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Dallas Cowboys News & Rumors

Commanders Hire Dan Quinn As HC

February 1st, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

All eight of the open head coaching positions are now filled. The Commanders are moving forward with Dan Quinn. The Cowboys’ defensive coordinator will change jobs in the NFC East and land his second HC gig, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Based on Quinn’s past and the job market, his Washington landing is a moderate surprise. Quinn enjoyed two stints with the Seahawks, the second of which as their DC on both 2010s Super Bowl teams. He emerged as the first candidate on Seattle’s radar when Pete Carroll was pushed out, but the Seahawks went in a different direction by hiring Mike Macdonald. Although the Washington process featured some late curveballs, the team is hiring one of its original candidates.

A regular on the 2022 and 2023 coaching carousels, Quinn has been selective since re-establishing his value in Dallas. The three-year Cowboys DC was close to becoming the Broncos’ head coach in 2022 but bowed out of the 2023 HC market early, opting to keep going in Dallas. A year later, the former Falcons HC has committed to trying his hand as a sideline leader once again.

This hiring period produced five defense-oriented HC hires, though it did not include opportunities for Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel. The Commanders saw their presumed favorite for the position — Lions OC Ben Johnson — inform them he was no longer interested in HC jobs this year. That came as Commanders brass flew to Detroit for scheduled interviews with both Johnson and Lions DC Aaron Glenn. Hours after the Johnson news, Texans OC Bobby Slowik — who had interviewed twice with the Commanders — made a pledge to stay in Houston. These developments, however, did not prompt Washington to expand its search by including Belichick or Vrabel.

Quinn, 53, certainly brings familiarity with the Commanders. The Cowboys went 5-1 against their rivals during Quinn’s three-year run calling the shots on defense. Quinn will join a team that has considerable offseason resources and one with a changing reputation, with Josh Harris replacing unpopular owner Dan Snyder last year. The Commanders will enter this offseason holding the No. 2 overall pick and possessing — as of now, at least — an NFL-leading $73MM-plus in cap space.

Harris will pair Quinn and longtime 49ers exec Adam Peters, with the pair replacing a Ron Rivera-run power structure. That said, GM Martin Mayhew is expected to stay on; though, he will likely not have the GM title much longer. Hired as the team’s president of football operations, Peters will control the roster; Quinn will report to Peters. The two will be tasked with reviving a franchise that has not strung together consecutive 10-win seasons since the early 1990s.

While some expected Peters to align himself with an offense-oriented HC, the exits of Johnson and Slowik from this race effectively prevented that from happening. Although the Commanders interviewed OC Eric Bieniemy, he was not viewed as a serious candidate for the job. (Though, it will be interesting to see if Quinn considers Bieniemy to stay on as OC.) That left only defense-geared candidates, and Macdonald’s Seattle commitment further narrowed Washington’s options. In Quinn, however, the Commanders are hiring one of the league’s top defensive coordinators and a coach who experienced great success early during his Falcons stay.

During Quinn’s time in Dallas, the Cowboys’ defense awakened after the 2020 unit allowed a franchise-record 473 points. Spurred by the arrivals of Quinn and Micah Parsons in 2021, the Cowboys dropped that total by 115 despite the NFL expanding its season to 17 games. Dallas finished in the top seven in scoring defense during each of Quinn’s three seasons calling plays. While Quinn’s defense faceplanted during a shocking loss to the Packers in the wild-card round, his body of work once again generated extensive interest on the coaching carousel.

In Atlanta, Quinn went 43-42. Joining the Falcons after coaching in two straight Super Bowls as the Seahawks’ DC, Quinn had the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. That 11-5 team had the Patriots dead to rights, up 28-3 late in the third quarter. But Quinn’s defense — one missing top cornerback Desmond Trufant — could not stop a Tom Brady-piloted comeback that effectively sent the Falcons into a tailspin. Quinn led the team back to the playoffs in 2017 but failed to produce a winning record over his final two full seasons, being fired early during the 2020 campaign.

Quinn interviewed for the Commanders, Seahawks, Titans, Panthers and Chargers’ jobs. Going through his second interview with the Commanders on Monday, Quinn became the pick over Bieniemy, Glenn and Ravens D-line coach Anthony Weaver. The field had thinned for the Commanders, and the team has plenty of work to do to start the Peters-Quinn era.

With the incoming power brokers having no ties to Sam Howell, Washington should be considered likely to draft a quarterback second overall. The team going defense with this hire will help address one of the NFL’s weakest units. The Commanders finished last in both scoring defense and yards allowed in 2023, leading to Jack Del Rio‘s firing and Rivera’s ouster. Harris drove the team to trade both Montez Sweat and Chase Young on deadline day, and while those moves gutted the pass rush, Del Rio’s unit had struggled throughout. The Commanders do still roster upper-echelon defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne; though, Allen has said he is not interested in being part of a rebuild.

Washington, which has not finished a season with a winning record since finishing 8-7-1 in 2016, has plenty of work to do on both sides of the ball. But the future suddenly looks much brighter compared to where the team stood during most of the Snyder era. With that wreckage in the team’s rearview mirror, Harris’ new hires will be tasked with restoring the reputation this franchise lost decades ago during Snyder’s woeful run as owner.

Latest On Joe Whitt; Cowboys Eyeing Ron Rivera?

February 1st, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard earlier today that Cowboys secondary coach Joe Whitt has emerged as the lead candidate to take over as his team’s defensive coordinator. At the same time, it sounded like the coach he’d be replacing in Dallas, Dan Quinn, still loomed as a suitor in Washington. We haven’t gotten any more clarity since then, but the sweepstakes continue to get more interesting.

[RELATED: Cowboys Aiming To Hire Joe Whitt As DC]

Earlier this evening, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported that Quinn and the Commanders were expected to hire Whitt as their defensive coordinator. However, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes Whitt-to-Washington isn’t a done deal, and the Cowboys continue to be in play. Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News adds that the Commanders are simply working on scheduling an interview with Whitt.

The long-time coach would be a logical candidate for both roles. Whitt had a long stint working alongside Mike McCarthy in Green Bay, and the two teamed up again in Dallas. Whitt also worked alongside Quinn in both Dallas and Atlanta, so it’s natural that both head coaches are pursuing a familiar face for their respective coordinator vacancies.

Whitt has been with the Cowboys since 2021, serving as the team’s secondary coach and pass game coordinator. Under his tutelage, both Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland have earned first-team All-Pro nods, and he’s also helped guide a formidable safeties corps that features the likes of Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson, and Malik Hooker. The 45-year-old has served as the defensive pass game coordinator in Dallas, Atlanta, Cleveland, and Green Bay, so it’d be a natural progression for him to earn a promotion to defensive coordinator.

While the Cowboys continue to be in the running, it sounds like the team is expanding their list of coordinator candidates. According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, Ron Rivera is slated to interview for the Cowboys DC job next week, perhaps a hint that Dallas isn’t confident about their ability to retain Whitt.

Rivera was fired by the Commanders last month, but he’s since become a popular coordinator candidate. He earned interviews with both the Rams and Eagles, but both organizations decided to go in different directions. He sounds like he could now be a fallback option for the Cowboys, who are now in the market for a defensive coordinator with Quinn having been named Washington’s new head coach.

Watkins passes along another potential name to watch for the Cowboys DC job: Mike Zimmer. The former Vikings head coach is interested in the job, a source told Watkins, although it’s uncertain if that interest has been reciprocated.

Zimmer spent more than a decade in Dallas, ultimately serving as the team’s defensive coordinator. He had the same job with the Falcons and Bengals before being named the Vikings head coach in 2014. He lasted eight seasons in Minnesota, earning three playoff appearances. After he was fired following the 2021 campaign, he spent a season as a consultant at Jackson State.

Joe Whitt Favorite To Become Cowboys’ DC; Commanders Also Interested?

February 1st, 2024 at 11:08am CST by Sam Robinson

One of Dan Quinn‘s assistants in Atlanta and Dallas, Joe Whitt appears more likely to stay with the Cowboys than follow Quinn to Washington. With Quinn signing on as Commanders HC, the Cowboys are looking inward to replace him.

The Cowboys’ secondary coach for the past three seasons, Whitt has emerged as the lead candidate to take over for Quinn as DC, per the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken. Whitt has been an NFL assistant since 2007. One year remains on Whitt’s contract, the Morning News’ Calvin Watkins tweets.

Whitt could, however, have two options in the NFC East. Whitt’s past with Quinn would naturally point to the new Commanders leader viewing him as a strong candidate to move to Washington to become its DC. That scenario should not be ruled out, per NFL.com’s Steve Wyche. Quinn is believed to have mentioned Whitt as a DC option during interviews, ESPN.com’s John Keim tweets. The Cowboys would be unable to block that move, as it would be a promotion to a coordinator post, but the team can also offer its own DC job to convince Whitt to stay.

The Cowboys may also have a difficult time hiring a defensive coordinator from outside the organization. Although the team has one of the NFL’s top defensive nuclei, Mike McCarthy will be the rare head coach to enter a season as a lame duck. The Cowboys are not expected to extend their fifth-year HC, whose job security sustained a massive blow after the Packers’ wild-card upset.

Whitt, 45, spent 10 seasons with the Packers (2009-18) before a one-and-done season under Freddie Kitchens in Cleveland. Quinn hired Whitt to be the Falcons’ secondary coach and defensive pass-game coordinator in 2020 and circled back to him upon landing the DC job in Dallas a year later. The Cowboys’ secondary has performed well under Whitt, seeing two cornerbacks — Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland — earn first-team All-Pro acclaim. Diggs became the first cornerback since the Cowboys’ Everson Walls in 1981 to intercept 11 passes in a season, and Bland broke the single-season pick-six record with five this season. The Cowboys have also fixed their yearslong safety issue during Whitt’s time, finding value on three midlevel safety contracts given to Jayron Kearse, Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker.

Defensive line coach Aden Durde also followed Quinn from Atlanta, positioning the England-born assistant to be a DC candidate in Dallas or Washington. Cornerbacks coach Al Harris also stands as an option, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. Durde has also emerged as a candidate for the Rams’ DC job.

If an outside hire is to be considered, the Cowboys have been connected to recently fired Commanders HC Ron Rivera. The latter interviewed for the Eagles’ job that quickly went to Vic Fangio. While this path would allow Rivera to land on his feet, it would be worth wondering if the veteran coach would take a job under a lame-duck HC considering his recent dismissal in Washington. Though, the Cowboys and Commanders effectively trading defensive coordinators would be a fun NFL storyline.

2024 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

February 1st, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders’ hire has wrapped this year’s cycle. Barring a team making an 11th-hour change, the 2024 HC carousel has come to a stop. The final breakdown produced five defensive coaches being hired compared to three with backgrounds on offense. Many teams are still searching for offensive and defensive coordinators, however.

Updated 2-1-24 (10:37am CT)

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Jerod Mayo, linebackers coach (Patriots): Hired

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Latest On Commanders’ HC Search

January 30th, 2024 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ben Johnson loomed as the favorite for the Commanders’ HC job for over two weeks, but a curveball looks to have disrupted the NFC East franchise’s search process.

Despite being interested in the North Carolina native since last year and being prepared to pursue him for a second straight offseason, the Panthers did not wait for the Lions’ season to end, instead hiring Dave Canales last week. That seemed to be a prelude to Johnson’s Washington arrival, but the prominent HC candidate has once again pledged to stick with Detroit. This creates uncertainty for Josh Harris‘ club.

Although ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicates Johnson did not appear a slam dunk for the Washington job, he mentions Commanders brass was en route to Detroit to interview Johnson and Aaron Glenn when word emerged the Lions’ OC was bowing out of another search. Johnson’s decision surprised many, per Schefter, even though the young play-caller made the same move last year.

The Commanders indeed had Johnson installed as the frontrunner here, per Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano. As for who is most likely to land the job now, Vacchiano indicates Dan Quinn and Mike Macdonald have been viewed as sleepers during this process. These two have been sought-after candidates, but the “sleeper” label appears to have been applied because Johnson was viewed as a borderline prohibitive favorite to become the next Commanders HC.

Quinn has interviewed twice with the Commanders, Macdonald once. Both are in consideration for the other HC vacancy. A Seahawks-Quinn reunion became rumored immediately after Pete Carroll‘s ouster, while Macdonald is interviewing with the team today.

Johnson, 37, received a raise to stay in Detroit last year. Another pay bump is not believed to be forthcoming, Schefter adds, noting Johnson’s current Lions deal runs through the 2025 season. The Lions should again be expected to field a quality offense. Jared Goff is signed through 2024, though he is on track to become a higher-paid QB before next season. Pass-catching pillars Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta remain on rookie deals, though the former is a clear extension candidate in 2024. Three of Detroit’s five O-line starters — Taylor Decker, Frank Ragnow, Penei Sewell — are under contract for 2024 as well.

More attractive jobs could also open up in 2025. The Cowboys and Eagles spent time deliberating about their head coaches, and although Mike McCarthy and Nick Sirianni are returning, they are going to do so on hot seats (McCarthy especially, as he is a lame duck). The Jaguars’ patience with Doug Pederson could wear thin as well, given the disappointing season the team just completed. Although no head coach has been fired following a playoff berth since Mike Mularkey (Tennessee) six years ago, the Bills just became the third team in the home-field advantage era (1975-present) to lose back-to-back home divisional-round games. Sean McDermott‘s seat has likely warmed as well, though it might not rival the two coaches overseeing NFC East powers presently.

As the Commanders continue their search, they do still have Texans OC Bobby Slowik in the mix. While Slowik has only been a play-caller for one season, he joins Adam Peters in having spent extensive time in San Francisco. Here is how the Washington search looks following Johnson’s surprise exit:

Seahawks Schedule Second HC Interview With Ben Johnson; Team To Meet With Mike Macdonald

January 29th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders and Seahawks saw a number of the top remaining candidates for their head coaching vacancies become available via their team’s respective losses on Sunday. Washington’s intentions remain clear, but Seattle will also speak with the names most frequently connected to its own opening.

The Seahawks are set to interview Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson tonight along with Ravens DC Mike Macdonald tomorrow, SI’s Albert Breer reports. In the former’s case, this summit will be a second interview which comes amidst expectations he is the top choice of the Commanders. The latter, meanwhile, has not yet taken part in a Seahawks meeting.

In spite of that, it was reported during the weekend that the Seahawks were interested in speaking with Macdonald. The Ravens and Lions were eliminated on Sunday, leaving their staffers free to interview with and accept offers from teams prepared to offer a head coaching position at any time. Both Johnson and Macdonald have been amongst the most sought-after candidates in this year’s cycle, and their futures could become clear in the coming days.

The Panthers were prepared to (once again) make a push to land Johnson, one of the top young offensive minds in the league. He was tapped as Carolina’s top choice, but the same is true of Washington. With the Panthers having moved on to Dave Canales, the Commanders are in pole position to land the 37-year-old.

Johnson would be a welcomed addition to any staff, but the Seahawks will have other options if he does take the Commanders gig. Macdonald, like Johnson, has only been an NFL coordinator over the past two years, but his work with Baltimore’s defense has quickly upped his head coaching stock. Prior to tomorrow’s sit-down with the Seahawks, he will meet today with the Commanders.

Of course, another name looming over the Seattle vacancy is Dan Quinn. The current Cowboys defensive coordinator has elected to turn down HC interest in the past, but a chance to succeed Pete Carroll in Seattle could await him. Quinn is among the staffers to have already conducted a second interview with the team, and Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes Quinn could presently be considered a “slight favorite” for the job. However, Seattle is high on Macdonald, he adds.

Indeed, NBC Sports’ Peter King confirms Quinn’s history with Seattle (having previously served as the team’s DC) is unlikely to represent a deciding factor in the team’s ultimate decision. Plenty is still to be determined as the Seahawks enter the next phase of their coaching search. Both they and the Commanders will be worth watching closely as the HC cycle approaches its end.

Panthers Notes: ST Coordinator, QBs Coach, Front Office

January 29th, 2024 at 7:55pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers have made some progress filling their coaching staff, but the team still has a vacancy at special teams coordinator. There’s now at least one known candidate for the job, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Panthers are interviewing Bills assistant special teams coach Cory Harkey for their coordinator job.

[RELATED: Panthers Likely To Hire Buccaneers’ Brad Idzik As OC]

Following his five-year playing career, Harkey caught on as a tight ends coach in the college ranks. He earned his first NFL coaching job with the Bills in 2022, and he spent the past two seasons as their assistant special teams coordinator. Harkey clearly made an impression in his role, as he’ll now have an opportunity for the top ST job in Carolina.

While Harkey will interview for the job, he may not be the favorite. Joe Person of The Athletic passes along that Panthers head coach Dave Canales is targeting Seattle’s Tracy Smith as his special teams coordinator. Smith has had two lengthy stints working alongside Canales in Seattle, most recently as an assistant special teams coach. He also spent three years with the Texans organization, including a 2020 campaign where he served as the team’s ST coordinator. With Pete Carroll out in Seattle, Smith likely wouldn’t see any opposition if he decides to take his coaching acumen to the Panthers.

The Panthers are reportedly zeroing in on Buccaneers wide receivers coach Brad Idzik as their next offensive coordinator, and while that move hasn’t been made official, that hasn’t stopped the organization from looking to fill out the rest of the offensive coaching staff. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Panthers requested an interview with Cowboys quality control/offensive assistant Will Harriger for their quarterbacks coach job.

Harriger worked alongside Canales when the two were in Seattle, so there’s a clear connection. The coach recently worked with USC’s quarterbacks during the 2022 season, helping Caleb Williams win the Heisman Trophy. In Carolina, he’d be tasked with guiding former first-overall pick Bryce Young.

As Canales looks to fill his coaching staff, new general manager Dan Morgan is eyeing some reinforcement in the front office. Backing up what we heard last week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter passes along that the Panthers are expected to pursue Chiefs vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis for a “prominent” front office role. Albert Breer of SI.com passes along that Tilis’ office in Kansas City has already been cleared out, and the executive hasn’t traveled with the team during the postseason.

Tilis was a candidate for the Panthers GM job, and the long-time Chiefs executive was a popular name in recent hiring cycles. In Carolina, Tilis would be expected to play an essential cap/analytics role within the front office.

One executive who won’t be back in Carolina next season is Samir Suleiman. The team has moved on from the director of player negotiations/salary cap manager, per ESPN’s David Newton.

Ron Rivera On Cowboys’ Radar

January 28th, 2024 at 4:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dan Quinn is still in the mix for the two remaining HC positions, putting the Cowboys — once again — in jeopardy of losing their defensive coordinator. The former Falcons head coach has been selective about his destinations, but the Cowboys have identified at least one contingency plan in the event their defensive play-caller bolts.

The team has interest in Ron Rivera as a Quinn backup plan, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Rivera interviewed for the Eagles’ DC job, but the team quickly pivoted to Vic Fangio once the Dolphins let him out of his contract. This marks Rivera’s first non-Philly connection during this year’s hiring period.

[RELATED: 2024 Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Rivera, however, said he had spoken with multiple teams following his Black Monday firing. The Commanders canned Rivera after four seasons. With Josh Harris buying the team (and playing a central role in it trading both Montez Sweat and Chase Young on deadline day), Rivera’s firing — which came after an eight-game losing streak — was one of the most anticipated ousters in recent NFL history. The expected ouster assuredly allowed Rivera to chart potential options for the 2024 season.

Rivera, 62, has not been a coordinator since a stay as the Chargers’ DC vaulted him onto the HC radar. The former Super Bowl HC spent nine seasons leading the Panthers and the past four in Washington. The 2010 Bolts’ defense ranked first in yards allowed, leading Rivera to Charlotte. Rivera also served as a Super Bowl DC, residing in that post for the 2006 Bears — a team whose defense became rather important, as Rex Grossman was at quarterback. The Bears ranked first and third in scoring defense, respectively, in 2005 and ’06.

Jack Del Rio‘s firing led to Rivera calling plays to close out the 2023 season. Washington’s defense struggled throughout, bottoming out following the Sweat and Young trades. The end result: last-place rankings in scoring and yardage. But the Cowboys have enjoyed steady success after giving Quinn a rebound opportunity.

If Quinn is to replace Rivera in Washington or succeed ex-boss Pete Carroll in Seattle, Rivera should be expected to become a candidate for the Dallas DC post. Quinn will go through a second interview for the Washington job Tuesday. The Seahawks probably represent Quinn’s best chance, however; Lions OC Ben Johnson still looks like the favorite to land the Commanders’ HC gig.

Coaching Notes: Eagles, Canales, Bucs, Falcons, Fins, Fangio, Colts, Raiders, Jags

January 26th, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Caldwell will not land the Eagles‘ DC position. Vic Fangio becoming available is expected to give the Eagles the candidate they wanted last year. Recently fired from his Jaguars DC post, Caldwell will still have a chance to end up in Philly. The Eagles are interviewing him for their linebackers coach position, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Caldwell has a history with the Eagles as a player and coach. The longest stretch of Caldwell’s 11-year playing career came in Philly, transpiring from 1998-2001. Caldwell, 52, worked as a part-time starter for Ray Rhodes and Andy Reid‘s teams and joined Reid’s staff in 2008. On Reid’s final five Eagles staffs, Caldwell collected a Super Bowl ring as linebackers coach for the 2020 Buccaneers. The Raiders, however, have also shown interest.

With the coaching carousel spinning wildly, here is the latest:

  • The Falcons are the third team wanting to speak with Aden Durde about a DC post, joining the Packers and Rams. Raheem Morris wants to meet with the Cowboys’ defensive line coach, ESPN’s Todd Archer tweets. Durde, 44, has become quite popular. These are believed to be his first slips about a DC interview. Durde and Morris coached together in Atlanta from 2018-20; the former moved up from the quality control level — to outside linebackers coach — during Morris’ season as the Falcons’ interim HC. He has been in Dallas since.
  • Shifting back to Fangio, it seems there is little love lost between the veteran staffer and some Dolphins defenders he coached this season, agent Drew Rosenhaus said. Rosenahus mentions some Dolphins stood in Fangio’s corner but many did not. Fangio has been known to ruffle feathers but has been one of the most in-demand defensive coaches during the 21st century. The Dolphins had given him a deal worth more than $4.5MM per year. While his exit is being framed as the team letting the 65-year-old assistant return to his home state, unpopularity among players likely made that an easier decision.
  • The Buccaneers will not receive two third-round picks as a result of Dave Canales receiving a head coaching job, Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes. Although Canales is Latino, the Bucs will not pick up the Rooney Rule-driven draft haul due to the the coach’s one-year tenure, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Canales is believed to have needed to be with the Bucs for at least two years to receive the third-round selections from the NFL.
  • Matt House is returning to the NFL. The Jaguars are hiring the LSU defensive coordinator to be their linebackers coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. House, the Chiefs’ LBs coach from 2019-21, spent the past two seasons in Baton Rouge. He has served as a DC at four programs, including Kentucky. House will join Kris Richard and Cory Robinson as Ryan Nielsen Jacksonville hires thus far.
  • Spending the past three seasons as a Jets assistant, Ricky Manning Jr. will join the Raiders. The Silver and Black are hiring Manning as their new defensive backs coach. The former NFL DB spent time on the Raiders’ practice squad in 2009; his most notable coaching title has been assistant DBs coach in Seattle under Richard from 2016-17.
  • The Colts are not retaining two of their defensive staffers. They are letting the contracts of defensive line coach Nate Ollie and assistant DBs coach Mike Mitchell expire, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson, who adds neither staffer is expected back. Ollie, 32, joined Gus Bradley’s staff in 2022 despite having no history with the veteran coordinator. His firing comes after the Colts saw notable development from defensive ends Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo. The two 2021 draftees combined for 16.5 sacks this season, and the Colts had four players with at least eight. This marked Mitchell’s first coaching gig; he had finished his 10-year career as a safety with the Colts.

Ejiro Evero In Play For Rams’ DC Job; Team Requests Meeting With Aden Durde

January 26th, 2024 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the fifth time in Sean McVay‘s seven-year tenure, the Rams have seen one of their assistants become a head coach. Raheem Morris is the latest to make the jump, being hired by the Falcons. The Rams are now determining how they will replace him.

They have two familiar names in the mix. In addition to McVay considering a Brandon Staley reunion, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue indicates Ejiro Evero will be a strong candidate for the position. Though, the matter of the Panthers letting Evero out of his contract looms.

Evero, a Rams assistant from 2017-21, has seen his profile skyrocket despite being the defensive coordinator for two losing teams. After a stay on the 5-12 Broncos in 2022, Evero interviewed for every available HC job last year and subsequently became an in-demand coordinator candidate. The Panthers’ 2-15 record did not impede Evero, either, as HC interviews have followed.

Evero, 43, cannot devote full focus to a coordinator future just yet. Although the Panthers and Falcons hired other candidates over him, the rising staffer has a second Seahawks interview on tap for Saturday. Evero, who was born in England, served as the Rams’ safeties coach from 2017-20 before being elevated to DBs coach prior to the team’s Super Bowl-winning season.

While the chance of Evero being a coordinator for three teams in three years looms, the Panthers have previously shown interest in retaining him. Prior to hiring Dave Canales, Carolina blocked a Jacksonville request to meet with Evero about its DC job. It is unclear if Canales will retain Evero, but with Dan Morgan rising up the chain to the GM spot, it would not surprise if the organization stuck to its guns and kept Evero as DC despite hiring a new coach.

Additionally, at least one candidate without a past with McVay has surfaced. The Rams sent Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde a request to meet about the position, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. Durde has been on the Cowboys’ staff for the past three years, following Dan Quinn over from Atlanta. Durde, who is English, helped develop players in the U.K. as part of the NFL’s international pathway program prior to joining the Falcons midway through Quinn’s tenure.

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