HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Falcons Conduct DC Interview With Steelers’ Grady Brown

January 17th, 2025 at 3:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

The list of candidates for the Falcons’ defensive coordinator spot continues to grow. Steelers secondary coach Grady Brown will interview for the position today, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The team has since announced the meeting has taken place.

Brown spent time with the Seahawks and Chiefs as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship in 2004 and ’07, respectively. That was followed by a lengthy college coaching tenure; from 2009-19, Brown worked at LSU, Southern Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisville and Old Dominion. He spent much of that time working with defensive backs.

In 2021, Brown was hired by the Steelers to serve as the team’s secondary coach. He has remained in that capacity ever since, working with a unit currently highlighted by cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Pittsburgh ranked third in the league in interceptions in 2024, keeping in line with the team’s recent success with respect to forcing turnovers. While the Steelers finished 25th against the pass this past year, Brown’s work has landed him on the radar of at least one coordinator gig.

Atlanta had Jimmy Lake in place as DC for the 2024 campaign, the first with Raheem Morris as head coach in his return to the team. Lake guided the unit to a 23rd-place finish in total and scoring defense, though, and he was dismissed after the campaign. Several candidates have received a look in the search for his replacements.

Lou Anarumo (formerly of the Bengals), Don Martindale (in place at Michigan after multiple NFL gigs), Jeff Ulbrich (who finished 2024 as interim Jets head coach), Derrick Ansley (pass game coordinator for the Packers) as well as Steve Wilks (longtime NFL coach) have already interviewed with Atlanta this week. Brown’s name is the sixth on the list of contenders for the position, although finalists will likely not be known until a second round of interviews is conducted.

Raiders To Interview Ron Rivera For HC Job

January 17th, 2025 at 3:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already meeting with the Bears and Jets during this HC interview cycle, Ron Rivera will conduct a meeting with another HC-needy franchise. The Raiders are meeting with the former Panthers and Commanders HC, SI.com’s Albert Breer reports. The interview will take place today.

Rivera spent this season out of football, marking his first away from the game since 1996, but is interested in continuing his career. While an assistant job could certainly also be a gateway for the experienced coach to jump back in, he is now involved in three teams’ HC searches.

The Raiders appear to have identified a clear frontrunner, in Lions OC Ben Johnson, but the coveted candidate is also still interested in the Jaguars’ position. Although Las Vegas may well be preparing a big offer to a rather picky candidate, Jacksonville has a setup that already includes a franchise-caliber quarterback — in Trevor Lawrence — and in a much weaker division compared to where the Raiders stand.

A weak division was responsible for Rivera’s only playoff berth in Washington, with a Dak Prescott season-ending injury clearing the road for a 7-9 team to book a playoff berth. While Rivera kept Washington’s operation afloat in 2021 and ’22, the Commanders bottomed out in 2023 by going 4-13 and losing their final eight games. Ownership appearing to overrule Rivera and Co. on a Montez Sweat trade did not help, and the Commanders made a curious decision — considering how hot Rivera’s seat was — to center their 2023 plan around Sam Howell.

Now 63, Rivera is certainly on the older end among this year’s HC candidates. The Raiders have, however, met with Pete Carroll, who is now 73. Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo, 65, also interviewed for this position. With Johnson also still on the Bears’ radar, backup plans may need to emerge for the teams that do not land the hotshot Detroit assistant. Rivera would be one, though third-chance HCs are not overly common in recent NFL history. Rivera did better work with the Panthers during a nine-season tenure, guiding the team to its second Super Bowl and booking three more playoff berths — one involving a 7-8-1 2014 squad — during his tenure.

It is certainly possible Mark Davis‘ quick-trigger firings involving Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce will impact this Raiders search, Tom Brady‘s involvement notwithstanding; no Silver and Black HC has lasted more than four seasons since Art Shell‘s first tenure. Rivera was still an NFL player during most of that stint, and at his age now, being the candidate to buck the modern Raiders trend with a long-term stay would be unlikely. It will still be interesting to see if Rivera can secure a third opportunity in Vegas, Chicago or New York.

Seahawks Meet With Byron Leftwich For OC Position; Second Interview With Vikings’ Grant Udinski Scheduled

January 17th, 2025 at 12:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks continue to move forward in their search for an offensive coordinator. A new name has emerged as one of the team’s targets while the list of finalists grows.

Byron Leftwich recently interviewed with Seattle for the OC spot, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. Leftwich made it clear earlier this season he intended to return to an NFL sideline in some capacity during the 2025 hiring cycle. He met with the Patriots for their head coaching position last week, but a deal allowing him to lead a staff would come as a surprise.

Another coordinator gig would be more realistic, especially considering his success in that capacity with the Buccaneers. Leftwich helped guide the team to a top-three finish in scoring each season from 2019-21. The 2022 campaign witnessed a notable regression with Todd Bowles taking over from Bruce Arians as head coach, but Leftwich could rebuild his stock with another opportunity this year.

While Leftwich has met with the team once, the Seahawks are into the finalist phase by taking part in second interviews. Saints OC Klint Kubiak will speak with Seattle today, having already done so last week. The Browns showed interest in Kubiak as well before promoting Tommy Rees to fill their offensive coordinator spot. Kubiak remains on New Orleans’ staff for now, but since the Saints are among the teams in need of a head coach he has been allowed to seek out other opportunities.

Kubiak is joined by Grant Udinski as a finalist for the Seahawks’ gig. The latter has a second, in-person interview lined up for today, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Udinski is an assistant OC with the Vikings while also holding the title of QBs coach. The 28-year-old first joined an NFL staff when he followed Matt Rhule from Temple to Carolina in 2020. He took a role under Kevin O’Connell in his first year as Vikings head coach (2022), earning a promotion to his current role one year later.

After one season in place, Ryan Grubb was dismissed as Seattle’s offensive coordinator. Mike Macdonald will look to generate a rebound on that side of the ball for his second year at the helm, although before that can take place a decision on quarterback Geno Smith‘s future will need to be made. Whether it is Smith in place or another passer for 2025, the Seahawks’ next OC will be tasked with overseeing a step forward in the run game in particular.

Seattle has also interviewed Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown and Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley for the OC vacancy. It will be interesting to see if either of them wind up joining Kubiak, Udinski (and potentially Leftwich) as finalists.

Jets Start Submitting HC Interview Requests

January 17th, 2025 at 11:28am CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 17: Griese declined the Jets’ interview request, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. That makes him the first candidate to turn down the chance to meet with the team. New York has, of course, nevertheless compiled a long list of targets as the search process for a new full-time head coach continues.

JANUARY 6: 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.

Tom Brady Will Fulfill Broadcasting Contract

January 17th, 2025 at 9:49am CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 season marks Year 1 of Tom Brady‘s broadcasting career. The Raiders minority owner has drawn attention over conflict of interest concerns, but no change to his situation is expected any time soon.

Brady’s agent Don Yee made it clear in an interview with Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal that his client plans to fulfill the remainder of his contract. Brady is attached to a 10-year, $375MM pact with FOX, but the fact his first year in the broadcast booth coincides with his first as an official member of the Raiders’ ownership group led to notable restrictions being placed on him. NFL owners raised issues on the conflict of interest front before approving his purchase of a 5% stake in the franchise, but since it became official no developments have taken place on that front.

“Tom has had a tremendous amount of fun working with FOX this year, and he’s really excited about the future with FOX and his growth on their team,” Yee said. “And this year was the first year of a long relationship.”

Brady’s next game in the booth will be this weekend’s Commanders-Lions contest. That matchup will provide him with the opportunity to speak with Lions coordinator Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, two of the top remaining head coaching candidates in this year’s hiring cycle and and members of the list of Raiders targets. Johnson in particular has emerged as a name to watch closely, with a mutual interest appearing to exist and a substantial offer believed to be on tap. Brady played a central role in the decisions to fire both Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco, moves which gave the Raiders the opportunity to once again reset as an organization.

While Brady carries on in his efforts on that front, he will continue his broadcasting responsibilities (which will include calling Super Bowl LIX). His actions will no doubt continue to be monitored by the league and its owners, although a source from one NFL team informed Mark Maske of the Washington Post no complaints have been made yet with respect to any unfair advantages being gained. The opportunity for that to change may arise down the road, but for the foreseeable future Brady is set to wear both hats.

As noted in a detailed piece on the matter from The Athletic (subscription required), Brady cannot serve a role in the Raiders’ front office aside from his current title of minority owner. Leaving his broadcasting career behind could not lead him to a different position formally leading football operations or another aspect of the organization since he is not directly related to controlling owner Mark Davis. As a result, no changes to Brady’s current setup should be considered likely.

Broncos Fire ST Coordinator Ben Kotwica

January 17th, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos are the latest team to make a coordinator change. After two seasons in Denver, Ben Kotwica has been fired, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report.

Kotwica was among the first hires made by head coach Sean Payton once he took the Broncos’ head coaching position. The move added to Kotwica’s lengthy NFL coaching resume; he has served as a special teams coordinator with the Jets in addition to time in Washington and Atlanta in that capacity. Despite a lack of previous experience working with Payton, Kotwica took charge of the third phase units in Denver after one season as an assistant ST coach with the Vikings.

The 50-year-old oversaw a unit which included Marvin Mims earning first-team All-Pro acclaim as a punt returner this year. In the Broncos’ wild-card loss to the Bills this weekend, the team successfully converted a fourth-and-eight by means of a fake punt. Those individual successes were weighed against shortcomings like Denver’s Week 10 loss to Kansas City, during which a would-be game-winning field goal attempt was blocked.

Given Kotwica’s experience, it would not come as a surprise if he were to land another opportunity in the near future. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see how Payton proceeds with filling this vacancy. As Underdog Fantasy’s James Palmer notes, the timing of this dismissal could be an indication Payton already has a specific target in mind with respect to a replacement.

Of course, the former Saints Super Bowl winner has brought in a number of familiar faces on the field and the sidelines since his arrival in Denver. For that reason, Darren Rizzi‘s name has been mentioned as one to watch. Rizzi took over as New Orleans’ interim head coach midway through the season after Dennis Allen was fired. He hopes to land the full-time gig with the Saints and has interviewed with the team. Rizzi has also met with the Jets about their vacancy, and it remains to be seen if he will receive the opportunity to lead a staff in 2025. If not, taking charge of Denver’s special teams could be on the table.

Deion Sanders Still In Play For Cowboys?

January 16th, 2025 at 11:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Deion Sanders has repeatedly said he is not interested in coaching in the NFL, but the Hall of Fame cornerback also admitted speaking with Jerry Jones about the Cowboys’ job brought intrigue. Despite Sanders attempting to reaffirm his commitment to Colorado shortly after the Jones conversation became public, rumblings about an NFL path persist.

Sanders’ Monday comments pointed to the Big 12 leader staying at the college level, but WFAA’s Ed Werder cautions this might not be a done deal yet. If Jones were to offer Sanders the Dallas job, Werder adds the popular HC would almost definitely accept. Some Sanders associates are also believed to be backing a push from the coach to land this job, and Jones is believed to be “enamored” with the idea of what would be an unorthodox hire.

Arguably the best cornerback in NFL history, Sanders played five seasons with Dallas. After swinging the NFL’s power balance to San Francisco upon signing there in 1994, Sanders’ pivot to Dallas restored Jones’ franchise as the NFL’s premier team via a Super Bowl XXX win. Sanders has maintained a good relationship with the owner and certainly understands the team’s culture. Though, Colorado contract talks are also a central component here.

Sanders is two seasons into a five-year Buffaloes deal, and NFL.com’s Jane Slater reports an extension is potentially on the table. Denver7’s Troy Renck also alludes to a Colorado extension being key in Sanders’ offseason. It would cost roughly $10MM for the Cowboys to get Sanders out of his current Buffaloes contract, per Slater, with that number reducing in future years. Skepticism about Jones paying a buyout also emerged earlier this week, pertaining to Bill Belichick‘s $10MM North Carolina buyout.

This would be a way to create leverage, and the 57-year-old coach certainly has a past maximizing such opportunities — as the 1995 free agency sweepstakes remind. Deion will also see son Shedeur leave his program for the NFL this year. No realistic opportunity to coach his son in the pros, a prospect the former Jackson State HC has said would appeal to him, would exist in Dallas, with Dak Prescott signing the NFL’s most lucrative deal back in September.

The Cowboys’ interest in Sanders is “absolutely real,” according to Slater, and while this is one of the country’s highest-profile coaching jobs, it also features steady Jones influence since the owner doubles as the team’s GM. Jones regularly addresses the media, which other GMs do not do, and has played an omnipresent role during McCarthy and past Dallas HCs’ tenures. Sanders would seemingly enjoy a greater level of autonomy in Boulder.

Jones also asked McCarthy to reduce his staff previously, Slater notes, offering another potential complication. As Sanders does not call plays and has only coached in major college football for two seasons, a high-profile assistant crop may be necessary were Jones to sign off on this. Jones is not known for high payments to coaches.

Steve Sarkisian has come up as a potential NFL option, despite his struggles as Falcons OC in the late 2010s, but Slater adds Jones has not contacted the Texas HC yet. The Cowboys have reached out to their former OC, Kellen Moore, with an official interview request. Moore would be a more conventional hire than Sanders, but the latter obviously would generate considerably more interest in the team. And it does not appear the Sanders-to-Dallas path is closed just yet.

Vikings GM Addresses Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy Statuses

January 16th, 2025 at 11:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sam Darnold promises to be one of the most interesting free agents in recent memory. Regarding quarterback UFAs, he may become one of the most captivating commodities since full-fledged free agency launched in 1993.

Coming off an original-ballot Pro Bowl nod, Darnold transformed his free agency stock during the regular season but offered a startling update to his value to close the campaign. Duds in the Vikings’ two biggest games — blowout road losses to the Lions and Rams — did the most to drop the only 14-win team in wild-card history to being a one-and-done. Questions already lingered about Minnesota’s 2025 QB situation; Darnold’s big-stage struggles will amplify them.

The team will have the option to retain Darnold via the franchise tag, but that scenario was more plausible before the former top-three pick’s concerning finish. Still, Darnold put together a stunning season. The Vikings do not have a decision on the free agent-to-be, however, but their fourth-year GM referred to the full picture when assessing Darnold’s suddenly curious standing.

“We got to see Sam play some incredible football for us,” Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said (via Pro Football Talk). “Won a lot of big games — at Seattle, at Lambeau. The production he was able to do, we’re talking bout games where he won games for us. There were a lot of games where he was a ‘win because of’ type player. And you also have to net that with all of [it] in totality.”

Errant throws and sacks sank Darnold during the Vikings’ final two games, but he still stayed healthy throughout a season for the first time (discounting his year as the 49ers’ backup) and piloted Minnesota to three wins in games against playoff-bound opposition, beating everyone on the schedule except for the Lions and Rams.

The sector in which Minnesota resided in the NFC bracket made the Detroit and Los Angeles issues a problem, but Darnold tallied a career-high (by a wide margin) 35 touchdown passes and tossed just 12 INTs. His 7.9 yards per attempt ranked sixth in the NFL, and his 4,319 passing yards slotted fifth. QBR was a lukewarm on the ex-Jets draftee’s breakout before the Lions rematch, and the modern metric placed him 14th.

It would cost the Vikings more than $40MM to tag Darnold. That rumored scenario may have seemed more palatable before Week 18, but it perhaps still should not be entirely ruled out. An iffy draft pool and a free agency class featuring aging options, disappointing 2020s draftees and backup types would stand to help Darnold, who would be the top option if he reaches the market. Minnesota could opt to take its chances and work out a lower-cost deal without the tag coming into play, but doing a long-term deal after having drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall would be complicated. And Darnold may not be especially interested due to McCarthy’s presence, despite the advantages Kevin O’Connell‘s offense can provide.

“We’re going to approach this offseason — I don’t want to give you the stock answer, but it really is — everything we do is about, OK, what’s the team around him going to look like? What does this piece fit into our whole championship equation? And we’ll do those exercises like we did last offseason, came out with a plan that we came up with,” Adofo-Mensah said.

“At the end of the day, you’re making decisions under uncertainty. But what happens is, once you find a course of action, it’s how you implement your plan — how you show up every day and get the best version of whoever you decide to go with at quarterback. How does that fit into your long-term picture? The contract structure, all those different things will go under our plan. And I’m excited to have those conversations because I think we’ve got a lot of good options. And at the most important position in the sport, I think that’s a great thing.”

McCarthy has undergone two knee surgeries, repairing a torn meniscus that knocked him out for the season. The former national championship-winning passer, however, is back on the field doing QB drills, Adofo-Mensah said (via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert), with the GM indicating the 2024 No. 10 overall pick is on schedule.

Adofo-Mensah, who joins O’Connell on the Vikings’ extension radar, still said it is “way too early” to know the team’s 2025 plan at the position. The Vikings will have some options, though this situation does look a bit different after the team devoted its 2024 offseason to replacing Kirk Cousins with a rookie. Teams will be expected to ask the Vikings about McCarthy’s availability, but Darnold’s shaky conclusion will affect the NFC North club’s answer. No trade should be considered likely in 2025.

McCarthy’s rookie deal runs through 2027, with a fifth-year option in place for the ’28 season. Darnold will be going into his age-28 season in 2025, and a substantial raise — despite the ugly finish — appears certain. QB-needy teams who lack certain access to the top arms in the draft stand to be interested. The franchise tag window opens February 18 and closes March 4; the Vikes will have until March 10 — when the legal tampering period begins — to negotiate exclusively with Darnold.

Raiders Preparing Big Ben Johnson Offer?

January 16th, 2025 at 11:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears and Jaguars have superior quarterback situations to the Raiders, who have a major question to answer entering the offseason, and Ben Johnson has been one of the choosiest coordinators in recent memory. As Chicago and Jacksonville remain in the mix for Johnson, buzz persists about Detroit’s OC giving strong consideration to the Raiders.

Tom Brady‘s presence has driven this, with Mark Davis giving the quarterback-turned-announcer/part-owner a significant say — perhaps the lead voice — as the team searches again for a new head coach and general manager. Brady has had his eye on Johnson for a while, beginning an effort to bring him to Las Vegas when covering the Lions in Week 9.

The more aggressive stage of this recruitment began last Thursday, the same day the Raiders fired Tom Telesco, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. While not confirming Johnson called for the Raiders to fire their GM, Florio lends more in the direction of Johnson wanting “alignment” as he determines a potential landing spot. The reporting coming out of the Telesco firing had Brady playing the lead role, determining Telesco needed to go to bring in the team’s next HC and GM on the same timeline.

It is unlikely Johnson’s desire for alignment and Brady’s determination the Raiders needed to start fresh is a coincidence, and Florio adds the Raiders may have already dangled a “massive” offer to the three-year Lions play-caller. The Raiders have not yet met Johnson face-to-face, with only virtual interviews allowed with candidates tied to other teams until Jan. 20. The team cannot meet with Johnson until the Lions are eliminated (or the Super Bowl bye week, if Detroit books its first Super Bowl berth), but Brady is still with FOX and is set to call the Commanders-Lions divisional-round game Saturday night. This conflict of interest could benefit the Raiders, as the analyst certainly could make a point to speak with the high-profile coordinator.

Davis is not among the league’s wealthiest owners, but he did authorize a 10-year, $100MM Jon Gruden contract in 2018. Johnson was also linked to a $15MM-per-year salary ask during the 2024 offseason. Coaching salaries are not public, but Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton are believed to be earning between $15-$20MM and are classified as top-five-salaried HCs (or in that ballpark). The Raiders’ QB situation and their struggles finding a coach during Davis’ ownership tenure may required a monster offer near this neighborhood, even if Johnson has not proven a successful head coach yet like Payton and Harbaugh have.

The Raiders cannot match the Jaguars or Bears’ QB setups just yet, and Davis has Brady set to play perhaps the lead role — especially now that Telesco’s gone — in fixing the roster’s biggest problem. Las Vegas hold the No. 6 overall pick. The team also faces Harbaugh, Payton and the two-time reigning champion Chiefs twice a year; it went 0-6 in those games this season. For Johnson to turn down the Commanders and give this much consideration to the Raiders certainly would appear to show Brady’s impact on this process. Other candidates remain in play for the Raiders, but everything to this point suggests Johnson is the clear favorite.

Coaching/Front Office Notes: 49ers, Packers, Giants, Bears

January 16th, 2025 at 9:52pm CST by Ben Levine

After moving on from special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, the 49ers have started looking at replacements. After meeting with Lions assistant special teams coach Jett Modkins, the team has added two more candidates to the fray.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the 49ers have interview Broncos assistant special teams coach Chris Banjo for their ST coordinator vacancy. The long-time special teams ace ended his playing career following the 2022 campaign, and he quickly found post-career work in Denver. He’s spent the past two years serving as the Broncos assistant ST coach, and now he could take another career leap in San Francisco.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers also interviewed Chris Tabor for the job. Most recently, the veteran coach served as the Panthers interim head coach following the firing of Frank Reich. Before that, he spent a season-plus as the Panthers ST coordinator, a title he also held in stints with the Bears and Browns.

More coaching and front office notes from around the NFL…

  • The Packers have parted ways with defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Rebrovich just took on the role this past season after previously serving as Green Bay’s OLBs coach. Brian Gutekunst hinted that changes could be coming, as the GM recently attributed the team’s DL struggles to scheme instead of personnel. The team isn’t wasting any time seeking a replacement, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Packers will interview Jets DL coach Aaron Whitecotton for the job. Whitecotton spent the past four seasons in the role, and he previously had stints with the 49ers, Bills, and Jaguars.
  • The Giants have made some changes to their defensive coaching staff, firing defensive passing game coordinator/DB coach Jerome Henderson, per Garafolo. The Giants have also moved on from safeties coach Michael Treier. Henderson joined the organization as part of Joe Judge‘s initial Giants staff in 2020. As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post notes, Brian Daboll‘s first coaching move was to retain Henderson, but the DB coach later drew some ire for his initial support (and later critiques) of Deonte Banks. Per Art Stapleton of USA Today, Marquand Manuel is a name to watch as a potential replacement for one of the vacant secondary roles. Manuel would bring plenty of experience, having once served as the Falcons defensive coordinator and most recently as the Jets safeties coach.
  • One last firing to pass along. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Bears have let go of director of football analytics Krithi Chandrakasan. Following stints in Kansas City and Jacksonville, Chandrakasan was brought to Chicago by Ryan Poles in 2022.
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