THE DAILY BRIEFING
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Carl Cheffers is the Super Bowl referee. It is his 3rd such assignment in seven years, his 2nd in the last three. Cameron Felipe of FootballZebras.com with more:
Football Zebras has learned that Carl Cheffers will be the referee for Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Ariz. at State Farm Stadium. He will become only the seventh NFL official to officiate at least 3 Super Bowls at the referee position.
Cheffers, who officiated Super Bowl LV two seasons ago, is the first referee to be assigned to the Super Bowl twice in 3 seasons in 35 years.
Officials who are selected for the Super Bowl are graded and scored in the top tier of their position.
One of the members of the crew is down judge Jerrod Phillips, the second Native American official and the first citizen of Cherokee Nation to be assigned to the Super Bowl. Line judge Jeff Bergman, who is in his 30th and final season, has become the most tenured official to work a Super Bowl, officiating in his third Super Bowl this season. The league is very high on side judge Eugene Hall, who has been selected to his third Super Bowl in the last 5 seasons, the most in that span since field judge Tom Sifferman worked 3 consecutive Super Bowls from the 2002 through 2004 seasons.
This will be the first Super Bowl assignment for down judge Jerod Phillips and field judge John Jenkins. The other 5 on-field officials will be working their third Super Bowl of their careers. This crew has the most Super Bowl experience since the crew of officials that worked Super Bowl XXXIV following the 2000 season.
Since officials cannot work Super Bowls in consecutive seasons, Cheffers is the first referee to return to the Super Bowl two years later since the late Jerry Seeman officiated Super Bowls XXIII and XXV at the conclusion of the 1988 and 1990 seasons.
Cheffers, 62, is in his 23rd season and 15th as referee. This is Cheffers’ 18th postseason assignment, including 5 Wild Card Playoffs, 7 Divisional Playoffs, and 3 Conference Championships. In addition to Super Bowl LV, he also officiated Super Bowl LI in the 2016 season. Cheffers was the referee for the Bengals-Bills Divisional Playoff last Sunday.
Cheffers is a sales manager from Whittier, Calif., who joined the NFL in 2000 after working five years in the Pac-10 Conference, now the Pac-12. He was promoted to referee in 2008 along with former senior vice president of officiating and referee Al Riveron following the retirements of referees Gerry Austin and Larry Nemmers.
A referee must have at least 5 years of seniority, worked 3 years at the referee position, and worked a playoff game as a referee in a previous postseason. The other members of the Super Bowl crew must have a Conference Championship game on their résumé — or qualified for 3 of the last 5 postseasons — in addition to being at least a 5-year veteran.
Yrs crew College Prev. Postseason Prev. SB
R Carl Cheffers 23 California-Irvine 5 WC, 7 DIV, 3 CC LI, LV
U Roy Ellison 20 Hill Savannah State I 4 WC, 6 DIV, 4 CC XLIII, LII
DJ Jerod Phillips 7 Martin Northeastern St. 2 WC, 3 DIV, 2 CC
LJ Jeff Bergman 30 Kemp Robert Morris 8 WC, 10 DIV, 3 WC XXXI, LIII
FJ John Jenkins 9 Kemp St. Mary’s 1 WC, 3 DIV
SJ Eugene Hall 9 Cheffers North Texas 3 WC, 4 DIV, 3 CC LIII, LV
BJ Dino Paganelli 17 Smith Aquinas College 2 WC, 10 DIV, 2 CC XLVII, LV
Veteran scribe Rick Gosselin is not amused:
@RickGosselin9
What message is the NFL sending its officials by awarding the Super Bowl assignment to referee Carl Cheffers? His was the only 200-penalty crew this season — the 9th consecutive 200-penalty season for a Cheffers crew. The more flags the greater the rewards? #WrongMessage
Does Cheffers himself call more penalties – such as holding and roughing the passer and others involving discretion? Or is the rest of his crew that have helium flags and he does not provide gravitas?
It is surprising that Cheffers has thrived in a time when Walt Anderson is the primary face of the officiating department. We remember Anderson and his crews as minimalists in terms of throwing flags.
And Chiefs fans are outraged per ArrowheadPride.com:
The NFL announced its officiating crew on Tuesday for Super Bowl 57, and Carl Cheffers – who served as referee in Super Bowl 51 and 55 – is getting the nod once again as lead referee. Chiefs fans, of course, remember Cheffers’ work in Super Bowl 55 where the Chiefs were called for 120 penalty yards on 11 penalties.
But Cheffers hasn’t been kind to the Chiefs in general, which includes this year. Cheffers has accounted for 17 percent of the Chiefs’ total penalties and 20 percent of their penalty yards this season (postseason included) despite only working two of their games.
In the Chiefs’ Week 15 game against the Houston Texans, Kansas City was called for 10 penalties and 102 yards. So, it’s understandable that the Chiefs wouldn’t be thrilled to see Cheffers get that assignment.
We found this from 2015:
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has reportedly been fined for criticizing referee Carl Cheffers following his team’s 18-16 AFC Divisional Round loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 15, according to Pro Football Talk.
Tom Pelissero of USA Today confirmed the news. On Saturday, ESPN.com‘s Adam Teicher reported Kelce was fined $12,500 for the comments and an additional $9,115 for shoving Steelers cornerback Ross Cockrell.
During a postgame meeting with reporters, Kelce lashed out at Cheffers for calling a holding penalty on left tackle Eric Fisher. The infraction nullified a Kansas City two-point conversion that would have knotted the score at 18 with 2:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“Referee No. 51 shouldn’t even be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again,” Kelce said, per Teicher. “He shouldn’t even be able to work at f–king Foot Locker.”
According to Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith, “The NFL felt that Kelce, by specifically identifying Cheffers and criticizing not just one specific holding call but Cheffers’ competence in general, had crossed the line.”
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Smith also reported that the league confirmed Cheffers made the correct call when he flagged Fisher for the critical hold.
As it turns out, Cheffers will be back in the spotlight in a couple of weeks.
According to ESPN.com‘s Kevin Seifert and Football Zebras’ Ben Austro, Cheffers will serve as the head official for Super Bowl 51 in Houston on Feb. 5.
As mentioned by Felipe – Cheffers now has three SB assignments as a ref. The rest of the current NFL referee roster has a total of five (Bill Vinovich 2, Ron Torbert 1, Clete Blakeman 1, Jerome Boger 1).
Felipe mentions that six other referees have had 3 or more SB assignments. Terry McAuley, who worked three in a 10-season span between 2005 and 2014 is the most recent. The other five all worked their three Super Bowls prior to 2001 – Norm Schecter, Jim Tunney, Jerry Markbreit, Pat Haggerty and Bob McElwee. Jerry Seeman became the NFL’s Director of Officiating after working his second SB in three years in 1991.
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Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com senses another change afoot, besides neutral sites, involving the championship games:
The 2022 postseason has featured plenty of talk about the possibility of neutral-site conference championship games. Even though plenty of fans — and at least one owner — hate the idea, it’s definitely in play for the future.
There’s another idea that definitely has some traction among the NFL’s power brokers. In lieu of jamming both conference championship games into one day, the two games could be spread between two days, Sunday and Monday.
Fans who responded to a Twitter poll on the possibility overwhelmingly dislike it. But, again, that won’t stop the league from doing it, if the league sees value in it.
And there could indeed be value in it. Currently, one game ends and the next one starts. By Monday morning, one of the two games dominates the conversation. By splitting them into two days, full focus could be placed on one game, before attention shifts to the next one. The NFL would dominate the sports conversation all day Sunday, all day Monday, all day Tuesday.
With a two-week break before the Super Bowl, the team that wins on Monday night would experience no disadvantage when it comes to preparing for the game. And it would give the two teams that play on Monday an extra day to prepare.
It’s something the league would have to do, if the Chargers and Rams or the Jets and Giants ever host a conference championship in the same playoff cycle. The league may decide not to wait for those planets to align; it may decide to give it a try.
Again, fans wouldn’t like it. But what would they do about it? Not watch? Not attend?
I’d assumed it would be a Sunday night and Monday night arrangement. A source with a finger squarely on the pulse of the league, when asked about the possibility, quickly responded by saying the Sunday game could be played a 4:00 p.m. ET, with the Monday game starting at in the range of a normal Monday night game — 8:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET time frame.
The reply made it clear that folks in the league office have considered the possibility.
Frankly, this year’s game are too good to play consecutively. I’d like a full day to prepare for, to watch, and to process 49ers-Eagles before doing the same for Bengals-Chiefs. As it stands, once the NFC Championship ends, it’ll be time to pivot immediately to the AFC game. And, again, one of the two will dominate the conversation on Monday, while the other gets short shrift.
As it was (and is) with the possibility of neutral-site championship games, splitting them between two days becomes a simple way to enhance the overall experience without increasing expenses by a penny. And it would provide more value to the network that televises each game, especially on Sunday — when a major audience can be delivered to the subsequent programming when, under the current schedule, the channels immediately change to the network carrying the second game.
For both games, there would be a longer pregame, and a longer post-game. More attention. More discussion. More everything. Two days to become immersed in football, rather than one.
Typically, we don’t like change. But some changes end up being for the better.
Over the years, the NFL has shifted the times of playoff games. In 2002, the conference championships moved to later in the day. In 2021, the NFL added a Monday night wild-card game.
As Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said when asked about the inherent disadvantage to playing in Tampa on Monday and playing in California on Sunday when the 49ers had two extra days to prepare, “TV is king.”
King TV would likely be in favor of this. This year in particular, I definitely would be.
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NFC SOUTH
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CAROLINA
Frank Reich threw the first TD pass in Panthers history back in 1995. Now, he’s the head coach. David Newton of ESPN.com:
Frank Reich, the starting quarterback for the first game in Carolina Panthers history in 1995, is now the team’s sixth head coach.
Reich agreed to a four-year deal that is expected to be finalized by Monday, a league source told ESPN.
Owner David Tepper chose Reich, 61, after a search that included nine candidates, including interim head coach Steve Wilks and former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton.
It ultimately came down to Reich and Wilks, who went 6-6 after Matt Rhule was fired following a 1-4 start. Wilks was the sentimental favorite of Carolina players to get the full-time job.
Tepper called Wilks to inform him he was not getting the job, according to a source, who added that there currently have been no discussions about whether Wilks will be asked to stay as a member of the staff.
Wigdor LLP, a New York City-based law firm that represents Wilks in his discrimination suit against the NFL for being fired after one season (2018) as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, responded to the decision to hire Reich on Twitter.
The last head coach to switch head-coaching jobs without a year off from being a head coach was Ron Rivera, who took the Washington job in 2020 after he was fired by the Panthers midway through the 2019 season. Head coaches to switch teams without a year off since 2015:
“We are shocked and disturbed that after the incredible job Coach Wilks did as the interim coach, including bringing the team back into Playoff contention and garnering the support of players and fans, that he was passed over for the Head Coach position by David Tepper.
“There is a legitimate race problem in the NFL, and we can assure you that we will have more to say in the coming days.”
Reich, fired as the coach of the Indianapolis Colts in November, is the first offensive-minded head coach hired in Carolina history.
That played a big role in the decision to hire him over Wilks, whose background is on defense.
Whether or not Reich will call the plays depends on whom he hires as his offensive coordinator, according to a source.
Seven of the nine candidates had offensive backgrounds in a search that centered around fixing the quarterback position and an offense that has been in flux since quarterback Cam Newton began having shoulder issues midway through the 2018 season.
Since then, Carolina has had eight different quarterbacks start at least one game and has finished no better than 19th in the NFL in scoring. That has played a major role in the Panthers having five straight losing seasons since Tepper bought the franchise in 2018 for, at the time, a league-record $2.275 billion.
“Winning is the most important thing both on the field and in the community, and I am committed to winning a Super Bowl championship together,” Tepper said at the time.
Reich went to four Super Bowls as a player with the Buffalo Bills, where he was primarily a backup. As a coach, he won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2017 season in which he was the offensive coordinator.
In 2017, Reich helped Carson Wentz go 11-2 with MVP-caliber numbers before a season-ending injury and Nick Foles become the Super Bowl MVP in a 41-33 victory against the New England Patriots.
He also worked with future Hall of Fame quarterback Philip Rivers with the then-San Diego Chargers and the Colts.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, whose team is in the NFC Championship Game, got emotional earlier this season when talking about his respect for Reich.
Developing the QB position will be one of the top priorities for Frank Reich. Over the past two seasons, the Panthers rank last in Total QBR and touchdown-to-interception ratio and second to last in pass yards per game. Carolina currently has only Matt Corral and Jacob Eason under
“I’m emotional because I love Frank Reich,” said Sirianni, who was the quarterbacks coach under the then-Chargers offensive coordinator in San Diego from 2014 to 2015 and was Reich’s offensive coordinator with the Colts from 2018 to 2020. “He’s one of the best damn football coaches I’ve ever been around. … He’s one of my biggest mentors.”
Reich was fired by the Colts after a 3-5-1 start, ending his tenure with the team a little over one year after extending his contract through the 2026 season.
He was 40-33-1 during four-plus seasons in Indianapolis, 1-2 in the postseason.
Reich was forced to go into each of his five seasons in Indianapolis with a different starting quarterback — Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Rivers, Wentz and Matt Ryan — after Luck’s sudden retirement before the coach’s second season in 2019.
His dismissal came a week after he benched Ryan in favor of second-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger. The Colts ranked last in points per game (14.7) and sacks allowed (35), 27th in yards per game (315.1) and tied for last in turnovers (17) at the time of the firing, which came after a 26-3 loss to New England in which the offense had just 121 yards.
Colts owner Jim Irsay on Thursday tweeted congratulations to Reich on his hiring by the Panthers.
Reich’s playing career was highlighted by leading the Bills back from a 32-point deficit to a 41-38 victory over the Houston Oilers in a 1992 wild-card game. That stood as the biggest comeback in NFL history until this past season, when the Minnesota Vikings rallied from a 33-0 halftime deficit to a 39-36 victory over the Colts in Week 15.
Reich was 0-3 as the starting quarterback for Carolina before being replaced by first-round pick Kerry Collins. He still owns a home in Charlotte, where one of his daughters recently began working for the Panthers in the marketing department.
Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian, who helped Reich get into coaching after working with him as a player with the Panthers and Bills, said Reich will be a great fit at Carolina.
“He’s a great person,” said Polian, the first general manager of the Panthers. “He’s a really good football coach. He’s a great motivator. He’s a guy that connects very, very well to players. He’s tremendously organized. And he has a great football mind.”
Former NFL coach and current NBC Sports NFL analyst Tony Dungy, who has worked with Reich, called it a “sensible hire.”
“David Tepper is really looking to take advantage of offensive expertise,” he said. “Frank has got that. He’s developed some great offenses and great quarterbacks.
“[Tepper] seems to be looking for that offensive energy, and Frank has that.”
Dungy called the decision not to hire Wilks disappointing but said he understood why.
“It’s disappointing because I thought Steve did an outstanding job,” Dungy said. “But you have to understand owners. He’s building a franchise. He’s building it on what he’s looking for.”
It seemed to be a well-conducted reasonable search and conclusion. Reich would seem to be a proper choice to solve the Panthers’ biggest problem, the quarterback position. We agree with Dungy’s comments on the hire. It is a shame that it sounds like the Panthers are going to have to defend themselves in a law suit.
Wilks did send a nice message on social media, so maybe his lawyers will be told to be quiet. Kevin Patra of NFL.com:
The day after the Panthers announced they hired Frank Reich as their next coach, Wilks sent a message on social media thanking his former players and coaches.
“The sun rose this morning and by the grace of God so did I,” Wilks wrote. “I’m disappointed but not defeated. Many people aren’t built for this but I know what it means to persevere and see it through.
“It was an honor for me to coach those men in the Carolina Panthers locker room as the interim head coach. Players, coaches and staff, thank you for your hard work and dedication. I took pride in representing Charlotte, a great city that I love so much. Thank you to my family, friends and the community for your overwhelming support.
“I do wish Frank Reich all the best. I will always be a fan of the Carolina Panthers Football Team.”
Wilks took over the Panthers as interim coach after Matt Rhule was fired with a 1-4 record. Carolina showed marked improvement under Wilks’ leadership. The defensive coordinator helped spearhead the Panthers into playoff contention, going 6-6 in 12 games.
But Mike Florio is convinced only racism explains the failure of NFL owners to hire Wilks and Brian Flores:
With the one-year anniversary of the filing of the landmark Brian Flores race discrimination litigation against the NFL looming, the current hiring cycle is only making the case stronger.
We still don’t know where the case will unfold. Will it happen in open court, where justice is dispensed equally — a prospect that those who face equal justice desperately fear? Or will it be diverted to the NFL’s secret, rigged kangaroo court, where the deck is stacked in favor of those who utilize boilerplate terms in contracts of adhesion to continuously delay a much-needed reckoning?
If the case ends up being resolved by the man who is hired and paid by the NFL’s 32 teams to run the league, recent developments won’t matter. If the case ends up being resolved in court, recent developments have indeed made it stronger.
Apart from the NFL’s problematic history of shying away from minority head coaches, a reality that the league office surprisingly has conceded, the possible shunning of those who have dared to stand tall against Big Shield opens the door for claims that the league’s teams are retaliating against those who have sued. The fact that the league’s collective response to being held accountable surprises no one says much about the way the NFL conducts business, frankly.
Fans and media generally accept the intimidation, the retribution, the bullying — in all of its various forms. Brian Flores, Steve Wilks, and Ray Horton have decided not to accept it. They have decided to invite even more bad treatment by standing up against the bad treatment they and others have received.
And here’s how the case is getting stronger. There were five head-coaching vacancies. Wilks won six of 12 games as the interim coach of the Panthers, and he didn’t get the job. Flores has gotten one interview for a head-coaching vacancy.
Meanwhile, Colts owner Jim Irsay still seems to be hellbent on making Jeff Saturday the next head coach, despite going 1-7 in eight games as the interim coach. Irsay’s team interviewed neither Flores nor Wilks for the current vacancy.
With the Dolphins (for firing Flores), the Giants (for allegedly giving him a sham interview), the Broncos (same), the Texans (for not hiring Flores last year in retaliation for the filing of his lawsuit), the Cardinals (for firing Wilks), and the Titans (for giving Horton a sham interview) already named as defendants along with the NFL, the Panthers, Cardinals, Colts, Texans, and Broncos could be facing retaliation claims, if neither Wilks nor Flores become head coaches in the current cycle.
It all comes down to the Cardinals at this point. Nearly three weeks into the process, a sudden scramble to interview Flores and/or Wilks for the Colts, Texans, and/or Broncos jobs would likely be worse than doing nothing.
In Carolina, the die has been cast. In Arizona there’s one last chance to take some of the steam out of the litigation, by truly setting aside the fact that Flores has decided to stand up for himself — and to force the NFL to potentially do something more meaningful than say, “We’re trying to get better.” A major verdict aimed at rectifying decades of hiring bias is the only thing that has any chance of forcing change.
And it will take that major verdict. As we’ve seen Flores and Wilks getting short shrift in the current cycle, a pending lawsuit isn’t enough to get the attention of the members of Club Oligarch.
We are not in favor of Jim Irsay hiring Saturday – but he did have two Black head coaches in Tony Dungy and Jim Caldwell.
The Broncos have had a Black head coach recently in Vance Joseph.
The Texans last two head coaches have been Black.
Arizona has had two Black head coaches – Denny Green and Wilks.
So we’re not sure why these teams have to hire the head coach that would quiet the clamor.
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NFC WEST
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SAN FRANCISCO
RB CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY assures the 49ers Faithful that he’s playing Sunday. The real question, of course, is how well he can play. Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com:
For the second straight day, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey sat out of practice Thursday as he works back from a bruised calf.
And while McCaffrey isn’t slated to participate in the Niners’ Thursday practice, he did speak to the media and offered a simple answer when asked if there was any chance he won’t play in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Zero,” McCaffrey said.
McCaffrey suffered the injury in last week’s 19-12 NFC divisional round victory over the Dallas Cowboys but came out of the game saying that he felt like he was fine. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that he expected McCaffrey and other injured Niners to play but didn’t want to make any guarantees.
Asked whether his concerns for McCaffrey’s availability had changed with McCaffrey not practicing on Thursday, Shanahan said he has the “same concerns that I had yesterday.”
McCaffrey said he will go through mostly the same routine he would in a normal practice week, including walk-throughs, as he recovers from the calf issue.
“It’s the same process, just lowering a little bit of the physical load,” McCaffrey said.
Elsewhere on the injury report, running back Elijah Mitchell (groin) is also didn’t practice on Thursday. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo also remains out of the mix.
Receiver Deebo Samuel (ankle), cornerback Ambry Thomas (ankle) and defensive lineman Charles Omenihu (oblique) were limited in practice.
Shanahan said Wednesday he expected those on the injury report not named Garoppolo to be available against the Eagles, though he said he made no guarantees on any of them.
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AFC WEST
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KANSAS CITY
Interesting from NFL Rumors:
@nflrums
Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy could go to another team as an OC to show his talents for landing a head coaching job.
Teams to watch are the Commanders, Bucs,and Panthers if he don’t land the Colts HC job.
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AFC NORTH
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CINCINNATI
The stadium outside of Kansas City is “Burrowhead” now? Ben Baby of ESPN.com:
Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton has a unique name for the Kansas City Chiefs’ stadium — “Burrowhead.”
Hilton coined the moniker for Arrowhead Stadium during the team’s divisional round victory over the Buffalo Bills. Hilton said he knew he would ruffle a few feathers when he uttered the phrase into an NFL Films camera last weekend, but it’s evidence of the team’s confidence heading into the rematch with Kansas City in the AFC title game Sunday.
“That’s just our locker room, man,” Hilton said Wednesday. “That’s just who we are. We got a whole bunch of guys that love playing with each other.”
The story behind the story is about as cut-and-dried as what it’s referencing. During the team’s 27-10 win over the Bills last weekend, Hilton was walking down the sideline, realized the Bengals were headed to Kansas City for another AFC Championship Game and saw Joe Burrow, the winning quarterback in last year’s tilt for AFC supremacy. Last year’s victory that sent the Bengals to the Super Bowl was the second of three consecutive victories against Kansas City, the first on the road.
“It might have stirred a few pots, but it is what it is,” Hilton said.
Naturally, at least one Kansas City player took exception to that nickname. Tight end Travis Kelce said on his “New Heights” podcast that Bengals fans using the “Burrowhead” name are putting a lot of bulletin board material on the internet ahead of the showdown. Patrick Mahomes even chimed in on the subject on one of Audacy’s radio affiliates.
“I mean trash talk is just kind of part of the game,” Mahomes told 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City. “I know our guys will be ready to go, and I’m glad we get to play at Arrowhead and see what happens.”
Hilton’s stadium nomenclature is indicative of how confident the Bengals have felt during a 10-game winning streak that dates to Week 9 of the regular season. Ahead of the team’s Week 17 game against the Bills that was abandoned, running back Joe Mixon said the Bengals wanted to prove they were the “big dogs” in the AFC. Wide receiver Tee Higgins echoed that sentiment after the Bengals beat Buffalo this past Sunday to return to the conference title game for the second straight year and spoke of Cincinnati’s Super Bowl pedigree.
“We went last year with most of the guys in the locker room,” Higgins said. “We all knew we had the talent and the coaches to go back. We just had to put [together] the pieces of the puzzle.”
When asked about the team’s confidence throughout the year, Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said there is a balance that needs to be struck as the team asserts its self-belief.
“Of course, we want our focus to be on our team,” Taylor said. “At the same time, I want our players to have that confidence that leads to that edge. They’re not afraid of anybody. They know that they’ve put in the work. They know they belong on the field with everybody.”
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AFC EAST
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BUFFALO
A coaching dismissal in Buffalo noted by Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com:
@agetzenberg
Bills safeties coach Jim Salgado was fired today, a source told ESPN.
Salgado has been on Sean McDermott’s staff since 2017. From 2020-21, he was the team’s nickels coach. He moved to safeties this year.
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NEW ENGLAND
With Bill O’Brien setting up shop in Foxborough as OC, what about Matt Patricia and Joe Judge? Jeff Howe of The Athletic:
There are more changes on the way with the New England Patriots’ coaching staff. Bill O’Brien was announced Thursday as the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, but he almost certainly won’t be the only addition, league sources told The Athletic.
O’Brien will have input on further additions on the staff, including the likely hiring of a new offensive line coach. It’s a nod from Bill Belichick that O’Brien will be running the offensive show after a season with turbulent results. O’Brien had previously been one of Belichick’s most trusted assistants, working his way up from offensive assistant in 2007 to offensive coordinator in 2011 before he departed to take over as Penn State’s coach. O’Brien, who had been Alabama’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, agreed Tuesday to rejoin the Patriots’ staff.
More changes are also expected.
Matt Patricia, who was the de facto offensive coordinator this season, is still assessing his future, and it appears all options remain on the table. He could return to the Patriots in a different capacity, or he may opt for a fresh start with another team’s defensive staff.
Tight ends coach Nick Caley’s future is also up in the air. He interviewed with the Jets for their offensive coordinator vacancy, which was filled Thursday by Nathaniel Hackett, and has become a respected name around the league. With 11 other offensive coordinator openings, the interview process is far from over during this hiring cycle.
Joe Judge, who was the quarterbacks coach this season, will return to the coaching staff in a different role that has yet to be determined. Judge is one of a number of Patriots coaches who will be in Las Vegas in the coming days for the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Belichick, Jerod Mayo and O’Brien will be supervisors for the West team at the Shrine Bowl. Wide receivers coach Troy Brown will be the head coach for the West team.
Earlier this month, the Cleveland Browns requested to interview Mayo for their defensive coordinator position. Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft didn’t want to lose Mayo for anything short of a head coaching job, so all sides got together to begin work on a new contract for the team’s former linebacker. The Patriots, who haven’t won a playoff game in four years, finished 17th in scoring this season (21.4 points per game), their third worst ranking since Belichick took over in 2000.
Belichick and Kraft were aligned in their decision to make offensive changes this offseason, and those moves are well under way.
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NEW YORK JETS
For the second time in as many years, a team may have hired Nathaniel Hackett in the belief that QB AARON RODGERS will follow. Brian Costello of the New York Post:
The Jets have found their new offensive coordinator – and that is going to lead to speculation about who their new quarterback will be.
The Jets hired Nathaniel Hackett to run their offense, and he has one connection that is going to drive plenty of speculation. Hackett was the Packers offensive coordinator from 2019-21 and worked closely with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who may hit the trade block this offseason. If the Jets do pursue Rodgers, Hackett could be part of attracting him to Gang Green.
Hackett is coming off of a disastrous 15-game stint as the Broncos head coach. He was fired after a 51-14 loss to the Rams on Christmas that dropped Denver’s record to 4-11.
Hackett, 43, has history with Jets coach Robert Saleh. The two worked together with the Jaguars in 2015-16 when Saleh coached linebackers and Hackett was the quarterbacks coach. Hackett became the offensive coordinator in Jacksonville under Doug Marrone from 2016-18, helping the Jaguars go to the AFC Championship Game with Blake Bortles at quarterback. The Jaguars were sixth in total offense that season.
Hackett then went on to be the offensive coordinator with the Packers from 2019-21 under Matt LaFleur, who is one of Saleh’s best friends. Hackett was not the play-caller in Green Bay but worked closely with Rodgers. The Packers had top 10 offenses in his final two seasons there, and were No. 1 in scoring offense in 2020.
Hackett’s father, Paul, was the Jets offensive coordinator under Herm Edwards from 2001-04.
The Jets let go of Mike LaFleur at the end of the season after two years on the job.
Albert Breer offers this explanation for the hire:
@AlbertBreer
Jets HC Robert Saleh interviewed over 15 candidates for the OC job. What won Nathaniel Hackett the job?
• Ability to connect with players.
• Innovative teaching techniques.
• Play-calling experience.
• Proven production in run game.
• Has won with average QB, and elite QB.
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THIS AND THAT
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THIS WEEK’S PICKS
It wasn’t any great feat, but we went 4-0 last week with only Cincinnati bucking the line. We are now 10-2 in this postseason, but this is a tough week with the four best teams making it to the conference championship games (sorry Buffalo).
So, we think the Bengals just seem to have a little more toughness than their opponents this week and last and we think Cincinnati will return to the Super Bowl in a close, medium scoring game – say 27-24.
The Eagles have been the class of the NFC all year, they have QB JAYLEN HURTS back and healthy and they are at home in a cold environment. There is lots to like about the 49ers, but they seem a little banged up. In a lower scoring game, the Eagles prevail, call it 20-16.
Fun fact – the 49ers and Eagles have both been relatively regular postseason participants over the years, but this is only the second time they have met in a playoff game. The other was a Wild Card game in 1996 won by the 49ers. 14-0, at Candlestick Park (then known as “3Com”). Steve Young over Ty Detmer.
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SHOW THEM THE MONEY
Marc Ross of NFL.com identifies
The football world has been waiting for Lamar Jackson to sign a contract extension with the Baltimore Ravens for more than a year now. But at the moment, less than two months away from free agency, nothing appears imminent.
Jackson and the Ravens paused negotiations during the 2022 campaign, but just prior to Baltimore’s season opener, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that the quarterback turned down an offer that included $133 million fully guaranteed on a six-year deal, because he felt he deserved the fully guaranteed money Deshaun Watson received from the Cleveland Browns ($230 million).
Jackson bet on himself, but his injury-plagued campaign adds another wrinkle to the contract situation. He missed five regular-season games and the Ravens’ playoff loss at Cincinnati with a knee injury. And to make things even more complicated, Baltimore lacked consistent offensive production during its 12 games with Jackson in the lineup. Ultimately, the struggles led to a parting of ways between offensive coordinator Greg Roman and the Ravens.
There are more questions surrounding Lamar now than there were a year ago, but there’s still no disputing he is one of the NFL’s most electric players when healthy. The Ravens know what they have in the 2019 league MVP and two-time Pro Bowler. Head coach John Harbaugh said last week that Jackson is the organization’s starting QB: “One hundred percent, 200 percent. There’s no question about it.” Now it’s just a matter of getting the highly anticipated extension done.
In the meantime, while we continue waiting for that agreement to be consummated, I wanted to explore which other blockbuster deals should be in the offing this offseason.
Here are 10 more players — five quarterbacks and five non-QBs — who’ve earned fat, new contracts.
QUARTERBACKS
Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals · Age 26
Just last week, I wrote that Burrow is a lock to receive a long-term extension. Rapoport’s reporting on Saturday and Burrow’s performance on Sunday further cemented that notion. Burrow has helped transform the Bengals into an AFC juggernaut over the last two seasons, taking them to the Super Bowl a year ago and now having them set to play in a second consecutive AFC Championship Game this Sunday. Burrow’s confidence in his physical abilities and winning mindset make him essentially unflappable. And his processing ability at the game’s most important position is extraordinary. Cincinnati knows he’s the kind of rare player who only comes around once in a blue moon, and that will be reflected in the big-money contract Burrow is poised to receive this offseason.
Justin Herbert
Los Angeles Chargers · Age 24
Battling through injury in 2022, the third-year quarterback led the Chargers to the postseason for the first time since 2018 — and we’ve seen what this team is capable of when Herbert and his supporting cast are healthy. He has unquestioned talent and continues to get better every year, making him a player any organization would love to have for a decade-plus. Regardless of Los Angeles’ soul-crushing playoff exit, Herbert still finished second in passing yards (4,739) and third in completion percentage (68.2). Exercising the fifth-year option this offseason’s a no-brainer, but the Bolts might as well lock him up on a long-term deal. Herbert’s remarkable skill set is worth every penny.
Jalen Hurts
Philadelphia Eagles · Age 24
The 2020 second-round pick is the most underpaid player in the league with a 2022 cap figure of $1.6 million. Hurts faced questions about his long-term upside entering Year 3, and he answered them with MVP-caliber play while leading the Eagles to the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Not only did he post sparkling regular-season statistics — completing 66.5 percent of his passes for 3,701 yards and 22 TDs (against just six INTs) while rushing for 760 yards and 13 scores — but his value was magnified by the two games he missed with a shoulder injury, both Eagles losses. Hurts has proven to be the right quarterback for Philly, taking the Eagles to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons — with a chance to advance to Super Bowl LVII via a win this Sunday. The Eagles struck gold with Hurts and everyone in the organization knows it.
Daniel Jones
New York Giants · Age 25
First-year head coach Brian Daboll did a masterful job at putting Jones in a position to succeed in 2022 by catering to the quarterback’s skill set and giving him the confidence to execute in a simplified run-first offense. Jones thrived by cutting down on his turnovers and making plays in big moments. He finished the season with a career-best 67.2 completion percentage, throwing for 3,205 yards while posting a 15:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. On the ground, he added 708 yards and seven touchdowns. Jones helped the Giants hit the postseason for the first time since 2016, with Big Blue logging its first playoff win in 11 years. I still personally think there are questions on if he is a true franchise quarterback (see: New York’s Divisional Round blowout loss), but the Giants believe in him. General manager Joe Schoen wants to re-sign the soon-to-be free-agent quarterback, so the remaining question is: Do the G-Men bring him back under the franchise tag (projected to be just north of $32 million for Jones in 2023) or on a multi-year deal?
Geno Smith
Seattle Seahawks · Age 32
Smith is one of this season’s feel-good stories, as his resurgence at 32 years old has him squarely in the mix for Comeback Player of the Year. Nobody gave Seattle much of a chance to compete after last offseason’s trade of Russell Wilson, but Smith deftly guided the Seahawks to the playoffs and made his first Pro Bowl. Not only did the veteran display strong leadership skills, but he led the NFL in completion percentage (69.8) and compiled a 30:11 TD-to-INT ratio. Geno threw at least two touchdown passes in 13 different games, including Seattle’s postseason loss to San Francisco. The pending free agent made the most of his opportunity, and Seattle is expected to bring its veteran QB1 back for 2023, with GM John Schneider showering praise on Smith this week. Whether that’s on the franchise tag or a new deal, Geno, who made $3.5 million in 2022, is set for a hefty, well-deserved raise.
NON-QUARTERBACKS
James Bradberry
Philadelphia Eagles · CB · Age 29
Bradberry bet on himself in 2022, signing a one-year, $10 million deal with the Eagles after he was released from the cap-strapped Giants following two productive seasons in New York. The one-time Pro Bowler (who was snubbed this season) fit right in with the Eagles’ talented defense and thrived opposite fellow veteran cornerback Darius Slay. The one-year deal has paid off swimmingly for both the Eagles and Bradberry, who had three interceptions (one returned for a TD) and 17 passes defensed during the regular season. Even if the Eagles don’t re-sign him this offseason, plenty of other teams will be looking for an accomplished playmaker in the secondary.
Evan Engram
Jacksonville Jaguars · TE · Age 28
There were a lot of things to like about Engram coming into the 2017 NFL Draft — his speed and field-stretching ability, first and foremost — and as the Giants’ vice president of player evaluation at that time, I remember the excitement in the building when we drafted him in the first round. Engram never reached his potential in New York, struggling with drops and losing his confidence. But in 2022, his sixth pro season and first in Jacksonville, the tight end played with a ton of confidence and flourished under Doug Pederson and with Trevor Lawrence. Playing on a one-year deal, the hybrid playmaker recorded career-highs in receptions (73) and receiving yards (766) while adding four touchdowns for a Jaguars team that enjoyed a tremendous turnaround. There is no question Trent Baalke and Pederson are looking to retain him.
Justin Jefferson
Minnesota Vikings · WR · Age 23
I lost track of the records Jefferson broke in the 2022 season. But if posting an all-time-best 4,825 receiving yards through a player’s first three seasons isn’t enough to merit a long-term extension this offseason, I’m not sure what is. A finalist for this year’s MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards, the 23-year-old superstar has done everything — and more! — for a Vikings team that’s improve each year with Jefferson in tow.
CeeDee Lamb
Dallas Cowboys · WR · Age 23
After Amari Cooper’s departure last offseason, there was a lot of pressure on Lamb to prove he could be the Cowboys’ WR1 after piling up a total of 2,037 receiving yards and 11 touchdown grabs during his first two seasons. He passed the test with flying colors in 2022, with 107 catches (tied for fifth in the NFL), 1,359 receiving yards (sixth) and nine receiving TDs (tied for sixth). Dallas has a lot to address this offseason, but extending Lamb should be the easiest decision of the bunch.
Tristan Wirfs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · OT · Age 24
I discussed last week that Wirfs is in line to earn a big-money extension this offseason after proving to be one of the league’s best right tackles since being drafted in 2020. As a rookie, he was tasked with keeping the G.O.A.T. upright — and he did just that, helping the Bucs win a Super Bowl. Over the past two years, he’s earned a pair of Pro Bowl bids. To me, there’s no denying his worth to Tampa’s O-line — and his next contract should prove as much.
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2022 DRAFT
Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com identifies the “next Brock Purdy” hiding in the weeds of the 2023 Draft Class:
Who can be the next Brock Purdy? It can’t be that hard to be Purdy, right? This is the last pick in the draft we’re talking about here. But he has yet to lose as the 49ers’ starter and is on the cusp of the Super Bowl in his rookie season. WINS ARE NOT A QUARTERBACK STAT. I hear you. But those are the facts right now.
Of course, what Purdy has accomplished is exceptionally rare, and there are plenty of perfectly aligned external factors that have helped set this unprecedented run into motion. But if we only look through the lens of Purdy’s obscurity as a prospect and his draft position, let’s pinpoint which quarterback in the 2023 draft could be the second coming of San Francisco’s current starter.
We’ll do so by process of elimination — and a sprinkle of my own evaluation-based opinion.
For this research study, I’m looking for the closest to Purdy from all perspectives: college experience, size, strengths, weaknesses, playing style, and likelihood to be a very late pick.
First elimination: Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, Anthony Richardson
These are the (rightfully) consensus first-round quarterbacks. They’re all essential locks to be selected in Round 1. Unfortunately for them, that takes them out of the “Become Purdy 2.0” running.
Second elimination: Tanner McKee, Hendon Hooker, Aidan O’Connell
I’ll admit, it’s decently early in the pre-draft process, and to me, opinions drastically changing on quarterback prospects after the games have been played is a strange, mostly foolish phenomenon. But at this moment, this trio appears to represent the second tier of quarterback prospects in the 2023 class. Beyond that, McKee and O’Connell are larger, pocket-only quarterbacks, and Purdy is right around 6-foot-1 with surprising mobility on designed rollouts and when pressure mounts. Hooker is a tall, lanky, athletic quarterback who probably would’ve gotten first-round consideration had he not suffered a torn knee ligament near the end of his ultra-productive 2022 season at Tennessee.
Third elimination: Clayton Tune, Malik Cunningham, Max Duggan, Dorian Thompson-Robinson
These prospects are eliminated from contention almost strictly due to some physical component. While Purdy is the quintessential “sneaky athletic” quarterback, he’s far from a dynamic specimen relative to today’s standards at the quarterback position. And he’s on the smaller side.
Meanwhile, Tune is listed at 6-3 and 220 pounds. On film, he’s clearly more filled out than Purdy and has a stronger arm. Cunningham is a sudden and speedy dual-threat quarterback who will run away from some NFL defenders at the next level. That’s not Purdy. Duggan is listed at 6-2 and 210 pounds, close to Purdy’s measurements but clearly showed during TCU’s magical run to the national title game this season that he’s at his best when ripping deep shots down the field or heroically running with the football in his hands and absorbing big hits in the open field.
Thompson-Robinson’s body type and arm talent closely resemble Purdy’s yet we can’t forget — he was once the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback recruit in the nation and demonstrated high-level — though maybe not elite — athleticism and scrambling prowess during his long and illustrious career at UCLA. That’s where he most blatantly differs from Purdy.
The finalists: Jaren Hall, Jake Haener, Stetson Bennett
And then there were three. On the surface, they’re all very Purdyian. Smaller, productive, multiyear starters who hung around for a while in college and will be older prospects like Purdy was — he turned 24 in December — without rocket arms but with a drip of improvisational talent. Critically, they check the final box here — Hall, Haener, and Bennett feel like squarely on the late Day 3 radar and no would would be flabbergasted if they went undrafted.
Well, that is except for Bennett who, in a normal, non-back-to-back national title-winning scenario, would probably have his phone buzzing out of his hand after the draft with calls from teams looking to sign him as an undrafted free agent. But for as silly as the construct is, “buzz” is absolutely real during draft season, and the heightened visibility of Bennett, along with more NFL-caliber play from him in 2022, will likely lead to him ascending boards, far away from Purdy’s distinct position as “Mr. Irrelevant.” And with Bennett, prepare yourself for “this guy’s a winner” analysis from some, which is really not analysis at all. He’s out.
Hall owes plenty of gratitude to Bennett because of how the Georgia quarterback’s rise to living legend status at that program diverted attention away from the age of the BYU quarterback. Before the 2022 season, Hall received some first-round buzz yet detractors routinely pointed to the fact that Hall would turn 25 prior to his first NFL season. Of course, the internet went berserk with tweets and memes about Bennett’s age during his super senior season with the Bulldogs, and he’s already 25.
Of course, Bennett’s age being in the spotlight doesn’t make Hall any younger. And Hall’s age will likely be a key reason he’s picked later in the draft. But the BYU star is finishing as the runner-up here. Why? How he handles pressure. Now, Purdy wasn’t a magician under pressure at Iowa State. However, I do think he dealt with crumbling pockets and free rushers from the outside with more comfort and assertiveness than Hall. Also, Hall has a more live arm than Purdy. Yes, I’m nitpicking. I’m know. But this late in the process of elimination I have to be. Everything else is pretty spot-on between the two. And mostly due to his age, Hall very well could land in Round 7. He’s close, but not quite the perfect Purdy 2.0 candidate.
The winner: Jake Haener
This Fresno State quarterback is a gritty, deceptively athletic pocket passer who does decent work under duress, has an average arm and some ad-libbing flair. That sounds exactly like Purdy doesn’t it? He’s listed at 6-1 and 200 pounds. Purdy was just under 6-1 and 212 pounds at the combine.
Haener was a full-time starter for the Bulldogs over the past two-plus seasons and was integral to the program winning 10 games in 2021 and 2022. Purdy helped elevate the Iowa State program during his time in Ames. Haener throws with quality but not surgical accuracy. In fact, Haener’s 2022 Accuracy Percentage (78.8%) was nearly identical to Purdy’s 2021 rate of 78.7%.
They can squeeze out of precarious situations more frequently than their athleticism would suggest and understand where coverage dictates they should throw the football. When in rhythm underneath, they can be very effective in methodically moving an offense down the field.
Like Purdy did a year ago, there’ll be a small collection of draft analysts who adore Haener, label him one of their draft crushes, and slap a mid-round label on him. And, because no one can come close to predicting the draft, particularly after the first day, he might get picked somewhere in Round 4 or 5. But my educated guess is Haener will ultimately land late in Day 3, just like Purdy.
So, if for some reason you’re fascinated with your team potentially selecting the closest quarterback prospect to Purdy in April’s draft, Haener from Fresno State is your guy.
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