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2025 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

January 26th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year, half the league changed up at offensive and defensive coordinator. As most HC-needy teams have now filled their open positions, the coordinator carousel will accelerate. Here is how the market looks now. When other teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-28-25 (12:40pm CT)

Offensive coordinators

Chicago Bears (Out: Chris Beatty)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Ken Dorsey)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Brian Schottenheimer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Ben Johnson)

  • John Morton, pass-game coordinator (Broncos): Hired

Houston Texans (Out: Bobby Slowik)

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

New York Jets (Out: Nathaniel Hackett)

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Ryan Grubb)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Liam Coen)

Defensive coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Jimmy Lake)

Chicago Bears (Out: Eric Washington)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Lou Anarumo)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Mike Zimmer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Aaron Glenn)

  • Larry Foote, inside linebackers coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Kelvin Sheppard, linebackers coach (Lions): Promoted

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Gus Bradley)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

New England Patriots (Out: DeMarcus Covington)

  • Ryan Crow, outside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/21
  • Terrell Williams, defensive line coach (Lions): Hired

New York Jets (Out: Jeff Ulbrich)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Nick Sorensen)

Steve Wilks, Nick Caley, Scott Turner, Klint Kubiak Among Potential Aaron Glenn Jets Targets

January 21st, 2025 at 3:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

3:27pm: Saints OC Klint Kubiak is another name to watch on this front, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports. Kubiak met with the Browns for their offensive coordinator position prior to the team’s decision to promote Tommy Rees. He does not have a history of working with Glenn, but the 37-year-old would make for an interesting addition to the Jets’ staff if he were to be brought in.

1:14pm: Aaron Glenn is set to take part in his second Jets head coaching interview today, and he represents the team’s top target. A deal could be reached at any time as a result, and a few interesting names have emerged with respect to coaches who could find themselves on a Glenn-led staff.

On the defensive side of the ball, SNY’s Connor Hughes notes that Steve Wilks will be a name to watch. Wilks will be a potential defensive coordinator candidate for New York in the event Glenn is hired as head coach. The latter is currently the Lions’ DC, but there is of course no guarantee he would continue calling plays if he were to take on the Jets’ head coaching position.

Wilks has a coaching background dating back to 1995, and he has been on an NFL sideline for all but three seasons since 2005. The 55-year-old has been a full-time head coach on one occasion in addition to a pair of defensive coordinator gigs at the pro level. The most recent of those was in 2023 with the 49ers, a position Wilks took after he did not receive the Panthers’ full-time HC gig . San Francisco moved on from him after last year’s Super Bowl, and he was out of coaching for this season.

With respect to potential offensive coordinators, Hughes reports Glenn has been in contact with at least two candidates. Nick Caley is one of them; the soon-to-be 42-year-old is currently in place on the Rams’ staff. Caley spent eight years with the Patriots, with much of that time coming as the team’s tight ends coach. He continued in that role last year upon arrival in Los Angeles, but this season he took on the additional title of pass game coordinator.

Caley does not have experience as an offensive coordinator, but Scott Turner does. The latter is the other name Glenn has been in contact with, per Hughes. Turner took over as interim OC for the Raiders after Luke Getsy‘s midseason firing, and he has not been connected to any NFL coordinator vacancies in the time following head coach Antonio Pierce‘s dismissal. Turner is, however, a candidate to join Bill Belichick‘s North Carolina staff.

It remains to be seen (for the time being, at least) if Glenn will indeed be hired by the Jets. If that does take place, though, it will be interesting to see if the candidates he has been in contact with will wind up following him to New York.

Raiders’ Scott Turner On Radar To Become North Carolina OC

December 15th, 2024 at 8:38am CST by Sam Robinson

Working as the Raiders’ interim offensive coordinator, Scott Turner may end up needing to find another gig in 2025. As the Raiders sit 2-11, they will not be considered certain to retain Antonio Pierce and his staffers for the 2025 season.

Another opportunity could become available soon. The now-Bill Belichick–led North Carolina program is believed to view Turner as a top OC candidate, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. Unlike Belichick, Turner has a past coaching in college. Though, the second-generation NFL play-caller has spent most of his career in the pros.

Turner, 42, spent three seasons at Pittsburgh (2008-10) and later spent a year on Jim Harbaugh‘s Michigan staff (2017). Neither stint involved coordinator duties, but Turner has climbed to that level with multiple NFL franchises in the years since. Prior to being elevated to his current post after Luke Getsy‘s firing, Turner served as OC for the Panthers and Commanders.

It would be rather interesting if Belichick went in this direction, considering how close the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC is to Josh McDaniels. The latter served as Belichick’s Patriots OC for 13 seasons over two stints. McDaniels also regularly discussed pro and college opportunities with Belichick over the past few months. While a report indicated McDaniels and other ex-Belichick lieutenants were ready to follow the former New England czar wherever he went, it is unclear if that involved a college move as well. McDaniels having hired Turner while in place as Raiders HC adds intrigue here, as it provides a clear connection to Belichick, who has never worked with Turner previously.

Before coming to the Raiders as pass-game coordinator in 2023, Turner served as quarterbacks coach in Carolina; that tenure ended with Ron Rivera‘s firing keying a Norv Turner move out of the OC chair to clear the way for his son. Scott then followed Rivera to Washington, where he was tasked with leading offenses that did not have good answers at quarterback. The Commanders booted Turner after three seasons in which his offense finished outside the top 20 in scoring. This Raiders stint has yet to produce a win; it has also involved Turner coaching Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder in an offense that lost Davante Adams via an early-season trade.

In addition to Turner having worked with McDaniels, he overlapped with Mick Lombardi with the 2023 Raiders. The latter is the son of now-UNC GM Michael Lombardi. Mick is currently stationed as a 49ers senior offensive assistant. McDaniels has not been connected to an NFL job since his Raiders ouster, so it would surprise if he were not considered for the Tar Heels’ play-calling post. Then again, McDaniels has not stopped through the college ranks since beginning his career as a Michigan State graduate assistant in 1999. The underwhelming HC may well be aiming to return to the NFL soon, rather than it being automatic he follows his longtime boss once again.

AFC West Notes: Moss, Raiders, Chargers

December 5th, 2024 at 3:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Broncos were able to contain Jerry Jeudy when they opted to use All-Pro Patrick Surtain on their former receiver, the first-year Browns contributor otherwise preyed on the team’s primary Riley Moss replacement during a dominant Monday-night showing. Free agency addition Levi Wallace struggled mightily, leading to a late-game benching and exposing an issue for a Broncos defense that had entered the game as one of the NFL’s best. The Broncos have seen Moss deliver quality play in his first season as a starter, but an MCL sprain sidelined him for Week 13. It is not certain Moss will be ready to return after Denver’s bye week.

The 2023 third-round pick is slated to need “a couple” weeks to return, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler pointing to a re-emergence against the Colts next week being in play but perhaps not a certainty. A two-week absence from an MCL sprain would be on the short end as far as recoveries go. A long-term lens reveals the Broncos nabbing an important contributor in Moss, given the looks the team’s non-Surtain corners see, but a woeful coverage effort Monday exposes a short-term issue for the wild-card contender. Denver used fifth-round rookie Kris Abrams-Draine, making his season debut, late in the game, playing him ahead of third-year cog Damarri Mathis.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • When Antonio Pierce fired OC Luke Getsy, the Raiders installed Scott Turner as the interim play-caller. They also brought veteran Norv Turner out of retirement, with Scott indicating (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez) he spearheaded that effort. Norv, a three-time HC and Super Bowl-winning OC, had been out of the NFL since 2020. The 72-year-old coach is currently staying with his son in Las Vegas, as the Raiders attempt to find solutions on offense amid a rough season.
  • Norv Turner makes three former HCs on Pierce’s Vegas staff, joining Joe Philbin and Marvin Lewis. The Raiders also kept DC Patrick Graham around from Josh McDaniels‘ brief HC run while adding Getsy — the team’s second choice for OC after Kliff Kingsbury backed out during negotiations — as the top voice on offense. Getsy’s quick firing and how Pierce pieced his first staff together has drawn some internal pessimism, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Not having much NFL coaching experience nor possessing any college HC seasoning made Pierce a historic outlier in terms of NFL HCs, and it limited his coaching tree’s reach. Pierce leaned on his former Giants HC, Tom Coughlin, for guidance in assembling his first staff. Thus far, the Raiders are 2-10, having lost eight straight. Regardless of players’ push to have Pierce move to HC, Mark Davis is likely considering making the former interim boss a one-and-done as the full-time leader.
  • Ladd McConkey is battling two sprains presently. The blossoming Chargers rookie has been playing through an AC joint sprain, with Fowler adding he picked up a knee sprain against the Falcons. Jim Harbaugh was vague about the second-round wideout’s status for Sunday’s Chiefs rematch, but McConkey did log a limited practice Wednesday. McConkey, whom the team traded up for in April, has 401 more receiving yards (815) than the next-closest Charger.
  • J.K. Dobbins will not be part of the Chargers-Chiefs rematch, being placed on IR due to a sprained knee. Prior to going down, however, the resurgent running back picked up a $150K bonus by clearing 600 rushing yards for the season, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The injury-prone RB signed a one-year, $1.61MM deal this offseason. The team has Gus Edwards, tied to a more lucrative deal, and sixth-round rookie Kimani Vidal as its top backs on the 53-man roster.

Raiders Name Scott Turner Interim OC

November 5th, 2024 at 2:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

As expected, Scott Turner will take over for Luke Getsy. With the Raiders bringing in Norv Turner, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the team is officially promoting the second-generation NFL coach to the play-calling post.

This will make it five years out of the past six in which Scott Turner will have held an OC role. The former Carolina and Washington play-caller will attempt to revive a struggling Las Vegas offense.

Scott Turner has been with the Raiders for the past two seasons, joining the then-Josh McDaniels-led staff shortly after his Commanders ouster in 2023. Antonio Pierce moved on from offensive staffers Mick Lombardi — the team’s OC under McDaniels — and interim OC Bo Hardegree in his early months in the HC position. As he fired Getsy, Pierce then axed QBs coach Rich Scangarello and O-line coach James Cregg. This left Turner as one of the last men standing in Vegas, and he will have the opportunity to call plays for a third team.

It is safe to say Pierce has put his offense in the Turners’ hands. Norv is returning to the team he once coached (from 2004-05), with Rapoport adding his title will be senior advisor. This will be Norv Turner’s first NFL gig since 2019, when he changed positions to help his son earn a first chance at a play-calling gig. Scott Turner, 42, did not receive this chance upon Lombardi being fired but will now step in. Turner received interest regarding the Patriots’ OC job — one that went to Alex Van Pelt — this offseason.

The Commanders fired Scott Turner — more than 20 years after axing Norv from his HC post — after three seasons. While would-be Raiders OC Kliff Kingsbury is enjoying the chance to work with Jayden Daniels, Scott Turner mentored the likes of Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke, Dwayne Haskins and a 36-year-old Alex Smith coming off many surgeries to repair a broken leg. The results: not great. Turner oversaw 25th-, 23rd- and 24th-ranked scoring offenses from 2020-22. Although the Commanders received a lift from Smith en route to the playoffs in 2020, a lack of overall improvement prompted Ron Rivera to move on and hire Eric Bieniemy last year.

Despite Cam Newton going down in Week 2 of the 2019 season, Turner managed a 20th-ranked offense that year. Christian McCaffrey‘s 1,000-1,000 season led the way. The Raiders roster no comparable talent, which hamstrung Getsy. It looks like they are going to hang onto Jakobi Meyers, but the Silver and Black already traded Davante Adams. And they have repeatedly benched Gardner Minshew, the latest instance coming for Desmond Ridder.

The Turners will have their work cut out for them, and their showings could certainly play a role in Pierce’s Las Vegas future. Pierce has both Joe Philbin and ex-Packers OC Edgar Bennett on staff, the latter as WRs coach, but he will turn to the younger Turner at a key point during his HC tenure.

Philbin will, however, become the team’s interim O-line coach. This will be a familiar role for the former Dolphins HC, as he has primarily been an O-line boss during his career. Since his Dolphins firing, Philbin has been the O-line coach with the Colts and Cowboys. Prior to becoming the Packers’ OC in 2007, Philbin served as Mike McCarthy‘s O-line instructor. Added as a senior offensive assistant, Philbin will now return to mentoring blockers after Cregg’s firing came just nine games into his first Raiders season.

Raiders Undecided On OC, Considering Bringing Back Norv Turner

November 4th, 2024 at 12:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Tom Coughlin helping Antonio Pierce in 2023 and as he filled out a staff this offseason, the Raiders also hired 16-year NFL head coach Marvin Lewis as assistant HC. As Antonio Pierce became a historically unusual hire due to his lack of experience as an NFL coordinator or college HC, the former linebacker has not been shy about turning to former NFL HCs for assistance during his Raiders tenure.

Another former HC is on the second-year Raiders leader’s radar. With Luke Getsy out of the picture after just nine games, Pierce said the Raiders have not determined his OC replacement. Pass-game coordinator Scott Turner, however, should be considered a likely candidate, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore. Now, Scott’s father — three-time NFL HC Norv Turner — is believed to be on the Raiders’ radar, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes.

Scott Turner should be considered the lead candidate to succeed Getsy, Jones adds, and it would then be unsurprising if the Raiders added his father. Norv is viewed as a coach who would help in an unspecified capacity, rather than someone the team is considering to call plays post-Getsy.

The Turners worked together with the Panthers in the late 2010s under Ron Rivera; Norv served as Carolina’s OC from 2018-19 before stepping down during the ’19 slate and giving way to his son. Scott Turner became Carolina’s interim OC and then followed Rivera to Washington, where he served as the team’s play-caller for three seasons.

Now 72, Norv has 15 combined seasons of NFL head coaching experience. Given seven years as Washington’s HC, Norv later resurfaced as the Raiders’ leader (2004-05) and then replaced Marty Schottenheimer in San Diego. Norv Turner went 9-23 as Raiders HC, being in charge during the period in which the team separated from several of its Super Bowl XXXVII starters, including Rich Gannon, Tim Brown and Jerry Rice. The second of Turner’s Raiders HC seasons involved the Randy Moss acquisition. The better of Moss’ two Raiders years came under Turner, though winning proved elusive during an extended stretch of futility for the franchise.

Norv Turner coached the Chargers for six seasons, three of them producing playoff berths. Although Norv has considerable HC experience, he is also quite well known for his time as Jimmy Johnson‘s OC for the Cowboys’ 1992 and ’93 Super Bowl-winning teams.

Following his Chargers ouster, Norv Turner served as OC for the Browns (2013) and Vikings (2014-16). Although Norv Turner coached in Washington, his tenure did not overlap with Pierce’s. Washington added Pierce as a UDFA in 2001, months after Dan Snyder fired Turner. The Las Vegas HC had also considered hiring Hue Jackson this offseason but did not, adding former Dolphins HC Joe Philbin instead. If/when Scott Turner is officially elevated, the Raiders may soon have three former HCs on staff helping out as well.

Raiders Announce Finalized 2024 Coaching Staff

February 24th, 2024 at 2:40pm CST by Ely Allen

When the season ended, the Raiders stayed true to the wishes of many players, hiring interim head coach Antonio Pierce into the permanent role for the 2024 NFL season. Today, Las Vegas officially announced the entirety of the new staff under Pierce, cluing us into some developments that we hadn’t yet reported on. We were aware of the hires of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, offensive line coach James Cregg, senior offensive assistant Joe Philbin, quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello, assistant quarterbacks coach Fred Walker, and running backs coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams on offense as well as the hiring of assistant head coach Marvin Lewis. Here’s a rundown of the remaining staff updates.

On the offensive side of the ball, with quarterbacks, running backs, and offensive line covered, Getsy made the call to retain Edgar Bennett as wide receivers coach. Bennett has an extensive history with star wideout Davante Adams as the two have spent time together in both Green Bay and Vegas. Last year’s tight ends coach Jerry Schuplinski is now a senior offensive assistant with the Rams, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, so former Bears assistant offensive line coach Luke Steckel has been hired in his place. Steckel previously coached tight ends in Tennessee in 2021 and 2022, mentoring Chigoziem Okonkwo to an impressive rookie season. Steckel will be assisted by newly promoted assistant tight ends coach Mitch Singler, who served the past two years as offensive quality control for the Raiders.

Additionally, pass game coordinator Scott Turner has officially been retained after being considered a candidate for the Patriots offensive coordinator position, and former Bears assistant tight ends coach Tim Zetts has been added to the staff with the title of assistant offense. Lastly on offense, we were aware that the new head coach’s son, De’Andre Pierce, would be joining the staff, but whereas his initial position was reportedly going to be offensive quality control coach, we now know that he will be an offensive assistant.

On the defensive side of the ball, we had some idea of the fate of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who had been permitted to take interviews for head coaching jobs but was being blocked from lateral moves, and those ideas are now confirmed as he’ll be retained as coordinator. The team’s announcement shows that defensive line coach Rob Leonard and senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan have been retained, as well. Additionally, Matt Feeney, who has spent the past two seasons as a defensive quality control coach, has been promoted to assistant defensive backs coach.

Also on defense, we knew of the hiring of Mike Caldwell as linebackers coach, but today’s announcement informed us that he’ll hold the additional title of run game coordinator, as well. We also saw initial reports that Ricky Manning Jr. was being brought on as defensive backs coach, but he is officially listed now as cornerbacks coach with former Steelers assistant defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander being hired to coach safeties. Alexander assisted with a secondary in Pittsburgh that included Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Damontae Kazee, and Keanu Neal. Together, the two will replace Chris Ash, who was not retained as defensive backs coach, and Jason Simmons, who was recently hired as defensive pass-game coordinator in Washington. Also, we had reported the addition of former Jets defensive line coach Andre Carter to the staff, and we now know his new title in Las Vegas to be pass rush specialist.

Lastly on defense, we were informed of the hiring of Marcus Lewis as assistant linebackers coach and Josh Phillips as assistant defense. Lewis has recent experience as a defensive analyst at Arizona State and NFL experience after spending five years with the Bengals as an assistant working with the defensive line and linebackers. Phillips most recently served as head coach at Sarasota HS (FL), leading the team to a 1-9 record in his only season at the helm.

On special teams, we officially received word that both special teams coordinator Tom McMahon and assistant special teams coach Derius Swinton II would both be retained under Pierce. It appears that former NFL wideout Danny Amendola, who had been brought on as a coaching assistant to work specifically with returners, has not been retained, and Kade Rannings has been added to the staff as a second assistant special teams coach.

Lastly, the team announced that former director of football research and strategy Matt Sheldon will be on the sideline in the role of game management coach. Also, Jon Gruden‘s son, Deuce Gruden, is a surprising holdover as an assistant strength and conditioning coach after being retained by McDaniel’s staff following his father’s resignation in 2021.

There you have it. Though, much will remain the same with Pierce taking over the full-time role as head coach, plenty of changes were necessary. After another short head coaching stint by Josh McDaniels, Pierce seemed to rejuvenate a deflated squad to close the season. With a new staff of his own and a full offseason to work together, it will be interesting to see what Pierce will be able to accomplish in Las Vegas in 2024.

2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

February 9th, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a crowded carousel previously stopped, the 49ers opened their defensive coordinator position. Here is how the NFC champions’ search looks:

Updated 3-2-24 (10:00am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dave Ragone)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Ken Dorsey)

  • Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Bills): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed

Carolina Panthers (Out: Thomas Brown)

  • Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
  • Brad Idzik, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Luke Getsy)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Brian Callahan)

  • Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
  • Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Promoted

Cleveland Browns (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Mick Lombardi)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Kellen Moore)

New England Patriots (Out: Bill O’Brien)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Pete Carmichael)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Brian Johnson)

  • Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/23
  • Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Matt Canada)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Shane Waldron)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Dave Canales)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Tim Kelly)

  • Nick Holz, passing game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Eric Studesville, associate head coach/running backs coach (Dolphins): Interview requested

Washington Commanders (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): On team’s radar
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Hired

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Mike Macdonald)

  • Zach Orr, inside linebackers coach (Ravens): Promoted

Buffalo Bills

  • Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Promoted
  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview

Chicago Bears (Out: Alan Williams)

  • Joe Barry, former defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/27
  • Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): To interview
  • Eric Washington, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Bills): Hired
  • Terrell Williams, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Titans): To interview

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Dan Quinn)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Joe Barry)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Mike Caldwell)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Derrick Ansley)

  • Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Hired

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Raheem Morris)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Vic Fangio)

New England Patriots

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Promoted
  • Michael Hodges, linebackers coach (Saints): To interview
  • Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach (Panthers): To interview
  • Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Don Martindale)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Sean Desai)

  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Vic Fangio, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
  • Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/22

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
  • Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
  • David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
  • Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Promoted
  • Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Clint Hurtt)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Shane Bowen)

  • Brandon Lynch, cornerbacks coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/30
  • Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Hired

Washington Commanders (Out: Jack Del Rio)

  • Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Considered a candidate
  • Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Hired

Patriots Interested In Klint Kubiak, Scott Turner For OC Position

January 29th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have cast a wide net in their search for a new offensive coordinator. Several outside candidates are already known to be on the team’s radar, but the list of staffers drawing interest continues to grow.

New England has already met with 49ers assistant Brian Fleury for the OC gig, but he is not the only member of Kyle Shanahan‘s staff to have done so. Passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak also spoke with the Patriots about the position. In addition, as Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes, the Patriots plan to interview Raiders passing game coordinator Scott Turner this week.

Kubiak has been connected to three other coordinator vacancies during the 2024 hiring cycle as he considers a potential return to a coordinator posting. The 36-year-old held the position for one year (2021) with the Vikings before joining the Broncos the following year as their QBs coach. This past offseason, he joined Shanahan’s staff as passing game coordinator, making him a key figure guiding an offense which put up elite numbers in several categories and helped lead the team to the Super Bowl.

Because of that success, Kubiak can interview again during the upcoming week, but he cannot be hired until the end of the season. That does not apply to Turner, whose season ended after Week 18 with the Raiders falling short of the postseason. The latter has not yet been mentioned as a candidate for any OC opening around the league, but like Kubiak, he has coordinator experience.

Turner oversaw the Commanders’ offense from 2020-22, though he never guided the unit to a finish better than 23rdin scoring over that period. The 41-year-old spent this season with the Raiders, a team which underwent considerable staffing changes midseason with Antonio Pierce taking on head coaching duties. He is in place on a full-time basis, leaving open the possibility Turner and other assistants will be headed elsewhere this offseason.

Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley is the only Patriots candidate to have a second interview lined up so far. While he might therefore be the favorite for the position, New England is certainly employing a wide-ranging approach in its search to find a Bill O’Brien replacement.

Here is an updated look at the Patriots’ search:

Raiders To Fire OC Mick Lombardi, Promote Bo Hardegree

November 1st, 2023 at 9:51am CST by Sam Robinson

9:51am: Rather than Turner, the Raiders are promoting quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree to OC, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. McDaniels also hired Hardegree in 2022, while he and Kelly were both with the Broncos (2014) and Bears (2015). Unlike Turner, Hardegree does not have play-calling experience. He joined the Raiders after stints as an offensive assistant with the Jefs (2019-20) and Patriots (2021). That said, Hardegree, 39, did coach the Dolphins’ quarterbacks for three seasons under Adam Gase prior to following Gase to New York.

9:45am: Coming out of the overnight firing of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, the Raiders are also moving on from their offensive coordinator. They are firing Mick Lombardi, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer.

Lombardi, 35, operated as a non-play-calling OC during his two seasons in Las Vegas. While Lombardi was not a longtime Patriots staffer like McDaniels and Ziegler, he did come over from New England in 2022. The Raiders hired Lombardi after he spent the previous three seasons in Foxborough.

Lombardi’s name did not come up much during McDaniels’ tenure, but the two’s ties did not leave the young assistant on steady terrain. Mick Lombardi is the son of former NFL GM Michael Lombardi; Matt Lombardi also joined the Raiders’ staff as assistant wide receivers coach this offseason. This marked Mick’s first shot as an offensive coordinator.

Mick Lombardi served as the Patriots’ assistant quarterbacks coach in 2019 and the team’s wide receivers coach from 2020-21. While Jakobi Meyers — a Lombardi charge in New England — has played well since signing a three-year, $33MM deal, the Raiders’ offense exited Week 8 ranked 30th in DVOA and in points scored. The team has not scored more than 20 points on offense all season, with Maxx Crosby‘s safety being the only time the team broke out of the teens — in a Week 6 win over the Patriots.

In quickly moving on from their second-year power brokers, the Raiders made assistant GM Champ Kelly their interim general manager and bumped linebackers coach Antonio Pierce — a first-time NFL staffer — to interim HC. The team is now considering pass-game coordinator Scott Turner for the OC role, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Turner would be likely thrust into a play-calling OC post, with Pierce not a realistic candidate to call offensive plays. Turner served in that role for the past three seasons, in Washington, but Ron Rivera fired him following the 2022 campaign.

Prior to joining McDaniels and Bill Belichick, who also employed Michael Lombardi during two different stints (in Cleveland and New England), Mick Lombardi worked as a lower-level staffer with the Jets and 49ers. He has been an NFL staffer since 2013, breaking into the league on Jim Harbaugh‘s third 49ers staff. Turner, 42, is also a second-generation NFL staffer. Scott’s father, Norv, coached the Raiders from 2004-05.

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