If the former Bengals offensive coordinator had waited until the week was over, he could have had several possibilities. Brock Purdy reveals how he kept his hands dry, the coaching carousel continues to swirl, and more in Albert Breer’s Tuesday notes.
The Tennessee Titans were wise to act quickly on Brian Callahan—who could have had numerous options had he waited the week—and get their man.
Callahan has slipped under the radar in recent years because he was not the primary play-caller for the Cincinnati Bengals and the offense he coached was stocked with talent. But the level of respect he has among his peers (and, as we mentioned in the takeaways, his boss) is clear, and many people are nodding in agreement with Tennessee’s decision to hire Callahan, as evidenced by my texts Monday night.
The first piece of fallout here could be whether his father, Bill, travels with him to Nashville. Losing Bill Callahan would be a huge blow for a Browns team that has already fired a few coaches, including offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and would explain why they’ve been looking into several line coaches (Seahawks OL coach Andy Dickerson is one of them) to replace Van Pelt.
How much do the Browns value Bill Callahan? He makes more than $3 million a year.
• On Monday, we featured Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who made one of the most important plays in the Chiefs’ victory over the Buffalo Bills. Jones’ ability to push left tackle Dion Dawkins back into Josh Allen affected Allen’s throw, causing his attempt to hit an open Khalil Shakir in the back of the end zone to fall well short.
He and I discussed it, including his suggestion that the Chiefs avoid putting him on the edge earlier in the game, which paid off. He also noted how much defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has meant to him in recent years, saying, “Spags is a wizard.” I hope he doesn’t get a head coaching job, and I hope he stays with me forever.” So I had to inquire… Does this suggest that, despite your contractual disagreements with the team, you intend to stay in Kansas City?
He smiled.
“If the Chiefs keep me, I’ll stay,” he said. “That’s always been the plan.”
Another takeaway from the weekend: I had the opportunity to ask San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy about wiping his hand dry during the snap on Saturday night, which the Fox camera crew did an excellent job of capturing in-game.
“There were spurts of the rain coming down somewhat heavy and then other times where it was just sprinkling and we were able to get a grip on it and throw,” said Purdy. “The field was wet.” When my center snapped the ball, I occasionally got a soggy ball. That’s when I believe I wiped it a few times as I dropped. We have to find a method. Definitely played a role in the beginning. “That is football.”
He eventually figured it out, despite some initial difficulties.
Yes, the Carolina Panthers are hiring Dan Morgan as president of football operations, and the general manager is going out internally to select someone from a staff that has seen a lot of turnover in Carolina over the last two years. However, there is a bigger picture.
Morgan was on the ground floor of construction with the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo, and his three years in Charlotte do not change that. He will also work in a different setting in 2024.
My hope is that, as we indicated in the takeaways, Kansas City VP of Football Operations Brandt Tilis will join Morgan to oversee the cap-analytics side of things, almost as a partner, rather than someone who works for the next general manager. Tilis interviewed for the Panthers’ general manager position twice, in 2021 and this year, and owner David Tepper clearly likes him.
Give Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus and GM Ryan Poles credit for moving quickly to fill their offensive coordinator position, hiring Seahawks OC Shane Waldron. Waldron not only had three years of play-calling expertise, but he was in high demand. He’d already interviewed for the New England Patriots’ coordinator position and was on the Las Vegas Raiders’ radar as the hunt began, with Antonio Pierce now officially in place.
I was wondering if it would be difficult for the Bears to locate the proper candidate, given the idea that 2024 will be a make-or-break year for the football staff at Halas Hall. However, because they moved quickly, they were able to meet with a wide range of personnel (including traveling to California to speak with Rams pass-game coordinator Zac Robinson and USC’s Kliff Kingsbury) and sell their position to a guy who had some options.
Of course, the possible opportunity to coach USC’s Caleb Williams was highlighted to me as a draw factor by contenders for the position.
• The Patriots’ coordinator spots might also be filled this week.
The first domino to fall may be DeMarcus Covington being named defensive coordinator. Covington is currently a strong frontrunner, and he brings seven years of experience working in the facility, the last five as a defensive position coach under new head coach Jerod Mayo. The Patriots might possibly add Denver Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker or Pittsburgh Steelers assistant defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, who both interviewed for the coordinator position, to the defensive staff alongside Covington.
Then there’s the offensive coordinator position. Former Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley, who worked in the same position for the Los Angeles Rams last year, interviewed for the job on Monday, while Robinson interviewed on Tuesday. And I believe the Patriots could recruit one of these “riser” types as coordinator, with a senior offensive assistant backing him up.
As Mayo settles into his new role, I could see him bringing on an older assistant with head coaching experience.
We already know Pierce will have past head coaches to draw on in Las Vegas, including former Giants coach Tom Coughlin and former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. And those individuals should be solid advisers for what could be his most significant hire: hiring someone to lead the attack.
I heard three names immediately following Pierce’s hire, and two of them (Kingsbury and Luke Getsy) are still available and have play-calling experience. Pierce also has players without such expertise on his list, like Robinson and Cincinnati quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher. However, if he prefers play-callers with prior expertise, Kingsbury and Getsy make sense given his previous movements.
Getsy’s interview appears to be scheduled for Friday.
The New Orleans Saints are stepping up the pace in their coordinator search, with Pitcher scheduled for a second interview in New Orleans on Thursday after meeting with the team via Zoom last week. Pitcher will most certainly be able to replace Brian Callahan in his current position, but he may also have the option to call plays elsewhere.
It’s a difficult decision because the other places don’t have Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.
• Bobby Slowik’s candidacy has gained traction, with the Houston Texans offensive coordinator conducting a second interview with the Washington Commanders on Tuesday and the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday. He isn’t considered the frontrunner in either position, but he obviously has momentum in both. And if the Texans lose him, it will be intriguing to watch where DeMeco Ryans goes. Quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, who has a close relationship with C.J. Stroud, would likely be at the top of the list, although he’s also been approached by other teams about being a coordinator.
What if both Slowik and Johnson were gone? I’m curious if the Texans would contact Josh McDaniels, given his track record with young quarterbacks and the presence of his college buddy Nick Caserio in Houston (McDaniels’ brother, Ben, also works there).
It’s amazing how quickly things have fallen apart with the Philadelphia Eagles, with both coordinators now gone and Nick Sirianni going through a staff reset a year after coaching in the Super Bowl. And that reminded me of how Sirianni gathered the entire staff following a Week 18 victory last year, which secured the NFC’s top seed. He did it because it was traditionally what his father and siblings, who were high school coaches, would do after Friday night games. The extra week off also provided him with the opportunity.
The coaches gathered at then-coordinator Shane Steichen’s house to demonstrate the closeness of Sirianni’s staff, which was primarily made up of individuals the same age, with kids the same age, and coaches who arrived together. Of course, the positive vibes continued over into the playoffs and the Super Bowl, giving Philadelphia a solid foundation.
Twelve months later, and after Steichen and Jonathan Gannon received their own opportunities with the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals, the feeling those players created has vanished, as have Steichen and Gannon’s replacements. Things change quickly in the NFL.
