AFC South

The Jacksonville Jaguars will conduct a second interview with Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus for their head-coaching vacancy.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the news Tuesday and added that the 51-year-old Eberflus, who has been in his current role since 2018, is the first known finalist for the Jaguars' job.

Jacksonville is looking for a new head coach after firing Urban Meyer following a tumultuous tenure that ended after a 2-10 start to the 2021 season.

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell took the team over on an interim basis for the final five games, losing four straight before guiding the Jags to a 26-11 victory over the Colts to end the year.

The Jags aren't the only team courting Eberflus, as the Chicago Bears have also brought him in for an interview. Chicago, which is in the market for a general manager, also spoke with Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds for the role.

Indianapolis' defense has largely been successful under Eberflus, finishing top 10 in scoring defense in three of his four seasons. This season's Colts D also finished eighth in Football Outsiders' DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) metric.    

Albert Breer of MMQB reported that the second Eberflus-Jaguars interview will occur in Indianapolis. Per Breer, Jags owner Shad Khan, who lives in Illinois, will be there.

Eberflus' coaching career began at his alma mater, Toledo, where he played linebacker from 1988-1991. He was on the Rockets' coaching staff from 1992-2000, rising to the rank of defensive backs coach.

He then left for Missouri, spending eight years as the Tigers' defensive coordinator. Eberflus then bolted for the NFL, working for the Cleveland Browns (2009-2010) and Dallas Cowboys (2011-2017) as linebackers coach. He added passing game coordinator duties to his role in 2016 and 2017.

Eberflus left for the Colts when the team hired ex-Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich as its head coach. Indianapolis has gone 39-27 in four seasons under Reich, reaching the playoffs twice.

No matter who gets the job, the Jags' new head coach will have a Herculean task ahead, especially after the team finished last in points scored and fifth-last in points allowed.

Jacksonville does have a franchise quarterback to build around in Trevor Lawrence as well as the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, so there's definitely current (and future) talent to work with.

Eberflus, who has never been a head coach at any level, could be the person to guide the Jags out of the disastrous Meyer regime. Based on the second interview news, it's clear Jacksonville is very interested in the possibility that may be the case.

Alabama offensive coordinator and former Penn State and Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien is "unlikely" to be the Jacksonville Jaguars' choice for their head coaching vacancy, according to the NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. 

While O'Brien interviewed for the job earlier in January, Garafolo said he was "not getting that vibe" when speaking about the possibility of the Alabama OC becoming Jacksonville's head coach.

From NFL Now on @nflnetwork: The #Jaguars are between phases of their coaching interview process and, despite the talk he’s Trent Baalke’s pick, I’m just not sensing the momentum for Bill O’Brien. pic.twitter.com/WpQqGutagG

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 18, 2022

Chase Goodbread of NFL.com added that the Jaguars planned to interview Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles; Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus; Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett; former NFL head coaches Doug Pederson and Jim Caldwell; and interim head coach Darrell Bevell. 

The Jaguars are seeking to replace Urban Meyer, who was fired in December after a disastrous, controversy-laden first year. He went just 2-11 at the helm. Bevell led the team to a 1-3 record in his stead. 

As for O'Brien, the 52-year-old will bring an impressive resume into any future NFL interviews. 

As an NFL head coach, he led the Texans to a 52-48 record across seven seasons (2014-20), leading the team to four playoff berths. That followed two years (2012-13) as Penn State's head coach. 

His lengthy coaching career also included stints as the offensive coordinator for Georgia Tech (2001-02), Duke (2005-06) and most recently Alabama this past season at the college level. 

His NFL career also included five years with the New England Patriots (2007-11), where he held a number of roles throughout his tenure, including as an offensive assistant, wide receivers coach, quarterbacks coach and eventually the offensive coordinator in his final year with the team.

Several coaches and general managers reportedly believe former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is a "strong favorite" to become the next head coach of the Houston Texans, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

"Flores interviewed with the Texans on Friday and there is a strong anticipation that a deal with Houston could come together very quickly," he wrote.

Flores has connections to Houston general manager Nick Caserio and executive Jack Easterby from their time with the New England Patriots. The 40-year-old joined the Patriots coaching staff in 2008 as a special teams assistant and served in various roles, including safeties coach and linebackers coach, before becoming Miami's head man in 2019.

In addition, Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who did not play during the 2021 season, reportedly wanted to be moved to Miami to team up with Flores, and the Dolphins explored trading for the veteran signal-caller this season.

Watson faces 22 civil lawsuits that accuse him of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. He also faces 10 criminal complaints.

Before the allegations came to light, he requested a trade in January 2021.

One NFL executive even told La Canfora that hiring Flores could help the team hold on to Watson:

'I'm telling you, Nick is going to come out of this looking like a genius,' said one high-ranking NFL exec who knows Caserio well. 'He and Flores go way back. That is a perfect fit. And, it's going to help him keep that quarterback. Just watch. He doesn't have to trade him, he can ask for the moon, and Flores could help rebuild the relationships in the meantime. It just makes too much sense.'

However, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer and the Houston Chronicle's John McClain reported Thursday that Watson still has no plans to play for the team again despite its interest in Flores.

The coach was fired by the Dolphins on Monday after three seasons. It was a somewhat surprising move, as he had led the team to two straight winning campaigns for the first time since 2002 and 2003.

Flores finished his tenure in Miami with a 24-25 record.

In addition to the Texans, Flores interviewed with the Chicago Bears. He's also reportedly drawing interest from the New York Giants, per Pull Up's Jordan Schultz. He is expected to be one of the hottest head coaching candidates available this offseason.

The Texans are also reportedly interested in Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, among others, per Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay apologized to fans Friday for an "unacceptable" 2021 season and promising a much better 2022 campaign. 

"This commitment starts with me. It starts with my self-analysis, and I can tell all of Colts Nation this is something that every day, every hour, every minute we're working to fix. It's unacceptable and it will not stand," he said.

🏈💪🏈 pic.twitter.com/43C0Z4zdVb

— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) January 14, 2022

The Colts finished with a winning record for the second straight season but failed to make the playoffs at 9-8. Indianapolis has only made the postseason twice in the last seven seasons, not making it past the divisional round. 

The Colts missed the playoffs in hideous fashion. All they needed was a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the worst team in the NFL, to close out the season. They fell 26-11 at TIAA Bank Field in a game quarterback Carson Wentz struggled in, throwing for just 185 yards, one touchdown and one interception. 

Despite missing the postseason, Indy has a lot to look forward to in the future. The team had seven players named to the Pro Bowl, which was the most in the league, and running back Jonathan Taylor set a new franchise record in rushing yards (1,811). 

While Wentz's future with the franchise is uncertain, he made strides in 2021 after an abysmal 2020 season, and there's reason to believe he could take a step forward in 2022. 

The Houston Texans fired head coach David Culley on Thursday after just one season, but general manager Nick Caserio was quick to praise the 66-year-old and credited him for helping dig the franchise out of a "rough" spot. 

Caserio told reporters Friday:

"I would say when you rewind here and go back to a year ago ... I'd say the organization was in a pretty rough spot, and I think from where we were then to where we are now, we're in a lot better position. And quite frankly, I think that's because of the leadership and the guidance and the direction that David Culley brought in this football team."

In a statement on Thursday, Caserio said he fired Culley because of "philosophical differences" about the long-term direction and vision for the Texans moving forward.

The second-year GM would not go into details on those differences Friday, but he said it was something he felt he needed to do "that was in the best interest of the organization."

A statement from Nick Caserio. pic.twitter.com/rDEN475dWv

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 14, 2022

To be fair, Culley should at least receive some credit. Some predicted the Texans would win just one game in 2021. They ended up going 4-13 with rookie quarterback Davis Mills under center. 

Quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is facing 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and inappropriate behavior, sat out the 2021 season after requesting a trade. In addition, the Texans traded defensive end J.J. Watt to the Arizona Cardinals before the season began and made many other changes in the midst of a rebuild. 

The Texans also had two very impressive wins over playoff-bound teams, defeating the Tennessee Titans 22-13 in November and the Los Angeles Chargers 41-29 in December. Mills showed a lot of promise in those games and throughout the season, which was a pleasant surprise for the franchise. 

Caserio also told reporters Friday that he doesn't have a time frame to hire a new head coach and said the Texans would be "very deliberate" with the process. However, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo have been linked to the position this week. 

New England Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo reportedly may be a strong candidate for the Houston Texans' vacant head coaching position.

Appearing Friday on the Pat McAfee Show, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said Mayo has a "very good chance" to become the next head coach of the Texans:

"I think Todd Bowles & Brian Flores both get head coaching jobs.. Jerod Mayo has a very good chance at the job in Houston as well" ~@RapSheet#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/ekWllFNyff

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 14, 2022

Houston's head coaching job became available Thursday when the Texans fired David Culley after going 4-13 in his one season at the helm.

Mayo played for the Patriots as a linebacker from 2008-15, earning two Pro Bowl nods and the 2008 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in addition to winning one Super Bowl.

He joined the Pats' coaching staff in 2019, and it hasn't taken him long to become a head coaching candidate despite the fact that he has never even been a coordinator.

Mayo interviewed for the Philadelphia Eagles' vacant head coaching position last offseason, and he has received a request to interview with the Denver Broncos in the near future following Denver's firing of Vic Fangio.

While Denver is a possibility for Mayo, he has a clear and obvious link to Houston since Texans general manager Nick Caserio was the Patriots' director of pro personnel from 2004-06 and director of player personnel from 2008-20.

Caserio's first year as Patriots director of player personnel was when New England used the No. 10 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft to select Mayo.

If Mayo does get hired as Houston's head coach, he will join a team that needs to improve in several different areas.

Mayo's area of expertise is defense, and the Texans are coming off a season that saw them rank 31st in total defense and 27th in scoring defense.

The Texans also have plenty of question marks on offense, including at quarterback after Deshaun Watson didn't play at all in 2021 because of a trade request and 22 active lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault or misconduct. Women have also filed 10 criminal complaints against Watson. The NFL, Houston police and FBI are all investigating.

Rookie third-round pick Davis Mills did some good things down the stretch, however, and ended up finishing with 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 13 appearances during his debut campaign.

The Texans have a long road to traverse before they are playoff contenders again, and that alone could be a good reason to hire a young, energetic, 35-year-old coach like Mayo.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has no plans to play for the team again despite the franchise's reported interest in bringing in former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores to replace the fired David Culley.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle and Albert Breer of The MMQB provided insight.

Deshaun Watson will NOT be taking another snap for the Texans. I've been writing and broadcasting that for 10 months.

— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 13, 2022

For those wondering on QB Deshaun Watson and the Texans—I wouldn’t expect this to change his desire for a trade. He never had an issue with David Culley, as far as I know. Culley actually managed the situation well.

Watson’s issue always has been with ownership.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 13, 2022

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Monday that Watson, who requested a trade last January, wanted to go to Miami because of Flores. Rapoport further said Flores "was a significant reason" Watson desired a move to the Dolphins.

However, Miami fired the 40-year-old Flores on Monday after he spent three seasons as its head coach.

Watson is the subject of 22 civil lawsuits that accuse the former Clemson signal-caller of sexual misconduct or sexual assault.

Ten women have filed criminal complaints with the Houston Police Department, including two who have not filed civil lawsuits. Watson has publicly denied the allegations.

Watson sat out the entire 2021 season following the filing of the lawsuits and his trade request. His future is in limbo with the legal issues pending.

Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the latest on that front.

The Houston prosecutor handling 10 criminal complaints filed against Watson is expected to make clear her stance on any potential charges sometime in the next several weeks and turn over the case to a grand jury, sources say. Depositions have also begun for the 22 women who accused Watson of sexual misconduct in civil court; Watson's deposition can take place no sooner than Feb. 22 and a pre-trial conference is set for May. Watson has denied wrongdoing.

The NFL also has an open investigation into the allegations against Watson under the league's personal-conduct policy. Though Watson hasn't played for the Texans this season, he has not been suspended or placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List, meaning he remains free to play and has been collecting his $10.54 million salary. His salary jumps to $35 million next season on a deal that runs through 2025.

Houston selected Watson with the No. 12 pick in the 2017 draft. The three-time Pro Bowler, who turns 27 years old in September, has completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 104 touchdowns (36 interceptions) and 8.3 yards per attempt for his career.

Watson has also rushed for 1,677 yards and 17 scores.

Outside Watson, the Texans' future is in limbo because of turnover at the coaching position.

Culley was fired after just one season even though he piloted a team in a massive rebuild. Despite a 4-13 record, the Texans never quit on him and earned upsets over the Los Angeles Chargers and the Tennessee Titans.

Houston is moving in a different direction, though, and Texans and NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reported Wednesday that Flores is the team's "top target."

Flores reportedly has a "strong relationship" with Texans general manager Nick Caserio, per Wilson. The ex-Dolphins coach was on the New England Patriots' staff from 2008 to 2018 before getting the Miami job. Caserio was the Pats' director of player personnel during Flores' entire Pats tenure. He just completed his first season as the Texans' GM.

For the second time in as many seasons, the Houston Texans are looking for a new head coach.

The Texans fired David Culley after he went 4-13 in his lone season as head coach, per Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Culley was a surprising hire when he was plucked away from the Baltimore Ravens last offseason, but he was apparently never long for the job. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the team "always knew" there was a chance it would fire Culley after one season.

While there is a long list of great young coaches deserving of a head coaching shot, it's fair to wonder whether the Texans' options will be limited by their own actions. The team saddled Culley with arguably the NFL's worst roster and made him responsible for navigating the waters of Deshaun Watson's sexual assault allegations before unceremoniously firing him after he did a stellar job under the circumstances. 

Culley and his offensive staff did yeoman's work in developing Davis Mills, who progressed over the course of the 2021 season more than any other rookie quarterback. Mills threw nine touchdowns against two interceptions over his final five starts after looking completely overmatched early in the season. 

Culley's treatment, along with the significant holes across the Texans roster, makes this the least appealing of the seven vacancies.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio will likely have to rely on his relationships to sell a coaching hire, which means his best option could come out of the New England Patriots pipeline. 

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would be a dream hire, but it's unlikely he would leave New England for a rebuilding roster. McDaniels has been selective in going after his next head coaching job for a reason; he wants a place he knows he can win. Houston isn't it.

Bringing in Brian Flores, who was unceremoniously fired by the Miami Dolphins earlier this week, would be the best hire that's also within the realm of possibilities. Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk 790 in Houston reported Flores has a "strong relationship" with Caserio dating back to their time with the Patriots.

It's also worth noting that Watson wanted to play for Flores with the Dolphins. If the relationship between Watson and the Texans has any glimmer of being salvageable, Flores could open the door to reconciliation.

Flores went 24-25 in three seasons with the Dolphins, coaching up an undermanned roster while helping develop several young cornerstone pieces. Jeff Darlington of ESPN reported Flores' departure largely came because of a deterioration of his relationship with general manager Chris Grier.

It's possible his past rapport with Caserio will push him toward the Texans job, though it's expected that Flores will be high on the list of candidates for other vacancies.

If Flores turns the job down, the Texans may target Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo.

While Mayo has only been in coaching since 2019, the 35-year-old is one of the fastest-rising young coaches in the sport. He impressed when interviewing for the Philadelphia Eagles' coaching job last offseason and could grow with the developing young Texans roster. 

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo are reportedly among the top candidates to replace David Culley as head coach of the Houston Texans, per Texans insider Aaron Wilson and ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

The Texans fired Culley on Thursday after just one season. Houston finished third in the AFC South with a 4-13 record. 

The Texans' interest in Flores should come as no surprise. The 40-year-old has connections with executive Jack Easterby and general manager Nick Caserio from their time with the New England Patriots.

Flores rose through the coaching ranks in New England from 2008-18 and ultimately became the franchise's defensive coordinator before becoming Miami's head coach in 2019. 

The Dolphins fired Flores on Monday after three seasons. It was a surprising move out of Miami after he had led the team to two straight winning seasons for the first time since the 2002 and 2003 seasons. 

Flores compiled a 24-25 record in his tenure with the Dolphins, and it appeared he had a great relationship with the organization. However, several reports since his firing have made it seem otherwise. 

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Flores reportedly wanted authority over general manager Chris Grier before his firing. He also reportedly wanted the final say on "virtually everything" and "more people to report to him." 

In addition, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday that "frustration and tension" between Flores and Grier was a major issue. Team owner Stephen Ross ultimately decided to side with Grier. 

Jackson also noted that while many players liked Flores, some thought he was arrogant and had a "bristling personality." They believed he wasn't approachable and that it "was hard to read him."

Then came a report on Thursday that highlighted a potential rift between Flores and his players, specifically quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Michael Lombardi reported on the GM Shuffle podcast that Flores made it known to Tagovailoa that he would have preferred fellow Alabama alum Mac Jones as his QB. 

"I don't think [Brian] Flores was shy about telling [Tagovailoa], 'Hey, I should have picked Mac Jones.' I don't think he was shy about telling him that. In fact, I know that he wasn't," Lombardi said. 

In terms of Flores' fit in Houston, the Texans might be hoping hiring the former Dolphins head coach will help keep disgruntled quarterback Deshaun Watson with the team. Watson has wanted out of Houston since before the 2021 season, which he sat out, but there has been plenty of speculation that the Clemson product wanted to be traded to the Dolphins to play under Flores. 

A coaching change probably won't be enough to keep Watson in Houston, but Flores is arguably one of the best head coaching candidates on the market, so the franchise would be in good hands moving forward regardless.

As for Mayo, he also has connections to Houston given his relationship with Easterby and Caserio. The 35-year-old spent his entire eight-year playing career in New England from 2008-15 before joining the organization as a coach in 2019. 

And while Mayo has no head coaching experience, he is also drawing interest from the Denver Broncos for their vacant HC position after firing Vic Fangio on Sunday. Mayo also interviewed for the Philadelphia Eagles head coaching position last year before they hired Nick Sirianni. 

The Texans have not had a winning season since 2019 and have won just four games in each of their last two seasons. In addition to Flores and Mayo, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is among the Texans' top candidates, per Wilson. 

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard was noncommittal about quarterback Carson Wentz's future with the team when addressing the media Thursday.

"When we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision, we felt good about it," Ballard said, per Stephen Holder of The Athletic. "And I still don't regret it. ... I won't make a comment on who's going to be here and who's not going to be here. That's not fair."

Per NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano, Ballard also said, "I think we'll look at everything," when asked about the team's quarterback situation.

The Colts' 2021 season came to a disappointing end Sunday when they lost 26-11 on the road to a Jacksonville Jaguars team that came into the game with a 2-14 record. The defeat eliminated Indianapolis from playoff contention, capping a 9-8 season.

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After veteran signal-caller Philip Rivers retired in the offseason, the Colts acquired Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 draft pick that became a first-rounder.

Wentz was coming off the worst season of his career, as he completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 2,620 yards, 16 touchdowns and an NFL-high 15 interceptions that led to him losing the starting job to Jalen Hurts.

The Colts hoped reuniting him with head coach Frank Reich, who was previously Wentz's offensive coordinator with the Eagles, would work wonders.

Things got off to a rocky start, as Indy began the season 0-3, but it proceeded to win nine of its next 12 games, putting it in position to need just one win in its final two games to reach the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

Instead, the Colts fell 23-20 at home to the Las Vegas Raiders and 26-11 on the road to the Jags, which allowed the Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers to sneak into the playoffs ahead of them.

Wentz's play undoubtedly had a hand in the Colts missing the playoffs, as he went 16-of-27 for 148 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against Vegas and 17-of-29 for 185 yards with one touchdown and one pick against the Jaguars.

All told, Wentz completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season, while also rushing for 215 yards and a score.

The numbers were a big improvement compared to 2020, but he didn't do enough down the stretch, throwing fewer than two touchdown passes in six of the final eight games of the season.

Indy's offensive game plan throughout the 2021 campaign largely relied on running back Jonathan Taylor carrying the load, and he did that expertly with 2,171 total yards and 20 touchdowns from scrimmage, establishing himself as an MVP candidate.

That strategy worked well at times, but NFL teams need strong quarterback play in order to be a great team, and Wentz often didn't provide that.

It remains to be seen whether Wentz can be that player for the Colts, but he is under contract through 2024.