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Addison Lynch

AFC West Coaching Updates: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers

March 25th, 2023 at 5:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The Broncos announced several additions to their coaching staff today as they attempt to round out Sean Payton‘s first coaching staff in Denver. While we’ve already covered most of the offensive additions, the defensive announcements were new to report.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is adding some NFL and college experience to the staff. The team reportedly lured veteran NFL defensive coach Joe Vitt out of retirement to join the Broncos as a senior defensive assistant. On the other end of the spectrum, Denver hired veteran college assistant Jamar Cain as its new pass rush specialist. Cain spent last year as LSU’s defensive run game coordinator/defensive line coach.

Lastly on the defensive side, the Broncos hired Isaac Shewmaker and Addison Lynch as defensive quality control coaches. The only offensive announcement we had yet to cover was another new quality control coach, Favian Upshaw.

Here are some other coaching updates from around the AFC West, starting with the defending Super Bowl champions:

  • The Chiefs‘ offensive staff lost some talent in the offseason after another extremely successful campaign, necessitating some updates to the coaching staff. Joe Bleymaier was promoted from wide receivers coach to the title of pass game coordinator. Replacing him at wide receivers coach will be former offensive quality control coach Connor Embree, a large step up. Todd Pinkston joins the team to coach running backs after formerly serving as the wide receivers coach at Austin Peay. Former offensive quality control coach Porter Ellett will join him as assistant running backs coach. Dan Williams, formerly an offensive assistant, has taken one of the offensive quality control positions along with the added title of assistant quarterbacks coach. Filling his old offensive assistant role will be Kevin Saxton, who formerly served as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Benedict College.
  • The Chargers also went to the college ranks to make a coaching addition, according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports. Los Angeles hired former Georgia Southern defensive coordinator Will Harris to serve as assistant secondary coach in 2023. Before his time as a coordinator, Harris had coached a slew of talented future NFL players as the defensive backs coach at the University of Washington.

Coaching Rumors: Pats, Chargers, Texans

February 13th, 2018 at 5:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Patriots are currently the only club without a defensive coordinator in place, and New England could follow in the footsteps of the Eagles — who may not hire an OC — and not officially name a new coordinator, as Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com speculates (via Twitter). Incumbent linebackers coach Brian Flores is viewed as the favorite to succeed Matt Patricia on the Patriots’ staff, but as Breer notes, Bill Belichick has given former assistants time to grow before placing them in coordinator roles. Patricia, for one, called New England’s defensive plays for two seasons before being given the DC title. Additionally, current offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels called plays for the Patriots in 2005 despite not having the official coordinator moniker.

Here’s more from the 2018 coaching carousel:

  • Jerry Schuplinski had been expected to follow McDaniels to Indianapolis, but now that that ship has sailed, Schuplinski will return to the Patriots‘ staff as assistant quarterbacks coach, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Reports earlier this offseason indicated Schuplinski had an “outside chance” to succeed McDaniels as New England’s offensive play-caller, but a path to the Colts had seemed more likely as of last week. Now, Schuplinski — who has been with the Patriots since 2013 — will work with Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer, and possibly another signal-caller if New England selects a passer in the upcoming draft.
  • The Chargers have announced several new hires, including the addition of former Bills wide receivers coach Phil McGeoghan in the same role. McGeoghan, who spent only one season in Buffalo, will replace Nick Sirianni, who is now the Colts’ offensive coordinator. He’ll get to work with a receiving corps that includes Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Travis Benjamin. Additionally, Los Angeles has hired Keith Burns (assistant special teams) and Addison Lynch (defensive quality control).
  • Two AFC South clubs — the Titans and Texans — have finalized their 2018 coaching staffs and announced a few hires that hadn’t been previously reported. Tennessee has retained Luke Steckel (offensive assistant) and hired Matt Edwards (assistant special teams), Scott Booker (defensive assistant), Ryan Crow (defensive assistant) , while Houston had added Will Lawning (offensive assistant/offensive line) and Matt O’Donnell (defensive quality control).
  • The Cardinals have hired former University of Findlay offensive coordinator Troy Rothenbuhler as an offensive quality control coach, reports Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Rothenbuhler had spent his entire coaching career in the collegiate ranks, and spent the past seven years as Findlay’s play-caller.