After a lull in hirings, the Buffalo Bills and head coach Sean McDermott seem to have found a wide receivers coach for the 2017 season. Adam Caplan tweeted Monday night that the Bills are set to hire Phil McGeoghan to coach their wide receivers next season.
McGeoghan served as the wide receivers coach of the East Carolina Pirates last season, and had previously coached in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins from 2012-2015. He was the assistant wide recievers coach for the Dolphins from 2012-2014, and he served as the primary receivers coach in 2015. He also served as wide receivers coach for the University of South Florida from 2009-2011. He was offensive coordinator for a year (2008) at the Naval Academy Prep school, as well. He coached receivers and tight ends at his alma mater, the University of Maine, in 2007.
As a player, McGeoghan starred at Maine from 1998-2000. He caught 151 passes for 2,343 yards in his career, ranking 5th and 4th respectively in those categories in school history. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2001, but never played in a game for the team. He appeared in two games for the Denver Broncos in 2001, recording no statistics. His career as a player ended in 2003, after appearances on the Oakland Raiders, Berlin Thunder (of NFL Europe), and the New Orleans Saints rosters that ultimately ended with him not playing in any regular season NFL games.
Under McGeoghan’s tutelage, ECU receiver Isaiah “Zay” Jones broke the all-time NCAA record for catches (399), and also set the single-season receptions mark this year by catching 158 passes.
McGeoghan will look to quickly earn the trust of Buffalo’s top receiver Sammy Watkins, who was outspoken in his support for Sanjay Lal, the Bills’ former receivers coach who now holds the same position with the Indianapolis Colts.