Commanders Clips
The Commanders have interviewed Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen for their vacant defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones reacted to the news on social media, replying, “Oh, sh!+. . . . .”
Cullen entered the NFL as a defensive assistant in 2006 with the Lions. He returned to the college ranks in 2009 before the Jaguars hired him as their defensive line coach a year later. He also was the defensive line coach for the Browns (2013), Bucs (2014-15), Ravens (2016-20) and joined the Chiefs in that role in 2022.
In 2021, Cullen was the defensive coordinator of the Jaguars.
The Commanders are seeking to replace defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., whom they fired earlier this week.
The Chiefs have already lost assistant defensive line coach Alex Whittingham to the University of Michigan, and they fired wide receivers coach Connor Embree.
The Commanders have gotten their search for an offensive coordinator going with an external candidate.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Washington has interviewed Cardinals receivers coach and passing game coordinator Drew Terrell for the role.
Terrell, 34, had been with Arizona since 2023. But he was previously with Washington from 2020-2022 under former head coach Ron Rivera, first as assistant receivers coach and then as receivers coach.
He also coached under Rivera with the Panthers from 2018-2019 as an offensive quality control coach.
Notably, Rapoport also reports that the Commanders have interviewed “several” internal candidates. JP Finlay of NBC 4 Washington speculates those candidates were likely assistant head coach/offensive pass game coordinator Brian Johnson, run game coordinator/running backs coach Anthony Lynn, and assistant QBs coach David Blough.
The Commanders have requested permission to speak with Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells about their offensive coordinator opening, Todd Archer of ESPN reports.
Wells has spent six seasons in his current job, which includes three seasons with Commanders head coach Dan Quinn on staff.
The Commanders are seeking to replace Kliff Kingsbury, whom Quinn fired earlier this week.
Washington had starting quarterback Jayden Daniels for only seven games this season because of injuries. The Commanders ranked 22nd in yards and 22nd in points.
Wells also coached for the Giants from 2013-19, first as an offensive quality control coach and then as the assistant offensive line coach. From 2008-11, he was on the LSU staff.
It likely won’t take Mike McDaniel long to find a new job.
An obvious offensive coordinator candidate for any team that needs one, McDaniel has already fielded some interest.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Lions have reached out to McDaniel about potentially becoming the club’s OC.
Detroit fired offensive coordinator John Morton earlier this week after the club missed the postseason. Head coach Dan Campbell took over offensive play-calling midway through the season, but the Lions were not as cohesive of an offensive unit throughout the year as they had been with now-Bears head coach Ben Johnson calling the plays.
Washington is another team with an offensive coordinator vacancy that is likely to reach out to McDaniel, given that McDaniel coached under Dan Quinn when he was head coach of the Falcons.
But there could be another role for McDaniel — head coach. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported earlier on Thursday that the Browns have interest in speaking with McDaniel about their vacancy.
Either way, it appears McDaniel will have some choices after he was fired by Miami on Thursday.
Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore was arrested in Lakewood, Ohio on Wednesday.
According to police records obtained by WKYC, Lattimore was arrested on charges of carrying concealed weapons and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle. Lattimore was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for expired license plates and other violations, and, per the police report, was arrested after failing to inform officers that there were firearms in the vehicle.
“We have been made aware of the arrest and are gathering more information,” the Commanders said in a statement. “We are in communication with the NFL League Office and have no further comment at this time.”
Lattimore appeared in nine games this season and is under contract for the 2026 season.
The Commanders are looking for a new defensive coordinator and one candidate for the job is in Las Vegas.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Commanders have requested an interview with Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. The Raiders fired head coach Pete Carroll this week, but have not parted ways with any of the team’s assistants at this point.
Graham joined the Raiders as a member of Josh McDaniels’ staff in 2022 and remained with the team through the changes to Antonio Pierce and Carroll. Graham has also been a coordinator for the Giants and Dolphins. He was a longtime assistant with the Patriots before making the move to Vegas.
Joe Whitt spent two years as the coordinator in Washington and the Commanders also parted ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury this week.
With six vacancies (other than the Ravens) and seven teams calling former Ravens coach John Harbaugh after his dismissal on Tuesday, at least one team without a vacancy made the call.
So which team(s) called? (It’s possible that more than one team without an opening called, if at least one of the teams currently looking for a coach did not.)
Here’s a look at the possibilities. And don’t blame us for doing it; Harbaugh’s agent lit the fuse by disclosing that seven teams called.
Jets: By all appearances, first-year coach Aaron Glenn lost the locker room. The final five games, with a minus-137 point differential (27.4 per game), was arguably the worst stretch ever for a franchise with plenty of rough spots. Still, owner Woody Johnson has shown no inclination to fire Glenn — and to owe him more than $40 million to not coach the team.
Dolphins: Michigan man Stephen Ross once pursued Michigan man Jim Harbaugh while the Dolphins still had a coach under contract. Why wouldn’t Ross make the call about Harbaugh’s brother, given the currently tenuous status of Mike McDaniel?
Bills: What if the Bills lose this weekend? Is it crazy to think the Bills would consider making a change? That said, swapping out one coach who failed to get to the Super Bowl during the prime years of a generational talent for another coach who failed to get to the Super Bowl during the prime years of a generational talent seems odd.
Steelers: If the team thinks Mike Tomlin, who seems to have a TV offer in his back pocket, could be leaving after the playoff run ends, it needs to be thinking about the next coach. Why not Harbaugh?
Bengals: There’s no way Mike Brown will finance Zac Taylor’s buyout and pay whatever it would take to get Harbaugh.
Colts: Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon has said Shane Steichen will be back. Could she view Harbaugh as an upgrade who may not be available if a change is made in 2027?
Chiefs: Andy Reid will be back for 2026. The phone call (if it happened) may have been as simple as, “Keep us in mind if you’re thinking about taking a year off and returning in 2027.”
Cowboys: See the Chiefs.
Commanders: Dan Quinn’s team badly regressed in 2025. Why wouldn’t owner Josh Harris at least consider the possibility of an upgrade to Harbaugh?
Packers: New team president Ed Policy made it clear in June that it’s an up-or-out year for coach Matt LaFleur and G.M. Brian Gutekunst. Could Policy have wanted to let Harlan (the son of former Packers CEO Bob Harlan) know that there may be a reason to let the wild-card round play out before making any decisions?
Buccaneers: There’s a vague sense still lingering that ownership could make a coaching change. Harbaugh’s availability could be the thing that pushes the Bucs off the fence.
At least one of those teams made the call. Maybe more than one. And if one of those teams fires its head coach in the coming days, it could be the first step toward hiring John Harbaugh.
A former Lions quarterback is in the mix to be the team’s next offensive coordinator.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Commanders quarterbacks coach David Blough is the first identified candidate for the job. There’s no word on the timing of Blough’s interview with the team.
Blough began the season as Washington’s assistant quarterbacks coach and took on the main responsibilities after Tavita Pritchard left to become the head coach of Stanford. Blough joined Washington in 2024 after wrapping up his playing days in 2023.
Blough’s last stint with a team was on Detroit’s practice squad that year. He was also with the Lions from 2019 to 2021 and appeared in seven games. Five of those appearances were starts during his rookie season and he also made two starts for the Cardinals in 2022.
The Commanders fired offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. on Tuesday. They also have moved on from offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, Nicki Jhabvala of TheAthletic.com reports.
Johnson joined the Commanders in 2024 when Dan Quinn was hired as head coach.
His first NFL coaching job came as assistant offensive line coach with the Bills in 2010-11. He also has coached for the Jaguars, Lions, Raiders, Colts and Giants.
Johnson has been an offensive line coach the past seven seasons, three with the Bills (2019-21), two with he Giants (2022-23) and two with the Commanders (2024-25).
Quinn will head into his third season with several new assistants, including new coordinators, and on the hot seat.
The Commanders are re-shaping their assistants under head coach Dan Quinn.
According to multiple reports, both offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. will not return to Washington for 2026.
Kingsbury and Quinn elected to mutually part ways after having a conversation on Tuesday about the direction of the offense, reports indicate. Kingsbury will now be able to pursue other opportunities, including head coach vacancies. Kingsbury accumulated a 28-37-1 record as Cardinals head coach from 2019-2022.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels had expressed his desire for Kingsbury to remain in his role when speaking to reporters on Monday.
“I love working with Kliff. Me and him have a special relationship,” Daniels said, via Tashan Reed of the Washington Post. “I kind of just wish I was out there more to play for him this past year.”
Whitt was demoted during the season from his play-calling duties, with Quinn taking them back.
After reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2024, Washington finished 5-12 in 2025. The offense ranked No. 22 in points scored and total yards while the club’s defense was No. 27 in points allowed and No. 32 in yards allowed.
