The GM's, Coach's, Carousel

As expected, the Jets have fired coach Adam Gase.

Gase, who had the job for two years, exits with a record of 9-23. He got the job immediately after being fired by the Dolphins, where he served as the coach for three seasons, making the playoffs in his first year on the job.

“This evening, I informed Adam Gase he will no longer serve as the Head Coach of the Jets,” Jets chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson said in a statement. “During his time here, I had the pleasure to get to know Adam and his wonderful family and wish them nothing but the best moving forward. While my sincere intentions are to have stability in our organization — especially in our leadership positions — it is clear the best decision for the Jets is to move in a different direction. We knew there was a lot of work that needed to be done when Adam joined us in 2019. Our strong finish last year was encouraging, but unfortunately, we did not sustain the positive momentum or see the progress we all expected this season.

“To our fans, it is obvious we have not been good enough. We are committed to building a strong organization, on and off the field, and will continue to provide the necessary resources to field a team that you can be proud of.”

The move implies that G.M. Joe Douglas will return. Douglas was hired after G.M. Mike Maccagnan was fired, following the 2019 draft.

As mentioned earlier, owner Woody Johnson becomes the wild card in the equation for the Jets. He’ll return from his role as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom on January 21. How involved he becomes in the search for the next coach remains to be seen.

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The Doug Marrone era is over in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars have fired Marrone a day after a loss to the Colts left them with a 1-15 record for the 2020 season. The Jaguars fired General Manager Dave Caldwell during the regular season.

“I am committed and determined to deliver winning football to the City of Jacksonville,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “Realizing that goal requires a fresh start throughout our football operations, and with that in mind I spoke this morning with Doug Marrone to express my gratitude for his hard work over the past four seasons as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I’ll always appreciate Doug’s passion, grit and class, and I’m confident he will enjoy success in the next chapter of his career. As the search for our new general manager continues, now the quest begins to find a head coach who shares my ambition for the Jacksonville Jaguars and our fans, whose loyalty and faith are overdue to be rewarded.”

Marrone coached the final two games of the 2016 season on an interim basis after Gus Bradley was fired and then got the full-time job in 2017. The Jags went 10-6 and advanced to the AFC Championship Game that year, but went 12-36 over the next three seasons to touch off the housecleaning.

The Jags have already been linked to former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and their mix of early-round draft picks, including the first overall pick in 2021, and cap space should make it an appealing opportunity.

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Bengals announce Zac Taylor will return



Is 6-25-1 good enough to get Bengals coach Zac Taylor a third year on the job? Yes, it is.

The Bengals have announced that Taylor will return for 2021.

“Our fans wanted a fresh new direction two years ago, and that is what we aimed to do in hiring a bright, energetic head coach in Zac Taylor,” Bengals owner Mike Brown said in a statement issued Monday morning. “We remain bullish on the foundation Zac is building, and we look forward to next year giving our fans the winning results we all want. In Zac’s two years, we have added many new starters and contributors through the draft, we have invested heavily in free agency, and we have acquired a talented young quarterback with a bright future.

“This season we faced challenges with injuries at key positions and missed opportunities. I am proud of our football team for fighting hard through adversity. That adversity and hard work will help us next season. We’ll enter the offseason looking to shore up our weaknesses and amplify the strengths of our talented young core. We are not discouraged, but instead feel motivated and confident that next year will reap the benefits of the work that has been done to date. We must capitalize on the opportunities in front of us. Next year we will earn our stripes.”

The Bengals “acquired a talented young quarterback” because they bottomed out in 2019 with a 2-14 record. They doubled their wins in 2020, but lost quarterback Joe Burrow along the way to a serious knee injury.

But the Bengals have a habit of not firing coaches with guaranteed salary left on their contracts. That may have saved Taylor, or at a minimum it may have been a factor.

It will be interesting to see whether and to what extent staff changes are made, given that Taylor stay. Regardless, Taylor will be back for a third season in charge of the only AFC North team that didn’t make it to the playoffs in 2020.

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The Chargers have fired head coach Anthony Lynn.

The move was made this morning after a season in which the Chargers finished 7-9, missing the playoffs for the third time in Lynn’s four seasons.

Although Lynn got credit for the promising development of rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, he also took a lot of criticism for the Chargers’ many close losses, in which game management mistakes came back to bite them.

The Chargers are now the sixth NFL team seeking a new head coach. The Chargers job will be an attractive one to a coach who thinks Herbert is the long-term answer at quarterback, although there are plenty of other spots on the roster that need work.

Also seeking new coaches are the Jaguars, Jets, Lions, Texans and Falcons.

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Source: Urban Meyer is looking for $12 million per year



It’s become the worst-kept secret in NFL circles that the Jaguars coaching job will go to Urban Meyer if he wants it. As of Sunday, the question was whether he wants it.

If he wants it, he’ll want to be paid for it. Handsomely.

A league source tells PFT that Meyer is looking for $12 million per year.

That’s not a crazy number, given the manner in which the market is going. The Panthers gave Matt Rhule nearly $9 million per year when he made the jump from Baylor to Carolina last year. And plenty of NFL coaches are getting paid in the eight figures annually.

With Meyer, the question is whether his success at Ohio State and Florida will translate to the NFL. If, as it appears, the Jaguars believe it will, it’s a fair price given the broader realities of the industry, especially as gambling promises to goose revenue to unprecedented levels, and beyond.

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Think we can throw in some GM's and Coordinators for good measure also...

The Broncos are in the market for a General Manager.

John Elway has been in that role since 2011, but announced on Monday that he is stepping away from that job. He will remain the president of football operations and will oversee the search for a new G.M.

“Working in this role for the last 10 years and going back to my playing days, I’ve always tried to do everything I can to help the Broncos win and get better,” Elway said in a statement. “As part of a transition I’ve thought about for a long time, I have made the decision to step up into an elevated role and hire a general manager to lead our personnel and football staff.”

Elway said the new G.M. will have “final say on the draft, free agency and our roster.” He emphasized that the new hire will be working in partnership with head coach Vic Fangio to make football decisions.

The next G.M. will not be vice president of player personnel Matt Russell. The team said Russell was offered a chance to interview, but will assist Elway with the search and then retire instead of pursuing the position.

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Lions set to interview several G.M. candidates this week



The Lions are interviewing a few head coaching candidates this week and they’ll also continue their search for a new General Manager.

Albert Breer of SI.com reports that the team will interview Saints assistant G.M. of pro personnel Terry Fontenot on Tuesday. Rams director of college scouting Brad Holmes and Vikings assistant G.M. George Paton will interview on Wednesday and Saints assistant G.M. of college personnel Jeff Ireland is expected to meet with the team on Friday.

The Lions interviewed three internal candidates during the season and also spoke with former Falcons G.M. Thomas Dimitroff, former Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli, and ESPN analayst Louis Riddick.

There was also word of interest in making a move to hire Seahawks G.M. John Schneider over the weekend, although it would be a complicated move to pull off.

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Another year, another search for an offensive coordinator in Minnesota.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak plans to retire.

Kubiak, 59, became assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2020, a year after joining the team as assistant head coach and offensive advisor. He added the coordinator role and title after offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski was hired to coach the Browns.

Stefanski became the coordinator late in the 2018 season, after John DeFilippo was fired during his first season on the job. Before that, Pat Shurmur held the job in 2017 and part of 2016, after Norv Turner resigned during the season.

Kubiak previously retired while coaching the Broncos, leaving a year after winning Super Bowl 50. He served as a senior personnel advisor with Denver in 2017 and 2018 before getting back into coaching. Before joining the Broncos, Kubiak served as head coach of the Texans from 2006 through 2013.

The Vikings will now need yet another offensive coordinator. Whether they will continue the run-centric Kubiak offense or pivot to an attack more premised on the pass remains to be seen.


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Chargers request permission to interview Jason Garrett



Former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett could be getting a second chance to run a team of his own.

The Chargers have formally requested permission to interview Garrett, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. Fired by the Cowboys after the 2019 season, Garrett served as offensive coordinator with the Giants in 2020.

He generated a record of 85-67 in more than nine seasons as the Dallas coach. In the postseason, Garrett’s Cowboys were 2-3.

The Chargers job is one of the most attractive in the current cycle, given the presence of quarterback Justin Herbert and a roster full of talented players. Based on the team’s performance in 2020, the Chargers need a coach who can better manage the team on game days, quickly and confidently making big decisions like when to go for it on fourth down, when to go for two, when to call time outs, etc.

Which suggests, well, never mind.

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Arthur Smith drawing plenty of head coaching interest



The Titans had one of the top offenses in the league this season and the coach running the unit is drawing a lot interest from teams looking for head coaches.

Albert Breer of SI.com reports that five teams that have openings have requested interviews with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The Lions put in an early request and they were followed by the Chargers, Jets, Jaguars, and Texans before the day was out.

The Falcons are the only team not on that list, but Breer reports that they’ve shown interest and could throw Smith into their mix as well.

Smith has been with the Titans since 2011 and is in his second year as their offensive coordinator. His offense has thrived behind strong performances from running back Derrick Henry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill, wide receiver A.J. Brown, and others. We’ll see if that lands him a chance to try for similar success with a different cast of players.

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Report: Raiders pursuing Gus Bradley for defensive coordinator job



The Las Vegas Raiders have requested permission to interview Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley for the same position with their franchise, according to Vic Tafur of TheAthletic.com.

Despite the Chargers firing head coach Anthony Lynn, the rest of the coaching staff remains under contract for the time being. That’s why the Raiders would need to ask permission to speak with Bradley about a position on their staff.

Bradley’s first NFL job came as a linebackers coach under head coach Jon Gruden in Tampa Bay in 2006. Bradley then headed to Seattle to become defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks under head coach Jim Mora and remained in the role a year later when Pete Carroll took over the franchise. He joined Lynn’s staff with the Chargers after a four-year run as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Now that Bradley is coming available, Gruden is looking to bring him to Las Vegas to take over the defensive coordinator job. The position had been filled by Rod Marinelli on an interim basis after the Raiders fired Paul Guenther in December.

The report also notes the Raiders are expected to speak with Rams linebackers coach Joe Barry about the position as well. Barry is Marinelli’s son-in-law.

The Chargers ranked in the top 10 of the league in total defense in each of the last three seasons with Bradley as coordinator.

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Report: Chargers ask for interview with Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy



The Los Angeles Chargers have requested permission to interview Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for their head coaching position, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.

While he may not have history with the team in Los Angeles, Bieniemy played four years for the San Diego Chargers as a running back from 1991-1994 and was a part of their AFC Championship roster that lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX. Bieniemy rushed for 711 yards and four touchdowns during his time with the Chargers.

Now, Bieniemy is perhaps the highest profile offensive coach of the hiring cycle. Bieniemy has spent the last three years as the offensive coordinator under Andy Reid for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Bieniemy had a virtual interview with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday and has separate interviews scheduled with the Detroit Lions and New York Jets as well.

Bieniemy has spent the last eight years with the Chiefs. He joins Reid’s staff as a running backs coach in 2013 and moved into the offensive coordinator role when Matt Nagy was hired by the Chicago Bears in 2018.

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Atlanta: Fired head coach Dan Quinn and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff after 0-5 start. Interviewed interim head coach Raheem Morris. Interviewed 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on January 4. Interviewed Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on January 4. Requested interview with Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown. Interviewed former Texans G.M. Rick Smith and Falcons director of college scouting Anthony Robinson. Scheduled interview with Saints assistant G.M. of pro personnel Terry Fontenot. Requested interview with Rams director of college scouting Brad Holmes. Requested interview with Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

 

Detroit: Fired head coach Matt Patricia and General Manager Bob Quinn in November. Interviewed their vice president of player personnel Kyle O’Brien, director of player personnel Lance Newmark, and director of pro scouting Rob Lohman. Interviewed former Falcons G.M. Thomas Dimitroff. Interviewed former Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli. Interviewed ESPN analyst Louis Riddick. Interviewed former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. Reportedly interested in Seahawks G.M. John Schneider. Set to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy January 4, interim head coach Darell Bevell January 5, and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh January 7. Expected to interview Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Saints assistant head coach/tight ends coach Dan Campbell. Expected to interview Saints assistant G.M. of pro personnel Terry Fontenot, Rams director of college scouting Brad Holmes, Vikings assistant G.M. George Paton, and Saints assistant G.M. of college personnel Jeff Ireland.

 

Houston: Fired head coach/General Manager Bill O’Brien early in the season. Interviewed former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. Interviewed former Lions head coach Jim Caldwell. Interviewed ESPN analyst Louis Riddick for G.M. job. Requested interviews with Ravens director of football research Scott Cohen and Seahawks vice president of player personnel Trent Kirchner. Expected to interview Bills director of pro personnel Malik Boyd. Requested interview with Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio. Requested interview with Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Requested interview with Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Interviewed Steelers VP of Football & Business Administration Omar Khan on January 4. Requested interview with Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.



Jacksonville: Fired General Manager Dave Caldwell in late November. Fired head coach Doug Marrone on January 4. Interviewed ESPN analyst Louis Riddick. Interviewed former Giants G.M. Jerry Reese. Interviewed former Texans G.M. Rick Smith. Interim G.M. Trent Baalke is expected to be a candidate. Reportedly interested in former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer. Requested interview with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Requested interview with Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

 

Digging this thread...

 

Thanks, man. I was bored this morning and noticed this was a very busy and rapidly changing part of the NFL, so I decided to throw this together. Its going to be a really busy off-season and its off to a flying start.

 

Report: Panthers interviewing Monti Ossenfort for G.M. opening



The Panthers are adding another name to their list of General Manager candidates.

Albert Breer of SI.com reports that the team is interviewing Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort on Tuesday.

Ossenfort is wrapping up his first season in the job. He had been the director of college scouting for the Patriots before making the move to Tennessee and his name came up in G.M. searches before he left New England for his current job.

One of Ossenfort’s former colleagues from New England has also come up as a candidate in Carolina.

Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio joins Bills assistant G.M. Joe Schoen, Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Saints assistant G.M. Jeff Ireland, 49ers vice president of player personnel Adam Peters, Colts assistant G.M. Ed Dodds, Chiefs assistant director of player personnel Ryan Poles, and former Giants G.M. Jerry Reese in a group of those who have interviewed or who the Panthers would like to interview.

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Lions confirm they have interviewed Eric Bieniemy, Marvin Lewis



The Lions have already conducted at least two interviews for their head coaching vacancy, with more on the way.

Lions President Rod Wood confirmed this morning that the team interviewed Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. With those interviews, the Lions have complied with the Rooney Rule.

The Lions are also interviewing Darrell Bevell, who finished the season as the team’s interim head coach, today.

Wood said the Lions may hire their head coach before they hire their next general manager, as the Lions’ organizational structure will see the coach and GM working jointly rather than the coach reporting to the GM. So although the Lions are still in the process of interviewing GM candidates, it’s possible that they’ll move quickly in hiring their next head coach.

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Texans interview Nick Caserio, Trent Kirchner



The Texans took care of a couple of interviews with General Manager candidates on Tuesday.

The team announced that they completed an interview with Seahawks vice president of player personnel Trent Kirchner. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports that they also spoke with Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio.


It’s not the first time through the interview process for either man and Caserio was thought to be the guy the Texans wanted to hire as G.M. in 2019, but language in his contract barred anything from moving forward.

The Texans have also interviewed Steelers vice president of football and business administration Omar Kahn and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick. Ravens director of football research Scott Cohen and Bills director of pro personnel Malik Boyd are also thought to be on the list of candidates in Houston.

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