Shane Steichen

Texans Request Five HC Interviews

January 9th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions made major strides on offense this season, and their young coordinator received an interview request Monday. Not long after their Lovie Smith firing, the Texans requested an interview with Ben Johnson, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Other interview requests are coming in fast.

49ers DC DeMeco Ryans, Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon and Broncos DC Ejiro Evero are on the team’s candidate list, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adding the Texans have requested interviews with each defensive play-caller (Twitter link). While KPRC’s Aaron Wilson reported Evero, Johnson and Gannon are expected to be in the mix, he added Ryans is not expected to pursue the job. It will be interesting to see how the former Texans linebacker proceeds regarding this request.

Johnson has been with the Lions since Matt Patricia‘s hire in 2019. Dan Campbell not only kept Johnson on but promoted him this past offseason. The production of Jared Goff and Jamaal Williams certainly will boost Johnson’s chances, and this probably will not be the only job he winds up being linked to during this cycle.

Johnson’s age (36) and the experience levels of the other candidates are notable here. The Texans made two odd hires in 2021 and ’22, adding 60-somethings in Smith and David Culley despite neither being on the radar for other teams at the time. GM Nick Caserio made each a one-and-done, leading to rumblings about his own future. Evero is the oldest of this bunch, at 42, with Gannon being 40 and Ryans — a Texans inside linebacker from 2006-11 — having entered the profession a bit later. The 38-year-old DC, however, will be one of this interview cycle’s top names, considering what he has done with the 49ers’ defense this season.

Robert Saleh‘s successor, Ryans has rocketed onto the HC tier — to the point he is expected to land a job — after elevating San Francisco’s defense to the No. 1 spot. The 49ers launched their 10-game win streak by mounting a four-game streak in which they held opponents without a second-half touchdown. It will certainly be interesting if Ryans passes on a meeting with his former team, but the Texans’ past two coaching searches — each involving Josh McCown, despite no NFL staff experience — have surprised. The Broncos also requested a Ryans meeting.

The other Eagles coordinator — OC Shane Steichen — joins Gannon among the Texans’ interview requests, Rapoport adds (via Twitter). Considering Jalen Hurts‘ progression and the Eagles’ run to the NFC’s No. 1 seed, it should be expected Steichen — the former Chargers OC — receives attention during this year’s cycle. Steichen is 37. The Eagles, who were linked to veteran QBs via trade this past offseason, rank third offensively and have shown malleability under Steichen. Nick Sirianni gave Steichen the play-calling reins midway through the 2021 season, and the Eagles’ pivot to a run-heavy offense drove them to last year’s playoff bracket. Hurts’ progression as a passer this year led to the team’s latest crack at the NFC’s top seed.

The reported frontrunner, Gannon was a finalist for Houston’s HC position last year. That makes his inclusion in Caserio’s third HC search in three years more intriguing. The Eagles also progressed significantly on defense, using a menacing pass rush — one that fell two sacks shy of the 1984 Bears’ single-season record — to spearhead a unit that ranks second in total defense. It is entirely possible the Eagles lose both their coordinators this year, but candidates might be choosey with regards to the Texans, given their recent history.

Evero makes for one of the more unusual candidates in recent years. The Broncos finished 5-12 and fired the coach who brought in Evero — Nathaniel Hackett — after 15 games, making him just the third coach since the 1970 merger to be canned before his first season wrapped. But Evero was on Sean McVay‘s first five Rams staffs and was rising before Hackett hired him. Despite steady injuries and Denver’s offense cratering under Hackett, Evero’s defense finished seventh this season.

Panthers’ Post-Rhule Fallout: Termination, Replacement, Trades

October 10th, 2022 at 10:04pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL news circuit was set ablaze today when news broke of the firings of Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow. The termination of Rhule was not necessarily a surprise, as he’s been firmly on the hot seat all year and the possibility of firing Rhule had been discussed “well before” today, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, but it did create a newsworthy fallout of information that is of interest to those who follow the sport.

Many have talked about the contract implications of Rhule’s termination, alluding to the millions of dollars still remaining on his contract. While it’s completely applicable to Rhule’s situation, it doesn’t sound like it is a concern to Carolina. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted out that “Carolina is on the hook for this season, but the salaries for the ensuing seasons are offset by what his future college job pays him.” Essentially, Rhule will absolutely get his guaranteed money, but the onus won’t be on Carolina to pay it. Whenever Rhule, who is presumed to be a top college coaching candidate for next year, gets another job, his salary from the new school will offset the amount the Panthers owe him.

It was also announced that Panthers defensive passing game coordinator & secondary coach Steve Wilks will sub in as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The defensive-minded former head coach of the Cardinals has apparently already begun to make the team his own. When Panthers owner David Tepper was asked why Snow was fired, he reportedly pointed the finger at Wilks, telling reporters to direct that question to the interim head coach, according to ESPN’s David Newton.

Here are a few more fallout items from today, starting with some ideas on Rhule’s replacement:

The biggest nugget to come out of today concerning Carolina is that, as most NFL executives expected Rhule to lose his job, many in league circles are expecting the Panthers to start dealing veteran assets in an attempt to accrue draft capital that might make the head coaching position more attractive, according to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post. The Panthers currently only hold four draft picks for 2023: first-, second-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks, supporting the idea that trading away veterans could improve their current situation. Trading away veterans with expensive contracts, such as star running back Christian McCaffrey or wide receiver Robbie Anderson, could prove troublesome, according to La Canfora, so the Panthers are reportedly willing to eat some of those salaries in order to facilitate moving those assets. Early reports claimed that the Bills have reached out about McCaffrey and that they did in the offseason, as well, according to Person, but Tom Pelissero of NFL Network clarified that, while every team will be calling about McCaffrey, the Panthers haven’t engaged in any trade talks yet. In addition to McCaffrey and Anderson, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports expects wide receiver D.J. Moore, defensive end Brian Burns, and defensive tackle Derrick Brown to be on the table.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic posed the question today of who might replace Rhule and offered quite a few suggestions. Howe started the list with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who took the Falcons to the Super Bowl as head coach in 2016. Next, he mentioned 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. Ryans interviewed for the Vikings’ job this offseason and was expected to interview for the Raiders’, as well. The 38-year-old has rocketed up coaching boards since retiring as a player in 2015. Another name mentioned was Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon who also interviewed for the Vikings last year, in addition to the Texans and Broncos. Howe went into great detail on every candidate, seeming to list anybody who may be up for a head coaching job in the next few seasons. His list included former NFL head coaches including the retired Sean Payton, Steelers senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, and former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, as well as the current interim head coach, Wilks. Other serious candidates Howe mentioned were Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The list essentially devolved into an article about anybody who may make the jump to NFL head coach in the next few seasons, pointing out “wait and see” candidates such as Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, and Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale.
One interesting name that came out of today’s rumors was former Panthers All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly. Joe Person of The Athletic advised that an eye be kept on Kuechly, who remains close with Wilks and new defensive coordinator Al Holcomb, to come back in some capacity. After retiring from a pro scout position last year, Kuechly has been working as an analyst on Panthers radio broadcasts.

OC Shane Steichen To Call Eagles’ Plays

June 3rd, 2022 at 1:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Eagles hired an offense-oriented head coach in Nick Sirianni, he will work in a sideline CEO-type role next season. Offensive coordinator Shane Steichen will call Philadelphia’s plays in 2022, he said Friday (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, on Twitter).

This will not necessarily represent a change. Sirianni began his Eagles debut season calling plays, but he handed the reins to Steichen midway through the campaign. That resulted in a shift for the team, which used a more run-centric offense down the stretch to craft a surprise playoff route.

Steichen’s role in the offense does make Sirianni’s stand out. The former Colts offensive coordinator did not call plays while in that post, with Frank Reich doing so. Most of the league’s head coaches with offensive backgrounds call their teams’ plays. Sirianni’s approach resembles Mike McCarthy‘s in Dallas, where OC Kellen Moore holds that responsibility.

“I think last year, we were a new staff and we were evolving as an offense. And so as the season got going on, I ended up taking over more of the play-calling midseason,” Steichen said, via Eagles Wire’s Glenn Irby. “And then, again, Nick has a stamp on every single thing we do. So in the meeting rooms, he has a stamp on everything we do. Every play that’s on that call sheet, he makes sure it’s justified and we’re good to go.”

Steichen’s previous position was as a play-caller for a team with an offense-geared HC (Anthony Lynn). The Chargers promoted Steichen to OC during the 2019 season, and he continued to call plays in 2020, playing a central role in Justin Herbert‘s Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign. Steichen’s encore in this role illustrated a willingness to play to a team’s strengths. The Eagles became the first team since the 1985 Bears to rush for at least 175 yards in seven straight games. Philly finished the season as the NFL’s top-ranked rushing attack.

Steichen, 37, may need to adjust again given the personnel change that occurred on the draft’s first night. The team’s key ball-carrying principals — Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Jalen Hurts — return, but Philly’s offense figures to change now that A.J. Brown is on the team. Brown comes from a Titans team that also centered its offense around the ground game, but the Eagles authorized a wide receiver-record $56MM fully guaranteed upon trading for the fourth-year playmaker. That will require an increased aerial focus, something that should help the team determine Hurts’ long-term viability.

Nick Sirianni Tests Positive For COVID-19

December 22nd, 2021 at 1:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Sirianni became the second NFL head coach to test positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Following Jets HC Robert Saleh, Sirianni is now in the league’s COVID protocol.

The Eagles announced their first-year coach experienced symptoms. Although Sirianni remains hopeful to be cleared in time to coach Sunday against the Giants, the Eagles could well be without their play-caller in Week 16.

If Sirianni is unable to recover in time, passing-game coordinator Kevin Patullo will be Philadelphia’s acting HC. Offensive coordinator Shane Steichen will call plays in this scenario, Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com tweets.

Under Sirianni’s guidance, the Eagles have reeled off one of the most successful rushing stretches in modern NFL history. They are riding a streak of seven straight games with 175 rushing yards, a run not matched since the 1985 Bears accomplished this. The Eagles’ win over Washington on Tuesday moved them to .500; FiveThirtyEight.com gives Philly a 36% chance to make the playoffs. The Eagles lost to the Giants in the teams’ New Jersey meeting, but Big Blue will not have Daniel Jones this time around.

Two head coaches — the Saints’ Sean Payton and the Browns’ Kevin Stefanski — missed last week’s games due to positive coronavirus tests. Stefanski has been cleared to return. Payton has not.

Nick Sirianni To Call Eagles’ Plays

January 29th, 2021 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have a new head coach in Nick Sirianni and a new offensive coordinator in Shane Steichen. However, Sirianni will be the one calling plays.

[RELATED: Duce Staley Joins Lions]

“I do plan on calling the plays,” Sirianni told the team website. ““I know we’re going to work really hard throughout the week to make sure we’re ready,” Sirianni said. “And then we’re built with the right people in place to handle the challenges that I foresee as the most challenging things.”

The challenge, Sirianni says, will be to manage all aspects of the game while also calling the plays. Interesting, Sirianni has never called plays at the NFL level, despite serving as the Colts’ offensive coordinator in his last job. The Eagles trust his judgement, however. The 39-year-old guided the Colts through their transition from Andrew Luck to Philip Rivers. Under Sirianni’s watch, Rivers completed 68% of his throws for 4,169 yards with 24 touchdowns against eleven interceptions, leading Indy to the playoffs.

Recently, Sirianni also tapped a new quarterbacks coach, though the status of the actual QB position remains murky.

Eagles Hire Shane Steichen As OC

January 25th, 2021 at 8:27am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles will hire Shane Steichen as their new offensive coordinator (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The deal will likely become official sometime this week.

[RELATED: Duce Staley Wants Out]

Steichen has history with new head coach Nick Sirianni – the two worked together with the Chargers from 2014 through 2017. Most recently, Steichen served as the offensive coordinator in Los Angeles, guiding Justin Herbert in his tremendous rookie season. Some believed that Steichen would be a candidate for the Seahawks opening, following Brian Schottenheimer‘s firing, but he’s heading out east instead.

The Bolts promoted Steichen from quarterbacks coach to OC in October 2019 after Ken Whisenhunt‘s offense tanked. Under Whisenhunt, the run game was downright pitiful: The Chargers went four straight games without achieving 40 yards rushing, leaving them in the bottom third of the league in points. With Steichen at the helm, things improved – the Chargers finished out that year ranked No. 12 in DVOA.

Now, the 35-year-old will be tasked with getting Carson Wentz back on track. He’ll also have to hire a new assistant to help with the run game with Duce Staley leaving.

Eagles Hire Jonathan Gannon As DC; Latest On OC Search

January 24th, 2021 at 8:40am CST by Rory Parks

The Eagles have hired Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon as their new defensive coordinator, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Albert Breer of SI.com reported yesterday that Gannon had emerged as the favorite for the job and that all signs were pointing towards a union between him and Philadelphia (Twitter link).

Both Rapoport and Breer classify Gannon as a coveted addition, with Breer noting that the former Colts staffer had multiple coordinator offers. We knew that both the Chargers and the Bears were considering Gannon, and it’s possible that those two clubs extended him offers, along with the Eagles.

Of course, Gannon may have chosen the Eagles because of his familiarity with new Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni, who served as the Colts’ OC over the past three seasons. Sirianni was clearly a fan of Gannon’s work, as he was a key part of a staff that helped turn Indianapolis’ defense into one of the league’s top units over the past several seasons. Under Gannon’s watch, cornerback Xavier Rhodes revived his career in 2020, while fellow CB Kenny Moore and safety Khari Willis also turned in strong seasons.

Meanwhile, Sirianni is acting quickly to fill out the rest of his staff. Mike Klis of 9News.com reports that the Eagles are meeting with Broncos RB coach Curtis Modkins about their OC opening, while Rapoport notes that the club is also interviewing Chargers OC Shane Steichen (Twitter links).

Modkins is the more experienced of the two, having served as running backs coach or offensive coordinator with seven different NFL teams since 2008. But Steichen is at least partially credited for Justin Herbert‘s terrific rookie season in Los Angeles in 2020, and he and Sirianni did work together on the Chargers’ offensive staff from 2014-17.

In related news, the Eagles considered interviewing Josh McCown for their head coaching position before hiring Sirianni, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. McCown, who is now under consideration for the Texans’ HC job, impressed Eagles brass with his leadership skills and football acumen during his recent stint as a Philadelphia quarterback, and the club believes he has what it takes to be an NFL coach.

But the fact that he had no coaching experience of any kind led the Eagles to move in a different direction.

Seahawks Fire OC Brian Schottenheimer

January 12th, 2021 at 6:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

A day after Pete Carroll said Brian Schottenheimer would stay on as offensive coordinator, the Seahawks have reversed course. Schottenheimer is out after three seasons as Seattle’s OC, according to the team, which cited “philosophical differences.”

Carroll said Monday during an interview with 710 ESPN Seattle that Schottenheimer would be back next season (Twitter link via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta), but the franchise will instead look for his replacement.

Often criticized for overusing the run game, Schottenheimer nevertheless oversaw a season that saw Russell Wilson break the team’s single-season touchdown pass record (40) and D.K. Metcalf break Steve Largent‘s 35-year-old single-season receiving yardage record (1,303). The traditionally conservative Carroll attributed the Seahawks’ return to a run-oriented offense down the stretch as an effort to prevent turnovers. This came after Wilson struggled with interceptions during a midseason swoon. The Seahawks ranked 17th in total offense but eighth in points this season; they ranked top 10 in scoring during each of Schottenheimer’s three seasons calling plays.

Seattle was on a historic offensive pace (and a historically bad defensive pace) to start the season, turning Wilson loose in September and October. But he committed seven turnovers in losses to the Bills and Rams. After five 300-yard passing performances from Weeks 1-9, the ninth-year quarterback did not eclipse 270 yards in any game in the season’s second half. Schottenheimer’s firing comes after Wilson’s woeful 11-for-27 playoff outing, which included a pick-six on a wide receiver screen pass.

Schottenheimer, 47, has been an NFL OC for three teams — the Jets, Rams and Seahawks — and began that run in 2006. He stayed on during multiple Jets coaching regimes but was let go after the 2011 season. During his 12 seasons in charge of offenses, only one of them — the 2019 Seahawks — ranked in the top 10 in total yardage.

As for the next Seahawks OC, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo throws out former Chargers play-caller Shane Steichen as a name under consideration (Twitter links). Despite the Chargers going through a coaching change, Steichen’s work with Justin Herbert should ensure he will see another play-calling opportunity soon.

Chargers Request Interview With 49ers DC Robert Saleh

January 5th, 2021 at 3:01pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

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.

Chargers Re-Sign OC Shane Steichen

February 4th, 2020 at 12:18pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s official. On Tuesday, the Chargers formally re-signed offensive coordinator Shane Steichen to a brand new deal that will keep him on board for the 2020 season and beyond.

Terms of the deal are not yet known, but Steichen’s pact almost certainly will take him through the 2022 season, and possibly longer. Steichen started last season as the team’s quarterbacks coach, but he was bumped up to the OC job – with play-calling responsibilities – after Ken Whisenhunt was canned in October.

Under Whisenhunt, the run game was downright pitiful: The Chargers went four straight games without achieving 40 yards rushing and their spotty aerial attack had them ranked No. 23 in the league in points. With Steichen at the helm, things improved somewhat – they converted on more red zone opportunities, placed No. 12 in DVOA on the year, and averaged nearly three more points per contest in the second half of the season.

Meanwhile, Steichen’s effect on wide receiver Mike Williams was immediately apparent – the former first-round pick had an iffy start to the year, bu the helped kick off the OC’s promotion with three catches for 111 yards against the Packers in Week 9. All in all, he had 582 receiving yards in the back half of the season and finished with a league-leading 20.4 yards per reception.

Steichen’s relationship with Philip Rivers could help to facilitate a reunion. The veteran is scheduled for free agency and recently bought a home in Florida, but the Chargers are still open to keeping him via a new deal or the franchise tag.

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