Tag: Zach Azzanni

Calvin Austin on the ugly truth: There’s no replacing George Pickens

Calvin Austin discusses the challenge of replacing George Pickens and emphasizes the collective effort of the receivers and coaching staff.

Calvin Austin may be an honorary member of the George Pickens fan club, or he could be the most realistic man in all of Pittsburgh.

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Austin made it clear that when it comes to Pickens and his time away with a hamstring injury, there is no way to replace him with another Steelers wide receiver: “It’s hard to say anybody is similar to GP.”

Austin continued to shift the focus and pressure away from one specific player stepping up to replace Pickens, placing emphasis on the coaching staff’s ability to utilize all of the Steelers’ wide receivers’ unique strengths: “Everybody in the receiver room has different skill sets—different strengths—and the coaching staff knows that. They know how to put us in the position to be able to show that.”

Austin hit the nail right on the head—it will take all wide receivers and coaches to overcome the loss of talent that Pickens brings to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Steelers fans call for answers regarding rookie Roman Wilson

Fans are left frustrated by the Steelers’ silence on rookie WR Roman Wilson’s health and his role amid roster changes.

Memo to HC Mike Tomlin: fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers need clear answers regarding rookie WR Roman Wilson.

Thanks to Tomlin’s coaching style, keeping his cards close to his vest, Wilson’s health—or lack thereof—has gone radio silent the past few weeks.

A little over a month ago, Pittsburgh Steelers WR coach Zach Azzanni seemingly referenced that Wilson was preparing for his stint on IR to be short, likely the NFL minimum of four missed games. However, Wilson never returned in Week 13, nor Week 14, and fans want to know why.

With Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens expected to be out for an unspecified amount of time with a grade 2 hamstring strain, Wilson could potentially bring some much-needed life and energy to a bare Steelers wide receiver room.

Understandably confused and upset, here are some of the best reactions to the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ lack of information regarding rookie wide receiver Roman Wilson and his potential health concerns.

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Is a Roman Wilson Week 13 return realistic for Steelers?

Roman Wilson could technically return from IR in Week 13, giving the Steelers a boost against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Roman Wilson potentially could have some positive news next week as the team gears up to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13. Wilson, who was added to IR on October 28th, is finally eligible to return after sitting out the past four games.

Wilson being eligible to return and being healthy are two completely different factors that the Pittsburgh Steelers will consider when ultimately making their decision on the rookie third-round wide receiver.

While Wilson had seemingly caught the ire of HC Mike Tomlin and OC Arthur Smith, WR coach Zach Azzanni spoke highly of Wilson only a few days after his addition to IR, stating that the young wideout asked Azzanni to create a plan during the four weeks away from action.

Will Azzanni’s plan for Wilson culminate in a Week 13 return? Only time will tell, but after the horrendous Steelers offensive display in Week 12, the team may need his talents sooner rather than later.

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Steelers coach doesn’t sugar-coat wide receiver situation

Pittsburgh’s lack of attention to the wide receiver problem is somewhat puzzling.

It’s late June and training camp is only a month away. So we understand if the Pittsburgh Steelers are still working out the kinks in this new offensive scheme. After all, the team has a completely new quarterback depth chart, two rookies set to start on the offensive line and a brand new offensive coordinator.

But the position everyone is worried about is wide receiver. After trading away Diontae Johnson at the start of free agency, the team had cobbled together some options to replace him but even from the outside looking in things don’t look great.

New Steelers wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni didn’t mince words when he talked about this group.

“We are a work in progress,” Azzanni said.

You don’t typically hear that from a position coach in a public setting, but new Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni knows what he’s dealing with in his room beyond George Pickens. There’s a little bit of everything in terms of experience and expectations but no difference-makers who jump off the page.

There is still a hope that Pittsburgh can find a player either in free agency or via a trade before the start of free agency who can come in and help speed this work in progress up.

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Former Jets WRs coach Zach Azzanni hired by Steelers to same position

Former Jets WRs coach Zach Azzanni hired by Steelers to same position

Former Jets wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni was officially named the next wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers Friday.

Azzanni came to New York in 2023 following five seasons in Denver, including 2022 under then-head coach and Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. The Jets hired Shawn Jefferson, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, as their new wide receivers coach last week.

Garrett Wilson enjoyed a second straight 1,000-yard season under Azzanni in 2023, however the next highest for wide receivers was Allen Lazard with 311 and he was a healthy scratch in two games last season.

Azzanni joins a group in Pittsburgh that includes two players that reached at least 700 receiving yards in 2023, including 1,140 for George Pickens.

The Jets will see Azzanni and the Steelers in 2024 in Pittsburgh after both teams finished third in their respective divisions.

Former Vol Cedric Tillman debuts with Browns

Former Vol Cedric Tillman debuts with Cleveland in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

Cleveland defeated the Jets, 21-16, Thursday in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Former Tennessee players John Kelly Jr. and Cedric Tillman competed in the game for Cleveland.

Kelly started and recorded 46 rushing yards, four receptions, 27 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

Tillman made his NFL debut and recorded two receptions and 35 receiving yards.

Cleveland quarterback and former Vol Joshua Dobbs was inactive for the game.

Former Tennessee football player Terry Brown was a field judge in the game.

Former Tennessee assistant coach Zach Azzanni is serving as the Jets’ wide receivers coach in 2023.

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Zach Azzanni posts farewell message to Denver after leaving Broncos

“I wish [the Broncos] nothing but success,” Zach Azzanni said after leaving the team to join the Jets in a lateral move.

Former Denver Broncos wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni has left the club to join the New York Jets in a lateral move to reunite with Nathaniel Hackett, who now serves as New York’s offensive coordinator.

After leaving the club, Azzanni shared this message on his Twitter page:

Denver!, My family and I have been truly blessed to be a part of this great city and 1st class organization for 5 years. As a coach I have had the pleasure and honor of coaching some great players and even better people and working with some great coaches. 

We have met friends for life here. I wish all the players, new coaching staff, George Paton and his staff and the entire ownership group nothing but success. Thank you Denver for everything! But it’s time for the Azzani family to start a new adventure and we couldn’t be more excited. New York here we come!

Azzanni joined the Broncos in 2018 and lasted through three different coaching staffs under Vance Joseph (2018), Vic Fangio (2019-2021) and Hackett (2022). The list of receivers he coached in Denver includes the late Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and Jerry Jeudy.

Azzanni now lands with the Jets, where he will help coach up Elijah Moore, Garett Wilson, Corey Davis and Denzel Mims.

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Former Vols’ assistant named Jets’ wide receivers coach

A former Vols’ assistant named New York Jets’ wide receivers coach.

The New York Jets have hired former Tennessee assistant coach Zach Azzanni as its wide receivers coach.

Azzanni held the same position in Denver for the past five seasons and leaves as the Broncos’ longest tenured assistant coach. In Denver, he served under head coaches Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio and Nathaniel Hackett.

Hackett is now serving as the Jets’ offensive coordinator.

Azzanni began his coaching career overseeing wide receivers at Valparaiso (1999-2000). He was then a graduate assistant at Bowling Green (2001-02) before becoming the Falcons’ wide receivers coach from 2003-06.

He served as wide receivers coach from 2007-09 under former Vols’ head coach Butch Jones at Central Michigan.

Azzanni then served as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Florida in 2010. In 2011, he was offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Western Kentucky.

The following year, Azzanni was wide receivers coach at Wisconsin.

He reunited with Jones at Tennessee, serving as recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2013-14 and passing game coordinator and receivers coach from 2015-16.

Azzanni began his NFL coaching career in 2017 as wide receivers coach with Chicago.

Broncos coaching staff update: Strength coach hired, QBs coaches interview

The Broncos interviewed Greg Olson (not to be confused with Greg Olsen) as a QBs coach, hired a strength coach, and lost their WRs coach.

Slowly but surely, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has been building his new coaching staff at Dove Valley.

The latest addition to the staff is Dan Dalrymple as the team’s new strength and conditioning coach, according to a report from NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. Dalrymple previously held the same role with the New Orleans Saints under Payton.

Elsewhere on the coaching front, the Broncos recently interviewed Greg Olson (not to be confused with Greg Olsen) and Kerry Joseph for the quarterbacks coach position, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Olson has since been hired by the Seattle Seahawks as a QBs coach.

Denver will also need to find a new wide receivers coach after Zach Azzanni left the team to join the New York Jets in a lateral move, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Azzanni, who coached the Broncos’ WRs over the last five seasons, will reunite with Nathaniel Hackett, who is now the offensive coordinator in New York.

Denver’s own offensive coordinator position remains unfilled, but it’s not a crucial hire for the Broncos given that Payton will run the offense. The team’s defensive coordinator job will be a crucial hire, though, and Denver has several candidates.

Vance Joseph, who has already interviewed with the Broncos, is scheduled to interview with the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday and Thursday, according to KMGH-TV’s Troy Renck.

In addition to Joseph, Rex Ryan is also a DC option for Denver, as are Kris Richard, Mike Zimmer and in-house candidate Christian Parker.

We are tracking all of the Broncos’ coaching staff moves on this page.

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Jets hire Zach Azzanni as wide receivers coach

Jets fill their wide receivers coaching position

The Jets have hired former Broncos wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni as their new wide receivers coach, per Mike Klis of 9NEWS in Denver.

Azzanni spent five years coaching wide receivers in Denver, including last season under former Broncos head coach and new Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. He also coached wide receivers in Chicago in 2017.

Azzanni has helped in the development of receivers such as Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick.

Azzanni fills the void left behind after the Jets moved on from wide receivers coach Miles Austin, who was suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on gambling for coaches.

Broncos Wire editor Jon Heath had this to say about Azzanni: “I think he must have been doing something right because he lasted through three different coaching staffs (Vance Joseph 2018), Vic Fangio (2019-2021) and Nathaniel Hackett (2022). I think the Broncos would have liked to keep him under Sean Payton, too, he’s just getting a fresh start elsewhere and reuniting with Nathaniel Hackett now.

He helped Tim Patrick develop into a key player on offense, but Courtland Sutton has been a little underwhelming, and Jerry Jeudy was very underwhelming until this year. Much of the blame for that likely falls on poor QB play, though.”