NFL coaching rumors 2017: Broncos, 49ers, Chargers are looking for new coaches

The 2016 season is drawing to a close, and that means the NFL’s coaching carousel is about to fire up for another spin. Franchises looking for answers will jettison old friends and new hires alike to improve their chances to make it to Super Bowl LII.

Last year, the hot seat claimed coaches like Chip Kelly, Tom Coughlin, Lovie Smith, and Ken Whisenhunt. This winter will claim even more, including Kelly again. Here’s a look at the first round of rumors, grumblings, and reports about 2016’s embattled NFL coaches.

Jan. 1: The Bills just might end up hanging onto Anthony Lynn; he’s one of their rumored preferences. They’re also looking into a few other candidates.

Jan. 1: If Lynn does get the head coaching job, he could be bringing in former Jags coach Gus Bradley to be his defensive coordinator.

Dec. 29: ESPN’s John Clayton told WGR 550 in Buffalo that Tom Coughlin is more interested in the Bills job than the Jaguars job.

Dec. 27: The Bills fired Rex Ryan, and promoted Lynn to the interim job, for one week. GM Doug Whaley will lead the coaching search, and Coughlin’s name has come up there too (perhaps via Coughlin’s camp?).

Dec. 24: Offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn is expected to get a lot of interest as a head coaching candidate around the league, but the Bills may want to keep him as a potential Rex Ryan replacement.

Dec. 21: If Rex Ryan is indeed out, ESPN’s John Clayton suggests Buffalo could also be interested in bringing Tom Coughlin to its sideline.

Dec. 18: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Rex Ryan will be fired once the season ends. This is a poorly guarded secret in Buffalo, making things awkward between the Bills front office and its soon to be unemployed head coach.

Dec. 11: CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports Rex Ryan could lose his job when Week 14 draws to a close. It would take an “overwhelming performance” over the final month of the season for the second-year coach to keep his place on the Buffalo sideline.

Jan. 1: It still sounds like John Fox will get a reprieve this season based on the team’s struggles with injuries and roster rebuilding efforts.

Dec. 7: John Fox is expected to be back on the Bears’ sideline in 2017, but one of his coordinators won’t be. The Chicago Tribune’s Mike Mulligan reports defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s time with the franchise will come to an end as it prepares for a “massive overhaul” this offseason.

Jan. 1: It appears the Bengals will not be parting ways with Marvin Lewis. However, Jason La Canfora reports “it is far less likely the coach receives another one-year extension this summer — which has become an annual process during training camp.” There’s also an expectation Lewis could transition into the front office at the end of his tenure, should he choose to do so.

Jan. 1: Following the Broncos’ victory over the Raiders, Gary Kubiak told his team he’s retiring.

Jan. 1: Here’s an unexpected team to find on this list. But the Broncos could be in the market for a head coach if Gary Kubiak resigns for health reasons, as Adam Schefter is reporting he will. However, Ian Rapoport says that no decision has been made.

Jan. 1: Mike McCarthy’s job is safe, and there aren’t many big shakeups expected among the coaching staff. However, there could be a big change in the front office. Personnel guru Ted Thompson could step aside, reports Ian Rapoport, and someone else within the organization, Elliot Wolf perhaps, could replace him.

Jan. 1: People are nervous. That usually means someone’s getting the ax.

Dec. 29: There are rumblings of potential changes coming to the Colts. And that’s surfaced rumors about Peyton Manning potentially rejoining the franchise in a leadership role.

Dec. 15: Jim Irsay’s high standards could mean head coach Chuck Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson won’t return for 2017.

“Right now, I’m not anticipating making any changes,” Irsay said. “That can always change. It always can when we’re sitting down at the end of the year and [evaluating] things. But I’m just looking at seeing if we can win these next three games and get some luck from the football gods right now.”

Jan. 1: The Jaguars are expected to interview Cardinals OC Harold Goodwin.

Dec. 29: ESPN’s John Clayton told WGR 550 in Buffalo that Coughlin is more interested in the Bills job than the Jaguars job.

Dec. 28: Coughlin interviewed with the Jaguars on Wednesday.

Dec. 24: Coughlin will interview with the team next week for its head coaching position OR as a “football czar,” according to Ian Rapoport.

Dec. 20: If Coughlin doesn’t take the franchise’s coaching position, he could wind up as a team executive instead, according to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson.

Dec. 19: General manager Dave Caldwell tells reporters the Jaguars are interested in talking with former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin about Jacksonville’s vacant position. Coughlin was the franchise’s first head coach; he held the position from 1995 to 2002. Caldwell also suggested current interim head coach Doug Marrone would also be a candidate.

Dec. 18: Gus Bradley’s horrible tenure in Jacksonville is over. The Jaguars coach was fired at the conclusion of the team’s come-from-ahead loss to the Texans Sunday.

Dec. 15: Pro Football Weekly reports Gus Bradley’s time in Florida is coming to an end. Former defensive coordinator Mike Smith may be the frontrunner for the position once it officially opens up.

Dec. 13: The Jaguars are interested in Patriots offensive coordinator (and former Broncos head coach) Josh McDaniels, according to Sam Farmer of the LA Times.

Dec. 4: Jacksonville, which hasn’t officially fired Gus Bradley but certainly isn’t happy with his 2-10 season so far, will reportedly reach out to former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin in the offseason.

Jan. 1: The Rams are reportedly interested in Bills interim coach Anthony Lynn. Lynn, as we’ve mentioned, is already a front-runner in Buffalo, which makes things more difficult for Los Angeles.

Jan. 1: The Sean Payton rumors are not going away. The latest report says that there is mutual interest between Peyton and the Rams.

Jan. 1: The Rams are expected to interview Cardinals OC Harold Goodwin.

Dec. 24: Sean Payton and the Saints could be on the outs, again, and that might clear the way for a trade to Los Angeles. Another potential target is Ron Rivera. Those two are the latest names on the rumor mill for the Rams.

Dec. 21: The Rams have some interest in hiring Jon Gruden, or at least, for now, they have some interest in meeting with him. Gruden followed up on those reports with the usual “not interested” reply. We’ll see if Stan Kroenke can throw enough money at him to change his mind.

Dec. 16: Patriots OC Josh McDaniels has emerged as the leading candidate for the Rams, according to Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman. The big question is if McDaniels even wants to be a head coach again.

Dec. 14: The MMQB’s Peter King speculates three more college names could come into play for the Rams’ vacant coaching position: Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen, Wisconsin’s Paul Chryst, and Colorado’s Mike MacIntyre.

Dec. 13: According to Charles Robinson, the Rams have one dream candidate to replace Jeff Fisher: Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. It didn’t take long for Carroll to completely rule that out, though. They don’t call it wishful thinking for nothing.

Dec. 12: Despite rumors connecting Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh to Los Angeles’ new vacant position, there’s no actual connection tying the former 49ers coach to the Rams.

Dec. 12: 13 games after inking Jeff Fisher to an extension, the Rams have fired their head coach.

Dec. 8: Internal frustrations are boiling over into the media, thanks to Fisher. It sure looks like he’s trying to save his job, but probably to no avail.

Dec. 4: The team reveals Jeff Fisher signed a multi-year contract extension over the summer. As of Week 13, Fisher had gone 31-43-1 in four-plus seasons with the franchise.

Jan. 1: After their win over the Bills, the Jets confirmed that Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan will be back next season.

Jan. 1: Ian Rapoport was the latest to report that the Jets aren’t expected to fire Todd Bowles. However, there are other changes coming to the coaching staff, namely an offensive coordinator who can fix that mess. Greg Roman’s name gets mentioned.

Dec. 29: The New York Daily News reports that the Jets are not expected to make any change after the season. We’ll see.

Dec. 11: Todd Bowles might be safe after all. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported Sunday morning that the Jets do plan to clean house, but Bowles is unlikely to be a part of that.

Dec. 5: After a 41-10 trouncing at the hands of the Colts that eliminated the Jets from playoff contention, Todd Bowles refused to speculate on his future late in his second season with New York.

Dec. 5: ESPN’s Tim McManus reports Doug Pederson will return to the Eagles’ sideline in 2017 despite the team’s recent woes.

Jan. 1: The Chargers fired Mike McCoy after their loss to the Chiefs.

Jan. 1: No decision has been made yet, but the Chargers are said to be on the fence about McCoy’s future. GM Tom Telesco is safe.

Dec. 10: This is Mike McCoy’s fourth season with the team and his third straight that won’t include a trip to the playoffs. That looks untenable. The Chargers aren’t saying anything about McCoy’s job status for now.

“We’ll worry about next year, next year,” GM Tom Telesco said. “We’re 100 percent committed to this season.”

Jan. 1 Like the Jaguars and Rams earlier, the 49ers have reached out to Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, according to Albert Breer.

Jan. 1: The 49ers made it official and fired Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke.

Jan. 1: GM Trent Baalke confirmed that he was let go before the 49ers’ final game of the season.

Dec. 31: Big news on New Year’s Eve! Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the 49ers are expected to fire head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke.

Dec. 11: General manager Trent Baalke might not be around in 2017. Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports reported that Baalke is in jeopardy of losing his job when the season ends.

Dec. 5: Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reports Chip Kelly will return for Year 2 with the 49ers no matter how his season ends.

Dec. 13: Harbaugh told his Michigan players that the NFL rumors were “lies made up by our enemies.”

Dec. 13: Mike Freeman says don’t hold your breath on Harbaugh’s return to the NFL:

Dec. 12: NFL.com insider Ian Rapoport reports he expects several teams to reach out to Harbaugh given his success at Michigan and with the 49ers, but isn’t sure the outspoken coach will want to leave Ann Arbor for the NFL so early into his tenure with the Wolverines.

Jan. 1: The Rams are expected to talk to Sean Payton and Saints GM Mickey Loomis is open to trading him, according to Larry Holder of NOLA.com.

Dec. 18: For the second year in a row, Sean Payton has been rumored to be on the trade market. Jason La Canfora reported that the Saints aren’t expected to ask for much in return. Perhaps the Rams could be interested?