Securing top coordinators, the Jaguars re-sign Campanile and Udinski, fending off rival NFL interest to build for the 2026 season.
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't wait idly while their celebrated coordinators considered head-coaching opportunities elsewhere.
On Tuesday, the team announced it had signed Anthony Campanile and Grant Udinski to new contracts to bring back both coordinators for the 2026 season.
Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile had met with the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale on Thursday for a second interview.
Grant Udinski, the Jags' offensive coordinator, on Monday withdrew from consideration from the Cleveland Browns' coaching search.
Udinski also interviewed for the Buffalo Bills' vacancy. The 30-year-old had met with the Bills as late as Sunday. On Tuesday, the team announced it has promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach in a five-year deal.
Campanile, entering his seventh year of coaching in the NFL, has exited the Cards' search. He was reportedly one of three finalists in the Cards' search to replace their fired head coach Jonathan Gannon. At least 16 candidates reportedly had met with team officials; only Campanile, former Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris, and current Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur have had second, in-person interviews.
Campanile, 43, turned around a Jaguars defense from 2024 that ranked 31st in yards allowed (389.9 per game) and 28th in points (25.6 per game) under coach Doug Pederson and his first-year defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Both were let go after the team finished 4-13.
In Campanile's first year in Jacksonville, the Jaguars fielded one with the NFL's best run defenses, setting franchise records with 85.6 rushing yards allowed per game, 102 passes defensed, 31 takeaways, 22 interceptions and a +13 turnover differential. Jacksonville became the first team in league history to produce 30+ takeaways after totaling 10-or-fewer the season prior. Campanile's unit ranked eighth in the league in scoring defense (19.8 ppg).
Campanile also interviewed for coaching jobs with the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins.
Ahead of re-signing Campanile and Udinski, the Jaguars made several changes to their coaching staff, beefing up on both offense and defense.
The Jaguars hired Mathieu Araujo away from the Dolphins, after letting go secondary coach Ron Milus on Jan. 16. Miami's cornerbacks coach, Araujo is reportedly going to oversee the Jags' secondary.
Araujo had been with the Dolphins since 2022, first as an assistant defensive backs coach, then as the cornerbacks coach, starting in 2024. Araujo's tenure overlapped with the year Campanile spent in Miami as the team's linebackers coach.
"Any time you have success, you're going to have people come and call and knock on the door," Coen said of other teams' interest in Campanile and Udinski. "Those guys have earned some of those interviews and opportunities.
"Down the line, I think both those guys are future head coaches at some point. That just comes along with the territory."
Three NFL teams continue looking for a new head coach, the Cardinals, Browns and Las Vegas Raiders. The league had seen a rash of 10 head-coach vacancies during and after the season; the New York Giants, Ravens, Falcons, Tennessee Titans, Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers also have made hires.
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