Dan Graziano
Jeremy Fowler
Jeremy Fowler
senior NFL national reporter
January isn’t only reserved for the NFL playoffs. It’s coach interview season, and league insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano are here to break down the biggest questions, latest news and notable buzz around the six coaching vacancies. They’ve been making calls around the league to get the newest information on what’s happening with the recent openings for the Patriots, Jaguars and Raiders, along with the previous openings with the Jets, Saints and Bears. And they also gathered info on some of the newly available general manager and coordinator positions around the NFL.
Will the Patriots and Raiders go after the same candidate? Just how desirable is the Jacksonville job? Where are the Jets, Saints and Bears at after playing big chunks of their 2024 campaigns with interim coaches? And what is going on with the open Jets and Titans general manager positions?
We’ll hit on all that and more, as our insiders answer big questions and empty their reporter notebooks with everything they’ve heard on the hiring front.
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Patriots | Raiders | Jaguars
Jets, Saints, Bears updates
Latest buzz and notes
Graziano: A lot of people’s first instinct is to connect former Titans coach Mike Vrabel here, which makes sense. He’s in the Patriots Hall of Fame for his contributions as a player and retains ties to ownership. But I wouldn’t rule out Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for this job at all. I think a lot of what the Patriots are looking for is going to center on getting the most out of quarterback Drake Maye. With Maye in place, their considerable cap space ($91.75 million, according to Roster Management System) and a high draft pick to help kick-start the build, this job is going to be of real interest to top offensive candidates such as Johnson. I wouldn’t be surprised to see former Pats defensive coordinator Brian Flores get a look here either, though he said Tuesday he had yet to hear from New England.
Fowler: Agreed, this is a job with sneaky good interest. It’s become clear that synergy with the general manager and internal alignment will be important to Johnson, and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf is someone who could get along with Johnson. I could see that pairing working. Johnson will interview Friday.
New England has just four candidates scheduled, with Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich having spoken with the team Tuesday and Vrabel scheduled for Thursday. Vrabel is indeed the heavy favorite from all that I’m hearing, as he fits the mold when it comes to organization, player development and leadership. Whether Vrabel wants a level of personnel say or his own guys in the building remains to be seen. But New England should cast a wider net, right, Dan?
Graziano: I think it would be a good idea for the Patriots to do a fairly wide search, for a few reasons. From a Rooney Rule standpoint, It’s not going to be a great look for them to do the bare-minimum required minority-candidate interviews of Leftwich and Hamilton on Tuesday, then interview Vrabel on Thursday and hire him right away.
To be clear, I think Vrabel’s a great candidate and they would do well to end up with him. But for people who say the fix was in, they’re going to have a case. Also … the Patriots haven’t done a real coaching search in 25 years! Bill Belichick was there forever and then Mayo was the designated successor. A few things have happened in football in the past quarter-century, and it might be worth gathering thoughts or opinions on it. I’ve always believed a coaching search is a license to pick the brain of anyone you want in the whole league, so why not interview a ton of people?
Fowler: The Patriots, perhaps more than any other team, should have a wide-ranging process. The need for fresh ideas and processes is apparent. One note on Vrabel: There is buzz in some coaching circles that Josh McDaniels could be a prime candidate to be Vrabel’s offensive coordinator. That would be quite the nostalgia tandem, and though McDaniels is a two-time failed head coach, no one disputes his coordinator chops. It would be good for Maye, but so would having Johnson as the head coach.
Graziano: The roughly 45 hours that passed between the Patriots firing Mayo and the Raiders firing Antonio Pierce doesn’t sound like much, but it could prove costly if the Raiders were hoping to get Vrabel. As we discussed in the Patriots question, it’s possible New England wants to move fast. But plenty have been connecting Vrabel with Las Vegas due to the expected influence of new minority owner Tom Brady, and it’s possible the Raiders take a run at the former Titans coach. Brady also knows Flores from their time together in New England.
Fowler: You know what else looms large? The fact the Raiders probably had the league’s worst quarterback depth chart in 2024. That has to get fixed. While getting the best fit and leader is paramount, the Raiders would be foolish to eschew top offensive candidates.
The league is ripe with examples of savvy offensive minds who instantly changed the tenor of a franchise upon becoming a head coach. Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is one to watch, and it’s worth noting the Raiders tried to hire Commanders offensive coordinator Kilff Kingsbury to the same position under Pierce. I’ve got Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as a sleeper. And I imagine Flores gets a look.
0:47
Graziano: Tom Brady to have role in picking new Raiders coach
Dan Graziano details the Raiders letting go of Antonio Pierce and Tom Brady being a part of the hiring process.
Graziano: That’s the thing. This job is a bit of a tough sell because there’s no way to know what the quarterback situation is going to look like. Will they be breaking in a young guy? If so, does the Flores-Tua Tagovailoa stuff from Miami give you pause? Are you signing or trading for a veteran, and if so, would it help if the new coach had some kind of prior connection with him?
It’s hard to imagine the Raiders know what they’re going to do at quarterback, so they’re going to need to find a head coach they believe can work with a number of different situations. And because they won’t be able to give their candidates many (if any) concrete answers about their QB plan, it might be tricky for them to land their top choices.
Fowler: These are all valid questions, which is why I could see Vegas targeting culture-builders for interviews. I was told not to sleep on Pete Carroll’s potential involvement. Reports implicated Bill Belichick, whose buyout at North Carolina is $10 million, as a person of interest via the Brady connection. I’ll believe that when I see it, though.
Another thing worth knowing: When I polled league executives on Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ prospects as an NFL head coach, they were nearly unanimous that Las Vegas would be the best — and possibly only — fit. The bright lights and the Davis family’s propensity for splash would coalesce with Sanders, who seems committed to Colorado but is an intriguing interview prospect. My guess is teams such as Vegas would at least want to hear what he has to say.
Fowler: I’m hearing that offensive creativity will be a consideration, with Johnson, Coen and Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady among coaches to garner heavy interest. The Jaguars want to maximize quarterback Trevor Lawrence‘s capacity once and for all, and the wide receiver position was one of their only bright spots last season.
But the bigger question that has the league buzzing — is Trent Baalke the general manager moving forward regardless of the coaching hire, or could a specific coaching hire change that? The sentiment in some league circles is that Johnson is intrigued by this job but might want his own general manager in place. Baalke is handling this search and has hit the ground running, and some people in the building are skeptical that a prospective coach can power-play Baalke out of town.
Graziano: I think that skepticism is justified, because we heard a lot of the same stuff three years ago — that some candidates weren’t sold on the idea of working with Baalke. Even after Doug Pederson got the job, I thought Baalke could eventually be in trouble, but Pederson decided not to push the issue. So I think compatibility with Baalke is probably going to be important, because the new coach will likely have to work with him. If someone like Belichick were still a possibility, perhaps the Jaguars might move on from Baalke to clear room. But of the current crop of candidates, I’m not sure any is going to have the juice to tell Jaguars ownership, “It’s me or him.”
As for the desirability of the job, I think there will be people who want to work with Lawrence and an owner who hasn’t been scared to spend on players. Lawrence has flaws, but he’s obviously someone you can win games with and, unlike a few of these other situations, the quarterback situation in Jacksonville is stable for years to come.
Fowler: A new staff that comes in with a defined plan for Lawrence and builds layups in the game plan will go a long way to help him. We saw that in 2022, Pederson’s first season in Jacksonville and his last as the primary playcaller. Then something got sideways. But multiple people I’ve spoken to in the organization believe there’s no reason Jacksonville should be a four-win team based on the team’s overall talent. The Jaguars’ past three hires were previous head coaches who skewed toward offense. This time, I sense that Jacksonville will target a first-time head coach with an offensive background. If prime candidates can get past the Baalke dynamic, then this might be the best job going.
Graziano: This continues to be the spot most people seem to have pegged for Johnson, assuming he’s good with the front office structure. Lawrence is only 25 years old, so it’s not as if all the hay is in the barn on his development. My guess is working with him will be appealing to top offensive-minded candidates.
Fowler: The Saints are taking a low-key approach, with sources telling me that, as of Wednesday afternoon, their candidate list hadn’t grown past Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, the Bills’ Brady, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, current interim coach Darren Rizzi, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Vrabel. I expect that list to expand, but the Saints were using these seven as a launching point.
This is a coveted job among people I’ve spoken to recently. I’ve heard that Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy could have some interest, so it wouldn’t shock if the Saints try to talk to him should he be free to do so (McCarthy’s contract with the Cowboys expires Tuesday). Glenn still seems like the favorite, but he could have options. Glenn and Brady both have New Orleans connectivity as former Saints staffers.
Graziano: Agreed that Glenn seems like the favorite in New Orleans. He’s extremely well regarded in that building and very well known because he previously worked there.
The Jets are casting a wide net, but the three names I’m hearing most are Vrabel, Glenn and Flores. All those guys are drawing interest elsewhere, and Glenn and Flores are in good situations currently. So it’s possible the Jets don’t get any of the three, which is one reason they are looking at a bigger pool of candidates. Former Jets coach Rex Ryan and current interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich have fans in the building and shouldn’t be completely ruled out, but I think they’re long shots at this point. My sleeper is former Falcons head coach and current Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who can’t interview until next week because Pittsburgh plays Saturday.
Fowler: The Jets are set to speak with more than two dozen candidates between the GM and head coaching positions. People I’ve talked to think they will go offense on the coaching side, but some of the strongest candidates are on defense, which could sway things. And the Jets are speaking to an intriguing mix of salary cap and personnel candidates for the GM role, so some around the league are wondering if they make two hires — a general manager and an executive director of football operations, similar to what the Panthers did with Dan Morgan and Brandt Tilis.
It sounds like the Bears will make their initial case for Johnson this week via a virtual interview. Where do you see that going?
Graziano: I think he’ll have some interest in that job. Jobs with a good young QB are the most likely for Johnson, though maybe Chicago and Jacksonville more because the Patriots might be locked in on Vrabel.
Johnson is appealing on his own, but the Bears would get the bonus of weakening a division rival in Detroit with that hire. Either way, I expect Johnson will take a head coach job this cycle. He has been squirrely about it the past couple of years, but people I talk to close to the situation believe he’s in a different frame of mind and expect him to embrace the opportunity if it’s offered, which I believe it will be.
The Bears are obviously talking to a lot of people, including some very seasoned veteran head coaches. So they might have to go through this first round of interviews and decide exactly how important previous experience is to them. That could determine Johnson’s prospects there.
Fowler: More than half of the candidates the Bears will interview have previous head coaching experience, which seems essential for a franchise that watched too many clumsy finishes under Matt Eberflus. That’s why Vrabel would make sense, though he’s considered a front-runner in New England. My sense is McCarthy will have interest should he leave Dallas, something we’re guaranteed to get clarity on by the time his contract expires. And as we reported, Pete Carroll is set to speak with Chicago on Thursday.
2:21
Could Pete Carroll help turn the Bears around?
“The Pat McAfee Show” crew discusses the Bears’ plans to interview Pete Carroll for head coach and whether he’d be the right person for the job.
Graziano’s notes:
The Jets have interviewed several general manager candidates, and that list has grown larger now that they’re able to talk to candidates currently employed by other teams. Former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff and former Titans GM Jon Robinson both did well in their interviews in December, I am told, and I would expect them to be candidates as the process continues to unfold. I’d also watch Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi, who probably would be a name you’d be hearing a lot more if there were more GM openings. And they’re talking to Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby, who is widely regarded as a future GM and a name to watch.
As for the Titans, who fired GM Ran Carthon on Tuesday, their situation is a bit different. Tennessee president of football operations Chad Brinker appears to and will continue to have the most power in that front office, and he said Tuesday he’s looking for a GM with a strong scouting background to help implement a “draft, develop and retain” model. Brinker worked in Green Bay for 13 years before arriving in Tennessee two years ago as assistant GM, so expect to hear some Packers front office names mentioned as candidates. Two mentioned to me were Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan and player personnel executive Lee Gissendaner.
A few people I’ve talked to expect former Jets head coach (and former 49ers defensive coordinator) Robert Saleh to be the favorite to land back in San Francisco to fill their open defensive coordinator position. Saleh is also on the Jaguars’ list of head coach interviewees, so one would assume he’d let that situation play out before taking a coordinator job.
Former Saints head coach Dennis Allen should have options on the defensive coordinator circuit as well. There are intriguing openings tied to open head coach jobs, as the Bears, Jets and Jaguars all have good defensive building blocks. There are also open defensive coordinator jobs in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, where the head coaches aren’t turning over.
1:43
Was Bengals DC a scapegoat for disappointing season?
Dan Orlovsky wonders if defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was unfairly blamed for the Bengals disappointing season.
Fowler’s notes:
Cowboys coach McCarthy and owner Jerry Jones spent significant time Tuesday and Wednesday discussing the future — whether it’s a new contract in Dallas or McCarthy potentially coaching elsewhere in 2025. People I’ve talked to in Dallas believe McCarthy is more likely to stay in Dallas than leave, but both sides need to be sure, and they have less than a week to figure it out. McCarthy has leverage and options. And as several coaches have told me this week, why wouldn’t teams want to speak to a Super Bowl winner in what’s considered a weaker candidate pool?
To expand on what Dan said about Saleh and the 49ers, my sense is veteran players there are tired of the lack of continuity after back-to-back coordinator hirings and firings. I’m also watching Ulbrich, Saleh’s pupil dating to their 49ers days. My understanding is San Francisco not only explored hiring Ulbrich last year but also put on the full-court press to recruit him. Ulbrich was under contract and the Jets shut the possibility down. Brandon Staley is a strong in-house candidate and could also be in the mix on other NFL coordinator jobs. There are other available, quality external candidates with 4-3 scheme expertise, from Allen to Eberflus to recently fired Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. This will be the top defensive coordinator job, at least based on current personnel.
Speaking of Allen, I’m sensing some Colts buzz and expect him to be a candidate in Indianapolis. Patrick Graham is a viable candidate for Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator job, and Bengals coach Zac Taylor could also talk to Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden, a former Cincy position coach, and Eberflus.
Coordinator shuffling might not be done. Some people around the league are keeping an eye on Atlanta, where Raheem Morris was noncommittal on defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake in his end-of-year news conference.
Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka could garner coordinator looks if he’s not hired as a head coach. Brian Daboll called plays for New York in 2024, so Kafka could theoretically leave for another OC job if that opportunity was offered. Seattle could be one to watch. The Seahawks were impressed with him during their head coaching search before ultimately hiring Mike Macdonald, who tried to interview Kafka for OC before the Giants blocked him. On the defensive side, would Giants DC Shane Bowen join Vrabel if the former Titans coach is hired?
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is firmly on the NFL radar entering the Fighting Irish’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Penn State. Teams have done their homework on him.
People I’m talking to expect Browns coach Kevin Stefanski to lean back into his Gary Kubiak-style system after the firing of Ken Dorsey. Saints OC Klint Kubiak would be ideal, though New Orleans could try to pair him with a defensive-minded head coach. Returning to calling plays seems on the table for Stefanski as well.
Even with all that was reported above, some people I talked to in the league believe Johnson could return to Detroit. And it doesn’t seem like a leverage play. That’s where he has been the past two cycles, and that could be the case again if his ideal head coaching destination isn’t there.
