NFL head coaching vacancies: Best fits for the Steelers, Ravens, Raiders and more
The NFL playoffs are in full swing, but while most of the attention is on the teams chasing the Lombardi Trophy, much of the league has already focused on the offseason.
The biggest domino to fall so far was the Giants finalizing a deal with John Harbaugh to be their next coach, but plenty of trickery remains in every recruiting cycle.
With eight head coaching jobs — 25% of the league — still open, let’s play the match. Below, we pair each vacant position with one of the top candidates on the market and examine why the fit makes sense.
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Previous location: 49ers defensive coordinator
Saleh may have to choose his next job after his failed stint with the New York Jets. Another reason the first stint didn’t work out was New York’s inability to identify a viable franchise quarterback.
Arizona is in a similar position, as the Cardinals are expected to move on from Kyler Murray this offseason, but they are holding back. 3rd overall pick in the NFL Draftwhich gives them a clear way to deal with the situation. If and when Saleh and the Cardinals solve the quarterback problem, they will have some exciting weapons — Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. — to build around.
While the quarterback situation is important, Saleh — who has reportedly been asked to negotiate the deal — could also be an attractive hire to fix what was a defensive disaster in Arizona in 2025. The Cardinals allowed 28.7 points per game and 358.9 total yards per game, both of which ranked 10th lowest in the NFL.
Even in his slumping years in New York, Saleh was able to elevate the defense, and he did an impressive job keeping an injury-riddled 49ers unit into the divisional round.
Previous location: Dolphin trainer
The Falcons are an interesting spot in this round. On the other hand, they are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, led by star running back Bijan Robinson.
However, anyone who takes this job also needs to be sure that they can find Michael Penix Jr. — who has endured an up and down start to his career — is back on track. Penix is coming off a season-ending ACL injury, but team owner Arthur Blank said in his season-ending news conference that he expects the former first-round cornerback to return to full strength.
Mike McDaniel seems like a reasonable fit for several reasons. First, he has experience getting the best out of a young quarterback, as he rehabbed Tua Tagovailoa early in his stay in Miami. There’s reason to believe he can do the same with Penix, especially with a strong supporting cast already.
Second, there is McDaniel’s familiarity with the organization due to the arrival of Matt Ryan as president of a football franchise. McDaniel was an offensive assistant for the Falcons from 2015-16 under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, surpassing Ryan’s tenure as quarterback, including his MVP season in 2016.
Ranking head coaching vacancies: Which of these nine jobs are the most desirable?
Jared Dube
Previous location: The offensive Commander’s liaison
It’s not hard to figure out which of the eight teams has the cream of the crop. It’s the Ravens, and it’s not that close because of two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
No other franchise searching for a head coach can offer that level of elite play and stability at quarterback, so Baltimore has to pick the trash. Kingsbury is widely viewed as one of the top players on the market this cycle, and he appears to be the man good for Jackson and the rest of the Ravens offense.
He has previous head coaching experience after leading the Cardinals from 2019 to 2022, and most recently worked with Jayden Daniels as Washington’s offensive coordinator. Daniels has the same ability as Jackson, too Kingsbury had him perform at a high level in his rookie seasonwhich helped the Commanders reach the NFC Championship Game.
If he can tune Baltimore’s offense around Jackson in the same way, the Ravens could be back among the league’s top contenders in the short term.
Previous location: Browns defensive coordinator
It’s not uncommon to see a team fire their coach and then promote one of their coordinators, as most organizations like to clean house. However, Schwartz may be the exception.
Cleveland’s defense was one of the few bright spots for the 2025 season, and regardless, Schwartz appeared to be bought in by his players on that side of the ball. If he commands that level of respect inside the locker room, the transition won’t be a problem.
He also has previous head coaching experience, having led the Detroit Lions from 2009-13. If he wants another chance, this could be an interesting setup, although a lot will depend on the type of offensive lineman he brings with him.
Previous location: Seahawks offensive coordinator
The Raiders are an interesting team in this cycle. The Pete Carroll era crashed and burned, but there is hope for a bright future. That’s because the 2025 tryout season has led to Las Vegas 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draftwhich puts the franchise in position to select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
If Mendoza lives up to the hype, the Raiders will suddenly have a promising young core that includes the quarterback from Indiana, along with running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers. Pair that with nearly $98 million in cap space — the third-most in the NFL — and this rebuild could start quickly. That should make Las Vegas an attractive destination for someone like Kubiak, who is among the most sought-after candidates.
Over the past two years, Kubiak has built a reputation for prosecuting lawsuits. In New Orleans, he had the Saints punching above their weight in 2024. This season, as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Kubiak helped lead the team to the No. 1 seed in the conference with a strong offense. If he can get Sam Darnold to throw for more than 4,000 yards and lead a unit averaging 5.9 yards per play — tied for third-highest in the NFL — there’s no telling what he can do with Mendoza if the rookie lives up to his billing as a top pick.
Miami Dolphins: Jesse Minter
Previous location: Chargers defensive coordinator
With John Harbaugh coming with the Giants, where does Miami turn next? Well, what about Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter?
Team owner Stephen Ross has deep ties to the University of Michigan as one of its top sponsors and has ties to Jim Harbaugh, who Minter currently coaches under with the Chargers. Minter served as Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator at Michigan from 2022-23, including during the College Playoff Championship run in 2023, so Ross knows him well.
This pairing also aligns better from a timeline perspective. Minter, 42, is still young enough to help lead a rebuild, and Miami’s defense played well down the stretch in 2025, giving him something to build on heading into 2026.
Previous location: Vikings defensive coordinator
Flores will be a familiar face for the Steelers. The current Vikings DC worked under current head coach Mike Tomlin in 2022 as the senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach after his tenure as head coach of the Miami Dolphins ended in 2021. After a quick one-year stint in Pittsburgh, Flores moved on to Minnesota and cemented his reputation as a top defenseman, who felt like one of the top teams. with the style and identity of the Steelers.
The big question for Flores as he looks into his second chance as an NFL head coach will be what Pittsburgh’s plans are at quarterback. Aaron Rodgers has talked about this being his last season, so they will need an answer in the most important area of the sport. If he gets a clear enough response there, a partnership with Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt could be very appealing.
Previous location: Brown’s head coach
Stefanski is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, and while his run in Cleveland is over, most of his problems there stemmed from the fact that the organization did not solve the quarterback position.
That wouldn’t be a problem in Tennessee, where the Titans have Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, under center. Ward shined late in the season, and if Stefanski likes what he sees from the young quarterback, the Titans have plenty of potential.
The hardest part of the rebuild — finding a quarterback — is already in place, and the franchise enters the offseason with nearly $102 million in cap space, the second most in the NFL, and the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. If the Titans add the right pieces, they could be embarrassed sooner rather than later, depending on how Stefanski can accelerate Ward’s development.
