Two weeks into the NFL coaching hiring cycle, the New York Giants have officially found their next leader in John Harbaugh, taking one of the hottest candidates off the board. Also, the Atlanta Falcons have hired Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach.
Despite the playoffs being in full swing, teams are working to finalize hires. The question now is which candidates the remaining franchises will choose to lead their organizations. Below is a breakdown of who is most likely to be hired for each remaining head coaching opening following the Giants’ and Falcons’ moves.
1. Baltimore Ravens: Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator
One of the primary reasons former head coach John Harbaugh was dismissed was the team’s inability to maximize the potential of two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Todd Monken, Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator for three seasons, admitted he “didn’t coach Lamar well enough” and acknowledged that their relationship was not as strong as it could have been.
Jackson’s next relationship with his playcaller will be a major factor in whether he can eventually win a Super Bowl. Kubiak is among the top offensive candidates available after leading the Seahawks offense to the ninth-best mark in PFSN’s Offensive Impact Metric.
His balanced philosophy produced one of the league’s best running back tandems in Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, helped Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerge as the league’s leading receiver, and supported Sam Darnold’s continued development into a top-10 quarterback.
2. Buffalo Bills: Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator
Sean McDermott proved to be a great regular-season head coach over his eight-year tenure with the Buffalo Bills. He played a key role in Josh Allen’s development and consistently raised the floor of his team, even when injuries devastated the squad, like in 2022 and 2025. Unfortunately, heartbreaks in the playoffs were a consistent theme, and the team needed a change in leadership.
The Bills don’t look far for their next head coach in this scenario. Joe Brady is considered an up-and-coming candidate, having received interviews for the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and Las Vegas Raiders openings this year. He’s shown an excellent ability to be scheme-flexible, as shown this season when he adjusted the offense to be more balanced instead of pass-heavy. Continuing Allen’s chemistry with his offensive play-caller would be a smart move.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: Chris Shula, Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator
In hindsight, it is not unthinkable that this could have been Mike Tomlin’s final season, though the move remains surprising. In 2006, the Steelers made a similarly bold decision when they hired Tomlin after just one year as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator. He had never been a head coach at any level, but ownership believed he would grow into the role — and they were right.
Twenty years later, Pittsburgh could take a comparable path with Shula. He has overseen a young, star-powered Rams defense led by Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, and Kobie Turner, playing a key role in their development. In Pittsburgh, he would look to carry on the storied Shula coaching legacy.
4. Miami Dolphins: Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator
After initially retaining Mike McDaniel through the general manager interview process, owner Stephen Ross abruptly moved on from him, likely at the request of new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, formerly of Green Bay. McDaniel appeared to stabilize the team after early-season struggles, but it ultimately was not enough to save his job.
One of the most common criticisms of the McDaniel era was a lack of physicality and toughness — something Hafley could immediately address. He has been instrumental in shaping Green Bay’s high-level defense, developing young players into reliable contributors. Even with Miami’s current defensive limitations, his multiple-front scheme could bring immediate improvement. This move would also reunite Hafley with Sullivan.
5. Arizona Cardinals: Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator
It’s easy to see the vision behind the Cardinals’ hiring of Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. His scheme was unique, he came from a winning franchise, and he knew how to identify talent. However, during his time in Arizona, the team failed to establish a consistent culture.
Enter Saleh, who has demonstrated elite culture-building ability and brings prior head coaching experience with the New York Jets. Despite injury issues, he helped guide San Francisco’s defense to elite production by elevating reserve players to near-starter levels. If Arizona can pair him with a competent quarterback, he could eventually make a significant impact in the competitive NFC West.
6. Tennessee Titans: Mike McDaniel, Former Miami Dolphins Head Coach
The Titans were the first team to fire their head coach, dismissing Brian Callahan just six weeks into the season. Callahan finished with a 4-19 record and struggled to put quarterback Cam Ward in advantageous situations or develop the surrounding talent. Under interim coach Mike McCoy, Ward showed modest improvement late in the year.
Tennessee’s top priority is continuing Ward’s development, and few candidates are better equipped to do that than McDaniel. While he would need to apply lessons learned from Miami regarding culture, he remains one of the most innovative offensive minds in football. His motion-heavy, misdirection-based offense could open the field for Ward and help accelerate his growth.
7. Cleveland Browns: Todd Monken, Former Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator
There’s no doubt the Browns needed a change at head coach. Kevin Stefanski’s message appeared to be wearing thin, and questionable quarterback decisions compounded the issue. While not all the blame falls on him, the situation had become unsustainable.
Monken may not have had the strongest relationship with Lamar Jackson, but he was still a key architect of Jackson’s 2023 MVP campaign. He has a proven track record as an offensive coordinator at both the NFL and collegiate levels, tailoring schemes to fit his quarterback’s strengths. While not the most glamorous option, Cleveland did request a second interview with him. If defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz could be retained, the hire could prove quietly effective.
8. Las Vegas Raiders: Sean McDermott, Former Buffalo Bills Head Coach
Sometimes, a head coach just isn’t able to get over the hump in a certain place. In McDermott’s case, he had the right message, but it just wore thin after so many difficult playoff finishes. He took the Bills over in 2017, coming over from Ron Rivera’s Carolina Panthers staff. He was a key figure in ending their 17-year playoff drought and established a strong, accountability-led culture.
That’s exactly what the Raiders should be in search of. Having fired head coaches in back-to-back years, the team is looking for an identity, and McDermott has shown he can build the foundation. Making the playoffs eight out of his nine years is rare consistency, and he definitely deserves another chance to prove he can accomplish the ultimate Super Bowl prize.
Anybody but Monken.