NFL coaching tracker, wild-card news: Cowboys reportedly haven’t responded to Bears’ Mike McCarthy request; Titans GM Ran Carthon out

Live39 updates

• Raiders fire head coach Antonio Pierce

  By the end of last season, Antonio Pierce had rallied the Las Vegas Raiders during a successful stint as interim coach and got the chance to replicate that success as the permanent head coach this season.

  He couldn’t.

  The Raiders started 2-12 and it was clear that the Pierce experiment wouldn’t last another season. Pierce was fired on Tuesday afternoon, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

  For more, read here.

• 

  Wed, January 8, 2025 at 2:58 AM GMT+8

  Lions CB Terrion Arnold avoids serious injury

  Good news for the Lions. Starting cornerback Terrion Arnold is considered day-to-day with a foot contusion after being carted off the field during Sunday’s season-finale win over the Vikings, NFL Network reports. X-Rays on his foot were negative.

  A first-round rookie, Arnold started 15 games during the regular season. He tallied 10 passes defended and 60 tackles while allowing a 55.6 completion percentage on 90 targets thrown in his direction.

  Arnold’s status is a relief in Detroit for a Lions defense that’s been decimated by season-ending injuries to key players, including Pro Bowl pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC despite those injuries, and Arnold will have an extra week to recover thanks to the Lions’ first-round bye in the playoffs.

  #Lions first-round CB Terrion Arnold, who was carted off the field on Sunday night, is now considered day-to-day with a foot contusion, sources say.

  X-Rays were negative and Arnold did tell @davebirkett, “I’m playing” after the game. Further testing showed that’s possible. pic.twitter.com/dDk0muBPtc

  — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2025

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 11:43 PM GMT+8

  Titans fire GM Ran Carthon after 2 years

  The Titans have the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, but a new general manager will be in charge of making it. The team announced Tuesday morning that they have fired GM Ran Carthon just two years into a six-year contract.

  Head coach Brian Callahan will stay on.

  Read more here.

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 10:01 PM GMT+8

  Mike Vrabel will reportedly interview for Bears HC job on Wednesday

  The Bears will interview former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel tomorrow, per source.

  — Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) January 7, 2025

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 9:18 PM GMT+8

  49ers reportedly fire special teams coordinator

  The #49ers have fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, sources tell ESPN.

  — Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) January 7, 2025

• 

  Tue, January 7, 2025 at 10:51 AM GMT+8

  Ezekiel Elliott to the Chargers

  Ezekiel Elliott is headed to the playoffs after all. The longtime Cowboys running back has signed a deal to land on the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad ahead of the postseason.

  The goal, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, is to get him ready quickly and hopefully join their active roster. The Chargers will take on the Texans in the first round on Saturday.

• 

  Tue, January 7, 2025 at 9:19 AM GMT+8

  Bears request interview with former Stanford coach David Shaw

  Add another candidate to the Bears’ head coaching search. The team has requested to interview David Shaw, currently a personnel executive with the Broncos and former Stanford head coach.

  The #Bears have requested to interview former #Stanford coach and currently #Broncos Senior Personnel Executive David Shaw for their vacant HC position, source said.

  — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2025

  Shaw coached Stanford for 12 seasons, compiling a 96–54 record with five first-place finishes in the Pac-12 North division. NFL quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Davis Mills were among the players he developed. Shaw also had assistant coaching stints with the Eagles, Raiders and Ravens before joining Jim Harbaugh’s staff as offensive coordinator, also coaching wide receivers and running backs.

  The Saints are also reportedly interested in interviewing Shaw, according to NFL Network’s Jane Slater.

• 

  Tue, January 7, 2025 at 8:08 AM GMT+8

  Colts fire DC Gus Bradley

  The Colts are sticking with Shane Steichen next season, but he’ll have a new defensive coordinator. The team fired Gus Bradley on Monday afternoon.

  Bradley spent the last three seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator.

  “I’m appreciative of Gus and the commitment he made to the Colts,” Steichen said in a statement. “He is a man of great character, and I have the utmost respect for him. I felt like we needed to move in a different direction. I wish Gus and his family all the best moving forward.”

• 

  Tue, January 7, 2025 at 6:29 AM GMT+8

  Rex Ryan confident he’s going to be the next Jets coach

  Rex Ryan is not only confident he’s going to become the next head coach of the Jets, but he believes he can reign in Aaron Rodgers.

  “If he’s back, it ain’t gonna be the country club, show up whenever the hell you want to show up,” Ryan said. “That ain’t gonna happen. I’ll just leave it at that.”

  

• 

  Tue, January 7, 2025 at 6:25 AM GMT+8

  The Bears are reportedly interested in Mike McCarthy

  The search for a new Chicago Bears coach is on in earnest with the conclusion of the NFL’s regular season, and it reportedly includes a surprising new candidate.

  Per ESPN, the Bears have requested permission from the Dallas Cowboys to interview their head coach Mike McCarthy. Per the report, the Bears are now awaiting a response from the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones.

  For more, read here.

• 

  Tue, January 7, 2025 at 5:46 AM GMT+8

  Saints among teams requesting to speak to Lions DC Aaron Glenn for head coaching job

  The Lions are off this week and will play the winner of the Vikings/Rams wild card game in the divisional round.

  The #Saints requested an interview with #Lions DC Aaron Glenn for their head coaching job, per source.

  A former New Orleans assistant, Glenn was the runner-up for the job last time. The #Bears and #Jets requested him too.

  — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 6, 2025

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 5:16 AM GMT+8

  Jalen Hurts remains in concussion protocol as Eagles prepare for playoffs

  Quarterback Jalen Hurts remains in concussion protocol as the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for Sunday’s wild-card game against the Green Bay Packers.

  Head coach Nick Sirianni told the media on Monday that Hurts is still in the protocol following the concussion he sustained early in the Eagles’ Week 16 game against the Washington Commanders. He missed the remainder of the game, which the Eagles lost, and didn’t play in Week 17 or 18. Kenny Pickett filled in for Hurts in Week 16 and part of Week 17. Tanner McKee stepped in after Pickett took a nasty shot to the ribs in Week 17, then made his very first NFL start against the New York Giants in Week 18.

  Sirianni didn’t give any details, which has been true of every “update” he’s given since Hurts entered the protocol following Week 16. The Eagles haven’t released any information on whether Hurts has been progressing through the various stages of the protocol, but Sirianni confirmed that Hurts was present at Saturday’s walkthrough.

  Read more here.

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 4:35 AM GMT+8

  Bears add two more candidates to the list

  Chicago is expected to go after some of the hottest names in the coaching market. That reportedly starts with Vikings DC Brian Flores.

  Bears requested head coaching interviews with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, per source.

  — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2025

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 4:29 AM GMT+8

  Saints looking into Bills OC Joe Brady

  The Saints put in a request to interview Bills OC Joe Brady, per source.

  — Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 6, 2025

• 

  Tue, January 7, 2025 at 2:59 AM GMT+8

  Antonio Pierce is still Raiders coach as far as he knows

  Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce spoke with media on Monday, and he still has his job. As far as he knows, at least. Pierce told reporters that he hasn’t “heard anything different” about his job status on the heels of a 4-13 season.

  #Raiders HC Antonio Pierce says he hasn’t “heard anything different” other than he’s back for 2025. Says all of that talk is coming from the outside, not the inside.

  — Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 6, 2025

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 2:57 AM GMT+8

  Bears request interview with Giants OC Mike Kafka, but Seahawks could be in play

  The Bears have requested permission to interview Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka for their open head coaching job. He’ll be one of many interviewing for that open position, so there is a plan B in play…

  And that plan B could be the Seahawks, who just fired Ryan Grubb as their offensive coordinator. A year ago, the Seahawks and their new head coach Mike Macdonald had requested permission to interview Kafka to be their new OC, but the Giants blocked their request. With the Giants trying to remake themselves without replacing their head coach or GM, they’re unlikely to want to hold on to coordinators like Kafka. If the Bears don’t work out, Kafka might head for Seattle.

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 2:22 AM GMT+8

  Rex Ryan sounds pretty confident he’s going to land the Jets job

  Rex Ryan, former Jets head coach, wants to be their head coach again. He’s got a chance, as he’s on the growing list of candidates (now up to 12) the Jets are interviewing. But Ryan is exceedingly confident that he’s going to get the job, as he said during a radio interview on Monday morning.

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 1:11 AM GMT+8

  Seahawks reportedly fire OC Ryan Grubb after one season

  The Seahawks are making a change at offensive coordinator, reportedly firing Ryan Grubb after one season with the team, his first coaching at any level in the NFL.

  Seahawks’ first-year head coach Mike Macdonald hired Grubb onto his staff following a long career in offensive college coaching. He was hired by Kalen DeBoer as a member of the Sioux Falls coaching team, and followed DeBoer to Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, and finally to Washington, where DeBoer named him assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach.

  The Seahawks have fired offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after one season with the team, sources say

  — Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 6, 2025

• Tue, January 7, 2025 at 12:51 AM GMT+8

  Bears interim HC Thomas Brown will interview for full position at unknown time

  Thomas Brown, who took over the mantle of head coach after the Bears fired Matt Eberflus midseason, will have a formal interview for the non-interim position at some point, but he’s not sure when.

  Thomas Brown will have a formal interview for the Bears head coaching job but said he does not know when that will take place this week. His strongest selling point to have the interim tag removed? More than anything he believes he can say in an interview, it’s GM Ryan Poles…

  — Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) January 6, 2025

• 

  Tue, January 7, 2025 at 12:26 AM GMT+8

  Ravens’ Zay Flowers considered ‘day-to-day’ with knee injury

  Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that wide receiver Zay Flowers did not suffer a season-ending knee injury vs. the Browns and is considered “day-to-day.”

  Flowers exited Saturday’s game with an apparent leg injury after going down hard on a catch-and-run. The 24-year-old Flowers immediately grabbed at his right knee and was in visible pain.

  He was escorted to the medical tent with a pronounced limp, then went to the locker room.

  The Ravens initially announced Flowers as questionable to return with a knee injury, but later downgraded his status to out.

  The Ravens will host the Steelers on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET.

  Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Pro Bowl WR Zay Flowers’ right knee injury is not a season-ending one.

  Flowers is considered “day to day” heading onto the wild-card game against the Steelers, according to Harbaugh.

  — Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) January 6, 2025