Sep 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA;  National Football League member Ray Lewis stands on the field before the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Las Vegas Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Report: Ray Lewis is potential FAU head coach candidate

Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis is a potential candidate to fill the head-coaching vacancy at Florida Atlantic, according to an ESPN report.

No formal communication or interview has taken place as of Wednesday morning, according to CBS Sports.

Second-year coach Tom Herman was fired Monday after going 6-16 in his short tenure at the Boca Raton school.

Lewis, 49, won two Super Bowls during a storied 17-year career with the Baltimore Ravens, who picked him in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He’s a 13-time Pro Bowler and seven-time First-team All-Pro who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Among other NFL records, Lewis has the most tackles and most solo tackles in league history and is the only NFL player to have at least 40 career sacks and 30 career interceptions.

However, Lewis has no coaching experience at the pro or collegiate level.

According to ESPN, a hire of Ray Lewis could be modeled after the success of Deion Sanders, another Pro Football Hall of Fame defender who was hired at the collegiate level with no coaching experience. In two seasons at the helm of the Colorado Buffaloes, Sanders has led the team from a 1-11 record before his arrival to fighting for spot in the Big 12 title game with an 8-2 record (6-1 Big 12). He previously coached at Jackson State.

Since his retirement from the NFL, Lewis has worked in multiple media positions, including several years for ESPN.

Lewis grew up in Lakeland, Fla., and played two seasons of college football at Miami.

–Field Level Media

Bill Belichick smiles during questions at a press conference.

Report: Bill Belichick wants to coach in 2025

Bill Belichick has plenty to keep him occupied this fall, filling a variety of prominent media roles, from a spot on the Monday night “ManningCast” to a seat on “Inside the NFL.”

But it could be a short stay in these jobs for Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl-winning coach who split with the New England Patriots after the 2023 season.

ESPN reported Sunday morning that Belichick wants to return to coaching in 2025 and is expected to be picky about his destination. Per the report, he wants to return as a head coach if the right job comes open.

Per ESPN, Belichick passed on discussions about plum defensive coordinator or other top roles in the offseason. He is expected to review openings after the 2024 season.

Belichick, 72, has a 302-165 record in 29 regular seasons with the New England Patriots (2000-23) and Cleveland Browns (1991-95).

Including the playoffs, Belichick has 333 career wins, second only to Don Shula’s 347. Belichick, George Halas and Curly Lambeau are the only NFL coaches with six NFL titles.

In Belichick’s 24 seasons in New England, the Patriots won 17 AFC East titles, went to 13 AFC championship games and played in nine Super Bowls.

Belichick and the Patriots split on Jan. 11 after the Tom Brady-less Patriots finished three of the past four seasons with a sub-.500 record.

–Field Level Media

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris shown on the field before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Fast friends Raheem Morris, Mike Tomlin start Week 1 with gamesmanship

Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris flashed a Cheshire cat smile on Wednesday when asked if he was prepared for Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to unveil a package of plays for Justin Fields on Sunday.

Morris and Tomlin were young assistant coaches in Tampa Bay from 2002-05, and the competitive gamesmanship — and mutual respect — between peers runs in overdrive.

“Mike Tomlin told me to prepare for Justin Fields,” Morris said Wednesday of the Week 1 matchup with Pittsburgh. “So we did. That’s a nice way to make me waste time. He’s a master at it. And he’s conducting a masterclass, or he’s not. And Fields is gonna show up.”

Tomlin named Russell Wilson the starting quarterback for Week 1 following a preseason competition with Fields, but warned Morris he “better be ready” for Fields to play a role.

Morris said “whoever is playing quarterback presents a challenge.”

The fascinating chess match with two veteran quarterbacks at the center of it all plays out Sunday, when a tidal wave of change with each organization is put on display for the first time in a meaningful environment.

“There’s the element of the unknown that always accompanies Week 1 competition,” Tomlin said of facing the Falcons, who have their own talented quarterback — No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr. — available for a cameo behind Kirk Cousins.

You can bet your britches the Steelers’ brigade of talented linebackers, from J.J. Watt to newcomer Patrick Queen, an offseason free agency import from the Ravens, are up to speed on Penix, too.

Tomlin said he and his coaching staff spent extra time on Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s old team — the Los Angeles Rams — to bring players up to speed on tendencies and play-calling patterns. Tomlin now employs Atlanta’s former head coach, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Morris retained several Smith assistants, and there are ample personnel holdovers that make predicting which punch sequence Smith might dial up less challenging.

In 2022, Tomlin made his affinity for Morris perfectly clear during an interview for the “Pivot Podcast” featuring former Steelers safety Ryan Clark. Asked about diversity in coaching, Tomlin pointed at Morris as an example of a then-assistant coach who deserved to be a head coach.

“I know that some of the guys being denied are in the top 32,” Tomlin said. “Raheem Morris is the best coach that I know and have been around that don’t have a head job.”

This week at least, Morris downplays the past, including the legends that helped define the defense Cousins draws in the opener.

“The history of the group is phenomenal and that’s just the nature of the beast when you’re talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Steel Curtain,” Morris said. “But we don’t have to play ghosts. We just play the guys that are on their team now and they certainly got a bunch of good guys that you’ve got to worry about.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Rams DC Raheem Morris to interview for four HC vacancies

Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator Raheem Morris piqued the interest of four teams with vacancies at head coach, according to multiple reports Tuesday.

Morris is scheduled to interview for openings with the Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Chargers, per multiple reports.

All four initial interviews are expected to take place via Zoom.

The Atlanta Falcons had reportedly also requested an interview with Morris, according to multiple reports.

Morris, 47, has spent the past three years as the defensive coordinator for the Rams, where he led his unit to finish 13th, 18th and 20th in total defense in the league.

Morris has experience as a head coach at the helm of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-2011.

He also served as the interim head coach after Dan Quinn was fired from the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Prior to Quinn’s firing, Morris served in multiple roles for the Falcons starting in 2015, including passing game coordinator, wide receivers coach, defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

He has two Super Bowl wins as part of the staff of the 2021 Rams and the 2002 Buccaneers.

–Field Level Media

Aug 19, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen  in a game against the New England Patriots at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Colts, Cardinals narrow coaching searches

One month since the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts ended the season and began searching for a new head coach, each franchise has given signals the finish line is near.

Multiple reports Friday indicate the Colts informed three finalists they were out of the running — Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and Mike Kafka, the Giants’ offensive coordinator — with speculation mounting the pick will be Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.

Kafka is a finalist in Arizona, but the Cardinals conducted a second interview with Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, NFL Network and The Athletic reported.

A third finalist for the vacancy with the Cardinals, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, was named defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings.

Arizona has a new general manager, Monti Ossenfort, leading their search for Kliff Kingsbury’s replacement. Ossenfort also interviewed Callahan and new Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

Jeff Saturday replaced Frank Reich nine games into the 2022 season, but the former was 1-7 as interim coach of the Colts. Saturday, 47, interviewed twice for the position and was one of seven known finalists.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris also had two interviews with the Colts.

Morris was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-2011. He’s viewed as a finalist in Indy after details of his lengthy second interview were reported this week by ESPN.

–Field Level Media

Nov 21, 2021; East Rutherford, N.J., USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores during a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Texans interview Brian Flores for coaching job

One day after announcing the firing of head coach David Culley, the Houston Texans interviewed former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores for the same position Friday.

Field Level Media’s Aaron Wilson reported Thursday that Flores was Houston’s top target for the vacancy. Flores and Texans general manager Nick Caserio have a shared history from their time with the New England Patriots.

Flores, 40, was fired after three seasons in Miami in which the Dolphins managed two winning seasons but failed to make the playoffs. Flores amassed a 24-25 record in that span.

Flores also interviewed Friday for the Chicago Bears’ open head-coaching job.

Culley, 66, guided the Texans to a 4-13 record in his lone season on the job. He did so without having access to quarterback Deshaun Watson, who demanded a trade before sitting out the season in the wake of 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and misconduct.

Flores is the first known candidate to interview in Houston. The news came on the same day that Caserio told reporters that firing Culley was “one of the hardest decisions I’ve made in my life.”

Houston also fired offensive coordinator Tim Kelly on Thursday.

–Field Level Media