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DeMeco Ryans

Texans Aiming To Close DeMeco Ryans Deal

January 30th, 2023 at 7:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans are attempting to move this DeMeco Ryans process past the goal line. The two-year 49ers defensive coordinator is set for a second interview with the team this week, and after back-to-back one-and-done HCs, the Texans appear more committed to a candidate this time around.

With Ryans pivoting from Broncos frontrunner to Texans favorite, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports notes (via Twitter) Houston’s ownership is pushing to close the deal and make the former linebacker the franchise’s next head coach. Ryans, who played for the Texans from 2006-11, is believed to have interest in coaching his former team. Now that the 49ers have been eliminated, Ryans can be hired at any point. He is the clear clubhouse leader for the Houston job, Peter King of NBC Sports writes.

The 38-year-old coordinator has not closed the book on the Broncos, Anderson tweets, but he is believed to prefer the Texans. The hope here is a deal is agreed to during Ryans’ second interview this week, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post. The Broncos were the first team to speak with Ryans but have not scheduled any second interviews.

Texans ownership and GM Nick Caserio were impressed with “everything about” Ryans in his Zoom interview Jan. 20, veteran Texans reporter John McLain notes. The past two Texans HC searches meandered and ended on candidates other teams were not considering — David Culley, Lovie Smith. This one is decidedly different, as all five HC-needy teams were interested in speaking with Ryans. The longtime Kyle Shanahan staffer, however, has only spoken with two teams. Both have been impressed to the point he became their frontrunners.

While the Colts and Cardinals had interviews scheduled with Ryans, he declined to speak with those teams hours before the 49ers’ divisional playoff game against the Cowboys. The Panthers also reached out to Ryans with an interview request, but after logistics initially impeded an interview, the parties moved on. It now looks like the Texans hold a big lead on the Broncos, whose coaching search has hit a few snags.

Denver’s position comes with a new ownership group, a quarterback extension (Russell Wilson’s five-year, $245MM pact) that has brought sustained turbulence since Week 1 and a placement in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. The Texans’ division does not feature a similar gauntlet, and the team holds two first-round picks and is projected to be among this year’s cap-space leaders. Ryans also knows this ownership, to a degree, dating back to his days playing for the then-Bob McNair-run franchise. The Texans traded Ryans to the Eagles in 2012, but his wife is from Houston. It certainly looks like, despite the Texans’ issues with HCs under Caserio, an agreement is coming soon.

DeMeco Ryans Books Second Texans HC Interview, Emerging As Favorite

January 29th, 2023 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 29, 5:40pm: With the 49ers having been eliminated, attention will turn to Ryans’ second interview with the Texans. Rapoport confirms (via Twitter) that it is set to take place this week, and that it is likely to be followed by Houston naming him its next head coach.

JANUARY 29, 8:06am: A source tells Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that the Texans’ job is Ryans’ top choice, which jibes with Rapoport’s earlier report. Sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that Ryans is now the favorite for the post.

JANUARY 27: DeMeco Ryans could soon find himself in a position in which multiple head coaching offers come his way. Shortly after being tabbed as a Broncos frontrunner, the 49ers’ defensive coordinator remains squarely on the Texans’ radar.

The Texans have their former linebacker on their second-interview docket, and Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com note (via Twitter) the team has identified him as a top candidate for the job. Mutual interest exists here, according to Pelissero and Rapoport, who add a second Ryans-Texans meeting is expected to take place in the days after the NFC championship game. The Texans have already interviewed Ejiro Evero and Mike Kafka twice, but it does not look like the team will make a hire until next week.

Although early rumblings of Ryans hesitancy about the Texans job emerged, that seems well in the past. The second-year San Francisco DC met with his initial NFL organization last week. Ryans, who has been on the HC radar for months, was set to go through four HC interviews in a four-day span. But the standout defensive play-caller cancelled his Cardinals and Colts meetings, which were set to take place just hours before the 49ers’ divisional-round matchup with the Cowboys. Despite narrowing his options, Ryans still looks likely to land a job in this year’s cycle.

This could certainly complicate matters for the Broncos, who have seen some twists in their coaching search. Jim Harbaugh was the first coach to interview with the team; he decided once again to stay at Michigan. Dan Quinn, who interviewed for Denver’s HC job last year and this year, resided as a live option for the AFC West franchise. But the Dallas DC informed interested teams he was staying with the Cowboys. The Broncos’ run at Sean Payton has also encountered some turbulence. The team was initially linked to Frank Reich but never brought the new Panthers HC in for an interview.

Denver’s new ownership group can outmuscle other teams regarding a coach’s salary, and if the Payton trade avenue is closing, that may be what it comes down to for the team. It will be interesting to see how the Broncos respond to this Texans development, as both Quinn and Ryans being off the table could result in the team regrouping. The team looks to already be doing so. Ryans’ plans of interviewing with the Texans next week do not appear to align with the Broncos’ search, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Broncos CEO Greg Penner and GM George Paton are continuing discussions with other candidates, potentially pointing to this Ryans-Texans reunion coming to pass.

It is notable the Texans could change the Broncos’ search to this degree, given their recent history. Houston is conducing a coaching search for a third consecutive offseason. GM Nick Caserio chose off-the-radar options to be his head coach in 2021 (David Culley) and ’22 (Lovie Smith). Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon has been closely connected to the Texans’ HC position for the past two Januarys, having interviewed for the position both this year and last. Caserio made an unexpected pivot to Smith, promoting him to fill the position in 2022. Houston going 3-13-1 prompted a Smith firing, following Culley as a one-and-done and inviting questions about both Caserio’s status and the direction of this rebuild.

The Texans have sought a younger coach this year, and after the past two hires, Ryans would be virtually assured of having multiple years to build something with the team that drafted him. Houston initially drafted Ryans in the 2006 second round, and the inside linebacker became a fixture with the team. The Texans extended Ryans, who helped the team to its first playoff berth back in 2011, but traded him to the Eagles in 2012.

In addition to Ryans having a history with the Texans, his wife, Jamila, is from Houston. Unsurprisingly, given Friday’s news, Rapoport added during a Pat McAfee Show appearance he believes Ryans would choose the Texans over the Broncos (video link).

Ryans, who broke into coaching in 2017, has re-emerged on Houston’s radar thanks to leading San Francisco’s No. 1-ranked defense. The 49ers finished the regular season first in yards, points and DVOA. They have long expected Ryans to land a job, which would mark the third straight offseason in a Kyle Shanahan coordinator did so. Though, the potential bidding war for Ryans makes this pursuit a bit more interesting than the processes that led Robert Saleh and Mike McDaniel out of the Bay Area.

Here is how the Texans’ head coaching search looks as of Friday afternoon:

DeMeco Ryans Advancing In Broncos’ Search; Sean Payton Souring On Team’s Ownership?

January 26th, 2023 at 7:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

7:35pm: Payton has provided information straight from the source, disputing that there is any truth to Maske’s report of his fears of a power struggle in Denver with a tweet this evening. Payton denies that any issue exists with Broncos’ ownership stating that they were fantastic and that they “had a great visit.”

Ryans is still gaining traction and Caldwell and Shaw are also strong contenders, while Quinn has stated his desire to remain in Dallas, but if Payton is to be taken at his word, he should still be considered one of the favorites for this position.

3:01pm: Vowing to be “ultra aggressive” in its first coaching search, the Broncos’ new ownership came into this process with a goal of adding an experienced head coach. Recent developments may be leading the team in a different direction.

DeMeco Ryans has emerged as a frontrunner in this race, Mike Klis of 9News reports. The second-year 49ers defensive coordinator met with the Broncos and Texans late last week, nixing interviews with the Cardinals and Colts, and has been steadily rising in this race. While the Broncos are still considering Sean Payton, Jim Caldwell and Dan Quinn, Ryans’ rise is obviously notable considering his accomplishments with the 49ers this season.

But the team has cooled on Payton, Denver7’s Troy Renck adds (via Twitter). Payton also looks to have lost some interest in this job. A sense of what might have changed emerged Thursday. Recently, the former Saints HC was believed to be high on the Broncos’ new ownership group. Now, it might be a negative for the FOX analyst. Payton fears a potential power struggle with one member of the contingent, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. Payton would want to work with Russell Wilson, who reached out to him recently, and is believed to be high on Denver’s defensive pieces. But an issue with ownership may well nix this potential partnership.

Rob Walton, CEO Greg Penner and co-owner Condoleezza Rice have been the ownership group’s key members during this search, joining GM George Paton. The latter is the only experienced football staffer involved here, given the ownership contingent arriving last summer, but Penner is set to make the final call on the team’s second HC hire in two years. It does not seem Rice, who joined the group after the Walton family, is Payton’s concern. The veteran HC has “loved” his interactions with the former Secretary of State, Maske adds (on Twitter).

The Broncos have not gone through second interviews yet, separating their search from this year’s other four. The Panthers just made their hire — Frank Reich — after interviewing he and Steve Wilks twice. If the Broncos want to hold a second interview with Ryans, they must wait until Jan. 30 because of the 49ers’ advancement to the NFC championship game.

David Shaw was believed to be a sleeper candidate for this position, but Klis omitted the longtime Stanford HC from the team’s mix Thursday. Shaw stepped down from his Cardinal post after three losing seasons in the past four years. Penner and Rice’s Stanford ties were thought to represent key connective tissue to Shaw, but Denver going with an NFL-seasoned coach makes sense given the recent failures of college hires.

Ryans, 38, has helmed the NFL’s top-ranked defense this season and has been viewed as likely to land one of this year’s jobs for a bit now. All five HC-needy teams reached out to the former linebacker. The Texans remain in the mix for their former defender, per Klis, but they certainly look to have competition from the Broncos.

Broncos, Interim HC Jerry Rosburg Part Ways?

January 25th, 2023 at 5:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Broncos interim head coach Jerry Rosburg recently threw his hat in the ring for the team’s full-time job, but the veteran coach won’t be sticking around Denver in any capacity. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter), Rosburg has been let go by the Broncos and won’t be a part of the next coaching staff. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport seems to confirm (on Twitter) that Rosburg won’t be the team’s next coach, but he notes that today’s news is merely procedural and the veteran coach could be back in Denver next season.

[RELATED: Jerry Rosburg Interested In Remaining HC]

Rosburg was coaxed out of retirement last offseason to assist new Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett with in-game management. Hackett, of course, didn’t last the season, and after defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero declined to take on the interim HC mantle, the Broncos turned to Rosburg. In his new role, the veteran coach immediately shook up the coaching staff, firing special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry.

The team responded to the changes. After losing in blowout fashion to the Rams on Christmas, the Broncos took the Chiefs down to the wire before defeating the Chargers’ starters in the season finale. We heard that team executives were pleased with the interim head coach’s performance and let him state his case to remove the interim tag following the season.

Instead, the team will turn elsewhere for their next head coach. Earlier today, Troy Renck of Denver7.com wrote that 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and former Stanford head coach David Shaw were “gaining momentum” for the head coaching job. We also heard yesterday that Sean Payton’s candidacy was losing steam in Denver, removing another candidate from the list (alongside Rosburg and Jim Harbaugh, who pulled out of the race after deciding to stick with Michigan). Evero ended up interviewing for the job a few weeks ago, and the organization later blocked the Falcons’ request to interview him for their defensive coordinator vacancy.

As for Rosburg, there’s a good chance the 67-year-old coach heads back to retirement. Rosburg has been coaching since the 1970s, and he got his first NFL gig when he was hired as the Browns special teams coordinator in 2001. He’d end up spending 18 years in the NFL prior to his first retirement, including a decade-long stint as the Ravens ST coordinator.

Coaching Notes: Colts, Rams, Patriots

January 24th, 2023 at 8:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Colts are moving on to second interviews with some head coaching candidates, but they’re still hoping to get one individual in the building for a first interview. According to Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press, the Colts still want to speak with 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

The Colts have been trying to nail down an interview with Ryans for a few weeks. The organization was expected to finally speak with him on Sunday, but with the 49ers advancing to the NFC Championship Game, the coach once again put his interview on hold.

The coordinator already spoke with the Texans and Broncos about their HC jobs, and he also postponed an interview with the Cardinals. As Maaddi details, NFL rules allow Ryans to have second interviews with the Texans and Broncos next week, regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s game. However, the NFL’s “window for first interviews” has close, so he’ll have to wait until the end of the 49ers’ season to speak with the Colts and Cardinals.

We heard earlier today that Ejiro Evero will be getting a second interview with the Colts, and per Maaddi, the organization is expected to advance “six or seven other candidates” to the second round. Another name that should get a second meeting with the organization is interim head coach Jeff Saturday, according to Maaddi.

More coaching notes from around the NFL…

  • Sean McVay continues to shake up his coaching staff, and that’s led him to an assistant coach in Chicago. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), the Rams have requested permission to interview Bears assistant offensive line coach Austin King. The former NFL player would presumably be eyeing a promotion in Los Angeles, and he could fill multiple roles considering his experience coaching tight ends with the Raiders.
  • Former Patriots lineman Adrian Klemm previously interviewed for New England’s offensive coordinator job, a position that ultimately went to Bill O’Brien. However, it sounds like the Patriots are still considering recruiting Klemm to their staff. According to TheMMQB’s Albert Breer (on Twitter), another meeting is anticipated between the coach and the Patriots. Klemm spent the 2022 season as Oregon’s associate head coach, run game coordinator, and offensive line coach. He previously spent time on the Steelers staff, serving as assistant OL coach before earning a promotion to OL coach in 2021.
  • With O’Brien back in New England, focus turns to the status of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge after the duo led the Patriots‘ offense in 2022. ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes that Patricia should be able to carve out a role on New England’s staff in 2023 considering his familiarity with the organization and his relationship with Bill Belichick. However, since the Lions are no longer picking up the tab, it remains to be seen if the Patriots will be willing to compensate the coach accordingly. Meanwhile, Reiss could see see Judge sticking around New England, but the writer is skeptical about the coach returning to his natural ST role. Judge officially spent last season as the Patriots quarterbacks coach, a designation that “surprised people both inside and outside the organization,” according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.
  • There’s still no clarity on what Jerod Mayo‘s new role will be in New England, but he could be facing a significant promotion. Some pundits have suggested that Belichick could be preparing the former linebacker to eventually take over as head coach, and Breer tweets that Mayo was alongside his boss for all of the organization’s offensive coordinator interviews last week.

Broncos Sean Payton Hire Becoming Less Likely?

January 24th, 2023 at 2:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos had scheduled a second Sean Payton interview for this week, but NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan notes (via Twitter) the meeting is now on hold. Next on Payton’s docket will be interview No. 1 with the Cardinals, but chatter about the FOX analyst hopping off the 2023 coaching carousel to join a potentially flashier ride next year persists.

Payton will meet with the Cardinals on Thursday, per Duncan, who adds the delays in the longtime Saints HC’s schedule lend to the notion he will stay put and not coach in 2023. Payton’s initial Broncos meeting may not have gone as well as initially reported, either. Neither side looks to view this as a “must-do deal,” Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes. One GM said, via La Canfora, he expects Payton to stay at FOX for another year — a long-rumored path — and wait out potentially better jobs.

A Payton hire would be a blockbuster for the Broncos, who have struck out with first-time HCs in 2017 (Vance Joseph), 2019 (Vic Fangio) and 2022 (Nathaniel Hackett) and are believed to be prioritizing experience. But it would be expensive — both in terms of financial and trade compensation. A two-first-rounder haul has been floated, though some around the league believe a first-rounder and both of Denver’s 2023 thirds could be enough for New Orleans. The Saints would undoubtedly ask for a bigger return from Carolina, given the potential intra-NFC South jump in that scenario. The Broncos have been more closely connected to Payton compared to the Panthers, but The Athletic’s Joe Person adds Denver may no longer have the former Super Bowl-winning HC as its frontrunner (subscription required).

Considering what has come out on the Broncos’ HC search, it would surprise if the team passed on Payton. Russell Wilson reached out to the well-regarded play-caller, who, as of Monday, was still believed to have the inside track for the job. But the team has interviewed a host of other candidates, including Cowboys DC Dan Quinn, who was close to landing the job last year. If Payton does not have a substantial lead in this race, the Broncos backing off and hiring a coach they would not need to trade for would make sense. Then again, Payton is by far the most accomplished candidate available.

The prospect of Payton waiting out 2024 jobs continues to be discussed around the league, La Canfora adds. This will keep the dots connected to the Chargers and Cowboys positions, gigs Payton has eyed for several months. The Chargers announced intentions to retain Brandon Staley, despite a historic wild-card collapse, and the Cowboys do not look like they will be canning Mike McCarthy after back-to-back 12-win seasons. That said, ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini tweets a mystery team of sorts could lurk. Said team is observing this process and could make a move once it “gets [its] ducks in a row.”

Anonymous suitors notwithstanding, Payton will soon have interviewed for four of the five open positions this year. It is not known if an offer has come his way, but Panthers owner David Tepper was believed to be quite interested in this splashy hire heading into their meeting. Tepper’s reputation of being a “hands-on” owner might also impact Payton’s interest, Person adds.

The Texans, who hold two first-round picks (including No. 2 overall), are believed to intrigue the veteran coach. But buzz about the NFC championship game defensive coordinators — DeMeco Ryans and Jonathan Gannon — and this position is circulating as well, La Canfora adds. Gannon has long been connected to the Texans job, which he interviewed twice for in 2022, and Ryans spent the first six seasons of his playing career in Houston.

DeMeco Ryans Planning HC Interviews With Broncos, Cardinals, Colts, Texans

January 23rd, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 23: Ryans ended up cancelling his Sunday interviews with the Cardinals and Colts due to the tight timeline, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports notes (video link). With the 49ers having advanced to the NFC title game, he will not be eligible to meet with either team until next Monday at the earliest.

JANUARY 22: Sunday will be a busy day for Ryans. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Ryans will interview with both the Cardinals and Colts on Sunday, prior to the 49ers’ divisional round contest against the Cowboys (video link). Fowler adds that Ryans’ Texans summit went late into the evening on Friday, so it sounds as if the two sides had a productive conversation.

JANUARY 19: Ryans is, in fact, planning to interview with all four teams this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Despite an already-busy schedule, the 49ers assistant will meet with the Cardinals and Colts this week. This represents quite the workload for the coveted staffer and offers the latest example of the annual issues that arise from the NFL letting teams interview assistants during the postseason.

JANUARY 17: Because of NFL rules allowing teams to interview HC candidates during the week of divisional-round games, DeMeco Ryans is mired in one of the busier periods in recent coaching-carousel history. The 49ers’ defensive coordinator is planning to meet with four of the five teams in search of a head coach.

Already confirmed to be meeting with the Broncos this week, Ryans will also meet with the Texans on Friday. Kyle Shanahan said (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, on Twitter) his second-year DC is interviewing for the Denver and Houston jobs this week while indicating Arizona and Indianapolis meetings are on Ryans’ docket for sometime after this week. The Panthers requested a Ryans interview, but nothing is scheduled at this point.

Not much is known on the Cardinals’ HC front. Only four candidates — Ryans, Vance Joseph, Brian Flores and Sean Payton — have been connected to Arizona’s search. The team preferred to hire its GM first, and with Monti Ossenfort now officially in place in that role, the HC search will accelerate. The Cardinals have become familiar with Ryans’ work, having faced the 49ers four times since he took over as their defensive play-caller in 2021.

Rumored to be considering passing on an interview with the team that drafted him, the former Texans linebacker is now set to discuss the position with the Nick Caserio-led regime. Ryans indeed deliberated on meeting with the Texans, KPRC’s Aaron Wilson notes. Ryans sued the Texans and the NFL after suffering an Achilles tear at NRG Stadium in 2014. That $10MM lawsuit centered around NRG Stadium’s playing surface. An Eagles starter in 2014, Ryans alleged the injury led to a premature ending to his career — one he said would have lasted beyond its 2015 endpoint had that injury not occurred.

The Texans drafted Ryans in the 2006 second round and immediately plugged him in as a starter. Ryans operated as a starter throughout his six-year stay in Houston and signed a second contract with the team in 2010. The Texans traded him to the Eagles in 2012. Ryans caught on with Shanahan, an ex-Texans assistant, in 2017 as a quality control coach and has since become one of the NFL’s hottest HC candidates.

Ryans’ 49ers defense finished the season first in yards, points and DVOA; he has been expected to land one of the available HC jobs for a bit now. Such a move would follow the Jets’ hire of former 49ers DC Robert Saleh and provide San Francisco with two third-round picks, thanks to a Rooney Rule adjustment that rewards teams who see minority assistants land HC gigs or front office staffers hired as GMs.

Latest On Sean Payton

January 22nd, 2023 at 10:51am CST by Ely Allen

JANUARY 22: A league source tells Ben Volin of the Boston Globe that, since the Chargers’ head coaching job will not become available this year, the Panthers’ and Texans’ posts will be of most interest to Payton. In Volin’s opinion, the fact that Wilson called Payton to sell him on the Broncos’ job is not a good omen for Denver, and if Payton were to be lured to Houston, he may ultimately push general manager Nick Caserio out and take over as de facto GM. Both Houston and Carolina have the cash to pay Payton the salary he wants.

JANUARY 20: Payton’s Panthers interview has not been cancelled. He will meet with the team Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. That will be the former Saints HC’s third interview in a week. He met with the Texans on Jan. 16 and Broncos on Jan. 17.

JANUARY 19: The Broncos search for their fifth head coach since 2014 has been rolling this week as the franchise moves quickly and effectively in their plans. Denver’s three-person team of Broncos CEO and owner Greg Penner, owner Condoleezza Rice, and general manager George Paton has been cruising through initial interviews with a potential plan to move one to three finalists forward for second interviews next week, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS.

Most speculation is that a final three is emerging, similar to last year’s trio of finalists which consisted of Nathaniel Hackett, Kevin O’Connell, and Dan Quinn. The obvious frontrunner in his year’s search is former Saints head coach Sean Payton. Quinn is projected to join Payton as a finalist for the second straight year, while former Stanford head coach David Shaw is reportedly a sleeper candidate to round out the top three.

Payton interviewed on Tuesday and appears to have lived up to the hype in the meeting. Contradicting earlier reports that the Broncos and Saints were “on the same page” with respect to the trade compensation necessary to acquire Payton’s contract, Klis avers that the two parties “have not engaged in trade talks.” There is also a rumor that, despite interest from essentially every other team in the NFL with an open position, Payton will either end up with the Broncos or back on television with FOX, a belief reported by Denver7’s Troy Renck.

Payton was scheduled to interview with Carolina tomorrow, but those plans are “on hold” as Panthers owner David Tepper is spending time with the grieving players of his MLS team, Charlotte FC, following the passing of young defender Anton Walkes in a tragic boating accident today in Miami, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Russell Wilson has reportedly reached out to Payton, according to Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd who was quoted on his show saying, “Wilson has contacted Sean, legally, by the way, through channels. He wants Sean Payton. He needs fixing. He knows he needs fixing.”

Following their Tuesday morning meeting with Payton, the interview trio met with Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris who impressed them “with his preparation and plan to win.” The same three executives interviewed 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans today in San Francisco and will travel to Dallas for a meeting with Quinn tomorrow. This will conclude the initial interview process, and Denver will choose candidates moving forward out of the above-mentioned Payton, Quinn, Shaw, Morris, and Ryans and previously interviewed candidates Ejiro Evero, who is the team’s current defensive coordinator, and Jim Caldwell, who formerly served as the Colts and Lions head coach. The team also previously interviewed Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, but Harbaugh announced his decision to remain in Ann Arbor.

Whomever the franchise decides to move forward with will meet with a new group of executives consisting of Penner, his wife and co-owner Carrie Penner Walton, and controlling owner Rob Walton. Paton will reportedly also be available to spend time with the final candidates and participate in follow-up discussions.

It’s certainly sounding like Payton will be one of the few to move forward next week as both parties sound hellbent on the union. That being said, Quinn is being considered a “co-favorite” and Shaw’s Stanford connections to the Penners and Rice make him a candidate to be brought in next week, as well. We’ll just have to wait through the weekend to see how the next round in the process unfolds.

Colts Request HC Interviews With Mike Kafka, Don Martindale, DeMeco Ryans

January 16th, 2023 at 1:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Colts’ list of head coaching candidates continues to grow. The team submitted three interview requests on Monday, beginning with one for Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).

Kafka continues to draw considerable interest in this year’s coaching cycle. The 35-year-old has also received interview requests from the Panthers and Texans, teams looking to add a bench boss with experience on the offensive side of the ball. Kafka is in the midst of his first season as an OC, but his work to date has quickly boosted his coaching stock.

After leaving the Chiefs to join Brian Daboll in New York, Kafka was surprisingly given the keys to the Giants’ offense at the start of the year. That decision certainly paid off, as the team is bound for the Divisional Round of the playoffs in no small part due to their play on that side of the ball. A resurgent Saquon Barkley has powered the team’s ground game, while quarterback Daniel Jones has erased (at least most) doubts regarding his potential as a franchise signal-caller. To little surprise, then, Kafka is firmly on several teams’ radars as they look for similar improvement in 2023.

The Giants’ other coordinator, Don ‘Wink’ Martindale, is also a target of the Colts. Indianapolis placed an interview request with him, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets. This marks the first such request for the 59-year-old this year, though he has been interviewed for HC vacancies in years past. His first season with the Giants has seen the team put up average numbers at best in several categories, but the unit – much like the offense – has overperformed relative to expectations in what was expected to be a rebuilding year. One of the most highly-respected defensive coaches in the league, Martindale has nearly two decades of experience on NFL sidelines.

Lastly, Indianapolis is seeking a meeting with 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Another hugely popular name during the 2023 cycle, Ryans has a busy week ahead, with several interviews already lined up for this week prior to today’s request from the Colts. He will meet with interested teams in the build-up to San Francisco’s playoff game this Sunday, a notably different setup than that of Kafka and Martindale, who are expected to hold off on interviews this week (Twitter link via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post).

With three new names on their list, here is an updated breakdown of the Colts’ HC search:

  • Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/12
  • Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/12
  • Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/14
  • Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Mentioned as candidate
  • Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/13
  • Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
  • Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
  • Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/13
  • DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview requested
  • Jeff Saturday, interim head coach (Colts): Interview expected
  • Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/14
  • Bubba Ventrone, special teams coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/11

Patriots’ Jerod Mayo Declines Panthers HC Interview

January 14th, 2023 at 1:43pm CST by Ben Levine

We can cross one candidate off the list of Panthers head coaching options. According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (via Twitter), Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo will not be interviewing for the job. Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston was first with the news (on Twitter).

A few days after we learned that the Panthers had requested an interview with Mayo, the Patriots revealed that they were working on a new contract with the coach that would keep him in New England for the foreseeable future. Mayo later backed out of his defensive coordinator interview with the Browns, a development that wasn’t particularly surprising since Mayo effectively has the same role in New England. However, it’s telling that Mayo is also rejecting head coaching opportunities, an indication that he could emerge from the Patriots negotiations with a new job title.

Elsewhere on the OC front, the Panthers have scheduled an interview with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for Wednesday (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter). However, there are some question marks surrounding the interview status of 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. We heard yesterday that an interview still hadn’t been scheduled due to logistical reasons, and while the organization still hopes to interview the coach, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets that an interview may not happen depending on the length of the 49ers’ playoff run and the progress of the Panthers’ coaching search. Person adds that the organization still needs to conduct an in-person interview with another minority candidate to comply with the Rooney rule.

With Mayo off the board (and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh no longer on the radar), the current list of candidates includes:

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