Darrell Bevell - Pro Football Rumors

Falcons, Dirk Koetter Discussing Reunion?

December 31st, 2018 at 7:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dirk Koetter may land on his feet soon. The recently fired Buccaneers head coach is the leading candidate to replace Steve Sarkisian as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Koetter preceded Kyle Shanahan in this role, working as Atlanta’s OC from 2012-14, before Mike Smith‘s ouster led Koetter to Tampa. Former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell will interview for the role, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

While Bevell was out of the league this year, Koetter oversaw one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses. His head coaching tenure in Tampa did not end the Bucs’ now-11-season playoff drought, but Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick were able to consistently put up yards. Tampa Bay finished third in total offense this season. Two of Koetter’s three Falcons attacks ranked in the top 10; the 2012 team voyaged to the NFC’s No. 1 seed but blew a 17-point lead in the conference title game.

Bevell is expected to interview with the Falcons within the next two days, per Rapoport. The Seahawks fired him after the 2017 season, and other interviews did not lead to a Bevell 2018 landing spot. Whether it’s Koetter, Bevell or another coach, this process should be settled quickly, Ledbetter adds.

South Coaching Rumors: Koetter, Quinn, Marrone, Rivera

December 23rd, 2018 at 8:51am CST by Rory Parks

It has been assumed that the Buccaneers and head coach Dirk Koetter would be parting ways at the end of the season, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) does not necessarily believe that assumption is a safe one. Rapoport says Koetter could certainly be fired — which would then make him a very appealing OC candidate for rival clubs — but the Glazer family has not ruled out keeping Koetter and the entire “upper structure” of the team. After all, Tampa Bay’s offense is the most prolific in franchise history, and the club’s defense has become a league-average unit since former DC Mike Smith was fired in October.

Now for more rumors on head coaches in the league’s south divisions:

Rapoport also says Falcons head coach Dan Quinn is expected to be back for 2019. There has not been much national chatter about Quinn’s job security anyway, so that does not come as much of a surprise. but Rapoport does expect “significant changes” at the coordinator spots. We already learned that offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is likely on his way out, and Rapoport confirms that Darrell Bevell will be on the short list to replace him. Defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel also appears in danger of losing his job [SOURCE LINK].
At the end of November, Rapoport said that Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone is in no danger of losing his job, and he doubled down on that report today, saying that Jacksonville owner Shad Khan and executive VP of football operations Tom Coughlin believe in Marrone. The team will seek a new QB and a new offensive coordinator, but it currently sounds as if Marrone will get another shot in 2019. Of course, there have been rumblings that Coughlin himself will consider taking over the head coaching reins, but Rapoport’s sources seem to refute to notion.
Despite rumors of a potential shakeup, Rapoport says the Panthers are expected to retain head coach Ron Rivera. New owner David Tepper reportedly believes in Rivera, who recently took over defensive play-calling duties and who would become one of the top head coaching candidates on the market if he were let go. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, though, suggests that Tepper could indeed go in another direction at season’s end, but if he does, it will be difficult to find someone who would represent a clear improvement over Rivera [SOURCE LINK].

Falcons Likely To Fire Steve Sarkisian

December 18th, 2018 at 1:06pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s a “strong possibility” of significant changes to the Falcons’ coaching staff this offseason, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). This includes potential changes at offensive and defensive coordinator, which could put Steve Sarkisian and Marquand Manuel out of work.

As Pelissero notes, head coach Dan Quinn‘s background is in defense and he exercises a great degree control on that side of the ball. The team’s hire at offensive coordinator will likely have a larger impact on the squad, which renders the OC choice as a more crucial decision than DC.

The next OC of the Falcons could be an old friend of Quinn’s. Former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell could be a strong candidate for the job, Pelissero hears, particularly since Bevell spent time with Atlanta coaches in the spring.

Under Bevell’s command, the 2017 Seahawks finished roughly league-average on offense, ranking 15th in yards, 11th in points, and 14th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA, which measures efficiency. Bevell had been an offensive coordinator since 2006, spending five seasons with the Vikings before joining Seattle in 2011.

During his dozen seasons as an OC, Bevell’s units have finished as a top-10 DVOA offense five times. Despite his success, he’s widely blamed for Seattle’s controversial call at the end of Super Bowl XLIX, even though he might not have been the one who dialed up the play.

Despite a bevy of offensive weapons, the Falcons are 5-9 and will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2015. The dismissal of Sarkisian feels like an inevitability and Bevell could wind up as the man to replace him, even if Falcons fans are largely opposed.

Darrell Bevell Intends To Coach In 2019

June 28th, 2018 at 7:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Longtime NFL play-caller Darrell Bevell was linked to a number of offensive coordinator vacancies during the offseason, but was ultimately left out in the cold after each job was filled. Still only 48 years old, Bevell intends to re-join the coaching carousel in 2019, as he explains to Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal.

“It’s always hard,” Bevell said. “But we’ve done a lot of good things in the places I’ve been, so it was just one of those weird years. The next hiring cycle I’m going to be back in.”

While he didn’t land an offensive coordinator job earlier this year, Bevell was certainly in high demand. Both the Cardinals and Vikings interviewed him for their respective OC positions, but the clubs went in separate directions by hiring Mike McCoy and John DeFillipo, respectively. At one time, Bevell was also considered the “top target” for the Colts’ play-calling job (at least, when Josh McDaniels was still expected to end up in Indianapolis), and was on the Giants’ radar, too.

Under Bevell’s command, the 2017 Seahawks finished roughly league-average on offense, ranking 15th in yards, 11th in points, and 14th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA, which measures efficiency. Bevell had been an offensive coordinator since 2006, spending five seasons with the Vikings before joining Seattle in 2011. During his dozen seasons as an OC, Bevell’s units have finished as a top-10 DVOA offense five times.

New York Notes: Staley, Jets, Anderson, Bills

February 10th, 2018 at 7:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aside from facing off in three playoff games in a seven-season stretch from 1993-2000, the Giants and Vikings can’t exactly be classified as rivals. Well, the teams may have some animosity for a bit. The Vikings denied Kevin Stefanski a chance to interview for the Giants’ OC position, and Minnesota’s QBs coach being the previous favorite for that job could make matters difficult for Pat Shurmur.

The Vikings complicated this search further by hiring Eagles QBs coach John DeFilippo to succeed Shurmur as Minnesota’s OC, bypassing Stefanski and poaching a coach off Philadelphia’s staff.

This is relevant because Duce Staley remains under contract with the Eagles, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports. Staley, Philly’s RBs coach, is said to be viewed as the Giants’ next choice for the OC role. But with Frank Reich in contention to become the Colts’ head coach, the Eagles could well deny their NFC East rivals permission to speak with Staley. This would keep the 42-year-old assistant in Philly in an attempt to foster some continuity in the event Reich leaves. This chain of events unfolding would make Staley a logical candidate to be the next Eagles OC.

The Giants have not yet requested permission to speak with Staley, but if the Eagles were to block the move, Darrell Bevell and Harold Goodwin may be the next coaches in line. Both are coaching free agents. Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv gives an edge to Bevell in the event Staley stays in Pennsylvania. Complicating this further, Bevell has been mentioned as a possible Colts OC.

Here’s the latest out of the Big Apple:

The Jets not landing Kirk Cousins could give Josh McCown another chance, with Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writing a McCown/No. 6 overall pick solution would be the best bet at a Cousins contingency plan. A Nick Foles trade would not be as likely, per Mehta, who would be “stunned” if the Jets offered the Eagles one of their two second-round picks for the Super Bowl MVP. With Carson Wentz not a lock to be ready by Week 1, the Eagles would be unlikely to unload Foles for a third-rounder given his current stock and potential importance to a title defense.
Mehta adds the Jets are not planning to cut Robby Anderson because of his recent arrest. However, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes no extension offer should be expected anytime soon. Gang Green’s leading receiver in 2017, Anderson will be an RFA after next season. However, the January arrest produced three felony charges. And the 24-year-old wide receiver has a history of encountering police. Cimini reports he has 10 traffic violations on his record since 2014, all coming in Florida. His 941-yard season notwithstanding, Anderson may be on thin ice.
Both Jermaine Kearse and Quincy Enunwa are due to be UFAs after 2018, and the Jets have some of the most cap space in the league. Cimini would be surprised if the Jets used a sizable chunk of that space to outbid the competition for Jarvis Landry. Instead, he envisions a realistic pursuit of Allen Robinson, noting that since his ACL tear occurred in September, the 24-year-old Jaguars receiver would be a better bet as a long-term investment that had the injury taken place later in the season. If the Jets did land Robinson, Cimini writes the team will likely look to trade Kearse.
Two Alabama assistants will be part of Sean McDermott‘s second Bills staff. William Vlachos and Shea Tierney will make their way from Tuscaloosa, Ala., to Buffalo to become Bills offensive assistants, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. These two will follow Brian Daboll, the Bills’ new OC, in making this move.
While John Butler was hired to replace secondary coach Gill Byrd, the Bills have shifted assistant DBs coach Bobby Babich‘s title to safeties coach, Rodak notes (on Twitter). Rodak expects Butler to focus more on corners this year.

Darrell Bevell On Giants’ OC Radar?

February 8th, 2018 at 9:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

John DeFilippo agreeing to become the Vikings’ OC looks to clear a path for Minnesota QBs coach Kevin Stefanski to join Pat Shurmur with the Giants.

Shurmur will call the Giants’ plays next season, but after not hiring an OC during a rough first year with the 2011 Browns, the new Big Blue HC plans to have one in New York. And Darrell Bevell appears to be on his radar.

The former Seattle OC has come up in other searches — including the one that ended with DeFilippo replacing Shurmur in Minnesota — and Shurmur and Bevell have spoken about the position, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports.

Bevell remains in the mix for the Colts’ OC job, one that will now carry more significance since Josh McDaniels will not be trekking to Indianapolis, and had an interview scheduled with the Falcons as well. The Giants need permission to speak with Stefanski, and if they are not granted it, Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley is viewed as the frontrunner to take over as Giants OC, according to the Sporting News’ Alex Marvez.

Shurmur and Staley worked together when Shurmur served as OC under Chip Kelly. Shurmur was also on Philadelphia’s staff during part of Staley’s career as an Eagles running back. The Vikings’ OC from 2006-10, Bevell has not served on a staff with Shurmur previously but did help the Seahawks become one of the league’s most prolific offenses earlier this decade.

Colts Brass High On Darrell Bevell

February 5th, 2018 at 12:04pm CST by Zachary Links

This week, the Colts are expected to formally announce the hire of Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as their new head coach. It’s unclear who the Colts’ next OC will be, but the organization may be nudging McDaniels in the direction of former Seahawks play caller Darrell Bevell. During the head coaching interview process, Colts brass was asking candidates if they’d consider hiring Bevell as OC, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter).

McDaniels, of course, is expected to have a large degree of control over the hire, so the team could still go in a different direction even if GM Chris Ballard & Co. want Bevell to be the pick. It’s also anticipated that McDaniels will be the one calling plays in Indianapolis, so the OC there won’t have the usual degree of control. That’s may be music to the ears of some Colts fans who are turned off by the inconsistency of the Seahawks’ offense under Bevell and his sometimes questionable in-game decisions.

Back in January, it was reported that Raiders quarterbacks coach Jake Peetz would be Indianapolis’ new OC. In the coming days, we should have a definitive answer on whether the hire will be Bevell or Peetz.

Colts To Target Darrell Bevell For Offensive Coordinator

February 4th, 2018 at 9:22am CST by Rory Parks

Several weeks ago, it was reported that Josh McDaniels — who will be named as the Colts’ new head coach after today’s Super Bowl — would hire Raiders quarterbacks coach Jake Peetz as Indianapolis’ next offensive coordinator. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that a new name has emerged as McDaniels’ top target for the position: former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell (Twitter link).

Bevell, of course, has been in high demand. He has already interviewed for the Vikings’ offensive coordinator vacancy, and he interviewed for the Cardinals’ OC job before Arizona hired Mike McCoy. Bevell was also mentioned as a candidate for several quarterbacks coach positions, and Rapoport adds that the Giants are interested in Bevell for their own OC job.

Seattle fired Bevell on January 10, after the team failed to reach the postseason for the first time since 2011. The Seahawks’ offense was a middle-of-the-road unit in 2017, but Bevell was on the sidelines for some of the club’s best seasons, including its Super Bowl XLVIII victory. However, his call for the Seahawks to pass from the 1-yard line spoiled a would-be victory in Super Bowl XLIX, and he was never really able to salvage his reputation with the fans thereafter.

But he apparently does have a number of supporters around the league. Given McDaniels’ background as an offensive guru, it is unlikely Bevell would have the same level of control over the Colts’ offense that he enjoyed in Seattle, but he would be working with one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Andrew Luck.

Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star tweets that he heard Peetz may no longer be in the running for the Colts’ job last week. Peetz did not respond to Holder’s attempts to reach him in the past several days.

Coaching Rumors: Vikings, Giants, Cowboys

January 24th, 2018 at 9:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As had been expected, Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski will garner an interview for the club’s vacant offensive coordinator position. Stefanski, who’s coached tight ends, running backs, and quarterbacks for Minnesota, will meet with head coach Mike Zimmer this weekend, reports Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Meanwhile, former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell‘s interview with Zimmer will take place on Friday, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Ex-Giants head coach Ben McAdoo and former Broncos play-caller Mike McCoy have also speculatively been mentioned as candidates for the Vikings’ OC role, but neither has yet been asked to interview.

Here’s more from the 2018 coaching carousel:

The Giants have officially hired former Panthers special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey for the same role in New York, per Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. This had been the expected outcome, but the Giants waited until they’d officially named Pat Shurmur as their new head coach before making any other staff additions. McGaughey, who’s also led special teams units with the 49ers and Jets, coached Carolina to a No. 6 ranking in ST DVOA in 2017. The Giants, meanwhile, ranked dead in the same metric last a season ago. Ex-Cardinals assistant special teams coach Anthony Blevins could also be joining New York’s special teams staff in the near future, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert will join the Giants under new head coach Pat Shurmur, according to Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). Tolbert, who led the Broncos’ wideouts from 2011-17, was fired earlier this month as part of a staff shakeup. However, he reportedly drew a good deal of interest around the NFL before deciding on the Giants, per Klis. That comes as no surprise, as Tolbert nearly left Denver last offseason when the Titans expressed interest.
The Cowboys interviewed assistant offensive line coach Marc Colombo for their vacant tight ends coach job today, reports Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). Colombo, who played for Dallas from 2005-10, was reportedly “in the mix” to become the Cowboys’ full-time offensive line coach earlier this year after Dallas fired Frank Pollack. However, the Cowboys ultimately selected former Bengals OL coach Paul Alexander for the job. Colombo, for his part, joined Dallas’ staff in 2015.
The Packers formally announced their 2018 coaching staff today, and the club noted a few new additions that we haven’t yet noted here at PFR. While previous reports had indicated Jim Hostler would be Green Bay’s wide receivers coach, he’ll actually take the title of offensive passing game coordinator, with David Raih — formerly the Packers’ “offensive perimeter” coach — is handling wideouts. Meanwhile, defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery will stay with Green Bay after previously having accepted a job as Texas A&M’s associate head coach/defensive line, tweets Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Vikings To Interview Darrell Bevell

January 23rd, 2018 at 8:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Seahawks play-caller Darrell Bevell is in high demand. After completing his interview with the Cardinals, Bevell will meet with the Vikings this week, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).

The Vikings are in need of a new offensive coordinator following the departure of Pat Shurmur. Although Shurmur’s offensive attack came up short in the NFC Championship Game, his system was largely a success in Minnesota. The job, presumably, would hold great appeal for Bevell and other candidates, though it’s not quite clear who the next OC will be working with at quarterback.

The Vikings face one of the most unique QB conundrums in recent memory with Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, and Teddy Bridgewater all scheduled for free agency. Some expect the Vikings to either franchise tag or extend Keenum while allowing injury-prone Bradford and Bridgewater to walk. The reality, however, is that Keenum could follow Shurmur to New York, forcing the Vikings to retain either Bridgewater or Bradford as their starter. Or, they could conceivably try and keep two of the three. There could even be a scenario in which the Vikings pursue a big-name QB in free agency (such as Drew Brees) and move on from the whole trio. Anything is possible, so Bevell must be ready to explain how his system will fit quarterbacks of all different styles.

Former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo and former Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy have also been mentioned as candidates for the job.