Major shake-up hits Packers staff
Both coordinators, quarterbacks coach out after 7-9 finish.
The first season with a losing record and without a playoff appearance since 2008 has led to an extensive shake-up this offseason for the Green Bay Packers.
Alex Van Pelt was the latest assistant to exit the staff after coach Mike McCarthy said his quarterbacks coach followed through on a contractual decision to pursue other opportunities. Edgar Bennett is no longer offensive coordinator, though he may stay in another capacity. McCarthy will still call plays.
“When you say you have a standard at the Green Bay Packers, it stops right there,” McCarthy said at his season-ending news conference Thursday. “I mean, the standard of the Green Bay Packers is to win world championships.”
Joe Philbin, assistant head coach with Indianapolis, could be a candidate to return. He was the offensive coordinator when the Packers won the Super Bowl in the 2010 season. Ben McAdoo, who was fired last month as coach of the Giants, was also a former offensive assistant in Green Bay.
On defense, McCarthy said holdover assistants Winston Moss, Joe Whitt and Darren Perry are candidates for the defensive coordinator position after Dom Capers was fired this week.
The Packers (7-9) finished in third place in the NFC North in a season in which quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed nine games after surgery for a collarbone injury.
“The part that no one wants to talk about is the personal aspect of it. That’s what keeps me up at night is the personal changes that you make. I’ll never, ever be comfortable with that,” McCarthy said about the coaching changes.
The organization is searching for a general manager while Ted Thompson transitions to a senior adviser role in the front office. Thompson drafted Rodgers in the first round in 2005 and hired McCarthy as coach the following year.
Bills: Running back LeSean McCoy said he’s making progress with his right ankle injury, but his status is uncertain for Sunday’s playoff game against Jacksonville.
McCoy spoke to the media Thursday for the first time since sustaining the injury in Sunday’s 22-16 win over Miami. He has yet to practice this week but did participate in stretches Thursday.
“I’m definitely happy with how things are working out so far, but there is a lot more room for improvement,” McCoy said.
“It’s been feeling a lot better. I’m out of the boot and I can walk around without any pain. So that’s a plus.”
Titans: Running back DeMarco Murray will miss his second straight game with Tennessee ruling him out against Kansas City in the playoff game Saturday.
Murray hurt his right knee late in a loss Dec. 24 to the Rams and has not practiced since. Murray finished the season with a career-worst 659 yards rushing.
Ravens: Coach John Harbaugh acknowledged changes must be made for Baltimore to snap its threeyear run missing the playoffs, but he said he wiil not shuffle the coaching staff.
Harbaugh will fill the void left by the retirement of defensive coordinator Dean Pees, but said he will bring back offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg and attempt to keep the rest of the staff intact unless “guys get opportunities.”
Pees announced his retirement Monday, less than 24 hours after the Ravens (9-7) were bounced from the playoff chase with a 31-27 loss to Cincinnati.
The in-house contender for the coordinator job is Ravens linebackers coach Don Martindale. Chuck Pagano, fired as coach of Indianapolis on Monday and Baltimore’s defensive coordinator in 2011, is also being considered.