Latest NFL Rumors Surrounding 2026 Coaching Vacancies Before Wild Card Games

As 12 teams prepare to kick off their road to Super Bowl LX with the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs, others are looking to the future and potential head coaching candidates who can turn their franchises around and lead them to the most coveted prize in the game.

The Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, and Las Vegas Raiders are among those teams and they are currently in the interviewing process, having already spoken with high-profile candidates or having them on the itinerary in the coming days.

Dive deeper into those three vacancies and just who is on the teams' radar with this collection of insider reports.

Titans Interview Plans

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The Tennessee Titans are continuing their search for their next head coach, with NFL insider Tom Pelissero reporting that the team will interview former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel on Wednesday.

He is not the only candidate left on the team's itinerary, with Adam Schefter reporting the organization has submitted requests to interview Los Angeles defensive coordinators Jesse Minter (Chargers) and Chris Shula (Rams) for the vacancy.

McDaniel went 35-33 as head coach for Miami, with two playoff appearances. The 2025 season was a tough one, though, with multiple injuries, a deteriorating relationship with starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and a 7-10 record that doomed his future with the organization.

An innovative offensive mind, it is no surprise that a team like Tennessee, which struggled on that side of the ball despite flashes of brilliance from No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Ward, would want to interview him about their opening.

On the other hand, the Titans have a long history of defensive-minded coaches, with Mike Vrabel and Jeff Fisher being among the best and most successful. Shula has done wonders with the Rams defense this season, while Minter has the Chargers in the top five of all defenses in yards allowed (285.2 per game).

Neither Minter or Shula have any head coaching experience in the NFL.

Ravens Request Interview with Bills Offensive Coordinator

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The Baltimore Ravens already have a loaded slate of interviews scheduled for their head coaching vacancy and they continue to add to it.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported that the Ravens have requested to interview Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

Brady has served as OC for the Bills since taking over when Ken Dorsey was fired in 2023. Since then, he has grown and evolved the team's offense to be less reliant on quarterback Josh Allen and to more effectively feature the run game.

With that said, it was his offensive scheme that helped Allen win the NFL MVP award in the 36-year-old coach's first full year of play-calling.

One of the best assistant coaches in the league, he could do wonders for an offense that has Lamar Jackson under center, Derrick Henry running the ball, and a young, still relatively untapped receiver in Zay Flowers.

After years of being recognized as a defense-first team, the Ravens could benefit greatly from having a young, offensive-minded coach at the helm.

Las Vegas Interviewed Kevin Stefanski

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The Las Vegas Raiders were arguably the worst team in the NFL in 2025, finishing 3-14 and looking several years away from being a legitimate contender.

MMQB.com NFL insider Albert Breer reported that former two-time Coach of the Year with the Cleveland Browns, Kevin Stefanski, was among the head coaching candidates interviewed by the team on Thursday.

Stefanski coached Cleveland for seven seasons, going 46-58 during his tenure with the team. He also led the franchise to two playoff appearances.

A talented coach who also appeared to be handcuffed at times by ownership, it would be interesting to see what he could do with a Raiders team that has a promising young running back in Ashton Jeanty, an under-the-radar wide receiver in Tre Tucker, and one of the best defensive linemen in the league in Maxx Crosby.

If, that is, the team has not totally alienated Crosby beyond repair.

An offensive mind, Stefanski would be an immediate upgrade to a team that finished last in the league with 245.2 yards and 14.2 points per game.

Other candidates interviewed Thursday were Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.