No relation to Rob Van Dam.
The Cincinnati Bengals coaching staff appears to be nearly complete for the 2024 season. However, one key position has yet to be filled.
Following the departure of Brian Callahan to the Tennessee Titans, quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher was quickly hired to be the team’s new offensive coordinator. The team has yet to hire a new quarterbacks coach, as it appeared assistant quarterbacks coach Brad Kragthorpe was the favorite for that position.
That may still be the case, but the Bengals aren’t ruling out an outside hire. In fact, they’re reportedly considering Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight ends coach John Van Dam for the position.
This, according to FOX Sports reporter Greg Auman.
Next step is building an offensive staff for new Bucs OC Liam Coen. Will Thad Lewis stay as QBs coach? TEs coach John Van Dam could return, but is also in contention for the Bengals QBs coach job as well.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) February 3, 2024
Van Dam has been in the coaching ranks since 2008, beginning as a grad assistant at Division II Augustana in South Dakota. He’s had other coaching stops at Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Southern Illinois, and Lafayette before coming to Tampa Bay in 2020 as an offensive quality control coach.
The 39-year-old Van Dam was promoted to assistant tight ends coach in 2021, then tight ends coach in 2022, a role he’s held for the past two seasons. He was considered for the team’s vacant offensive coordinator position, which ultimately went to Liam Coen.
Van Dam has had coaching stints as the assistant quarterbacks coach at Florida (2015) and the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Southern Illinois from 2016-17, so he has experience coaching quarterbacks specifically, just not at the NFL level.
One to watch for.
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