NFL Black Monday Coaching Carousel NFL

[David76]

The Pittsburgh Steelers are hiring former Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith as the team's new offensive coordinator, according to a team source. Smith will land a new job after the Falcons fired him shortly after the end of the 2023 regular season.

Even though Smith is an outside hire, he had numerous connections to the Steelers. He began his NFL coaching journey in Tennessee, where he worked with Mike Munchak, Ken Whisenhunt and Mike Mularkey, who all were assistant coaches for the Steelers earlier in their careers.

Additionally, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said in his end-of-season news conference he wanted an experienced play-caller. Smith checks that box as well. After Matt LaFleur left for the Green Bay Packers head coaching job in January 2019, Smith was promoted to offensive coordinator. Behind Derrick Henry, the Titans boasted the league's third-best rushing attack (138.9 yards per game) and the 10th-best scoring offense (23.3 points per game) in 2019. The results were better in 2020. The Titans ranked rushing offense, averaging 168 yards per game. They also averaged the fourth-most points (30.7) with Ryan Tannehill behind center.

Tomlin fired previous offensive coordinator Matt Canada during the season, giving quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan play-calling duties and tabbing running backs coach Eddie Faulkner to coordinate the offense during the week. While the change sparked the sluggish offense, Tomlin said neither Sullivan nor Faulkner would be considered for the full-time position.

I do think there is logic to hiring Smtih. As an OC in Tennessee, he was successful.

Steelers need a decent competent QB though.

 

[David76]

The Houston Texans won't need to find a new offensive coordinator this offseason, as Bobby Slowik will return to Houston under a new contract that will feature a significant raise, according to a league source.

Slowik, who arrived in Houston in 2023 by way of the San Francisco 49ers, received second interviews for head-coaching vacancies with the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders in recent weeks. He also interviewed with the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans.

Under Slowik's coordination, the Texans ranked fifth in the league in passing yards and improved from 31st in offensive yards in 2022 to 12th in 2023. His leadership of No. 2 pick C.J. Stroud garnered league-wide praise, as Stroud put together one of the best rookie passing seasons in NFL history while taking the Texans to the playoffs.

 

[David76]

The Houston Texans won't need to find a new offensive coordinator this offseason, as Bobby Slowik will return to Houston under a new contract that will feature a significant raise, according to a league source.

Slowik, who arrived in Houston in 2023 by way of the San Francisco 49ers, received second interviews for head-coaching vacancies with the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders in recent weeks. He also interviewed with the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans.

Under Slowik's coordination, the Texans ranked fifth in the league in passing yards and improved from 31st in offensive yards in 2022 to 12th in 2023. His leadership of No. 2 pick C.J. Stroud garnered league-wide praise, as Stroud put together one of the best rookie passing seasons in NFL history while taking the Texans to the playoffs.

I am impressed with what Slowik accomplished this year, but maybe spending more than one year as a coordinator would be a good idea before stepping up to be a head coach somewhere else.

 

[David76]

The Seattle Seahawks are expected to hire Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as their successor to Pete Carroll, league sources said Wednesday.

Macdonald, 36, will become the ninth head coach in franchise history and the youngest head coach in the NFL, passing recently hired New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, 37.

Macdonald spent the last two seasons running the Ravens' defense, which finished the 2023 regular season ranked first in scoring and fourth in yards allowed. Baltimore ranked eighth and 12th in those categories in 2022.

The NFC West is going to be a scary division for the foreseeable future.

 

[David76]

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson told the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks that he's not available for their vacant head-coaching positions and will instead stay in Detroit, league and team sources said Tuesday.

Johnson, 37, completed his second season calling plays for the NFC North division winners in last Sunday's 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. His creative vision sparked a significant bump in offensive production and excitement for one of the league's moribund franchises.

 

[David76]

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson told the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks that he's not available for their vacant head-coaching positions and will instead stay in Detroit, league and team sources said Tuesday.

Johnson, 37, completed his second season calling plays for the NFC North division winners in last Sunday's 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. His creative vision sparked a significant bump in offensive production and excitement for one of the league's moribund franchises.

This is likely a wise move for Johnson to gain another year of experience under Campbell before moving onto a Head Coach position. I'm sure the Lions can build on what they achieved this year.

 

[Tom]

The Seattle Seahawks are expected to hire Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as their successor to Pete Carroll, league sources said Wednesday.

Macdonald, 36, will become the ninth head coach in franchise history and the youngest head coach in the NFL, passing recently hired New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, 37.

Macdonald spent the last two seasons running the Ravens' defense, which finished the 2023 regular season ranked first in scoring and fourth in yards allowed. Baltimore ranked eighth and 12th in those categories in 2022.

Good appointment for Seattle. They've got themselves a defensive mastermind.

 

[Tom]

The Washington Commanders franchise overhaul continues after agreeing to terms with former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to become their coach, according to team and league sources.

Quinn, 53, becomes a head coach for the second time. He directed the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020, finishing with a 43-42 record and an appearance in Super Bowl LI.

 

[Tom]

The Las Vegas Raiders are set to hire former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury as their offensive coordinator.

Kingsbury's spread offenses have been pass-heavy, dating back to his early days with Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M, but he did rely on the running game more when calling plays for the Cardinals. Arizona finished in the top 10 in offensive yards in 2020 and 2021 and was also in the top half of the league in points scored in each of his first three seasons.

Kingsbury had a 28-37-1 record with the Cardinals and was one of five candidates interviewed for the Raiders' offensive coordinator position. Mike Sullivan, Luke Getsy and Alex Van Pelt also talked with new head coach Antonio Pierce last week, and the NFL Network reported that Pierce met with UCLA coach and former Eagles coach Chip Kelly this week.

 

[Tom]

The Los Angeles Rams looked in-house for their new defensive coordinator and promoted linebackers coach and pass rush coordinator Chris Shula to the role, according to a league source. The spot was left vacant after Raheem Morris took the head coaching gig with the Atlanta Falcons.

Shula, the grandson of legendary coach Don Shula, has been on Sean McVay's staff since 2017. He started as an assistant linebackers coach with the Rams before rising to outside linebackers coach then linebackers coach then pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach. He got his start in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers in 2015.

Shula, who played linebacker, was teammates with McVay at Miami of Ohio.

The promotion will preserve some continuity for McVay's staff, which has lost quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson, assistant head coach Jimmy Lake, defensive line coach Eric Henderson and assistant special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer, along with Morris, this offseason.