Raiders’ Scott Turner On Radar To Become North Carolina OC

Working as the Raiders’ interim offensive coordinator, Scott Turner may end up needing to find another gig in 2025. As the Raiders sit 2-11, they will not be considered certain to retain Antonio Pierce and his staffers for the 2025 season.

Another opportunity could become available soon. The now-Bill Belichick–led North Carolina program is believed to view Turner as a top OC candidate, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. Unlike Belichick, Turner has a past coaching in college. Though, the second-generation NFL play-caller has spent most of his career in the pros.

Turner, 42, spent three seasons at Pittsburgh (2008-10) and later spent a year on Jim Harbaugh‘s Michigan staff (2017). Neither stint involved coordinator duties, but Turner has climbed to that level with multiple NFL franchises in the years since. Prior to being elevated to his current post after Luke Getsy‘s firing, Turner served as OC for the Panthers and Commanders.

It would be rather interesting if Belichick went in this direction, considering how close the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC is to Josh McDaniels. The latter served as Belichick’s Patriots OC for 13 seasons over two stints. McDaniels also regularly discussed pro and college opportunities with Belichick over the past few months. While a report indicated McDaniels and other ex-Belichick lieutenants were ready to follow the former New England czar wherever he went, it is unclear if that involved a college move as well. McDaniels having hired Turner while in place as Raiders HC adds intrigue here, as it provides a clear connection to Belichick, who has never worked with Turner previously.

Before coming to the Raiders as pass-game coordinator in 2023, Turner served as quarterbacks coach in Carolina; that tenure ended with Ron Rivera‘s firing keying a Norv Turner move out of the OC chair to clear the way for his son. Scott then followed Rivera to Washington, where he was tasked with leading offenses that did not have good answers at quarterback. The Commanders booted Turner after three seasons in which his offense finished outside the top 20 in scoring. This Raiders stint has yet to produce a win; it has also involved Turner coaching Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder in an offense that lost Davante Adams via an early-season trade.

In addition to Turner having worked with McDaniels, he overlapped with Mick Lombardi with the 2023 Raiders. The latter is the son of now-UNC GM Michael Lombardi. Mick is currently stationed as a 49ers senior offensive assistant. McDaniels has not been connected to an NFL job since his Raiders ouster, so it would surprise if he were not considered for the Tar Heels’ play-calling post. Then again, McDaniels has not stopped through the college ranks since beginning his career as a Michigan State graduate assistant in 1999. The underwhelming HC may well be aiming to return to the NFL soon, rather than it being automatic he follows his longtime boss once again.