Arthur Smith expects Charles London to be ‘very beneficial’ for Titans

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith spoke very highly of his former assistant coach and new Titans pass-game coordinator, Charles London.

During what is sure to be a lengthy schedule at the NFL owners’ meetings, Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith found some free time to sit down with the media on Tuesday to answer a wide variety of questions.

Turon Davenport of ESPN was one of the reporters in attendance and he got to ask Smith a couple of Tennessee Titans-related questions, one of which had to do with new passing-game coordinator and former Falcons coach, Charles London.

The Falcons head coach gave London a rave review and says that losing him wasn’t easy, but he would “never want to hold someone back.”

“Charles is a fantastic football coach,” Smith said. “He’s as good as anybody in the way he breaks down protections, which is really valuable for a quarterback, understanding from different perspectives.

“He’s a great teacher and a great staff guy, so I think he’ll be very beneficial. We hate to lose him, but I would never want to hold somebody back from an opportunity that I can’t immediately provide them, so we’re sorry to lose Charles, we wish him well and he’s in a good place.”

London will be tasked with helping to fix what was the most broken aspect of Tennessee’s team in 2023. Based on what Smith said, he sounds like the right man for the job.

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Getting to know Titans’ recent coaching-staff hires

The Titans made several new additions to their coaching staff this week. Here’s some more information on each.

The Tennessee Titans made several changes to their coaching staff recently, with the hire of new offensive coordinator Tim Kelly leading the way as the most notable.

Tennessee not only hired a handful of new coaches, the team also re-assigned others to new positions. Here’s a full rundown of the newest additions:

-Tim Kelly hired as offensive coordinator.

-Charles London hired as QBs coach/offensive pass-game coordinator

-Chris Harris hired as CBs coach/defensive pass-game coordinator

-Lori Locust, Justin Hamilton hired as defensive quality control coaches

Now, a look at which coaches changed spots:

-Pat O’Hara from QBs coach to pass-game analyst

-Tony Dews from RBs coach to TEs coach

-Luke Steckel from TEs coach to run-game analyst

-Jason Houghtaling from assistant OL coach to OL coach

In all that shuffling, the Titans did not name a new running backs coach, but that position should be filled in due time.

Since we’re mostly familiar with the latter four, let’s turn our attention to the newbies coming to Nashville in 2023, with the exception of Kelly, who we already did a bit deeper of a dive on here.

I’d also highly suggest checking out this article on Kelly from Broadway Sports Media’s Zach Lyons. It’s one of the most comprehensive deep dives you’ll find on Kelly on the internet.

Now, more information on the newest coaches.

Charles London’s work at Senior Bowl helped him land Titans gig

Charles London’s work at the Senior Bowl caught the attention of Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Among the many changes to the Tennessee Titans’ offensive staff announced on Tuesday, former Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks coach Charles London was one of the new additions and will serve as the team’s quarterbacks coach and offensive passing-game coordinator in 2023.

London was one of the original three who the Titans reportedly requested interviews with for their offensive coordinator vacancy, but it isn’t clear if that interview ever happened.

Nonetheless, London was clearly at least on Tennessee’s radar going into the cycle, but his work at the Senior Bowl might’ve sealed the deal for his new boss, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Vrabel explained that seeing London work with the young players while serving as the offensive coordinator for the American Team convinced him that London was the right guy for his staff.

London’s positive work with young players is especially important to note in this situation, as one of his tasks will be getting 2022 third-round pick and quarterback Malik Willis on track.

As far as what London’s role will be as passing-game coordinator, Vrabel says it’s an “assist role” and that the veteran coach will be “helping Tim [Kelly] and everybody involved work through the weekly game plan,” according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.

Of course, London is taking the reins at pass-game coordinator from Kelly, who was promoted to offensive coordinator.

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One Commanders’ offensive coordinator candidate is off the board

Charles London lands a new job.

The Washington Commanders have formally interviewed at least six known candidates for their vacant offensive coordinator position. Pat Shurmur, Ken Zampese, Charles London, Eric Studesville, Thomas Brown and Anthony Lynn have each had formal interviews with head coach Ron Rivera and Washington.

The Commanders fired former offensive coordinator Scott Turner over three weeks ago and appear no closer to hiring his replacement. However, Washington wants to speak with Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy but will have to wait until after the Super Bowl to speak with him in an official capacity.

While the Commanders wait for Bieniemy, one of the aforementioned contenders landed a new job on Tuesday. London, the Falcons quarterbacks coach, accepted the pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach job with the Tennessee Titans.

London was believed to have interviewed for Tennessee’s offensive coordinator position, but the Titans promoted Tim Kelly to offensive coordinator and also brought in London. London was the offensive coordinator for the American team at last week’s Senior Bowl and earned major praise.

The Commanders liked London, who was coming from Atlanta, which had one of the more impressive running games in the NFL last season. However, he was not likely to be the team’s hire. Bieniemy [if he wants it], Shurmur and Zampese would appear to be the frontrunners for the Commanders.

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What Mike Vrabel said about Tim Kelly as OC, other staff changes

What Mike Vrabel had to say about the Titans’ hire of Tim Kelly as OC, and the rest of the coaching staff shake-up.

Just hours after the Tennessee Titans announced the hiring of passing-game coordinator Tim Kelly as offensive coordinator, along with other staff moves, head coach Mike Vrabel met with the media to discuss the decisions.

On top of promoting Kelly, the Titans hired Charles London as offensive pass-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Chris Harris as defensive pass-game coordinator and cornerbacks coach, and Lori Locust and Justin Hamilton as defensive quality control coaches.

Tennessee also shuffled coaches from last year’s staff, moving Pat O’Hara from quarterbacks coach to pass-game analyst, Luke Steckel from tight ends to run-game analyst, and Tony Dews from running backs to tight ends.

As of right now, the Titans have yet to hire someone to take Dews’ place, but as Vrabel revealed during the presser, the staff is about 95 percent filled, so more hires are coming.

Now, a look at everything Vrabel had to say about the coaching staff shake-up that was announced on Tuesday.

Charles London hired as Titans passing game coordinator

#Falcons QBs coach Charles London takes job as Titans passing game coordinator

The Atlanta Falcons have another coaching vacancy they must fill after quarterbacks coach Charles London accepted a position with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday.

London, who joined the Falcons in 2020 when Arthur Smith was hired as head coach, will take over as the passing game coordinator/QBs coach for the Titans in 2023. Tennessee previously fired offensive coordinator Todd Downing along with a handful of assistants.

The Titans interviewed London a few weeks ago for their offensive coordinator vacancy, but they gave the job to Tim Kelly, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday afternoon.

One potential candidate to replace London is Falcons running backs coach T.J. Yates, who is a former NFL quarterback and would seem to be a logical choice for Arthur Smith’s staff.

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Louis Riddick calls one candidate for Commanders’ OC a ‘freakin star’

It sounds like Riddick believes strongly in of one of Washington’s potential offensive coordinator candidates.

Louis Riddick knows a thing or two about the NFL. The former NFL safety spent 14 seasons between Washington and Philadelphia, working in the front office. Beginning his front-office career as a scout, Riddick was the director of pro personnel for both Washington and Philadelphia.

Since then, Riddick has become one of ESPN’s top analysts while still interviewing for open general manager positions. Some believe it’s only a matter of time before Riddick receives the opportunity to run his own team.

With his work at ESPN preparing for the 2023 NFL draft, Riddick spent last week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. In addition to seeing some of the NFL’s top prospects, Riddick got an up-close look at several rising coaches.

One of those coaches was Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks coach Charles London. With a new Senior Bowl format that has rising coaches around the league working as coordinators and position coaches for the week, London was the offensive coordinator for the American team.

Does that name sound familiar to Washington fans?

London is one of six candidates known to have interviewed with Commanders head coach Ron Rivera for Washington’s vacant offensive coordinator position. In addition, London has reportedly also interviewed with the Tennessee Titans this offseason.

At last week’s Senior Bowl, Riddick came away impressed with London, labeling him a “freakin star” on Twitter.

London is an intriguing candidate. The former Duke running back has steadily moved up in the coaching ranks. He began his coaching career at his alma mater before moving to the Chicago Bears in 2007 as a quality control assistant.

After three years with the Bears, London spent the 2011 season with the Titans. In 2012, he was Bill O’Brien’s running backs coach at Penn State before following him to the NFL with the Houston Texans in the same position for the next four seasons. London returned to Chicago in 2018, where he coached running backs for three seasons before joining Arthur Smith’s staff as quarterbacks coach with the Falcons in 2021.

NFL teams clearly view London as a rising star. And with his knowledge of Atltanta’s outstanding running game, it shouldn’t be too long before London lands his first offensive coordinator job.

Riddick believes that the time is now.

Washington still hasn’t named an offensive coordinator and is believed to be waiting to interview Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy after the Super Bowl. Therefore, London remains in play for the Commanders.

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Commanders, Rivera, new offensive coordinator NEED to win next year

Ron Rivera needs to hire the offensive coordinator who can help him win — not necessarily who he is most comfortable with.

Ron Rivera and the Commanders are searching for their next offensive coordinator, and one name has yet to generate much discussion.

The reason might be play-calling experience. Or it might be something as simple as why would an offensive coordinator leave Patrick Mahomes for another OC job.

Calling the plays in the NFL? Don’t all offensive coordinators do this today? Not if the head coach wants to be calling the plays. Eric Bienemy has been in Kansas City now for ten years. For the first five, he coached running backs, and for the last five, he has been the offensive coordinator, but it remains Reid who calls the plays.

Apparently, the play calling of OC Scott Turner was upsetting enough to Coach Ron that Turner was sent packing after his three years under Rivera.

Play-calling is the most criticized aspect of NFL coaching.
Every fan knows the coordinator should not have called that play that didn’t work well. Actually, what most of us confuse is play-calling with execution.

The Commanders run it up the middle on 4th & 1, “Everyone knew they were going to run it up the middle! They should have out-smarted the defense and pitched it wide!”

Yet, when Washington pitched wide on a 4th & 1 early against Cleveland, “What are you doing, pitching wide when you need only one yard!? You should have sent Brian Robinson up the middle to pick up the one yard!”

Of course, those fans were completely forgetting that the interior line had trouble getting a surge in the previous game in San Francisco, missing on three plays needing a single yard.

Pat Shurmur?
Ken Zampese?
Charles London?
Eric Studesville?
Thomas Brown?
Greg Roman?

Who knows?

I certainly don’t.

One thing we do know. Coach Ron has won 7, 7 and 8 games in his three seasons in Washington. He is well aware he NEEDS to win next year.

Consequently, won’t Rivera thus hire whom he feels will best help him get over the hump and into the playoffs in 2023?

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Titans OC candidate Charles London to coach at Senior Bowl

Titans OC candidate and Falcons QBs coach Charles London will be the OC of the American Team at the Senior Bowl.

The Tennessee Titans are in the midst of looking for a new offensive coordinator after firing Todd Downing this offseason.

As of right now, we know of three candidates, a list that includes Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and senior assistant/quarterbacks coach Matt Nagy, and Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks coach, Charles London.

On Wednesday, it was announced that one of those coaches, London, would be the offensive coordinator of the American Team.

The Titans are actually familiar with London, who spent one season as an offensive assistant in Tennessee in 2011. He also crossed paths with Titans head coach Mike Vrabel when they were both on the Houston Texans’ coaching staff during the 2017 campaign.

He most recently served as quarterbacks coach under former Titans offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who was on the defensive staff when London was in Nashville.

Aside from the three candidates, the Titans have been fairly quiet on the offensive coordinator front overall, but that likely had to do with the fact that the team hadn’t hired a general manager yet.

Now that Ran Carthon is officially aboard (his introductory press conference will be on Friday), expect this search to really pick up steam in the coming days and week.

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Falcons’ Charles London named OC for Senior Bowl team

Falcons QB coach Charles London was named the offensive coordinator for the American Team at the 2023 Senior Bowl

The Atlanta Falcons are going to be busier than usual this offseason. Not only was the team chosen to coach this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl, quarterbacks coach Charles London has been named the offensive coordinator for the American Team in the 2023 Senior Bowl.

London recently interviewed for the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator vacancy, and now will get his shot as play-caller at one of the biggest events leading up to the 2023 NFL draft.

The Senior Bowl takes place down in Mobile, Alabama on Saturday, February 4. Make sure to tune in to see this year’s top college prospects try to improve their draft stock.

Atlanta continues to search for a defensive coordinator to replace Dean Pees, who retired a few weeks ago. On Wednesday the team reportedly interviewed Vic Fangio for their defensive vacancy.

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