18 Possible Candidates for NFL Head Coaching Vacancies
With two teams, the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, having already fired their head coaches, this could be a star-studded hiring cycle with a mix of proven candidates and up-and-coming talent.
Current/former NFL head coaches
Bill Belichick
The head coach of six Super Bowl victories, Belichick is gearing up to try to get one more gig after an historic 24-year run with the New England Patriots. He’s got a few of his top lieutenants preparing to join him, too, so Belichick’s staff could look awfully familiar if he gets another job.
Mike Vrabel
Vrabel, who turns 50 in August, went 54-45 in six seasons with the Tennessee Titans before he was fired after the 2023 season. It was mildly surprising Vrabel, currently with the Cleveland Browns as a coaching/personnel assistant, didn’t land a job in this past cycle, so he is expected to get a strong look this time around.
Mike McCarthy
McCarthy is on an expiring contract with the Dallas Cowboys, which naturally makes him a free agent. But with the Cowboys badly underperforming, it might be time for the two sides to go in a different direction.
Brian Flores
It’s unclear if an owner would hire Flores after his lawsuit accused the league of racial discrimination, but the defensive mastermind has at least worked himself back into the conversation due to a phenomenal season as the defensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings.
Steve Spagnuolo
Spagnuolo turns 65 in December and hasn’t been a full-time head coach since his stint with the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11, so it’s possible his time has passed. It’s also possible Spagnuolo could be perfectly happy remaining as the architect of the Kansas City Chiefs defense considering they’ll be annual Super Bowl favorites for the foreseeable future.
Kliff Kingsbury
The Washington Commanders offensive coordinator is back in the spotlight due to quarterback Jayden Daniels’ impressive start. Daniels, the runaway NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite, has played very well since the start of the season, and Kingsbury’s play calling has been an integral piece of that equation.
Vance Joseph
The 52-year-old Denver Broncos defensive coordinator appears ready for a second head coaching opportunity. He previously led the Broncos (2017-18) to an 11-21 record, although that team was deep into a rebuilding mode and not set up for success.
Potential first-time NFL head coaches
Ben Johnson
The Lions offensive coordinator has been one of the hottest names over the past two hiring cycles, and that’ll again be the case in January. However, there’s no guarantee he will leave Detroit.
Zac Robinson
The Falcons offensive coordinator is a first-time play caller this season, and they’ve gotten improved production out of running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts despite quarterback Kirk Cousins coming back from a torn Achilles.
Bobby Slowik
The Texans offensive coordinator had a fast rise in 2023 as the man behind C.J. Stroud’s development. He’s seen around the league as a good play caller who wowed his peers with a tremendous game plan during their playoff victory against the Cleveland Browns.
Liam Coen
Quarterback Baker Mayfield is playing the best football of his career for the first-year Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator. They hit it off so well together with the Rams in 2022 that Mayfield personally helped recruit Coen to the Bucs last offseason, which speaks to the OC’s ability to connect with his players.
Drew Petzing
The Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator has gotten the best out of Kyler Murray, and rival coaches and executives have been impressed with Petzing’s work for the past couple of seasons.
Frank Smith
The Dolphins offensive coordinator has done solid work for head coach Mike McDaniel. Smith, 43, has worked for many types of head coaches, including Payton, Jon Gruden and Brandon Staley, so he’s been influenced by a mix of philosophies.
Jesse Minter
The 41-year-old Chargers defensive coordinator worked for John Harbaugh for four seasons (2017-20) with the Baltimore Ravens before linking up with Jim Harbaugh over the last three seasons with Michigan and Los Angeles. Minter has been around a lot of quality coaching over those stretches.
Todd Monken
The 58-year-old Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator has never been a head coach at the NFL level, but he did lead a fairly incredible turnaround as the boss at Southern Miss from 2013-15, turning a winless program in 2012 into a Conference USA championship game appearance in just three years.
Joe Brady
The Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator has gone through quite a bit over the past five years. He was viewed as the next wunderkind after guiding quarterback Joe Burrow and LSU to a historic offensive output during the 2019 national championship run, and the Carolina Panthers scooped him up as their OC the following season.
Conclusion:
This hiring cycle promises to be a star-studded one, with a mix of proven candidates and up-and-coming talent. From Belichick to the potential first-time head coaches, there are many interesting options to consider.
FAQs:
Q: Who are the most experienced head coaches in the league?
A: Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel, and Steve Spagnuolo are among the most experienced head coaches in the league.
Q: Who are some potential first-time head coaches to watch?
A: Ben Johnson, Zac Robinson, Bobby Slowik, Liam Coen, Drew Petzing, Frank Smith, Jesse Minter, Todd Monken, and Joe Brady are some potential first-time head coaches to watch.
Q: Who has the most impressive resume?
A: Bill Belichick has the most impressive resume, with six Super Bowl victories and a 24-year run with the New England Patriots.
Q: Who is the youngest coach in the league?
A: Liam Coen is the youngest coach in the league, at 39 years old.