Matt Lombardi

Mike Vrabel ‘Heavy Favorite’ For Patriots Job; Josh McDaniels In Mix To Return As OC?

January 9th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Vrabel‘s Patriots interview will take place today, and with the Patriots having satisfied the Rooney Rule, they could make a hire soon. Though, both Lions coordinators — Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn — have received requests as well. Johnson’s interview is set for Friday.

Nothing, however, has emerged suggesting Vrabel’s pole position here has been threatened. The former Patriots linebacker and Titans HC is viewed as the “heavy favorite” for the New England job, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. It will be interesting to see how eager Vrabel is here, as he has also come up in just about every other search during this year’s cycle. But a Patriots offer could be on tap soon.

The Pats passed on a Vrabel pursuit last year, which certainly represented a risk since a proven HC with close ties to the team could have been scooped up shortly after his Titans dismissal. A year later, though, Vrabel is still available. This probably played into Robert Kraft‘s decision to fire Jerod Mayo so soon. Vrabel, 49, turning the Patriots down could throw this search off axis; though, Johnson’s immediate interest in taking an interview here is notable in the event the team pivots from what appears a Vrabel-centric plan.

Before the New England job became available, Vrabel connections to Josh McDaniels emerged. The northeast Ohio natives and former Patriots coworkers have stayed close, to the point OC rumors regarding McDaniels are still coming out. Buzz indeed is connecting McDaniels to being Vrabel’s OC with the Pats or another team, Fowler adds. That scenario would be the most interesting in Foxborough, as it would mean a third go-round in the role for the polarizing coach.

McDaniels has failed twice as a head coach, being fired during his second season by both the Broncos and Raiders. The unpopular leader’s days as a head coach are probably over, but he has proven to be a quality coordinator in New England. McDaniels, 48, served as Patriots OC from 2006-08 — a period that featured Tom Brady go from three-time Super Bowl winner complementing a stout defense to the All-Pro tier after a record-setting 2007 — and again from 2012-21. The latter period brought the Pats three more Super Bowl wins and elevated Brady to an unassailable perch. McDaniels’ work with Mac Jones in 2021 has also aged well, given the events of the former first-rounder’s career since, and it would stand to reason the Patriots would be interested in another reunion.

Vrabel overlapped with McDaniels throughout his playing days with the Pats, with the Bill Belichick assistant joining the team in 2001 — when Vrabel signed as a free agent — and then leaving for Denver shortly before the Matt Cassel trade sent Vrabel to Kansas City. McDaniels also has continued to communicate with Belichick, discussing potential landing spots for his former boss. He was tied to following Belichick to another NFL destination, but after the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC chose the college route, McDaniels remains unattached.

The Tar Heels kept Freddie Kitchens onboard, with a potential OC role in play, and hired ex-Raiders staffer Matt Lombardi — the son of new North Carolina GM Michael Lombardi — recently, per 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz. The younger Lombardi may be joining the ACC program as QBs coach, teaming with Kitchens. McDaniels has not worked since his Raiders ouster, so it will be worth monitoring a potential North Carolina trip if he is shut out of this year’s NFL hiring cycle. Though, Vrabel could certainly see to it that he isn’t.

Coaching Notes: Pleasant, Curry, Broncos

February 17th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Sam Robinson

A defensive coordinator interviewee earlier this decade, Aubrey Pleasant was without a job midway through last season. The Lions fired the veteran assistant, leading to a Packers move. But the former Rams assistant is coming back to Los Angeles. The Rams are rehiring Pleasant to be their defensive backs coach and defensive pass-game coordinator, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The sides have been talking about the job for about a month, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic tweets.

Both the Saints and Vikings interviewed Pleasant for their DC positions in 2021, shortly after he had taken a job as the Lions’ secondary coach. But the Lions fired him in October. The Packers, who have ex-Rams staffer Joe Barry in place as DC, hired him as a consultant to close out the season. Pleasant, who has been in the NFL for 10 seasons, will return to a Rams organization that previously had him in place as its cornerbacks coach from 2017-20. In addition to Pleasant, the Rams are adding Mike Harris as their assistant DBs coach, Rodrigue adds (on Twitter). Harris spent the past two years as a Bears offensive assistant.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

The Broncos’ lone known offensive coordinator candidate thus far, Ronald Curry will not be moving. The Saints will retain their quarterbacks coach, Aaron Wilson of KPRC tweets. Curry, a former Sean Payton hire, interviewed for both the Buccaneers and Broncos’ OC positions. As Denver will continue its search, Tampa Bay hired Dave Canales earlier this week. A former NFL wideout, Curry has been with the Saints since 2016.
While multiple former Payton assistants connected to a reunion will not be heading to Denver, former Saints special teams coach Mike Westhoff will meet with his former boss tweeted about his upcoming Broncos meeting. Westhoff, 75, has been retired since 2019 but was rumored to be a candidate to join Payton in Denver. He worked for the Saints from 2017-18 but enjoyed long tenures (with the Dolphins and Jets) previously. In addition to former Saints coaches, Payton has been connected to coaches out of the league. Rex Ryan is favored to be the next Broncos DC, though interviews are ongoing, and Mike Zimmer has surfaced as a possible Broncos assistant option.
Canales will bring a Seahawks assistant to Tampa. The Bucs are hiring Brad Idzik to be their wide receivers coach, John Schneider said during a radio interview (via Seahawks.com’s John Boyle, on Twitter). Idzik previously worked as the Seahawks’ assistant wideouts coach. This marks a return trip for Idzik, who is the son of former Bucs front office bastion (and ex-Jets GM) John Idzik. The younger Idzik had been with the Seahawks since 2019.
The Raiders will greenlight a reunion as well, hiring Matt Lombardi to be their assistant wide receivers coach, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Matt Lombardi is the younger brother of Raiders OC Mick Lombardi and the son of former Raiders exec (and Browns GM) Michael Lombardi. Matt Lombardi spent the past three years with the Panthers, being one of Matt Rhule‘s hires.
Staying with the family theme, the Giants have added Brian Daboll‘s son to their staff. Christian Daboll will work as an offensive assistant in New York, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweets. Christian Daboll had previously worked as a student assistant at Penn State. Although the Giants have the younger Daboll listed as a staff member, they have not announced the hire.

Extra Points: CBA, Seahawks, Lions

January 16th, 2020 at 9:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier today, union leader DeMaurice Smith reported that the owners and players have struck a tentative agreement on the players’ guaranteed portion of revenues, increases in minimum salaries, changes to the offseason, and a reduction in training-camp contact. The league was quick to throw water on that report, as a memo to teams noted that the two sides still had to tackle a number of issues (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter).

“A number of important issues remain to be resolved and we remain committed to the bargaining positions reviewed with you at the December meeting,” the memo said. “We believe that the most constructive approach is not to negotiate publicly but to continue the discussions directly and privately with the union, with the active involvement of CEC members and the supervision of the full committee.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

Seahawks defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson suffered a standard Jones fracture during last Sunday’s loss to the Packers (via Pelissero on Twitter). Jefferson will undergo surgery, and the eight-week recovery time should have him healthy right before free agency begins. The 26-year-old had another productive season in Seattle, compiling 26 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 14 games (12 starts).
The Lions have a number of players who are set to hit free agency, and Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press takes some guesses at who will stay and who will go. The writer believes that wideout Danny Amendola, safety Tavon Wilson, and safety/special teamer Miles Killebrew will ultimately stick around, while defensive tackle Mike Daniels, punter Sam Martin, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin are projected to bolt.
Dolphins quality control coach Matt Lombardi will be taking a promotion with the Panthers, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Lombardi was hired last winter and spent one season in the role. We learned earlier this evening that the Panthers had also poached Colts defensive line coach Mike Phair.
The Bears officially announced a number of previously-reported coaching moves this evening: the hiring of offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, the hiring of John DeFilippo as QBs coach, and the promotion of Dave Ragone to passing game coordinator. The team also announced a handful of additional promotions, including Brian Ginn as assistant special teams coach, Chris Jackson as assistant wide receivers coach, and Shane Toub as defensive quality control coach (via The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain on Twitter).