Cam Turner - Pro Football Rumors

Coaching Notes: Chiefs, Colts, Clay, Zampese

March 3rd, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Sam Robinson

As Matt Nagy returns to the offensive coordinator post he held from 2016-17, the Chiefs are promoting his lieutenant. Former assistant quarterbacks coach David Girardi will replace Nagy as QBs coach, Andy Reid confirmed this week. Girardi has been the Chiefs’ assistant QBs coach for the past two years, working under Nagy and Mike Kafka. He previously served as a quality control assistant in Kansas City, moving to the NFL from Division I-FCS Lafayette College. Girardi will now move closer to a potential OC position, seeing as four Reid assistants have either become HCs or OCs elsewhere during his time in Missouri.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

Ken Zampese interviewed for the Commanders‘ OC job, and while the recent Washington QBs coach will be staying with the team, he will not remain in that position under Bieniemy . Zampese, a former Bengals OC, is moving to the role of senior offensive advisor/game management. He has been with the team throughout Ron Rivera‘s tenure. Bieniemy is bringing in Tavita Pritchard to become the Commanders’ next QBs coach. This previously rumored hire will take Pritchard from his longtime place on David Shaw‘s Stanford staff. Formerly an assistant under Shaw and Jim Harbaugh, Pritchard spent the past five seasons as the Pac-12 program’s OC.
Previously the QBs coach on Kliff Kingsbury‘s Cardinals staff, one that did not employ an OC, Cam Turner is joining the Colts. Shane Steichen is hiring Turner to be Indianapolis’ QBs coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Turner, 35, was previously with the Panthers prior to the four-year Arizona stay; he will replace Scott Milanovich in Indy. The Colts are also hiring Tony Sparano Jr. as their offensive line coach, Art Stapleton of the Bergen Record notes (on Twitter). The second-generation NFL coach spent last season as the Giants‘ assistant O-line coach; he had held that role with the Jaguars and Panthers previously. Sparano, 36, joins ex-Giants running backs coach DeAndre Smith as Steichen Colts hires.
Although the Eagles became the first team since the Bengals nine years ago to see both their OC and DC become head coaches in the same offseason, the NFC champs are retaining their third coordinator. ST boss Michael Clay will also receive a new contract. The Eagles are adding a year to Clay’s deal and giving him a raise, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. Clay, 31, has been with the team since 2021.
Sean Payton is hiring former Northwestern running backs coach Lou Ayeni to work in the same role for the Broncos, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald has been on the NFL radar for a bit, and the Wildcats will lose their second assistant to the NFL this offseason. Ryan Smith is now the Cardinals’ DBs coach. Ayeni has worked mostly at the college level, being the run-game coordinator at Iowa State during David Montgomery‘s tenure.
Ravens outside linebackers coach Rob Leonard will join the Raiders‘ staff, per John Harbaugh. Leonard is joining Josh McDaniels‘ assistant cadre as linebackers coach. Leonard joined the Ravens in 2022, having spent the previous three seasons on Brian Flores‘ Dolphins staff. He spent the previous six years with the Giants. The Ravens are still searching for wide receivers and safeties coaches, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec adds. Harbaugh said internal hires are possible there (Twitter link).
The Commanders are also reshuffling a bit on their defensive staff. Brent Vieselmeyer will rise to the role of secondary coach, with Christian Garcia set to be the team’s assistant DBs coach. Vieselmeyer will replace Chris Harris, who received DC interest this offseason before moving to Tennessee’s staff as the team’s cornerbacks coach.

Staff Notes: Broncos, Bills, Eagles, Giants, Cardinals

May 14th, 2022 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos again looked to George Paton‘s former workplace to add a high-ranking staffer. They brought in longtime Vikings executive Reed Burckhardt to be their new director of player personnel, according to Mike Klis of 9News. Burckhardt was with the Vikings 13 years, and Klis adds Minnesota’s new regime wanted to retain him. The veteran Minnesota staffer ended his Vikings run as the team’s director of pro scouting. Burckhardt will follow Broncos director of football operations Kelly Kleine in relocating from Minnesota to Denver under Paton and join assistant GM Darren Mougey as the team’s top Paton lieutenants.

Here are the latest post-draft front office and coaching staff changes:

After hiring longtime Broncos player personnel director Matt Russell this week, the Eagles continue to reshape their front office. Howie Roseman again looked to the Broncos, hiring veteran Denver staffer Jordan Dizon, Klis notes. Dizon, 36, worked with the Broncos for seven years, finishing his tenure as the team’s assistant director of pro scouting. The former linebacker who was once a Lions second-round pick is expected to become a national scout with the Eagles.
Giants GM Joe Schoen continues to form his front office, and after adding two-time coworker Dennis Hickey to the mix, the first-year GM is hiring another former colleague. Chris Rossetti, who was with the Dolphins during Schoen’s mid-2010s tenure, will become the Giants’ new director of pro scouting, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. Rossetti was most recently the Dolphins’ assistant pro scouting director. Big Blue is also hiring Mike Derice as a national scout, InsideTheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton tweets. Derice, a Brooklyn native, worked as a Colts area scout for the past 10 years. The Giants are adding an area scout as well, announcing the hire of Scott Hamel, who spent the past seven years with the Bears under Ryan Pace.
Former Jets area scout Alonzo Dotson is joining the Bills, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero noting (via Twitter) the veteran evaluator is expected to become a national scout with Buffalo. Prior to his four-year Jets tenure, Dotson spent six years as a Packers scout. He is the nephew of former Packers Super Bowl-winning defensive lineman Santana Dotson.
Shifting to the coaching side, the Cardinals made a couple of adjustments. Assistant wide receivers coach Spencer Whipple and quarterbacks coach Cam Turner are now the team’s co-passing-game coordinators. Cam Turner, one of Norv Turner‘s sons currently coaching in the NFL, will retain his role as QBs coach.

Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury Clears COVID Protocols

October 24th, 2021 at 9:14am CST by Ben Levine

Oct. 24: Kingsbury has cleared COVID-19 protocols and will be on the sidelines for today’s game against Houston, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Cards are in search of a 7-0 start, and they are heavily favored to defeat the one-win Texans.

Oct. 16: The Cardinals are looking to improve to 6-0 tomorrow, but they won’t have their head coach on the sideline. Kliff Kingsbury has tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t coach tomorrow’s game against the Browns, per NFL.com.

According to the team, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers will share head coaching duties during tomorrow’s contest. Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter), Kingsbury will “script as much as he can” prior to the game, but the organization will be relying on a collaborative approach when the script inevitably goes awry. Garafolo notes that QBs Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy will even have a say on offensive play calling.

We heard earlier this week that edge rusher Chandler Jones had tested positive, and he’s unlikely to play tomorrow after showing symptoms. The team will also be without GM Steve Keim, who tested positive and won’t make the trip to Cleveland. QB coach Cam Turner and defensive tackle Zach Allen also tested positive and won’t travel with the team.

As a result of the positive tests, the Cardinals are now dealing with “enhanced COVID-19 protocols,” but the NFL doesn’t have any intention of rescheduling or postponing tomorrow’s game.