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Adam Schefter, ESPN Senior Writer
Of all the people tuned into Sunday’s conference championship games, few will be more interested than the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks — the last two NFL teams with current head coaching vacancies.
Both the Commanders and Seahawks are eyeing coaches on Sunday’s teams and waiting to interview them for their head coaching jobs.
The Commanders are waiting to hold second interviews with Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and assistant head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, as well as Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, league sources told ESPN.
There are some who have viewed Johnson as the “presumptive favorite” for the Washington job, but multiple sources insist that is not true. While Johnson could land the Commanders head coaching job, sources insist that there are other strong candidates — most notably Macdonald, Weaver, Glenn and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn — who still are “very much in play.”
Quinn also is scheduled to interview a second time with the Commanders, according to sources.
The Seahawks did not get the chance to interview Macdonald and cannot do so until the Ravens’ season ends, raising questions over whether Seattle would be willing to wait to interview him for a first time if Baltimore advances to the Super Bowl.
Since the Seahawks interviewed Johnson already, they are permitted to speak with him this week regardless of Detroit’s result because of the NFL rule that states: “Beginning Monday January 29 through Sunday February 4, (the bye week between the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl), second interviews in person or virtual are permitted for head coach candidates employed by clubs that will participate in the Super Bowl. Prior notification must be provided to the employer club.”
So far, the Commanders have interviewed Weaver, Macdonald, Johnson, Glenn, Quinn and Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
The Seahawks have interviewed Johnson, Quinn, Slowik, Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith.
During this hiring cycle, eight NFL teams have changed head coaches, and six already have filled their jobs. The Patriots hired Jerod Mayo, the Raiders hired Antonio Pierce, the Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh, the Titans hired Brian Callahan, the Panthers hired Dave Canales and the Falcons hired Raheem Morris.