8 NFL Coordinators Who Could Get Head Coaching Jobs After the 2025 Season

The NFL head coaching carousel turns every offseason: Out with the old and in with the new (and some retreads).

Offensive and defensive coordinators make up the majority of the coaching candidate pool, although most teams prefer someone who can establish a direct connection with the quarterback, typically a play-caller.

Still, defensive-minded coaches can be appealing in the interview process if they plan to hire a quality offensive coordinator like Dan Quinn, who added Kliff Kingsbury to his Washington Commanders staff last offseason.

Looking ahead to 2026, we profiled eight of the top coordinators who could be in high demand during the next hiring cycle.

These candidates will likely interview for multiple vacancies due to the exceptional performance of their side of the ball in recent years. Some of them also have experience as head coaches.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Joe Brady made his rounds as one of the top candidates for a head coaching job in the previous hiring cycle. He chose to stay with the Buffalo Bills for a third term.

Brady took over play-calling duties in Buffalo after the team fired Ken Dorsey midway through the 2023 campaign. In his first full season as the Bills offensive coordinator, he fielded a unit that racked up the second-most points and ranked 10th in yards.

More importantly for Brady's resume, he elevated Josh Allen, helping the star quarterback earn his first MVP award. Allen didn't post career passing or rushing numbers, but he led the league with a career-high 77.3 QBR, putting together far more efficient performances than in recent seasons.

If the Bills finally beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs or Allen continues to play at his best within the structure of Buffalo's offense, Brady will be the top head coaching candidate next offseason.

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator

AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn

Brian Flores quickly turned the Minnesota Vikings' bottom-ranked defense into a top-five scoring unit.

For three consecutive years between 2020 and 2022, the Vikings finished 24th or worse in points and yards allowed. In Flores' first year with the team, the defense finished in the top half of the league for both categories. Last year, it ranked fifth in points allowed and tied the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most takeaways (33).

Flores also fielded a top-six scoring defense with the Miami Dolphins during his tenure as their head coach from 2019 to 2021. A former Bill Belichick assistant, Flores has a strong track record on his side of the ball.

However, Flores has dealt with unfavorable criticism from his former players in Miami, particularly now-retired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, regarding his relationship with players, which is a common concern among former assistants from Belichick's coaching tree.

Flores had a rocky relationship with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, which is something he will likely have to address in interviews. However, he's a solid coach in terms of X's and O's.

Flores had two winning seasons with the Dolphins despite his locker room relations with players, and he has built some momentum in Minnesota.

After interviews with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets early this year, Flores is a name to monitor in the next hiring cycle.

Josh Grizzard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator

AP Photo/Doug Murray

The NFL views Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinators as potential head coaching material. In back-to-back years, the Buccaneers have lost their offensive play-caller to teams with head coaching vacancies.

Following the 2023 season, the Carolina Panthers hired Dave Canales. This year, the Jacksonville Jaguars made a persistent push to lure Liam Coen away from Tampa Bay to fill their open position.

Josh Grizzard could be the next Buccaneers offensive coordinator in line for a big opportunity elsewhere. At 35, he's younger than Canales, 44, and Coen, 39, but he's been in the league since 2017, when he held an offensive quality control position with the Miami Dolphins.

In Miami, Grizzard took on various roles under three different regimes, with head coaches Adam Gase, Brian Flores and Mike McDaniel, which illustrates his value to coaching staffs.

Last year in Tampa Bay, Grizzard served as the passing game coordinator. So, his familiarity with the passing attack could help him get the Buccaneers off to a quick offensive start despite his play-calling inexperience.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield provided insight into what Grizzard is working on for the upcoming campaign and the coach's involvement under Coen.

"The foundation is there," Mayfield said to reporters. "We are working on explosive plays and fundamentals in the run game. Josh is still getting used to calling plays. He was instrumental in our third-down install and passing-game stuff last year. So he has experience."

If Mayfield tops his gaudy passing numbers (4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns) and cuts down on his interceptions (16) from last year, teams will inquire about Grizzard in 2026.

Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File

Vance Joseph could earn another chance at a head coaching job after a few standout years as a defensive coordinator.

Between 2017 and 2018, Joseph was the head coach of the Denver Broncos, but the team fired him after two years, during which he had an 11-21 record. Remember, he led that club during its dark years at quarterback with Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Case Keenum under center.

Next time around, Joseph could hang around a little longer with a different team if he's paired with a better quarterback situation.

Since his head-coaching flop, the 52-year-old coordinator has fielded top-12 scoring defenses in three of the previous five years. Last year, under his tutelage, the Broncos defense allowed the third-fewest points and ranked seventh in total yards.

Denver's defense has come a long way since it gave up 70 points in a Week 3 loss to the Miami Dolphins during the 2023 term.

Thanks largely to Joseph, the Broncos fielded arguably the best pass-rushing unit last year. Denver led the league in sacks (63) and ranked second in pressure rate (27.7 percent).

Joseph's redemption arc could land him a lead coaching job in 2026. He interviewed for openings with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets in the previous hiring cycle.

Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator

AP Photo/Gareth Patterson

Kliff Kingsbury had a significant impact on 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders' surprising run to the NFC Championship Game in the previous season.

Defensively, Washington struggled through most of the 2024 campaign and made a trade deadline move for cornerback Marshon Lattimore to patch up its secondary. The club still gave up the third-most rushing yards and ranked 22nd in red-zone defense for the season.

Kingsbury led a top-seven offense in scoring and total yards. In Week 3, Daniels had a breakout performance on Monday Night Football in a 38-33 road win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Daniels is an incredible talent, though Kingsbury deserves credit for designing an offensive system that allowed the young signal-caller to get off to an impressive career start. The Commanders had one reliable receiver, Terry McLaurin, and 34-year-old tight end Zach Ertz as the primary targets in a passing offense that ranked ninth in touchdowns.

Kingsbury has head coaching experience that will boost his resume. As the Arizona Cardinals' lead skipper, he helped Kyler Murray make two Pro Bowl rosters and led the club to a playoff berth in 2021.

Teams that plan to take a quarterback early in the 2026 draft will hold Kingsbury in high regard based on what he's done with Murray and Daniels, assuming the Commanders signal-caller builds on a strong rookie campaign.

Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator

AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File

The Kansas City Chiefs want to field a more explosive passing attack this year. Of course, head coach Andy Reid will be the mastermind behind play designs. Still, Matt Nagy could get a second look as a head coach from teams that want to implement some of the Chiefs' high-octane passing flavor.

Nagy has already made the transition from Chiefs offensive coordinator to a head coach.

The Chicago Bears hired Nagy after the 2017 season, before Patrick Mahomes took over the starting quarterback job in Kansas City. He went 34-31 as the Bears' head coach, leading the team to just one winning season.

As a potential retread, Nagy's resume is decent, considering the Bears went 12-4 in 2018 and Mitchell Trubisky made the NFC Pro Bowl roster in his best year as a pro under him.

If Nagy sets himself up with a team that has a high-ceiling quarterback, he could be a successful head coach. This year, Nagy interviewed for the New York Jets' head coaching job. His interview request list could be a lot longer in 2026.

Zach Orr, Baltimore Ravens Defensive Coordinator

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

A former Baltimore Ravens player, Zach Orr made the transition from the field to the sidelines as a coach in 2017.

After four years as a defensive analyst, he coached the Jacksonville Jaguars and Ravens linebackers (outside and inside) for three seasons. In 2024, Baltimore lost defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Seattle Seahawks, who hired him to be their head coach, and Orr took over. The Ravens defense remained a top-10 unit in scoring and total yards.

Last season, Orr strategically used Kyle Van Noy's versatility and optimized the veteran's pass-rushing ability. Van Noy led the team with 12.5 sacks. Meanwhile, Odafe Oweh had a breakout year with career highs in sacks (10) and pressures (28). All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey registered a career-high six interceptions.

Orr had his fingerprints all over the Ravens' aggressive defense. He knows the team culture inside and out and may need to adjust elsewhere, but the 33-year-old defensive coordinator could get serious looks for head coaching jobs next year.

Orr has a stacked unit that will include newcomers, Jaire Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler, rookie first-round safety Malaki Starks and rookie second-round edge-rusher Mike Green. The Ravens could field the stingiest defense in 2025. If that's the case, Orr will be a hot candidate.

Steve Spagnuolo, Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Coordinator

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

In recent hiring cycles, older defensive-minded candidates haven't been in vogue. Yet league circles respect Steve Spagnuolo's resume enough to discuss vacancies with him. Early this year, he interviewed for openings with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets.

Spagnuolo has a wealth of coaching experience, including three years as a lead skipper with the then-St. Louis Rams and four games as an interim with the New York Giants in 2017.

Let's be honest, though. A coordinator who turns 66 in December with an 11-41 head coaching record isn't going to excite a fanbase.

However, Spagnuolo's defenses have played a significant role on championship teams with the Giants and the Kansas City Chiefs. In Kansas City, his defenses have ranked within the top 10 in scoring for five of the previous six seasons.

If Spagnuolo pairs himself with an innovative offensive coordinator, he can lead the defense for a well-coached club. His choice in an offensive play-caller could make or break his candidacy.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.