The NFL took the crazy season to a new level with John Harbaugh getting fired by the Ravens after 18 seasons and Mike Tomlin walking away from the Steelers after 19 years.  These were the two longest tenured coaches in the league, and both are Super Bowl winners.  Add them to two-time winning Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland and the only AFC North coach coming back next year is Zac Taylor in Cincinnati.  Taylor could have been fired but the Bengals don’t like to fire coaches with time left on their contracts so Taylor will be on the firing line next year.

There will be nine new head coaches next year, that’s a lot.  It’s almost always somewhere between 5-8 each off season so nine is on the high side, although it’s not unheard of.  The jobs are the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals.  I’ll take a look here at each job and give you some thoughts on who’s up for the job, who I would recommend, and my prediction for each opening.  At the end I’ll throw in some thoughts on some coordinator openings that are intriguing.  Let’s dive in.

New York Giants

Out: Brian Daboll-fired in season

In: John Harbaugh-finalizing a deal

The Giants wasted no time getting Harbaugh in for an interview and they are moving fast.  With Mike Tomlin looking to take at least a year off, Harbaugh is the top candidate for pretty much everyone and he was just deciding where to interview.  The Giants are a good job with QB Jaxson Dart, RB Cam Skattebo, WR Malik Nabers, LT Andrew Thomas, DT Dexter Lawrence, Edge rushers Adbul Carter and Brian Burns, and some other young talent on defense.  Having QB, WR, LT, DT, and DE looking good means your team is off to a good start.  It will be interesting to see how it shakes out with GM Joe Schoen, who has been retained so far, and a new coach with as much leverage as Harbaugh has. 

The luck may have turned for the Giants because they have had a series of misses at head coach and were looking at another tough coaching search without a great list of candidates until Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti gifted them Harbaugh.  Maybe they would have ended up with Stefanski but no one has the resume of Harbaugh at this point (since Tomlin’s not taking a job).

My Recommendation: Definitely would have been Harbaugh.

My Prediction: None, Harbaugh already has the job.

Baltimore Ravens

Out: John Harbaugh

Top Candidates: Jesse Minter, Anthony Weaver, Kevin Stefanski, Jim Schwartz, Brian Flores, Klint Kubiak, Vance Joseph

With Harbaugh gone and likely taking OC Todd Monken with him to New York, this is a complete reboot of the coaching staff.  The Ravens have been built on their defense for a long time and have had some excellent defensive coaches who have moved elsewhere.  Mike Macdonald is the one that got away as he’s the head coach in Seattle now.  If they are looking for someone similar, Jesse Minter is that guy.  Minter is the Chargers DC and he’s been awesome.  He’s still young at 42 but he has great experience.  He coached for the Ravens as a defensive assistant, was also the National Championship winning DC under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, and now has had two excellent years running the Chargers defense. 

Anthony Weaver is another coach who spent time on the defensive staff for the Ravens before he took over the Dolphins defense a couple years ago. People rave about Weaver as a leader and he once served as the Assistant Head Coach of the Ravens for John Harbaugh.  Weaver also worked with Mike Vrabel when Vrabel was in Houston.  Minter and Weaver should be at the top of the Ravens list because they know the team, they understand the culture, and they are two guys who have earned their shot. 

Kevin Stefanski is an excellent coach who’s been in a horrible situation.  Jim Schwartz has been a great defensive coordinator for a long time in the NFL.  So has Brian Flores and he deserves another shot.  Vance Joseph is coordinating the best defense in the league and he’s worthy too. 

My Recommendation: Hire Minter, he can keep the culture while making the right changes.

My Prediction: Jesse Minter – The Ravens regret letting Mike Macdonald get away, Minter is the closest they get to him. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Out: Mike Tomlin

Top Candidates: Brian Flores, Chris Shula, Kevin Stefanski, Nate Scheelhaase, Anthony Weaver, Ejiro Evero

The Steelers don’t do this very often, only 3 coaches since 1969.  When they hired Bill Cowher and when they hired Tomlin, those weren’t hot coaching candidates, they were just the guys they liked the best in the interview room.  That makes this tough because we aren’t in the room to see what they see.  Their list has some young and intriguing choices like Chris Shula and Nate Scheelhaase from the Rams.  Shula, the grandson of the great Don Shula has been Sean McVay’s DC for the past two seasons and he’s been excellent.  After the team lost Aaron Donald to retirement and Jalen Ramsey left, everyone expected a downturn, it didn’t happen.  Shula is a bright, young defensive mind.  Nate Scheelhaase is the passing game coordinator for Sean McVay’s Rams and he’s seen as an up-and-comer.  He’s only been an NFL coach for two seasons, he came from being Iowa St.’s OC to work with McVay.  He could blow them away in the process. 

Stefanski, again is an excellent coach but probably not their guy.  Anthony Weaver might have some of that Tomlin interview energy and that also goes for Evero.  Neither one of them coordinated elite defenses this year but it is more about them as leaders than X’s and O’s guys.  Flores spent a year coaching LBs for Tomlin after he left Miami and so there is some familiarity to the organization.

My Recommendation: Anthony Weaver. He feels like a guy who could keep the Tomlin culture going but give it a refresh. 

My Prediction: Chris Shula-he just feels like the type of young guy they will like. 

Atlanta Falcons

Out: Raheem Morris

Top Candidates: Jeff Hafley, Mike McDaniel, Kevin Stefanski, Klint Kubiak, Anthony Weaver, Aden Durde

The Falcons are starting the whole thing over with Matt Ryan being hired to be President of Football Operations and he’s in charge of hiring a new GM and head coach.  I’m not sure where he’s leaning at GM but he could have some strong feelings on head coach. Jeff Hafley coached at Boston College and Matt Ryan is an alumnus.  They weren’t there at the same time but certainly Ryan knows Hafley.  Ryan did cross paths with Mike McDaniel who was an offensive assistant for the Falcons when Ryan was the QB.  Ryan had his most success under Kyle Shanahan and that’s who McDaniel worked under before being a head coach.  McDaniel also would have crossed paths with Jeff Ulbrich in Atlanta when they were both assistants.  The Falcons would like to keep Ulbrich as their DC and McDaniel may be open to that.

Stefanski is going to be up for most jobs so I’m mentioning him here.  He isn’t connected to Ryan but his offense would work for the Falcons.  Klint Kubiak is a hot OC who could get a job and he runs the Shanahan offense too.  Weaver is a guy well liked in the league and well respected in coaching circles.  Aden Durde is a new name for most but he’s the DC in Seattle under Mike Macdonald so his name is going to keep coming up. 

My Recommendation: Mike McDaniel, if anyone is going to save Michael Penix as a franchise QB, it’s him.

My Prediction: Mike McDaniel- I just can’t get the fit with Ryan and with Ulbrich out of my mind. The only question is will McDaniel like the idea of Michael Penix at QB.  If he doesn’t, he’s the most overqualified OC candidate for the top teams looking for an OC. 

Miami Dolphins

Out: Mike McDaniel

Top Candidates: Jeff Hafley, Kevin Stefanski, Robert Saleh, Joe Brady, Anthony Campanile, Chris Shula

The Dolphins fired GM Chris Grier during the season and then waited a few extra days after then end of the season to fire Mike McDaniel.  The firing coincided with the Ravens firing John Harbaugh and felt like a reaction to it and many assumed owner Stephen Ross might make a play for Harbaugh.  That didn’t happen and he hired Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM from Green Bay.  Sullivan was in Green Bay a long time and so he has connections to current Packers DC Jeff Hafley and former Packers defensive assistant Anthony Campanile.  Hafley might just have a leg up here because of that but Campanile has really impressed this year as the Jaguars DC.  It could be a dogfight between the two of them.  This isn’t the most attractive job because you have to figure out the QB situation with Tua. 

Stefanski, yep he’s still here and is a solid candidate.  Saleh is a guy who really rehabbed his coaching stock by taking the MASH unit that is San Fransico’s defense and doing quite well.  He made people remember what made him such a great coach before the Jets fiasco.  Joe Brady hasn’t gotten a lot of requests to interview and it may be because the Bills are still playing.  I’m throwing Chris Shula in here but I wouldn’t think he would want to take his first head coaching job where his grandfather was such a legend, that’s a lot to ask. 

My Recommendation: Jeff Hafley, he seems ready for the move and as long as he finds an OC, he should be good.

My Prediction: Jeff Hafley- It feels like he’s going to get a job this cycle and this is the best chance he has at one.  The connection to Sullivan wins out. 

Tennessee Titans

Out: Brian Callahan

Top Candidates: Kevin Stefanski, Arthur Smith, Klint Kubiak, Matt Nagy, Mike McCarthy, Mike McDaniel

The Titans are in a unique position because it feels like they want an offensive mind to coach Cam Ward.  The defensive coordinator group is better stocked with young talent than the offensive side so it’s a different search.  Stefanski and McDaniel are the best offensive minds available this cycle and the Titans may luck out that the better jobs will be filled by defensive candidates.  Stefanski would be an excellent fit and he would love the idea of having his QB and it not being Deshaun Watson.  McDaniel could also do wonders with Ward. 

Arthur Smith was the Steelers OC but the best work in his career was as the OC of the Titans when Mike Vrabel was the coach, the ownership group hasn’t forgotten him.  Matt Nagy has a connection to GM Mike Borgonzi who used to be in Kansas City.  I can’t see a team with a young QB going with Nagy after his time in Chicago. Also, the Titans are going to be opening a new stadium and Matt Nagy is not the name they need selling tickets.  Klint Kubiak is an excellent young offensive mind but I’m not sure he’s up for this job.

My Recommendation: Kevin Stefanski, they would be lucky to get such a good coach after firing Mike Vrabel and whiffing on Brian Callahan. 

My Prediction: Kevin Stefanski- he’s such a good coach and here he gets to build out his offense around a QB he might actually like.  The Titans get lucky that the Giants got Harbaugh and Ravens going with a guy they know well.  This is a good match. 

Las Vegas Raiders

Out: Pete Carroll

Top Candidates: Brian Flores, Vance Joseph, Jesse Minter, Ejiro Evero, Davis Webb, Klint Kubiak

The Raiders are hiring a coach again, it’s a yearly ritual in Sin City.  There was an early rumor that Tom Brady wants Brian Flores and to bring in Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator, that would be way too good for this franchise.  They haven’t had competent coaching like that since Jon Gruden…the first time.  They are looking at the usual suspects at this point.  Vance Joseph, Jesse Minter, and Ejiro Evero are defensive coordinators who deserve a shot, or a second shot in Joseph’s case.  Kubiak is the offensive mind a lot of teams are kicking the tires on.  The one outside the box idea is Davis Webb.  Webb was a backup/third-string QB in the league not long ago and he’s only 30.  Currently, he’s Sean Payton’s QB coach in Denver but he’s a guy on the fast track.  The potential pairing of Vance Joseph as head coach and Webb as the OC would make some sense too.  They are both currently on the Broncos staff. 

My Recommendation: Move heaven and earth to convince Brian Flores to take the head job and for Brian Daboll to be his offensive coordinator.

My Prediction: They will screw this up.  That’s my prediction, they will screw this up.  Unless Brady can pull off the Flores/Daboll thing, this could go badly.  I’ll pick Flores for now but more likely they hire Webb without getting him some help to fix the o-line or they hire Evero and he can’t get a decent OC which will screw him over. 

Cleveland Browns

Out: Kevin Stefanski

Top Candidates: Mike McDaniel, Grant Udinski, Tommy Rees, Jim Schwartz, Nate Scheelhaase, Dan Pitcher

The Browns are clearly looking for a young offensive coordinator type who doesn’t understand how bad this job is.  Their preferred candidate is Mike McDaniel because at least he’s been a head coach.  Grant Udinski (Jaguars), Tommy Rees (Browns), Nate Scheelhaase (Rams), and Dan Pitcher (Bengals) are all young offensive guys who are some sort of coordinator (Scheelhaase is the passing game coordinator, the others are OC) for play calling head coaches.  Jim Schwartz has been the Browns awesome DC but he was a failed head coach once and hasn’t gotten a second shot.  None of these young coaches should take this job as their first job, they can all wait for a better opportunity.  McDaniel is said to be thinking about taking a good OC job instead of one of the bad head coach jobs (that would be the Browns, Cardinals, and maybe the Raiders he would be avoiding).

My Recommendation: When they strike out on the young OCs they should promote Schwartz and then make Rees the play calling OC.  This team is in transition and I’m not sure any hire is a long-term thing. 

My Prediction: Mike McCarthy- Once the Browns strike out on all of these guys, including McDaniel taking the OC job with the Eagles or Lions or someone like that, they pivot.  McCarthy is looking for a third chance at a head coaching job, he wouldn’t object to Jim Schwartz staying on as defensive coordinator, and at least he’s willing to do the job. 

Arizona Cardinals

Out: Jonathan Gannon

Top Candidates: Vance Joseph, Robert Saleh, Arthur Smith, Thomas Brown, Matt Burke, Klint Kubiak

The Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon and rightfully so but there were only expected to be maybe five openings at the time, instead there are nine.  The Cardinals are at the bottom of the pecking order with the Browns.  The Kyler Murray situation at QB is murky at best, the offensive line needs an overhaul, and the team has been bad for a while.  Vance Joseph was an excellent defensive coordinator for them at one time, so his name is here.  Robert Saleh would be a guy to bring a complete change from the personality of Jonathan Gannon.  Gannon had a reputation for being an odd duck and not much of a motivator, Saleh is the exact opposite. 

Arthur Smith has ties to the Titans organization and GM Monti Ossenfort was with the Titans for a time.  Thomas Brown is with the Patriots but he’s been with a few organizations and has a lot of fans in the league.  He may not get a head coaching job this cycle but I think he’s a likely OC for one of the better OC openings in the league.  Matt Burke is the DC in Houston and has been an excellent DC who doesn’t get as much credit as he should because his head coach DeMeco Ryans is a defensive guy.  Burke calls that defense and should get more credit.  Kubiak could be the guy here, but he might be better off passing on this job and staying Seattle’s OC if he can’t do better.

My Recommendation: Anthony Weaver or Robert Saleh.  Jonathan Gannon was such a strange personality this team needs to think about getting a more dynamic football guy.  Saleh or Weaver fit that mold.    

My Prediction: Vance Joseph- He deserves another shot, he got shortchanged when he was the head coach in Denver.  It’s not an easy job and it’s not that desirable but Joseph’s knowledge of the franchise should make him more amenable to taking the position. 

Quick Hitters

One of the more interesting things about this hiring cycle is that most of the good young coaches teams are looking at are defensive guys.  Jesse Minter (Chargers DC), Anthony Weaver (Miami DC), Jeff Hafley (Green Bay DC), Anthony Campanile (Jacksonville DC), Chris Shula (Rams DC), Ejiro Evero (Carolina DC), Aden Durde (Seattle DC), and Matt Burke (Houston DC) are roughly in their 40s (Shula is 39, Burke turns 50 in March).  These are guys who are seen as being ready to step into head coaching roles.  It’s been said that there aren’t a lot of good young offensive guys which is why Kevin Stefanski and Mike McDaniel are getting so many interviews, good offensive guys who are still young but are on their second job.  Klint Kubiak is the only young offensive coordinator getting serious consideration and even he has people wondering if he’s ready. 

With that said, there are a ton of really young up-and-coming offensive minds that just aren’t quite ready for the top job yet but should be getting OC jobs for some of these defensive guys.  It’s actually a really good thing for a few of the older DCs like Brian Flores, Robert Saleh, Vance Joseph, and Jim Schwartz because these guys may have failed before because they missed on the offensive coordinators they hired.  Certainly, that was true for Flores in Miami and Saleh had OC and QB problems with the Jets. 

Davis Webb (Denver QB coach), Grant Udinski (Jacksonville OC), Nate Scheelhaase (Rams passing game coordinator), Mike LaFluer (Rams OC), Klay Kubiak (San Francisco OC), Thomas Brown (New England passing game coordinator), Tommy Rees (Cleveland OC), Klayton Adams (Dallas OC) and Dan Pitcher (Cincinnati OC) might be guys to look at if your team needs a new OC and there are a few established teams looking to make changes there.  Philadelphia, Detroit, LA Chargers and Kansas City are all looking for new OCs for their well-established head coaches.  The young guys may stay with the coaches they are already working with but they should be looking to move for a play calling job if they don’t have one right now. 

The 4 Big OC Jobs

Kansas City Chiefs – Andy Reid has allowed both Eric Bienemy and Matt Nagy to call plays for him so this is an attractive job.  I don’t think he’ll put one of these young guys in charge of rebooting the Mahomes offense though.  I think he hires Kliff Kingsbury.  Mahomes knows Kingsbury well and while it won’t be the Air Raid from their college days, it will be a better passing game than Nagy had going last year.

Philadelphia Eagles – This could be the Brian Daboll spot when Las Vegas screws up the Flores/Daboll pairing.  Nick Sirianni needs another new offensive coordinator and it’s an even numbered year so it should be a good one this time.  Kevin Patullo (2025), Kellen Moore (2024), Brian Johnson (2023), Shane Steichen (2022), it’s a pattern.  Daboll is a good offensive mind and he’s better off as a play caller in the booth and not coaching on the sidelines, he’s too emotional on the sidelines.  This is a GM Howie Roseman thing, Sirianni isn’t hiring this OC.  He’s going to shoot for the moon with Daboll and McDaniel first but he may have to settle for Mike Kafka.    

Detroit Lions – In their dreams they get Mike McDaniel if he doesn’t get one of the better head coaching jobs.  If it’s between the Browns head coaching job and Detroit’s OC job, take the Detroit job Mike.  I think he gets the Atlanta job so they have to move on.  This is where one of the young guys could go shine.  One of McVay’s guys, Mike LaFluer or Nate Scheelhaase, would be excellent.  Maybe they go the Shanahan tree and grab Klay Kubiak, he’s the younger brother of Klink Kubiak and is San Fransico’s OC.  The dark horse for me here is Thomas Brown, the Patriots passing game coordinator.  No ties that I know of, but he is well respected in the league and he did a great job for the three games he was promoted to OC in Chicago last year before he then got promoted again to head coach.  I don’t want to see the Patriots lose him because if Josh McDaniels does ever get another head coaching shot, I would like Brown to take over as OC, but that’s a pipe dream, he’s getting an OC job before McDaniels could possibly leave.

Los Angeles Chargers – This one is a mystery to me because Jim Harbaugh doesn’t have an extensive network in the league at this point.  He took most of his staff from guys his brother John had in Baltimore but he just fired Greg Roman so there aren’t any others to pick from.  Mike Kafka (Giants OC/interim HC), Matt Nagy (Kansas City OC), or another retread OC feels like a Harbaugh pick. He should really look to the Rams or 49ers staffs.  One name that has a tie to the Chargers organization but not Harbaugh is Miami Dolphins OC Frank Smith.  With Mike McDaniel gone I would assume they are moving on from him but I believe he’s still under contract with Miami until they hire a new coach.  Smith is well known for his offensive line and run game prowess so that would fit quite nicely with what the Chargers need.