{"id":449893,"date":"2026-01-31T16:45:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T16:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/449893\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T16:45:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T16:45:11","slug":"2026-nfl-coaching-news-bills-hire-new-defensive-coordinator-vikings-fire-gm-kwesi-adofo-mensah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/449893\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 NFL coaching news: Bills hire new defensive coordinator; Vikings fire GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah"},"content":{"rendered":"

Only two teams are left playing. The Patriots and Seahawks will meet in Super Bowl LX<\/a> on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.<\/p>\n

Many more clubs are still aboard the NFL\u2019s coaching carousel.<\/p>\n

Most recent top coaching developments:<\/p>\n

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Friday provided a shocker, as the Minnesota Vikings fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah<\/a>. Thursday night, the Falcons found their next general manager in Ian Cunningham,<\/a> who was the assistant GM for the Bears.<\/p>\n

Other coaching news that hit this week included:<\/p>\n

HEAD COACHES HIREDTodd Monken, Cleveland Browns<\/p>\n

Head coaching record: First job, was Ravens offensive coordinator from 2023-25<\/p>\n

Why he was hired: The Browns need someone to fix a broken and talent-deficient offense, and they landed on Monken, who has spent the past few seasons in Baltimore and in college at Georgia, where he helped the Bulldogs win two national championships as offensive coordinator. (He also served as Browns offensive coordinator in 2019.) Will all that experience translate to turning around Cleveland? That remains to be seen, but there\u2019s a big offseason ahead regardless when it comes to improving the roster on that side of the ball.<\/p>\n

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Monken reportedly will have to find a new defensive coordinator, after Jim Schwartz reportedly told coaches he’s not coming back<\/a> after being passed over for the head coaching job. The Browns’ defense has been one of the league’s best in two of the past three seasons, so nailing a new hire while Monken focuses on rebooting the offense will be crucial.<\/p>\n

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n

Head coaching record: First job, was Bills offensive coordinator from 2023-25<\/p>\n

Why he was hired: On the surface, it\u2019s a weird move at best to fire head coach Sean McDermott, publicly state that coaching was a problem<\/a> with the Bills\u2019 roster \u2026 then turn around and promote a coach from that staff. To be fair, Brady is a respected offensive mind who\u2019s fairly renowned for his creativity and maximization of talent. To be blunt, he\u2019s also a first-time head coach who doesn\u2019t figure to upset the power structure team owner Terry Pegula and general manager Brandon Beane clearly have in place.<\/p>\n

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Buffalo still has Josh Allen, and there\u2019s no doubt Brady has played a key role in developing him into an MVP-level quarterback year in and year out. McDermott\u2019s management of the roster, especially on defense, perhaps went underappreciated during his nine seasons with the Bills, so whomever they hire as defensive coordinator is the next key to watch. But really, the Bills not making a Super Bowl in this era of the franchise has been due to poor luck as much as anything. Maybe Brady is the man to get them over the hump.<\/p>\n

Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers<\/p>\n

Head coaching record: 174-112-2 regular season, 11-11 playoffs, five seasons with Dallas Cowboys, 13 seasons with Green Bay Packers.<\/p>\n

Why he was hired: Sure, it was a while ago, but McCarthy has a Super Bowl ring for a reason \u2014 and it happens to be the only one Aaron Rodgers has won in his stellar career. McCarthy re-established his bona fides after his Packers run, leading Dallas to the playoffs in three of his five seasons under Jerry Jones. He sat out the last hiring cycle, seemingly waiting for the perfect job. McCarthy grew up in the Pittsburgh area, so he’s no stranger to the franchise’s lore.<\/p>\n

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Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens<\/p>\n

Head coaching record: First job, was Chargers defensive coordinator from 2024-25<\/p>\n

Why he was hired: The Ravens may have fired John Harbaugh, but they’re staying within his tree to replace him. Minter spent four seasons as a defensive assistant in Baltimore under Harbaugh from 2017-2020 before joining Harbaugh’s brother Jim as the University of Michigan’s defensive coordinator. After winning a national championship in Ann Arbor, he followed Jim to the Chargers, where he has spent the past two seasons coordinating a defense that’s finished top-10 in DVOA both years, earning leaguewide respect for the unpredictability of his units and his play-calling prowess. Just 42 years old, Minter was considered one of the top candidates on the market, especially among first-time head coaches.<\/p>\n

He steps into a situation where the expectations couldn’t be higher. Lamar Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP, the Ravens have top-end talent as good as anybody’s, and the only thing left for this iteration of the franchise is to reach the Super Bowl and win it. Minter seems to fit the bill of a guy who can do that. Baltimore is notorious for drafting and developing talent and spending little on free agents, so a coach like Minter who maximizes his players seems ideally placed. Plus, Jackson ensures a high floor on offense, so Minter can focus more of his efforts on shoring up a defense that fell short of expectations this past season.<\/p>\n

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It’s a smart swing \u2014 even if a Lombardi Trophy might be the only way the franchise gauges its success.<\/p>\n

John Harbaugh, New York Giants<\/p>\n

Head coaching record: 180-113 regular season, 13-11 playoffs (including a Super Bowl title), 18 seasons with Baltimore Ravens<\/p>\n

Why he was hired: The Giants have had four full-time head coaches and two interims since Tom Coughlin resigned after the 2015 season, and they’re fed up with the turnover. Harbaugh is 63, but he has a lot of juice left and figures to bring stability to a proud franchise that’s fallen on some of the hardest times it’s ever faced. (The Giants’ 59 wins since 2015 are the second-fewest in the NFL, ahead of only the Jets).<\/p>\n

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There’s talent to develop on the roster between QB Jaxson Dart<\/a> (who might sync well with Harbaugh’s preferred offensive coordinator, Todd Monken<\/a>), RB Cam Skattebo, WR Malik Nabers, LT Andrew Thomas, and a defense that includes DT Dexter Lawrence and edge rushers Brian Burns and Abdul Carter. There’s also a general manager in Joe Schoen, as Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson explained,<\/a> who was apparently willing to cede personnel decision-making to Harbaugh despite the nominal hierarchy inside the franchise. And team owner John Mara, one of the more influential voices in the league, revealed he’s battling an undisclosed form of cancer last September, which likely emboldened the desire for a head coach to come in and command respect immediately.<\/p>\n

The Giants have floundered for years, but landing the coach widely viewed as the best on the market brings back instant credibility. Now we’ll see how quickly they can win together.<\/p>\n

Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons<\/p>\n

Head coaching record: 45-56 regular season, 1-2 playoffs, six seasons with Cleveland Browns<\/p>\n

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Why he was hired: Stefanski was one of the top names on the market, with the NFL at large looking at more than just his wins and losses with the Browns while trying to lift a struggling franchise into playoff contention. Sound familiar, Atlanta? Stefanski’s offensive acumen is a hybrid of multiple schemes and coaching trees, which can help new president of football Matt Ryan<\/a> sort through the talent the Falcons have on that side of the ball (including Kirk Cousins, whom Stefanski coached in Minnesota). They’re also retaining defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich<\/a> after the Falcons’ defense made big strides this season.<\/p>\n

Stefanski as head coach and offensive mastermind, with Ulbrich sticking around to continue building his side of the ball? That’s a solid recipe going forward, even if the answer at quarterback and no first-round pick this spring present significant challenges. If team owner Arthur Blank is finally willing to be patient and let this project play out, Stefanski could end the Falcons’ eight-year playoff drought sooner than expected, especially in a weak NFC South.<\/p>\n

Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins<\/p>\n

Head coaching record: First job, was Packers defensive coordinator from 2024-25<\/p>\n

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Why he was hired: The direct connection is Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was hired as Dolphins general manager<\/a> on Jan. 9 after spending over two decades in the Packers’ organization, most recently as vice president of player personnel.<\/p>\n

As for the broader fit? Well, the Dolphins have proven to be a less attractive option<\/a> among coaching candidates this cycle than previously expected, Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported, based largely on the salary cap cleanup required as the team moves on from Tua Tagovailoa. With John Harbaugh off the board, Hafley is the most logical next move, perhaps for both parties. Hafley has head coaching experience at Boston College from 2020-23, he improved Green Bay’s defenses the last two seasons, and Miami would do well to lean on that side of the ball \u2014 not to mention star RB De’Von Achane and an improving O-line \u2014 while the Dolphins try to sort out the QB situation in what now looks like a multi-season project.<\/p>\n

Hafley is considered to be one of the stronger candidates on the market, and the Dolphins didn’t mess around in securing their best possible outcome.<\/p>\n

Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans<\/p>\n

Head coaching record: 20-36, fired five games into fourth season with New York Jets<\/p>\n

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Why he was hired: The general consensus around the league is Saleh\u2019s failures with the Jets were largely out of his control, and he\u2019s had good defenses wherever he\u2019s been. He\u2019ll reportedly call defensive plays in Tennessee, so it\u2019ll be interesting to see who the Titans hire on the offensive staff to continue developing Cam Ward, who looked more and more promising as his rookie season went on.<\/p>\n

Most of all, however, Saleh figures to help stabilize a Titans franchise that\u2019s on its second general manager and now second head coach (third counting interim) since firing Mike Vrabel after the 2023 season. It\u2019s a little surprising Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy didn\u2019t get the job, considering his availability and ties to GM Mike Borgonzi from their time together in Kansas City, but perhaps Nagy is in play for the same position now that Saleh has been tabbed. Either way, Saleh is the kind of firm, even-keeled leader who could go a long way toward halting all the losing in Tennessee.<\/p>\n

FIRED<\/p>\n

Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans (in season)
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (in season)
Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n

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RESIGNED<\/p>\n

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers<\/p>\n

NFL coaching news live blogLive408 updatesSat, January 31, 2026 at 7:33 AM PST<\/p>\n

Yahoo Sports Staff<\/p>\n

Buffalo Bills coach Joe Brady has found a defensive coordinator for his new staff: Jim Leonhard, who helped develop the Denver Broncos’ formidable defensive unit.<\/p>\n

Leonhard, who had interest from multiple teams during this hiring cycle, has agreed to join the Bills, according to multiple reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"TarohnFri, January 30, 2026 at 4:38 PM PST<\/p>\n

Tarohn Finley<\/p>\n

\"TarohnFri, January 30, 2026 at 4:36 PM PST<\/p>\n

Tarohn Finley<\/p>\n

\"TarohnFri, January 30, 2026 at 2:44 PM PST<\/p>\n

Tarohn Finley<\/p>\n

The Pittsburgh Steelers hired former Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to the same role, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero<\/a>. Graham, 47, has spent the last three seasons with the Raiders, following single seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants<\/p>\n

Graham coached in Green Bay under Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy as a linebackers coach and run game coordinator in 2018.<\/p>\n

\"TarohnFri, January 30, 2026 at 1:30 PM PST<\/p>\n

Tarohn Finley<\/p>\n

The Baltimore Ravens reportedly have hired Chicago Bears’ offensive coordinator Declan Doyle for the same role, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Doyle will take on play-calling duties in Baltimore, which was not part of his role in Chicago.<\/p>\n

In his first year as the Bears’ offensive coordinator, Doyle helped lead Chicago to their first NFC North title since 2018.<\/p>\n

Doyle reportedly was also under consideration for the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator vacancy before withdrawing. The Eagles hired Sean Mannion on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"TarohnFri, January 30, 2026 at 12:42 PM PST<\/p>\n

Tarohn Finley<\/p>\n

The Buffalo Bills reportedly hired Arizona Cardinals special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers for the same role, according to the Athletic’s Dianna Russini.<\/a><\/p>\n

Rodgers has worked for the Cardinals since 2018 and has also spent time with the Broncos, Bears, Panthers, 49ers, University of Arizona and Kansas State.<\/p>\n

\"TarohnFri, January 30, 2026 at 11:35 AM PST<\/p>\n

Tarohn Finley<\/p>\n

Baltimore Ravens run-game coordinator Travis Switzer is reportedly considered a frontrunner for the Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator opening and will interview for the job soon, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler<\/a>. Switzer has spent the last nine seasons with the Ravens and played center at the University of Akron.<\/p>\n

Switzer has spent the last two seasons with the new Cleveland Browns coach, Todd Monken.<\/p>\n

\"SeanFri, January 30, 2026 at 10:07 AM PST<\/p>\n

Sean Leahy<\/p>\n

The Minnesota Vikings have fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after four seasons, the team announced on Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf put out a statement<\/a> on Friday saying that it was in “the best interest of the team” to move on from Adofo-Mensah and that executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski will lead the operations group through the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

Following the conclusion of the draft, there will be a search for a new GM.<\/p>\n

Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"SeanFri, January 30, 2026 at 9:23 AM PST<\/p>\n

Sean Leahy<\/p>\n

Tanney, 38, played for the Giants from 2018-2020 at the end of his NFL career. He served as offensive quality control coach and quarterbacks coach with the Eagles from 2021-2023. The past two seasons he’s been he Colts’ offensive passing game coordinator.<\/p>\n

Cooter, 41, has been the Colts’ offensive coordinator since 2023. He’s been an offensive coach for seven NFL teams since getting his start in Indianapolis in 2009.<\/p>\n

\"SeanFri, January 30, 2026 at 7:16 AM PST<\/p>\n

Sean Leahy<\/p>\n

The 35-year-old Grizzard was fired earlier this month after one season as the Bucs’ offensive coordinator. Prior to running the Tampa offense he served was the team’s pass game coordinator before being promoted.<\/p>\n

Grizzard got his NFL coaching start in 2017 and served as offensive quality control coach, quality control coach, and wide receivers coach for the Dolphins from 2017-2023.<\/p>\n

Fri, January 30, 2026 at 7:15 AM PST<\/p>\n

After the team fired Joe Whitt Jr. after the season, Washington found his replacement in Daronte Jones, who spent the past few seasons with the Minnesota Vikings as defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator.<\/p>\n

\"SeanFri, January 30, 2026 at 6:03 AM PST<\/p>\n

Sean Leahy<\/p>\n

The 54-year-old Carmichael had been a senior offensive assistant with the Broncos the past two seasons. He has plenty of experience as an NFL offensive coordinator having done so with the Saints from 2009-2023.<\/p>\n

\"TarohnThu, January 29, 2026 at 7:02 PM PST<\/p>\n

Tarohn Finley<\/p>\n

After the withdrawal of Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler<\/a> reported that Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero could be in the mix for the Raiders head coaching opening. Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is still reportedly the name most commonly linked to the Raiders.<\/p>\n

Evero has spent three seasons with the Panthers and has led two top 10 defenses with the team. Evero has also spent time as the Broncos defensive coordinator and coaching under Sean McVay with the Rams.<\/p>\n

\"TarohnThu, January 29, 2026 at 6:52 PM PST<\/p>\n

Tarohn Finley<\/p>\n

The Kansas City Chiefs requested to interview Las Vegas Raiders running back coach Deland McCullough for their running back coach position. McCullough was the Chiefs’ running backs coach from 2018 to 2020 under head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.<\/p>\n

He also spent time as the running backs coach at Notre Dame, the University of Indiana and USC.<\/p>\n

\"AndyThu, January 29, 2026 at 5:25 PM PST<\/p>\n

Andy Backstrom<\/p>\n

The Atlanta Falcons are hiring Chicago Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham as their new general manager, according to multiple<\/a> reports<\/a> Thursday.<\/p>\n

Here’s the Falcons’ new leadership team…<\/p>\n

President of Football: Matt Ryan
General Manager: Ian cunningham
Head Coach: Kevin Stefanski<\/p>\n

For more on Cunningham, go here<\/a><\/p>\n

\"AndyThu, January 29, 2026 at 5:08 PM PST<\/p>\n

Andy Backstrom<\/p>\n

The Los Angeles Rams have hired former Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Special teams were the Rams’ Achilles’ heel this season. Of L.A.’s six total losses, four featured special teams gaffes, including Sunday\u2019s critical fumble by returner Xavier Smith<\/a> in the NFC championship.<\/p>\n

Ventrone, a standout special teamer for the Browns and San Francisco 49ers during his playing days, spent the past three seasons not only as Cleveland’s ST coordinator but also as Kevin Stefanski’s assistant head coach. Now he’ll link up with Sean McVay.<\/p>\n

\"JackThu, January 29, 2026 at 4:36 PM PST<\/p>\n

Jack Baer<\/p>\n

Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb is withdrawing from consideration for the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coaching job, one of two such positions left alongside the Arizona Cardinals, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Webb has reportedly received several interview requests for offensive coordinator positions and is considered a prime candidate for that job with the Broncos, his current team. Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi was fired on Tuesday<\/a>, leaving a gap the team may fill internally.<\/p>\n

\"CrissThu, January 29, 2026 at 3:56 PM PST<\/p>\n

Criss Partee<\/p>\n

Longtime NFL special teams coach John Fassel has been retained in the same position for the Tennessee Titans under new head coach Robert Saleh. Fassel has 21 years of NFL coaching experience, primarily working with special teams units.<\/p>\n

John is the son of former NFL coach Jim Fassel, who was head coach of the New York Giants when they reached the Super Bowl during the 2000-01 season, where they lost to Baltimore’s record-setting defense. Fassel is also a former AP Coach of the Year award winner, taking home the honor in 1997.<\/p>\n

\"SeanThu, January 29, 2026 at 3:48 PM PST<\/p>\n

Sean Leahy<\/p>\n

Despite being limited with a right shoulder injury, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel isn’t worried about quarterback Drake Maye.<\/p>\n

Read more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"CrissThu, January 29, 2026 at 3:27 PM PST<\/p>\n

Criss Partee<\/p>\n

Former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is reportedly joining Jeff Hafley’s staff in Miami as quarterback coach, according to NFL Insider Dan Graziano of ESPN. Both men coached on Matt LaFleur’s staff in Green Bay, but at different times.<\/p>\n

Most recently, Hackett was the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets during the 2023 & 2024 seasons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Only two teams are left playing. The Patriots and Seahawks will meet in Super Bowl LX on Feb.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":449894,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[559],"tags":[626,5370,17795,1258,1276,64,63,613,631,55396,10285,5366,5349,42498,1261,30574,5372,17470,5386,1234,211904,211232,3897,55397,5126,6587,5330,1274,225721,5347,221247,230299,228534,142536,6580,41434,1280,628,5371,35234,1233,1239,593,211233,9827,5348,1241,5345,5353,231999,85,1253,221246,5379],"class_list":["post-449893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-aaron-rodgers","tag-abdul-carter","tag-andrew-thomas","tag-arizona-cardinals","tag-atlanta-falcons","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-baltimore","tag-baltimore-ravens","tag-brian-burns","tag-brian-daboll","tag-broncos","tag-browns","tag-buffalo","tag-buffalo-bills","tag-cam-skattebo","tag-cam-ward","tag-chargers","tag-chiefs","tag-dallas-cowboys","tag-davis-webb","tag-defensive-coordinator","tag-denver","tag-dexter-lawrence","tag-giants","tag-green-bay","tag-head-coach","tag-jaxson-dart","tag-jesse-minter","tag-jets","tag-jim-leonhard","tag-jim-schwartz","tag-joe-brady","tag-john-harbaugh","tag-josh-allen","tag-kevin-stefanski","tag-kirk-cousins","tag-lamar-jackson","tag-malik-nabers","tag-matt-ryan","tag-miami-dolphins","tag-minnesota-vikings","tag-nfl","tag-offensive-coordinator","tag-packers","tag-patriots","tag-pittsburgh-steelers","tag-raiders","tag-seahawks","tag-sean-mannion","tag-sports","tag-tennessee-titans","tag-todd-monken","tag-tua-tagovailoa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=449893"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449893\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/449894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=449893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=449893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=449893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}