2019 AFC Coordinator Carousel: A Look at Coaching Changes
2019 AFC Coordinator Carousel - Steve Wilks
With five AFC teams making head coaching changes this offseason, it should come as no surprise that the NFL coaching carousel got plenty of work. But besides Cincinnati, Denver, Miami and the New York Jets hiring new head coaches, as well as Cleveland removing interim from Freddie Kitchens' title, six other AFC teams made a change at offensive and/or defensive coordinator.
For the six other AFC teams that made a change at offensive or defensive coordinator, a few were due to attrition while the others were due to a change of philosophy or simply for the sake of change. Here is a rundown on all the coordinator changes in the AFC:
Baltimore Ravens, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Marty Mornhinweg
New: Greg Roman
A branch on the Jim Harbaugh tree, Roman has worked for Harbaugh's brother John since 2017. He'll hold a job he previously held in Buffalo (2015-16) and San Francisco (2011-14, under Jim Harbaugh).
Cincinnati Bengals, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Bill Lazor
New: Brian Callahan
The son of former Raiders and Nebraska coach Bill Callahan assumes control of an NFL offense for the first time after three seasons as a quarterbacks coach.
Cincinnati Bengals, Defensive Coordinator
Old: Teryl Austin
New: Lou Anarumo
Anarumo has worked with defensive backs for the entirety of his NFL career aside from a brief stint as interim coordinator in Miami in 2015.
Cleveland Browns, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Freddie Kitchens (interim)
New: Todd Monken
Monken was the offensive coordinator in Tampa last season, where his offense ranked third in the NFL in yardage. He'll have plenty of weapons in Cleveland.
Cleveland Browns, Defensive Coordinator
Old: Gregg Williams
New: Steve Wilks
Fresh off a failed one-year audition as Cardinals head coach (3–13), Wilks will try to revitalize his career with this season's most intriguing team.
Denver Broncos, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Bill Musgrave
New: Rich Scangarello
Of Scangarello's 24 years in coaching, only four have come at the NFL level, although he did spend the last two seasons coaching quarterbacks in San Francisco and coaxed surprising production from emergency fill-in Nick Mullens.
Denver Broncos, Defensive Coordinator
Old: Joe Woods
New: Ed Donatell
Donatell embarks on his third separate stint with the Broncos; he was Denver's secondary coach from 1995-99 and again from 2009-10. He's coming off a successful three-year run as defensive backs coach in Chicago, where his unit helped the Bears lead the NFL in interceptions.
Houston Texans, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Bill O'Brien
New: Tim Kelly
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O'Brien coordinated the offense in 2018 but has relinquished the title to Kelly, who has been on his staff in Houston since 2014, most recently as tight ends coach (2017-18). O'Brien will likely maintain his role as play-caller, though.
Jacksonville Jaguars, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Nathaniel Hackett
New: John DeFilippo
The veteran DeFilippo arrives after a single season as offensive coordinator in Minnesota, where his unit ranked 20th in total offense. A former QB coach in Philly, DeFilippo will be reunited with Nick Foles, who arrived in the offseason via free agency.
Kansas City Chiefs, Defensive Coordinator
Old: Bob Sutton
New: Steve Spagnuolo
After a year out of coaching, the veteran Spagnuolo takes his blitz-happy defensive philosophy to a Super Bowl contender. He'll try to shore up the Chiefs' lone weakness: a defense that ranked 31st in 2018.
Miami Dolphins, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Dowell Loggains
New: Chad O'Shea
After a full decade as wide receivers coach for Bill Belichick in New England, O'Shea gets his shot to run an offense for fellow Belichick disciple Brian Flores. His arrival coincides with that of new QB Josh Rosen.
Miami Dolphins, Defensive Coordinator
Old: Matt Burke
New: Patrick Graham
Graham is another branch of the Bill Belichick tree, although he spent last season in Green Bay as linebackers coach and run game coordinator and the two years before that with the Giants. Graham was on Belichick's staff for seven seasons, the final two as linebackers coach (2014-15).
New England Patriots, Defensive Coordinator
Old: Brian Flores
New: TBD
The reigning Super Bowl champs are looking for their third defensive coordinator in three seasons after losing Flores and Matt Patricia before him.
New York Jets, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Jeremy Bates
New: Dowell Loggains
Loggains follows head coach Adam Gase from Miami to New York. Once ranked as the worst play-caller in the NFL by ESPN, Loggains gets a fresh start with a franchise that could be on an upswing.
New York Jets, Defensive Coordinator
Old: Kacy Rodgers
New: Gregg Williams
This is Williams' eighth stint as an NFL coordinator, the most recent coming in Cleveland, where he also served as interim head coach last year, going 5–3 over the season's final eight games.
Tennessee Titans, Offensive Coordinator
Old: Matt LaFleur
New: Arthur Smith
A native Tennessean, Smith has paid his dues with the franchise, starting as a defensive quality control coach in 2011 and slowly working his way up the org chart.
