What an eventful start we have had to the NFL offseason as news and rumors have been flying on coaching/GM candidates each of the four days. The addition of David Culley to the list of fired head coaches created yet another ripple through the NFL — the Texans’ next move will be highly scrutinized. Let’s take a look at what Friday is set to bring in terms of potential news around the NFL.
NFL News and Rumors Today
A quarter of the NFL is now looking for a new head coach; three of them are also looking for a new general manager. With all of the teams taking different approaches, we are in an intriguing spot in the coaching cycle. Friday could see the first coach or general manager of the cycle hired, and we will almost certainly see more interviews requested.
Chicago Bears
Fired: Matt Nagy (HC), Ryan Pace (GM)
Scheduled/requested HC interviews:
- Todd Bowles
Buccaneers defensive coordinator - Brian Daboll
Bills offensive coordinator - Matt Eberflus
Colts defensive coordinator
Monday, January 17 - Brian Flores
Former Dolphins head coach
Friday, January 14 - Leslie Frazier
Bills defensive coordinator - Nathaniel Hackett
Packers offensive coordinator
Saturday, January 15 - Byron Leftwich
Buccaneers offensive coordinator - Doug Pederson
Former Eagles head coach
Wednesday, January 12 - Dan Quinn
Cowboys defensive coordinator
Scheduled/requested GM interviews:
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
Browns vice president of football operations - Morocco Brown
Colts director of college scouting - Ran Carthon
49ers director of player personnel - Glenn Cook
Browns vice president of player personnel - Ed Dodds
Colts assistant general manager - Jeff Ireland
Saints assistant general manager
Friday, January 14 - Champ Kelly
Bears assistant director of player personnel
Thursday, January 13 - Omar Khan
Steelers vice president of football and business administration - Joe Schoen
Bills assistant general manager - Eliot Wolf
Patriots director of scouting
The latest: After a flurry of requests in the first half of the week, now the interviews are beginning for Chicago. Pederson is the only one to be completed so far, with Nathaniel Hackett to follow Saturday in terms of the head coach. With the Bears holding interviews with GMs and HCs at the same time, it will be intriguing to see how they bring together the process.
Denver Broncos
Fired: Vic Fangio (HC)
Scheduled/requested interviews:
- Eric Bieniemy
Chiefs offensive coordinator - Brian Callahan
Bengals offensive coordinator - Jonathan Gannon
Eagles defensive coordinator - Luke Getsy
Packers QB coach/passing game coordinator
Friday, January 14 - Aaron Glenn
Lions defensive coordinator
Thursday, January 13 - Nathaniel Hackett
Packers offensive coordinator
Thursday, January 13 - Jerod Mayo
Patriots LB coach - Kellen Moore
Cowboys offensive coordinator - Kevin O’Connell
Rams offensive coordinator - Dan Quinn
Cowboys defensive coordinator
The latest: There are a lot of intriguing names on this list for the Broncos. It is clear that Denver is not set on wanting a particular type of coach. They have an intriguing blend of offense, defense, youth, and experience among their requested candidates.
Houston Texans
Fired: David Culley (and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly)
Scheduled/requested interviews: N/A
The latest: After seemingly sitting out the first three days of the NFL offseason, the Texans sprung into action Thursday. They fired both their head coach David Culley and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly on Thursday. A report by Ian Rapoport suggested that Culley’s unwillingness to change his offensive staff was among the reasons for his dismissal.
With Houston’s front office having ties to New England, it is no wonder that three current or former Patriots coaches are among the candidates discussed so far. PFN’s NFL Insider and Chief Draft Analyst Tony Pauline reported that Josh McDaniels is in the frame.
Elsewhere, there have been reports that both Brian Flores and Patriots LB coach Jerod Mayo are among their top candidates. A report from CBS sports reporter Jonathan Jones stated that Pep Hamilton is likely to be the next OC.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Fired: Urban Meyer (HC)
Scheduled/requested interviews:
- Darrell Bevell
Jaguars interim head coach
Tuesday, January 11 - Todd Bowles
Buccaneers defensive coordinator
Friday, January 3 (Jan. 7 has also been reported) - Jim Caldwell
Former Colts and Lions head coach
Tuesday, January 4 - Matt Eberflus
Colts defensive coordinator
Saturday, January 15 - Nathaniel Hackett
Packers offensive coordinator
Friday, January 14 - Byron Leftwich
Buccaneers offensive coordinator
Friday, January 7 - Kellen Moore
Cowboys offensive coordinator
Friday, January 7 - Bill O’Brien
Alabama offensive coordinator
Thursday, January 13 - Doug Pederson
Former Eagles head coach
Thursday, December 30 - Dan Quinn
Cowboys defensive coordinator
After Cowboys’ regular season
The latest: It would seem that we are getting close to our first hiring of this cycle in Jacksonville. Bill O’Brien appears to be the front-runner, but the Jaguars have a couple more interviews scheduled for the next two days. Of the coaches they have publicly requested to interview, only Dan Quinn has not been interviewed.
Las Vegas Raiders
Resigned: Jon Gruden (HC)
Scheduled/requested interviews: N/A
The latest: The Raiders are really in a holding pattern in terms of their head coach for 2022 and beyond. With the Raiders still alive in the playoffs, the focus of the franchise is understandably on the playoffs.
Las Vegas is said to have interest in potentially hiring Jim Harbaugh as Jon Gruden’s replacement. Still, it would be an awful look to replace interim coach Rich Bisaccia, who got the Raiders to the playoffs.
Miami Dolphins
Fired: Brian Flores (HC)
Scheduled/requested interviews:
- Brian Daboll
Bills offensive coordinator - Leslie Frazier
Bills defensive coordinator
- Vance Joseph
Cardinals defensive coordinator
- Mike McDaniel
49ers offensive coordinator - Kellen Moore
Cowboys offensive coordinator - Dan Quinn
Cowboys defensive coordinator
The latest: The Dolphins are keeping their cards very close to their chest. We have seen some names trickling in, and there is a good mix of candidates among their requests so far. Experience seems to be the keyword around Miami, but there is plenty of youth on the list of requested interviews.
Minnesota Vikings
Fired: Mike Zimmer (HC), Rick Spielman (GM)
Scheduled/requested HC interviews:
- None announced
Scheduled/requested GM interviews:
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
Browns vice president of football operations - Brandon Brown
Eagles director of player personnel - Glenn Cook
Browns vice president of player personnel - Monti Ossenfort
Titans director of player personnel - Ryan Poles
Chiefs director of player personnel - Catherine Raîche
Eagles vice president of football operations - John Spytek
Buccaneers vice president of player personnel - Eliot Wolf
Patriots player personnel consultant
The latest: The Vikings seem to have set about hiring a GM first and then going from there. Their list contains Catherine Raîche, who is believed to be the first woman ever requested for a GM interview in NFL history. They now have five names on their list but appear to be taking the slow and methodical approach to this offseason so far.
New York Giants
Fired/retired: Joe Judge (HC), Dave Gettleman (GM)
Scheduled/requested interviews:
- Kevin Abrams
Giants assistant general manager - Ran Carthon
49ers director of pro personnel
w/c January 17 - Ryan Cowden
Titans vice president of player personnel
Friday, January 14
- Quentin Harris
Cardinals vice president of player personnel
Thursday, January 13 - Joe Hortiz
Ravens director of player personnel
Saturday, January 15 - Monti Ossenfort
Titans director of player personnel
Friday, January 14 - Adam Peters
49ers assistant general manager
w/c January 17 - Ryan Poles
Chiefs executive director of player personnel
Thursday, January 13 - Joe Schoen
Bills assistant general manager
Wednesday, January 12 - Adrian Wilson
Cardinals vice president of pro personnel
Wednesday, January 12
The latest: It has been a rocky few days in New York, but now the hard work comes of getting the hires right for their next GM and then subsequently their head coach. The Giants have been busy interviewing late in the first week of the offseason — we may not be far away from them hiring someone.
Seattle Seahawks
Fired: N/A
Scheduled/requested interviews: N/A
The latest: There has been no official word either way from the Seahawks on Pete Carroll. It seems likely that the veteran head coach will remain. However, after an eventful offseason last year, Seattle remains a place to watch this year.