Chad O’Shea to speak with Jets while Bill Callahan turns down request

The New York Jets have been targeting the Browns coaching staff to try to fill their vacant offensive coordinator position.

A league source confirmed to the Beacon Journal wide receivers coach/pass game coordinator Chad O’Shea will interview with the Jets for the position, while offensive line coach Bill Callahan has turned down an interview request and will receive an extension. NFL Network was the first to report both.

O’Shea and Callahan have both been on Kevin Stefanski’s staff since he was hired as Browns head coach in 2020 over Robert Saleh, who is now the Jets head coach. Both assistants came to Cleveland with significant NFL coaching experience.

New York has interviewed Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo, former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Marcus Brady, former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, and New England Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley already in search of a replacement for Mike LaFleur. LaFleur was let go by the Jets at the end of the season.

O’Shea spent the 2019 season as the Miami Dolphins’ offensive coordinator under Brian Flores. He and Flores had both worked together in New England, where O’Shea was receivers coach from 2009-18.

Other NFL stops for O’Shea include the Kansas City Chiefs (2003-05) and Minnesota Vikings (2006-08).

Callahan’s importance on the staff is evident by his office location Since being one of the first staff hires for Stefanski, his office sits right next to the head coach’s.

“He gets together with the other coaches and puts a plan together that is sound, that has our best players touching the rock in varying ways,” Stefanski said of Callahan in 2020. “He’s great on game day for me. I really, really lean on him heavily and I appreciate everything he brings. A good man, he’s right next to my office so I can pop in there any time. He’s a former head coach, so there’s a lot of things I can bounce off of him. He’s doing an outstanding job.”

When healthy, the Browns offensive line has been arguably one of the best in the NFL. It’s included multi-time All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio, a 2020 All-Pro right tackle in Jack Conklin, as well as a Pro Bowl alternate right guard in Wyatt Teller.

Callahan was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach for the Jets under Eric Mangini in 2008 and Rex Ryan from 2009-11. He’s been an NFL coach since breaking in as the Eagles’ line coach in 1995.

Callahan’s career, college and pro, includes head-coaching stops with the Oakland Raiders (2002-03), University of Nebraska (2004-07) and interim head coach for Washington in 2019. He’s also been the offensive coordinator for the Raiders (1998-2001) and Dallas Cowboys (2012-14), and assistant head coach/offensive line coach for Washington (2017-19).

Contact Chris at [email protected].

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