Gary Kubiak - Pro Football Rumors

Coaching Notes: Packers, Bucs, Broncos

January 1st, 2019 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Pat Fitzgerald emphatically proclaiming he was staying at Northwestern following Monday night’s Holiday Bowl win, the Packers are still going to make an attempt to interview him, Tom Silverstein and Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report. The Packers were expected to reach out with an interview request, with GM Brian Gutekunst expressing great admiration for the Northwestern coach and Packers president Mark Murphy having hired Fitzgerald when he was at Northwestern, but nothing has transpired yet. The 13-year Wildcats leader said Northwestern was “not going anywhere” and Chicago was “home forever.” Mike McCarthy made more than $8MM last season, according to Silverstein and Owczarski, who suspect the Packers may have to offer at least that — despite Fitzgerald having never coached in the NFL — to entice the 44-year-old college coach. The Packers have thus far requested interviews with Josh McDaniels, Mike Munchak, Dan Campbell, Matt LaFleur and Brian Flores.

Here is the latest from the coaching front on New Year’s Day:

The Buccaneers will have a chance to interview Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards. The parties will meet Thursday for a head coach meeting, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Thus far on the coaching carousel, Edwards — the Vikings’ DC for the past five seasons and formerly the Bills’ and Redskins’ DC — has only been connected to Tampa Bay’s vacancy.
Gary Kubiak may well be returning to the sideline, in a non-HC capacity. Kubiak stepped down from his role as the Broncos‘ head coach after the 2016 season, citing health concerns, but John Elway said his longtime friend may end up as part of Denver’s 2019 offensive staff. “We’ll see. We’re still in that process,” Elway said. “We still have a lot of things to go over before that, but I think it could be where it is, it could be on the offensive side [as a coach]. We’ll see what that role may be, but Gary will be around.” Kubiak has worked in the Broncos’ front office the past two years. Denver is expected to interview Vic Fangio, Flores and Chuck Pagano (while also set to meet with Rams QBs coach Zac Taylor and Steelers OL coach Mike Munchak). Going defense for a second straight hire would point to Kubiak being in line to take over as offensive coordinator.
Dan Quinn‘s Falcons staff continues to undergo changes. The Falcons have parted ways with tight ends coach Wade Harman, multiple sources tell Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Harman had served in this role for four seasons and had been with the Falcons for five, operating as Atlanta’s offensive line coach in 2014.
The Bills‘ offensive line coach and run-game coordinator the past two years, Juan Castillo received his walking papers on Tuesday, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. Castillo has worked on both sides of the ball, serving as the Eagles’ DC from 2011-12 before shifting back to offense in his roles since.
Despite going 4-12, the 49ers will not shake up their staff. Robert Saleh will stay on as San Francisco’s DC, doing so after his unit set NFL records for fewest interceptions (two) in a season and takeaways (seven) in a season. Kyle Shanahan said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) his entire staff will be back in 2019.

Falcons Fire Steve Sarkisian

December 31st, 2018 at 11:40am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Dan Quinn’s job is safe, but the Falcons are firing almost everybody else. The team is letting go offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, and special teams coach Keith Armstrong, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The Falcons have gone downhill since their Super Bowl run two seasons ago, sneaking into the playoffs as a six seed last year before falling apart this season. Injuries were partially to blame, but the team finished just 7-9 despite having a ton of talent, and regressed heavily on defense. The offense hasn’t been the same since Kyle Shanahan left to coach the 49ers, and Sarkisian had received a ton of criticism for his playcalling, especially in the red-zone. With the defense becoming one of the worst units in the NFL this season, it’s no surprise that Manuel was let go. The firing of Armstrong, who has been considered for head coaching jobs in the past, cements this as a total house cleaning.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link), the Falcons will conduct searches for new offensive and special teams coordinators, but Quinn is expected to take over the defense. Matt Ryan has put up big numbers over the last couple of years but it hasn’t translated to wins.

Interestingly, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets to “keep an eye on Gary Kubiak” for the offensive coordinator role, and James Palmer of NFL Network tweets that he’s heard the same. Kubiak, the former Texans and Broncos head coach who won a Super Bowl in Denver, has been rumored to be mulling a return to the sidelines as a coordinator. Owner Arthur Blank has expressed confidence in Quinn, but these moves clearly suggest that Quinn is feeling the heat. If he can’t get Atlanta back to the playoffs next year, he could be out of a job just a few years removed from an NFC Championship.

AFC Coaching Rumors: Gase, Harbaugh, Tomlin, Joseph

December 29th, 2018 at 6:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We just heard that Todd Bowles is officially done, and there is a ton of other new coaching news to sort through. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com came out with a breakdown of all the notable coaching situations in the AFC, and there were some interesting nuggets. It was reported recently that Dolphins coach Adam Gase isn’t necessarily safe in Miami, and Rapoport confirms that. There’s a “legitimate possibility” that Gase “ends up out of work”, sources told Rapoport.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network posted in a follow up tweet that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross “was pissed Sunday so everything is up for evaluation.” It won’t be the end of the world for Gase if he’s let go, as he’d immediately be a hot name and could surely land an offensive coordinator gig if not a head coaching job right away. Rapoport notes that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam “has long been a fan” of Gase, so he’d probably be a candidate in Cleveland. Gase has done a good job winning more games than expected with an injury and talent depleted roster, but it looks like Dolphins ownership might be looking for a total top to bottom reset, from the front office to quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Here’s more from the AFC coaching ranks:

While the Ravens came out and announced that John Harbaugh would be back in 2019, it’s been made clear that his status in Baltimore is still up in the air. There have been reports that Harbaugh isn’t interested in signing an extension and may want to test the market. While Rapoport does confirm that’s a “real possibility”, he does note that Harbaugh’s agent Bryan Harlan was in town to begin talking with the Ravens this past Sunday. It had previously been reported the two sides hadn’t talked at all, so it seems like there’s been some progress there.
It’s been a frustrating year for the Steelers, and despite some fans and media types calling for Mike Tomlin’s removal, the 12th year head coach isn’t going anywhere, according to Rapoport. That being said, Rapoport writes there could be a staff shakeup, and defensive coordinator Keith Butler could be on his way out, while “several assistants could be changed out” as well.
While most people have assumed Vance Joseph is a goner in Denver, there is still a “slim possibility” John Elway elects to stick with Joseph for another year, according to Rapoport. While Rapsheet still expects the Broncos to ultimately move on, he notes there is a scenario in which the Broncos fire offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, keep Joseph, and have former head coach Gary Kubiak come down from the front office and assume control of the offense. That would be a very interesting move, but at this point it still seems likely there’s an opening in the Mile High City.

Gary Kubiak Remains Open To Offensive Coordinator Position

November 18th, 2018 at 12:56pm CST by Rory Parks

Broncos senior personnel adviser Gary Kubiak, who led the team to the Super Bowl 50 title as head coach, could soon be returning to someone’s sidelines as an offensive coordinator, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Kubiak last served as an OC with the Ravens in 2014 — which was, incidentally, the last time the Ravens made the playoffs — and he guided Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco to a career year that season.

Following his brief but successful stint in Baltimore, which came on the heels of an eight-year head coaching tenure in Houston, Kubiak returned to Denver to accept the Broncos’ head coaching position, which he described as his dream job. But after two years as sideline general, health issues forced Kubiak into an executive role. He was actually rumored to be a viable OC candidate last offseason, but Broncos GM John Elway expanded Kubiak’s front office responsibilities, and given that Kubiak was already under contract through 2018, any other team interested in his services would have needed to pony up a draft pick to land him.

But come 2019, that will no longer be the case, and Kubiak has already expressed interest in becoming an offensive coordinator again. He remains one of the most respected offensive minds in the game, and he will surely garner plenty of attention during this offseason’s coaching carousel.

Given his health concerns, Kubiak will almost certainly not be interested in an HC job, as Troy Renck of Denver 7 ABC tweets. Renck says that Kubiak will listen if teams approach him with an OC offer, and that he will be sorely missed if he leaves the Denver front office.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Broncos, Dolphins

January 12th, 2018 at 9:55pm CST by GregGoldstein

Now that newly-hired Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has begun filling out his staff, a lot of his work will now shift to the personnel side of the franchise. Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Journal-Review previewed many of the decisions that Gruden and the front office will have to work through this offseason.

Gehlken starts by stating that the team is likely to move on from number one wide receiver Michael Crabtree and cornerback Sean Smith. Releasing both players would save money and allow the team to continue to get younger at both positions.

However, a more difficult decision may lie with soon-to-be 32-year-old running back Marshawn Lynch. His salary will jump from $1.35MM to $4MM in 2018. On March 18, he will receive a $1MM roster bonus if he is still on the roster. Lynch’s season was rather inconsistent and running backs that play into their 30’s don’t have the best track record, but it would still be difficult to move on from a talent like Lynch.

“You know, I’ve never met Marshawn Lynch,” Gruden said. “Even as a broadcaster, I asked for Marshawn Lynch in production meetings and I never got to meet him. So I’m anxious to sit down with Marshawn and meet him. We’ll talk about his future and the Raiders. I can’t wait. He came back to the Raiders for similar, I think, reasons that I did.”

In recent seasons, the Raiders have used free agency as a primary source of getting key players, and while the defense has been arguably the main area of concern, Gehlken passes along that Gruden is also is looking to bring new ideas to the offensive side of the ball.

“We are going to have to look at our roster carefully and see, do we have a fullback? Who is the feature back? Who are the receivers?” Gruden said Tuesday. “A lot of things have to be determined, and I think you have to have an offense that is adaptable, that is versatile and can adjust to a number of certain areas. That is what we need to do. Get through today, lock the doors and get to work.”

Here’s more stories from around the AFC:

In news from another AFC West club, the Broncos recently inked former head coach Gary Kubiak to a larger front office role. However, Kubiak could still draw interest from teams looking for a new offensive coordinator, speculates Mike Klis of 9News. Though Klis mostly shuts down that notion because the former Super Bowl winning coach is currently under contract for one more year in Denver, which would force a prospective team to pay up a draft pick in order to pry him away.
The Broncos also have a decision to make regarding star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. The 30-year-old pass catcher has two years remaining on his current deal should his $4MM option for next season be picked up before the first day of the 2018 league year, reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post (Twitter link). However, if the Broncos do decline the option, the final two years would voided and he would become a free agent this offseason. This would also result in $3.1MM of dead money. His salary figures for the next two years are $12.03MM and $17.5MM, respectively. The Broncos need to get younger at the wide receiver position and could be served well letting Thomas walk as he enters the wrong side of his 30’s.
The Dolphins offensive line could undergo somewhat of a makeover this offseason and one part of that could come from one of their veterans switching positions. Ted Larsen played in the team’s final eight games at left guard after missing the first half of the season with an injury. However, the 30-year-old would like to switch to right guard in 2018, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Larsen told Jackson “That’s my preference, I played there since 2014.” Jackson notes that fellow starting guard Jesse Davis has shown no reservations about changing roles, so it’s a real possibility that Larsen could have his wish granted in training camp. Although, the writer did add that the team will likely bring in some competition through the draft or free agency. Miami is also not likely to hold onto right tackle Ja’Wuan James for his $9MM 2018 salary figure. Veteran tackle Jermon Bushrod was injured at the end of the year and will be a free agent this offseason as well. This could open up a spot for a prospective high round draft pick with the Dolphins currently holding the 11th overall selection.

Latest On Gary Kubiak’s New Role In Denver

January 5th, 2018 at 7:36pm CST by GregGoldstein

Despite speculation that Gary Kubiak could return to the sidelines as an offensive coordinator, the long-time coach is now set to have more power in the Broncos front office, according to Nick Kosmider of The Denver Post. General manager John Elway confirmed on Tuesday that Kubiak will be a bigger part of the team’s decision making this offseason, though he did not give his former Super Bowl winning head coach a formal title yet.

“You know, I keep getting asked that and I’m not sure what the title’s going to be,” Elway said. “I don’t even know what his title is now. I know what he’s going to be doing, so I haven’t worried about the title.”

Apart from the working title, Elway seemed to relay that Kubiak’s role would come more on the football evaluation and scouting side of the front office. He’ll reportedly be a big part in how the team will strategize their draft and free agent processes as well.

“He’s a guy who has a lot of knowledge of football — a very good evaluator, too,” Elway said. “So he’ll help us in that area.”

Kubiak was officially called a senior personnel advisor in 2017. He took the job a full six months after he stepped down as the team’s head coach. Kubiak was obviously a major part of the Broncos Super Bowl run two years ago, and it seemed like team president Joe Ellis was very excited to have him on board as a more formal part of the franchise’s decision making processes.

“I think it’s going to be fun for John and (Kubiak) and for us,” Ellis said of Kubiak’s expanded role. “He’ll add some expertise to the proceedings. I’m excited about it.”

Broncos Shake Up Coaching Staff

January 1st, 2018 at 3:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Black Monday did not result in Vance Joseph‘s ouster, but his first staff is splintering as the Broncos begin an effort to re-emerge from a 5-11 season.

The Broncos are gutting their coaching staff, making decisions to fire wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, running backs coach Eric Studesville and special teams coordinator Brock Olivo, Mike Klis of 9News and Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post report (all Twitter links).

DC Joe Woods and OC Bill Musgrave are going to be back, Jhabvala and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport report (Twitter links). The Broncos, though, will be looking for a third ST coach in three years after Olivo’s units struggled with turnovers and the allowing of big plays this season.

Studesville was the Broncos’ longest-tenured assistant and was the team’s interim coach after Josh McDaniels‘ tenure ended late in the 2010 season. Tolbert served as wideouts coach since the ’11 campaign, joining when John Fox‘s tenure began. Studesville declined an interview for the Jets’ OC vacancy last year and was fired despite the Broncos’ rushing attack climbing from the No. 27 to No. 12 between 2016 and ’17. This season marked the first since 2011 the Broncos didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver.

Rapoport notes (on Twitter) Gary Kubiak‘s expanded front office role likely has meant he’s been involved in the decisions, with John Elway‘s personnel department being one of the NFL’s smallest groups.

Coaching Rumors: Joseph, Eagles, Colts

December 31st, 2017 at 11:25am CST by Rory Parks

This offseason’s coaching carousel is expected to be one of the more exciting ones in recent history given all of the jobs that will become available, though that excitement is not limited to the head coaching gigs. It’s been a busy morning already, but let’s take a look at a few more head coach and coordinator rumors:

Broncos head coach Vance Joseph is facing increasingly longer odds of being retained for a second season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.
Former Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, who is currently serving as a senior personnel executive for the team, has interest in returning to the sidelines as an offensive coordinator. However, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post reports that the Broncos are looking to keep Kubiak around and expand his role to include more front office responsibility and perhaps some coaching responsibilities as well.
The Eagles may lose their defensive coordinator this offseason, and ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports that Philadelphia could also lose several top position coaches (Twitter links). Caplan says Eagles QB coach John DeFilippo and WR coach Mike Groh could be targeted by other clubs, though Philadelphia could still block either man from accepting coordinator jobs elsewhere.
Colts GM Chris Ballard has strong ties to several members of the Chiefs‘ coaching staff — special teams coach Dave Toub and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy — and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that both men will get consideration for Indianapolis’ head coaching job. La Canfora points out, however, that Colts owner Jim Irsay may prefer to make a “splashier” hire if possible.
The Bengals have reached out to external candidates for their (expected) head coaching opening, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). This will be an open search for Cincinnati, which generally prefers to promote from within.
Saints head coach Sean Payton said that Darryl Tapp, who played in the league for 11 years (including four games with the Bucs this season), is now serving as a coaching intern for New Orleans. It would appear, then, that Tapp’s playing days are over and he is shifting his sights to the next stage of his career.

Gary Kubiak Open To Offensive Coordinator Position

November 5th, 2017 at 11:49am CST by Rory Parks

Former Texans and Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, who currently serves as a senior personnel executive for the Broncos, is open to a return to the sidelines as an offensive coordinator, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. Kubiak, who guided the Broncos to their third championship in Super Bowl 50, stepped down as the team’s head coach in January due to mounting health concerns.

While those health concerns preclude Kubiak from returning to the stress and rigors of a head coaching position, sources close to him say he would welcome the opportunity to work with a quality quarterback on a contending team as an OC. It would likely not be difficult for him to land such a position, as his abilities as a coordinator and play-caller are held in high regard throughout the league. Indeed, some of Kubiak’s longtime assistants like Rick Dennison are having success implementing his offense, and Denver’s offense has regressed considerably since Kubiak’s departure from the sidelines.

As an NFL head coach, Kubiak compiled an 82-75 regular season record and a 5-2 postseason mark, including his one Super Bowl win. He also worked as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator in 2014, which was easily Joe Flacco‘s best season of his career. Although La Canfora does not mention any specific teams that could be in the market for Kubiak’s services, Baltimore could be a speculative fit, as current OC Marty Mornhinweg has been a disappointment, and the Ravens do have a decent talent base. Kubiak, Flacco, and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh worked well together in 2014, as Baltimore advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs and came agonizingly close to moving on to the AFC Championship Game. That was the last time the Ravens have qualified for the postseason.

Kubiak is apparently prepared to accept an offensive coordinator position as soon as 2018, so there could be another big name to keep an eye on during the next hiring season.

Broncos Bring Gary Kubiak Back

July 25th, 2017 at 10:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos are bringing back Gary Kubiak. The former head coach will join the organization as a senior personnel executive where he will essentially fill a scouting role, a source tells Mike Klis of 9News.

Kubiak stepped down as Broncos coach in January due to health concerns. His new role with the team should allow him to work a much leaner schedule while staying close to his family. He’ll be based near his home in Houston, Texas with only occasional visits to Broncos headquarters. He’ll be tasked with scouting college players for the draft and also pitch in for free agent evaluations.

Kubiak took over as Broncos coach in 2015 and guided the team to victory in Super Bowl 50. In his two years in charge, Kubiak’s Broncos posted a combined 21-11 record in the regular season. As an NFL head coach, Kubiak left the sidelines with an 82-75 regular season record and a 5-2 postseason mark, including his one Super Bowl win.