Bryson Graham, 39, comes from the 2009 class of Texas A&M University, where he suited up for the Aggies from 2006 to 2009. He was part of the team that made it to the 2007 Sweet Sixteen and reached the second round of the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Tournaments.
Smiley began his coaching career at Dartmouth, where he initially served as assistant quarterbacks/specialists coach in 2005 before being named special teams coordinator after his first year. He then went to Division III Eureka, where he spent a year as offensive coordinator and the next at defensive coordinator until he was named interim head coach. Following that, he worked three years at Eastern Illinois as running backs coach/special teams coordinator and a year at Charleston Southern with the same title.
The New England Patriots pulled off what seemed impossible at the beginning of the season: winning the AFC East. The Bills have had a grip on the division since Tom Brady's departure after the 2019 season, and while Miami has come close, it has never been able to claim the title during New England's half-decade hiatus. Making the playoffs for Josh Allen and company hasn't been an issue.
"I'm not going to say, 'Well, we're going to take a couple of years to figure this out and then we'll try to compete,'" Rooney said. "I think you try every year. Some years you have the horses to really get there. Some years you don't, but you try every year, in my view."
Like the Commanders, something felt off about the Eagles all season. The defense didn't pack the same punch. The offensive scheme was bland, predictable, and everything in between. Rumors of friction between head coach Nick Sirianni, quarterback Jalen Hurts, and wide receiver A.J. Brown were rife. Running back Saquon Barkley never came close to reaching the incredible heights of 2024.
Now the question is where the Raiders head next under the direction of owner Mark Davis, minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek. Davis said in a statement that Spytek would work with Brady to find the next coach. Together, they will guide football decisions with a shared focus on leadership, culture, and alignment with the organization's long-term vision and goals, Davis said.
"This is what happens this time of year, especially when you have a really good staff and are doing a lot of positive things," Riley said. "We're excited about having the opportunity to keep continuity but if there is turnover, not just with that position but any position, these are coveted jobs. It's just part of the world we live in. "Obviously, D'Anton has done a really good job here and we'll see how it turns out."
Pry was supposed to represent a return to the Frank Beamer glory years in Blacksburg, as he had spent three years there as a graduate assistant in the mid-1990s. Pry reached a bowl game in 2023 and had the roster in a good place. But a lukewarm 2024 and a faceplant to start this season closed the curtain for Pry, who finished his run at 16-24.
