HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Jaguars Interested In Ben Johnson, Joe Brady, Liam Coen; Team Open To Hiring Executive VP

January 6th, 2025 at 4:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Shad Khan gave both Gus Bradley and Doug Marrone more time, he canned Doug Pederson after three seasons. Trent Baalke is staying on, which has surprised many around the league. Baalke will now be part of the team’s HC search, which looks to have a certain skillset in mind.

Offensive creativity will be factored into the Jaguars’ search, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who reports the AFC South club has Ben Johnson, Joe Brady and Liam Coen on its radar. Despite having gone offense with Pederson, Khan appears to be leaning in a similar direction.

Pederson came to Jacksonville as a five-year play-caller, but the former Super Bowl winner relinquished that responsibility — to the chagrin of many — after the 2022 season. Embattled OC Press Taylor remained the Jags’ play-caller over the past two seasons, despite the team’s fortunes worsening since December 2023 began a regime-defining swoon. Nevertheless, the Jags are targeting more play-callers, as they attempt to maximize Trevor Lawrence.

No interview requests have come yet, but it would surprise if these three did not receive slips. Although the Jags finished 4-13, Lawrence’s presence figures to add intrigue to the post. Teams with QB issues may have a much harder time attracting top candidates, even though the 2021 No. 1 overall pick has not yet justified his summer megadeal. Lawrence is also recovering from shoulder surgery completed midway through last month.

Johnson has long been believed to be the top play-caller type available, having restored Jared Goff as a quality passer after the Lions acquired him as a throw-in as part of the Matthew Stafford trade. Johnson has called plays for the past three seasons, and the Lions have continued to climb. Detroit’s 68 offensive touchdowns this season trail only the 2013 Broncos’ record-setting attack. The Lions led the NFL in scoring and finished second in yardage. Johnson, 38, has been selective but is tentatively viewed as more likely to take a job this year. He is set to meet with the Patriots and Bears, two teams that just drafted top-three QBs.

Coen did plenty to sustain Baker Mayfield‘s 2023 resurgence, helping to elevate the formerly maligned passer. Mayfield shattered his career high by throwing 41 touchdown passes this season. Coen, 39, did not stand out as Rams OC in 2022 but has restored his stock in Tampa. The four-time reigning NFC South champion Bucs navigated Dave Canales‘ departure well, ranking third in scoring offense, and Coen is drawing interest in a league starved for promising play-callers. Coen should be expected to garner extensive attention this year, Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager adds.

A Bills team that already had a dominant quarterback has benefited from Brady, who has been at the controls during Josh Allen‘s most complete season. The MVP favorite had already propelled Brian Daboll to a top job, and his current 35-year-old conductor may not be long for the Bills’ OC chair. The Saints are also interested in Brady, who coached in New Orleans previously.

When the Jags’ job was last open back in 2022, rumblings about potential difficulty working with Baalke surfaced. The second-chance GM, who battled Jim Harbaugh in a mid-2010s San Francisco power struggle, is believed to have seen his relationship with Pederson worsen in 2024. He has fended off rumors about a firing, doing so as Pederson took the fall. The Jags considered hiring an executive VP to operate between Baalke and ownership previously, but nothing came of it. Khan did not rule out another search, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, and said some front office talent will be added due to the present Jags staff being “lean.”

Baalke rode shotgun to Urban Meyer upon becoming the Jags’ GM, and it is rather interesting that the former 49ers leader will be on staff with a fourth Jags HC. The AFC South franchise hired Baalke during Marrone’s tenure in 2020 and promoted him to GM under Meyer. Baalke’s presence will be one of the most interesting components on this year’s HC carousel.

Saints Request HC Interviews With Joe Brady, Aaron Glenn

January 6th, 2025 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:24pm: The Glenn request is official, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. That comes as no surprise, but the Saints could have competition from at least two other teams depending on how Glenn interviews with Chicago and New York. More suitors could also emerge in the wake of his strong 2024 showing.

2:55pm: Familiarity looks to be important for the Saints. At least, their HC search initially points in that direction. Two former New Orleans staffers are on the list to replace Dennis Allen.

Ex-Allen lieutenant Aaron Glenn is expected to receive an interview request from the Saints, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Glenn has served as the Lions’ DC for four seasons. Also on staff alongside Allen under Sean Payton, Joe Brady is on the Saints’ radar. New Orleans officially submitted a request to the Buffalo OC, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.

The Glenn request — rumored to be in the works for a bit now — marks his second from the NFC South club over the past three years. Glenn, 52, worked as Saints DBs coach under Payton from 2016-20. Coaching the likes of Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams, Glenn helped the Saints’ defense — under Allen’s leadership — complete a dramatic turnaround after the unit had bottomed out in the mid-2010s. Glenn has since elevated the Lions into a top-10 defense.

It might not be automatic the Saints lure Glenn back, as the veteran coordinator is being tied to just about every available job. The Jets and Bears have submitted a request. As part of a No. 1-seeded team, Glenn can also meet virtually with HC-needy clubs this week. Candidates tied to other playoff teams must wait until after their wild-card contests to begin virtual meetings.

Brady, 35, did not hold a high-ranking post during his time in New Orleans. He served as a Saints offensive assistant from 2017-18. Brady has since been on the rise, a climb that began when he served as pass-game coordinator for LSU’s unbeaten 2019 national champion team. After being fired from his post as Panthers OC, Brady has rebounded in Buffalo. Josh Allen has submitted his best all-around season, remaining the MVP favorite after piloting the Bills to a third straight AFC No. 2 seed. The Bills rank second in scoring, having beaten both the Lions and Chiefs this season. Unlike Glenn, Brady was not part of the Saints’ 2022 search to replace Payton.

Despite Allen’s struggles, the Saints have been connected to a hire familiar with the organization. They have not relieved longtime GM Mickey Loomis of his duties, as the veteran enters Year 24 in that post. Loomis is the second-longest-tenured pure GM in NFL history — behind only Cowboys Hall of Famer Tex Schramm. It will be interesting to see how many coaches with backgrounds exclusively outside the organization receive extensive looks, but Brady and Glenn look like two strong candidates based on their resumes.

Browns GM: Expectation For Myles Garrett To Retire With Team

January 6th, 2025 at 3:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a wildly disappointing season, the Browns have a significant in-house matter to address. With the Deshaun Watson restructure offering some early clarity on that lingering issue, the team still has Myles Garrett business ahead.

Garrett made pointed comments about the team’s direction last month. The All-Pro defensive end will seek answers from Browns management on how the team’s power brokers plan to climb out of this hole, one that produced a 3-14 record on the heels of a wild-card berth.

The Browns joined the Giants in being a 3-14 team that is not planning to fire its HC or GM, with Andrew Berry safe despite authorizing the Watson contract. As Berry prepares for his sixth offseason in charge in Cleveland, he does not sound like any expectation of a Garrett trade is on the horizon. Berry said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) he expects Garrett to remain with the Browns and retire as a member of the team down the road.

Garrett, 29, said he would consider a trade request if he did not like the answer Browns higher-ups gave him. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year said he has not held that state-of-the-union talk with management just yet.

This demand comes as Garrett appears set to also angle for a new contract. The former No. 1 overall pick has long outplayed his deal, with a few less accomplished edge rushers having vaulted his $25MM-per-year contract — which sits fifth at the position but well behind the leader. Entering his ninth season still playing at an All-Pro level, Garrett faces a crucial offseason to capitalize on his value. Garrett has two years remaining on his deal, but T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson are all in contract years. It stands to reason Nick Bosa‘s $34MM-per-year EDGE ceiling will be raised — probably by more than one player — and it will be interesting to see who strikes first.

Asked about an extension, Garrett said, “There’ll be something coming.” Considering his comments about the state of the team, it would be a mild surprise if Garrett showed up for offseason work without a new deal in place. The Browns gave him what turned out to be a team-friendly contract in 2020, as the deal tied him to the team for seven years (due to rookie-contract control). Garrett may be trying to force two issues in the same offseason.

Even though Garrett is not technically in a contract year, inserting a potential trade into the equation represents another way to apply pressure on the Browns. It does not sound like the team is interested in letting another franchise authorize Garrett’s third contract.

Brock Purdy Targeting Early-Offseason Extension

January 6th, 2025 at 3:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have taken their time with most of their big-ticket extensions under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa signed just before the past two seasons, respectively, while the Deebo Samuel and George Kittle deals occurred during training camp. Brock Purdy is targeting a deal much earlier.

Not long after a report surfaced pointing to the 49ers not being keen on paying Purdy a top-market rate, the three-year veteran quarterback is targeting a deal that ends this matter before the team’s offseason program begins in April. Purdy made it clear he will seek a 49ers extension. All signs point to the franchise being ready to explore a deal for the seventh-round steal.

[RELATED: Assessing Purdy’s Extension Candidacy]

“I want to obviously get it done,” Purdy said, via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. “If that’s an opportunity to be able to get that done quick, that’d be great. Just so we can get back for phase one.”

While that has not been San Francisco’s M.O., they have hammered out a notable QB contract early in an offseason during the Shanahan-Lynch regime. The 49ers gave Jimmy Garoppolo a then-record contract in February 2018. Of course, the primary difference between a Garoppolo payday and a Purdy pact centers around team control. The 49ers paid Garoppolo weeks before he was to hit free agency; Purdy’s rookie deal runs through the 2025 season. That gives the 49ers time, and Purdy’s hopes may not align with the organization’s.

It stands to reason the 49ers will not deviate from their plans to pay Purdy, but they are under no obligation to do it early. This coming offseason, thanks largely to the 2021 and ’22 QB classes not producing many extension candidates, may also not see the market change. Josh Allen could have a say, even though the Bills have him locked down for multiple years, but the 2023 and ’24 offseasons settled a lot of business on the QB market. This would allow the 49ers to wait a bit, and Purdy’s price point will matter significantly as well.

Purdy, 25, has accomplished more than Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence, who inked $55MM-per-year deals this past summer. It would stand to reason those accords would be the former Mr. Irrelevant’s floor. Even if the 49ers are understandably not comfortable going into the $60MM-AAV (with a player-friendly structure) neighborhood Dak Prescott populates by himself, it will then be on the team to determine whether that Lawrence-Love territory would work. Otherwise, the team would have another year of rookie-deal control and a $40MM-plus franchise tag at its disposal.

Ray Farmer, Ryan Grigson, Mike Greenberg, Mike Borgonzi Receive Jets GM Interview Requests

January 6th, 2025 at 2:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

General managers do not receive second chances nearly as often as head coaches. The Jets’ early round of interview requests has shown, however, they are quite open to the notion of a rebound GM.

After meeting with Thomas Dimitroff and Jon Robinson, the Jets have since sent interview requests to Ray Farmer and Ryan Grigson, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Farmer and Grigson, respectively, enjoyed tenures as Browns and Colts GMs during the 2010s. As could be expected, a number of candidates seeking their first GM opportunity are also in the Jets’ plans.

Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi received a Jets request, per Russini, while Schefter adds Buccaneers assistant GM Mike Greenberg did as well. Bengals senior personnel exec Trey Brown is on the Jets’ request list, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, while Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby is as well. Halaby will interview for the position Wednesday, Pelissero adds.

Farmer has not been a part of this process for a while. Now 50, Farmer is nearly 10 years removed from his Browns GM tenure. He has conducted one GM interview — for the Jaguars’ post that went to Trent Baalke in 2021 — since the Browns fired him after the 2015 season. Once suspended for sending text messages to the sideline from his press box seat during the 2014 season — his first as Browns GM — Farmer oversaw one of the more successful seasons since Cleveland’s franchise rebooted. The Browns went 7-9 in 2014, though that year was marred by a disastrous first round that saw Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel become historic busts. Farmer is now with the Rams, working as a senior personnel exec. He picked up a Super Bowl ring for his work three years ago.

Grigson, the Colts’ GM from 2012-16, works as a Vikings exec presently. Minnesota hired him as senior VP of player personnel; he has worked under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for two years. The two worked together in Cleveland under GM Andrew Berry as well. The Colts reached the AFC championship game under Grigson, who was present for the Andrew Luck pick, but they also struggled to build a foundation around their franchise passer, who suffered career-altering injuries to help lead to Grigson’s ouster.

The Chiefs’ success figures to make Borgonzi a popular target. Kansas City lost one of its front office pieces last year, as the Panthers hired Brandt Tilis to a non-GM post. Borgonzi works as Brett Veach‘s right-hand man presently. Borgonzi’s Chiefs tenure predates Andy Reid, as he arrived in Kansas City as a Scott Pioli hire. Borgonzi has climbed the ladder during the team’s rise, moving to the AGM post in 2021. The Commanders are the only team, however, that has met with him for a GM interview thus far.

Brown has taken a few interviews previously; ditto Greenberg. The latter grew up a Jets fan on Long Island, and Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager indicates the Bucs could be in danger losing him this year. Greenberg, who has been with the franchise for two decades, serves as the Bucs’ lead cap guru and has been chiefly responsible for the team being able to retain both members of its Super Bowl LV-winning nucleus along with Baker Mayfield.

A Kansas City-area native, Brown is 39 but has been in the NFL ranks since 2010. He has worked in the Cincinnati front office since 2020. This will be Halaby’s second offseason on the GM carousel; he met with the Commanders and Panthers last year. The Eagles promoted the analytics staffer to assistant GM in 2022, when the franchise saw four of its execs become assistant GMs elsewhere.

The Jets also sent out a host of HC interview slips Monday, and they are not committing to a GM-centric power structure. That will be a pertinent question for GM candidates, as organizational power is an obvious driver for execs and coaches. The team is not committed to hiring either position first, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini indicates, adding some additional intrigue to a process that already features plenty. Woody Johnson‘s overreach has generated numerous headlines as of late, and the owner’s meddling stands to have an impact on the team’s HC and GM searches.

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Still Undecided On Potential Coaching Change

January 6th, 2025 at 2:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 6: Jones and McCarthy will meet later today as part of the Cowboys’ end-of-season process, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports. It is unknown at this point if a formal contract offer will be made at that time, or if Jones will indicate a change is being contemplated. The wait continues for McCarthy and the remainder of his staff.

JANUARY 5: Cowboys brass avoided questions about head coach Mike McCarthy‘s future in the build-up to Week 18, something which is commonplace when changes on the sidelines are considered imminent. Dallas’ season has now ended, but it remains to be seen if McCarthy will be replaced.

After the Cowboys’ loss to the Commanders, owner Jerry Jones spoke to the media. He was asked the latest round of questions about McCarthy, whose contract is set to expire next week. During the year, he has routinely spoken highly of the former Packers Super Bowl winner, and to no surprise that continued on Sunday.

“I don’t know that I am considering making a change is really what I’m trying to say,” Jones replied (via ESPN’s Todd Archer) when speaking about McCarthy’s future. “Mike’s one of the best coaches that I think there is. He was made the coach here because I thought that, and he’s done absolutely nothing to diminish my opinion of him as a coach.”

That falls in line with much of Jones’ sentiment from the past several months. The 2024 season did not go to plan, as the Cowboys dealt with major injuries at a number of key positions en route to a 7-10 finish. McCarthy guided the team to three straight 12-5 campaigns prior to this year’s disappointment, but a lack of playoff success led to doubts he would be retained for this past season. Jones elected not to offer a contract extension, leaving McCarthy in a lame duck situation.

As things currently stand, Dallas is not looking into other candidates, a notable indication McCarthy has a strong chance of receiving a new contract shortly. As Jones noted, though, no timeline is currently in place regarding a final decision on that front. McCarthy and the rest of his staff are on expiring deals, so changes on the sidelines will need to be made soon if Jones elects to move in a different direction and avail himself to the top candidates in the 2025 hiring cycle. McCarthy, meanwhile, made it clear he hopes to remain in place.

“I have a lot invested here. And the Cowboys have a lot invested in me,” the 63-year-old said. “And then there’s a personal side to all these decisions. They all point the right direction… I believe in building programs. I believe in developing young players. So, at the end of day, it is about winning and you have to have those components in place to get this thing where it needs to be. I think we have a very good foundation here.”

McCarthy could be a head coaching candidate for outside suitors in this year’s hiring cycle provided the Cowboys choose not to retain him. The Saints were recently named as a team which could target McCarthy if possible, but for now there is still (at least publicly) a mutual desire for his time with Jones in Dallas to continue next year and beyond.

Panthers Endorse Bryce Young As 2025 Starting QB

January 6th, 2025 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

When the Panthers benched Bryce Young after Week 2, rumors about a 2025 separation swirled. The team had bailed on a No. 1 overall pick after 17 starts, leading to trade offers coming in before the deadline. Plenty has changed over the past two months.

Andy Dalton sustaining minor injuries in a car accident led Young back into Carolina’s lineup, and the team did not sit him down. Young played much better during this season’s second half and is poised to have a chance to build on that momentum heading into next season. Both David Tepper and Dave Canales offered endorsements of the former Heisman winner as Carolina’s 2025 starter.

Tepper said (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) he thinks the Panthers have “got our QB here,” while Canales said postgame (via The Athletic’s Joe Person) the team indeed has its guy at the position. Young closed the season with a 251-yard passing outing in a game that featured him account for four touchdowns, powering the Panthers to knock the Falcons out of the playoff race.

“Bryce is our quarterback. I’m so proud of the way that he took the challenge and he just grew,” Canales said. “Every week he took new lessons, new things, applied it to his game. Was engaged, challenging the guys, the whole thing.”

After checking in with a QBR south of 10 upon being benched, Young made significant strides under Canales after his second 2024 stint as the team’s starter. Young, who struggled throughout his rookie season while leading an undermanned offense, ranked 20th in QBR (54.5). Young piloted the Panthers to a 4-6 record once he reclaimed the reins, finishing the season with 15 TD passes (to nine INTs) and a 6.3 yards-per-attempt number. These are obviously not franchise QB-caliber numbers, but they represent an improvement that has changed Carolina’s QB outlook.

A source close to Young said (via ESPN.com’s David Newton) Canales gave up on Young upon benching him, and Young wondered at points if he had a future in Charlotte. With Canales not classifying the benching as a reset — instead shifting to Dalton on a full-time basis — Young was certainly within his rights to express concern about his long-term NFL future. Th0ugh, the team had planned to give Young more starts before season’s end; Dalton’s car accident accelerated that timetable. The Panthers, though, rebuffed midseason trade interest — as the Colts did with Anthony Richardson — even if they still were noncommittal about Young’s post-2024 status at that point. That stance has since changed.

After the Panthers made several signings and draft investments to beef up their offense to better equip Young, they are now again committed to bettering his situation. The Panthers will have some work to do at wide receiver, having traded Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo and with Adam Thielen wrapping an age-34 season, but the team added high-priced guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis — before extending Chuba Hubbard. More work can certainly be done around Young’s rookie contract, which runs through 2026. The Panthers do not need to make their fifth-year option call on the 5-foot-10 QB until May of that year.

Bears Request HC Interviews With Aaron Glenn, Mike Kafka, Drew Petzing, Anthony Weaver

January 6th, 2025 at 1:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

In addition to a much-anticipated Ben Johnson meeting, the Bears are using Black Monday to roll out other interview requests. Four more assistants received invites for meetings.

The Lions’ other top coordinator, Aaron Glenn, will be a popular name once again; he is part of the Bears’ initial batch of requests. Chicago also sent out interview slips to Giants OC Mike Kafka, Cardinals OC Drew Petzing and Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport report.

These meetings will take place along with a Thomas Brown interview. The interim Bears HC is expected to meet with the team, via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin. Although the Bears have realized the difficult situation they put Brown in, it would be rather surprising if he drew serious consideration given the team’s freefall during the season’s second half. It would then stand to reason Brown — the team’s pass-game coordinator, interim OC and interim HC this season — will be relocating for a third straight offseason.

Glenn, 52, has been the Lions’ DC for four seasons. Detroit’s group took a leap to start this season, with Aidan Hutchinson surging to Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner status. Hutchinson’s broken leg gutted Detroit’s pass-rushing capabilities, and other injuries impacted the Lions on that side of the ball. The NFC’s No. 1 seed, however, still finished the season seventh in points allowed. Glenn’s unit also closed the regular season with a strong showing in the winner-take-all matchup with the Vikings, a game that turned into a blowout thanks largely to a bounce-back Lions defensive effort.

While this might be the year for Glenn to break through, this is new territory for Petzing and Weaver. The Cardinals’ OC came up as a name to watch on the HC circuit earlier this season, though Arizona struggled after moving into playoff contention around midseason. Kyler Murray has also not taken a noticeable step forward under Petzing, who came to the desert after residing as Browns QBs coach under Kevin Stefanski. The 37-year-old play-caller coached the Cards to a 12th-place finish in scoring offense, however; that brought a nice jump from 24th in Jonathan Gannon‘s debut.

Landing the Miami DC job last year, Weaver was among three 2023 Ravens assistants to move up last year. The 44-year-old DC’s Dolphins unit also made strides despite not having Bradley Chubb throughout and not having Jaelan Phillips for most of this season. The Dolphins ranked 10th in scoring defense and fourth in yardage, marking improvements from Vic Fangio‘s year in charge. These marks came despite an offense that took major steps back as Tua Tagovailoa battled injuries. Additionally, Russini notes Ryan Poles has done extensive homework on Weaver — in the event the Bears want to follow a defensive hire with another.

Kafka’s stock may have actually received a slight boost this season, as Brian Daboll taking over Giants play-calling duties brought a steep descent. Kafka was at the controls when the Giants made a surprising run to the divisional round in 2022, though his unit — largely without Daniel Jones at the helm — declined in 2023. Kafka may also be a candidate for other OC jobs, with rumors about a split with Daboll — as the Giants may not block him from a lateral move this year — surfaced over the weekend.

Jets Start Submitting HC Interview Requests

January 6th, 2025 at 12:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets have been free to interview coaching candidates not currently under contract to other teams. Now that the regular season is over, however, formal interview requests can be made to speak with staffers employed elsewhere.

The Jets have been quite busy on that front, sending out requests to numerous staffers as they map out the next phase of their search process. New York has already interviewed former head coaches Ron Rivera and (after the expiration of his Browns consulting contract) Mike Vrabel. The same will also be true of former Jets coach Rex Ryan, who said on Monday he sees himself as the top candidate.

In addition to those three, a slew of coaches have received an interview request. That includes Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, as noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Slowik is in his second season leading Houston’s offense after he followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco. The Texans put up strong numbers during quarterback C.J. Stroud‘s rookie season, leading to head coaching interest in Slowik’s case. The 37-year-old’s unit regressed in 2024, but he has still landed at least one interview request this time around.

The Jets have also requested an interview with Arthur Smith, per Rapoport. That comes as little surprise given the interest New York showed in Smith this past offseason for a role on the team’s offensive staff. Smith instead took the Steelers’ OC gig, but a recent report noted he was likely to receive a look for head coach from the Jets. After three years at the helm of the Falcons (which consisted entirely of 7-10 seasons), Smith immediately moved on to his current role in Pittsburgh. He turned aside interest for North Carolina’s head coaching position, but it will be notable if he explores any HC vacancies at the NFL level this winter.

Another offensive staffer who has received an interview request is Joe Brady. Rapoport reports the Bills’ play-caller has received a slip from the Jets, one which could very well be followed by others shortly. Brady had a forgettable tenure under Matt Rhule with the Panthers, but he has been in Buffalo since 2022. The 35-year-old took over as interim OC midway through last season, and that move sparked improvement in the team’s run game in particular. Brady remained in place on a full-time basis for 2024, and he again guided Buffalo to a strong showing on offense.

Remaining on the offensive side of the ball, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports New York is interested in speaking with Matt Nagy. The former Bears head coach would meet the Jets’ desire to add an experienced leader on the sidelines, although Nagy’s Chicago tenure did not yield much in the way of success after 2018. Following his Chicago firing after the 2021 campaign, Nagy returned to the Chiefs to serve as their QBs coach. The 46-year-old was then promoted to offensive coordinator (in a non play-calling capacity) last offseason following Eric Bieniemy‘s departure. Nagy’s work in that role has put him on the HC radar, with the Saints also being a team believed to have interest.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Brian Griese has also received an interview request. The longtime quarterback had a stretch working as an ESPN analyst from 2009-22, but since then he has worked as a member of the 49ers’ coaching staff. This season marked his third as San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach, and as such Griese has played a large role in developing Brock Purdy into a candidate for the NFL’s next mega-extension at the position. Given his lack of coaching experience, a jump to HC would come as a surprise at this point, but Griese could receive some consideration from the Jets.

Vikings QBs coach Josh McCown is another staffer with an offensive background whom the Jets are looking into. Schefter reports the 45-year-old has received an interview request. McCown’s playing career ended in 2020, and it did not take long for him to transition to coaching. He coached the Panthers’ quarterbacks last season before taking on the same role with the Vikings for 2024. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has understandably received praise for Sam Darnold‘s strong play this year, but McCown’s role has no doubt helped his stock as well.

Having moved on from Robert Saleh midseason and struggled under interim HC (and former defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich), it would come as no surprise if an offensive staffer were to be targeted by the Jets. Not all candidates have that background, though. Schefter reports Vance Joseph has received an interview request, one which may well be followed by others this cycle. His work leading the Broncos’ defense (No. 7 in yards allowed, No. 3 in scoring) has not gone unnoticed, and a second head coaching opportunity could come about as a result. Joseph, 52, coached the Broncos in 2017 and ’18.

Another popular candidate is Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Jets have submitted a request. Glenn has been in his current role since 2021, and after receiving confidence from head coach Dan Campbell in the wake of previous poor outings his unit has shown improvement this year. Despite dealing with several injuries, the Lions ranked seventh in scoring defense en route to the top seed in the NFC. Glenn has not worked as a head coach in the NFL before, but the 2025 cycle could present his first opportunity to do so.

Rounding out defensive candidates, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports Brian Flores is on the list of staffers New York wishes to speak with. His success as Vikings defensive coordinator has boosted his stock, and the former Dolphins coach made it clear earlier this season he would welcome another opportunity to lead a staff. Other suitors could be in play as well, and Flores’ interview process will be worth watching closely.

Other candidates will no doubt emerge soon, but for now the Jets have a long list of targets as they seek out Saleh’s long-term replacement. It will be interesting to see where Ulbrich fits into this equation; in any event, though, he figures to have considerable competition for the gig.

Ben Johnson Planning To Meet With Bears, Patriots; No Jets Interview Expected

January 6th, 2025 at 12:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed, finishing 15-2. This season has obviously done nothing to cool interest on Ben Johnson, who has been one of the league’s most popular HC candidates for the past two offseasons.

Requests are coming in for Detroit’s play-caller. The Bears and Patriots have submitted interview requests, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Although Johnson has become rather famous for backing out of coaching searches, Breer indicates he will meet with both teams.

It still is not certain Johnson is set to leave Detroit, with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio noting some indeed believe he is happy being a mad-scientist offensive coordinator while Dan Campbell handles the top responsibilities with the Lions. Though, Jay Glazer’s latest FOX offering conflicts with that. Johnson is “more apt” to take a job during this year’s cycle than he has been previously, per Glazer. Johnson backed out of the Panthers’ HC search in 2023 — as a rumored early favorite — and informed the Commanders he was out as they had sent reps to Detroit for an interview.

Dialing up hook-and-ladders — to wide receivers and right tackles — and other creative plays to help the Lions secure home-field advantage in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, Johnson is expected to draw widespread interest. His Washington backtrack should not do much to deter teams, as Josh McDaniels once landed a head coaching job after having backed out of an actual agreement with the Colts. Johnson, 38, will have considerable momentum once again.

The Bears and Patriots each fired defensive coaches, and teams regularly veer in the opposite direction after ousters. Rumors pointed to Johnson commanding a high HC salary last year. Given the struggles Chicago has gone through (and its interest in developing Caleb Williams) and Robert Kraft‘s about-face involving Jerod Mayo, that might not be a dealbreaker for these teams. But Glazer’s report would seemingly point to Johnson being more interested in this year’s batch of jobs compared to 2023 and ’24.

Initial reports did not peg Johnson as overly interested in the Bears’ job, but more recent submissions have changed that assessment. Johnson is believed to be “intrigued” by the Chicago gig. Candidates are curious regarding team president Kevin Warren‘s role, even as GM Ryan Poles is believed to be running Chicago’s search. Considering Johnson’s past, teams will need to check boxes for the hotshot coordinator to sign on. It would not surprise to see Johnson draw multiple offers during this year’s cycle, as he is again set to be selective.

It is also worth noting the Jets are not planning to reach out to Johnson, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Johnson has made it clear — both now and in the past — he will be choosey, and Russini adds if the Jets had a better quarterback situation, more interest would emerge on the candidate’s part. This would help explain why the Jets are not planning to bother.

Whereas the Bears and Pats drafted potential franchise options in Williams and Drake Maye last year, the Jets do not have a similar answer. They are expected to release Aaron Rodgers, though that may not be a lock just yet, and they are not in a great position to draft a high-end prospect this year. The Jets have also seen Woody Johnson‘s meddling affect the perception of their HC and GM jobs. For now, Johnson is not a candidate to end up in New York.

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