It’s that time of year again. Over the next few days, we’ll see a flood of coaching talent hit the market — along with a handful of vacancies.
The Atlanta Falcons fired Raheem Morris, the Cleveland Browns parted ways with Kevin Stefanski, the Las Vegas Raiders moved on from Pete Carroll and the Arizona Cardinals let go Jonathan Gannon. Those moves are in addition to the in-season firings of New York Giants coach Brian Daboll and Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan. Now, John Harbaugh is out with the Baltimore Ravens.
Who are the best candidates to fill these NFL head-coaching vacancies? My list may not include some of the reported top candidates around the league, such as Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, Bills OC Joe Brady and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, but they’re my top eight candidates.
[ Ranking the 7 NFL Head Coaching Vacancies ]
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9. Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury
Kingsbury is a former NFL (and school) head coach who struggled in his first go-round. With the Cardinals from 2019 by 2022, Kingsbury went 28-37-1. He’s additionally coming off a tough season in Washington, with Commanders QB Jayden Daniels coping with accidents.
Regardless of all that, the 46-year-old Kingsbury is a well-respected offensive thoughts — and that by no means goes out of favor.
Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has not been shy about his curiosity in changing into an NFL head coach once more. (Photograph by David Berding/Getty Photographs)
8. Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph
It’s wild that Denver’s present defensive coordinator was once the workforce’s head coach — as lately as 2018. Joseph, 53, isn’t the buzziest candidate. His 11-21 head-coaching document throughout his Broncos tenure is what hampers his candidacy even now.
However Joseph has run an unimaginable protection at mainly each cease of his profession. That’s how he bought the primary shot as a head coach and that’s why he’ll get one other. However very similar to former Lions OC Ben Johnson did lately, Joseph ought to sit tight and look forward to the proper alternative.
7. Packers DC Jeff Hafley
The Inexperienced Bay protection hasn’t fairly been the identical because the damage to star edge rusher Micah Parsons, however that doesn’t imply Hafley hasn’t performed a powerful job. It stands to purpose that — very similar to an offense will battle after shedding a QB — the protection would decline following the lack of its most essential participant.
However look again at 2024 when Hafley first stepped into the position. His unit jumped to sixth in factors allowed and fourth in takeaways. The man is totally obsessive about teaching — his love for the sport is actual. And I may see him excelling as a head coach with the proper offensive coordinator.
Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has in depth NFL expertise as an assistant and was the pinnacle coach at Boston School from 2020 to 2023 earlier than becoming a member of Inexperienced Bay. (Photograph by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs)
6. Rams DC Chris Shula
By many metrics, Shula’s unit is a top-10 protection. Sure, he has 2024 Defensive Rookie of the 12 months Jared Verse making splash performs, however Shula has constructed a stable general unit, one which simply might contribute to a Tremendous Bowl run. His résumé ought to solely get extra spectacular because the Rams advance within the playoffs. (I believe they might very effectively win the Tremendous Bowl.)
5. Chargers DC Jesse Minter
A lot of what I simply stated about Shula is true about Minter. There’s loads of buzz round each defensive coordinators in L.A. However I like Minter finest. He has labored on the NFL and school ranges for each Jim and John Harbaugh. So the pedigree is spectacular.
After which there’s the matter of the Chargers‘ defensive stats: sixth in factors allowed (20.1), fifth in yards allowed (288.1), eighth in EPA/play (-.12) and twelfth in defensive success charge (41.6). Minter has performed all that with just one family identify — security Derwin James Jr. That’s proof of a sensible coach who NFL groups can construct round.
Chargers DC Jesse Minter celebrates with cornerback Donte Jackson after an interception in opposition to the Eagles at SoFi Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Occasions through Getty Photographs)
4. Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak
Kubiak has put collectively a very compelling season when it comes to 1) managing quarterback Sam Darnold by ups and downs, 2) elevating Jaxon Smith-Njigba into the dialog because the league’s finest receiver and three) constructing a bodily offensive line round complementary working backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.
There’s no such factor as “Offensive Coordinator of the 12 months,” however for me, it could come right down to Kubiak and the Patriots’ Josh McDaniels. Kubiak has been that good as a complement to Seahawks defensive-minded head coach Mike Macdonald. For that purpose, Kubiak may simply step out on his personal.
3. Vikings DC Brian Flores
Nearly everybody spent the previous few seasons speaking about head coach Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings‘ offense. But it surely was the protection that stored Minnesota afloat in 2025 by means of spectacular expertise growth and deployment. Flores may need been one of the best coach on this workforce this season. He put collectively a protection that gave the league’s high QBs matches.
For a number of causes, his time because the Dolphins‘ head coach may damage him. Not solely did he appear to lose Miami’s locker room on the finish of his tenure, he then filed a class-action lawsuit in opposition to the NFL (which remains to be ongoing) that alleged racial discrimination.
Would an NFL group rent him as head coach in the midst of that? I hope so.
Vikings DC Brian Flores produces one of many league’s high defensive models 12 months in and 12 months out. (Photograph by Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune through Getty Photographs)
2. Former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski
Stefanski’s firing by Cleveland may’ve been one of the best factor for him.
He’ll immediately be a sizzling commodity. In reality, I see him as the highest commodity in an in any other case so-so crop of candidates. There actually aren’t many high offensive minds out there, which works in Stefanski’s favor. And there aren’t many organizations which are as a lot of an institutional failure because the Browns, which — once more — works in his favor. However Stefanksi proved competent, whilst his roster eroded partially due to the disastrous Deshaun Watson commerce.
1. Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh is one of the best coach out there on the open market. And the Baltimore Ravens are one of the best opening.
However when the Ravens misplaced within the AFC North title sport in Week 18, it ought to have been clear to everybody that we had a bizarre scenario the place Harbaugh wasn’t one of the best coach for Baltimore anymore — even when he’s now one of the best coach for mainly each one of many different six groups with a gap.
Harbaugh’s résumé is superb. He’s a Tremendous Bowl champion. He’s a former Coach of the 12 months. He drafted and developed a pocket passer in Joe Flacco (out of Delaware!?). After which he drafted and developed a dual-threat quarterback in Lamar Jackson (out of Louisville). His head teaching document is 180-113. His postseason document is 13-11.
Harbaugh doesn’t fall within the class of Invoice Belichick and Pete Carroll — older coaches who perhaps have seen the sport go them by. No, Harbaugh has many good years left. He’ll make his subsequent workforce a contender.
Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years protecting the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Comply with him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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