Panthers Hire McCown and Capers, Texans Talking to Kingsbury, Cardinals Waiting it Out, and Other NFL Bullets
Surprise, Surprise! My sister-in-law surprised my wife with a visit this morning from Florida, so I’m getting a late start today. So, I’m going to be pretty brief in this space this morning, so I can get the Super Bowl paths to victory done and spend some time with the family this afternoon. First, let’s tee this up with some coaching news around the league.
- Frank Reich made some additions to his coaching staff in Carolina on Friday, hiring Josh McCown and Dom Capers. The Panthers hired the long-time journeyman quarterback as their quarterbacks coach. The Panthers also hired Dom Capers as a senior defensive assistant.
- McCown was a finalist for the Texans job before Houston hired Lovie Smith ahead of the 2022 season despite having no NFL coaching experience. So now McCown can begin to build his NFL coaching resume, adding to a 17-year playing career.
- McCown played for nine teams in his career, including a two-year stint with Carolina from 2008-09.
- Carolina is also brining in Dom Capers who once was the head coach of the Panthers:
- DeMeco Ryans is also assembling his coaching staff in Houston. On Friday, Ryans hired former Cardinals defensive assistant Matt Burke to be the new defensive coordinator in Houston. Now he’s meeting with Burke’s old head coach, Kliff Kingsbury, about Houston’s offensive coordinator position.
- The Cardinals fired Kingsbury after a 4-13 season in 2022. Kingsbury has a relationship with DeMeco Ryans and Texans GM Nick Caserio from their time in New England.
- As reported earlier this week, the Cardinals will not make a head coaching hire until next week. Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill posted a message to the fans explaining the pause in the coaching search.
- Veteran offensive lineman Taylor Lewan told a Titans team reporter that he believes the Titans will cut him in a cap-shaving move. Lewan is undecided whether or not he will continue playing football in 2023. Lewan suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week Two of the 2022 season.
- The tackle has missed 30 games over the last three seasons because of knee problems, and the Titans can reclaim his entire 2023 cap hit of just over $14.8 million by cutting him this offseason.
“In the next couple of weeks, I will be cut by the Tennessee Titans — that will happen,” Lewan said, via the team’s website. “I truly believe that in my heart of hearts. Then I have to go into a situation that I’ve never been in in my entire life: I have to weigh the pros and cons of playing football, or not playing football.”
- Brett Favre is suing Pat McAfee and Shannon Sharpe for defamation: “I’m getting sued by Brett Favre,” McAfee, a former All-Pro punter for the Colts, said on his show on Friday. “I’m getting sued alongside Shannon Sharpe and an auditor from Mississippi by Brett f–king Favre. Brett Favre’s suing me in a defamation lawsuit, saying I defamed his name to try to earn a profit.”
- McAfee explained and responded on his show on Friday:
- This is another perfect opportunity to say, screw Brett Favre, he’s a loser.
- The Chiefs have no injury designations heading into the Super Bowl, and the Eagles have only Britain Covey listed as questionable with a hamstring injury.
- It doesn’t sound like a Robbie Gould reunion in Chicago is happening anytime soon:
- Some good history was made at the UC last night:
