Category Sports News

The NFL’s latest hiring cycle is in full swing, with eight head coaches having been appointed following the end of the regular season.

The Cleveland Browns have hired Todd Monken as their head coach after the 59-year-old spent the last three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator.

It follows the Buffalo Bills appointing Joe Brady, the Pittsburgh Steelers hiring Mike McCarthy and Jesse Minter returning to the Ravens, after the Tennessee Titans brought in Robert Saleh.

John Harbaugh (New York Giants) and Kevin Stefanski (Atlanta Falcons) were the first two head coach appointments, while the Miami Dolphins hired Jeff Hafley.

That leaves the Arizona Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders as the only two franchises yet to appoint a new head coach.

Harbaugh was the second-longest serving coach in the NFL behind long-term divisional rival Mike Tomlin, who chose to end his 19-year spell with the Pittsburgh Steelers after they lost in the first round of the play-offs.

The Steelers have now appointed former Green Bay Packers and Dallas head coach McCarthy to replace Tomlin and become just their fourth head coach since 1969.

McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, was with the Packers from 2006-2018 and led them to the Super Bowl championship in 2011 when they beat the Steelers.

With McDermott leaving the Buffalo Bills after nine seasons, it means three of the NFL’s longest-serving head coaches have moved on in the same cycle.

The Bills have decided to promote Brady, 36, from being their offensive co-ordinator to their new head coach.

The New York Giants were one of two teams to sack their head coach mid-season and they acted swiftly after Harbaugh was released by the Baltimore Ravens upon missing out on the play-offs.

Harbaugh was the most sought-after coach during this cycle and the 2013 Super Bowl champion interviewed with Atlanta and planned to meet with Tennessee.

But the Giants were the first team to welcome the 63-year-old to their training facility and they agreed a reported five-year deal, making Harbaugh one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches.

Stefanski interviewed with the Giants, Baltimore, Tennessee, Las Vegas and Miami, having twice been named Coach of the Year during six seasons in charge of the Cleveland Browns, who fired him in early January.

Minter has agreed to return to Baltimore in the top job, having previously spent four years as an assistant coach with the Ravens under Harbaugh.

The 42-year-old then worked in the college game before returning to the NFL as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive co-ordinator for the past two seasons.

“This is an organisation whose values, culture and tradition of excellence reflect everything I believe about the game of football and how it should be played,” said Minter.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti added: “He clearly understands the values, high expectations and history of the Ravens, and he has a great vision for the future.”

Harbaugh had been in charge of the Ravens for 18 years so Minter will be just the fourth head coach in the team’s 31-year history.

The Tennessee Titans were the first team to fire their head coach this season when they sacked Brian Callahan in October, with Mike McCoy acting as interim as they ended the campaign with a 3-14 record.

Saleh has come in as the full-time replacement, and brought in ex-New York Giants coach Brian Daboll as offensive co-ordinator.

Saleh was New York Jets head coach from 2021 until being sacked in 2024, returning to his former role as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive co-ordinator for the past season after a stint as an offensive consultant for the Packers.

“This was the most desirable location, the most desirable team,” said the 46-year-old.

The Cleveland Browns have given Monken his first head coaching role in the NFL. He has experience with the franchise, having been the offensive co-ordinator there in 2019.

The Browns had also held second interviews with their defensive co-ordinator Jim Schwartz, Jacksonville’s offensive co-ordinator Grant Udinski and the Los Angeles Rams’ pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.

Atlanta and Cleveland held initial interviews with Seattle’s British defensive co-ordinator Aden Durde, who has helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl, where they will face the New England Patriots on Sunday, 8 February.

The Las Vegas Raiders are seeking a replacement for Pete Carroll and could opt for a British coach.

The Miami Dolphins named Hafley as their new head coach following the sacking of Mike McDaniel.

The 46-year-old has spent two seasons as defensive co-ordinator for the Green Bay Packers and has also held roles as an assistant coach with the 49ers, Cleveland and Tampa Bay.

“I believe great things are ahead for the Miami Dolphins with Jeff Hafley leading the way,” said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

“He has tenacity and grit, while at the same time establishing trust with his players in order to get the most out of them.”

Bundee Aki has been suspended for Ireland’s first three Six Nations matches after being handed a four-game ban for “verbal abuse and disrespect” towards match officials in Connacht’s United Rugby Championship (URC) loss to Leinster last weekend.

The 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year nominee was handed a six-game ban with two suspended after an independent disciplinary committee hearing found that he “engaged with the match official team after the game on several occasions”.

Aki, 35, will miss Connacht’s URC game against Zebre this weekend and Ireland’s Six Nations fixtures against France, Italy and England.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) confirmed Aki had not travelled to Ireland’s pre-tournament training camp in Portugal and said it would investigate the matter internally, with Ulster’s Jude Postlethwaite called up to the squad.

Confirming the sanction, the URC said it recognised Aki’s “full regret for his actions and was grateful for the approach he took towards the proceedings”.

“However, given the player’s previous disciplinary record (including incidents of a similar nature) and his lack of a plea in this case, the Independent Committee could not apply mitigation to the sanction,” the statement added.

Ireland face France in Paris on 5 February before hosting Italy in Dublin on 14 February. They take on England at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium on 21 February before home games against Wales and Scotland on 6 and 14 March.

Bundee Aki has been suspended for Ireland’s first three Six Nations matches after being handed a four-game ban for “verbal abuse and disrespect” towards match officials in Connacht’s United Rugby Championship (URC) loss to Leinster last weekend.

The 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year nominee was handed a six-game ban with two suspended after an independent disciplinary committee hearing found that he “engaged with the match official team after the game on several occasions”.

Aki, 35, will miss Connacht’s URC game against Zebre this weekend and Ireland’s Six Nations fixtures against France, Italy and England.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) confirmed Aki had not travelled to Ireland’s pre-tournament training camp in Portugal and said it would investigate the matter internally, with Ulster’s Jude Postlethwaite called up to the squad.

Confirming the sanction, the URC said it recognised Aki’s “full regret for his actions and was grateful for the approach he took towards the proceedings”.

“However, given the player’s previous disciplinary record (including incidents of a similar nature) and his lack of a plea in this case, the Independent Committee could not apply mitigation to the sanction,” the statement added.

Ireland face France in Paris on 5 February before hosting Italy in Dublin on 14 February. They take on England at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium on 21 February before home games against Wales and Scotland on 6 and 14 March.

Two-time British and Irish Lions tourist Aki has won 68 caps for Ireland and has won three Six Nations titles, including Grand Slams in 2018 and 2023.

Aki’s suspension is the latest blow for Ireland head coach Andy Farrell in the build-up to the Six Nations.

On Wednesday, the IRFU confirmed full-back Hugo Keenan returned home from Portugal with a fractured thumb.