Tag: Andy Bischoff

Andy Bischoff speaks on the state of the Chargers’ tight end room

Chargers tight ends coach Andy Bischoff had his first media availability on Monday.

Chargers tight ends coach Andy Bischoff had his first media availability on Monday, during which he spoke on the team’s tight ends and their current status.

First, he mentioned the signings of Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst.

When you start with [TE] Will [Dissly], you’re talking about one of the three guys in the league that can own the C-gap, period. There’s not many of them. This is a different kind of football league that we live in now. To have a tight end that can own the C-gap is rare. He’s one of those guys. You start with him and his ability to get that done for you and then, let’s not lose sight on what he can provide you in the passing game. This is a guy who catches the ball at a high percentage, in terms of his target-to-catch ratio, a guy that doesn’t drop the football and who protects the football, doesn’t fumble it.

Then, you have a guy in [TE] Hayden [Hurst] — to me, you have six guys in the league who everybody wants. You name the six, you go with [49ers TE George] Kittle, you say [Giants TE Darren] Waller. Name whoever you want. Everybody wants those six guys. There’s no reason that Hayden can’t be that next guy. There’s no reason. He has all the speed, all the hands, all the ability. Hayden just needs to find the right situation. We knew when we had him in 2019 that was the right situation for us. We couldn’t control where it went from there, but we love the guy. We’re nothing but happy to have this guy here. He will provide that athletic element to this offense that gives us an opportunity.

The Chargers made Dissly’s signing a priority on day one when the tampering period opened. Hurst followed very soon after that. Both will be critical blockers in Greg Roman’s scheme and LA expects Hurst to match his receiving output from earlier in his career. On the 2020 Falcons, Hurst had career highs in yards and touchdowns with 571 and six respectively.

Combining Bischoff’s comments with Hurst’s mention of the opportunity last week, it does seem that both sides think this is the right opportunity for a bounce-back season.

Bischoff also mentioned Donald Parham, Stone Smartt, and newly signed Ben Mason competing for spots. He mentioned Parham as still a “developing” player whose size they can use to their advantage. For Mason, it seems they view his usage in a tight end/fullback hybrid-type way adjacent to previous players’ usage in the past.

The way we’ve always done it in this system is that Ben is an ‘F’. In our offense, some will call him a fullback only. We don’t want to limit that. When we started with [Ravens FB Patrick] Pat [Ricard], he was an ‘F’. He turned into what he turned into. He actually started as a d-lineman and he turned into what he turned into. I was also fortunate enough to coach [49ers FB] Kyle Juszczyk, and he turned into what he turned into. You have this balance of guys. We’ll bring out the greatest strengths that Ben has to offer. We’ll also give other guys in the room the ability to compete for those spots. Not just limit to this is a fullback. They’re an ‘F’ in our room. They’ll function in every way they can to help us.

Report: Chargers hiring Andy Bischoff as tight ends coach, run game coordinator

The Chargers are adding another experienced coach to the staff.

The Chargers are hiring Andy Bischoff as their tight ends coach and run game coordinator, according to Football Scoop’s Doug Samuels.

Bischoff finished up his second season as the Giants’ tight ends coach.

Bischoff has extensive coaching experience, including the Ravens from 2015 to 2020. In that time, he was an offensive quality control coach, offensive assistant and assistant tight ends coach under former offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who is joining Los Angeles in a “prominent role.”

Bischoff has also been the tight ends coach for the Bears (2013-14) and Texans (2021).

Bischoff’s coaching career began at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in Minnesota in 1993. In 2008, he left to become the running backs coach for the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes, where he won two Grey Cups (2009, 2010).

Andy Bischoff leaves Giants to join Chargers

New York Giants tight ends coach Andy Bischoff has chosen to exit East Rutherford in order to join the Los Angeles Chargers.

The New York Giants coaching staff took another hit on Monday as tight coach Andy Bischoff has decided to join Jim Harbaugh’s new staff with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Art Stapleton of USA TODAY was the first to report the news.

Bischoff, 53, came to the Giants in 2022 when Brian Daboll took over the reins as head coach. He began his professional coaching career in the Canadian Football League in 2008 and moved to the NFL in 2013 with the Chicago Bears.

Bischoff then moved to Baltimore in 2015, where he worked under John Harbaugh for six seasons before landing with the Houston Texans in 2021.

[lawrence-related id=723755,723762,723760]

Lawrence Cager could be a sneaky weapon for the Giants

Lawrence Cager, who was recruited by Brian Daboll out of high school, could be a sneaky offensive weapon for the New York Giants in 2023.

The New York Giants made a big splash this offseason, acquiring Darren Waller from the Las Vegas Raiders and placing him firmly at the top of their tight end depth chart.

Behind Waller is ascending second-year tight end Daniel Bellinger, who experienced tremendous growth as a rookie despite sustaining an ugly eye injury that caused him to miss some time.

The Giants also signed the 6-foot-5 Tommy Sweeney in free agency. He came over from the Buffalo Bills where general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll worked with him from 2019 through 2021.

Other players on the roster include Chris Myarick, who can play both tight end and fullback, as well as converted linebacker Ryan Jones.

Then there’s Lawrence Cager. A 6-foot-5, 250-pound former wide receiver who went undrafted in 2020 and has an extensive injury history dating back to his early college days. He initially signed with the New York Jets before making a stop with the Cleveland Browns and then returning to Gang Green, where he officially made the switch from receiver to tight end.

But that second stay was short-lived. Cager was waived last August and instead of signing to the Jets’ practice squad, he instead chose to join the Giants’ practice squad. There were familiar faces at 1925 Giants Drive, including Daboll, who had recruited Cager out of high school while he was coaching at Alabama.

“We got him, he had a lot to learn. I’d say he’s still got a lot to learn,” Daboll said of Cager on Wednesday. “He played receiver, he was a guy that I recruited when he was coming out of high school, too. So, I think he’s developing the skills he needs to play at the position. He’s an athletic young man but he’s going to need to do multiple things whether it’s in the kicking game, whether it’s be ready to go at tight end, but he’s had the right mindset.”

Tight ends coach Andy Bischoff, a former Baltimore Ravens assistant, was also familiar with Cager, the standout receiver from Baltimore’s Calvert Hall College High School.

“When I was with the Ravens I knew of him, I heard of him,” Bischoff told the New York Daily News in June. “So I had a little bit of history following his journey. It’s funny how all of that works out. He lands on our doorstep here. It’s a blessing for us.”

And then there was Waller himself — someone Cager had trained with long before either was on the Giants’ radar.

“I actually got with Darren and trained with him for a couple weeks, just to pick his brain and learn how he made the transition,” Cager told the Daily News. “What little things he did his first year making the transition, how he picked up playbooks, blocking, running routes, what was different from receiver coming to tight end.

“When he got traded here, as soon as he got traded, I sent him a text that said, ‘Yo, I’m gonna be like your little brother. I’m gonna be on your hip. I’m gonna be like your annoying little buzz in your ear. I’m trying to literally learn everything from you so I can duplicate it and be where you are, because that’s my main goal.”

That’s a lofty goal but Cager showed promise in Week 17 of last season. With the team’s starters all resting for the playoffs, Cager got the nod and in a start against the Philadelphia Eagles, hauled in eight receptions for 69 yards. He averaged just under 7.0 yards per target. He went on to record a reception in each of the Giants’ two playoff games.

The sample size may be small, but Cager is full of promise. He’s got the size, the speed, the athleticism, and the willingness to succeed at the NFL level. And although there is stiff competition at the position, he could be a sneaky option to not only make the 53-man roster but also contribute as a weapon offensively.

[lawrence-related id=713570,713555,713533]

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Giants want players to emulate Darren Waller’s professionalism, work ethic

New York Giants tight ends coach Andy Bischoff says Darren Waller is example for other players to watch and emulate.

[anyclip pubname=”2103″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8036″]

When the New York Giants added their biggest weapon of the offseason, acquiring Darren Waller via trade, they knew the potential talent they were getting. What they may not have known is just how great of an example their new tight end would be for his teammates.

The trade to the Giants, which Waller has deemed a ‘fresh start,’ also reunited him with Andy Bischoff, the Giants’ tight end coach. It was something he touched on during his opening press conference.

“Reuniting with Andy is pretty cool. It’s like one of those full-circle moments. He was in Baltimore before I got suspended and after I got reinstated and got to be on the practice squad there. So, he’s seen me low moments, he’s seen me in moments where I was getting my foot back in the door and just trying to be consistent and be reliable as a member of the practice squad and the organization,” Waller said.

“Now from afar, he’s been able to see me and take some of the lessons I’ve taken from being around him and that culture to help elevate my career. So, to meet now and to continue on this journey together, it’s a pretty cool thing. I don’t think a lot of things happen like that for people. But I’m excited to have him be in my corner, have him help me elevate my game and all the games of tight ends in the room. I think it’s going to be a really cool journey.”

On Wednesday, prior to the team’s final minicamp practice, Bischoff talked about the type of person and player the Giants got in Waller.

Certainly, the Giants are hoping for big things out of Waller this season with sights set on him helping to balance out the offense.

However, the work ethic and professionalism that Waller brings to the table is something that can be contagious in a locker room; something his teammates will want to feed off of.

With the Giants’ youthful roster hopeful of building off their success in 2022, it will be important for veterans, like Waller, to give teammates someone to mirror when it comes to effort and acting as a professional.

[lawrence-related id=711277,711229,711240]

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Giants minicamp: Notes, videos and highlights from Day 2

News, notes, highlights and a few videos from Day 2 of the New York Giants’ 2023 mandatory minicamp.

The New York Giants were back on the field for their final practice of mandatory minicamp on Wednesday. They will now head into summer break and are not required to return to East Rutherford until the start of training camp in late July.

The day began with offensive assistants meeting with members of the media before head coach Brian Daboll took the podium for a press conference. Then it was off to practice.

Here is some news, notes, highlights and videos from Day 2 of minicamp:

Giants hire Laura Young, announce partial coaching staff

The New York Giants have hired Laura Young as director of coaching operations and officially revealed a portion of their coaching staff.

[mm-video type=video id=01fkxae5zeg4jnvkb1xr playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fkxae5zeg4jnvkb1xr/01fkxae5zeg4jnvkb1xr-2a50649b1b09f83fdd7a01817308ce5f.jpg]

The New York Giants announced some additions to their coaching staff on Friday.

Big Blue officially named their coordinators under new head coach Brian Daboll: Mike Kafka (offense), Don “Wink” Martindale (defense) and Thomas McGaughey (special teams).

The team also subsequently announced the hiring of some key assistants:

  • Quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney
  • Running backs coach DeAndre Smith
  • Wide receivers coach Mike Groh
  • Tight ends coach Andy Bischoff
  • Offensive line coach Bobby Johnson
  • Asst. offensive line coach Tony Sparano, Jr.
  • Defensive line coach Andre Patterson

In addition, the Giants announced that Laura Young has been hired as the team’s director of coaching operations. Young will be involved in “every aspect of football operations, including coordinating/organizing practice, as well as game day operations.”

“(Young will) have her hands all over the organization in terms of the coaching side,” Daboll said. “She’s with me every step of the way. She’s a rock star really, and I feel very fortunate that I get to work with her each day because she provides just a tremendous amount of support and value to really everyone, but myself the most, I would say.

“She’s smart, there’s really not a job she can’t do and a job she won’t do. That’s her mindset. Very humble, egoless, but driven, smart. I just think she’s the best.”

Daboll took a unique approach to assembling his staff. He leveraged several relationships from his time as offensive coordinator in Buffalo, but also hired coaches he had no prior relationship with.

“I think what you try to do when you’re putting together a staff, whether that be an offensive staff in a smaller form or the entire staff, you try to put together a group of people that will complement one another, whether that’s experience, whether that’s energy, whether that’s detail, whether that’s passion,” Daboll said. “You don’t want to have a cookie cutter approach and hire everybody that’s exactly the same. I think that you have to offset blind spots.”

Daboll will continue to add to his staff over the next week or two as the Giants prepare for the NFL combine later this month and free agency which begins in mid-March.

[listicle id=688030]

Report: Giants hire Andy Bischoff as tight ends coach

The New York Giants are reportedly hiring Andy Bischoff, previously of the Houston Texans, as their tight ends coach.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll continued to build his staff this past weekend with the hiring of Andy Bischoff as his tight ends coach.

Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network was the first to report the hire.

The 51-year-old Bischoff, a native of North Dakota, was most recently the tight ends coach of the Houston Texans. He has also coached tight ends in Chicago and Baltimore, as well as the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, where he won two Grey Cups as a part of Marc Trestman’s staff.

Bischoff will work under new offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson. The other coaching roles on the offensive side of the bay have yet to be determined.

Follow the Giants Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[pickup_prop id=”20252″]

Texans TE coach Andy Bischoff says tight ends are coming to work all smiles

Houston Texans tight ends coach Andy Bischoff says that the seven tight ends he’s coaching are coming to work all smiles.

The Houston Texans will enter training camp in July with seven tight ends on their roster. Jordan Akins will likely reprise his role as Houston’s starter, but 2021 could be his farewell season to the Texans. Akins will be playing on the final year of his contract, a $3.3 million deal he originally signed after the Texans drafted the Central Florida prodigy during the 2018 NFL Draft.

After Akins, the depth chart is fairly open with several players who can take the role as Houston’s preferred tight end, starting with the second unit. It’s a condition tight end coach Andy Bischoff describes as a “competitive situation” that will occur during training camp.

“What I can tell you about the seven guys is they’re coming to work every day with a smile, an appreciation for teaching, and an energy of wanting to get better,” Bischoff said. “Each guy has individual talents that I think we’re going to see more and more over time. Specifically Jordan, he’s a veteran guy. He acknowledges his strengths and he acknowledges his weaknesses and he wants to get better. He’s been nothing but a real pro and a welcome student to what I’m trying to get done.”

One player with an opportunity to lead the Texans’ second unit at tight end is rookie Brevin Jordan. The three-year starter from Miami was considered by many as the second-best player at his position entering the 2021 NFL Draft but fell to the Texans at the No. 147th pick of the fifth round. And according to Bischoff, the Texans were “elated” to get Jordan where they got him.

“What I can tell you about Brevin is he comes in every day with a smile on his face, he’s smart, he’s a competitive guy, he wants to improve each day,” he said. “He’s a welcome addition, and he certainly adds to the competitiveness of the room.”

Jordan is an athletic tight end who would make an exceptional addition to the Texans’ pass-catching game next season. During his three-year college career at Miami, Jordan caught 105 passes for 1,358 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Report: Texans to hire Ravens’ Andy Bischoff as tight ends coach

The Houston Texans will be hiring Baltimore Ravens assistant tight ends coach Andy Bischoff as Will Lawing will join Bill O’Brien in Alabama.

New Houston Texans coach David Culley continues to poach from the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching staff as he assembles his own in 2021.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans will be hiring assistant tight ends coach Andy Bischoff and promoting him to the main job in Houston.

The move comes as the Texans, who originally were going to keep Will Lawing as tight ends coach, will see the 35-year-old depart for the Alabama football program. Former Texans coach Bill O’Brien has been hired as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and Lawing will be a football analyst on the Crimson Tide’s staff under Nick Saban.

Bischoff coached tight ends for the Chicago Bears from 2013-14. In 2015, Bischoff came over with fired Bears coach Marc Trestman as he took the offensive coordinator job in Baltimore under John Harbaugh. In 2020, Bobby Engram coached the tight ends for the Ravens as Bischoff was the assistant tight ends coach.