Tag: Jennifer King

Bears promote OL coach Chris Morgan to run game coordinator

The Bears offensive line coach is getting a promotion for the 2024 season.

The Chicago Bears overhauled their offensive coaching staff this offseason, namely with the addition of Shane Waldron as the new offensive coordinator. But one holdover coach from the last two years is getting a promotion for the 2024 season.

Offensive line coach Chris Morgan is being elevated to run game coordinator, head coach Matt Eberflus announced on Thursday while meeting the media. Morgan has spent the last two seasons as the offensive line coach and has yielded positive results while working with young players such as Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, and Darnell Wright.

Morgan was one of two position coaches who remained with the team after the 2023 season, along with tight ends coach Jim Dray. He will still coach the offensive line in addition to working with running backs coach Chad Morton and assistant running backs coach Jennifer King on the run game. The Bears did not have a run game coordinator the last two seasons, though their rushing offense led the league in yards per game in 2022 (177.3) and second in 2023 (141.1 yards per game).

With the promotion of Morgan, the Bears’ coaching staff is nearly complete. Eberflus confirmed the team is still looking for an assistant defensive line coach after Justin Hinds left to become the Seattle Seahawks defensive line coach.

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Bears reportedly hiring former Panthers intern Jennifer King as assistant coach

Former Panthers intern Jennifer King is reportedly headed to Chicago.

The Chicago Bears are taking another piece of the Tar Heel State up north.

As first reported by NFL Network reporter Bridget Condon on Tuesday, the Bears are set to hire Jennifer King as an offensive assistant. King, who previously spent two seasons as an intern for the Carolina Panthers, is expected to work with Chicago’s running backs.

An Eden, N.C. native, King got her NFL start with the hometown Panthers in 2018. After meeting then-head coach Ron Rivera at the league’s Women’s Forum, she was brought on as a wide receivers coach intern.

King would then get her first full-time job in pro football with the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots as an assistant wide receivers and special teams coach later that year. But after the league ceased due to bankruptcy, she returned to the Panthers as a running backs coach intern in 2019.

She’s since picked up stints as an offensive assistant at Dartmouth College in 2019 and as a coaching intern and assistant running backs coach for Rivera’s Washington Commanders between 2020 and 2023.

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Former Commanders assistant RBs coach Jennifer King accepts similar role with NFC team

Jennifer King lands with another NFC team.

Ron Rivera’s former staff members continue to find work elsewhere after he was fired last month by the Washington Commanders.

On Tuesday, Jennifer King, who was Rivera’s assistant running backs coach for the past three seasons in Washington, accepted a similar role with the Chicago Bears, according to Bridget Condon of the NFL Network.

King, 39, followed Rivera to Washington in 2020. Rivera first gave her a coaching opportunity in 2018 with the Panthers as a wide receivers coaching intern. In 2019, she was a running backs coach intern. When Rivera was hired by Washington in 2020, she began as a coaching intern, and in 2021, Rivera named her the assistant running backs coach under veteran position coach Randy Jordan.

When King was promoted to assistant running backs coach, she became the first Black woman to be a full-time NFL coach.

King was one of 40 women who attended the NFL’s Women’s Forum in 2018, where she met Rivera to express an interest in coaching.

Before getting into football coaching, King spent time as a flight attendant, police officer, and college basketball coach.

Report: Bears to hire Jennifer King as assistant offensive coach

The Bears are set to hire Jennifer King to their offensive staff, making her the first female coach in franchise history.

The Chicago Bears added another coach to their offensive staff and made history in the process. The Bears are reportedly set to hire former Washington Commanders assistant running backs coach Jennifer King to the same position, making her the first female coach in Bears history. NFL Network’s Bridget Condon was first with the news.

King, who is the first full-time African-American female coach in NFL history, spent the last three seasons as Washington’s assistant running backs coach. She worked with players such as Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson while on Ron Rivera’s staff. She also spent multiple seasons as a coaching intern, both for the Commanders and the Carolina Panthers, and coached receivers for the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

Prior to her coaching career, King was a decorated player for the Carolina Phoenix of the Women’s Football Alliance. Playing quarterback and wide receiver, King helped the Phoenix to a staggering 75-17 record from 2007–2016, including one championship and seven division titles.

King joins a revamped Bears offensive staff led by Shane Waldron and will work with new running backs coach Chad Morton.

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Commanders announce official coaching promotions for 2023

All four moves are on the offensive side of the ball.

The Washington Commanders announced four new coaching promotions Tuesday, ahead of their Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Former tight ends coach Juan Castillo is now the run game coordinator. Former assistant tight ends coach Todd Storm replaces Castillo as tight ends coach. Former assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton is the new offensive line coach. He replaced John Matsko, who was fired in March. Running backs coach Randy Jordan is now the senior offensive assistant/running backs coach.

All of these coaches have been working in their new roles for months. Head coach Ron Rivera said earlier this year the moves couldn’t be official until the team was sold. New owner Josh Harris officially took over on July 20.

Castillo is a longtime NFL assistant offensive line coach — his second season with the Commanders — and has been helping out Wharton this offseason. Castillo will also assist Storm, who is entering his fourth season in Washington. Jordan is entering his 10th season with Washington, where assistant running backs coach Jennifer King has assisted him since 2020.

Ron Rivera, Jason Wright among those representing Commanders at GM forum, QB coaching summit

QBs coach Tavita Pritchard and assistant RBs coach Jennifer King are also among those representing Washington.

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In 2021, the NFL created the Ozzie Newsome General Manager Forum in an effort to enhance equal opportunity and diversity. On Thursday, the NFL announced the third annual event, which will take place on June 21 in Los Angeles. The NFL collaborates with the Black College Football Hall of Fame on the event.

NFL owners and front-office personnel lead sessions and panels designed to show prospective candidates how to run an NFL front office.

Washington Commanders team president Jason Wright and senior director of player development Malcolm Bracken will be presenters or panelists for the event.

Additionally, from June 22-23, the Quarterback Coaching Summit will take place, with head coach Ron Rivera, quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard and assistant running backs coach Jennifer King on hand as panelists.

From the NFL:

Participants will gain insights and knowledge directly from quarterback coaches, offensive coordinators, head coaches and general managers. The programming will provide a platform to help prepare, educate, and identify quality minority candidates across the league. Both the Forum and the Summit will feature a variety of sessions, including how to build a coaching staff, position coach roles, analytics and how to prepare for interview sessions. There will also be sessions hosted by club ownership, including priorities and the process of selecting a head coach and general manager.

Newsome is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame from his time as a tight end for the Cleveland Browns. After his playing days, Newsome joined the Browns’ front office and, eventually, the Ravens, where he was general manager for 16 years before retiring in 2018. He still works for the Ravens as an executive vice president in personnel. He helped lead Baltimore to two Super Bowl championships during his time as an executive.

This year’s Senior Bowl is important for the Commanders’ coaching staff

Four Washington assistants will coach at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl adopted a different format for 2023. Instead of two entire NFL coaching staffs coaching each team, the head coaches will act in an advisory role to different assistants throughout the NFL to promote professional development.

The new format is also good for the players. Every Senior Bowl participant will have the opportunity to work with coaches from staffs around the NFL, not one specific team. Yes, every team will be heavily represented at practice each day, but the chance for coaches to work closely with players can benefit teams and players.

The Washington Commanders will have four coaches in the game, with franchise legend Ryan Kerrigan among them. Kerrigan will coach the defensive line for the National team. Assistant running backs coach Jennifer King, assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton and assistant special teams coach Ben Jacobs will also coach in the game.

This will be a good opportunity for Washington’s coaching staff. You have full-time assistants working with specific position groups. The coaches see how these players work every day, if they’re coachable, see their strengths and weaknesses and most importantly, compete.

When we look back at past Washington draft classes, the current roster is littered with players who played in Mobile. Last year alone, quarterback Sam Howell, running back Brian Robinson Jr., wide receiver Jahan Dotson, tight end Cole Turner and guard Chris Paul all participated in the 2022 Senior Bowl.

Dotson looks like a future star, while Robinson established himself as a clear No. 1 running back late in 2022. Howell showed promise in his final start and has the chance to win the starting quarterback job in 2023. Paul started the last game, showing promise, while injuries limited Turner after a solid start to training camp.

Star wideout Terry McLaurin is also a Senior Bowl alum.

Washington needs help on the offensive line. Wharton, along with Jarrod James, will coach the National team’s offensive line. There are some intriguing prospects among that group.

Don’t be surprised if the Commanders leave Mobile with an idea of some offensive linemen they like in April’s NFL draft.

Washington appears fairly set at running back, but Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic will enter the final year of their contracts in 2023. Don’t be surprised if the Commanders add a running back later in the draft. King will have a good look at four talented prospects.

The Senior Bowl is always a fun time, as it’s the unofficial kickoff to draft season. For Washington, head coach Ron Rivera and his staff have an opportunity to add some talented and experienced players that can help the Commanders in 2023.

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Ryan Kerrigan among 4 Commanders’ coaches selected for Reese’s Senior Bowl

Quite an honor for Kerrigan, who just completed his first season as a coach.

Washington Commanders franchise legend Ryan Kerrigan recently completed his first season as a coach. It also happened to be the first year Kerrigan didn’t play football since he was a small child.

Kerrigan, who retired in July as a member of the Washington organization, where he played 10 seasons and is the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks, spoke of trying out coaching. Head coach Ron Rivera had Kerrigan “shadow” Washington’s defensive coaches in training camp before suddenly, an opportunity arose.

The Commanders fired defensive line coach Sam Mills III early in training camp. Replacing him was assistant defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina. In a corresponding move, Rivera named Kerrigan the assistant defensive line coach, meaning he was a full-time coach in his first year out of football.

That’s a pretty remarkable accomplishment.

Washington’s defensive line was outstanding in 2022, with players crediting Zgonina and Kerrigan, who often specifically worked with pass rushers.

Now that the season is over, Kerrigan received another opportunity. He was among four Washington coaches selected to coach in the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Kerrigan will coach the defensive line for the National squad.

Joining Kerrigan are assistant running backs coach Jennifer King, assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton and assistant special teams coach Ben Jacobs.

The Senior Bowl has a new coaching format this year. In previous years, the entire coaching staff of two of the worst NFL teams had a leg up in scouting the top senior prospects for the entire week. Now, the Detroit Lions and New York Jets head coaches will serve in an advisory capacity to the other selected coaches.

The Senior Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 4.

Washington assistant RBs coach Jennifer King continues to make history

Washington assistant running backs coach Jennifer King continues to make NFL history.

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Washington assistant running backs coach Jennifer King continues to make NFL history. King is the first African-American female to be a full-time NFL assistant. King’s next accomplishment came when she was the first female to lead a position group when Washington running backs coach Randy Jordan missed a game due to COVID-19 in 2021.

Now, King will coach a position in the East-West Shrine Bowl. The game is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 3, with multiple practices leading up to the game.

Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post first had the news.

King is the second woman ever to coach in the East-West Shrine Bowl but the first to lead a position. Katie Sowers was an assistant to the head coach in the 2016 East-West Shrine game.

Other Washington coaches will also coach in the game. Assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton will be the offensive coordinator for the East team, while assistant special teams coach Ben Jacobs will be the West’s special teams coordinator.

Congratulations to all of Washington’s coaches on this opportunity.

7 Washington coaches will miss Tuesday’s game vs. Eagles due to COVID protocols

Seven Washington assistant coaches are out vs. Eagles Tuesday due to COVID-19 protocols.

The COVID-19 numbers continue to rise for the Washington Football Team. On a day that saw All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff added to the reserve/COVID-19 list and Matt Ioannidis activated, COVID-19 will now impact the coaching staff.

Washington announced seven coaches would miss Tuesday’s game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here’s the complete list:

  • Defensive line coach Sam Mills Jr.
  • Wide receivers coach Drew Terrell
  • Running backs coach Randy Jordan
  • Defensive backs coach Chris Harris
  • Assistants DBs/nickel coach Brent Vieselmeyer
  • Defensive quality control coach Vincent Rivera
  • Defensive coaching intern Christian Garcia

Washington announced replacements for the position coaches, such as Mills, Terrell, Jordan and Harris.

Only Ioannidis was activated from the COVID list Monday, as Washington still awaits word on quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen. Garrett Gilbert will likely start under center for Washington if neither Heinicke nor Allen can go.

Gilbert was signed Friday from the Patriots’ practice squad.