John Morton - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos Add John Morton To Staff

February 26th, 2023 at 9:59am CST by Sam Robinson

While Ronald Curry ended up staying with the Saints, Sean Payton‘s Broncos staff includes a number of ex-New Orleans assistants — particularly on the offense side of the ball.

The Broncos are giving Joe Lombardi, whom the Chargers fired last month, an immediate bounce-back opportunity. His hire was, in fact, Denver’s OC move. The Broncos also added ex-Saints offensive lineman-turned-assistant Zach Strief as their O-line coach, former New Orleans assistant Declan Doyle as their tight ends coach and Mike Westhoff as an assistant HC. Westhoff, an NFL special teams coach since the 1980s, will help with Denver’s ST units.

Denver also added John Morton to its staff. The team announced the former Jets OC is headed to Denver as passing game coordinator. Morton coming over gives the Broncos another ex-Saints staffer and adds a third former OC to Denver’s staff. Morton served as the Jets’ OC in 2017 but has been on the senior offensive assistant level since that one-and-done stay under Todd Bowles.

Morton, 53, spent last season as a senior offensive assistant in Detroit, after being a Jon Gruden hire in Oakland. Morton spent the 2019-21 seasons with the Raiders and played a role in helping the resurgent Lions assemble one of the NFL’s top offenses. Morton’s Jets season came during a clear bridge campaign on offense, when the team did not make a notable quarterback move and instead entrusted Josh McCown at the controls ahead of a 2018 offseason that featured the Sam Darnold trade-up. The Jets ranked 24th in points scored that year.

Payton made Morton part of his first Saints staff back in 2006, hiring him as New Orleans’ pass-game coordinator that year. Morton moved on to USC under Pete Carroll after one New Orleans season but came back in 2015, staying on for two seasons as the Saints’ wide receivers coach. He will now rejoin Payton and Lombardi, along with QBs coach Davis Webb, as the offensive brain trust for a Broncos team that finished the 2022 season with the league’s fewest points.

Saints To Hire Doug Marrone; Pete Carmichael Ticketed For Non-OC Role

February 9th, 2022 at 3:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a year back in the college ranks, Doug Marrone has landed a new NFL gig. He is set to join Dennis Allen‘s Saints staff, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This will be a return for Marrone, who was part of Sean Payton‘s original Saints staff. Payton hired Marrone as his offensive coordinator in 2006, and he stayed three seasons — before heading to Syracuse to be the program’s head coach. This will be Marrone’s first NFL job since the Jaguars fired him after four-plus seasons.

Marrone, 57, has been an NFL HC in Buffalo and Jacksonville. While his 2017 Jags team nearly became a surprise Super Bowl entrant, the following years featured a steady decline that ended in a 1-15 season in 2020. Marrone spent last season as Alabama’s O-line coach, joining ex-Texans HC Bill O’Brien on Nick Saban‘s staff.

It is unclear if Marrone is being considered for the Saints’ OC job. Carmichael has held that position for the past 13 years, but NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan notes Payton’s longtime lieutenant is not expected to remain in that role. Carmichael is on track to stay on under Allen, but in a different role. Carmichael requested the change, per Duncan.

New Orleans would not be permitted to name Marrone OC without complying with the Rooney Rule first, however. OC interviews should be expected in the near future. Post-Payton, New Orleans’ OC role will take on greater importance due to Allen’s status as a defensive-minded coach. The Saints’ next OC will be in line to call plays.

In addition to adding Marrone, the Saints are considering hiring ex-Jets OC John Morton, Duncan adds. Morton, 52, served two tenures under Payton in New Orleans. The most recent one came from 2015-16, when Morton worked as the Saints’ wide receivers coach. Morton spent the 2017 season as Jets OC but was fired soon after. He worked on Jon Gruden‘s Raiders staff for three years following that ouster.

Lions Interview John Morton For OC Job

January 23rd, 2021 at 3:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Add John Morton to the swiftly expanding list of prospective Lions offensive coordinators. The Lions have interviewed the Raiders assistant for their OC position, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore (on Twitter).

Morton spent the past two seasons with the Raiders, but his most notable NFL gig came with the Jets in 2017. The Jets hired Morton as their offensive coordinator that year but fired him at season’s end. Morton became a divisive figure during his Jets tenure, and Todd Bowles did not keep him around for the 2018 slate. The Jets, who used Josh McCown as their primary quarterback in 2017, ranked 28th in total offense under Morton.

Nevertheless, Morton joins several coaches in the running for the Lions’ OC post. The Lions have interviewed or plan to interview Anthony Lynn, Bills QBs coach Ken Dorsey, Steelers wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard and Ravens QBs coach James Urban. Detroit hired former Morton coworker Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator earlier this week.

While Morton worked with Glenn in New Orleans, his Saints tenure also overlapped with Lions HC Dan Campbell. Both were on the Saints’ 2016 staff, with Morton coaching wide receivers and Campbell overseeing the team’s tight ends that year.

Raiders Hire Former Jets OC John Morton

February 14th, 2019 at 4:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets’ offensive coordinator for one season, John Morton will return to an NFL sideline after missing the 2018 season. The Raiders announced they hired him as a senior offensive assistant.

Morton will find his way to a Jon Gruden‘s staff. While Gruden and Morton have not worked together as coaches, they have been in the same organization multiple times.

Gruden was a young Packers wide receivers coach for two seasons in the 1990s. An NFL receiver hopeful, Morton spent time on Green Bay’s practice squad in 1993. Gruden also paved the way for Morton’s post-playing career in the league, giving him a job as a Raiders executive in the late ’90s.

Morton, 49, joins Kirby Wilson and Taver Johnson as new Raiders hires.

Wilson also has a history with Gruden, serving as running backs coach for his first two Buccaneers teams. Wilson has since coached running backs with five other teams. In total, the 57-year-old assistant has now been on an NFL staff as running backs coach for nine NFL franchises since 1997. His most recent gig turned out to be a one-year role, serving on one-and-done Cardinals coach Steve Wilks‘ staff.

The Raiders will bring Johnson back to the NFL after a 15-year hiatus. Set to become the Raiders’ assistant defensive backs coach, Johnson has been a college assistant since 2005, rising to positions of Miami (Ohio) and Temple DC. In 2018, Johnson coached Ohio State’s cornerbacks. He was a Browns assistant in 2004.

Morton, whose lone Jets offense ranked 28th in total yardage, clashed with Jets coach Todd Bowles and had issues with some Jets coaches. He will have a chance to rebuild his coaching reputation with a rebuilding team.

Coaching Rumors: Colts, Steelers, Morton

February 11th, 2018 at 8:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

John Morton and Jim Harbaugh worked together during the best stretch of 21st-century 49ers football, with Morton coaching San Francisco’s wide receivers from 2011-14. That duo could link up again in Ann Arbor. Michigan is interested in the one-and-done Jets OC to coach its wideouts, Bruce Feldman of SI.com reports. Former Florida head coach Jim McElwain is also in the running for this job, Feldman reports, noting the ex-Gators leader interviewed recently. Morton spent one year as an NFL OC but has experience on the college level, having overseen the 2009 and ’10 USC offenses. He coached the Trojans’ WRs in the two years prior. Morton spent the past seven seasons in the NFL. The Jets fired Morton last month.

Here’s the latest from the coaching ranks, now that every NFL team has a head coach again.

Frank Reich has been contacting coaches about joining his first Colts staff over the past few days, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets, and former Lions defensive backs coach (and ex-Vikings DC) Alan Williams is a candidate to join Reich in Indianapolis. If hired, Williams would be returning to Indianapolis, along with Reich. Williams served as Colts DBs coach throughout the Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell tenures, which spanned 10 years from 2002-11. Reich was on Caldwell’s three Colts staffs. Matt Patricia did not retain any Lions defensive coaches upon taking the job in Detroit.
A defensive line coach for four NFL teams between 2004 and 2015, Karl Dunbar will join a fifth staff in that capacity. The Steelers hired Dunbar after he’d spent the past two seasons coaching at Alabama. He’ll head up the Pittsburgh D-line and rejoin forces with Mike Tomlin. Dunbar served under Tomlin for one season with the Vikings (2006) before the defensive assistant took the top coaching job in Pittsburgh. Dunbar, who coached in Minnesota for six years, also was an eighth-round Steelers pick in 1990. John Mitchell served as Pittsburgh’s defensive line coach from 1994-2017. The longtime Steelers assistant will remain on staff and retain his assistant head coach title next season.
The Steelers also promoted Shaun Sarrett to assistant offensive line coach, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic tweets. Sarrett has worked with Steelers blockers since 2012.
Ricky Manning Jr. will not return for a third season with the Seahawks, Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk tweets. The former NFL cornerback had been the teams’ assistant defensive backs coach the past two seasons.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Dolphins, Landry, Pats

January 17th, 2018 at 6:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

John Morton‘s firing may have come as a surprise to many, especially given that the Jets’ 2017 offense performed much better under Morton than most could have hoped. However, there may have been more to the dismissal, as Connor Hughes of NJ.com reports Morton and New York head coach Todd Bowles “clashed” throughout the season. Per Hughes, Bowles often made suggestions to Morton that were ignored, while other assistants on the Jets’ staff also took issue with Morton’s style. Meanwhile, Lions quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan could emerge as a candidate to replace Morton, as the Jets wanted to hire Callahan a year ago, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), adding that Callahan has garnered offensive coordinator interest in each of the past two offseasons.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

Jarvis Landry says that while he and the Dolphins have exchanged contract figures, the negotiations between the two sides have been “disrespectful,” as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Per Landry, the Dolphins made an extension offer in December, but haven’t responded to a counteroffer made by the slot receiver and his agent. It’s possible that Landry is seeking a Davante Adams-esque contract, which could mean a $14MM annual salary and more than $30MM in guarantees. Earlier today, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald outlined several of the Dolphins’ concerns regarding talks with Landry.
The Dolphins have hired former Lions defensive line coach Kris Kocurek for the same position in South Beach, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. In Miami, Kocurek will not only reunite with star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, but defensive coordinator Matt Burke, who worked with Kocurek in Detroit from 2009-13. Kocurek, whose possible defection to Miami was first reported by Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, will replace ex-Dolphins DL coach Terrell Williams, whose contract was not renewed. The Lions have now lost several assistants from the defensive side of the ball, including coordinator Teryl Austin, who took the same role with the Bengals.
Running back Rex Burkhead will be available when the Patriots face the Jaguars in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). While Burkhead hasn’t been on the field since mid-December while dealing with a knee injury, he was apparently “close” to suiting up when New England faced Tennessee in the Divisional Round. Burkhead managed 264 yards rushing and 254 yards receiving during the regular season, but those numbers belie the fact that his role grew as the season progressed.

Jets Fire Offensive Coordinator John Morton

January 17th, 2018 at 4:26pm CST by Zachary Links

John Morton is out as offensive coordinator of the Jets, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter). The Jets were hoping that Morton would be hired away by another team, but that never happened. Instead, the well-liked Morton has been pushed out.

Under Morton’s watch, the Jets finished 28th in total yards, 19th in rushing yards, and 24th in both scoring and passing yards. Overall, however, the Jets’ offense performed better than most expected.

Quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates is a strong candidate to take over his job, but nothing has been finalized just yet. Former Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley could also be a candidate for the position, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

It has been rumored that Bates is the Jets’ preferred choice for the OC job, but he has indicated to the team that he is not interested in the position. It’s possible that Bates could have a change of heart if the Jets are willing to pay him more than the average OC.

Another name to keep an eye on is Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. DeFilippo was the Jets’ top choice to replace Chan Gailey last year before Philly blocked the interview request, according to an earlier report from Mehta. However, DeFilippo could be in play for a head coaching position this offseason and figures to have several other offensive coordinator opportunities.

Latest On Jets, OC John Morton

January 10th, 2018 at 1:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Offensive coordinator John Morton is not a lock to return to the Jets in 2018, as Manish Mehta of the Daily News details. The Jets will not stand in the way if Morton is offered an opportunity to join up with the Raiders. Meanwhile, some within the organization would like to see quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates elevated to OC.

Morton is well-regarded in New Jersey, but the results have been underwhelming. This past season, the Jets finished 28th in total yards, 29th in first downs, 24th in passing yards, and 19th in rushing yards. Granted, he wasn’t exactly working with the most talented personnel out there.

If the Jets do nudge Morton out the door, it’s not a given that Bates will want to ascend to OC. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago, Bates indicated that he is not interested in taking the job. Given Todd Bowles‘ desire for consistency, the team’s best bet may be to stick with Morton if Bates is unwilling to move up the ranks.

“It’s always good to have consistency and continuity, but in the NFL things change all the time,” Bowles said recently. “You have to be ready. If we keep the same scheme, that’s great. If we have to change for whatever reason, we’ll go from there.”

Gruden Rumors: ESPN, Morton, Guenther

January 1st, 2018 at 9:38am CST by Micah Powell

Though he has not officially taken the job, Jon Gruden is expected to become the next head coach of the Oakland Raiders, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday night.

“The more you talked to people, the more they were convinced Jon would reenter coaching this year,” Schefter said. The return to coaching would be Gruden’s first job on the sideline since he left Tampa Bay in 2008. The Super Bowl XXXVII-winning coach broke into the league with the Raiders in 1998 at the age of 35 and amassed a 38-26 record in four seasons with the team.

Despite the rumors, ESPN has said that Gruden will call Saturday night’s playoff game with the Monday Night Football crew. That, of course, is likely to change should the announcement be finalized.

Here is the latest on the Gruden front:

News broke Sunday night that Jets offensive coordinator John Morton was expected to be a target for Gruden’s coaching staff. On Monday, the Jets are expected to let Morton out of his contract to join Gruden in Oakland, the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta hears (Twitter link).
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported (Twitter link) that Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther is expected to be pursued by Gruden for the same role in Oakland. Guenther’s contract expired following the Bengals’ 31-27 win over the Ravens on Sunday. If Marvin Lewis is not retained in Cincinnati, however, Guenther could be a candidate for the head-coaching gig.
On Monday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported (Twitter link) that Gruden is expected to eventually say yes to the job after the team complies with the Rooney Rule. He also notes that Gruden is planning to call plays.

Jon Gruden Interested In Hiring Jets OC John Morton With Raiders?

December 31st, 2017 at 8:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jon Gruden has not officially committed to leaving the broadcast booth yet, but should he do so and rejoin the Raiders, he may have a name in mind for offensive coordinator.

Gruden is interested in bringing Jets OC John Morton with him to Oakland for the OC role, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports. The Jets would not stand in the way if that were to happen, Mehta adds. Morton broke into coaching during Gruden’s Raiders regime.

Mehta notes the 48-year-old Morton considers Gruden, 54, a mentor. Morton has one year of offensive coordinator experience, signing on with the Jets earlier this year after being a wide receivers coach with the 49ers and Saints since 2011. Morton also resided on the Packers’ practice squad briefly during Gruden’s time as a Green Bay assistant in the early 1990s.

This season, Morton helped coax quality play from Josh McCown. The 38-year-old passer set a new career high with 18 touchdown passes. He completed 67 percent of his passes despite working with a young offense, this coming after McCown connected on just 55 percent of his throws with the 2016 Browns. Robby Anderson also enjoyed a breakout year under Morton, recording 941 receiving yards, with Jermaine Kearse also having his most productive season as a pro.

Although the Jets entered Week 17 with the league’s 24th-ranked offense, they were not supposed to be as productive as they were, and Morton may have a believer in Gruden.