John Pagano

Commanders Add David Blough, William Gay To Coaching Staff

February 15th, 2024 at 11:17am CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders unveiled their first coaching staff under new head coach Dan Quinn on Thursday. Many of the additions have already been reported, but a pair of ex-players have found a spot on the staff.

David Blough has elected to hang up his cleats to take on the role of assistant QBs coach. Blough entered the league as a UDFA with the Browns, but he was dealt to the Lions in 2019. He spent much of his playing career in Detroit, making seven of his starts and nine of his appearances with the team from 2019-21.

The Purdue alum found himself in Arizona for the 2022 campaign, and he made a pair of starts that year. Blough was among the Cardinals’ final roster cuts last summer, however, which led him back to the Lions. He resided on the team’s taxi squad, and made it clear he was eyeing a transition to coaching at some point. He will work alongside returnee Tavita Pritchard in overseeing the Commanders’ signal-callers, a group which could very well include a rookie added with the second overall pick in April’s draft.

Blough will make his first foray into coaching in 2024, and William Gay will likewise take on a full-time NFL sideline position for the first time in his career. The latter, a Steelers cornerback for 10 years with a one-year Cardinals stint in between, saw his final regular season and playoff action in 2017. He took a deal with the Giants in 2018, but he failed to make New York’s roster. The following year, Gay served as a Steelers coaching intern.

The former Super Bowl winner worked as a defensive backs coach at Missouri State in 2020, and he will take on the title of assistant DBs coach with the Commanders. Gay, 39, will pair with Tommy Donatell and Jason Simmons (defensive backs coach and pass-game coordinator, respectively) as the Commanders aim to improve on their league-worst finish against the pass in 2023.

Brian Johnson, added after his tenure as OC of the Eagles, will take on the post of assistant head coach. As Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes, though, Johnson will not have a direct play-calling role with respect to the team’s offense. He will instead take on a more general role with a potential future head coaching opportunity in mind.

Among the updates is the title for ex-Chargers and Raiders defensive coordinator John Pagano. He will work as a senior defensive assistant rather than serving as a position coach. Sarah Hogan, meanwhile, will leave the Falcons to work as coaching chief of staff during Quinn’s first season at the helm. He, new OC Kliff Kingsbury and DC Joe Whitt Jr. will be tasked with overseeing improvement from last year’s 4-13 campaign.

Commanders Notes: Izzo, Norton, Pagano

February 12th, 2024 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

The Commanders have landed on their new special teams coordinator. Ben Standig of The Athletic reported last week that the team has hired Larry Izzo as their new ST coordinator.

Izzo earned three Super Bowl rings and three Pro Bowl nods as a special teams ace in New England, and he caught on to the coaching ranks shortly after retiring. He had a two-year stint as special teams coordinator with the Texans before joining the Seahawks staff in 2018.

He spent the past six seasons in Seattle, half of which he served as the team’s special teams coordinator. Izzo’s units ranked top-10 in FTN’s DVOA (subscription required) during each of his three seasons at the helm.

With Pete Carroll out in Seattle, his staff was free to seek jobs elsewhere. Izzo was a hot name in this hiring cycle, and he’s ultimately landed with Dan Quinn’s staff in Washington.

More coaching notes out of Washington…

As Joe Whitt Jr. prepares for his first defensive coordinator job, he’s adding some experience to his defensive staff. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Commanders have hired Ken Norton Jr. as their new linebackers coach. The former Cowboys and 49ers star had a three-year stint as the Raiders defensive coordinator before spending four years leading the Seahawks defense. After getting fired by Seattle following the 2021 campaign, he caught on as UCLA’s DC.
Elsewhere on defense, the Commanders are adding John Pagano in an unknown role (via Benjamin Allbright of KOA in Colorado) and Jason Simmons as their defensive pass-game coordinator (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler). Pagano previously served as the Chargers and Raiders defensive coordinator, and he most recently spent time as the Broncos outside linebackers coach. Simmons spent almost a decade on the Packers coaching staff before recently serving as the Panthers and Raiders pass-game coordinators. Simmons was rumored to be joining Washington’s staff following Whitt’s hiring.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Commanders are hiring Bobby Johnson as their offensive line coach, per Pelissero. The veteran coach has spent more than a decade guiding tight ends and offensive linemen, including the past two as the Giants OLs coach. The Commanders will also be retaining Tavita Pritchard as their quarterbacks coach, per Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. Pritchard garnered interest from other teams, but the Commanders pushed to keep him after he impressed in meetings with Quinn and new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
Jhabvala passes along a handful of Commanders coaches who won’t be returning in 2024: tight ends coach Todd Storm, run game coordinator Juan Castillo, offensive line coach Travelle Wharton, and senior defensive assistant/safeties coach Richard Rodgers.

AFC Staff Notes: McCown, Kelly, Broncos

February 8th, 2022 at 9:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans‘ coaching search meandered from Brian Flores and Josh McCown to the latter’s former head coach. Lovie Smith coached McCown in Chicago and then brought him to Tampa in 2014. McCown interviewed for Houston’s HC job three times over the past year and change but still does not have any NFL coaching experience. While it is clear the Texans’ front office would be on board with having McCown on staff, Smith might not be. At least, not in 2022. The new Texans HC praised McCown as a future coach and added (via Fox 26’s Mark Berman, video link) he would want him on his staff “eventually someday.” Smith already promoted quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton to offensive coordinator. McCown could conceivably fill Hamilton’s old post as QBs coach, however, if the Texans are indeed intent on him eventually becoming their head coach.

Here is the latest from the AFC coaching ranks:

John Pagano spent the past two seasons as the Broncos‘ outside linebackers coach, taking over after Brandon Staley departed for Los Angeles in 2020. During that span, the Broncos saw some new edge contributors — Malik Reed, Stephen Weatherly and seventh-round rookie Jonathon Cooper — help out to the point the team felt OK trading Von Miller. Pagano, however, will not be on Nathaniel Hackett‘s first Denver staff, per Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter). The former Raiders and Chargers DC has now been an NFL staffer for 26 seasons.
Tim Kelly will serve as the Titans’ new passing-game coordinator, per TennesseeTitans.com’s Jim Wyatt. Kelly, the Texans’ OC from 2019-21, will work alongside Titans OC Todd Downing. Tim Kelly, the older brother of ex-Titans right tackle Dennis Kelly, and Mike Vrabel worked together on Houston’s staff ahead of the latter’s move to Tennessee. The Titans also hired Bobby King to be their inside linebackers coach. King also worked in Houston alongside Vrabel in 2017; he finished his Texans tenure as the team’s D-line coach this past season.
Denver interviewed Jason Simmons for its defensive coordinator job — a post expected to go to Rams secondary coach Ejiro Evero — but the Carolina assistant will instead head to Las Vegas. The Raiders are hiring Simmons as their secondary coach, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. Simmons worked with new Raider DC Patrick Graham with the Packers in 2018.
The Steelers did not renew Ike Hilliard‘s contract, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (on Twitter), and hired Frisman Jackson to coach their wide receivers. Jackson will leave Matt Rhule‘s hub for ex-Temple and Baylor coaches for Pittsburgh. The former NFL wideout, after stints with Rhule at both college programs, coached the Panthers’ receivers in each of Rhule’s first two years. Hilliard served as the Steelers’ receivers coach during that span.
Ex-NFL D-linemen-turned-assistants Brentson Buckner and Phillip Daniels may be vying for the Jaguars‘ D-line coach role, with Wilson adding the team is considering each for the position (Twitter link). Buckner currently serves as the Cardinals’ D-line coach. Daniels has less experience but worked under Doug Pederson in Philadelphia, working with the Eagles’ D-line from 2016-19. The Eagles fired Daniels after the ’19 season.
The Jags are also hiring Louisiana assistant head coach Rory Segrest, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman tweets. Segrest has been in the college ranks for over a decade but was with the Eagles during Pederson’s time working under Andy Reid in the late 2000s.
Circling back to the Broncos, they added a few more assistants early this week. UNLV DC Peter Hansen signed on to be Denver’s linebackers coach, Klis tweets. Hanson and Eviro were on Vic Fangio‘s 49ers staff from 2011-13. The Broncos also named Ben Steele their tight ends coach, Klis notes. Steele was the Vikings’ assistant O-line coach under Klint Kubiak this past season. Mike Mallory also joined Hackett’s Denver staff as assistant special teams coordinator (Twitter links). Mallory spent eight seasons with the Jaguars, as their ST coordinator and assistant ST coordinator (2013-20), working with Hackett for part of that stretch.

Broncos To Hire John Pagano

February 1st, 2020 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Vic Fangio has identified another former coordinator to add to his staff. After interviewing for a spot on Denver’s defensive staff, John Pagano will be part of Fangio’s second Broncos edition, Mike Klis of 9News reports.

The sides are ironing out a contract, one that will make Pagano the team’s new outside linebackers coach. Pagano will replace Brandon Staley, whom the Broncos lost when the Rams hired him to become their new defensive coordinator.

Pagano, 52, spent five seasons (2012-16) as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator and oversaw the Raiders’ defense for part of the 2017 season. Pagano’s third AFC West team may hold greater significance; he is a Boulder, Colo., native. Pagano spent the past two seasons with the Texans but was dismissed after the team’s second-round playoff loss.

A Chargers staffer from 2002-16 and younger brother of ex-Colts HC Chuck Pagano, John Pagano has coached in the NFL since 1996. Fangio has now added a third ex-head coach or coordinator to his staff this offseason, with Pagano’s hire following the additions of OC Pat Shurmur and QBs coach Mike Shula.

Broncos Interview John Pagano For Coaching Staff

January 30th, 2020 at 7:59pm CST by Marc Delucchi

The Broncos interviewed longtime NFL coach John Pagano earlier today for the team’s open outside linebacker coaching position, according to Mike Klis of 9News.com. Pagano is a veteran NFL assistant and has many ties to the Denver area. Pagano comes from a familial lineage of coaching. His father, Sam Pagano, was a wildly successful high school head coach in Boulder, Colorado at Boulder Fairview High School and his older brother Chuck Pagano is the former Colts head coach and current Bears defensive coordinator.

Pagano has been coaching in the NFL since 1996. He was let go by the Texans a couple of weeks ago after a two-year stint as a senior defensive assistant and outside linebackers coach in Houston. Prior to his time in Houston, Pagano had been a defensive coordinator with the Chargers from 2012-2016 and with the Raiders in 2017. More relevant to his potential candidacy in Denver, Pagano served as a defensive assistant from 1999-2001 with the Colts on the same staff as current Broncos head coach Vic Fangio.

His long experience as a linebackers coach, familiarity with Fangio, and childhood ties to Colorado would seem to align to make him a likely candidate. Assistant coaching staff positions are not subject to the Rooney Rule or any other restrictions, so the team could make a hire at any point. Only time will tell if Pagano will indeed make a homecoming.

Texans Fire John Pagano

January 18th, 2020 at 3:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

John Pagano‘s Texans stay will be limited to two years. The team dismissed him from a role as outside linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.

Pagano formerly worked as a defensive coordinator for the Chargers and Raiders, with the former stint (from 2012-16) being his most notable NFL gig to date. He caught on with Houston in 2018.

The Texans did not generate a consistent pass rush after J.J. Watt‘s pectoral injury this season and will be looking for a new coach for this group. This also comes after the Texans could not deter Patrick Mahomes from a stunning fortune reversal in Kansas City last weekend. The Chiefs superstar directed seven straight touchdown drives, erasing the Texans’ 24-0 lead.

Pagano’s position group changed considerably from 2018-19, with the Texans trading Jadeveon Clowney just before the season. While Whitney Mercilus jumped out to a hot start in teaming with Watt, he went sackless in the first seven games in which the three-time defensive player of the year did not finish.

The younger brother of Chuck Pagano, John had not worked with O’Brien prior to arriving in Houston. John Pagano spent 15 seasons in San Diego before being fired as DC when the team relocated to Los Angeles. He spent one season in Oakland as defensive coordinator for Jack Del Rio‘s defense but was not retained when Jon Gruden came aboard.

Coaching Rumors: Giants, Texans, Chiefs

January 26th, 2018 at 9:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

New Giants head coach Pat Shurmur will call his own offensive plays in New York but still plans to hire an offensive coordinator, and Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski is a “strong candidate” for the position, sources tell Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. Stefanski, of course, worked under Shurmur in Minnesota, and is now a candidate to take over Shurmur’s old role with the Vikings (where he’d presumably get the opportunity to call games). Minnesota, however, is also considering former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell and Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for its coordinator job, so if Stefanski isn’t promoted, he could conceivably bolt for New York. Meanwhile, Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley is a “name to watch” for the Giants’ OC position, while ex-Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin could also “be in the mix,” per Vacchiano.

Here’s more on the 2018 coaching carousel:

Former Raiders and Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano will join the Texans as a linebackers coach, reports Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. Specifically, Pagano is now a senior defensive assistant who will coach outside linebackers, while Bobby King — already on Houston’s staff — will coach inside ‘backers, per Mark Berman of FOX 26 (Twitter link). Pagano, the brother of former Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, spent five years as the Chargers’ DC before landing with the Raiders in 2017. When Oakland fired Ken Norton Jr. midway through last season, Pagano stepped in as the club’s defensive coordinator.
The Chiefs will promote offensive quality coach Mike Kafka to quarterbacks coach, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Kafka, 30, originally entered the league as a 2010 fourth-round of Andy Reid‘s Eagles and went to play for six other clubs before hanging up his cleats. He coached at Northwestern (his alma mater) before joining Kansas City’s staff in 2017. Reid’s coaching tree is obviously impressive, and the past two men to serve as quarterbacks coach under his employ — Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy — are now head coaches with the Eagles and Bears, respectively.
The Titans also have a new quarterbacks coach: former Texans offensive assistant Pat O’Hara, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, who adds ex-Texans defensive assistant Shane Bowen is now Tennessee’s outside linebackers coach. O’Hara interviewed for the Bears’ quarterbacks coach job earlier this year, but Chicago ended up retaining Dave Ragone for the role. Meanwhile, new Titans assistant coach Kerry Coombs will indeed lead defensive backs in Tennessee, meaning he’ll coach the same position group that he did at Ohio State, tweets Paul Kuharsky of PaulKuharsky.com. Titans head coach Mike Vrabel offered incumbent secondary coach Deshea Townsend a job as Coombs’ assistant (read: a demotion), but Townsend will instead leave the club.
The Panthers have hired Air Force defensive coordinator Steve Russ as their new linebackers coach, per Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Russ will replace Al Holcomb, who followed Steve Wilks to Arizona earlier this week to become the Cardinals’ new defensive coordinator. Although he enjoyed a four-year pro career, the 45-year-old Russ has never coached at the NFL level. He’s been at Air Force since 2012, and previously spent time at Syracuse, Wake Forest, and Ohio. Carolina has also added former Seahawks assistant special teams coach Heath Farwell for the same role, reports Omar Ruiz of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Coaching Rumors: Titans, Cowboys, Texans

January 17th, 2018 at 8:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Weather-related concerns are forcing the Titans to shift the timeline of their head coaching search, as Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets. Whereas Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel and Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur were originally scheduled to interview with Tennessee on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, Vrabel and LaFleur will now sit down with Titans general manager Jon Robinson on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Vrabel, LaFleur, and Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks — whose is currently en route to Tennessee for his interivew, per Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer — are the only definitive candidates for the Tennessee job thus far, but reports have indicated the Titans could also have interest in Eagles OC Frank Reich.

Here’s more from the 2018 hiring cycle:

Former NFL defensive coordinators John Pagano and Ray Horton will meet with the Cowboys, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Pagano, the longtime Chargers’ DC, spent last season as an assistant head coach (and later, interim DC) for the Raiders, while Horton — formerly the defensive play-caller for the Cardinals, Titans, and Browns, didn’t work in the NFL in 2017. Dallas already has a defensive coordinator in Rod Marinelli, but the Cowboys were reportedly willing to promote Marinelli to assistant head coach in order to keep ex-LBs coach Matt Eberflus.
While the Cowboys are apparently considering additions to their defensive coaching staff, they’ve made a hire on the offensive side of the ball in new wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal, tweets David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Lal, 48, originally joined the NFL ranks with the Raiders in 2007, and has since coached wideouts for Oakland, New York, and Buffalo. Former Cowboys wide receiver/current Cowboys scout Miles Austin also reportedly interviewed for the position.
The Texans have hired former Raiders special teams coach Brad Seely for the same position, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Seely was forced out in Oakland earlier this month when the Raiders hired Rich Bisaccia as their new assistant head coach/special teams. He’ll replace Larry Izzo, the former NFL linebacker who led Houston to a No. 31 ranking in special teams DVOA a season ago. Seely, 61, has been an NFL ST coach since 1989, and the Texans will be his eighth professional stop. He should have a working relationship with Houston head coach Bill O’Brien, as the pair spent time together with the Patriots from 2007-08.

West Rumors: Pagano, 49ers, Chargers

November 23rd, 2017 at 4:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders switched out defensive coordinators in firing Ken Norton Jr. and promoting John Pagano. Jack Del Rio said this week no one should feel comfortable about their statuses, but Pagano may be secure moving into 2018. Del Rio expects Pagano to have a role on the ’18 Raiders, Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes (on Twitter). Of course, this would likely hinge on Del Rio being retained for a fourth season. After guiding the team to major improvements in 2015 and last season, Del Rio has overseen the Raiders become arguably the NFL’s most disappointing team this season. But he signed a contract extension earlier this year; that would point to the current HC receiving another year to attempt to make good on this Reggie McKenzie-assembled nucleus. Pagano will inherit a defense that ranks 26th. The Del Rio- and Norton-helmed units of the past two seasons ranked 26th in each.

Here’s the latest from the West divisions on Thanksgiving.

For those unable to watch Chargers-Cowboys, Nick Novak suffered a back injury but has returned to the game, limping back onto the field for a 22-yard field goal. Punter Drew Kaser was practicing kicks into a net on the sideline, but the Bolts eschewed a 30-yard field goal for a fourth-and-13 early in the second quarter prior to Novak’s return. Novak returned to the Chargers earlier this year after being cut by the Texans. The Bolts have struggled at kicker this season, with Novak already missing a kick today. This gives Los Angeles a 12-for-19 make ratio — worst in the NFL.
The Bolts have announced Mike Williams won’t return to their Thanksgiving game because of a knee injury. Williams now has another malady to surmount after a back ailment dogged him for much of the offseason.
The 49ers aren’t planning to part with Joe Staley in the near future. Despite the 11th-year player toiling for a rebuilding team in his age-33 season and being the annual subject of trade rumors, John Lynch said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) he and right tackle Trent Brown will be cornerstones for the next “couple, few” years. Brown is under contract through 2018 but can be extended after this season. Lynch’s comments appear to point to the team wanting to go that route. Staley’s deal runs through 2019 on incredibly team-friendly cap numbers ($7.7MM in 2018 and ’19).
Lynch said Joshua Garnett has changed his “body composition” in order to better function in Kyle Shanahan‘s zone-blocking scheme. Branch notes the 321-pound guard, who was known as a power blocker previously, could have returned from IR this season. Perhaps the 49ers wanted to use this year, once Garnett suffered a preseason injury, as an intentional redshirt for the purposes of the 2016 first-round pick adjusting to the new offense. Lynch said the 49ers encouraged the 6-foot-5 lineman to adjust accordingly, physically speaking, for Shanahan’s scheme, so it appears he will be in the picture in 2018 despite arriving under the Trent Baalke regime. Branch notes he figures to compete for a starting job next season.

Raiders Fire DC Ken Norton

November 21st, 2017 at 3:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have fired defensive coordinator Ken Norton, according to Mike Silver and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). John Pagano, who previously held the title of Assistant Head Coach/Defense, will take over.

“After careful thought, I have made a difficult decision to part ways with Ken Norton, Jr. as defensive coordinator,” said head coach Jack Del Rio in a statement released by the team. “I have the utmost respect for Ken as a person and as a coach, but I feel that moving John Pagano into the play-calling role will best utilize his wealth of experience. I appreciate Ken’s passion and commitment to the Raiders since coming aboard and wish him the best going forward.”

Norton has been popular in the Raiders locker room since joining the team in 2015. However, the results have not been to the Raiders’ satisfaction, particularly this year. The Raiders rank dead last in defensive DVOA and that goes a long way towards explaining their 4-6 record. The Raiders were handed a bad loss on Sunday after allowing the Patriots to score 33 points, though the offense didn’t exactly help the cause either (eight points).

It’s fair to wonder if Norton’s dismissal will cure what ails the defense, particularly since Del Rio has such a heavy hand in play calling. Also, the absence of first-round cornerback Gareon Conley has hurt the team’s passing defense, and that’s a factor that was out of Norton’s control.

The Raiders hired Norton after considering big names such as Mike Smith and Wade Phillips. Reportedly, a lack of money and play-calling control led some candidates to withdraw from consideration.

Load More Posts