Hogs Haven
The Washington Commanders reportedly prefer to hire a coach with play calling experience as their next defensive coordinator and they’ve added a new name to the list. The Steelers are searching for a new head coach after Mike Tomlin stepped down. His defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has interviewed to be Washington’s next DC.
The Washington Commanders are interviewing Bears secondary coach Al Harris, who had the same role under Dan Quinn when they were with the Dallas Cowboys two years ago. Dallas blocked Quinn’s attempt to add Harris to his coaching staff in Washington. If Harris is hired, he would replace Joe Whitt Jr, who he worked with in Dallas.
The Washington Commanders were the only team that Vikings DC Brian Flores interviewed with for a defensive coordinator position. He has been focused on becoming a head coach again, and he’s only going to leave Minnesota if he gets that opportunity. Flores’s contract was up after this season, but he’s signed an extension, taking him off the DC market.
Anthony Lynn hasn’t been a head coach since 2020 when he was fired by the Los Angeles Chargers after four seasons, but has his first interview opportunity with the Buffalo Bills. He was hired by the Washington Commanders as their run game coordinator. Lynn was part of Dan Quinn’s new coaching staff, and he brought a lot of experience as a former player, running backs coach, offensive coordinator, and his two stints as a head coach.
The Bills gave him his first taste of being a head coach, but it was on an interim basis after Rex Ryan was fired. He was a finalist to keep the job that eventually went to recently-fired Sean McDermott, and now gets another chance to get the gig full-time. Lynn was not interviewed for the Commanders OC job which went to assistant QB coach David Blough.
The Commanders fired OL coach Bobby Johnson on the same day they parted ways with former offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and are now promoting Johnson’s assistant OL coach to his old job. Darnell Stapleton is the Commanders new OL coach, and offensive quality control coach Shane Toub will be his new assistant.
Stapleton built up a strong rapport with Blough over their last two years together as assistant positional coaches in Washington. Stapleton was well-liked by players, heavily involved in pass protections and helped with game planning.
The Washington Commanders have hired their third new coach on offense, adding former NFL QB Danny Etling as assistant QB coach. He will work under new offensive coordinator David Blough and QB coach D.J. Williams. Blough was given the promotion from assistant QB to OC after Kliff Kingsbury’s departure earlier this month....
