Latest NFL Rumors on Mike McDaniel, Kevin Stefanski, Jim Schwartz amid HC Searches

The 2026 NFL head-coaching carousel made its first stop this past week, when the New York Giants landed John Harbaugh.

Harbaugh, recently fired by the Baltimore Ravens, was widely considered the top coaching candidate available in the 2026 cycle. Mike Tomlin stepped down as the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach, but he's widely expected to take some time off from coaching.

With Pittsburgh entering the coaching market, though, eight franchises are still without a head coach entering the divisional round of the playoffs, even with Harbaugh filling New York's opening.

Let's dive into some of the latest buzz as the QB carousel continues to spin.

Kevin Stefanski Set for Multiple Second Interviews

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Kevin Stefanski

With Harbaugh off the market, Kevin Stefanski might be the most notable name left. Other former head coaches, including Mike McDaniel, Mike McCarthy, and Raheem Morris, have interviewed for jobs as well, but Stefanski has an intriguing resume.

Though recently fired by the Cleveland Browns, Stefanski is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year who guided the Browns to two playoff berths and their only postseason win this century.

At only 43 years old, Stefanski still fits the profile of a "younger" coach who could be around for a long tenure, too. He's already interviewed for the openings with the Atlanta Falcons, Giants, Ravens, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Stefanski is likely to have second interviews with multiple teams next week, with the Falcons, Ravens, and Titans looming as potential landing spots.

According to SNY's Connor Hughes, Stefanski is the favorite for the Falcons' job.

The Browns fired Stefanski after posting an 8-26 record over the past two seasons. However, it seems like he might realistically have his next job before Cleveland identifies his replacement.

Mike McDaniel Likely to Have Another HC Interview, Has OC Options

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Mike McDaniel

McDaniel is one of the candidates to replace Stefanski in Cleveland. He has also interviewed with the Ravens, Falcons, and Titans for their head-coaching openings. According to Pelissero, he's likely to have "at least" one more head-coaching interview.

If McDaniel, who was recently fired by the Dolphins, doesn't land another job as a head coach this offseason, he'll still have options. According to ESPN's Jeff Darlington, McDaniel is "coveted" for offensive-coordinator openings, including those of the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The interest in McDaniel as an OC is noteworthy because it means he won't have to rush into a head-coaching job with which he is uncomfortable. While some head coaches never get a second opportunity, the interest McDaniel has drawn this offseason suggests that he will.

However, McDaniel can always take a coordinator job with a playoff-caliber team like Detroit or Los Angeles and use it to boost his stock before reentering the head-coaching market in 2026 or 2027.

McDaniel was hired by Miami after one season as the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator.

Jim Schwartz To Have Second Interview With Browns

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Jim Schwartz

McDaniel isn't the only candidate on Cleveland's radar, as the Browns have cast a wide net in their coaching search. One interesting aspect of their search, though, is that they'd prefer to keep defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer reported last weekend that "all candidates" have been told that the Browns want to keep Schwartz in the fold.

If the Browns want to keep their defensive coordinator so badly, why not just hire him to be the next head coach? Well, that may be what ultimately transpires. Cleveland has already interviewed Schwartz and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, only one of the two is getting a second interview:

"Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will get a second head coach interview with the team on Monday, a league source told cleveland.com

He was their second interview for the job on Jan. 8, right after Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who is not expected to interview a second time for the position."

The 59-year-old Schwartz went just 29-51 as the Lions' head coach before he was fired after five seasons. However, he's gotten good results with Cleveland's defense and could make sense if none of the Browns' other top candidates are willing to take him as DC along with the job.