HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Jets, Raiders Request Steve Spagnuolo HC Meetings

January 10th, 2025 at 6:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 10: Spagnuolo interviewed with the Jets on Friday, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini. He is the seventh coach to interview for the job in New York and has interested from the Jaguars and the Raiders.

1:04pm: The Raiders have also asked Spagnuolo for a meeting about their HC post, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. Las Vegas’ HC search is just now taking shape, and age does not appear to be an issue for the AFC West club. The Raiders have reached out to Bill Belichick, despite his North Carolina agreement, and now have another seasoned defensive coach on their radar.

Spagnuolo and Belichick’s HC stints could not feature a much greater disparity, but the longtime Reid assistant has certainly proven his worth as the Chiefs have followed Belichick’s Patriots in forming a dynasty this century. This will be a banner offseason for Spagnuolo, who has struggled to shake off his St. Louis stay to secure HC interviews.

12:49pm: Steve Spagnuolo has used his Kansas City stay to stamp his credentials as one of the greatest coordinators in NFL history. Elevating a defense that had held Patrick Mahomes back in 2018, Spagnuolo has helped a Chiefs that suddenly has not been able to count on top-shelf offensive work over the past two seasons.

The veteran DC’s first head coaching stint, however, has done plenty to keep him off the radar. Spagnuolo went 10-38 as Rams HC from 2009-11, plunging off the radar for future consideration. But he is now a four-time Super Bowl-winning DC. The Jets are interested in meeting with him and have sent an interview request, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Spagnuolo is currently tied to a Chiefs extension he signed shortly after the 49ers showed interest in poaching him.

This Jets HC search has shown the team is interested in experienced options. Spagnuolo joins Chiefs coworker Matt Nagy, Mike Vrabel, Brian Flores, Vance Joseph, Arthur Smith, Ron Rivera and ex-Jets leader Rex Ryan as former HCs to receive interview requests out of New York. Current Saints interim HC Darren Rizzi received a Jets interview slip, too.

Multiple factors are working against Spagnuolo. The former Giants Super Bowl-winning defensive boss is now 65; only Bruce Arians (66) has been older and hired as a head coach. Spags’ win percentage between his St. Louis stay and four-game run as interim Giants HC in 2017 checks in as the third-worst in NFL history (.212) — ahead of only ex-commissioner Bert Bell and Hue Jackson.

This notification probably will come as welcome news to Spagnuolo, who has pushed to receive consideration at multiple points during his Kansas City stay. The Chiefs have regularly been able to rely on their defense during Spagnuolo’s six-season stay, creating a lethal combination of a sound defensive unit supplementing Mahomes and Andy Reid on offense. This formula has resulted in three Super Bowl wins and four appearances since Spagnuolo’s 2019 arrival. The Chiefs’ drop off the top tier on offense over the past two years has highlighted the importance of Spagnuolo’s defensive acumen.

Spagnuolo was the architect of the Giants’ titanic Super Bowl XLII upset of the unbeaten Patriots as well, leading to the Rams’ HC job. A 7-9 2010 season — Sam Bradford‘s rookie year — came between two woeful campaigns. The Rams finished 2-14 in 2009 and 1-15 in 2011. That tenure has crushed Spagnuolo’s second-chance HC hopes, allowing the Chiefs to enjoy continuity on defense. This is Spagnuolo’s first known HC interview request since he joined the Chiefs.

Raiders Hire Headhunter For HC/GM Search; Pete Carroll Among Top HC Candidates

January 10th, 2025 at 5:37pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Raiders were already looking for a new head coach, and after firing Tom Telesco, they’re looking for a new general manager as well.

The team has brought in headhunter Jed Hughes of consulting firm Korn Ferry to join their search process, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Hughes coached in college and the NFL for almost 20 years and has since helped multiple teams hire coaches and executives, including the Packers and the 49ers. He will join Tom Brady as a key voice in the direction of the Raiders this offseason.

Hughes’ NFL experience includes a two-year stint as the Vikings’ defensive backs coach under Bud Grant in 1982 and 1983, giving him a connection with one of the Raiders’ head coach candidates. Grant retired after the 1983 season, but returned to Minnesota in 1985 and hired Pete Carroll in Hughes’ former position.

Carroll is a serious candidate for the HC job in Las Vegas, according to Vincent Bonsignore Las Vegas Review-Journal. He has already interviewed for the same job with the Bears. Carroll stepped down as the Seahawks’ head coach last year, but remained with the team as an advisor.

Brady has plenty of his own connections around the league, including a relationship with Buccaneers general manager John Spytek, according to Jones. Spytek was Brady’s teammate at Michigan in 1999 and later helped bring the quarterback to Tampa Bay as the team’s vice president of player personnel. The Buccaneers then won Super Bowl LV in Brady’s first year.

Brady isn’t the only Raiders minority owner who could impact the team’s ability to attract top candidates. Egon Durban, CEO of investment firm Silver Lake, purchased 7.5% of the team in December, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The persuasive power of Brady’s reputation and Durban’s financial resources could be a key factor in a crowded coaching market this offseason.

Buccaneers’ Antoine Winfield Jr., Jamel Dean Expected To Play In Wild-Card Round

January 10th, 2025 at 5:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

As the Buccaneers prepare for their wild-card matchup, they are set to have a pair of key defensive starters back in the lineup. Tampa Bay’s secondary figures to receive two notable boosts in time for Sunday.

Head coach Todd Bowles said on Friday that safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and cornerback Jamel Dean are set to play this week (h/t Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). Both players were listed as full participants for today, and they are officially listed as questionable. Their respective returns to the lineup will be significant.

Winfield suffered a knee sprain one month ago, and it quickly became clear he would miss notable time. The All-Pro had already been sidelined by an ankle and foot sprain earlier in the season, and his absence was one of the factors influencing Tampa Bay’s underwhelming performance in many defensive categories this year. The Bucs elected not to place Winfield on injured reserve, though, and despite not being able to play in the waning stages of the regular season he will be back for the playoffs.

Dean was limited to 12 games this season as a result of his hamstring injury. The 28-year-old landed on injured reserve as a result, but at the first opportunity to do so he was activated. Dean managed a run of six straight games upon returning to the lineup, but he was absent for Tampa Bay’s regular season finale because of a knee injury. Considering the Bucs finished the season ranked 29th against the pass in 2024, having as many available options in the secondary as possible will be a welcomed sight.

By virtue of winning the NFC South, Tampa Bay is set to host Washington Sunday night. The Buccaneers’ offense will be leaned on after the unit finished top-four in the NFL in both points and yards per game this season. The team’s defense will welcome Winfield and Dean back into the picture, though, while attempting to generate a postseason run.

Commanders’ Marshon Lattimore To Play In Wild-Card Round

January 10th, 2025 at 4:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced that cornerback Marshon Lattimore would play against the Buccaneers in Sunday’s wild-card matchup.

“He hit all the markers we need to see, so we’re pumped to have him back,” said Quinn (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post).

Lattimore has battled a hamstring injury for much of the season. He missed two games with the Saints and sat out his first four weeks in Washington after he was traded in November. Lattimore’s Commanders debut finally came in Week 15, but his hamstring held him out for the last two games of the regular season.

The former first-round pick has two years remaining on his contract, and the Commanders have already expressed interest in extending him further. A strong playoff showing will show Washington that Lattimore can be a long-term cornerstone on defense as they build their offense around Jayden Daniels.

Lattimore recovered just in time for yet another matchup with Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans. The two faced off in the NFC South for nearly a decade, but have played in the postseason just once. Past games have featured multiple fights and ejections between the two Pro Bowlers, and tensions will only be higher in the playoffs.

Dolphins Fire ST Coordinator Danny Crossman, WR Coach Wes Welker

January 10th, 2025 at 3:51pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Dolphins have parted ways with special teams coordinator Danny Crossman and wide receivers coach Wes Welker, per a team announcement. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel released a statement on his staff changes.

“I am grateful for Danny’s contributions and dedication to the Dolphins over the course of many seasons, as well as the numerous ways he helped me as a head coach,” McDaniel said. “I also want to thank Wes for his investment here. This was not a decision I came to lightly, but as I have evaluated the season and areas where we must improve, I believe that change is needed and am motivated to do what is best for the team as we move forward.”

Crossman arrived in Miami with then-head coach Brian Flores in 2019 and added assistant head coach to his title when Mike McDaniel replaced Flores in 2021. The Dolphins have finished in the bottom four teams in special teams grade in the last three years, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Welker, a former All-Pro receiver with the Patriots, was the 49ers receivers coach in 2019 and followed McDaniel to Miami in 2021. The Dolphins’ passing offense was a top-five unit in 2022 and 2023, which both featured first-team All-Pro nods for Tyreek Hill, but dropped to 15th this year.

Hill openly expressed frustrations with the team after their regular season finale, though the Dolphins have no plans to move on from their star wideout. The timing of Welker’s firing will raise speculation about a connection with Hill’s comments, but the two appeared to have a strong relationship during Miami’s stretch on Hard Knocks during the 2023 season.

Welker’s success with the Dolphins should draw him coaching interest from another team. He could even pursue a reunion with former Patriots coach Bill Belichick at the University of North Carolina. Crossman, meanwhile, may have to take an assistant position before earning another shot as a coordinator.

Titans Request GM Interview With Jon-Eric Sullivan

January 10th, 2025 at 2:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jon-Eric Sullivan now has a connection to two of the NFL’s three general manager vacancies. The Packers’ director of player personnel has received an interview request from the Titans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

On more than one front, the news comes as no surprise. Sullivan is held in high regard around the league, so he represents a logical candidate receive an interview slip from the Titans as part of their search. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders (having moved on from Tom Telesco yesterday) also target Sullivan. In any case, the connections to Tennessee through Chad Brinker make Sullivan a logical target for the Titans.

Brinker had a lengthy spell in Green Bay before heading to Tennessee in 2023. He was promoted to his current role (president of football operations) last offseason, leaving him in a key position as the organization again looks for a new GM. Ran Carthon was hired in 2023, but after two seasons at the helm he was dismissed. Brinker remains in place as the point man for the search regarding Carthon’s replacement, and the Titans made it clear earlier this week it will be Brinker who holds the final say on roster-building decisions regardless of who the next general manager will be.

Keeping that in mind, it would make sense from Brinker’s perspective to bring in a familiar face. He and Sullivan worked together in Green Bay, a franchise which has enjoyed stability in the front office. Achieving the same will be a goal for the Titans as they look to find an organizational structure which ensures long-term success. Assistant GM Anthony Robinson is among the personnel who were also fired in the wake of Carthon’s dismissal, so several executive moves will be needed in the near future.

Sullivan has also received an interview request from the Jets, although it remains to be seen if he will take it. He now has a pair of suitors, so it will be interesting if he does wind up meeting with both New York and Tennessee as part of each teams’ search process.

Via PFR’s general manager search tracker, here is an updated picture of the Titans’ situation:

Browns To Conduct OC Interview With Kevin Koger

January 10th, 2025 at 1:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

The list of candidates for the Browns’ vacant offensive coordinator position has grown. Falcons tight ends coach Kevin Koger will interview with Cleveland today, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Koger joined the Falcons’ staff last offseason following a three-year run in the same capacity with the Chargers. During his first year in Atlanta, he took charge of a positional group led by Kyle Pitts, who did not enjoy the return to his rookie form many were hoping for under first-time offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Still, Koger has drawn the interest of at least one team looking for a new OC, something he is no stranger to.

Koger met with both the Broncos and Packers during the 2022 hiring cycle while they were looking for new offensive coordinators. The 35-year-old began coaching in 2012, and he worked in the college ranks between 2013 and ’18. The following season, he took an opportunity in Green Bay to work as an offensive quality control coach before his Chargers stint. It will be interesting to see if Koger lands on the radar of the Seahawks (who fired Ryan Grubb after one season) or any other teams which win up being in the market for a new OC this offseason.

Cleveland dismissed Ken Dorsey in the aftermath of a 4-13 season. Quarterback play was generally a major weak point with and without Deshaun Watson in the lineup in 2024, and the matter of whether or not head coach Kevin Stefanski calls plays moving forward will be a key talking point as OC interviews take place. Koger has never worked as an offensive coordinator at the college or NFL levels.

The Browns have their own TEs coach (Tommy Rees) in line as a candidate to take over from Dorsey. In terms of outside possibilities, Dolphins pass game coordinator Darrell Bevell as well as Seahawks quarterbacks coach Charles London are on the team’s radar. Easterling notes London will also interview with the Browns today, as the team continues to seek out a long-term answer at the OC spot.

Jets Interview Mike Locksley

January 10th, 2025 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets’ interview process will include at least one meeting with a college coach. The team will speak with Mike Locksley today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. A team announcement has since confirmed the news.

This marks the first time the Maryland head coach has been connected to an NFL interview. Locksley has been a coach since 1992 when he immediately followed up his playing days by taking a position with his alma mater (Townsend State). He has coached at Maryland three separate times, including the 2015 season when he served as interim head coach. Earlier in his career, Locksley coached New Mexico for two-plus years (posting a 2-26 record).

That was eventually followed by a move to Alabama’s staff as an offensive assistant at first. Locksley then took over as receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator before becoming the Crimson Tide’s full-time OC in 2018. He earned the Broyles Award (given to college football’s top assistant) that season before beginning his latest run at Maryland.

The 55-year-old has been guiding the Terrapins since 2019, a stretch which has seen the team post a winning record three times (2021-23). Overall, Locksley’s Maryland record sits at 33-41, a mark which helps explain his lack of interest from NFL teams over the years. He is nevertheless the latest candidate to meet with the Jets, one of six teams in need of a new coach this offseason.

Via PFR’s HC search tracker, here is an updated look at where the Jets’ ongoing search stands:

Titans Request GM Interviews With Ed Dodds, Reggie McKenzie, John Spytek

January 10th, 2025 at 10:30am CST by Nikhil Mehta

JANUARY 10: McKenzie is likely to receive considerable support for the GM role, Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes. He may be the favorite at this point in the process, although things could of course change over the coming days as interviews take place.

JANUARY 8: The Titans are casting their net far and wide in search of their next general manager, adding three more interviews to their list on Wednesday.

The latest candidates are Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds (per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero), Dolphins senior personnel executive Reggie McKenzie (per ESPN’s Turron Davenport), and Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek (per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

[RELATED: Titans Begin GM Search With Three Requests]

Dodds has worked under Colts GM Chris Ballard since 2017. He began his NFL front office career as a scouting intern for the then-Oakland Raiders in 2003. That led to a scouting gig in Seattle, where Dodds finished as a senior personnel executive after nearly a decade. He then started as vice president of player personnel in Indianapolis before receiving a promotion to assistant GM in 2018. The Colts have hit on a number of first- and second-round picks in Dodds’ tenure, including Quenton Nelson and Shaquille Leonard in 2018 and Michael Pittman Jr. and Jonathan Taylor in 2020, but they have struggled to consistently find talent in the later rounds.

McKenzie is a former NFL linebacker who retired from playing in 1992. He briefly coached at the University of Tennessee before landing a scouting job with the Packers. McKenzie stayed in Green Bay for almost 20 years, eventually rising to director of football operations in 2008. The Packers won two Super Bowls in McKenzie’s tenure, which also included the 2005 draft selection of Aaron Rodgers.

McKenzie was then hired to turn around an expensive, underperforming Raiders roster as GM. He hit on Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, and Amari Cooper in back-to-back drafts but struggled to find and retain talent in subsequent years amid interference from new owner Mark Davis and his handpicked head coach, Jon Gruden. McKenzie was fired during the 2018 season and joined the Dolphins a few months later. Miami’s next three drafts all yielded several future starters, including Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle, though the team is still chasing their first AFC East title since 2008.

Spytek spent time with the Lions, Eagles, Browns, and Broncos – primarily as a scout – before arriving in Tampa Bay in 2016. The Buccaneers have been one of the most successful front offices in the last decade under GM Jason Licht, who has consistently hit on draft picks and free agent signings. Tampa Bay won Super Bowl LV after successfully engineering the acquisition of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski during the 2020 offseason and has won four straight division titles since. The Buccaneers’ drafts under Spytek have been littered with success, particularly at offensive line.

The Titans’ search is being overseen by president of football operations Chad Brinker, whose football experience stands in contrast to some of Tennessee’s other business-focused executives. He has ties to Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi, Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, and Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, all of whom could be candidates for the Titans’ GM job.

Brinker may also look for familiarity with head coach Brian Callahan, in which case a Bengals executive like Mike Potts, Trey Brown, or Steve Radicevic could be considered, according to Breer.

Rams’ Demarcus Robinson Charged With DUI

January 10th, 2025 at 9:48am CST by Adam La Rose

In November, Demarcus Robinson was arrested on suspicion of DUI. The Rams receiver is now facing a formal charge as a result.

Robinson has been charged with one count of misdemeanor DUI, per the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney (via ESPN through TMZ Sports). The 30-year-old will have an arraignment next month, the attorney’s office also noted. News of the charge comes shortly before the Rams are set to play in the wild-card round against the Vikings on Monday night.

Robinson was seen traveling at speeds of 100 miles per hour on US-101 northbound around 5 a.m. after the Rams’ Week 12 game. There were “observed signs of alcohol impairment” at the time, but he refused to perform a sobriety check on scene. Robinson was subsequently booked before quickly being released into the custody of a “responsible party.”

The Rams made it clear they would allow the legal process to play out while allowing Robinson to continue playing. As a result, he remained in the lineup through the closing games of the campaign. Robinson has enjoyed a productive second season in Los Angeles, setting career highs in yards (505), yards per catch (16.3) and touchdowns (seven). The presence of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp have given the Rams their top two receivers down the stretch, but Robinson will operate as an experienced third option provided he suits up on Monday.

Due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, the Vikings-Rams game will take place at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. A loss on Monday could mark the end of Robinson’s tenure with the team since he is a pending free agent.

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