What’s happening to offensive coordinators in the NFL?

While scrolling through X (formerly Twitter) yesterday, I saw a tweet that absolutely blew my mind:

Could that possibly be true? That over the last two years every team in the NFL has churned its offensive coordinator at least once? We know it’s happened (or will happen imminently) twice in DC, but in every other city across the league as well?

I decided to take a closer look at each franchise, and see where their cast off (or promoted) OCs ended up. That listing is below:

AFC

Buffalo Bills

• 2022 – Ken Dorsey – fired in November 2023, after the team went 5-5.
• 2023 – Joe Brady

Miami Dolphins

• 2022 – Frank Smith – Currently the OC, though taking interviews for promotional positions.

New England Patriots

• 2022 – Bill Belichick/Matt Patricia – Patricia was fired after the 2022 season.
• 2023 – Bill O’Brien – Left in early 2024 to become the OC for Ohio State.

New York Jets

• 2021-2022 – Mike LaFleur – In early 2023 LaFleur left the Jets and became the Rams OC.
• 2023 – Nathaniel Hackett

Houston Texans

• 2022 – Pep Hamilton – Hamilton was let go at the end of the 2022 season, the least successful OC in Texans’ history.
• 2023 – Bobby Slowik – Slowik is one of the hottest potential head coaching candidates this cycle.

Indianapolis Colts

• 2021-2022 – Marcus Brady – Fired by the Colts in late 2022, he was hired by former Colts’ OC, Nick Sirianni in early 2023 to be the Eagles’ senior offensive assistant.
• 2023 – Jim Bob Cooter

Jacksonville Jaguars

• 2022 – Press Taylor – Taylor remains the Jaguars OC.

Tennessee Titans

• 2021-2022 – Todd Downing – Downing was fired in early 2023 and hired by the Jets as their passing game coordinator.
• 2023 – Tim Kelly

Baltimore Ravens

• 2019-2022 – Greg Roman – In early 2023, Roman stepped down and was replaced as Baltimore’s OC.
• 2023 – Todd Monken

Cincinnati Bengals

• 2019-2023 – Brian Callahan – In early 2024, Callahan was hired as the Titans head coach.
• 2024 – Vacant

Cleveland Browns

• 2020-2023 – Alex Van Pelt – Van Pelt was fired by the Browns in early 2024. He has interviewed for other OC positions since (Raiders).
• 2024 – Vacant

Pittsburgh Steelers

• 2021-2023 – Matt Canada – Canada was fired in November 2023.
• 2024 – Vacant

Denver Broncos

• 2022 – Justin Outten – Outten was fired by the Broncos after the 2022 season and hired by the Titans as their running game coach.
• 2023 – Joe Lombardi

Kansas City Chiefs

• 2018-2022 – Eric Bieniemy – Bieniemy was hired into a lateral position with Washington prior to the 2023 season.
• 2023 – Matt Nagy

Los Angeles Chargers

• 2021-2022 – Joe Lombardi – Lombardi was fired in early 2023 and subsequently hired by the Broncos as their OC.
• 2023 – Kellen Moore

Las Vegas Raiders

• 2022 – Mick Lombardi – Lombardi was fired in November 2023 alongside Josh McDaniels.
• 2024 – Vacant

NFC

Dallas Cowboys

• 2019-2022 – Kellen Moore – Moore agreed to part ways with the Cowboys in early 2023 and was hired as the Chargers OC subsequently.
• 2023 – Brian Schottenheimer

New York Giants

• 2022 – Mike Kafka – Kafka is currently the Giants’ OC, but is taking interviews for head coaching positions (Seahawks).

Philadelphia Eagles

• 2021-2022 – Shane Steichen – Before the 2023 season, Steichen became the head coach of the Colts.
• 2023 – Brian Johnson – Johnson was fired by the Eagles in early 2024.
• 2024 – Vacant

Washington Commanders

• 2020-2022 – Scott Turner – Turner was fired before the 2023 season.
• 2023 – Eric Bieniemy – Bieniemy is likely to be fired this offseason, once the new head coach is brought on board.

Atlanta Falcons

• 2021 – Dave Ragone – Ragone actually appears to be an exception to the tweet above.

Carolina Panthers

• 2022 – Ben McAdoo – McAdoo was fired by the Panthers in early 2023.
• 2023 – Thomas Brown

New Orleans Saints

• 2009 – Pete Carmichael Jr. – Carmichael was fired after 15 years serving as the Saints’ OC in early 2024.
• 2024 – Vacant

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• 2019-2022 – Byron Leftwich – Leftwich was fired in early 2023.
• 2023 – Dave Canales – Canales is currently being considered for a promotion to head coach (Panthers).

Chicago Bears

• 2022 – Luke Getsy – Getsy was fired in early 2024.
• 2024 – Shane Waldron

Detroit Lions

• 2022 – Ben Johnson – Johnson is considered one of the top head coaching candidates this cycle, and appears to be the odds on favorite to end up in Washington.

Green Bay Packers

• 2022 – Adam Stenavich

Minnesota Vikings

• 2022 – Wes Phillips

Arizona Cardinals

• 2022 – Did not exist. Filled by HC Kliff Kingsbury.
• 2023 – Drew Petzing

Los Angeles Rams

• 2022 – Liam Coen – Coen left the Rams in early 2023 to become the OC for the University of Kentucky.
• 2023 – Mike LaFleur

San Francisco 49ers

• 2022 – Since 2022, the 49ers offensive coordinating responsibilities have been handled by head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Seattle Seahawks

• 2021 – Shane Waldron – In early 2023, Waldron took a lateral position with the Chicago Bears.
• 2024 – Vacant

Conclusion:

So, it looks like the tweet above was basically accurate – with the exception of the Falcons’ Ragone, who may certainly be replaced once they hire their new head coach. The amount of churn in the NFL offensive coordinator ranks is brutal and swift, with a couple of the top candidates being considered for promotion after a modest year or two of success (Johnson, Slowik, and Canales). Conversely, OCs whose teams struggle – even those whose teams struggle in the playoffs (like Moore and Lombardi) – have tended to be moved along fairly quickly.