Former NFL cornerback and ESPN NFL analyst Domonique Foxworth joined Friday’s edition of GoJo and Golic to share insight on the recent NFL head coaching hires and which teams have the edge heading into Conference Championship weekend.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen. It has been a whirlwind for Coen, who reportedly had a deal on the table with Tampa Bay that would make him one of the highest-paid coordinators in the league early this week. Foxworth expressed that while unconventional hires like Sean McVay have succeeded, others such as Brandon Staley haven’t worked out. He noted that in today’s NFL, coordinators are often fast-tracked into head coaching roles without extensive experience, a shift from the past when they typically needed a longer track record. The challenge, he explained, is that the qualities that make a great head coach aren’t necessarily the same as those required to run an offense or defense.
Foxworth acknowledged that some coaches are hired based on how well they design plays. However, the role of a head coach is more about leadership, managing personalities, and setting a culture. Foxworth also floated a theory he hadn’t shared before: defensive coaches might be better prepared to lead teams. He argued that defensive coaches prioritize toughness and culture-building while offensive minds often try to scheme their way out of problems. He said defense is less about drawing up something new and more about effort, resilience, and playing with an identity.
The old-school way of hiring was that teams would hire a general manager before hiring a head coach, but Jacksonville chose to hire a head coach first. Senior asked Foxworth if the ordering mattered going forward. Foxworth highlighted that the most crucial factor is alignment between the two. While the hiring order isn’t necessarily the issue, he noted that it does influence who holds the power in the relationship. In this case, he doesn’t mind if the head coach has more influence since they oversee strategy, scheme, and preparation. He pointed to the Eagles’ dynamic with Howie Roseman as an example of a GM-driven structure that has worked, where decisions flow from the top down. However, he’d find it more concerning if a team hired a GM and head coach separately without ensuring they shared a vision. That kind of mismatched pairing, he explained, often leads to dysfunction and power struggles that can result in decisions based more on relationships with ownership than actual football strategy.
Shifting gears to the always entertaining Dallas Cowboys, who dominated the sports media cycle with their different possible head coaching candidates, they seem to be eyeing their current offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer. Foxworth leaned in with a playful conspiracy theory, lowering his voice as he asked, “Is Jerry Jones broke?”
He pointed out how the Cowboys talked about going “all in” but barely spent in free agency. Whenever a key player needs an extension, the negotiations drag out until the last second. Now, with plenty of high-profile coaching candidates available, they still haven’t landed a big hire. While Troy Aikman suggested the Cowboys job isn’t as desirable as it once was, Foxworth wasn’t completely sold on that he figured plenty of top coaches would jump at the chance to take on the challenge. Then there’s the Mike McCarthy situation. No one knows why Jerry moved on, but Foxworth sees a pattern. From contract hesitations to coaching uncertainty, it all looks like broke behavior. Maybe Jerry is just being cheap, but that’s never been his reputation.
Diving into the AFC Championship showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, the Chiefs are 2.5-point favorites over the Bills at DraftKings Sportsbook. Foxworth shared that there aren’t many surprises left when two great teams face off. Everyone has seen each other’s best moves by this point in the season, especially a team like the Chiefs, who have been in these high-stakes moments so often. That’s where Steve Spagnuolo and Andy Reid separate themselves. Foxworth credited Spagnuolo for his patience and ability to time his adjustments perfectly. He pointed out that the Chiefs don’t go out trying to win every single play. They know when to take their shot. Spagnuolo, in particular, always seems to have a blitz in his back pocket, waiting for the right moment to unleash something the opponent hasn’t seen all season. To Foxworth’s point it’s not just about game planning, it’s game management. The best teams don’t necessarily win because of better schemes; they win because they know when to take their chances. Knowing when to make the right move can be the difference between winning and losing when the game is hanging in the balance.
Regarding how he thinks the games will play out, Foxworth went back and forth on his AFC Championship pick, choosing the Chiefs on TV but rolling with the Bills on his podcast. As for the NFC Championship, he believes the Eagles are the better team and expects them to win despite living in Washington, D.C. That said, he admitted he’d personally prefer to see Jayden Daniels and the Commanders come out on top.
Watch or listen to the full show below and tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Hour 1: Jaguars’ New HC Liam Coen & His Tampa Bay Switcheroo + AFC and NFC Championship Game Previews
Hour 2: Domonique Foxworth on Allen vs. Mahomes, Liam Coen’s Jags and DC Head Coaches + NBA All-Star Selections
VIDEO
Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play, Google TV and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.
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