The NFL coaching carousel is spinning at top speed and teams are conducting interviews en masse as the variables continue to shift. Some dominoes are likely to drop before clarity on the bigger picture comes, like John Harbaugh’s deal with the Giants and Kevin Stefanski joining the Falcons, but it’s not too early to play matchmaker. Yahoo Sports’ experts took a look what they think each team in search of a head coach should do before clarity comes in the coming weeks on what each will do.
Frank Schwab: The first call should be to Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. It seems he’ll say no, but it’s worth a shot. If not him, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula might fit the Steelers’ type. He’s a defensive coordinator in his 30s, a template that worked out well for Pittsburgh’s last head-coaching hire. He also comes from the Sean McVay tree, which everyone wants a piece of.
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Jori Epstein: The Jets’ tailspin since Robert Saleh’s departure speaks to how he elevated the team in spite of significant organizational dysfunction. The Steelers’ ownership stability will be refreshing for Saleh, who can point to how he motivated a top-five Jets defense through the quarterback wilderness through which Pittsburgh is wandering. Add in Saleh masterminding a highly injured 49ers defense to overachieve this season, and Saleh will maintain the Steelers’ tough, gritty identity.
Charles Robinson: Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator. There will be an inclination to once again plug a young 30-something in this spot, assuming that’s a key part of Steelers ownership trying to replicate their last three “young” hires in Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. I tend to lean into the Steelers looking for the best mentality fit, and I believe that’s Minter, who is a young 42 and has coached some nasty defenses as a coordinator under Jim Harbaugh both with the Chargers and in college at Michigan. Minter also spent years as a Baltimore Ravens assistant aside very well regarded Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, whom Minter actually succeeded as the defensive coordinator for Michigan when Macdonald returned to the NFL to be the Ravens defensive coordinator. He knows the AFC North and he’s worked with and under all the right teachers.
Frank Schwab: The Ravens can’t waste much more of Lamar Jackson’s prime. One of the defensive coordinators who would be a first-time head coach, like Chris Shula or Jesse Minter, makes some sense. But with some urgency to win right away, it might not be best to have a new coach learning on the job. Kevin Stefanski is the best possible hire here, and for good reason.
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Jori Epstein: Jesse Minter’s four years with the Ravens and current employment under Jim Harbaugh catch the eye. But his viability for this job stems first and foremost from how he transformed the Chargers into a top-10 defense and sustained success amid offensive injuries. In the Chargers’ wild-card loss to the New England Patriots, Minter’s unit forced two turnovers by MVP candidate Drake Maye.
Charles Robinson: Kevin Stefanski, former Cleveland Browns head coach. I don’t think the Ravens can afford to gamble on an inexperienced coordinator in this situation, with Lamar Jackson entering an important stretch of his prime and starting to show physical wear and tear. Aside from the period when Stefanski briefly had a healthy Baker Mayfield, he was saddled with a continual uphill battle at quarterback in Cleveland. He’s a good, even-keeled communicator who will connect with Jackson, and he’s shown the ability to call a productive offense when he’s had healthy talent. He also knows what it takes to win games in the AFC North.
Update: The Falcons hired Stefanski on Saturday evening.
Frank Schwab: The Giants need to do whatever John Harbaugh wants. No more Ben McAdoo or Joe Judge types. Land the best coach available on the market. If he wants extra money for his assistants, or for himself, do it. If he wants more personnel say, fine. The Giants can’t get this close to making a fantastic hire and end up settling for someone way down the line.
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Jori Epstein: As the most established candidate on the market, John Harbaugh will get first choice of eight openings. Jaxson Dart’s dual threat will excite Harbaugh as he transitions from game-planning with two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, while Harbaugh will guide Dart toward a playing style that’s explosive but no longer reckless. The Giants need a leader to create a winning, self-motivated culture; they’ll get that from Harbaugh.
Charles Robinson: John Harbaugh, former Baltimore Ravens head coach. Initially I thought the Atlanta Falcons would surprise everyone and lock down Harbaugh, but I’m not sure the extra executive layer of Matt Ryan as the team’s head of football helped. Harbaugh is going to be expensive — not to mention the cost of a competitively priced set of assistants — but I believe general manager Joe Schoen will yield to more of a shared level of personnel power than being “above” Harbaugh in the hierarchy. I think that’s important. Picture it as something similar to the Denver Broncos’ setup between GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton, where they work as partners, but ultimately, Payton is getting what he wants in terms of the roster decisions. I think several other factors weigh here, too, from the wealth of existing talent on the roster, the marquee nature of the job and market, and the desire of team co-owner John Mara — who is battling cancer — to have a head coach who can come in and instantly command global respect and responsibility inside the franchise.
Update: The Giants and Harbaugh struck a five-year deal.
Frank Schwab: If the Raiders could hire Kevin Stefanski, that would be a win. Klint Kubiak, the best offensive coordinator on the market, would fit too with the expected addition of quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first pick of the NFL Draft. If the Raiders can’t pull that off, they should swing big and get in early on Davis Webb, the 30-year-old passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Broncos. If Webb is viewed as a future star, just cut the line and hire him now. The Raiders tried last year with the oldest coach in the NFL in Pete Carroll, now they can go in a completely opposite direction for this hire.
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Jori Epstein: The Raiders whiffed hiring tried-and-true Pete Carroll to establish a culture and Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. So why not correct by trying to get ahead of the trends, plucking up-and-coming offensive mind Davis Webb from the staff of the division-rival Broncos? I’ll go on a limb here and give Webb and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph co-head coaching titles. Make them the next McVay and Wade Phillips, with the ideal blend of youth and experience.
Charles Robinson: Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator. Every team is hard to pin down in this rotation, but the Raiders are one of the franchises that are particularly tough to pin to anyone because they’re doing so many interviews and the preferences of minority owner Tom Brady are still opaque. It’s also a hell of a division for any candidate, when you consider they’re going against the X’s and O’s of Andy Reid, Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh on an annual basis. With that in mind, Kubiak is well regarded in a lot of influential coaching circles across the league and is coming from an NFC West where he had to boat race alongside Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. The 38-year-old Kubiak is young and can be paired with the Raiders’ quarterback pick in this draft — whoever that will be — and I think can potentially be paired with Brian Flores as his defensive coordinator CEO, which is similar to how things are set up in Seattle with Mike Macdonald overseeing the team and defense and Kubiak running the offense.
Frank Schwab: Browns owner Jimmy Haslam thinks highly of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, so why not just hire him? The Browns’ defense hasn’t been the issue the past couple seasons. Schwartz has head-coaching experience (though not very good results), which also could help with what has been a very tough job. It might not be a thrilling hire, but it fits.
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Jori Epstein: Klint Kubiak is a bright, young offensive mind who will bring the highly coveted Shanahan-McVay system to Cleveland. His schematic advantage will help compensate for the dearth of offensive talent on Cleveland’s roster, while the chance to team up with long-established defensive coordinator (and previous head coach) Jim Schwartz will free up Kubiak to continue calling plays in the role.
Charles Robinson: Jim Schwartz, Browns defensive coordinator. I think the Browns would prefer to hire another offensive-minded head coach and try to keep Schwartz in the fold. It may be a difficult road getting one of the better offensive candidates to commit unless the Browns are willing to go deeper into a staff than a coordinator spot. That’s what makes Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase a legitimate candidate in Cleveland. I’m just not sure the 35-year-old Scheelhaase is ready to command an entire football team, call the Browns’ offense and also oversee Schwartz as his defensive coordinator — at a time when the defense looks at Schwartz like he’s their head coach. A more reasonable outcome would be to promote Schwartz to the head coaching spot and ultimately offer Scheelhaase the offensive coordinator position. The counterargument against this is Schwartz not really being a head coaching candidate elsewhere and the potential to lose a young offensive coordinator like Scheelhaase down the line. But I think the Browns unfortunately have a very heavy lift ahead of them because of the state of the team’s quarterback position and the overall struggles of the franchise steering candidates away from the job. To me, that makes Schwartz the more sensible, experienced candidate available to them, and allows the Browns to take a gamble on the offensive coordinator spot.
Frank Schwab: Chris Shula is the fun possibility, given his grandfather’s history with the franchise. That would be a fantastic story. Shula should have options though, and the Dolphins’ roster makes it a scary job to take for a rising candidate. If Shula goes elsewhere, one of the other prime defensive coaches on the market like Jeff Hafley or Matt Burke would make sense. But hopefully Shula wants to come to a team that has Don Shula’s name in its ring of honor.
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Jori Epstein: What’s keeping the Packers from sharing their plan moving forward? If Matt LaFleur and first-year president Ed Policy feel differently enough about his value, perhaps the Packers trade LaFleur to the Dolphins and fresh-from-Green-Bay general manager hire Jon-Eric Sullivan. Green Bay recoups draft picks lost in the Micah Parsons trade, while the Dolphins prepare to sign Malik Willis at quarterback. The Broncos showed a traded head coach can help a team through quarterback dead cap space and a build.
Charles Robinson: Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator. The Dolphins have a tougher road than I initially expected. I think there’s an overwhelming amount of consternation among the top candidates in the field over the Tua Tagovailoa salary cap cleanup. It’s simply a far less attractive situation than in past cycles. With Kevin Stefanski landing in Atlanta after John Harbaugh went to New York, I believe Hafley becomes more of the focus in Miami. Despite the Packers’ fourth-quarter defensive collapse against the Chicago Bears in the playoffs, Hafley remains well regarded across the league and is very high on the list from some of the best jobs in this cycle — most intriguingly with the New York Giants, where he might have been the team’s second choice after John Harbaugh. There’s a possibility team owner Stephen Ross misses out on Stefanski, and at least checks in to see if there’s any way whatsoever that ex-Steelers coach Mike Tomlin might reconsider taking a year off and coming to Miami … which would require a trade with the Steelers. I don’t think Tomlin would consider it, and I think that’s where Hafley comes in as the next best candidate on the board.
Update: The Packers and LaFleur reportedly agreed on an extension, and the Dolphins are reportedly hiring Hafley.
Frank Schwab: The Titans have had some odd names in for interviews (Jason Garrett? Really?) but it seems the team is in a decent position to land a good candidate. Klint Kubiak would fit nicely for the next few years with Cam Ward. He’s the best offensive coordinator in this cycle. He could take Ward to the next level like Ben Johnson with Caleb Williams, so here’s hoping it happens.
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Jori Epstein: Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi said he wanted to remove Chiefs bias from his process. But the longtime Chiefs executive worked with Matt Nagy long enough to develop trust in his offensive mind and ability to develop young quarterbacks like Cam Ward. Nagy gets his second chance at a franchise with ownership too rocky to land John Harbaugh.
Charles Robinson: Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator. It’s hard to call this with any confidence given that the Titans are seeking to interview almost everyone under the sun. I’ve heard the buzz about the Titans being an attractive spot to John Harbaugh, but it was hard to wrap my head around ownership being willing to pay Harbaugh $20 million a season while also opening up some meaningful personnel influence for him. I have no issues with the personnel department in Tennessee … I just don’t see the track record in ownership to stick to any long-term plan. Perhaps this will all be different now that this new structure puts the power into the hands of general manager Mike Borgonzi. The fact remains that there is familiarity between Borgonzi and Nagy, and Nagy initially had some success with the Chicago Bears, despite a quarterback and roster that was exposed as flawed in a way that wasn’t Nagy’s fault. Would Nagy be the best hire for quarterback Cam Ward? I can’t say that with confidence. But he would be the known commodity for the front office and there wouldn’t be any worry about him wanting any power beyond coaching his team.
Frank Schwab: If Kevin Stefanski doesn’t land with the Ravens or one of the very few other teams that have an opening that is on the same tier or higher than Atlanta, he’d be a great hire. If not, this is still an attractive job. Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is a hot name in this cycle, and he’d be a really fun fit for the Falcons.
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Jori Epstein: Kevin Stefanski won his two Coach of the Year awards for leading shorthanded teams to the playoffs, including the 2023 roster that signed Joe Flacco off the couch. Stefanski’s offensive philosophies can help Matt Ryan and Co. sort through two quarterbacks and a talented cast of weapons, while Stefanski’s Vikings history with Kirk Cousins makes Cousins a valuable asset to retain.
Charles Robinson: Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator. Yes, there is some connective tissue between Flores being teammates for a season with new Falcons head of football Matt Ryan during their days at Boston College. And yes, the two have kept in touch over the years, including when Flores was a highly regarded linebackers assistant coach with the New England Patriots in 2016 — the season of the historic Patriots comeback against the Falcons in the Super Bowl — and also when Flores went on to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. I think if the Falcons strike out on all of their big swing candidates, including Kevin Stefanski, Flores will come more into the picture for Atlanta. I also think his performance in Miami has proven to be a big plus on the ledger, including the reality that he didn’t fully buy into Tua Tagovailoa as being the quarterback who could lead Miami to a Super Bowl. I also believe Flores would immediately wreak havoc with the current defensive talent that is in place in Atlanta.
Update: The Falcons hired Stefanski on Saturday evening.
Frank Schwab: This doesn’t seem to be a job that will entice a candidate with other options. Landing Robert Saleh, after a very good season leading the 49ers’ defense, would be a best-case scenario. If that doesn’t happen then Vance Joseph, who was once the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator, might be a more realistic option.
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Jori Epstein: Jeff Hafley’s prior experience as Boston College head coach will help his grasp of management and connecting with players early. His defensive success with the Packers this season will add some of the schematic edge the Cardinals need to slow their three über-talented NFC West foes, all of which remain alive in the final four NFC playoff spots.
Charles Robinson: Mike LaFleur, Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator. This one might be a surprise, given that Sean McVay is the primary play-caller for the Rams and LaFleur had a rough brief run with the New York Jets as an offensive coordinator just a few years ago. But the Cardinals are going to have to pick from a tier of candidates who are willing to gamble. Notably, LaFleur took over play-calling from an ill McVay in Week 14 and obliterated the Cardinals with a balanced attack that showcased everything the Rams had to offer. LaFleur is older and wiser after his Jets experience, and he brings together a lot of knowledge after spending years under Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers and as McVay’s trusted OC since 2023.
