The Washington Commanders fired Offensive Coordinator Scott Turner on January 10th, two days after the team’s season finale win over the Dallas Cowboys. They ended the season with an 8-8-1 record, and Head Coach Ron Rivera decided to make a big change to an offense that wasn’t performing up to expectations. Turner had a parade of QBs in each of his three seasons as Washington’s OC, and issues on the offensive line got noticeably worse this season. The Commanders invested draft picks in the skill positions, but QB and OL play continued to be an issue, along with Turner’s issues at calling a consistent game on a regular basis.

We are now entering the fourth week of the Washington Commanders search for a new OC, and we don’t seem to be much closer to getting an answer on who will be calling the plays next season. Washington announced that they are interviewing San Francisco 49ers Asst HC/RBs Coach Anthony Lynn today. He joins five other candidates who have been interviewed so far.

• Former Browns and Giants HC Pat Shurmur
• Washington Commanders QB Coach Ken Zampese
• Falcons QB Coach Charles London (hired as Titans Pass Game Coordinator),
• Dolphins Associate HC/RBs Coach Eric Studesville
• Rams Assistant HC/TEs Coach Thomas Brown
• 49ers Assistant HC/RBs Coach Anthony Lynn
• Former Ravens OC Greg Roman
• Kansas City Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy (hired)

Washington also had requests denied from former HC Jim Caldwell, and Miami Dolphins Passing Game Coordinator/QB Coach Darrell Bevell. Kansas City Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy was once again looking for head coaching opportunities, but it looks like that’s not happening again. He was turning down interviews for OC interviews, but there are only two open head coaching jobs remaining(Cardinals, Colts) and he isn’t in the running for either. Washington requested an interview with him, but that won’t happen until after the Super Bowl if they decide to wait that long.

There haven’t been any other coaches that Washington has formally requested an interview with, but that could change with two more teams being knocked out of the playoffs last weekend(Bengals, 49ers). Washington is looking for a coach to bring a solid running game to the offense. They have also reportedly told potential OCs that rookie QB Sam Howell will be the team’s QB1 heading into the offseason. Carson Wentz is expected to be released, and Taylor Heinicke is entering free agency.

Part of the reason this search could be taking so long is simply the amount of teams who have been looking for new OCs around the league this year. Five teams fired their head coaches and are replacing most or all of their staff. Several teams sacrificed their OCs to justify their lack of playoff success this season. I’ve been compiling a list of teams and the coaches they have been linked to over the last month. A few coaches have been popular names with several teams. And yes, there are teams who have interviewed as many, or more, coaches than Washington has while looking for a new OC.

NFL OC Requests/Interviews/Hires

Open OC position

Denver Broncos

(HC Sean Payton will call plays on offense)

Saints passing game coordinator/QBs coach Ronald Curry

Indianapolis Colts

Former Eagles OC Shane Steichen hired as HC

Jaguars Passing Game Coordinator Jim Bob Cooter

Ravens wide receivers coach Tee Martin

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles QB Coach Brian Johnson

---

Hired a new OC

Arizona Cardinals

Browns QB coach Drew Petzing

Commanders WRs Coach Drew Terrell

Saints RB coach Joel Thomas

Bengals WRs Coach Troy Walters

Browns QB Coach Drew Petzing (hired)

Baltimore Ravens

Georgia Bulldogs OC/QB Coach Todd Monken (hired)

Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy

Rams Pass game coordinator/QB Coach Zac Robinson

Browns Pass Game Coordinator/WR Coach Chad O’Shea

Seahawks QB Coach Dave Canales

Vikings Pass game coordinator/TEs coach Brian Angelichio

Akron HC Joe Moorhead

Bills WR Coach Chad Hall

Former Cowboys QB Coach Doug Nussmeier

Wisconsin OC Bobby Engram

Carolina Panthers

Georgia Bulldogs OC/QB Coach Todd Monken

Jaguars Passing Game Coordinator Jim Bob Cooter

Rams Assistant HC/TEs Coach Thomas Brown (hired)

Dallas Cowboys

(HC Mike McCarthy taking over playcalling duties)

Cowboys analyst Brian Schottenheimer (hired)

Rams Assistant HC/TEs Coach Thomas Brown

Panthers Assistant Head Coach/RBs Coach Jeff Nixon

Vikings Pass game coordinator/TEs coach Brian Angelichio

Houston Texans

49ers passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik (hired)

Bengals WR Coach Troy Walters

Former Cardinals Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury

Los Angeles Chargers

Former Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore (hired)

Vikings OC Wes Phillips - Chargers(denied)

Rams Pass game coordinator/QB Coach Zac Robinson

Rams Assistant HC/TE Coach Thomas Brown

Rams senior offensive assistant Greg Olson

Titans TE Coach Luke Steckel

Bills QB coach Joe Brady

Los Angeles Rams

Former Jets OC Mike LaFleur (hired)

Broncos OC Justin Outten

Eagles QB Coach Brian Johnson

Bills QB Coach Joe Brady

New England Patriots

Alabama Offensive Coordinator Bill O’Brien (hired)

Patriots TEs coach Nick Caley

Vikings WR Coach Keenan McCardell

New York Jets

Former Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett (hired)

Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bienemy

Former Colts OC Marcus Brady - Jets

Dolphins Pass Game Coordinator Darrell Bevell (denied)

Patriots TEs coach Nick Caley

Eagles passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo

Browns OL Coach Bill Callahan - Jets (denied)

Browns Pass Game Coordinator/WR Coach Chad O’Shea

Eagles QB Coach Brian Johnson

Bills QB Coach Joe Brady

Broncos Pass game coordinator/QB Coach Klint Kubiak

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Georgia Bulldogs OC/QB Coach Todd Monken

Vikings WR Coach Keenan McCardell

Broncos Pass game coordinator/QB Coach Klint Kubiak

Jaguars Passing Game Coordinator Jim Bob Cooter

Giants QB Coach Shea Tierney

Bengals QB Coach Dan Pitcher (staying with the Bengals)

Former Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore (hired by Chargers)

Saints passing game coordinator/QBs coach Ronald Curry

Rams Assistant HC/TEs Coach Thomas Brown

Seahawks QB Coach Dave Canales (hired)

Tennessee Titans

Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bienemy

Chiefs QB Coach Matt Nagy

Falcons QB Coach Charles London

Titans Passing Game Coordinator Tim Kelly (hired/promoted)