In our exclusive interview, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach discussess all the big stories in the NFL, including Aaron Donald's decision to come out of retirement.
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The Atlanta Falcons are one of four teams to name four quarterbacks to their initial 53-man roster. What do you think about this, and why is it becoming more common for teams to carry a fourth quarterback?
It’s a very unique situation with the Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings all rostering four quarterbacks.
I think a lot of this is related to the trade market. Right now, these teams feel like they have the ability to get something for at least one of the quarterbacks on their roster. Players are the currency of the NFL, and at the moment, these teams have made quarterbacks the currency at the start of the season.
In my opinion, these teams are banking on getting some compensation for one of their backups soon because you can’t keep four quarterbacks on your roster throughout the year.
It will be interesting. On the one hand, the teams in this position usually don’t have a lot of leverage, so maybe they’ll have to cut one at a later date and get nothing.
On the other hand, quarterbacks are the most important piece, so teams may get desperate depending on results or injuries.
But whether it’s trades or cuts, there will be movement because you can’t have four quarterbacks all season long.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers extended defensive tackle Vita Vea, who you coached for a period in his rookie year. How important was it for the Bucs to keep Vea? Was his talent obvious from the moment he was selected in 2018?
This was a great move by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it was the right move to make.
Vita is an exceptional football player, and he’s an even better person. He’s a great teammate.
The Bucs did the right thing in keeping him because you always want to have guys up front who can control the line of scrimmage.
When we were looking at his tape from the University of Washington before we selected him, we could see he was a dominant force. Then he became a dominant force in the NFL.
You have to ignore the stat lines when looking at Vea in terms of things like tackles and sacks because even though they might not stand out, he’s going to take up two blockers on most plays, and that’s why he is so valuable. That allows other players to get favourable one-on-one matchups.
That is going to lead to a lot of opportunities for guys like Rueben Bain Jr. to go and make some plays.
When offences game plan for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first thing they have to think about is, ‘How do we handle Vita Vea?’ That’s how valuable he is to the Bucs and what they do on defence. You need guys like that in your system.
He’s not a flashy guy in terms of the numbers, but if you watch the tape, he is so impressive. As a defensive tackle, he might not rush the passer like a great defensive end does, but he pushes the pocket as well as any guy I’ve ever seen.
He reminds me a little bit of guys like Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams. Athletically, he’s closer to Adams. These were also guys who could push the pocket and affect the quarterback on every down.
Vea is a lunch pail guy who you love to have on your team. He’s a great teammate in the Bucs locker room.
The Cleveland Browns have named Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback. What did you make of this decision?
Few teams are lucky enough to have a franchise quarterback who can lead them for over a decade. So, a quarterback battle will always create noise, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen as much noise over a quarterback competition as what has happened with the Browns this offseason.
The fans are making a lot of noise over who they think the quarterback should be. There are only a few people in the Browns organization who can see why it makes sense to have Deshaun Watson as the starter right now.
It’s been a tough decision for Coach Todd Monken to make, but we have seen Watson be a great player in the NFL. A lot has happened since, but at one point, he was drafted 12th overall, his statistics were off the charts, and he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
On the other side, Shedeur Sanders fell to the fifth round and has a lot less experience than Watson.
Overall, I think Coach Monken is choosing Watson’s experience over Sanders’ potential, especially because they have a lot of other young, inexperienced pieces on offence.
I also saw Ryan Fitzpatrick offer his take. He said that the Browns offence has a bunch of young and new guys, so that unit and Watson would struggle early in the season. He said he would expect to see Sanders sooner rather than later once this happens, and the city of Cleveland would get behind him. Fitzpatrick is one of the smartest guys I’ve been around, and I really like his take on this.
You have worked on the same staff as Todd Monken at the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What can Browns fans expect from Monken in 2026?
Todd is a brilliant offensive mind. He’s got a great understanding of how to attack defences.
His strongest skill is that when he starts calling plays, he can evaluate how people are going to try to stop him, and he’ll know how to adjust. He’s very good at getting the matchups he wants, especially in the passing game.
He’s going to do a very good job with that young football team.
He’s very well liked in the locker room. You cannot dislike Todd Monken. He’s very smart with a great attitude. He’s not one of those guys who is a “Negative Nelly,” as he’s usually a very positive person.
He has a great understanding of the game, and that comes from a long lineage of coaches in his family. He knows ball and that’s the most important thing.
During his time coaching in college and especially his last college job at Georgia, he was a great recruiter before returning to the NFL with the Ravens. So, he understands the young guys who are coming into the league right now.
I don’t know how fast it will happen, but he’ll put together a very good team in Cleveland, and he will do a great job of building chemistry within the building.
Tight end Dae’Quan Wright was waived by the Cleveland Browns and was set to return to college football to play for Lane Kiffin at LSU. This has caused a lot of debate, which has led to conferences taking action and legal battles. What are your thoughts on NFL players going back to college football?
This whole situation is just not logical, and right now it’s bedlam at the college level. This needs to be fixed as soon as possible, but there are more lawyers involved in this than need to be involved.
Right now, there is a restraining order against the SEC and Commissioner Greg Sankey that prevents them from enforcing penalties against schools in the conference.
They’ve basically taken the teeth out of the SEC commissioner. This isn’t a good thing. It sends a message that if you don’t like what the commissioner says, you can just go to the courts and create an issue which goes on for months or even years.
I don’t know if it gets fixed before the first week of the season but judging by the speed of our judicial system here in the United States, it will probably still be a temporary restraining order which just prolongs the situation.
Having been around football all my life at both the professional and college levels, it’s unreal to me that the state of the game is where it is right now. The situation reminds me of how the NFL was in the 1920s. Professional football was a bit of a mess. College players were playing professional football under assumed names to earn money and protect their eligibility. It was crazy.
The NFL has grown into a very successful business whose popularity and interest all over the world continues to increase. But the fact that college football could start to resemble the NFL in its infant stages is not a good thing. That’s a big problem for the NCAA.
Currently, we’re not progressing and making college football better. You’ve got to have rules that are enforced. History proves that leagues don’t work without rules.
We can’t allow members of an organization to go to the courts to get an injunction just because they don’t like the rules.
Washington Commanders rookie Sonny Styles has received some criticism online for his performances in preseason so far. Do you think this criticism is justified or overblown, and what do you think about Styles’ game?
One of the worst things about the internet and social media is that everyone can offer an opinion on something, regardless of whether they are qualified to offer anything intelligent.
We haven’t played an official game yet. Some of these opinions are crazy.
Styles is an outstanding player. He’s just a young guy who is still learning how to play the linebacker position at the highest level. He arrived at Ohio State as a safety.
Everybody is looking for that player who can play the dime linebacker role while also playing the safety position in other situations. Teams want someone who can cover deep but can move up and play in the box too. The Commanders did a great job of getting this type of player when they selected Styles.
He is just going through a learning curve. I think coach Dan Quinn will use him in a way that will give him an opportunity to be a dominant player. Styles has been great at every level he has played at so far.
People are judging him based on preseason games. Firstly, they are not actual NFL games. Secondly, when coaching in the preseason, you only show a fraction of what you plan to do. You don’t really put a lot of your scheme on show in these preseason games.
You’re going to see Styles line up in many positions in the NFL. When offences break the huddle, they won’t know whether he’ll be lining up as a strong safety or as a dime linebacker in the box. He’s so flexible.
He’s like a new joker on defence. This used to be a guy who could either play on the line of scrimmage to rush the passer or play the running back man-to-man.
Now, it’s someone who can play the running back man-to-man but can play half-field safety in certain situations too. It’s such a strategic advantage to have a player like this.
Styles is capable of playing this role. I think as the season progresses, Quinn will help Styles progress, and people will be talking about him much more positively.
Christian Gonzalez is still without an extension. How important is it for the New England Patriots to secure the cornerback to a long-term deal?
The NFL is a player-driven league. It will always be that, and I believe Gonzalez will get his deal.
Players tend to want the contract on a different time scale to the teams. That’s when negotiations start.
But for teams to be successful in the NFL, they need to draft, develop, and retain great players. Christian Gonzalez is a top-three cornerback in the league, and I have to believe Robert Kraft knows this.
I know that everybody in that organization loves Gonzalez because of what he brings to the defence and what he allows a defensive playcaller to do.
Mr. Kraft is not going to let that guy walk. There are negotiations and a bit of a dance going on, but it’s just a matter of days before this situation gets resolved. It’s not a tough situation either. It’s an easy one.
He will be the highest-paid cornerback of all time. They just need to agree on by how much he will be the highest paid.
What does Aaron Donald’s return mean for the Los Angeles Rams’ chances this season? Do you think he can look like his old self?
Well, the Rams’ chances just got a whole lot better.
Donald is without a doubt a future Hall of Famer. He is a generational talent.
He’s been out of football for two years. Some people question whether he’ll be the same as when he left because of the inactivity.
However, he might be even better because he has had a rest and is going to be healthier than ever. He’s also kept himself in great shape while being retired.
The Rams are going to drive offensive coordinators crazy. Offensive coordinators will not be able to sleep at night as they figure out how to stop Donald and Myles Garrett becoming the game wreckers that they are.
It’s going to be interesting to see how coordinators will game plan, and it will be fun to watch those two line up together.
I don’t remember many situations where you have two guys on the defensive line that will require so much extra attention to block.
As a defensive coach, I can’t wait to see these two guys play. It’s going to be fun.
What does Kyler Murray being named Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback mean for J.J. McCarthy’s future?
All this means is that the Vikings think that Murray gives them a better chance to win right now. A lot of this is based on the fact that he is a veteran starting quarterback.
In my opinion, it does not mean that they do not like McCarthy. I think the team and head coach Kevin O’Connell still like him. I think they just threw him into the kitchen a little too early. It will be good for McCarthy to take a step back and see the game from a different view.
I know there was talk of McCarthy not making the roster, but the fact he did suggests the organization has some sort of plan for him. That plan will either be letting him develop in Minnesota on the bench for now or letting him go for the correct compensation. Quarterbacks will always have trade value in this league as they play the most important position.
Arch Manning is one of the most hyped college players heading into the season. What do you make of the young quarterback’s game?
I feel for Arch in some ways because he is one of the most over-evaluated players of all time. He has always been under heavy scrutiny because of his name and hype.
When you watch the tape from 2025, his timing, footwork, and accuracy all dramatically improved throughout the season. So, when you keep that in mind, plus the fact he has now had a full year of running the Texas Longhorns offence as a starter, I expect another big jump from him in 2026.
Additionally, Texas is loaded. They know it’s so important to put good players around your star quarterback in order to be successful. That’s what they have done by adding players such as wide receiver Cam Coleman, who transferred from Auburn.
Arch continues to be evaluated and evaluated over again, but he continues to grow. He will be an outstanding college quarterback this season, and if he stays healthy, he will be a great NFL quarterback.
Which NFL team/teams are you most excited to watch in 2026?
The Rams are at the top of my list because of what they have on that defensive front with Donald and Garrett. That will be so fun to watch.
And with all the talk about the defensive front, people forget they have the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford on the other side of the ball, and he is surrounded by talent, while also having one of the best offensive minds in Sean McVay calling plays.
I may be in the minority, but I’m excited to see what happens with the Las Vegas Raiders this season. Kirk Cousins will start the season over No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, but I think the talk around Mendoza and his development will be interesting, particularly if Cousins starts to struggle.
It will be fun to see what Klint Kubiak draws up for that Raiders offence. I think second-year running back Ashton Jeanty will look much better in year two as well. Coach Kubiak will be able to get the best out of Jeanty.
The Buffalo Bills will be interesting to watch as they have new leadership there. The fact that they hired in-house when they named Joe Brady head coach means the chemistry with Josh Allen is already there and they could be fun to watch on offence again.
I’m excited to see what the Chicago Bears can do this season in year two under Ben Johnson. Caleb Williams took a big jump in his second year. I think a lot of that had to do with Johnson being named head coach, and I think they’ll be one of the most fun teams to watch, particularly on offence. They have a lot of young talent on that side of the football with Williams, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kyle Monangai, and Colston Loveland.
Finally, you always have to be excited about watching the Baltimore Ravens play because of Lamar Jackson. But I’m looking forward to seeing Jesse Minter call that defence. He’s an NFL lifer, and I believe the Ravens made a great move in hiring him. He’s a fantastic playcaller, and he’ll be able to confuse a lot of offences with how he uses his pieces on the defensive side of the ball.
On the other hand, which NFL team/teams do you think are in for a tough year based on their roster?
I have to say, the New Orleans Saints. Kellen Moore could become a really good head coach one day, but he’s only in his second year. Tyler Shough showed some good signs in his rookie year, but I don’t think you can definitely say he is the answer at the quarterback position yet.
When you look at their roster, I think the Saints are still in a bit of a rebuild.
The Tennessee Titans could be in for another tough year, too. They have a new head coach in Robert Saleh, who is talented, but it will take time. They’ll need to see a step up from their second-year quarterback, Cam Ward.
The Jets need to make a big jump from last year, but when I look at their roster, I’m unsure they will be able to do that.
I’m interested to see the New York Giants because I know John Harbaugh will get it done and do a great job there. But I don’t know if he’ll be able to turn them around in year one. They have a lot of young talent, and I think it will take a bit of time for Coach Harbaugh to stamp his identity on that team. It might look a lot better in year two than it does in year one.
I’m not sure what to expect from the Indianapolis Colts. They had a great start to last season, but they’re in a tough division with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. Their success will come down to how well Daniel Jones has recovered from his season-ending Achilles tear.
Who is on your Mount Rushmore of head coaches?
At number one, you have to have Bill Belichick. He would be the first one, and I think everybody would agree with that because of his record of winning Super Bowls. He is definitely on there.
The other one that has to be on there is Bill Walsh. Walsh changed the offensive game and how you practiced. He’s probably the most influential coach of all time when you look at the way he game-planned and prepared his teams. He also had a great record.
Even though he doesn’t have as many Super Bowl wins as other coaches in the conversation, I have to put Don Shula on there. He’s won the most games in NFL history, and he coached in six Super Bowls, winning two of them.
I can’t pick between the next two, so my Mount Rushmore would have five coaches. One would be Vince Lombardi. Lombardi took a struggling Green Bay Packers team and turned them into one of the greatest dynasties in sport.
The other one would be Andy Reid. He’s such a great offensive mind, and he has got it done for years. The Super Bowl win was the only thing he couldn’t get, and now he has three of them. And he isn’t done either. With that quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, Coach Reid will have a chance to win some more before he finally decides to call it a day.
