The NFL coaching carousel isn't just a revolving door; it’s a meat grinder. Every January, billionaire owners convince themselves that one man—usually a guy with a nice headset and a thick playbook—holds the magic key to a Lombardi Trophy. This year is no different. We've got a massive shakeup with high-profile coaching vacancies in the NFL opening up in places you’d never expect, like Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
It's wild. For the first time in nearly two decades, John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin aren't on their respective sidelines. That’s essentially a tectonic shift for the league. When you have pillars like that falling, the entire market for coaching talent gets aggressive, expensive, and a little bit desperate.
The 2026 Landscape: Who is Actually Looking?
As of mid-January 2026, the league is staring down nine major openings. Well, eight now, because the New York Giants finally stopped the bleeding by landing John Harbaugh.
The Giants firing Brian Daboll wasn't a shock—the guy went 20-40-1 over four seasons—but landing a Super Bowl winner like Harbaugh on a $150 million deal? That’s a statement. It also means the Baltimore Ravens are now in the unfamiliar position of hunting for a leader for the first time since 2008.
Here is the current state of the "Help Wanted" signs:
- Baltimore Ravens: The gold standard of vacancies. You get Lamar Jackson. You get a stable front office. It's the job every coordinator is salivating over.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin stepping down (or being pushed, depending on who you ask in the Steel City) has left a void. The Steelers don't do "coaching searches" often. They've had three coaches since 1969. This hire will define the next twenty years for them.
- Las Vegas Raiders: It’s a mess. Pete Carroll was a one-and-done experiment that flopped hard at 3-14. Now, they have the No. 1 overall pick and Tom Brady in the ownership suite whispering in Mark Davis's ear.
- Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel is out. The "mad scientist" routine grew old after back-to-back years of missing the playoffs. Miami is looking for discipline now.
- Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski finally hit his ceiling. Despite two Coach of the Year awards, a 45-56 record and a toxic quarterback situation meant he had to go.
The Atlanta Falcons actually moved the fastest, officially naming Stefanski as their new head coach just yesterday. Honestly, it’s a smart move for Atlanta. They have Michael Penix Jr. and a roster that just needs a steady hand. Stefanski gets a fresh start away from the Cleveland chaos.
Why Experience is Winning This Cycle
There’s this obsession in the NFL with finding "the next Sean McVay." Owners want the 30-something genius who can draw up a touchdown on a napkin. But look at what’s happening right now.
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The Giants went for Harbaugh. The Falcons went for Stefanski. Even the Arizona Cardinals, who fired Jonathan Gannon after a brutal nine-game losing streak, are heavily interviewing guys like Raheem Morris and Robert Saleh.
Teams are tired of the "project" coach.
When you have coaching vacancies in the NFL in big-market or legacy franchises, the pressure to win right now is suffocating. If you’re the Raiders, do you really want a first-time coordinator learning on the fly while you’re trying to develop the top pick in the draft? Probably not. You want a guy who has sat in the big chair before.
The "Young Gun" Exception: Klint Kubiak and Joe Brady
Of course, the "experienced" rule isn't absolute. If you want to talk about pure buzz, look at Klint Kubiak in Seattle. He turned Sam Darnold into a legitimate threat and had the Seahawks offense ranking third in the league in points.
Then there’s Joe Brady in Buffalo. Coordinating an offense for Josh Allen is a bit like driving a Ferrari—it’s hard to look bad doing it—but Brady has kept that unit in the top six for scoring two years running. He’s only 36. He’s going to get a job, likely with a team that has a veteran QB who needs a spark, maybe Miami.
The Defensive Shift
Interestingly, defensive coordinators are making a huge comeback this cycle. For a few years, if you weren't an "offensive guru," you weren't getting an interview. Now?
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- Chris Shula (Rams DC): The grandson of Don Shula is the hottest name in the building. He took the league's cheapest defense and turned them into a top-10 unit. Miami is reportedly obsessed with bringing him "home."
- Jesse Minter (Chargers DC): He’s been a favorite for the Ravens' job since Harbaugh left. The connection is obvious, and the scheme is already in place.
- Brian Flores (Vikings DC): He’s done his time in the coordinator ranks and built one of the most feared defenses in Minnesota. The Raiders are looking at him to bring some "Silver and Black" nastiness back to Vegas.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Search Process
Fans think owners just watch the games and pick the guy with the best record. It’s way more political than that.
Take the Atlanta search. Matt Ryan, now the President of Football Operations, was the driving force behind the Stefanski hire. They have a history. They speak the same language.
In Las Vegas, Tom Brady's influence cannot be overstated. He’s not just a legendary QB; he’s a partner. Any coach going there has to be someone Brady respects. That’s a very short list of people.
The Cardinals are another weird case. They’ve reached out to 13 different candidates. To some, that looks thorough. To others, it looks like they have no idea what their identity is. When you interview that many people, you aren't looking for a specific fit; you're looking for someone to tell you what your team should be.
The Toxic Quarterback Trap
If you're a top-tier candidate, you aren't just looking at the paycheck. You’re looking at the signal-caller.
The Cleveland Browns job is arguably the worst in the league right now. Why? Because the Deshaun Watson contract is still an albatross, and the roster has two rookie QBs in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel who are talented but unproven. If you take that job and fail to develop those kids, your career as a head coach is effectively over.
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Contrast that with the Ravens. You walk in, and you have a two-time MVP. You have a defense that knows how to play. You have an owner in Steve Bisciotti who doesn't fire people on a whim (usually).
The coaching vacancies in the NFL this year are a tale of two worlds: the "Plug and Play" jobs and the "Total Rebuilds."
How the Next Few Weeks Will Play Out
We are entering the "Second Interview" phase. This is where the real separation happens.
The Dolphins are bringing in Jeff Hafley (Packers DC) for an in-person meeting. He’s the first one to get a second look in Miami. That usually means he’s the front-runner.
The Raiders are still cycling through. They’ve talked to 11 people already, including guys like Nate Scheelhaase and Mike LaFleur from the Rams. It feels like they are trying to steal the "Rams magic," but as we’ve seen with the Chargers and Brandon Staley in the past, that doesn't always translate.
Strategic Steps for the Remaining Teams
If I'm a GM with a vacancy right now, here is the playbook:
- Stop Chasing the Trend: Don't hire a guy just because he worked for Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan. Hire the guy who can actually manage a 53-man roster and a $250 million salary cap.
- Evaluate the Staff, Not Just the Man: A head coach is only as good as the coordinators he brings with him. Ask for their "Short List" during the first interview. If they don't have one, they aren't ready.
- Fix the Culture First: In places like Las Vegas and Arizona, the locker room is tired of losing. You need a "CEO" type—someone like Mike Tomlin (if he doesn't go to TV) or Brian Flores—who can establish a standard on day one.
- The Quarterback Alignment: The HC and the GM must be in total lockstep on the QB. If the GM wants to draft a guy and the HC wants a veteran, the relationship is doomed before the first kickoff.
The 2026 hiring cycle is going to be remembered for the exodus of the "Old Guard" and the massive contracts being handed out to lure proven winners back into the fray. With Harbaugh already in New York and Stefanski in Atlanta, the dominoes are falling fast. If your team hasn't made a move yet, the options are getting thin, and the risk of a "panic hire" is growing by the hour.
Watch the Ravens and Steelers. How those two franchises—the most stable in football—handle these coaching vacancies in the NFL will tell us everything we need to know about where the league is heading in the next decade. Keep an eye on the second interview requests over the next 48 hours; that is where the real deals are being cut.