Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was expected to be a popular name in this year’s head coaching cycle and that expectation has proven to be correct.
Albert Breer of SI.com reports that Minter is set to interview with the Cardinals and Titans about their vacancies on Tuesday. He’ll then have a lot of other meetings over the rest of the week.
There was already word that the Browns, Ravens and Raiders wanted to interview Minter and Breer adds the Dolphins, Giants, and Falcons to that list. Minter is expected to make his way through the entire group with two interviews a day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Minter’s defense was a major reason that the Chargers advanced to the playoffs the last two seasons and he ran the defense for Michigan when they won the national title in 2023. Given the level of interest in him right now, it won’t be a surprise if he’s running an entire team in the near future.
Officially, free-agent coach John Harbaugh took no interviews before today. Unofficially, he had a meeting on Sunday with one of the teams believed to be hot on his trail.
Via Ian O’Connor of TheAthletic.com, Giants senior player personnel executive Chris Mara said that he met Harbaugh for an informal lunch meeting at Harbaugh’s house on Sunday.
The disclosure comes at a time when rumors are swirling that the Giants have already made an unofficial offer to Harbaugh, in the range of $20 million per year.
Technically, G.M. Joe Schoen is running the search for a new New York coach. But the Giants are a family-run business. And Chris Mara, the brother of primary owner John Mara, can do whatever he wants.
Including letting Harbaugh know that the Giants are willing to make him a formal offer, if/when he’s willing to accept it.
The family of Sam Beal is asking for help in attempting to locate the former Giants cornerback, who they say disappeared in July.
“Tomorrow makes it 7 months since we’ve last heard from or seen my brother,” his sister Essence Zhane posted on Facebook on Monday.
Beal, 29, was last seen dropping off his girlfriend before borrowing her car to drive to a job he never arrived, according to a missing persons bulletin. He later told his girlfriend on the phone that he was headed home to Virginia Beach.
The car was found in Virginia Beach, with his shoes, socks and sand on the front passenger seat. He had taken only the clothes he was wearing, a pair of slides and his wallet containing his banking card and driver’s license.
“I’m not here to answer a bunch of why’s and how’s I just need this to land in the right direction to gain some form of answers or closure,” Beal’s sister wrote on social media. “I’m a Big sister and I need my brother to know that We Love You and miss you and this has been a heavy feeling for months to carry around.”
The Giants made Beal a third-round pick in the 2018 supplemental draft. He played three seasons with the team, totaling 27 tackles and one pass defensed before opting out because of COVID in 2020. The Giants released him in 2021.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Kenwood Police at (616) 698-6580 or Virginia Beach Police at (757) 385-4141.
At least one team has now formally spoken with John Harbaugh about their head coaching vacancy.
The Falcons announced that they have completed an interview with Harbaugh on Monday afternoon.
After firing General Manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris last week, Falcons owner Arthur Blank told reporters that Harbaugh would “certainly be a candidate we would want to spend some time with.” That has now happened.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that Harbaugh has also been conducting “preliminary and extensive phone calls” with the Giants, Titans, Browns, Raiders, and Cardinals. At this point, he’s trying to decide who he’ll meet with this week and into next week before making a decision. But Harbaugh is expected to coach in 2026, as opposed to potentially becoming a TV analyst for a year before re-entering the market in 2027.
Atlanta made the widely expected hiring of Matt Ryan as president of football official on Saturday. With plenty of options, Harbaugh will have to determine if he’d like to work with Ryan or any other number of front-office executives when choosing his next spot.
Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is a popular name in this year’s head coaching searches.
The Dolphins and Titans requested interviews with Shula ahead of Sunday’s win over the Panthers and they got some company over the weekend. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Cardinals, Giants and Raiders also want to speak with Shula about their vacancies.
Shula was a college teammate of Rams head coach Sean McVay and has been on the Rams’ staff since McVay joined the team in 2017. He’s also the grandson of Don Shula, which adds some intrigue to Miami’s request to speak to him.
Shula will be able to interview virtually with teams this week and he won’t be the only Rams assistant balancing the interview circuit with preparing to face the Bears. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur has heard from the Cardinals and Raiders while pass game specialist Nate Scheelhaase is on the list for the Browns, Raiders and Ravens.
