Rams’ LaFleur on Titans’ radar
Offensive coordinator to interview for head coach after the firing of Mularkey.
Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur will interview with the Tennessee Titans for their head coach job, a person with knowledge of the situation said Monday.
The Titans fired Mike Mularkey on Monday, two days after a loss to the New England Patriots in an AFC divisional playoff game.
LaFleur, who has not called plays in the NFL, joined first-year Rams coach Sean McVay’s staff after serving as the Atlanta Falcons’ quarterbacks coach for two seasons. The Falcons led the NFL in scoring and played in the Super Bowl following the 2016 season.
McVay is the Rams’ playcaller, but LaFleur helped the offense evolve from the NFL’s least-productive unit in 2016 to one that led the league in scoring, averaging 29.9 points. The Rams won the NFC West and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2004, losing to the Falcons in a wild-card game.
LaFleur, 38, also was regarded as instrumental in helping Rams quarterback Jared Goff develop into one of the league’s most productive passers. Greg Olson, who served as quarterbacks coach, left last week to become the Oakland Raiders’ offensive coordinator.
Mularkey led the Titans to back-to-back 9-7 records and finished 21-22. Tennessee ended a nine-year playoff drought and won its first postseason game in 14 years. — Gary Klein Patriots assistants to become coaches?
The Indianapolis Colts are close to hiring Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as coach, the Associated Press reported.
McDaniels went 11-17 in two seasons as Denver’s head coach in 2009-10. Since he returned to New England for a second stint in 2012, the Patriots have reached six consecutive conference championship games and won two Super Bowls.
Matt Patricia, the Patriots’ defensive coordinator, declined to confirm or deny reports he’ll be the new Detroit Lions coach.
“I went through the process that the NFL allows us to go through and during the bye week I was able to have the opportunity to talk to a couple teams, which I did,” he said on a conference call.
Patricia, who also interviewed for the head coaching jobs with the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, has a longstanding relationship with Lions general manager Bob Quinn.
The Patriots were 29th in total defense this season but allowed the fifth-fewest points, and they have ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense in each of Patricia’s six seasons as defensive coordinator.
Norton’s about-face
Ken Norton Jr., who joined the San Francisco 49ers as linebackers coach a week ago, is going to the Seattle Seahawks to be their defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
Norton, who served as Seattle’s linebackers coach from 2010-14, was fired as the Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator in November. His homecoming with the 49ers, for whom he played several seasons, was trumped by a more lucrative one. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Norton got permission to leave.
Etc.
Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, the Butkus Award winner, will enter the draft . ... Seattle cornerback Jeremy Lane was arrested on investigation of DUI.