HEADLINES

Bengals Expected To Hire Al Golden As DC

January 21st, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

TODAY, 6:18pm: According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB, Golden is expected to interview with the Bengals at some point over the next 48 hours. Assuming all goes well, the team will then name Golden as their new defensive coordinator.

TODAY, 9:20am: With the college football season over, Al Golden is eligible to make a return to the pro coaching ranks. Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator appears to have his next NFL gig lined up.

Golden is the Bengals’ top target for defensive coordinator, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Head coach Zac Taylor has paused his search for other candidates in anticipation of pursuing a hire in this case. Golden previously worked under Taylor as Cincinnati’s linebackers coach for the 2020 and ’21 seasons.

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic confirms Golden has long been considered the top DC option for the Bengals. Over the next few days, he is expected to finish his tenure with the Fighting Irish (which began in 2022) with a Cincinnati interview likely to take place on Wednesday. After that, Dehner notes, it appears to “inevitable” Golden will be hired to return to the Bengals.

When Taylor was hired as head coach in 2019, he brought in Lou Anarumo as his first defensive coordinator. The latter remained in place for six years, but after the 2024 campaign he was fired. Anarumo has since agreed to charge of the Colts’ defense while the Bengals have yet to replace him. If all goes according to plan with Golden, though, that vacancy will be filled very shortly.

Cincinnati ranked sixth in the NFL in scoring this year, with Joe Burrow topping the league in passing and wideout Ja’Marr Chase winning the ‘Triple Crown’ by finishing first in receptions, yards and touchdowns. In spite of that, the team finished 9-8 and out of the postseason in large part due to defensive shortcomings. After finishing 25th in points and yards allowed, there is considerable room for improvement on that side of the ball moving forward. Golden – who has previously been a DC at Virginia in addition to his time in that capacity with Notre Dame – could soon find himself as an NFL coordinator for the first time.

Via PFR’s coordinator search tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand for the Bengals:

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive coordinator (Patriots): Interviewed
  • Matt Eberflus, former head coach (Bears): Mentioned as candidate
  • Al Golden, defensive coordinator (Notre Dame): Hire expected
  • Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed
  • Wink Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Rumored candidate

Terrell Williams Favorite For Patriots DC Job?

January 21st, 2025 at 6:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Mike Vrabel has already found his new offensive coordinator. Now, it sounds like the new Patriots head coach is zeroing in on his defensive coordinator. According to Matt Zenitz CBS Sports, the Patriots are targeting Lions DL coach Terrell Williams for their DC gig.

[RELATED: Patriots To Hire Josh McDaniels As OC]

Albert Breer of TheMMQB provides some more insight, noting that the Patriots requested and were granted permission to interview Williams. The Patriots have also spoken to the coach (although it sounds like conversation this was more informal than an official interview), and people within the Lions organization are expecting Williams to head east.

Williams was one of Vrabel’s most-trusted lieutenants during their time in Tennessee, where Williams served as assistant head coach in addition to his duties as defensive line coach. The duo worked alongside each other for their entire five-year stint with the Titans, and that relationship automatically made Williams a name-to-watch for the Patriots DC gig.

Over his five years as the Titans DL coach, the team allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL. The coach was credited with the development of Denico Autry, who compiled at least eight sacks in three-straight seasons, and former first-round pick Jeffery Simmons, who earned a pair of All-Pro nods under Williams’ tutelage. After the Titans cleaned house last offseason, Williams joined the Lions as their run-game coordinator/defensive line coach.

While the fate of Jerod Mayo‘s staff was uncertain, it seemed pretty clear that Vrabel would look to bring in his own coaches. DeMarcus Covington was New England’s DC in 2024, with the Patriots ranking just outside the bottom-10 in points allowed and yards allowed.

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.

Patriots Conduct OC Interview With Vikings’ Grant Udinski

January 21st, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots are among the teams in need of a new offensive and defensive coordinator. The list of candidates to interview for the former position has expanded.

New England met with Grant Udinski yesterday, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. That makes him the third candidate to interview for the OC vacancy. The Patriots are, of course not alone in showing interest in the Vikings’ assistant OC, though. Udinski is also among the finalists for Seattle’s offensive coordinator position.

The Patriots are starting over at a number of positions on their staff with Mike Vrabel in place as head coach. That is common practice in the NFL, but with a pair of coordinator spots to fill the team will look to move quickly. Udinski does not have a history with Vrabel, but he is held in high regard around the league and could take on his first career coordinator gig as early as this season as a result.

The 28-year-old worked as a graduate assistant in 2019 before following Matt Rhule from Temple to Carolina one year later. After two seasons with the Panthers, Udinski joined the Vikings’ staff under Kevin O’Connell. He took on the position of assistant quarterbacks coach last year, and had assistant OC added to his title for the 2024 campaign. After a season in which Sam Darnold exceeded expectations in Minnesota, Udinski’s stock has certainly risen in short order.

The Patriots have Drake Maye in place as their quarterback of the present and (at least short-term) future, but the rest of the offense faces plenty of questions. Upgrading along the O-line and adding at the receiver position will be key offseason priorities, something the team’s next OC will no doubt have a say in once a hire is made.

Via PFR’s OC/DC tracker, here is an updated look at the Patriots’ ongoing search:

Broncos, Other Teams Interested In Darren Rizzi For ST Coordinator

January 21st, 2025 at 12:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

Darren Rizzi does not appear to be on track to land one of the remaining head coaching positions in this year’s hiring cycle. The Saints’ special teams coordinator is nevertheless an in-demand staffer at the moment.

In the wake of the Bears reaching an agreement with Ben Johnson to become their next head coach, it was learned Rizzi is on the team’s radar. He is a candidate to serve as Chicago’s special teams coordinator moving forward, something which would displace incumbent Richard Hightower. The Bears could have competition for Rizzi’s services, though.

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes the Broncos are attempting to hire Rizzi for their own special teams coordinator position. Denver moved on from Ben Kotwica last week after he spent two seasons in that role. Head coach Sean Payton has been in place with the Broncos since the start of the 2023 campaign, but in that time he has made several moves aimed to reuniting with players and coaches from his time with the Saints. As a result, Rizzi was named as a candidate to watch closely once Kotwica was dismissed.

Biggs adds that two other teams also “believed to be in the mix” for Rizzi. The 54-year-old took over as New Orleans’ interim head coach after Dennis Allen was fired. The two could reunite in Chicago (in the event Allen were to take over as defensive coordinator), but Rizzi is still in contention for the Saints’ head coaching position. Lions DC Aaron Glenn has a second HC interview lined up, although he appears to be on track to take charge of the Jets if things go according to plan. Provided that turns out to be the case, Rizzi will still be in the running for New Orleans as well as outside ST coordinator gigs.

According to Biggs, it is unclear at this point how likely it is that Rizzi could come to Chicago. For the time being, Hightower remains in place and Biggs notes he could be retained as part of Johnson’s initial Bears staff. The team showed improvement in the third phase down the stretch that year, and it will be interesting to see if Johnson opts for continuity for 2025.

Jets Schedule Second GM Interview With Lance Newmark

January 21st, 2025 at 11:47am CST by Nikhil Mehta

JANUARY 21: Newmark is traveling to the Jets’ facility today, Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports. That means his second interview will take place on the same day as Glenn’s; as such, a pair of major organizational moves could be made in the immediate future.

JANUARY 20: The Jets have scheduled a second interview for their general manager vacancy with Lance Newmark, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Newmark is currently the assistant GM for the Commanders, who he joined last offseason after 26 years with the Lions. In Detroit, he spearheaded scouting operations and roster management as senior director of player personnel, overseeing the team’s remarkable turnaround over the last few years. He also has experience leading the Lions’ Football Technology and Football Information departments.

Newmark’s tenure in Detroit also resulted in a strong relationship with both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, who emerged as top head coaching candidates this cycle. Johnson is no longer available after accepting a job with the Bears, but Glenn has continued to pick up momentum in New York.

Glenn is “very interested” in coaching the Jets, who are “highly intrigued” by the leadership and schematic advantage he would bring, per Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. He may be even more inclined to take the job if paired with a former colleague in Newmark.

The offseason hiring cycle is starting to speed up, so the Jets may need to move quickly if they want to hire Glenn and Newmark for their top leadership positions. Glenn is scheduled for a second interview in New York this week, but is also considered a frontrunner for the Saints job, while Newmark has also interviewed for the Raiders’ GM gig.

Seahawks Schedule Second OC Interview With Hank Fraley

January 21st, 2025 at 10:12am CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions have already lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Bears, while defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn looks to be on track to land the Jets’ head coaching gig. Detroit’s staff could even more shorthanded in the near future.

Offensive line coach Hank Fraley is scheduled to take part in a second interview for the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator position, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports. This in-person meeting will take place today. Fraley is now the third candidate who has advanced to the finalist stage.

Seattle replaced Pete Carroll with Mike Macdonald as head coach last offseason, and Ryan Grubb was brought in as offensive coordinator. That setup did not go as planned, though, and Grubb was among the coordinators fired at the end of the regular season. Seattle has met with five replacement candidates so far, and with a trio of finalists in place it would come as a surprise if that list were to expand any further.

Fraley’s virtual interview with the Seahawks was his first for an offensive coordinator position. O-line coaches do not generally tend to receive coordinator opportunities, but the 47-year-old is held in high regard. He quickly transitioned to coaching after a decade-long NFL playing career, working with offensive lines at both the college and NFL levels. Fraley has been in the Motor City since 2018, and he was promoted to O-line coach in 2020.

The success of his unit has been a driving force for the Lions’ overall play on offense in recent years. As a result, losing Fraley would deal a blow to Detroit on that side of the ball. Head coach Dan Campbell said yesterday he is prepared to look at internal and external candidates to replace Johnson, and Fraley could receive consideration if he were to remain with the Lions. A departure could take place depending on the outcome of his Seattle interview, however.

Via PFR’s coordinator search tracker, this is how things are shaping up for the Seahawks:

Jets Aiming To Finalize Aaron Glenn HC Hire

January 21st, 2025 at 8:41am CST by Adam La Rose

With Ben Johnson having agreed to become the Bears’ next head coach, attention has now turned to his former Lions coordinator colleague Aaron Glenn. The latter will conduct a second interview with the Jets today, and he may soon have a deal in place.

New York’s goal is to make it through today’s meeting without Glenn leaving the facility, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. No agreement has been worked out yet, but achieving that objective would take Glenn off the list of remaining HC candidates. A second interview with the Saints is scheduled for tomorrow, but it is telling that the 52-year-old elected to speak with the Jets first.

As Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo adds, Glenn spent part of yesterday speaking with assistants who may join him on his next staff. The presumed destination for that scenario was New York, another indication the team has landed on its preferred coaching candidate. If a deal is finalized, it will pave the way for a reunion in Glenn’s case.

The former Pro Bowler played 205 games in the NFL. The first 121 of those came with the Jets, and Glenn served as a full-time starter throughout his time with the team, earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods. Earlier in the hiring cycle, it became clear New York (along with New Orleans) represented a serious potential landing spot in the event he were to receive a head coaching opportunity. Glenn has never led an NFL staff, but it appears that will change shortly.

The Jets hired a highly-regarded defensive coordinator in 2021 when Robert Saleh was brought in. He remained in place through the midway point of the 2024 campaign, posting an overall record of 20-36 prior to his dismissal. Things did not go according to plan when DC Jeff Ulbrich was promoted to interim head coach, leaving some to expect an offense-oriented replacement would be brought in f0r 2025. If the Glenn hire goes through, though, the opposite will be true.

Glenn began his pro coaching tenure with the Browns, spending two seasons with the team before coaching the Saints’ defensive backs for five years. His first coordinator gig came with Dan Campbell and the Lions in 2021, and the team’s defense has improved in terms of points allowed every year since then. The Lions dealt with a slew of injuries from the regular season through to this weekend’s upset loss in the divisional round, but after ranking seventh in the NFL in scoring defense Glenn’s stock has not taken a hit.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes the Jets do not currently have any other in-person HC interviews scheduled. The same is also true of the team’s general manager vacancy, with Lance Newmark set to take part in his second interview today. Newmark’s career included a lengthy tenure in Detroit, and he has a strong relationship with both Johnson and Glenn. SNY’s Connor Hughes reports Newmark was expected to follow Johnson to the Raiders, but since that is not the case he is free to work with Glenn in New York. A hire on both fronts could happen as early as today.

With their coaching search seeming to be close to the finish line, here is a look at where things stand for the Jets:

Bears Hire Ben Johnson As HC

January 20th, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

No second interviews are coming for Ben Johnson, after all. The coveted coordinator has made his choice, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the Bears are expected to reach an agreement with the three-year Lions play-caller. The deal is now official, per a team announcement.

Although Johnson had stepped away as the Panthers’ preferred candidate in 2023 and then informed the Commanders late in last year’s process he was out, the Bears will land the coach who had been viewed by many as this year’s biggest fish. This represents one of the more significant developments in modern Bears history, as they had been connected to the rival coordinator for months.

As of Sunday, the Jaguars and Raiders were still in pursuit. Johnson had spoken to Tom Brady for hours during a Zoom meeting, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports, but the Las Vegas setup had a notable hole the Chicago gig does not. The Bears used the Bryce Young trade to acquire the 2024 No. 1 overall pick, giving them Caleb Williams access. They have now secured a coach to develop the well-regarded prospect. The Raiders have yet to identify a quarterback, with Brady tasked with helping the organization land one. Las Vegas also dropped to the No. 6 pick thanks to two late-season wins, which may well have been a factor in this now-Brady-led HC search.

The Jaguars’ setup is not in line with what Johnson preferred, Russini adds, helping to eliminate them. Jacksonville made the unexpected move to keep Trent Baalke as GM after firing Doug Pederson. Baalke’s polarizing presence was believed to have turned off some coaching candidates, and it appears Johnson was one of them. The Jags were believed to be open to moving Baalke to a different position in the organization depending on their HC hire, as they prepared an aggressive Johnson push, but that may not have been enough to satisfy a coordinator with options.

The Bears may be zeroing in on a defensive coordinator as well. As Russini reported, both Dennis Allen and Lou Anarumo had engaged in discussions about potentially joining Johnson wherever he landed. Johnson is expected to choose Allen, and Anarumo just committed to be the Colts’ DC. Allen has indeed emerged as a prime candidate to follow Johnson to Chicago, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Allen was in charge of the Saints’ defense from 2016-24, before being fired during his third season as head coach. Though, the ex-Sean Payton assistant — Aaron Glenn‘s boss in New Orleans — played the lead role in turning the Saints’ defense around during Drew Brees‘ final seasons.

Baalke’s Jacksonville presence may not be too dissimilar to how Chicago’s power structure looks now. Candidates were curious about what role third-year president Kevin Warren would play. While Warren had said GM Ryan Poles was running what turned out to be an expansive search — featuring nearly 20 confirmed candidates — the team president was believed to be closely involved in football operations. Advertised as an exec who would primarily stay on the business side, Warren has been instead heavily involved in football matters.

This setup still did enough for Johnson, who will work with Poles in attempting to restore the Bears as a power in a strong division. It should also be noted (h/t Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager) Poles and Johnson were each Boston College graduate assistants in the late 2000s. Poles served on the football staff in 2008 after his playing career ended, while Johnson was at BC from 2009-10.

Dan Campbell said earlier today he did not expect either Johnson or Glenn to return. Glenn remains a candidate with several HC-needy teams, but Johnson has loomed as Detroit’s more coveted option. His decision to back out of the Commanders’ job came as reps from the NFC East club were en route to Detroit for interviews with he and Glenn. Rather than hire Glenn, Washington chose Dan Quinn.

The latter’s team just eliminated Johnson’s from the playoffs, freeing the Bears up to make their preferred hire now rather than wait at least another week. Had the Lions held seed and advanced to Super Bowl LIX, the Bears would have needed to wait until after the mid-February event to make their hire.

The Lions’ shortcoming will benefit the Bears, who have not been able to firmly establish themselves as a contender since at least the mid-2000s. And that defense-powered operation only stayed afloat on that level for two seasons. The Bears have not made three straight playoff berths since Mike Ditka‘s tenure more than 30 years ago. The offensive minds the Bears have hired in the recent past (Marc Trestman, Matt Nagy) have not been able to move the needle, Nagy’s two playoff berths notwithstanding. Johnson, however, checks in as a candidate on a higher plane by comparison to those two HCs or really any coach the Bears have hired in recent history.

Although the Lions did not book three straight playoff berths during Johnson’s tenure, they may well be on their way to that. Detroit’s hotshot OC, promoted from a post as tight ends coach after being hired by Matt Patricia, played a central role in the long-downtrodden organization’s climb. The innovative play-caller drove Detroit to two fifth-place offensive rankings and this season’s top mark in terms of scoring. The Lions ranked in the top four in yardage in each of Johnson’s three seasons calling plays.

Johnson, 38, restored Jared Goff as an upper-crust quarterback, doing so after the Lions had acquired the five-year Rams starter as the throw-in piece in the 2021 Matthew Stafford trade. Goff guided Detroit to last year’s AFC championship game and a 15-2 record this season. Johnson was seen as the architect of that resurgence.

Whereas Trestman was given Jay Cutler and Nagy mostly Mitchell Trubisky, Johnson will be tasked with developing Williams. It looks like he chose a Williams partnership over seeing what Brady could come up with in Vegas or working with Trevor Lawrence — and a $55MM-per-year contract — in Jacksonville. Williams ranked 28th in QBR this season, one in which the Bears had Thomas Brown move to three positions — pass-game coordinator, OC and interim HC — during a disjointed campaign marred by a 10-game losing streak. Williams showed a Justin Fields-like penchant for taking sacks, leading the NFL with 68. But the former Heisman winner also showed flashes that attracted candidates; he is signed through at least 2026 on a rookie contract.

This Johnson hire will be the Bears’ aim to maximize their Williams investment, and the team having D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze signed long term undoubtedly helped woo the picky HC candidate. The Raiders and Jags will need to pivot to other options, while the Bears stand to immediately become more interesting in a division in which they finished five games behind the third-place Packers. Johnson will get to work at attempting to reel in his former employer and a Vikings team that just went 14-3.

Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is how the long-running Chicago HC search wrapped up:

Pete Carroll Moving Into Frontrunner Position For Raiders’ HC Job?

January 20th, 2025 at 11:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Ben Johnson choosing to team with Caleb Williams in Chicago, his other two suitors will need backup plans. While Liam Coen has been closely tied to the Jags, the Raiders may have a more experienced option in mind.

Pete Carroll was among the many candidates to meet with the Bears, but the former Super Bowl-winning HC also interviewed for the Raiders’ job. As Johnson is Chicago-bound, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed indicates Carroll looks to have moved into frontrunner position in Las Vegas. This marks the second mention of Carroll being a true candidate in Las Vegas.

The Raiders are using the Korn Ferry search firm’s Jed Hughes to help them identify their next coach, and Reed points out Hughes helped guide Carroll to the Seahawks in 2010. This connection is certainly interesting, and a Carroll HC appointment would both make him the rare fourth-chance NFL HC and represent a stark difference from the direction the Raiders were prepared to go with Johnson.

Although Tom Brady spoke with Johnson extensively over Zoom and had eyed the Lions’ OC for a while, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz indicates the team was never considered the frontrunner for the hotshot play-caller. The Bears were viewed as the early favorites, and the team stuck the landing with the picky candidate. Johnson’s decision will certainly affect the Raiders, who joined the Jaguars in appearing to have him atop their candidate list.

Carroll turned 73 in September. As this space has regularly reminded, no team has hired a head coach older than 66 (Bruce Arians, 2019). Those reminders generally pertained to Bill Belichick, who will turn 73 in April. But Belichick is now at North Carolina. Although a few rumors — including one involving the Raiders — have mentioned some uneasiness on the Tar Heels’ part, Belichick is believed to be committed to trying his hand in the ACC. Although Arians is the oldest full-time HC ever hired, Carroll joins Romeo Crennel, George Halas and Marv Levy as coaches to man the sideline at 72. Of course, Carroll would become the oldest HC in league history if the Raiders hire him. No one has coached a game at 73 previously.

It would certainly be interesting, then, if Carroll became the oldest HC ever hired after Belichick punted on another HC carousel stay. Carroll spent 14 seasons as Seahawks HC but was Belichick’s Patriots predecessor (1997-99) as well. He began his head coaching run as a one-and-done Jets leader in 1994. (Brady was a rookie in 2000 and did not overlap with Carroll in New England.) To be on the radar for a job 30 years later represents remarkable staying power for the two-time Super Bowl coach.

Following the Johnson-Bears agreement, here is how the Raiders’ HC search looks:

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