Watt, Olsen and Watson finalists for Payton award
Browns interview Haley for OC position
WASHINGTON, Jan 22, (RTRS): Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen and Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson are the three finalists for the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year award, the league announced Sunday.
The award is given annually to honor a player’s volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. The winner of the award will be revealed during the NFL Honors show Feb. 3, the day before Super Bowl LII, and $500,000 will be donated by the NFL Foundation in his name.
Watt raised more than $37 million for Hurricane Harvey relief in a span of 19 days this fall, Watson was a Man of the Year finalist with the Saints in 2015 and won the Bart Starr award in 2016, given annually to the NFL player who exemplifies character and leadership on and off the field, while Olsen’s foundation has distributed more than $3.5 million in support since 2009, helping with a variety of issues including congenital heart disease in babies.
The Cleveland Browns have discussed their offensive coordinator position with Todd Haley, according to multiple reports. Haley, 50, was not offered a contract for 2018 by the Pittsburgh Steelers after six seasons there as offensive coordinator.
Haley has interviewed with Browns head coach Hue Jackson. Jackson has handled the OC duties the past two years but said at the conclusion of an 0-16 season that he was
open to hiring a coordinator.
Former Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio is high on Pat Shurmur’s list to serve as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, according to a report Sunday.
The Giants intend to schedule a second interview this week with Shurmur, the Vikings’ offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN. If Minnesota loses to the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, the Giants can sign Shurmur immediately. Del Rio, 54, was fired Dec. 31 after a 25-23 record in three seasons. He is owed $18 million over three years from the Raiders and any salary he is paid by the Giants will be offset against his Oakland contract, ESPN reported.
The Atlanta Falcons have reportedly hired Greg Knapp as their new quarterbacks coach.
Knapp is returning to the franchise where he was offensive coordinator from 2004 to 2006, the Sporting News reported. Knapp most recently worked for the Denver Broncos as quarterbacks coach from 2013-2016.
Knapp, 54, will be added to Dan Quinn’s coaching staff to replace Bush Hamdan, who returned to the University of Washington to become offensive coordinator after one year with the Falcons.
New Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is targeting Chip Kelly’s former quarterbacks coach, Ryan Day, to be his offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
Currently Ohio State’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Day coached QBs under Kelly in 2015 with the Philadelphia Eagles and 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers.