The Atlanta Falcons are hiring Los Angeles Chargers quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator target Zac Robinson as their offensive coordinator, according to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Steelers had requested an interview with Robinson earlier this week, but he did not interview with the Steelers. After it was announced that Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris was taking over as the Falcons head coach on Thursday, it became apparent that Robinson was the top candidate to follow Morris from L.A. to Atlanta.
Robinson was the first name linked to the Steelers’ OC opening when the team requested permission to interview him on Monday. The 37-year-old former NFL quarterback has limited experience, as he is in just his fifth year of coaching.
Robinson got his start as the Rams’ assistant quarterbacks coach in 2019, was assistant wide receivers coach in 2020 and moved back to assistant quarterbacks in 2021 before getting promoted to quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator in 2022.
He was widely seen as the next coach in line to be hired from the Sean McVay coaching tree, as the Rams head coach has already spawned the careers of a half-dozen head coaches and several other coordinators.
In addition to the Steelers’ request and his interview with the Falcons, Robinson had or had scheduled interviews with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders.
With Robinson out of the mix, the Steelers are down to two confirmed candidates still in the running to replace Matt Canada as the team’s offensive coordinator: former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and Houston Texans quarterbacks coach and former Steelers quarterback Jarrod Johnson.
The Steelers are expected to continue interviewing candidates for their vacancy, though that may be put on hold, if head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan decamp for Mobile, Alabama and the Senior Bowl on Tuesday, as they traditionally have done.
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