Raiders speak with Kelly Kleine Van Calligan, a Broncos executive

The Raiders interviewed Broncos executive Kelly Kleine Van Calligan for their General Manager job, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports.

Las Vegas fired General Manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels on Oct. 31.

The team has requested interviews with Colts assistant G.M. Ed Dodds, 49ers assistant G.M. Adam Peters, Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray, former Chargers G.M. Tom Telesco and Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown.

Kleien has spent three seasons with the Broncos as executive director of football operations/special advisor to the General Manager.

She serves as the primary liaison for the Broncos’ football operations and has responsibilities with both pro and college scouting. She is involved in all aspects of the Broncos’ personnel department, including player evaluation, NFL draft and free agency preparations and day-to-day football administration.

Kleine also oversees the Broncos’ video department.

Before joining Denver, Kleine spent nine seasons with the Vikings. She served as the club’s manager of player personnel/college scout in 2019-20.

She had extensive day-to-day responsibilities within the Vikings’ personnel department, including player evaluation, NFL draft and free agency planning, opponent advances and general football administration.

Titans request interview with Antonio Pierce

The Raiders aren’t the only team that might be interested in making Antonio Pierce their head coach this offseason.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Titans have requested permission to speak with Pierce about their head coaching vacancy. Pierce was the interim head coach for the Raiders after they fired Josh McDaniels during the season and the Raiders went 5-4 with him at the helm.

Pierce’s success led to calls from Raiders players to keep him on board on a permanent basis. The Raiders’ head coaching search is just getting underway, though, and interest from other teams could lead to Pierce being less of a bird in the hand this offseason than the Raiders might have expected him to be.

The Titans fired Mike Vrabel on Tuesday and they’ve also requested permission to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

The Tennesee Titans have requested an interview with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka for their opening head coaching job, according to NFL Media Tom Pelissero.

Kafka finished his second year as OC under Brian Daboll. He began his NFL career with the Kansas City, spending four seasons with the Chiefs from 2017-21.

The Titans, who fired head coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday, have also requested to speak with Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Meanwhile, the Giants requested to interview Atlanta offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford for the same position after letting go of Bobby Johnson. However, the Falcons denied the request.

Big Blue ran into the same problem when the Los Angeles Chargers blocked their request to interview special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken for the same position in New York, per NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo.

Jan. 9, 11:39 a.m.

A day after letting go of offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, the Giants have a name to potentially replace him.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Big Blue will interview Raiders OL coach Carmen Bricillo for the role. Las Vegas granted permission for Bricillo to interview with the Giants.

Bricillo and head coach Brian Daboll have Patriots ties, but were not on the staff at the same time. Bricillo was the Patriots’ OL coach before he went to Vegas with Josh McDaniels.

Jan. 8, 3:31 p.m.

It was Black Monday indeed for a few coaches on the Giants’ staff.

After a 6-11 season, the Giants parted ways with special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, offensive line coach Bobby Johnson as well as OLB coach Drew Wilkins and his brother Keith, who was a defensive assistant.

The biggest name leaving the Giants coaching staff, however, is defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who has reportedly resigned.

The Panthers have completed the first interview of their head coaching coach. The team announced they had a virtual interview with interim coach Chris Tabor on Wednesday.

The team also is expected to interview defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for the position.

Tabor took over in Week 12 after the Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich and the team went 1-5 on his watch.

“I’ve always wanted to be a head coach, so I think that’s something I’m hungry for more,” Tabor told reporters earlier this week.

He has 27 seasons of coaching experience, including 16 seasons in the NFL.

The Panthers also have requested permission to interview Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales.

Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore has no doubt that he will play Sunday, although his shoulder injury might require a harness.

“A lot of guys have a lot of things throughout the season they have to play through,” Gilmore said Wednesday, via Joseph Hoyt of lonestarlive.com. “It’s just another thing for myself. I’ve played through a lot this year. It comes with the territory and you have to make it work.”

Gilmore dislocated his shoulder in the Week 18 game against the Commanders and didn’t return. He spent Wednesday’s practice with the rehab group.

“He’s making really good progress,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “The goal is to give Gilly what he needs here Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and then line him up Saturday and cut him loose, but we need to see how the week goes.”

Gilmore said he has worn a harness before and doesn’t anticipate it limiting him.

“It’s just about going out there and being confident,” Gilmore said, “and letting the chips fall where they are.”

Nahshon Wright replaced Gilmore at corner and played 19 defensive snaps in the win over the Commanders.

The Giants fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey earlier this week. They have begun the process of requesting interviews with candidates.

One of those requests was sent to the Chargers to talk to Ryan Ficken.

The Chargers, though, have blocked Ficken from interviewing with the Giants, Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports.

Despite firing head coach Brandon Staley, the Chargers obviously hope to keep Ficken.

Ficken has spent two seasons in Los Angeles after 15 years with the Vikings, serving as Minnesota’s special teams coordinator in 2021 after assisting the unit for the previous eight seasons