The 2024 NFL hiring cycle is well underway. The New England Patriots have already made the first move, promoting inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to head coach one day after parting ways with franchise icon Bill Belichick. But seven open head coaching jobs remain unfilled as teams ramp up their interview processes this week.
Which candidates will take which HC positions? Let’s run through each of the seven vacancies and predict which option might have the inside track.
2024 NFL Head Coach Matchmaker
Atlanta Falcons | Bill Belichick
The Dallas Cowboys might become a more attractive landing spot if Jerry Jones decides to fire Mike McCarthy, but the Atlanta Falcons currently look like Bill Belichick’s best destination after spending nearly a quarter-century in New England.
Multiple reports have tied Belichick to Atlanta, and the fit makes sense. Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who’s only hired first-time head coaches during his tenure, is 81 years old and probably isn’t willing to sit through a lengthy rebuild.
The Falcons are ready to compete immediately, as long as they can find an answer at quarterback. Incumbent general manager Terry Fontent is still around to assist Belichick with roster machinations, and Belichick can hire Josh McDaniels to run Atlanta’s offense.
Meanwhile, the thought of coaching A.J. Terrell and Jessie Bates III in the Falcons’ secondary surely intrigues one of the game’s best defensive minds.
Carolina Panthers | Bobby Slowik
While Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is reportedly the Carolina Panthers’ No. 1 choice to take over as head coach, we’ll send Johnson elsewhere in just a bit. Johnson is arguably this cycle’s hottest HC candidate, but the Panthers are one of the least alluring jobs on the market, so Carolina may have to settle for another option.
Still, the Panthers offer one of 32 head coaching positions. Despite Bryce Young’s struggles, Carolina’s lack of draft capital, and owner David Tepper’s potential interference, the Panthers should be able to land an excellent candidate, especially given Tepper’s deep pocketbooks.
Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is just 36 years old and has only one season of play-calling experience. But he helped guide QB C.J. Stroud to a dominant rookie campaign and has spent his career working alongside respected head coaches like Kyle Shanahan and DeMeco Ryans.
Las Vegas Raiders | Antonio Pierce
Raiders owner Mark Davis didn’t retain interim head coach Rich Bisaccia in 2021, even after he took Las Vegas to the playoffs. Facing the same decision on Antonio Pierce three years later, Davis may go the other way this time around.
Pierce, installed as the Raiders’ HC following Josh McDaniels’ Halloween firing, went 5-4 down the stretch. Las Vegas scored 63 points on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15, then took down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansa City Chiefs the following week.
MORE: 2024 NFL Head Coach Interview Tracker
The Raiders were in playoff contention until the tail end of the season, and the team’s players now want Pierce back. Standout pass rusher Maxx Crosby is expected to request a trade if Las Vegas doesn’t remove the interim tag from Pierce’s title.
For now, the Raiders are conducting a halfhearted HC search, with former Buffalo Bills DC Leslie Frazier as their only known external candidate. Pierce is considered the leading candidate for the job, but he’s also meeting with the Falcons and Tennessee Titans.
Los Angeles Chargers | Jim Harbaugh
Justin Herbert is the Chargers’ trump card. Los Angeles’ aging roster needs work, and the organization’s immediate salary cap outlook isn’t ideal. But the Bolts are the only team with a head coaching vacancy that can offer a top-five NFL quarterback — and one who’s already signed a long-term contract, at that.
Jim Harbaugh seems ready for a new challenge after winning a national championship with Michigan last week. He’s meeting with the Chargers on Monday, and while he’s far from the only candidate, Harbaugh might be able to write his own ticket to join an LA franchise desperate for a winner.
While Harbaugh reportedly has a contract offer from the Wolverines in hand, he’s also been exploring his NFL options and updating staff lists, per NFL Network. Harbaugh is not believed to have demanded the ability to hire his own general manager.
Seattle Seahawks | Dan Quinn
Although the Seahawks have yet to request any interviews after parting ways with longtime head coach Pete Carroll last week, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is expected to be atop Seattle’s list of preferred candidates.
Quinn spent four total seasons (two as DC) with the Seahawks, winning a Super Bowl while helping construct the Legion of Boom.
Quinn, the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach from 2015-20, should already be intimately familiar with the Seahawks’ internal culture. But he might be able to modernize Seattle’s disappointing defense after showing a willingness to move away from the Seahawks’ Cover 3-focused mindset in Dallas.
Quinn has rebuffed head coaching interviews in consecutive offseasons, but he might have been waiting for a gig like Seattle’s to open. He’s also a candidate in Carolina, Los Angeles, Tennessee, and Washington.
Tennessee Titans | Mike Macdonald
The Titans shockingly fired Mike Vrabel after six seasons and now need to find a replacement for the 2021 Coach of the Year.
While a candidate like Slowik might appeal to Tennessee GM Ran Carthon, given their shared time with the San Francisco 49ers, we’re instead sending Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Texans.
MORE: 2024 NFL Head Coaching Vacancies Ranked
Macdonald helped Baltimore rank first in points per drive (1.35) and second in yards per play (4.6) despite battling injuries to key contributors like CB Marlon Humphrey, S Marcus Williams, and EDGE Odafe Oweh. He runs varied coverage schemes, deploys sim pressures, and uses every other trick in the book to give the Ravens an edge.
Macdonald would need to bring in a solid offensive play-caller to work with Titans QB Will Levis. Ravens quarterbacks coach Tee Martin — who interviewed for OC positions with the Bills and Indianapolis Colts over the past two offseasons — makes sense for that role.
Washington Commanders | Ben Johnson
Johnson is the top head coaching choice for both the Commanders and the Panthers, but this should be an easy choice for Detroit’s offensive play-caller.
Washington has already hired former 49ers executive Adam Peters, considered one of the brightest front-office minds in the league, as its new general manager. No team is projected to have more 2024 cap space ($75+ million) than the Commanders. And they hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, enabling them to land a franchise quarterback like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.
New owner Josh Harris, who also owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, is taking Washington in a forward-thinking, analytically-minded direction. Johnson studied computer science in college and runs one of the NFL’s most creative, dynamic, and aggressive offenses. It’s a match made in heaven.
Want to predict the results of the 2023 NFL postseason with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? How about looking into in-depth breakdowns of team depth charts or the NFL playoff schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with all that and more!