Jets To Interview Aaron Glenn, Robert Saleh
The Jets have requested permission to interview Saints secondary coach Aaron Glenn for their head coaching job, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Glenn, who played for the Jets in his first eight NFL seasons, has impressed as a lieutenant to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. 
The Bengals were interested in hiring Glenn as their DC in 2019, before the Saints blocked their interview request. In this case, Glenn is in the clear, since teams cannot block assistants from discussing head coaching opportunities. The move to HC would slingshot Glenn up the ladder, but it wouldn’t be an unprecedented leap.
The Jets are also set to interview 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for the position, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Saleh — who is also in the mix for the Falcons, Lions, Jaguars, and Chargers — appears to be one of the hottest candidates in this cycle.
Even though much of the talk in New York is centered around the quarterback position, the Jets could use the defensive expertise of someone like Glenn or Saleh.
Jaguars To Interview Eric Bieniemy, Robert Saleh, Raheem Morris
Clarity emerged in the Jaguars’ Doug Marrone replacement search Tuesday. The Jags are set to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and former Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
While Urban Meyer has been the name most closely connected to this search, no interview has been scheduled. Bieniemy will speak with Jags brass Wednesday, with Morris and Saleh interviews on tap for Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
Now a regular on the HC interview circuit, Bieniemy has been Kansas City’s OC since Patrick Mahomes‘ QB1 tenure began. While Bieniemy is not the Chiefs’ primary play-caller, he has long been expected to land a coaching gig this year. He may hit for the cycle in coaching interviews as well. The Chargers have requested an interview with their former running back. The Lions have already interviewed Bieniemy, while the Jets and Falcons will speak with him as well.
Saleh would be an interesting hire. He has a history with the Jaguars during Shad Khan‘s ownership tenure. The current 49ers defensive play-caller spent three seasons (2014-16) as Jacksonville’s linebackers coach. A Michigan native, Saleh has been most closely connected to the Lions job and has already interviewed with the Falcons. The Bolts submitted an interview request as well.
Re-emerging on the HC radar for the first time in many years, Morris interviewed for the Falcons job he held during this season’s second half and has come up in the Raiders’ defensive coordinator search. The Jags are the first non-Falcons franchise to request a Morris HC meeting, however.
The Jaguars have also requested an interview with Titans OC Arthur Smith, joining every other HC-seeking team in that regard.
Chargers Request Interview With 49ers DC Robert Saleh
49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh continues to be a busy man. He’s already been linked to the jobs in Detroit and Atlanta, and now Los Angeles has come calling. The Chargers have requested an interview with the Kyle Shanahan deputy, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Saleh is from the Michigan area and coached for a while at Michigan State, which has led to some reports that he’s high on the Lions’ wish list. But if Detroit wants him, they’re going to have some competition. On paper, the Chargers might be the most attractive job opening. Not only do they have a rookie sensation at quarterback in Justin Herbert, but there’s a ton of talent on defense for someone like Saleh to work with as well.
Safety Derwin James missed the entire 2020 season, but should be back at an All-Pro level in 2021.Then there’s Casey Hayward and Chris Harris at cornerback, and Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa at edge rusher. With Pro Bowl defensive tackle Linval Joseph clogging up running lanes in the middle. The 49ers were besieged by injuries this past year, but they had one of the best defenses in the league in 2019.
If Saleh were hired, it’d be very interesting to see what OC he paired Herbert with. Herbert apparently “loves” his current OC Shane Steichen, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports (Twitter video link), so maybe Chargers GM Tom Telesco will be looking for a candidate willing to keep Steichen on staff.
Jets, Falcons, Lions To Interview Eric Bieniemy
It’s shaping up to be a busy week for Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. He’ll conduct virtual interviews with the Lions and Falcons on Monday afternoon, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Meanwhile, the Jets have officially requested an interview of their own. 
Head coaching candidates whose teams are in the playoffs aren’t allowed to interview until after wild-card weekend. But, for Bieniemy, there’s a loophole, thanks to the Chiefs’ first-round bye. The same goes for 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who is also slated to meet with the Lions. The Lions’ latest round of interview requests also includes Saints AHC/TE coach Dan Campbell and Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Saleh, a Dearborn, Michigan native, may be poised for a homecoming. Still, the Lions have a candidates list in the double digits, so he’ll have lots of competition. Bieniemy, of course, is one of the hottest coaches on the block, and he has the offensive acumen the Lions need to get the most out of their talent.
Falcons To Interview Robert Saleh And Eric Bieniemy For HC Vacancy Monday
The 49ers’ season just ended with a loss to the Seahawks, but things are just getting started for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Saleh is expected to be a hot heat coaching candidate this cycle, and it sounds like he’s got his first move lined up. Saleh will interview with the Falcons over zoom for their job on Monday, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan revealed during his post-game press conference.
Atlanta won’t stop there, as they’re also going to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on Monday, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). They clearly aren’t honing in on anything specific, interviewing coaches with defensive and offensive backgrounds. Saleh is a highly regarded leader who always has his defenses playing with high intensity, and when they were healthy the 49ers had one of the league’s best defenses last year.
Bieniemy has a ringing endorsement from Andy Reid, which obviously goes a long way these days. He’s been in Kansas City with Reid since 2013, previously as his running backs coach. Bieniemy is widely considered to be one of the frontrunners for the Texans’ job.
The Falcons won’t be the only team interested in Saleh, and Shanahan even said that he would have several more interviews in the coming days. Saleh is from Michigan, and has also been linked to the Lions’ job. Get ready, the coaching carousel is just starting to heat up.
Lions Interview Marvin Lewis For HC
Thus far, the Lions’ GM search has generated more headlines than their hunt for a new head coach, but their HC pursuit will soon kick into high gear. Detroit started that process by interviewing longtime Bengals HC Marvin Lewis several days ago, as Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com report.
[RELATED: Lions to pursue Seahawks GM John Schneider]
Lewis interviewed with the Texans for their HC vacancy last month, so the 62-year-old appears to be firmly back on the NFL radar. He currently serves as the co-defensive coordinator on Herm Edwards‘ staff at Arizona State.
The defensive acumen that he displayed while working as the Ravens’ DC from 1996-01 helped Lewis secure the Cincinnati gig in 2003, a position he held for 16 seasons. Though his 0-7 record in the postseason has garnered plenty of attention and ultimately contributed to Lewis’ ouster, the fact that he got the formerly moribund Bengals to the playoffs seven times during his tenure was in and of itself a major accomplishment.
Detroit is considering a wide variety of candidates for its HC post. Robert Saleh, the current 49ers defensive coordinator, is said to be high atop the team’s wish-list, but the Lions are also considering offensive-minded coaches. Chiefs offensive coordinator and hot commodity Eric Bieniemy is a target, as is Titans OC Arthur Smith.
Peter Schrager of the NFL Network reports that Saleh, Bieniemy, and interim HC Darrell Bevell are expected to interview this week (Twitter link).
Robert Saleh Atop Lions’ HC List?
The Lions have begun their GM search, interviewing Louis Riddick, Thomas Dimitroff, Scott Pioli and multiple internal candidates. One name has also surfaced in connection with the Detroit HC job.
49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh resides atop the Lions’ list of HC candidates, according to ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline. They will likely have competition for the fourth-year 49ers defensive play-caller.
Saleh grew up in Michigan and went to college in the state, and these connections prompted dozens of Michigan lawmakers to pen a letter to Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp urging her to hire the 49ers assistant to replace Patricia. The team appears to have already been monitoring Saleh, who emerged on the HC radar after the 2019 49ers’ rise to Super Bowl LIV.
While a healthier 49ers defense finished second in DVOA last season, Saleh has managed to keep this year’s injury-ravaged unit in the top five in total defense. The 49ers rank fifth in yards allowed going into their Week 15 game, despite missing Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman and several others for significant parts of the season.
Saleh, 41, has been connected to bringing 49ers VP of player personnel Adam Peters with him — should he land a coaching job in 2021. The Lions are open to using a 49ers-style setup where they hire the head coach before signing off on a GM as well, and Pauline adds the team is prepared to pair Saleh with a GM with whom he is comfortable.
GM Notes: Texans, Saleh, Peters, Smith
The next several weeks will bring extensive news on the GM front, with four teams having fired their top front office executives this season. Other teams may create additional vacancies, and Washington remains in the mix to add a top decision-maker to its front office. Here is the latest from the GM circuit ahead of what will be an unusually busy marketplace:
- Despite Texans owner Cal McNair declaring executive VP Jack Easterby will not rise to a GM role, the current Texans power broker is expected to have plenty of input as to which exec the franchise hires to replace Bill O’Brien, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com note. Easterby has emerged as a key voice for a Texans franchise in transition, outlasting O’Brien in the Houston front office despite the lack of a personnel-related background.
- Houston, however, remains high on New England exec Nick Caserio, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes. Should the Texans circle back to Easterby’s former Patriots coworker, it would continue an off-and-on two-year saga. The team tried to hire Caserio in 2019, but a unique clause in his Pats contract prevented a move. The long-coveted GM prospect is now on a new Patriots contract. However, the Giants — who also have a high-profile ex-Caserio coworker in power (Joe Judge) — have interest as well, should they fire Dave Gettleman.
- Robert Saleh figures to receive consideration to be a head coach again, and early buzz has emerged he is interested in pairing with a familiar face if he lands a job. The 49ers defensive coordinator is interested in bringing the team’s vice president of player personnel — Adam Peters — with him to his next destination, according to Fowler and Graziano. The 49ers hired Peters in 2017, the same year they brought in Saleh, and he has helped the franchise rebuild from one of its lowest points.
- Rick Smith is set to interview for the Falcons’ GM role, but La Canfora adds that the ex-Texans GM is expected to meet with at least one other GM-needy team. The Jaguars and Lions are the current teams in need — discounting what would seemingly be an untenable Texans reunion — though Smith was connected to Washington last year. Washington did not hire a GM but may look to do so in 2021. Smith served as Houston’s GM from 2006-17.
- George Paton has been on the GM radar for years — most notably this year, when the Vikings assistant GM backed out of consideration for the Browns job — but has remained in Minnesota. If Paton is to leave a job he is clearly quite fond of, La Canfora notes it may have to be for a West Coast franchise. A UCLA alum, Paton was in contention for a 49ers GM job that went (out of nowhere) to John Lynch in 2017. That said, JLC speculates the Bears could be interested. It is not certain they will fire Ryan Pace, but this has certainly not been a good year for the exec that traded up for Mitchell Trubisky.
Michigan State Requested To Interview 49ers DC Robert Saleh
Michigan State has a head coaching vacancy after Mark Dantonio abruptly resigned, and they reached out to one high profile NFL assistant to gauge his interest in the job. The Spartans requested to interview 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for their job, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Unfortunately for Michigan State, Saleh turned them down, and he’ll be staying in San Francisco for at least one more season. Saleh rose to prominence this season as he coordinated the 49ers’ elite defense. Saleh is a Michigan native and he got his coaching start as a defensive assistant at Michigan State, so their interest makes a lot of sense. After several years in the college ranks, he made the jump to the NFL as an intern with the Texans in 2005.
He most recently served as linebackers coach in Jacksonville before Kyle Shanahan hired him away to be his DC. Saleh received a lot of head coaching buzz this NFL cycle, and he interviewed with the Browns for their job. He was reportedly one of two finalists before Cleveland ended up going with Kevin Stefanski. Not surprisingly, Pelissero’s NFL Network colleague Ian Rapoport tweets that “will be among the top head coaching candidates” in next year’s cycle.
Browns Hire Kevin Stefanski As Head Coach
Jan. 13: The Browns have formally announced the hire. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that Cleveland has given Stefanski a five-year contract (Twitter link).
Jan. 12: The Browns will hire Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports (via Twitter) that it’s a done deal. Stefanski was the runner-up for the Cleveland HC gig last year, and after Freddie Kitchen‘s disastrous 2019 campaign resulted in his dismissal, the Browns have circled back to the man many believe they should have hired in the first place.
Stefanski has served in a variety of roles for the Vikings since joining the organization back in 2006, including stints as the tight ends coach, running backs coach, and quarterbacks coach. The 37-year-old was named interim offensive coordinator following the firing of John DeFilippo during the 2018 season, and he earned the full-time gig prior to the 2019 campaign.
During Stefanski’s first full season at the helm, the Vikings ranked as a top-10 offense in points. The coach led the trio of Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, and Mike Boone to top-six rankings in rushing yards and touchdowns, and he also helped quarterback Kirk Cousins have one of the best seasons of his career. Although the Vikings laid an egg in Saturday’s divisional round loss to the 49ers, Cleveland was obviously undeterred.
The Browns’ coaching search saw them interview eight candidates, as our 2020 head coaching search tracker shows (former Baylor HC Matt Rhule, who ultimately accepted the Panthers’ head coaching job, turned down the opportunity to interview with Cleveland). Browns chief strategist Paul DePodesta piloted the search, and recent reports indicated that he had narrowed his list to Stefanski and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, though Cabot tweets that Stefanski and 49ers DC Robert Saleh were the two finalists.
Interestingly, DePodesta’s contract with Cleveland is reportedly set to expire, but given his role in the coaching search, it seems likely that the Browns will retain him. However, the team continues to search for a new GM, and Eagles vice president of football operations Andrew Berry may have just become the leading candidate for that role, as his analytically-driven approach meshes with Stefanski’s.
Meanwhile, Vikings QB coach Klint Kubiak could follow Stefanski to Cleveland to become the Browns’ new OC, as Mike Klis of 9News.com tweets.
With the Stefanski hire, the 2020 head coaching cycle has come to a stop. The Browns were the last of the five teams with a head coaching vacancy this year to hire their HC.