The NFL Coaches Who Should Receive the Most Interest in 2026 Coaching Cycle

While we still don't know exactly how many or which NFL teams will have head coach openings in 2026, we know at least two jobs will be available. The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants both fired their incumbent coaches in-season this year.

Other franchises that are considering making coaching changes have to decide if a clear and obvious upgrade will be available. Change for the sake of change won't necessarily point a franchise in a positive direction. The good news for those teams is that several intriguing candidates are likely to be available in the coming weeks.

With this in mind, let's examine the NFL coaches who are likely to receive the most attention during the upcoming coaching cycle, based on factors such as coaching background, recent results and any other situation-specific factors.

Current Head Coaches

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Mike Tomlin

While NFL coaches rarely go directly from one head coaching gig to another, it does happen. Adam Gase, for example, was fired by the Miami Dolphins at the end of the 2018 season only to be hired as the New York Jets' HC less than two weeks later.

Two current head coaches stand out as prime candidates should either be unemployed in January.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin would probably be the top candidate, were he to wriggle himself out of his current contract. He's signed through next season with a team option for 2027, but he could, theoretically, push for a trade or to be released from his deal if he decides it's time for a fresh start.

However, the 53-year-old is probably a long shot for the 2026 cycle.

"If Tomlin decides to step back after a challenging 2025, the most likely scenario would be that he elects to take a year off," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport wrote recently.

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is a more realistic 2026 option, though he's not guaranteed to be fired.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on Sunday that the Browns are eager to retain offensive coordinator Tommy Rees after he interviewed for Penn State's opening—which ultimately went to Matt Campbell.

It would be an odd stance if Stefanski is on the hot seat, since an incoming coach would want to hire his own staff.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, though, other coaches and executives believe the 43-year-old would be a "prime candidate" in 2026 if he does become available.

Stefanski hasn't won a Super Bowl or delivered nearly two decades of above-.500 football as Tomlin has, but he is a two-time Coach of the Year who has repeatedly navigated tough situations in Cleveland.

49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh

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We are accustomed to seeing former head coaches earn new opportunities, and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is a prime candidate for a second chance.

Two key factors make the 46-year-old a candidate who should get a lot of attention this offseason. The first is that he was fired by the New York Jets, a franchise that has been just as unstable as the Browns in recent years. He managed to last for more than three seasons through the dysfunction that came with having Zach Wilson and Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.

The Jets, for the record, were no more competitive in 2024 after franchise owner Woody Johnson fired Saleh in-season.

The second factor to consider is the defensive turnaround Saleh's return to the Niners has sparked this season. San Francisco ranked 29th in points allowed last season, but it now fields a top-10 scoring defense, despite having a slew of young defenders in the lineup and stars such as Fred Warner and Nick Bosa on injured reserve.

It shouldn't be difficult for another franchise to look at the job Saleh is doing now, along with the difficulty of winning for a franchise like the Jets, and decide he shouldn't be judged too harshly for his first go-around as a head coach.

Broncos Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph

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Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is another former head coach, and he's doing tremendous work with one of the NFL's hottest units.

The Broncos are tied with the New England Patriots atop the AFC standings with an 11-2 record. Denver's fourth-ranked defense has led the way for the team more often than not, and Joseph's career arc makes him a far more attractive candidate than, say, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels has failed as a head coach twice now, once with Denver and once with the Las Vegas Raiders. Joseph was fired after two seasons as Broncos head coach but was back five years later as their defensive coordinator.

The defense Joseph inherited in 2023 wasn't good—you may remember it coughing up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins early in that season. It's now one of the most dominant units in the NFL, and the turnaround won't be lost on prospective employers.

So will the fact that, while the Broncos didn't keep Joseph as their head coach for long, they were willing to bring him back in another important role a few years later. The 53-year-old clearly didn't rub anyone the wrong way during his departure, and that will matter to some owners and/or executives.

Packers Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley

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Jeff Hafley hasn't been a head coach at the NFL level, but the former Boston College leader has made noise as the Green Bay Packers' defensive coordinator over the last two seasons.

Green Bay was a surprise playoff team in 2023, but its 17th-ranked defense was inconsistent and often unreliable. Hafley was hired in 2024 and immediately helped the Packers field the league's fifth-ranked defense.

The Packers again have a top-five defense this season, and they're one of the hottest teams in the NFC. They took control of the NFC North with a win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, and they're only a half-game behind the Los Angeles Rams for the conference's No. 1 seed—thanks to the tie tacked onto their nine-win record.

Packers pass-rusher Micah Parsons sees similarities between Hafley and other coordinators he's played for who have been NFL head coaches.

"I do see it in his future. I think he's a very player-first coach, same with 'Zim' and same with 'Q,'" he said, per The Athletic's Matt Schneidman. "I don't want it to happen sooner than later, but it probably will."

A player-friendly coach with collegiate head coaching experience who happens to be overseeing the defense of a Super Bowl contender should generate a lot of interest in the coming weeks.

Rams Offensive Coordinator Mike LaFleur and Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula

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Rams OC Mike LaFleur

The Rams have looked like the team to beat in the NFC virtually all season, which will draw a ton of attention to offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and defensive coordinator Chris Shula.

LaFleur has been on the job since 2023 after spending time under Kyle Shanahan as the 49ers' passing-game coordinator and two seasons as the Jets' offensive coordinator. While his offenses in New York left plenty to be desired, he's rekindled his NFL stock in Los Angeles.

McVay said on Monday that, due to his illness, LaFleur called the plays during the Rams' 45-17 romp over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14.

Shula, meanwhile, has served in L.A. since 2017 and has been the Rams' defensive coordinator since last season. The grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula is currently overseeing a defense ranked third in points allowed.

McVay's assistants seem to get head coaching opportunities on an annual basis. Zac Taylor, Matt LaFleur, Kevin O'Connell, Raheem Morris and Liam Coen are current NFL coaches who have previously served under the Rams coach in L.A.

It would probably come as a surprise if at least one of McVay's coordinators wasn't a head coaching finalist in 2026. Should the Rams go on a deep playoff run, or even reach Super Bowl LX, they could lose both coordinators—as the Philadelphia Eagles did after the 2022 season and as the Detroit Lions did this past offseason.

Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak

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Like Mike LaFleur, Klint Kubiak spent time under Shanahan in San Francisco. The 49ers' passing-game coordinator in 2023, he spent last season as the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator before taking the same position with the Seattle Seahawks this year.

Kubiak has been the perfect complement to head coach Mike Macdonald in Seattle. He's helped to ensure 2024 Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold hasn't regressed in his first year with the Seahawks, and he's fully unlocked star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Darnold has completed a league-high 13.1 yards per completion while posting a 103.8 passer rating. Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 1,428 receiving yards, while Seattle ranks second in scoring.

Kubiak's work with Darnold will probably garner the most attention. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell was last season's Coach of the Year, due in no small part to the quarterback's ascension.

Kubiak has shown he's equally adept at getting the most out of a talented signal-caller. That will be important to any franchise looking to develop a young QB.

The fact that Kubiak will only turn 39 in February could work in his favor as well. Teams looking for the next young "offensive guru" should have him high on their lists.

Patriots Passing Game Coordinator Thomas Brown

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While the continued success of Darnold has been a notable NFL storyline this season, it has paled in comparison to the emergence of Drake Maye as a legitimate MVP candidate.

McDaniels and head coach Mike Vrabel deserve a ton of credit for Maye's ascension, but the former may never get a third chance, and the latter isn't going anywhere.

However, teams looking at Maye's development and thinking, "I want a piece of that," may have a shot at landing passing game coordinator and tight ends coach Thomas Brown.

Brown has some head coaching experience, after serving as the Chicago Bears' interim coach when Matt Eberflus was fired last season. That brief stint didn't go well, but the 39-year-old is viewed as a rising coach and also comes from the McVay tree.

According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, he is a coach whom Vrabel "pursued aggressively after interviewing him for the coordinator job."

Brown spent three seasons under McVay in L.A. before having a year each with the Carolina Panthers and Bears. He has firsthand experience with both stable and shaky coaching setups and currently has a hand in one of the most significant NFL turnarounds in recent memory.

Other Candidates Who Could Emerge in the Next Month

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Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady

Bills Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady probably won't be as hot a candidate as he was a year ago, after helping Josh Allen win the league MVP. Buffalo's 10th-ranked offense has been solid but inconsistent, and Buffalo has been the proverbial second fiddle in the AFC East behind New England.

However, Brady drew a lot of interest in 2025, and if the Bills rally and go deep into the postseason, he'll probably get a few more serious looks.

Texans Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke

The Houston Texans are back in the wild-card mix thanks to the most disruptive defense in the NFL. While head coach DeMeco Ryans was the defensive play-caller, he handed that job over to defensive coordinator Matt Burke in late September.

If the Texans keep riding their defense to victories, Burke will inevitably draw interest. The 49-year-old began his NFL coaching career in 2004 with the Titans, who will be in the market for a head coach.

Free-Agent Coach Mike McCarthy

Mike McCarthy last served as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach. Before his five-year stint in Dallas, he spent 13 seasons as the Packers' HC and won a Super Bowl with them after the 2010 season.

While the 62-year-old isn't currently coaching, he could draw more attention in the coming weeks if other candidates fall by the wayside—or decline interview opportunities.

With a 174-112-2 career coaching record, McCarthy could be viewed as a stable alternative to the relative unknowns.