Latest NFL Rumors Heading into 2026 Divisional Bracket

The 2025-26 wild-card weekend wrapped with the Houston Texans' blowout win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. That means another six teams have officially entered the NFL offseason.

And for teams that didn't make the playoffs at all, the offseason is already in full swing.

We've seen the coaching carousel spin quickly in 2026, as nine franchises are now interviewing candidates for head-coaching vacancies. The start of free agency is less than two months away, and the pre-draft drama will begin with the Senior Bowl on January 31.

In other words, a lot is going to happen off the field in the coming weeks. Let's dive into some of the latest buzz.

Mike Tomlin Joins Coaching Carousel, Has Options On and Off the Field

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Mike Tomlin

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that head coach Mike Tomlin has decided to step down after 19 seasons with the franchise. That makes Pittsburgh the ninth team looking to hire a head coach this offseason, and it raises big questions about Tomlin's future.

Tomlin is not expected to coach in 2026, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Of course, the right offer could quickly change that plan.

Since Tomlin stepped down and wasn't fired, Pittsburgh still owns his rights—his contract runs through 2026 and includes a team option for 2027. Therefore, a team interested in adding Tomlin would have to trade for him, as the Denver Broncos traded for Sean Payton in 2013.

However, Tomlin should still be one of the more coveted candidates on the market. According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, though, Tomlin would prefer to land with a warm-weather team.

"Tomlin has told people that he would prefer to coach in a warm-weather environment, if it fits," Anderson posted on X.

Of the teams that currently have openings, the Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, and Arizona Cardinals would best meet the warm-weather criteria. But if Tomlin doesn't land with one of them, a cozy television studio could also be in his future.

On Tuesday, The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reported that "Tomlin has been eyed by broadcasters for a decade."

According to Marchand, Tomlin could likely pick from among the NFL's broadcast partners and could "likely receive multi-million dollar offers from all of them."

Marcus Freeman Not Expected to Pursue NFL Openings

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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman

Tomlin joins a pool of NFL coaching candidates that includes other former head coaches like John Harbaugh, Kevin Stefanski, Mike McDaniel, Raheem Morris, and Mike McCarthy.

While several franchises may prefer an experienced NFL coach, it wouldn't be a surprise to see at least one pull from the college ranks. There has been some buzz surrounding Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, though he'll reportedly ignore NFL interest for at least another year.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Freeman plans to stay at Notre Dame, "despite interest from several NFL teams."

Freeman and Notre Dame agreed to an "enhanced" contract in December, and there really hasn't been a ton of Freeman-to-the-NFL chatter since. However, word broke on Tuesday that Freeman planned to meet with the media on Wednesday, which put his name right back in the NFL spotlight.

According to Tyler Horka of On3, Freeman will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday. If Schefter is correct, though, that press conference will have nothing to do with Freeman potentially leaving to pursue an NFL opportunity.

Giants, Falcons, Titans Appear to Lead Harbaugh Chase

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John Harbaugh

While Freeman is reportedly staying in college, and Tomlin may or may not take some time off, Harbaugh is definitely looking to land a new gig this offseason. The longtime Baltimore Ravens head coach, who was fired last Tuesday, has already met with New York Giants executive Chris Mara, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

Though they won only four games this past season, the Giants have a lot to offer a coach like Harbaugh. They have a promising quarterback in Jaxson Dart, young difference-makers like Brian Burns and Malik Nabers, and the fifth overall pick in April's draft.

New York is far from Harbaugh's only option this offseason. According to Dianna Russini and Ian O'Connor of The Athletic, the Giants, Atlanta Falcons, and Tennessee Titans are the early favorites to land Harbaugh in 2026.

The Falcons have a strong overall roster, while the Titans have their own promising young quarterback in Cam Ward.

Per Russini and O'Connor, the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins have also shown some interest in Harbaugh, as have television executives:

"A source close to the process said that several major networks have shown preliminary interest in Harbaugh in case negotiations with NFL teams break down and he decides to take a year away from coaching."

It certainly feels unlikely that Harbaugh will step away this year, though with so many options, he may not reach a rapid conclusion about his next move, either.