Tag: al holcomb

11 defensive coordinator candidates Giants could consider

The New York Giants are on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator and these are 11 potential candidates they could consider.

Wink Martindale resigned as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator on Monday after just two seasons with the team. It was a rather unceremonious end that was handled poorly by both sides.

The departure of Martindale now thrusts the Giants into a defensive coordinator search for the second time in three years.

General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are expected to get to work immediately but before they do, here’s a look at 11 potential candidates.

Note: Some of these candidates may currently be employed with other teams and would require termination (or resignation) before joining the Giants.

Al Holcomb added to Buffalo Bills coaching staff

Al Holcomb added to #Bills coaching staff:

The Buffalo Bills have added a senior defensive assistant to their coaching staff.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Al Holcomb was hired in that role on Sean McDermott’s staff.

The 52-year-old was most recently the interim special teams coordinator and assistant head coach for the Carolina Panthers.

Holcomb had two stints in Carolina. The first was from 2013-2017 during McDermott’s tenure as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator. During that time, Holcomb was the team’s linebackers coach.

Holcomb is the second change made to Buffalo’s coaching staff on the defensive side.

Last week, Joe Danna was hired as the Bills’ safeties coach. He replaced Jim Salgado.

It’s possible more coaching staff changes are on the way. Bills Wire will continue to provide those and all updates throughout the offseason.

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Former Panthers interim DC Al Holcomb to join Bills as assistant

Two days after Steve Wilks landed on his feet with the 49ers, the Bills are set to hire former Panthers interim defensive coordinator Al Holcomb as an assistant.

Well, it looks like the pipeline to Carolina North is still open.

As first reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Buffalo Bills are set to hire Al Holcomb as a defensive assistant. Holcomb most recently served as the interim defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers through 12 games of the 2022 campaign.

As Garafolo notes, Holcomb rejoins Bills head coach Sean McDermott—whom he worked under in Carolina for four seasons. Holcomb was hired as the Panthers’ linebackers coach in 2013 while McDermott was the team’s defensive coordinator.

Following a two-year hiatus between Arizona and Cleveland, Holcomb would return to Charlotte under new head coach Matt Rhule. He initially served as the defensive run game coordinator beginning in 2020.

But, after Rhule and righthand man Phil Snow were dismissed earlier this season, Holcomb took over the defense behind interim head coach Steve Wilks. Carolina’s defense went on to allow 3.4 fewer points per game under Holcomb’s watch to close out the year.

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Report: Panthers will not retain 2022 interim DC Al Holcomb

Per Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer, the Panthers will not retain 2022 interim DC Al Holcomb.

On Monday evening, we found out that the Carolina Panthers will be keeping at least two coaches from the 2022 staff—special teams coordinator Chris Tabor and offensive line coach James Campen. And now, courtesy of The Charlotte Observer‘s Mike Kaye, we found out at least one who won’t be back.

Kaye, not two hours after the news of Tabor and Campen dropped, reported that head coach Frank Reich and the Panthers will not be retaining last year’s interim defensive coordinator Al Holcomb.

Holcomb first served as the team’s linebackers coach from 2013 to 2017. He’d move on with Steve Wilks after that initial tenure, becoming the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 and then the linebackers coach—again under Wilks—for the Cleveland Browns a year later.

2020 would mark Holcomb’s return to Carolina—this time, as a linebackers coach and run game coordinator under Matt Rhule. When Rhule was ousted through five weeks of the 2022 campaign, Holcomb was promoted to interim defensive coordinator duties in place of the departed Phil Snow.

Carolina’s defense saw a steady improvement with Holcomb, as they allowed 3.4 fewer points than they did for Snow. They also held opponents to under 16 points in five of Holcomb’s 12 games at the position.

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Panthers DC candidate profile: Al Holcomb

Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator candidate profile: Al Holcomb

With so much hubbub surrounding the future of Steve Wilks, the future of Al Holcomb has gone overlooked. As the Carolina Panthers look to possibly pivot off of Wilks, the team’s 2022 interim defensive coordinator has been left in a bit of a limbo.

Nonetheless, Holcomb showed that he is an impressive and talented young defensive mind this past season. Even despite a rough start, which was to be expected given the circumstances of the 1-4 Panthers, the 52-year-old admirably (and effectively) picked up the pieces left behind by the departures of Matt Rhule and his predecessor Phil Snow.

The Panthers defense would see an improvement under Holcomb—as they allowed 3.4 fewer points per game following the transition. Carolina also held opponents to under 16 points in five of Holcomb’s 12 games and allowed just one 30-point outing over the last eight weeks of the season.

Holcomb has spent the majority of his career under Wilks, and will continue to do so if the team doesn’t make a drastic change. Otherwise, Holcomb could have options—as he’s already landed an interview with the division rival Atlanta Falcons.

Keeping Holcomb around would help stabilize Carolina’s young and growing defense. Hopefully, the Panthers can see what is right in front of them and give him a thorough look before he flies away.

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Panthers will keep DC Al Holcomb if Steve Wilks is hired as HC

Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Al Holcomb will stick around if the Panthers name Steve Wilks as their HC. But until then, he’s interviewing with the Falcons on Tuesday.

With the Carolina Panthers engrossed in their search for a new head coach, there are no guarantees for the guys who were there picking up the pieces this past season. And that group of guys includes Al Holcomb—who knows how this game is played.

As noted by NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, the Panthers’ interim defensive coordinator from the 2022 campaign will stick around in Carolina if Steve Wilks is named the team’s head coach. But, with no assurances ahead and owner David Tepper’s apparent hankering for a young offensive-minded leader, Holcomb is surveying his options—which includes an interview with the NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday.

News of Atlanta’s interest in the 52-year-old came down this past Saturday, courtesy of ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter. The Panthers did not have to necessarily grant permission for Holcomb to speak with the Falcons given that he was not the full-time defensive coordinator.

Holcomb helped revive and push the Panthers to the brink of the playoffs this year. Of the 12 games he served as interim defensive coordinator, Carolina held their opponents to 15 or fewer points in five of them—with an overall improvement of 3.4 points per outing from the first five weeks.

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Falcons request interview with Panthers DC Al Holcomb

The #Falcons have requested an interview with Panthers defensive coordinator Al Holcomb

The Atlanta Falcons have requested an interview with Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Al Holcomb, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday afternoon.

Holcomb stepped in as the interim defensive coordinator after the Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule back in October.

The 52-year-old has previously coached for the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. Holcomb began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Temple back in 1995.

The Falcons have been busy requesting interviews all weekend. Steelers defensive assistant Brian Flores, Packers passing game coordinator Jerry Gray and Saints co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen are just a few of the coaches Atlanta has requested to interview.

Stay up to date with each request using our Falcons interview tracker.

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Falcons request interview with Panthers interim DC Al Holcomb

The Falcons have requested an interview with the Panthers’ 2022 interim DC Al Holcomb.

Steve Wilks, as he has said countlessly, wasn’t alone in resurrecting the Carolina Panthers this past season. Some credit should also go to his defensive coordinator Al Holcomb—who’s apparently made an impression within the NFC South.

As first reported by ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Atlanta Falcons have requested permission to hold an interview with Holcomb for their defensive coordinator position. The job opened up this past week, when the 73-year-old Dean Pees announced his retirement from the post.

In addition to his clean-up work in 2022, Holcomb possesses prior experience as a defensive coordinator from the 2018 campaign—when he joined Wilks with the Arizona Cardinals. He was also, similarly to his role in Carolina this past season, an assistant head coach with the red birds under Wilks.

Holcomb took over the reins this year following the dismissal of head coach Matt Rhule and his right-hand man Phil Snow. Of the 12 games in which Holcomb headed the defense, five resulted in an output of 15 points or fewer for Carolina’s opponents.

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4 key matchups for Panthers vs. Seahawks in Week 14

Can Panthers CB Jaycee Horn put the seatbelt on Seahawks WR DK Metcalf this Sunday?

With a win and a break in tow, the Carolina Panthers head into Seattle for a Week 14 showdown against the Seahawks.

And to come away with another win, here are four matchups that’ll be key in making it all happen.

Al Holcomb is changing how the Panthers play defense

After an inconsistent start to the season, the Panthers defense seems to have found its groove thanks to a fresh perspective from Al Holcomb.

It has been a wild ride for the Carolina Panthers coaching staff since the departure of former head coach Matt Rhule back in early October. And Al Holcomb, who took over duties at defensive coordinator for Phil Snow, has certainly been a part of it.

Holcomb has had mixed results as the leader of the defense, including a not-so-inspiring performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9. But since that game, there has been a noticeable and refreshing change in how the defense operates— particularly with halftime adjustments.

Over the next three outings from their whopping courtesy of running back Joe Mixon and the reigning AFC champions, the Panthers have not given up more than 15 points in a game. That, of course, is a marked difference from just earlier this season—even including when Holcomb was getting started at the position.

The occasional soft mentality and inevitable collapses from the unit now seem all but gone, as well as the stubborn mindset and lack of changes that led to them. Quite simply, the “hit your head on a wall over and over until it works” style of thinking has gone with the old regime.

Holcomb has helped breathe new life into this talented defense. You can see it not only in their snap counts, but as well as in movement and personnel shifts during the game.

This new perspective under interim head coach Steve Wilks is certainly an exciting approach—and one we’ll hopefully continue to see in closing out this crazy campaign.

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