Like you, I prefer to know things before they happen. I’ll happily take the winning lottery numbers, the next Super Bowl champs (Detroit Lions?) or a heads up on the mistakes I’m bound to make in this newsletter.
So when Jourdan Rodrigue published her story on emerging assistant coaches, many of whom look like 2027 candidates for top positions, I knew I would enjoy it. Few things are better than being the one to tell your friends about the coach to watch before the announcers do.
Inside: Today: Breakout coaches from all 32 teams, plus: The NFL weighs in on the grass vs. turf debate 👀, and Derrik Klassen explains how Mike Evans changes the 49ers.
This article is from The Athletic’s NFL newsletter. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox. It’s free to subscribe.
Coaches on the rise
Three specific coaches seem likely to be poached in 2027, but you should get familiar with all 32:
The three most likely to be head coaches soon? I’d point to:
1. Chris Shula, Rams DC. He led the league’s second-lowest-paid defense to a top-10 finish last season and has since added future HOFer Myles Garrett and lockdown corner Trent McDuffie. The grandson of the legendary Don Shula will get his opportunity soon. Arrow up.
2. Davis Webb, Broncos OC. “At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, league people said Webb is sharp and extremely confident taking on offensive play calling for the first time,” said Jourdan. If Webb is good enough for Sean Payton to hand over the play calling reigns, the 31-year-old who was playing for the Giants in January 2023 is nearly ready to run a team.
3. Aden Durde, Seahawks DC. Jourdan’s sources were surprised Durde, who hails from England and has a remarkable story, did not get more head coaching interest. Same. As Mike Macdonald’s right-hand man, Durde might not call plays for Seattle’s defense but is deeply involved in everything else. Another strong season makes his poaching feel inevitable.
A few other names — including young offensive coordinators Nate Scheelhaase (Rams) and Grant Udinski (Jaguars) — are also among the top HC candidates. Jourdan’s full story has details on them all.
Grass vs Turf, pt. II: Readers vote, NFL counters
Monday’s newsletter covered players’ unhappiness with artificial turf.
George Kittle was one of many with an opinion. I also asked for your opinions, specifically on whether you’d accept lower pay in exchange for no more artificial turf, if you were an NFL player. The numbers were … uneven.
Grass with lower pay: 92 percent
Artificial turf, more money: 8 percent
If you voted in that poll, know that you are more similar to NFL players than you realize; 92 percent of players polled by the NFLPA likewise preferred grass.
But there’s more to the story.
After I hit send, someone who works with the NFL reached out. Stef Goodsell, a media contact, said that the NFLPA injury data I cited is “outdated,” and that “last season was the third year in a row with no statistically significant difference in injury rates between artificial turf (0.43) and grass (0.42) on time-loss non-direct contact injuries.” Those numbers are notable and probably under discussed.
Contact or non-contact, the only way we get reliable data is by looking at a wide range of years, since each team plays so few games each season.
So I’m scheduling a call with the NFL’s field director, Nick Pappas, to learn more about that methodology, because I think we all deserve a simple answer here: Are players more likely to be injured on turf fields?
What else should I ask Pappas? Please share your questions here.
🎙 ‘TAFS’: Mike Evans, 49er
This week’s “The Athletic Football Show” was one of my favorites. The subject: breakout players in new schemes.
This captures big names with new play callers, like the Cardinals’ third-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., plus players that changed teams, like 49ers receiver Mike Evans. (Quick aside: Anyone else surprised at how naturally the word “49ers” pairs with “Mike Evans”? Just me?)
First, here’s the full list of players and schemes covered:
And here’s Derrik Klassen on how Evans benefits Brock Purdy and could unlock the 49ers’ scheme:
“Kyle Shanahan hasn’t really had an X receiver like this in a very long time. Evans allows them to do this scheme change because he can be your slant runner. He can be your deep dig runner if you want him to. He can win the ‘we want to throw a goal line fade to a guy.’
“I think this fits Brock Purdy’s skill set better. Purdy is not that good of a deep thrower. Sometimes he struggles to drive the ball and leaves up some floaters. How do you still make that work? You go and get Mike Evans, who, if the ball is down there 40 yards down the field, he’s gonna go find it.”
The full episode is a good one. Watch it here. And then go draft Purdy as your late-round fantasy quarterback.
Extra Points
📓 Fantasy kit. It’s about time you start prepping for upcoming drafts, as you again need to remind colleagues, friends and acquaintances that you are better than them. Our draft kit has everything you’ll need.
👀 Streameast? If you recognize the name, you know it as one of the largest players in the world of illegal streaming, with an annual audience of over 1.6 billion. Two Egyptian nationals, a doctor and an engineer, were sentenced to prison for it.
🚪 ESPN layoffs. The gigantic network parted ways with NFL analyst Ryan Clark earlier this week, before also laying off Tom Pelissero, Stephania Bell and many, many others.
▶️ Most-clicked: Puka Nacua is one of 32 players with the most on the line in 2026.
📫 Enjoyed this read? Sign up here to receive The Athletic’s free NFL newsletter in your inbox.