David Blough‘s quarterback career lasted through the 2023 season, and the veteran reserve opted to transition to coaching before his 30th birthday. He is already generating extensive interest about moving up the ladder.
The Commanders hired Blough last year, and he spent the season as their assistant QBs coach. As teams observed the success Jayden Daniels enjoyed this season, Blough’s name is already in the mix for a move into a key role. Some of his former coaches are interested in bringing him aboard as QBs coach.
The Bears, Jaguars and Jets have submitted requests to interview Blough, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Chicago is eyeing him for its pass-game coordinator job, while Jacksonville and New York want to speak with him about coming aboard as QBs coach.
Blough, 29, has an extensive history with Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn but did not overlap with Liam Coen. The new Jags HC has taken an extensive interest in Washington’s staff, with the Jags interviewing Commanders QBs coach Tavita Pritchard for their offensive coordinator role Wednesday. Pritchard landing that gig could make Blough a candidate to move up in Washington.
Blough did not receive much playing time as a pro, but that did not stop fellow 29-year-old recent retiree Davis Webb, who has impressed as the Broncos’ QBs coach. Blough is best remembered for his time with the Lions, a tenure that began with a summer 2019 trade. The Lions obtained Blough from the Browns in August 2019 and installed him as a Matthew Stafford backup. As Stafford missed half that season with a back injury, Blough started five games. While he lost all five, his tenure in Detroit continued after the Lions replaced Matt Patricia with Dan Campbell.
Johnson arrived in Detroit during the same offseason Blough did, beginning as an offensive assistant and eventually rising to the OC role. The Lions cut Blough after training camp in 2022, leading him to stints with the Vikings and then the Cardinals — with whom he made two more starts (two losses) to close out the ’22 campaign — but the Lions circled back to the Purdue alum once the Cards cut him in August 2023. Blough spent the ’23 season on the Lions’ practice squad, remaining there until the team’s NFC championship game loss to the 49ers.
Johnson has already gone historically young with his OC post, hiring ex-Webb Denver colleague Declan Doyle, who is 28. Blough would make for an interesting addition. The Jets join the Jags in not yet hiring an OC. The Commanders will see their play-caller (Kliff Kingsbury) return for the 2025 season, but both Pritchard and Blough are drawing interest early.