HEADLINES

Luke Getsy

Raiders To Interview Luke Getsy, Alex Van Pelt For OC Job; Kliff Kingsbury On Radar

January 23rd, 2024 at 4:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:04pm: Kliff Kingsbury is also believed to be on the radar for this position, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. No interview request has emerged, but with the Raiders hiring Tom Telesco as GM, the team can move toward addressing its coordinator spots. Kingsbury joined Robinson in interviewing for the Bears’ job that went to Waldron.

Kingsbury, 44, spent this past season as USC’s quarterbacks coach. This marked a return to the college ranks for Kingsbury, whom the Cardinals fired months after authorizing an extension. Kingsbury led the Cards to the playoffs in 2021, with that offense ranking 11th. The team plummeted to 21st offensively in 2022, a season that concluded with Kyler Murray down with an ACL tear and DeAndre Hopkins missing eight games. Kingsbury called plays throughout his Arizona tenure, giving him more experience in that area than anyone else in this Raiders mix.

1:06pm: With the Raiders making it official with Antonio Pierce, they are going to work on their offensive coordinator position. Two names recently dismissed by other teams are being considered for the job.

The team is planning to interview Luke Getsy and Alex Van Pelt for the vacancy, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The Bears and Browns, respectively, fired these staffers earlier this month. Getsy and Van Pelt join up-and-coming assistants Dan Pitcher (Bengals) and Zac Robinson (Rams) as candidates for the Raiders’ play-calling job.

While Getsy was with the Bears for the past two seasons, the Browns axed Van Pelt following four in Cleveland. This would still be a move up the ladder for Van Pelt, who operated as a non-play-calling OC under Kevin Stefanski. Despite the Browns staying afloat on offense amid potential season-wrecking injuries — to Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb and their top three tackles — the organization is attempting to adjust its offensive philosophy around Watson’s skillset. As a result, Van Pelt joined running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney in being canned.

Van Pelt, 53, spent six seasons with the Packers, the final four as Aaron Rodgers‘ position coach, and stopped through Cincinnati as QBs coach from 2018-19. Back in 2009, the former NFL QB received an initial try as an OC, being in that role with the Bills. The job did not last past that season, sending Van Pelt back to position coach roles. The Browns advanced to the playoffs twice during the Stefanski-Van Pelt years, and this season’s ticket could well bring Stefanski another Coach of the Year honor. But some of his offensive lieutenants are out anyway.

The Bears are retooling as well, having hired Shane Waldron to lead their offense. Waldron may well have the chance to coach Caleb Williams in Chicago, though the team could still keep Justin Fields and trade its No. 1 pick for a second straight year. Getsy geared his offense around Fields’ rushing talents; the Bears ranked first and second, respectively, in rushing offense with Getsy calling plays over the past two seasons.

Fields also showed progression as a passer this season, but the Bears did not deploy a consistent aerial attack under Getsy, who joined Van Pelt with the Packers from 2014-17. Getsy, 39, also coached Rodgers from 2019-21. Between them, Van Pelt and Getsy were in place as the position coach for three of Rodgers’ four MVP awards. These mark the first OC interviews for either Getsy or Van Pelt since their respective firings.

Bears Fire OC Luke Getsy, Four Assistants; Matt Eberflus To Stay

January 10th, 2024 at 10:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ahead of the Bears’ seminal quarterback decision, they will have a new play-caller. The team is firing two-year offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. The Bears are also moving on from quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, per Pelissero.

It does indeed appear Matt Eberflus will be back. After Ryan Poles praised the job Eberflus did in his second season, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports the defensive-oriented HC is set to stay for a third year. The former Colts DC is expected to remain the Bears’ defensive play-caller, per Rapoport, though the early expectation is Eberflus hiring a DC to at least be a key voice in game-planning.

“He was steady at the wheel,” Poles said of the 53-year-old HC, via the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley. “He fought to get back above water and get things the way they were. His ability to adapt and adjust, really take input from the players, to get this thing on the right path was incredible. I think a lot of people would have been in really bad shape and crumbled to the pressure. He got better with the pressure, and so did our football team.”

The Bears evaluated their staff over the past two days, and although Eberflus hovered on a hot seat early this season, the Bears rallying to finish 7-10 represented progress after a lengthy losing streak spanned from the second half of last season through October 2023. As the calendar turned to 2024, Eberflus was not expected to be fired. This news assuredly points to Poles staying on for a third year; the GM was viewed as a better candidate to stick than Eberflus coming into 2024.

Chicago improved from 29th to 12th in total defense from 2022-23 and from 32nd to 20th in points allowed in Eberflus’ second season. The Bears hired Eberflus with the intention he would be a CEO coach, rather than the play-caller, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Wearing both hats this season following DC Alan Williams‘ September exit, Eberflus did make strides. It will be interesting, then, to see if the Bears stick with Eberflus as their defensive play-caller. Despite a 3-14 debut season and a 1-5 start to the ’23 campaign, the veteran defensive coach has survived.

In addition to Getsy and Janocko, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert and running backs coach Omar Young, per ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, will not join Poles and Eberflus next season. Despite improvement from Justin Fields and a career-best season from trade acquisition D.J. Moore, the Bears are removing the top pieces from their offensive staff. They have been viewed as a bit more likely to trade Fields and use the No. 1 overall pick on USC’s Caleb Williams, though definitive traction in either direction remains elusive. But Fields is close to becoming a more expensive commodity, with his fifth-year option decision on the horizon come May, while Williams would be tethered to a rookie contract for at least three years.

Chicago’s offense improved from 28th to 20th in yardage and from 23rd to 18th in scoring over Getsy’s two seasons, though the ex-Packers assistant remained in the crosshairs. A change at this juncture would point to the Bears leaning toward making the long-rumored move to trade Fields and start over with a higher-ceiling rookie. This was the 39-year-old Getsy’s first OC gig; he had previously served as Aaron Rodgers‘ QBs coach.

Thanks largely to Fields’ gifts as a runner, the Bears led the NFL in rushing in 2022 and finished second this season. The latter ranking came despite the Ohio State alum missing four games due to injury. No single Bears rusher totaled more than 700 yards, however, and only Khalil Herbert topped 500 among the team’s three-headed running back setup. WR2 Darnell Mooney (414 yards) also did not make much of an impact in his fourth season, despite the former fifth-round pick being a previous 1,000-yard receiver. Chicago finished 27th in passing yards, inviting more speculation about Fields’ Windy City future.

Janocko, 35, came to Chicago after seven seasons in Minnesota. While Janocko spent his entire NFL career with the Vikings, he only coached quarterbacks in one of those seasons (2021). Tolbert, conversely, has been a specialist throughout his career. The 56-year-old assistant has coached wide receivers for six teams since 2003. On the Cardinals’ staff when Anquan Boldin broke through as a rookie, Tolbert later coached Demaryius Thomas for seven seasons in Denver, collecting a Super Bowl ring for the latter stay. The Bears hired him after four seasons with the Giants. Young came to Chicago from the college ranks in 2022; the team promoted him from the quality control level to RBs coach last year. Assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts has also been let go, the team announced.

It seems unlikely Eberflus will sign an extension, as his four-year deal runs through 2025, but the Bears showing faith in their coach to keep him in place despite the likelihood of a No. 1 overall QB investment coming in. Should that happen, the team’s next OC hire will obviously become quite important.

NFC Coaching Notes: Rams, Hankerson, Lions, Commanders, Packers, Giants

February 18th, 2022 at 11:15pm CST by Ely Allen

University of Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen has received heaps of interest around the football world, turning down several college jobs and an NFL job to stay in Lexington. But it sounds as if Coen may soon receive an offer he can’t refuse.

In one year at the helm of the offense, Coen took the Wildcats from 115th in yards per game to 50th. He also improved the scoring offense from 107th in the country to 35th, quickly making him one of the hottest names in college coaching.

It just about looked like Kentucky was going to be able to hold on to their game changer, but, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, they are bracing for the possibility of Coen leaving to return to the Rams in Los Angeles. Prior to his year in Kentucky, Coen spent three years on Sean McVay‘s offensive staff, and a chance to rejoin McVay may be too good to pass up.

Here are a couple more coaching notes from the NFC starting with the promotion of a former Hurricane:

  • With wide receivers coach Wes Welker heading to Miami, the 49ers have offered the position to offensive quality control coach Leonard Hankerson, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. After a five-year career as an NFL wide receiver out of the University of Miami, Hankerson coached wide receivers at UMass and Stephen F. Austin before joining the staff in San Francisco last year.
  • The Lions have parted ways with inside linebacker coach Mark DeLeone this week, according to Justin Rogers of The Detroit News. The son of offensive line coach legend George DeLeone, Mark was hired by Detroit last year after time with the Jets, Chiefs, and Bears. They have two internal candidates who could potentially fill the role: defensive quality control coach Stephen Thomas, who coached inside linebackers in his time at Princeton, and director of football research David Corrao who coached linebackers for the Dolphins during his time in Miami from 2008-2015.
  • With longtime assistant coach Pete Hoener retiring, the Commanders are hiring veteran coach Juan Castillo to handle tight ends, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Castillo is rejoining Ron Rivera, who coached with him for the five seasons Rivera was in Philadelphia from 1999-2003. Castillo has also spent time with the Ravens, Bills, and Bears in various roles on the offensive staff.
  • With their outside linebacker coach Mike Smith leaving to pursue other opportunities, the Packers have hired Jason Rebrovich as his replacement. The 20-year NFL coaching veteran has had stints with the Bills and Jaguars coaching players like Josh Allen, Calais Campbell, and Yannick Ngakoue. In addition, the Packers also announced the return of former offensive coordinator Tom Clements to replace Luke Getsy as quarterbacks coach, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Clements coached for the Packers’ offense for 11 years before retiring after two years with the Cardinals.
  • The Giants have hired Angela Baker as a minority coaching fellow and offensive quality control coach, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Baker is the second female to be added to Brian Daboll‘s staff after Laura Young followed Daboll from Buffalo, where she worked as player services coordinator, for the position of director of coaching operations. The Giants are quickly trying to become a more progressive staff. In 2020, Hannah Burnett was hired as the team’s first full-time female scout.

2022 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

February 6th, 2022 at 10:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Last year, seven NFL teams opted to make a head coaching change. Sean Payton stepping away from the Saints created nine full-time vacancies available this year.

Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:

Updated 2-7-22 (1:45pm CT)

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Packers Promoting Stenavich To OC

January 29th, 2022 at 10:30pm CST by Ely Allen

With former-offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett leaving to become the head coach of the Broncos and quarterbacks coach/passing-game coordinator Luke Getsy expected to join Matt Eberflus‘ new staff as the Bears’ offensive coordinator, the Packers needed to move quickly to start rebuilding their offensive staff. The first such move was reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport in a tweet this evening announcing that Green Bay will be promoting offensive line coach and running game coordinator Adam Stenavich to be the team’s new offensive coordinator.

Stenavich got his first NFL opportunity in 2017 as the 49ers assistant offensive line coach after some college coaching stints at Michigan, Northern Arizona, and San Jose State. After two seasons in San Francisco, Stenavich got hired in Green Bay at his most recent position before getting today’s promotion.

The Packers had previously denied the Broncos’ request to interview Stenavich and this most recent report confirms the suspicions that soon followed that denial. Stenavich will be shouldered with the burden of building a new offensive coaching staff. It is expected that, after being denied Stenavich, the Broncos will pursue Hackett’s former tight ends coach Justin Outten to become the offensive coordinator in Denver, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter).

In three seasons with Stenavich as the run game coordinator, the Packers have ranked 15th (2019), 8th (2020), and 18th (2021) in the NFL in total rushing yards. Combining the rushing offense’s inconsistency from year to year with questions in the air about quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ future, Stenavich could have a difficult task in front of him following a season where the Packers’ offense helped Green Bay to the NFC’s only first round bye.

Packers’ Getsy Expected To Become Bears’ OC

January 29th, 2022 at 9:52pm CST by Ely Allen

It looks like Matt Eberflus is getting the guy to run his offense as ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted out that Packers’ quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator Luke Getsy is expected to be hired as the Bears’ new offensive coordinator.

Getsy has spent his entire NFL coaching career in Green Bay joining the Packers as an offensive quality control coach in 2014. He worked his way up to wide receivers coach before taking a year away from the team to be the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State University. He returned to Green Bay in 2019 as the quarterbacks coach and added the passing-game coordinator title to his job for the following two seasons.

The Packers have been a top ten passing offense in each of Getsy’s two years as passing-game coordinator, helping them to earn the top-seed in the NFC and setting up quarterback Aaron Rodgers for a potential fourth MVP award.

Getsy’s departure leaves holes for Green Bay at two offensive positions. The Packers have lost former-offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who took the position of head coach for the Broncos and now are expected to be without their quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator.

It’s expected that Eberflus will consider Getsy’s input in putting together the rest of the offensive staff. We wrote earlier about the Bears’ interest in Browns’ offensive line coach Bill Callahan and a few other expected hires for Chicago. Eberflus’ first NFL staff is starting to come together nicely.

Updates To Eberflus’ New Bears’ Staff

January 29th, 2022 at 7:12pm CST by Ely Allen

New head coach Matt Eberflus has wasted no time in starting to piece together his new coaching staff in Chicago. 

The Colts’ former defensive coordinator will bring some familiar names with him from Indianapolis on the defensive side of the ball. According to Zak Keefer, of The Athletic, it’s been confirmed that linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi will follow Eberflus to Chicago to retain the same position. Borgonzi has played a crucial role in the development of players like Darius Leonard, Anthony Walker, and Bobby Okereke. Rumors have been circulating that cornerbacks coach James Rowe and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli could soon follow in Borgonzi’s footsteps.

On the offensive side of the ball, Eberflus will have to build a new system. We’ve already seen Eagles’ passing-game coordinator Kevin Patullo’s name surface as a potential coordinator, especially being a former coworker of the Bears’ new skipper in Indianapolis. We’ve also seen Packers’ quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy‘s name mentioned as the favorite candidate to land the coordinator job.

Still nothing has been announced, but Sanjay Lal, who has coached wide receivers for six different NFL teams, most recently in Jacksonville, is reportedly interviewing today for the offensive coordinator job, according to Jane Slater of NFL Network. A London-native, Lal started out coaching in a California high school for about six years before earning opportunities to coach at a few local colleges, culminating in a position as the quarterbacks coach at the University of California, Berkeley. Lal got his first NFL opportunity joining Lane Kiffin‘s Oakland Raiders staff in 2007 as a quality control coach, getting promoted to wide receivers coach in 2009. The journeyman coach then spent time as a wide receivers coach for the Jets, Bills, Colts, and Cowboys before not being retained in Dallas when Mike McCarthy took over. After spending a year as a senior offensive assistant in Seattle for a year, Lal got another chance to coach wide receivers for the Jaguars under Urban Meyer, where he spent the past season.

The only other offensive position we’ve heard about comes from Sports Mockery writer Erik Lambert who reports that Eberflus and the Bears will pursue Browns’ offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Callahan has coached a laundry list of Pro Bowl players over the years and has two connections to the Bears’ job. Firstly, he worked with Eberflus in Dallas for about three seasons, and, second, Callahan was born and raised in Chicago.

Two names have surfaced so far at the special teams coordinator position. Lambert mentions Raiders’ interim-head coach Rich Bisaccia as the favorite to take over the special teams unit in Chicago as it becomes less and less likely that he’ll be retained as the head ball coach in Las Vegas. The other name mentioned came from Jordan Raanan who covers the Giants for ESPN. Ranaan tweeted out that Giants’ special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey is scheduled to interview for the same position with the Bears tomorrow. McGaughey has already interviewed for the Chargers’ special teams coordinator job and has not ruled out remaining with the Giants.

It’s an impressive potential lineup for Eberflus as he attempts to put together his first full staff as a head coach. Updates should be expected shortly as all the names mentioned so far are no longer participating in the playoffs.

Broncos Still Eyeing Packers Assistants, Request DC Interview With Anthony Weaver

January 29th, 2022 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos have gone through a few offensive coordinators since Gary Kubiak‘s departure, and their pursuit of landing Nathaniel Hackett‘s first OC has run into some interesting hiccups.

After the Packers denied the Broncos permission to speak with Adam Stenavich for their OC gig, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel adds the team also sought a meeting with Green Bay wide receivers coach Jason Vrable. That interview will not happen, either, per Silverstein, who indicates tight ends coach Justin Outten is on Denver’s radar. Vrable is believed to be under contract. QBs coach Luke Getsy — a Broncos HC interviewee and Bears OC target — is believed to be a coaching free agent, per Denver7’s Troy Renck (on Twitter).

Hackett appears intent on bringing a Packers assistant to Denver. While that makes sense ahead of Hackett’s effort to install his offense, it is interesting how far down the chain the new Broncos HC will go to fill his coordinator spot. Outside candidates would make sense at a point, and the Broncos are planning to interview Chargers tight ends coach Kevin Koger for the OC job. Koger, 32, spent the 2019 and ’20 seasons as a quality control staffer with the Packers but has only been a position coach for one season.

Additionally, the Broncos sent out a defensive coordinator interview request for Ravens D-line coach Anthony Weaver, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Weaver interviewed for the Baltimore DC job that went to Mike Macdonald, who is returning to the Ravens from Michigan. Weaver, 41, spent the 2020 season as the Texans’ DC. He also worked with Hackett in Buffalo, with the two each assistants on Doug Marrone‘s Bills staff in 2013.

Packers Denying Broncos’ Interview Request With Adam Stenavich

January 28th, 2022 at 7:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

An interesting update has been made with regards to the Packers’ and Broncos’ new-look coaching staffs. Green Bay is reportedly blocking offensive line coach Adam Stenavich from interviewing to join Nathaniel Hackett in Denver (Twitter link via 9News’ Mike Klis).

Stenavich was named as a top candidate for the Broncos’ OC role yesterday. The 38-year-old has spent the last three seasons in Green Bay, so it would make perfect sense if he was the preferred choice for Hackett. That would especially be true, given Stenavich’s relative inexperience, considering the fact that Hackett will be handling play-calling duties.

However, the news that Stenavich will not be interviewing in Denver suggests that he is in the running to get promoted to the OC position in Green Bay. Indeed, The Athletic’s Jason Wilde tweets that HC Matt LaFleur has publicly stated he would never block a position coach from leaving for a promotion – which all coaches have recently been prohibited from doing anyway. As such, he adds, “this points to Stenavich being told that he’ll be Hackett’s replacement”.

The other main in-house option for the Packers, when it comes to the OC role, is quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy. Externally, the candidates linked to the job so far are Chargers tight ends coach Kevin Koger and Eagles QB coach Brian Johnson. Today’s news, though, certainly signals that those three are not being considered favorites for the job as of now.

Packers Interview Bolts’ Kevin Koger For OC Job, Plan To Meet With Eagles’ Brian Johnson

January 28th, 2022 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three years with Nathaniel Hackett as Matt LaFleur‘s right-hand man on offense, the Packers must find a replacement. A day after Hackett became the Broncos’ head coach, they are interviewing external candidates.

The Packers have interviewed Chargers tight ends coach Kevin Koger for their offensive coordinator job, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson is expected to interview as well. The team is still considering in-house staffers Luke Getsy (QBs coach) and Adam Stenavich (offensive line) for Hackett’s old job.

Koger is just 32 but was with the Packers for two years. The former Michigan tight end worked as a quality control staffer in Green Bay from 2019-20. The Chargers hired him as their tight ends coach last year. Koger would be an unlikely fit, based on his experience, at this point. That said, the Broncos also plan to meet with Koger about their OC vacancy, Rapoport adds (via Twitter). Interviews at this juncture of Koger’s career certainly reveal a positive view of the young assistant.

Johnson, 34, has only been an NFL assistant for one season, coming to Philadelphia in 2021. But he was a college offensive coordinator at three schools — Utah, Houston and Florida — and landed his first OC gig when he was just 25. Johnson oversaw the Gators’ offense in 2020, helping Kyle Pitts break through to become the highest-drafted tight end in the common draft era.

Getsy and Stenavich have each drawn outside OC interest. The Broncos are expected to interview Stenavich for their OC gig, while the Bears are targeting Getsy — to the point an offer is expected — for their play-calling gig under Matt Eberflus. Green Bay’s OC role does not come with play-calling responsibilities, with LaFleur performing that role.

Load More Posts