Tag: coaching staff

Nov 27, 2022; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Chargers run game coordinator Jay Rodgers against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Falcons announce additional coaching staff moves

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Atlanta Falcons, who hired former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as head coach last week, announced multiple appointments to their coaching staff Wednesday.

The team named Jay Rodgers as defensive line coach and Steve Scarnecchia as chief of staff, coaching operations.

The Falcons will retain the following coaches: Dwayne Ledford as run game coordinator/offensive line coach, T.J. Yates as quarterbacks coach, assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray, senior defensive assistant Dave Huxtable, running backs coach Michael Pitre, director of coaching operations Sarah Hogan and coaching operations assistant Donavan Ellison.

Rodgers worked for the Los Angeles Chargers the past three seasons. He was outside linebackers coach and defensive run game coordinator in 2021 and defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator from 2022-23.

Scarnecchia returns to the Falcons after spending the past three seasons with the New York Jets as the chief of staff for coach Robert Saleh.

Prior to his time with the Jets, Scarnecchia was assistant to the head coach for Atlanta for six seasons.

The Falcons hired new lead assistants earlier in the week, bringing on former Rams assistant Jimmy Lake as defensive coordinator and former Rams quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Zac Robinson to be the offensive coordinator.

–Field Level Media

Sep 20, 2020; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Dan Arnold (85) talks to tight ends coach Steve Heiden against the Washington Football Team at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Lions add Dre Bly, Steve Heiden to coaching staff

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Former NFL cornerback Dre Bly has joined the Detroit Lions’ coaching staff as cornerbacks coach.

Bly, 45, spent the past four seasons in that same role at North Carolina, his alma mater. Prior to joining the Tar Heels, he was a minority coaching intern with the New Orleans Saints in the 2017 preseason and with the Miami Dolphins for the 2018 preseason.

The St. Louis Rams drafted Bly in the second round of the 1999 draft, and he later played for the Lions (2003-06), Denver Broncos (2007-08) and San Francisco 49ers (2009). He appeared in 167 games (117 starts) and tallied 498 tackles, five sacks, 43 interceptions — five returned for touchdowns — 150 passed defensed and 20 forced fumbles.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, he was part of the Rams’ team that won Super Bowl XXXIV.

In addition, the Lions named Steve Heiden as tight ends coach. Heiden most recently spent 10 years with the Arizona Cardinals (2013-22) in a variety of roles, including coaching the tight ends from 2019-22.

Heiden, 46, played tight end in the NFL for 11 seasons with the San Diego Chargers (1999-2001) and Cleveland Browns (2002-09). In 148 games (82 starts), he caught 201 passes for 1,689 yards and 14 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Jan 25, 2022; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton speaks during a press conference at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Sean Payton assembling staff for planned NFL return

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Sean Payton plans to be back on the sideline for an NFL team next season and has gone so far as to assemble the majority of his coaching staff.

According to ESPN and NFL Network, Payton is near the top of the list of candidates for multiple teams and is believed to be under strong consideration with the Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts, and he’s loosely connected to potential openings with the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals.

The Panthers and Colts have interim coaches in place after making in-season changes.

In January, Payton stepped aside as head coach of the New Orleans Saints after 15 seasons. Because his contract had not expired with the Saints, they would be due compensation from any team that advances to the contract negotiation stage with Payton.

ESPN reported Payton has discussed the defensive coordinator job for his next staff with Vic Fangio, the ex-Denver Broncos head coach who was a highly respected defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Colts, Panthers and Houston Texans.

When Payton, who turns 59 next week, left the Saints, he said at his farewell press conference he wasn’t using the word “retire.”

Speculation based on his previous term as Dallas Cowboys’ assistant coach paired Payton with known ally Jerry Jones, but the Cowboys are on a playoff course again. Barring a quick exit, Jones is expected to stick with Mike McCarthy as head coach.

He had a 152-89 record with the Saints and led the Saints to a win in Super Bowl XLIV following the 2009 season, the only championship in franchise history.

–Field Level Media

Sep 3, 2020; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans inside linebackers coach Jim Haslett talks with head coach Mike Vrabel during practice at Saint Thomas Sports Park Mandatory Credit: George Walker IV/The Tennessean via USA TODAY NETWORK

Reports: Titans parting ways with four assistant coaches

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The Tennessee Titans are parting ways with four assistant coaches following their playoff exit, multiple outlets reported Tuesday.

Out are inside linebackers coach Jim Haslett, assistant defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze, assistant special teams coach Matt Edwards, and assistant strength and conditioning coach Mondray Gee, per the reports.

Coach Mike Vrabel has yet to confirm the staff changes.

Haslett, the former head coach of the New Orleans Saints (2000-05), joined the Titans before the 2020 season. Udeze worked just one season on the Titans’ staff.

Edwards spent four seasons in Tennessee, while Gee was there three seasons.

Vrabel said Monday that his coaching staff would be evaluated this week, but he did voice support for offensive coordinator Todd Downing, who has drawn criticism.

The Titans finished the regular season with a 12-5 record and the No. 1 AFC seed in the playoffs. After a bye in the wild-card round, the Titans lost 19-16 on Sunday to the Cincinnati Bengals in their AFC divisional playoff game at home.

–Field Level Media

Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones meets with outside linebacker Micah Parsons (11) prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Jerry Jones ‘very, very frustrated’ by state of Cowboys

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Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones isn’t ready to discuss head coach Mike McCarthy’s future with the team.

Speaking Friday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Jones said he wouldn’t “get into any conversations that I’ve had” about his coaching staff.

His comments follow the Cowboys’ 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL wild-card game last Sunday. The Cowboys won the NFC East and were the No. 3 seed in the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 12-5 record.

He acknowledged being “very, very frustrated” and said the “ultimate decision in these coaches is one that I have to make.”

Jones bought the team in February 1989, and since then, the Cowboys have had eight head coaches. Jones’ first hire was Pro Football Hall of Fame member Jimmy Johnson, who led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles. They won a third under Barry Switzer in 1995 but haven’t reached the NFC championship game since.

McCarthy replaced Jason Garrett before the 2020 season and has an 18-15 mark.

Jones said part of his frustration with the 2021 Cowboys was their lack of adjustment through the season.

“Let me be real clear, one of the pet peeves I have is that I don’t like this, ‘Well we’ve got to work on this in the offseasons, we got to work on this.’ I don’t go for that,” Jones said. “I want those things recognized and addressed after we play Tampa after the first game, or after we play the sixth game. I don’t want to wait until we’re sitting here with no season left to address these things we’re doing or not doing.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill (7) talks to head coach Sean Payton and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Payton: COVID-stricken Saints have ‘Ted Lasso’ feel with few coaches

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Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints are coping with preparation for Week 2 all while facing the challenges of relocation and a COVID-19 outbreak that decimated the offensive coaching staff.

Payton said team meetings and practice formats are altered in major ways as the Saints (1-0) get ready to visit the Carolina Panthers (1-0) on Sunday.

“I said to (offensive coordinator) Pete (Carmichael) and (assistant offensive line coach) Zach (Strief) today, it’s like Ted Lasso with the three or four of us left,” Payton said Wednesday.

Already the Saints adjusted their preparation by moving the entire office and practice environment from Metairie, La., due to challenges created by Hurricane Ida. The Saints played their Week 1 “home” game at Jacksonville and are practicing in Texas for this upcoming game and likely at least one more week before assessing a return to their Louisiana facility.

This week down position coaches at wide receiver, running back, offensive line and offensive coordinator, Payton assembled meetings with smaller groups of players. The majority of his assistants, all of whom are vaccinated according to Payton, are working remotely and using video conferencing to communicate with players directly.

To return for Sunday’s game in Charlotte, each coach needs two negative COVID test results.

The lone player to test positive is wide receiver Michael Thomas, who is on injured reserve. Payton said Thomas, who was placed on the reserve/COVID list, is also vaccinated.

–Field Level Media

Aug 11, 2018; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Josh Malone (80) goes up for a catch as Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell gets out of the way during Cincinnati Bengals training camp at the practice fields next to Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via USA TODAY NETWORK

Reports: Bengals, Eagles make coaching staff changes

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The Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles have coaching staff openings to fill.

NFL Network reported Thursday that the Bengals will not bring back receivers coach Bob Bicknell, offensive line coach Jim Turner and defensive line coach Nick Eason. Running backs coach Jemal Singleton is leaving to accept a job at Kentucky.

In Philadelphia, senior offensive assistant Rich Scangarello and senior offensive consultant Marty Mornhinweg have contracts that are expiring and will not return, ESPN reported. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz previously said he will sit out the 2021 season as his contract also is expiring.

Bengals owner Mike Brown gave head coach Zac Taylor his endorsement on Monday, despite a 4-11-1 record in 2020.

“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,” Brown said in a statement.

Doug Pederson is expected to return for a sixth season in 2021, despite his team’s 4-11-1 record.

–Field Level Media