Robinson received at least an interview request from six teams looking for a new OC, despite the fact he has no experience at that role during his coaching career.

Robinson had a brief NFL playing career as a quarterback, but he has been with the Rams as a coach since 2019. He served as assistant quarterbacks coach in two different seasons, while working with the team’s wide receivers in between. Over the past two years, he held the title of QBs coach but also passing game coordinator, making him an integral part of the Rams’ offensive staff. Los Angeles in general and quarterback Matthew Stafford in particular experienced a rebound with respect to health and productivity in 2023. The team put up strong showings in total and scoring offense while ranking 10th in passing yards per game (239).

Robinson will take the place of Dave Ragone, who had served as the Falcons’ non-play-calling OC during Arthur Smith‘s head coaching tenure. The Falcons left plenty to be desired during their time at the helm, never finishing better than 17th in scoring while posting a 7-10 record each year. Ragone has not taken a position elsewhere, but he will be in line to do so now with Morris and Robinson in the fold.

Atlanta had requested an interview with LSU’s Cortez Hankton earlier today, but the team has instead moved quickly in tapping Robinson for the gig. The latter has drawn praise as another up-and-coming offensive mind under McVay, and he will face a significant challenge upon arrival with the Falcons. The team boasts recent top-10 picks at the tight end, receiver and running back positions, as well as a strong offensive line. As was made clear during the 2023 campaign, however, quarterback represents a significant roster hole.

The Falcons have both 2022 third-rounder Desmond Ridder and veteran Taylor Heinicke under contract for next year, but an addition should be expected after the team’s struggles under center in 2023. Regardless of who is in place at the position next year, Robinson will be tasked with overseeing an improvement in efficiency through the air in particular. Morris has experience on both sides of the ball, but the bulk of his NFL work has come on defense, meaning Robinson could have a notable degree of autonomy despite his inexperience.

Already in need of a new DC to replace Morris, the Rams will now need to conduct a search for an internal candidate or an outside hire to take on Robinson’s duties. While that process will be worth watching, the Falcons have immediately filled a significant vacancy on their staff.

Rams, Titans To Meet With Ravens’ Dennard Wilson; Second Giants DC Interview Scheduled

January 27th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of several Ravens staffers who has generated interest around the league, Dennard Wilson remains a popular defensive coordinator candidate. Baltimore’s defensive backs coach is set to interview with the Rams and Titans for the first time, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. In addition, Wilson will meet for the second time with the Giants.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Wilson was New York’s first known interview for the team’s DC vacancy, and that initial summit appears to have gone well. No other second interviews have been lined up for now as the Giants look for a Don Martindale replacement. Wilson had received an interview request from the Titans, but today’s update marks the first interest shown by the Rams.

Martindale initially appeared to be on track to remain with the Giants through 2024 despite reports of a rift between he and head coach Brian Daboll. In the end, though, the former parted ways with the team, creating a significant vacancy on Daboll’s staff. The Titans still have DC Shane Bowen on staff as things currently stand, but he will likely be headed elsewhere once new head coach Brian Callahan brings in staffers of his choosing. The Rams, meanwhile, recently saw Raheem Morris return to the Falcons to take on their HC gig, adding them to the list of teams in the market for a new coordinator.

Wilson has not served as a DC at the NFL level before, but he was a highly-regarded DBs coach during his time with the Eagles. He was a logical internal candidate to replace Jonathan Gannon last offseason, but Philadelphia elected to go outside the organization to fill the role. As a result, Wilson departed for Baltimore in a lateral move. He helped the Ravens post a number of strong statistical showings in 2023; the team ranked sixth against the pass during the regular season allowing 192 yards per game, and finished third in interceptions with 18.

Wilson is the only candidate to be connected to Tennessee’s vacancy for now, and he is the second to have a Los Angeles interview lined up. Having become a finalist with the Giants, though, the Titans and Rams will have competition for his services if they are impressed following their respective first meetings with him.

Titans Request Interview With Dolphins’ Eric Studesville For OC

January 27th, 2024 at 5:52pm CST by Ely Allen

The Titans and new head coach Brian Callahan continue their efforts to build a new staff in Tennessee today. After scheduling their first offensive coordinator interview yesterday, the Titans have requested to interview Dolphins associate head coach and running backs coach Eric Studesville for the job, as well, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Studesville worked wonders with what was originally seen as a below-average running backs room in 2023. Under Studesville, the league leader in rushing touchdowns, Raheem Mostert, and the league’s most electric rookie rusher, Devon Achane, helped elevate one of the league’s most explosive offenses all year. Further back, Studesville is often credited for the success seen by players like Tiki Barber in New York and Willis McGahee, Fred Jackson, and Marshawn Lynch in Buffalo.

At 56 years old, this would be Studesville’s first full offensive coordinator job in a long coaching career. Studesville spent the 2021 season as a co-offensive coordinator with Miami’s tight ends coach at the time, George Godsey, under then-head coach Brian Flores but reverted to his current title for the past two years. Since first entering the NFL as a coach in 1997, Studesville has coached for the Bears, Giants, Bills, Broncos, and Dolphins, often serving double duty with additional titles such as running game coordinator or assistant special teams coach.

During his time in Denver, Studesville worked on the same staff as Callahan from 2010-15, though Callahan was just an offensive assistant while Studesville was a position coach and, for a short time, interim head coach. With Callahan planning to call plays for the Titans, something he didn’t do as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator, Studesville’s inexperience with play-calling becomes less of a factor, as well.

So far, his only competition is Jaguars passing game coordinator Nick Holz, who is set to interview this Monday. Studesville’s connection to Callahan should give him a strong chance to earn his first full offensive coordinator position in the NFL.

Giants Interview Chiefs LBs Coach Brendan Daly For DC Job

January 27th, 2024 at 5:05pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s taken long enough, but after 26 years of coaching at the college and NFL level, Chiefs linebackers coach Brendan Daly has finally gotten an interview for a coordinator position. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Daly interviewed with the Giants to potentially replace Don “Wink” Martindale as defensive coordinator.

Despite only being 48 years old, it’s been a long road for Daly to get this opportunity. After taking his first coaching job for a Florida high school in 1997, Daly spent eight years coaching at Drake, Villanova, Maryland, Oklahoma State, and Illinois State, coaching tight ends and defensive line. He got his first NFL opportunity as an assistant defensive line coach for the Vikings in 2006. Over the next 16 years, Daly worked as a defensive line coach for the Vikings, Rams, Patriots, and Chiefs, earning the run game coordinator title with the Chiefs for three years.

As a linebackers coach for the past two years, Daly has coached a group of underrated linebackers to help anchor a defensive unit that finished second in the NFL for both points allowed and yards allowed. He joins this pool of five other candidates as he endeavors to earn his first coordinator job:

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/27/24

January 27th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the standard gameday practice squad elevations for Championship Sunday:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers

Dolphins, Vic Fangio Part Ways; Eagles Deal Finalized

January 27th, 2024 at 2:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 27: The Eagles have made the official announcement, marking Fangio as the team’s new defensive coordinator following the departure of Desai. Fangio will be tasked with leading a defensive unit that stumbled down the stretch in what started as a promising 2023 season. He may be forced to do it with some younger faces, as well, as some key veterans (defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, defensive end Brandon Graham, linebacker Shaquille Leonard) are facing free agency in the offseason.

JANUARY 25: Fangio is headed to Philadelphia today to finalize his defensive coordinator agreement, Schefter reports. As a result, the Eagles have one of their two coordinator vacancies filled after moving on from OC Brian Johnson. Philadelphia’s defense will be a unit to follow closely in the offseason and into the 2024 campaign.

JANUARY 24: A hotly contested Vic Fangio pursuit developed during the 2023 offseason, with an element of controversy comprising part of it. The Dolphins won out, but the parties’ union will be short-lived. The team announced Wednesday that Fangio will not return as DC.

Describing this as a mutual decision, the Dolphins are moving on from a coach whom they agreed to pay more than $4.5MM per season. Fangio had been closely tied to the Eagles’ DC job in 2023, after serving as a consultant for the team. He alluded to the Jonathan Gannon situation helping lead him out of Philly. With Fangio available again, teams will naturally be interested in the experienced defensive coach.

The Eagles are not planning to sit this one out, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter reporting a deal for Fangio to return to Philly is expected. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson also indicates the Eagles expect Fangio to return and be their next DC.

The Dolphins are letting Fangio leave to allow him to be closer to his family, per ESPN. Fangio, 65, is a Pennsylvania native and sits as the top target for the Eagles’ DC job. The Eagles will still need to interview at least one external minority candidate to comply with the Rooney Rule, but it appears they have a clear preference as they look to replace Sean Desai.

Mike McDaniel will now be on his third DC in three years, moving from Josh Boyer to Fangio after the 2022 season. The Dolphins shelled out a deal that made Fangio the NFL’s highest-paid DC last year. Fangio had wanted to stay with the Eagles, but with the team expecting Gannon to remain in place for a third season, he left for Miami. It does not appear that proved to be a good fit, and the well-traveled coach is on track to step in as a savior of sorts for an Eagles team that completed a chaotic defensive season.

Demoting ex-Fangio lieutenant Desai for Matt Patricia late in the season, the Eagles lost six of their final seven games — including a one-sided wild-card game in Tampa. Patricia is expected to head elsewhere, perhaps rejoining Bill Belichick if the latter lands a head coaching job, but the Eagles will receive the good fortune of Fangio becoming available again. The Eagles have already interviewed Ron Rivera virtually, but it seems fairly clear Fangio is the favorite. Following Gannon’s departure for Arizona — which drew a tampering penalty from the NFL — the Philly defense cratered, finishing 29th in DVOA.

Fangio drew interest from a few places after not taking a job to start the 2022 season. The Falcons and Panthers interviewed the ex-Broncos HC, and the 49ers expressed interest in reuniting with him. Fangio also came up in Denver, as Sean Payton took over, but deemed the timing wrong. The Dolphins’ defense featured some of the same poor injury luck Fangio experienced in Denver, as his playoff unit lacked numerous starters — including edge anchors Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb — after missing Jalen Ramsey for half the season. The Dolphins held their own in the red zone in frigid Kansas City, but Miami’s offense crumbled in a one-sided matchup.

An NFL assistant since helming the Saints’ famed “Dome Patrol” linebacking corps in the 1980s and early ’90s, Fangio has received rave reviews for his work in Chicago and San Francisco. The Bears gig, which featured the team’s 2018 unit leading the league, led to the Broncos hiring him as head coach in 2019. Fangio was in place under Jim Harbaugh, helping the 49ers to three straight NFC title games from 2011-13.

Miami’s 2023 defense ranked 19th in DVOA; multiple names have already surfaced for the newly vacant job. Brandon Staley is expected to be a candidate, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile has generated good reviews around the league, per NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Campanile is also on the Giants’ DC radar.

Staley, of course, is coming off an in-season firing as Chargers HC. Staley’s Bolts defenses underwhelmed throughout his tenure, but he would make for a natural transition in Miami, having been a Fangio charge in Chicago and Denver. Staley became a promising HC candidate after spending the 2020 season as the Rams’ DC. He has yet to interview for an HC or DC job this offseason. The former Chargers leader shares an agent with McDaniel, Dianna Russini of The Athletic tweets.

Patriots Promote DeMarcus Covington To DC

January 27th, 2024 at 2:21pm CST by Ben Levine

2:21pm: The Patriots have made it official, announcing that Covington will be promoted to the defensive coordinator position. Under the new head coach, Mayo, Covington will officially be the team’s first defensive coordinator since Matt Patricia left in 2017.

11:57am: It sounds like Jerod Mayo has zeroed in on his defensive coordinator. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, “all signs point” to the Patriots promoting defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington to defensive coordinator.

While the Patriots haven’t announced the move, Breer notes that the organization has notified other candidates that they’re out of the running. The move is expected to be made official early next week.

Covington has spent his entire NFL coaching career with the Patriots, working his way up from coaching assistant to defensive line coach, a role that he’s held for the past four seasons. Covington has helped with the development of former second-round pick Christian Barmore, and Matt Judon and Josh Uche have both had success on the edge under the coach’s tutelage.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes that Covington impressed during last year’s coordinator interviews, as the coach met about the DC jobs with the Cardinals and Chargers. It seemed like only a matter of time before he earned a coordinator job, and that opportunity has apparently come in New England.

The Patriots didn’t employ a traditional defensive coordinator during Bill Belichick‘s final seasons in New England, but Mayo and Steve Belichick were generally considered the leaders of the defensive coaching staff. Considering Mayo having been promoted to head coach and the younger Belichick’s uncertain future with the organization, the organization looked to fill the leadership void on their staff. Covington was one of four known candidates for the position, joining Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges, Panthers outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu, and Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker.

Elsewhere in New England, the Patriots have added two offensive coordinator candidates to the mix. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Patriots interviewed 49ers tight ends coach Brian Fleury for their offensive coordinator job. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that former Bears OC Luke Getsy also interviewed for the position.

Fleury has spent the past five seasons in San Francisco, including the past two in his current role. With Fleury leading the tight ends, George Kittle hauled in a career-high 11 touchdowns in 2022. This past season, Kittle topped the 1,000-yards receiving mark for the first time since the 2020 campaign.

Getsy lost his job earlier this month despite guiding one of the league’s top rushing attacks over the past two seasons. Before his two-year stint in Chicago, Getsy spent three seasons with the Packers as their quarterbacks coach.

Panthers OC Thomas Brown Not Expected To Stay In Carolina

January 27th, 2024 at 2:03pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s been assumed for some time now, but Joe Person of the The Athletic confirmed today that Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will not be a part of new head coach Dave Canales‘ staff. Brown just finished his first season as an offensive coordinator in the NFL and is receiving interest for other head coaching and coordinator jobs around the NFL.

Brown has been a hot, young name in NFL coaching circles the past few years. He broke into coaching at the collegiate level, working as a strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater, Georgia. After consecutive one-year stints as a running backs coach at Chattanooga, Marshall, Wisconsin, and Georgia, Brown followed his head coach Mark Richt to Miami, where he would work as offensive coordinator for the Hurricanes, though Richt retained play-calling duties.

After another one-year stint at South Carolina, Brown made his NFL debut on Sean McVay‘s staff in Los Angeles as a running backs coach. After only a year, McVay added the role of assistant head coach to Thomas’ title and, eventually, moved him to tight ends for a year. The demand became strong for Brown as he started interviewing for head coaching jobs and was eventually hired as Frank Reich‘s offensive coordinator in Carolina. It was a doomed role for Brown as, like Richt, Reich retained play-calling duties, ceding them to Brown here and there during periods of ineffectiveness before getting let go.

Brown’s expected departure from Carolina is less a reflection on Brown than an indicator of Canales’ plans moving forward. Canales has requested an interview with Eagles senior offensive assistant Marcus Brady, and there have been rumors that his quarterbacks coach from Tampa Bay, Thad Lewis, may eventually join him in Carolina, as well. Canales plans on calling plays for the offense during his stint as head coach, so we’re seeing less experienced candidates getting looks for the coordinator job below him.

Brown’s name continues to stay hot in conversations for vacant positions. So far this offseason, Brown has interviewed for offensive coordinator positions with the Bears, Patriots, and Steelers, and he even made it to the second round of interviews for the Titans’ head coaching job that went to Brian Callahan. Even if Brown fails to land a new coordinator job for 2024, he remains a name to watch due to his leadership potential.

Sean Desai To Interview For Bills, Falcons’ DC Jobs

January 27th, 2024 at 12:38pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Sean Desai could land on his feet relatively quickly. After getting fired by the Eagles earlier this week, the former defensive coordinator is interviewing for the same role with the Bills and Falcons, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

[RELATED: Eagles Fire DC Sean Desai]

After Jonathan Gannon left Philly to coach the Cardinals, the Eagles brought on Desai as their new defensive coordinator last offseason. Things started off well for the new hire, as the Eagles began their 2023 campaign with a 10-1 record. However, following two-straight losses, Desai lost his play-calling duties to Matt Patricia.

Desai’s replacement didn’t inspire much confidence; the Eagles went 1-4 with Patricia at the helm. Still, with the defensive coordinator eyeing reduced responsibilities for the foreseeable future, it didn’t seem like he was going to last all that long in Philadelphia. So, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when the Eagles let him go earlier this week.

Fortunately for Desai, the rough 2023 campaign didn’t do much to impact his coaching outlook. Teams can still point to his one-year stint as Bears defensive coordinator in 2021, when Chicago finished the season ranked sixth in terms of total defense. He also earned a solid reputation during his time as an assistant, including most recently when he was associate head coach and defensive assistant with the Seahawks in 2022.

Atlanta has a growing list of DC candidates as Raheem Morris looks to fill out his new staff. We previously heard that Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde was a candidate for the position, and Morris continues to look within the NFC East for options.

The Bills connection is a bit more surprising. Sean McDermott decided not to replace Leslie Frazier on the 2023 coaching staff, with the head coach effectively taking over the defensive coordinator role. It seemed like McDermott was destined to continue calling defensive plays in 2024, especially following news that trusted Bills assistant Eric Washington was heading to the Bears as their new defensive coordinator.

This led some to assume that if McDermott was serious about adding a defensive coordinator, he wouldn’t have let Washington out the door in the first place. Still, based on this latest development, it sounds like the Bills head coach would at least be open to relinquishing some of his responsibilities.

Falcons Request OC Interview With LSU’s Cortez Hankton

January 27th, 2024 at 9:32am CST by Ben Levine

As Raheem Morris looks to fill out his staff in Atlanta, he’s eyeing the college ranks for one of his top assistants. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Falcons have requested an interview with LSU co-offensive coordinator Cortez Hankton for their offensive coordinator job.

[RELATED: 2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Following a nine-year NFL career, Hankton joined Dartmouth’s coaching staff as their WRs coach in 2012. He’s held that role throughout his coaching career, including stints at Vanderbilt and Georgia. He took on the pass game coordinator role with the Bulldogs in 2019 and won a championship during his final year at the school.

He moved to LSU as their pass game coordinator/WRs coach in 2022. After offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock left for Notre Dame after this past season, Hankton was named co-offensive coordinator alongside quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan for the 2024 campaign. He most recently worked with wideouts Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas, two potential first-round picks in this upcoming draft.

Hankton is the first known candidate for the Falcons offensive coordinator job. Morris has already reached out to Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde about the Falcons defensive coordinator job, and the team is set to retain special teams coordinator Marquice Williams (per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).

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