Will longtime New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton retire?

Two full weeks into the NFL offseason, we still don’t have a single head coach hired. Only one of the four general manager positions had been filled as dawn broke on Divisional Round Sunday. And with NFL Network’s bombshell report regarding Sean Payton’s future, there are indications that the pool of teams in need of a coach could still grow. We go through it all in the latest NFL news and rumors.

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The understanding for a while now has been that eight of the 32 teams need a new coach. But that assumption could need revision. Payton has coached the Saints since 2006, but there are whispers he may not be coming back for a 17th season.

Chicago Bears

Fired: Matt Nagy (HC), Ryan Pace (GM)

Scheduled/requested HC interviews:

• Dennis Allen
  Saints defensive coordinator
  Tuesday, Jan. 25
• Todd Bowles
  Buccaneers defensive coordinator
  Saturday, Jan. 22
• Jim Caldwell
  Former Colts, Lions head coach
  Saturday, Jan. 15
• Brian Daboll
  Bills offensive coordinator
  Sunday, Jan. 16
• Matt Eberflus
  Colts defensive coordinator
  Monday, Jan. 17 (first); Monday, Jan. 24 (second)
• Brian Flores
  Former Dolphins head coach
  Friday, Jan. 14
• Leslie Frazier
  Bills defensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 21
• Nathaniel Hackett
  Packers offensive coordinator
  Saturday, Jan. 15
• Byron Leftwich
  Buccaneers offensive coordinator
• Doug Pederson
  Former Eagles head coach
  Wednesday, Jan. 12
• Dan Quinn
  Cowboys defensive coordinator
  Saturday, Jan. 22

Scheduled/requested GM interviews:

• Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
  Browns vice president of football operations
  Thursday, Jan. 13
• Morocco Brown
  Colts director of college scouting
  Monday, Jan. 24
• Ran Carthon
  49ers director of player personnel
  Wednesday, Jan. 19
• Ed Dodds – Withdrew from consideration
  Colts assistant general manager
  Monday, Jan. 17
• Glenn Cook
  Browns vice president of player personnel
  Wednesday, Jan. 12
• Ryan Poles
  Chiefs director of player personnel
  Friday, Jan. 21 (first); Tuesday, Jan. 25 (second)
• Jeff Ireland
  Saints assistant general manager
  Friday, Jan. 14
• Champ Kelly
  Bears assistant director of player personnel
  Thursday, Jan. 13
• Omar Khan
  Steelers vice president of football and business administration
• Reggie McKenzie
  Dolphins senior personnel executive
  Thursday, Jan. 20
• Monti Ossenfort
  Titans director of player personnel
  Saturday, Jan. 15
• Joe Schoen – Hired by the Giants
  Bills assistant general manager
  Sunday, Jan. 16
• Eliot Wolf
  Patriots director of scouting
  Tuesday, Jan. 18

The latest: The Bears have not committed to hiring a general manager before a head coach. It would be a surprise if they went that route but not unprecedented.

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And considering their second meeting with Poles isn’t until later this week, the Bears could find themselves in a weird spot if they love Eberflus and feel like they need to act quickly to prevent him going somewhere else.

Denver Broncos

Fired: Vic Fangio (HC)

Scheduled/requested interviews:

• Eric Bieniemy 
  Chiefs offensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 21
• Brian Callahan
  Bengals offensive coordinator
  Thursday, Jan. 20
• Jonathan Gannon
  Eagles defensive coordinator
  Wednesday, Jan. 19
• Luke Getsy
  Packers QB coach/passing game coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 14
• Aaron Glenn
  Lions defensive coordinator
  Thursday, Jan. 13
• Nathaniel Hackett 
  Packers offensive coordinator
  Thursday, Jan. 13
• Jerod Mayo
  Patriots LB coach
  Wednesday, Jan. 19
• Kellen Moore
  Cowboys offensive coordinator
  Tuesday, Jan. 18
• Kevin O’Connell
  Rams offensive coordinator
  Thursday, Jan. 20
• Dan Quinn
  Cowboys defensive coordinator
  Tuesday, Jan. 18

The latest: The Broncos will likely begin setting up second interviews with their finalists very soon, if they haven’t already. The candidates that make the most sense? Quinn (who has to still be seen as the front-runner for the job), Hackett (particularly if Aaron Rodgers wants a change), and Gannon.

Houston Texans

Fired: David Culley (and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly)

Scheduled/requested interviews:

• Brian Flores
  Former Dolphins head coach
  Friday, Jan. 14
• Jonathan Gannon
  Eagles defensive coordinator
  Tuesday, Jan. 18
• Joe Lombardi
  Chargers offensive coordinator
  Saturday, Jan. 15
• Kevin O’Connell
  Rams offensive coordinator
• Josh McCown
  Former NFL QB
  Thursday, Jan. 20
• Hines Ward
  Florida Atlantic special assistant to the head coach
  Saturday, Jan. 15

The latest: The Texans’ weird coaching search plods on. After waiting a few days to decide to fire Culley, they’ve taken their time in identifying his replacement. Yet, their search has not included many of the big names that have become familiar this cycle.

The Athletic reports that the Texans are “working to set up” a second interview with Gannon. But what if Nick Caserio really wants to take a chance on McCown?

Jacksonville Jaguars

Fired: Urban Meyer (HC)

Scheduled/requested interviews:

• Darrell Bevell
  Jaguars interim head coach
  Tuesday, Jan. 11
• Todd Bowles
  Buccaneers defensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 3 (Jan. 7 has also been reported)
• Jim Caldwell
  Former Colts and Lions head coach
  Tuesday, Jan. 4
• Matt Eberflus
  Colts defensive coordinator
  Saturday, Jan. 15 (first); Thursday, Jan. 20 (second)
• Nathaniel Hackett
  Packers offensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 14
• Byron Leftwich
  Buccaneers offensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 7
• Kellen Moore
  Cowboys offensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 7
• Bill O’Brien
  Alabama offensive coordinator
  Thursday, Jan. 13
• Doug Pederson
  Former Eagles head coach
  Thursday, Dec. 30
• Dan Quinn
  Cowboys defensive coordinator

The latest: Now that the Packers are toast (after one of the biggest choke jobs in recent memory), we expect a team to move on Hackett relatively soon. It’s conceivable that the Jaguars have been waiting on a second interview with Green Bay’s OC before making any decision.

Las Vegas Raiders

Resigned: Jon Gruden (HC)

Scheduled/requested HC interviews:

• Jerod Mayo
  Patriots LB coach

Scheduled/requested GM interviews:

• Trey Brown
  Bengals scout
  Friday, Jan. 21
• Ed Dodds
  Colts assistant general manager
• Champ Kelly
  Bears assistant director of player personnel
  Thursday, Jan. 20
• Dave Ziegler
  Patriots director of player personnel
  Friday, Jan. 21

The latest: After a very late start to the process, the Raiders finally seem to be making headway, at least in their GM search. Ziegler and Brown became the latest to interview for Mike Mayock’s old job. The Raiders’ coaching search, however, still seems to be in its infancy. Among the potential candidates is Josh McDaniels, according to Pro Football Talk.

Miami Dolphins

Fired: Brian Flores (HC)

Scheduled/requested interviews:

• Thomas Brown
  Rams assistant head coach
  Friday, Jan. 21
• Brian Daboll
  Bills offensive coordinator
  Sunday, Jan. 16
• Leslie Frazier
  Bills defensive coordinator
  Sunday, Jan. 16
• Vance Joseph
  Cardinals defensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 21
• Mike McDaniel
  49ers offensive coordinator
  Wednesday, Jan. 19
• Kellen Moore
  Cowboys offensive coordinator
  Thursday, Jan. 20
• Dan Quinn
  Cowboys defensive coordinator
  Thursday, Jan. 20

The latest: Stephen Ross’ private jet is back in Palm Beach after a busy week that included stops in the Bay Area (presumably for McDaniel) and Denver (for Joseph). Sunday’s a pivotal day in Miami’s search. If the Bills lose to the Chiefs, any team that wants could make an offer to Daboll or Frazier.

Minnesota Vikings

Fired: Mike Zimmer (HC), Rick Spielman (GM)

Scheduled/requested HC interviews:

• Todd Bowles
  Buccaneers defensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 21
  
• Nathaniel Hackett
  Packers offensive coordinator
  Sunday, Jan. 16
• Kellen Moore
  Cowboys offensive coordinator
• Jonathan Gannon
  Eagles defensive coordinator
  Thursday, Jan. 20
• Raheem Morris
  Rams defensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 21
• Kevin O’Connell
  Rams offensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 21
• Dan Quinn
  Cowboys defensive coordinator
• DeMeco Ryans
  49ers defensive coordinator
  Wednesday, Jan. 19

Scheduled/requested GM interviews:

• Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
  Browns vice president of football operations
  Monday, Jan. 17
• Brandon Brown
  Eagles director of player personnel
  Tuesday, Jan. 18
• Glenn Cook
  Browns vice president of player personnel
  Thursday, Jan. 20
• Monti Ossenfort
  Titans director of player personnel
  Sunday, Jan. 16
• Ryan Poles
  Chiefs director of player personnel
  Tuesday, Jan. 18 (first); Wednesday, Jan. 26 (second, tentative)
• Catherine Raîche
  Eagles vice president of football operations
  Monday, Jan. 17
• John Spytek
  Buccaneers vice president of player personnel
  This week
• Eliot Wolf
  Patriots player personnel consultant
  Thursday, Jan. 20

The latest: The Vikings could make a decision shortly on general manager. News emerged Friday that Poles and Adofo-Mensah will meet with the team for a second time next week.

New Orleans Saints

Fired/retired: N/A

Scheduled/requested HC interviews: N/A

The latest: Ian Rapoport reports that not only has Sean Payton been noncommittal about returning in 2022, he’s been basically unreachable. Payton has been on vacation for more than a week and not exactly checking his messages, per the report.

The strain of the past season could convince Payton to take a year off to recharge. Then, when (if?) he decides to return, he could weigh his options. If Payton steps away, Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen would be an obvious candidate — if not the front-runner.

New York Giants

Fired/retired: Joe Judge (HC), Dave Gettleman (GM)

Hired: Joe Schoen (GM)

Scheduled/requested HC interviews:

• Lou Anarumo
  Bengals defensive coordinator
  Sunday, Jan. 23
• Brian Daboll
  Bills offensive coordinator
  Friday, Jan. 21
• Leslie Frazier
  Bills defensive coordinator
  Saturday, Jan. 22
• Dan Quinn
  Cowboys defensive coordinator
  Monday, Jan. 24

Scheduled/requested GM interviews:

• Ran Carthon
  49ers director of pro personnel
  Monday, Jan. 17
• Ryan Cowden
  Titans vice president of player personnel
  Friday, Jan. 14
  
• Quentin Harris
  Cardinals vice president of player personnel
  Thursday, Jan. 13
• Joe Hortiz
  Ravens director of player personnel
  Saturday, Jan. 15
• Monti Ossenfort
  Titans director of player personnel
  Friday, Jan. 14
• Adam Peters
  49ers assistant general manager
  Monday, Jan. 17 (first), Thursday, Jan. 20 (second)
• Ryan Poles
  Chiefs executive director of player personnel
  Thursday, Jan. 13 (first), Wednesday, Jan. 19 (second)
• Joe Schoen
  Bills assistant general manager
  Wednesday, Jan. 12 (first), Tuesday, Jan. 18 (second)
• Adrian Wilson
  Cardinals vice president of pro personnel
  Wednesday, Jan. 12

The latest: Schoen has wasted no time diving into the Giants’ search — meeting Sunday with Anarumo, the third candidate to interview with New York — but he might already have a candidate in mind. He has long ties to Daboll, who will likely spend the next week preparing for the Cincinnati Bengals or beginning a new job. It’s hard to see how no one hires him this cycle.