NFL Combine canceled due to COVID-19
Chiefs OC Bieniemy one of four men to interview for Texans job Monday
Coronavirus canceled the NFL Combine.
A special league committee has determined that the annual late-February Indianapolis spectacle of player workouts, prospect medical exams, and late-night rumor milling will not take place due to obvious health and safety concerns.
As a result, the NFL will not allow in-person workouts for the scouting combine due to COVID-19.
The league informed teams Monday that any workouts will take place on the individual pro days on college campuses. Interviews of prospects and psychological testing and assessments will be done virtually.
“We will work with the schools to encourage consistency in testing and drills across pro days and ensure that all clubs have access to video from those workouts, irrespective of whether the club is represented at a particular workout,” the NFL told teams in a memo obtained by The Associated Press.
The league is working with club physicians and athletic trainers to obtain comprehensive medical information on each of the invited prospects. The plan will likely involve a combination of virtual interviews by club medical staffs and testing done at labs and medical facilities near the invited prospect’s residence.
An in-person examination will take place at one or more designated locations, likely in early April, for a certain number of prospects. Each team will be permitted to send one physician and one athletic trainer to conduct these in-person exams.
TEXANS: Houston said Monday they had interviewed four more candidates to replace fired coach Bill O’Brien.
The Texans said they completed interviews with Kansas
City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, Buffalo assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Baltimore assistant head coach/ receivers coach David Culley.
The Texans did not initially request to interview Bieniemy, and Sports Illustrated reported that the decision further upset Deshaun Watson. The quarterback was already unhappy that owner Cal McNair did not take his opinion into account when hiring general manager Nick Caserio, according to reports from ESPN and the NFL Network. Houston requested to interview Bieniemy last week.
The Texans have interviewed former Detroit coach Jim Caldwell, former Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis and Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady in the last month.
Romeo Crennel finished the season as interim coach of the Texans after O’Brien, who served as both coach and general manager, was fired after an 0-4 start.
BILLS: The likelihood of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll staying in Buffalo for at least more season has increased after he was passed over in filling the Los Angeles Chargers coaching job, two people with direct knowledge of Daboll’s plans told The Associated Press.
Daboll declined to discuss his future during his weekly video conference call on Monday.
One person said Daboll isn’t expected to consider the NFL’s remaining vacancies, in Detroit, Philadelphia and Houston, and will now place his sole focus on preparing the Bills to face Kansas City on Sunday.
The second person said Daboll has no interviews scheduled for the coaching openings. The person said that while it’s more likely Daboll will return for a fourth season in Buffalo, nothing is certain so long as head coaching jobs remain open this offseason.
BUCCANEERS: Tampa Bay has designated nose tackle Vita Vea to return from the reserve/ injured list and the third-year pro is expected to resume practice ahead of Sunday’s NFC championship game at Green Bay.
Vea has been sidelined since breaking an ankle during a 20-19 loss at Chicago on Oct. 8. The Bucs (13-5) have a 21-day window to return the 6-foot-4, 347-pound tackle to the active roster.
Vea was the 12th overall pick in the 2018 draft. He’s appeared in 34 games, including five this season.
The Bucs have led the NFL in rushing defense each of the past two seasons. Vea has been a big part of that success.
SEAHAWKS: Add yet another former NFL head coach to the list of names connected to the Seahawks’ vacant offensive coordinator position.
Adam Gase, fired earlier this month by the Jets, has “spoken” to the Seahawks about the job, according to a report Monday from ESPN.
Seattle also has reportedly talked to Anthony Lynn and Doug Pederson, each fired this year as head coaches of the Chargers and Eagles, respectively.