Tag: Coaching Search

Commanders meet with Texans OC Bobby Slowik for a 2nd time

Bobby Slowik had his second interview of the week with the Commanders.

The Washington Commanders’ search for a new head coach continues this week with second in-person interviews on tap with their candidates.

On Monday, Washington scheduled in-person interviews with Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Rams’ defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

Four of Washington’s other candidates were busy this week preparing for the conference championship games, leaving Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik available. Slowik’s first interview with Washington came virtually on Sunday — one day after the Ravens eliminated the Texans from the postseason.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Commanders wasted no time setting up an in-person interview with Slowik. The two sides met on Tuesday. Slowik will also have a second interview with the Falcons on Thursday.

Slowik was a first-year coordinator for Houston last season under new head coach DeMeco Ryans. The Texans went from worst to first, with Slowik assisting in the development of quarterback C.J. Stroud. Stroud was phenomenal as a rookie, and Slowik, who comes from the Kyle Shanahan tree, became a hot candidate for multiple head coaching openings this offseason.

Will the Commanders hire Ravens DC Mike Macdonald as head coach?

A prediction for Ravens DC Mike Macdonald to the Commanders.

The Washington Commanders began scheduling second interviews for their vacant head coaching position this week. Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will have in-person interviews with Washington’s brass this week.

Washington held at least eight interviews over the past two weeks, including offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. It’s unknown if or when Bieniemy of Slowik will have a second interview.

The Commanders will have to wait on four of the contenders, though. Ben Johnson (Lions OC), Aaron Glenn (Lions DC), Mike Macdonald (Ravens DC) and Anthony Weaver (Ravens AHC/DL coach) have teams playing in conference championship games next weekend. That means coaches from these staffs must wait until after that game to have a second interview with the Commanders or anyone else.

Could Washington’s next head coach be one of those four? Many of the dots have connected Johnson to the Commanders. He’s arguably the hottest candidate on the coaching carousel this year and has plenty of options.

But could Washington look to the Ravens for their next head coach?

Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report recently predicted where each of the final six teams with openings would turn for its next head coach. On Monday night, the Titans appear close to hiring Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their next coach.

Who does Moton see Washington tabbing as its next coach?

Macdonald.

Thus far, the Washington Commanders have interviewed more defensive coaches than offensive assistants and coordinators, which may indicate where the club leans in terms of a candidate’s background.

The Commanders have requested to interview two of the top offensive coordinators, Ben Johnson and Bobby Slowik, but they may face stiffer competition for both candidates with the league favoring offensive hires.

Mike Macdonald has talked to five out of the six teams with a vacancy, but he has a connection with Commanders’ senior vice president of football strategy Eugene Shen, who rose through the ranks within the Baltimore Ravens front office before he came over to Washington.

In 2014, the Ravens hired Macdonald and Shen. The former started his pro coaching career as an intern and the latter assisted the coaching staff with data and analysis. Both spent several years in Baltimore, though Macdonald left to become Michigan’s defensive coordinator in 2021 and then returned in 2022.

The MMQB’s Albert Breer heard that Commanders owner Josh Harris may try to emulate the Ravens’ organizational model.

“I don’t know whether he’s settled on a model yet, but I have heard he’s intrigued by the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles, and how they’ve built their football operations out.”

Last October, the Commanders hired Shen to lead their analytics department. Now, they may poach Ravens assistants and coaches to work under new general manager Adam Peters. Macdonald could be one of them.

New Washington GM Adam Peters stated that his next head coach doesn’t have to specialize in one side of the ball. Peters said the ultimate trait he is looking for is leadership, whether it’s an offensive, defensive, or special teams coach.

Johnson and Macdonald will likely remain in the mix, but it’s too soon to rule out Quinn and Morris.

Former Washington tight end Logan Paulsen recently offered his analysis on Macdonald and his defense with the Ravens.

Commanders to bring in Rams DC Raheem Morris, Cowboys DC Dan Quinn for a second interview

The Commanders are beginning second in-person interviews this week.

Only four teams remain in the NFL playoffs, so teams searching for a new head coach can hold second, in-person interviews this week with candidates from the 28 eliminated teams.

Teams looking to interview assistants from the Chiefs, Ravens, 49ers, and Lions must wait another week.

The Washington Commanders are looking for a head coach and have interviewed at least eight candidates. Four of those candidates are from the Ravens and Lions, so Washington must wait on them.

However, the Commanders can interview other candidates this week. On Monday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported the Commanders will interview Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn for a second time.

Quinn has spent the past three seasons as Dallas’ defensive coordinator, and the Cowboys are routinely among the league leaders in sacks and turnovers. Quinn was head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015-20.

Quinn isn’t the only active defensive coordinator who will interview with Washington for a second time this week. The Commanders will also bring in Rams DC Raheem Morris for a second interview.

Morris has been the Rams’ defensive coordinator since 2021 but has plenty of NFL experience, including three seasons as Washington’s defensive backs coach from 2012-14. Morris is also a former head coach, guiding the Buccaneers from 2009-11.

Quinn and Morris will be busy this week, with second in-person interviews slated with multiple teams.

NFL insider reveals Ben Johnson’s potential OC if he lands a head coaching job

If the Commanders hire Ben Johnson, his offensive coordinator could be a longtime former NFL offensive lineman.

The Washington Commanders’ search for a new head coach may need to wait at least one more week. With the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens winning in this weekend’s divisional round, four of the reported eight candidates cannot hold a second interview this week as teams prepare for the conference championship games.

The Commanders interviewed Detroit’s coordinators (OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn), Baltimore’s defensive coordinator (Mike Macdonald), and associate head coach/defensive line (Anthony Weaver).

Washington can pursue second interviews with other candidates this week but will most certainly wait to speak to others, specifically Johnson, who is reportedly the Commanders’ top target.

While there is a long way to go before we know who Washington’s next coach will be, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network hinted at a name who could follow Johnson to his next destination as the offensive coordinator: Detroit offensive line coach Hank Fraley.

Fraley, 46, has been Detroit’s offensive line coach since 2020. The Lions’ offensive line is considered one of the five best in the game. If Fraley followed Johnson to Washington or anywhere else, he would not call plays, as Johnson would likely continue to do that.

Fraley is from Gaithersburg, Maryland, and played collegiately at Robert Morris in Pennsylvania. He was undrafted in 2000 but enjoyed an 11-year playing career, including six seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he started on the interior of the offensive line for Andy Reid. He would also play several seasons for the Browns.

He began his coaching career in 2012 at San Diego. He had his first NFL job with the Minnesota Vikings as an assistant offensive line coach in 2014. Fraley spent three seasons with the Vikings before going to UCLA as the offensive line coach in 2017. After one year in college, he came back to the NFL as Detroit’s assistant offensive line coach. He was promoted to his current position in 2020.

If the Commanders landed Johnson, Fraley would be an excellent choice to help rebuild Washington’s offensive line.

 

Commanders interviewed OC Eric Bieniemy for their head coaching opening last week

Washington interviewed AHC/OC Eric Bieniemy for its vacant head coaching position last week.

The Washington Commanders requested permission to speak with seven assistants from other teams shortly after firing head coach Ron Rivera on Jan 9.

The Commanders interviewed Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver first. Last week, Washington interviewed Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

On Sunday, the Commanders interviewed Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

Beyond those seven names, it wasn’t certain if Washington would expand its list beyond these candidates. However, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, the Commanders interviewed a familiar face last week.

Anderson reported that Washington brass interviewed offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy last week. The interview was “detailed” and “checked all of the boxes.”

Interviewing Bieniemy is not a surprise. It makes sense for owner Josh Harris and new GM Adam Peters to give Bieniemy a chance to make his pitch. And, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, Harris and Peters both were involved in Bieniemy’s interview.

This doesn’t mean Washington will hire Bieniemy, but it does mean he has a chance. It’s also a good idea for Peters to speak with Bieniemy formally to gain some insight into Washington’s roster.

It’s the first known interview in this cycle for Bieniemy, who has interviewed for multiple head coaching jobs in the past.

 

Former head coach talks giving Ben Johnson his first NFL coaching job

How is Ben Johnson as a leader?

The Detroit Lions have a huge game on Sunday. The Lions will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC divisional round of the playoffs. With a win, the Lions would play in their first NFC championship game since Jan. 1992.

Detroit’s opponent in 1992 was the then-Washington Redskins. Washington defeated Detroit 41-10 and would go on to win Super Bowl XXVI.

These days, the Lions and Washington are connected by Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Johnson is reportedly the Commanders’ top target for their vacant head coaching position.

This week, Johnson was asked if he knew Washington’s new GM Adam Peters. Also, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell discussed why Johnson was ready for the next step in his coaching career.

Someone who knows both Campbell and Johnson well is former Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin. It was Philbin who brought Campbell and Johnson together in 2012. When Philbin was hired as Miami’s head coach in 2012, he inherited Campbell as his tight ends coach.

When Philbin put together his first coaching staff, he hired a then-24-year-old Johnson as an offensive assistant. It was Johnson’s first NFL job after three seasons at Boston College as an offensive assistant.

Philbin recently spoke to Scott Abraham of ABC 7 in Washington, D.C. about Johnson’s progression as a coach.

“Ben was with me all four years I was down there and started off as just a quality control coach, kind of the beginning of the whole journey,” Philbin said. “And really just exceeded expectations in every single assignment that we gave him. He was eventually the assistant quarterbacks coach for me, he and Zac Taylor (Bengals head coach), so he was in pretty good company with those two.”

Taylor began his NFL coaching career on the same staff as Johnson as Miami’s assistant QB coach. After one year in that role, Taylor became the quarterbacks coach with Johnson replacing him in the assistant role. After four more seasons as an assistant coach with three teams, Taylor began his head coaching career with Cincinnati in 2019.

Last week, in his introductory press conference, Peters was asked about the most important trait he looked for in a head coach. He said leadership.

How is Johnson’s leadership?

“Absolutely, I think they developed over time,” Philbin said regarding Johnson’s leadership skills. “But I know the players then held him in high regard, as I’m sure they do in Detroit for much the same reasons. No. 1, I think he’s in coaching for the right reasons; I don’t think it’s all about Ben Johnson, necessarily. I think he really the challenge of helping a player reach his potential as an athlete, as a football player. I think that’s really what makes Ben Johnson tick.”

Washington has competition for Johnson, as he’s interviewed with several other teams, too, and is believed to be Carolina’s top target.

What does Logan Paulsen think of Ravens DC Mike Macdonald?

Paulsen analyzes Ravens DC Mike Macdonald as a possible head coaching candidate.

When asked to talk about the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, Mike Macdonald, I found it interesting that one NFL analyst, chose for the first thing to say in response was that Macdonald has several really talented players on his defense.

“Yes, he has a very decisive and innovative defensive vision, but also, he’s got ball players, man”, expressed Logan Paulsen on Friday. with Craig Hoffman on the “Take Command” podcast. “He’s got good pass rushers. He’s got guys who have bought into the scheme. And I think he deserves a little bit of the credit for that. The linebackers are playing better. Queen is playing the best football of his career. Roquan Smith is having a resurgence after languishing in Chicago for a while.”

Paulsen then likened Baltimore’s defense to the 49ers and Lions offenses. Both have talented players, and he thinks it is important to keep in mind with these three groups.

Paulsen feels Macdonald doesn’t run risky schemes, but they do disguise their structure well, which Paulsen has found helpful. “On third downs, they are looking to create overloads and protection (issues). They look at your protection and send overloads on the other side… they are not running anything you wouldn’t see from other good defensive coordinators, but they are good at disguising coverages and bringing overloads”, continued Paulsen.

“They are good at using their personnel, and those three things show me what kind of coach he is. They show me he is a really bright dude. They are doing complicated stuff and making it look easy. And I think that speaks to his coaching voice.”

Paulsen also added that Macdonald has surrounded himself with good people like defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, who also interviewed with the Commanders.

One other question Paulsen has regarding Macdonald is, because he is young, how many resourceful people does he have in his portfolio? That is, how much of a network, a coaching tree has he been able to develop?

Finally, Paulsen declared it cannot be overstated the Ravens offense has been scoring enough points, placing the defense in good positions throughout most games this season.

 

Texans OC Bobby Slowik scheduled to interview with Commanders on Sunday

Slowik is next up on Washington’s interview list.

The Baltimore Ravens kicked off the NFL divisional round on Saturday with a dominant 34-10 win over the Houston Texans. It was a surprisingly close game in the third quarter before Baltimore scored 24 unanswered points to end Houston’s amazing bounceback season.

The Texans had won 11 games combined over the past three seasons, but new coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud took Houston from worst to first in 2023, with the Texans winning the AFC South and a wild-card playoff game.

While Ryans and Stroud receive most of the credit for Houston’s success — and rightfully so — offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik was another essential element. The first-year offensive coordinator helped turn around Houston’s offense, which finished 31st in offensive DOA in 2022, per FTN, to 14th in 2023.

Slowik’s success in helping turn around Houston’s offense, developing Stroud, and his pedigree — he’s a Kyle Shanahan disciple and the son of a former longtime NFL coach — have him popular on the coaching carousel in 2024.

Several teams have requested interviews with Slowik for their head coaching vacancies. Last week, Slowik had virtual interviews with the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers.

On Sunday, Slowik will interview with the Washington Commanders, Seattle Seahawks, and Atlanta Falcons. With six head coaching positions currently open, Slowik, at 36 years old, stands a good chance of landing his first job soon.

The Commanders have already interviewed Anthony Weaver (Ravens), Mike MacDonald (Ravens), Dan Quinn (Cowboys), Raheem Morris (Rams) and Ben Johnson (Lions). Washington also requested permission to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

How will new general manager Adam Peters impact Washington’s coaching search? Could Peters expand the candidate list since taking over last week? As it currently stands, Johnson and Slowik are the only offensive coaches on Washington’s interview list. However, Peters said the most important trait he was looking for in the head coach wasn’t a specific side of the ball but leadership.

Slowik began his NFL coaching career in 2011 as a defensive assistant for Washington under Mike Shanahan. He remained in that role for three seasons.

Lions coach Dan Campbell believes Ben Johnson is ready to be a head coach

Dan Campbell explains why he thinks Ben Johnson is ready to be a head coach.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson shocked everyone last year when he passed on head coaching opportunities to return. Johnson didn’t only interview with teams last offseason, but he could’ve landed a head coaching job.

Johnson, perhaps wisely, chose to return to Detroit, and things couldn’t have worked out better. The Lions won the NFC East, are hosting two playoff games (so far), and have an opportunity this weekend to advance to their first NFC Championship game in 32 years.

A major reason for Detroit’s success is Johnson’s offense. The Lions finished No. 5 in total offensive DVOA, per FTN. Johnson has helped quarterback Jared Goff turn his career around after the Rams gave up on him.

With his success in 2023, Johnson is an even more popular coaching candidate for 2024. Eight teams have coaching vacancies this offseason, with two already filled from within. That leaves six vacancies, and six teams have requested permission to interview Johnson.

Johnson’s decision to return likely helped him find a more ideal situation but has also helped him grow as a coach.

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell spoke on Johnson’s growth since returning to the Lions.

“I think it’s made him a better coach,” Campbell said, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “Yeah, he’s grown as a coordinator. Got a little better. You learn things as you would being in that position, yeah. There’s that, but I think it’s made him a more well-rounded coach. I just think everything has grown. I think he’s got a very good grasp of what we do [with] roster management. I think when you do that, and you get in that, and it’s like, ‘OK, there could be a next step. I’m not ready for that. In my head, I don’t want to do that yet. Yes, I’m a better coordinator,’ but it’s also……he’s starting to look for and ask these questions about roster, game-day, building a team, what you’re looking for, front of the room. And I think it served him well.”

That’s an impressive answer from Campbell explaining why returning to his role as an offensive coordinator will only make Johnson a better head coach whenever he eventually departs.

“It’s a credit to him, man. Not many people would do that,” Campbell said about Johnson turning down head coaching jobs last offseason. “But that’s how he viewed it. It’s an experience for him. It’s a chance to grow, and it’s a chance to grow with people that he appreciates being around.”

Johnson has several options, and many NFL insiders believe the Washington Commanders have him as their No. 1 target. Does that mean Johnson views Washington the same? What helps the Commanders is new GM Adam Peters and his reputation, along with Washington owning the No. 2 overall pick, essentially allowing Johnson the opportunity to groom a rookie franchise quarterback.

Detroit hosts Tampa Bay in the NFC divisional round on Sunday.

Rick Spielman enjoying his short-term role with the Commanders

Rick Spielman is enjoying his advisory role with the Commanders, praising Josh Harris as the right person to own the franchise.

Former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman is enjoying serving the Washington Commanders in their two key searches.

Spielman joined the Vikings in 2006 and, for the next 17 seasons, worked in the front office, first in player personnel manager and then as the general manager.

Yet, Spielman is still taking the posture of learning from others’ NFL experiences and knowledge while helping the Commanders in last week’s search for Adam Peters as GM and now their head-coaching search.

Spielman spoke with Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports Wednesday and wanted to set the record straight from the beginning that he (Spielman) is not going to be involved in any player personnel evaluations for Adam Peters and the Commanders.

The brother of former Detroit Lions linebacker Chris Spielman assured Wilson he is not doing any work with Peters and the Commanders on the direction they are going to go in April’s NFL draft.

Josh Harris was the object of Spielman’s praise, expressing that Harris was the right guy to own the Commanders franchise at this time. He referred to Harris’s approach in interviewing the general manager candidates as “diligent” and also “detailed.”

“I was excited because interviewing all the five candidates that came through, they were all more than qualified. I believe all of them are going to be a GM here in the near future.”

Spielman offered that he learned much during the process as well. He learned something about how teams run their draft process, analytics, and sports science. “As much as I was trying to interview them I actually was really fascinated by the way the NFL has changed in the last five or six years.”

He also offered that through the interviews and listening and interacting with the candidates, he could see how each of them had already been successful.

Here is the video of the entire dialog between Wilson and Spielman.