8 NFL Coordinators Who Could Get Head Coaching Jobs After the 2026 Season

The NFL offseason is a time of change. While we're currently in the quiet period, it's a good time to reflect on just how different the league will look this fall and preview what may come next.

A whopping 10 of the league's 32 teams will have new head coaches roaming the sideline in 2026. Some of the new hires were former head coaches getting another opportunity. Some, though, were promising coordinators getting their first chances to lead a franchise.

We can't know how these first-year head coaches will fare in 2026, but we can pretty much guarantee that more teams will be hiring head coaches in 2027. We may not see as much turnover as we did earlier this year, but at least a few teams are likely to take a chance on someone new.

With this in mind, let's examine eight current coordinators who could be among next year's wave of hires. We'll dive into what makes them intriguing coaching candidates, and preview what they may need to accomplish in 2026 to get a shot at one of the top 32 gigs in coaching.

Matt Burke, DC, Houston Texans

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

There's a very real chance the 2027 hiring cycle will prominently feature offensive coordinators. Several teams are expected to dip into the 2027 quarterback draft pool, and they may prefer some history of quarterback development.

Of course, a good head coach can create a positive environment for quarterback growth regardless of his background. New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, who hired Josh McDaniels to develop Drake Maye, serves as a great recent example.

Teams open to hiring a defensive coach should be very interested in Houston Texans coordinator Matt Burke. He interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals this offseason but should draw more widespread attention in 2027.

Burke has been coaching in the NFL since 2004, is entering his fourth season as Houston's defensive coordinator and is still only 50 years old. He's also coming off a year in which the Texans ranked first in yards allowed and second in points allowed.

After being part of three consecutive playoff campaigns in Houston, Burke should have a good idea of how sustained success and a winning culture should look.

Houston won just 11 games in the three seasons before Burke arrived with head coach DeMeco Ryans in 2023. If the Texans make another playoff run while fielding a top-five defense in 2026, Burke should get the chance to spark a turnaround of his own.

Declan Doyle, OC, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

While Burke isn't exactly old for a coach—he's 10 years younger than Todd Monken, who became a first-time coach with the Cleveland Browns this offseason—Declan Doyle is extremely young.

Having turned 30 in March, Doyle has made a rapid rise through the NFL ranks since debuting as a New Orleans Saints assistant in 2019. He was a first-time coordinator under Ben Johnson with the Chicago Bears this past season and made a lateral move to join the Baltimore Ravens this offseason.

In Chicago, Doyle helped craft an offense that ranked sixth overall, and he helped quarterback Caleb Williams make a big second-year jump. However, Johnson was the primary play-caller. In Baltimore, Doyle will get to run the script, and the early reviews are encouraging.

"He a genius," receiver Zay Flowers told reporters of Doyle. "He got stuff that I've never seen. Plays and routes and stuff to help you get open. He teaches you in a certain way where you remember the plays. ...I've been loving it so far."

If Doyle can replicate Chicago's recent success in Baltimore, while crafting a production system around Lamar Jackson as the primary play-caller, he'll likely draw interest as the NFL's next "bright young offensive mind."

Yes, Doyle is only 30, but so was Sean McVay when the Los Angeles Rams hired him nine years ago.

Brian Flores, DC, Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn

Early in the offseason, we saw John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski both get new head coaching jobs shortly after being fired from their old ones. We also saw Robert Saleh get a second opportunity after rebuilding his stock as the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator.

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has spent the past four seasons rebuilding his stock after being fired as the Miami Dolphins head coach in 2022. He spent the 2022 season as a Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant and has spent the past three as Minnesota's DC.

Flores received head coaching interest this offseason, though he returned to Minnesota on a new contract. There are several reasons why he could get a second head coaching opportunity in 2027, starting with the fact that he has prior experience.

This past season, Flores oversaw a Vikings defense that ranked third overall, and he received plenty of praise for his efforts.

"Brian has a unique ability to connect with players, understand their skill sets, and put them in positions to maximize their impact on the field," head coach Kevin O'Connell said, per ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "The identity of our defense is a reflection of his leadership and preparation."

Lastly, O'Connell has developed a reputation as one of the league's better offensive coaches. There's a good chance that any team hiring Flores might be able to poach some of O'Connell's offensive staff along with him. If Minnesota has a bounce-back season with a strong defense, expect Flores to be a top candidate.

Vance Joseph, DC, Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Vance Joseph is another former head coach who received interest this offseason but who wasn't hired as part of the 2026 cycle—much to the surprise of Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

"I am a little surprised, with the season we had as well as how well we played defensively and 10 openings," Payton told reporters during the scouting combine in February.

Joseph served as the Broncos' head coach in 2017 and 2018, and while that two-year run wasn't successful, Joseph has spent the past seven years reestablishing himself as a respected defensive coordinator. He's entering his fourth season as Denver's DC under Payton and is coming off an impressive campaign.

This past season, Joseph's defense ranked second overall and third in points allowed. It helped the Broncos reach the AFC title game, which the team was forced to play without starting quarterback Bo Nix because of a broken ankle.

It's fair to wonder if Denver would have reached Super Bowl LX with a healthy Nix behind center. If the Broncos are able to come close to reaching Super Bowl LXI with another top-five defense, it's hard to imagine Joseph not getting another shot at being a head coach.

Klay Kubiak, OC, San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

Klay Kubiak is entering his second season as the 49ers' offensive coordinator. He served as the team's passing-game coordinator in 2024, and he drew some head coaching interest earlier this offseason.

After helping San Francisco field a top-10 offense—despite playing half the season with backup quarterback Mac Jones—Kubiak interviewed for multiple vacancies. However, he eventually withdrew his name from consideration to stay with the 49ers. Head coach Kyle Shanahan also blocked Kubiak from making a lateral move.

"He calls a lot of plays here," Shanahan said, per The Athletic's Jenna West and Matt Barrows. "He's our offensive coordinator, so I don't know, why would you let him be somebody else's offensive coordinator?"

While Kubiak has only been coaching in San Francisco since 2021, his rapid rise under Shanahan will likely land him more interviews in 2027—especially if the 49ers again have one of the league's top offenses.

Kubiak will also draw interest because his brother, Klint Kubiak, is another former Shanahan assistant who was just hired as the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach. If the Raiders make a leap in 2026, plenty of decision-makers will wonder if the younger Kubiak can yield similar results.

Nate Scheelhaase, OC, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Like Shanahan, Rams coach Sean McVay has a track record of putting former assistants into head coaching jobs. O'Connell, Matt LaFleur, and Zac Taylor are among the members of the McVay coaching tree who are now veteran head coaches themselves.

This offseason, Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was hired to be Arizona's head coach.

With LaFleur departing, passing-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase was promoted to offensive coordinator, though he also received some head coaching interest. The 35-year-old had interviews with the Ravens, Steelers, Raiders, Browns, and Buffalo Bills before taking a promotion in L.A.

There's a good chance Scheelhaase's tenure as the Rams' OC will be brief. He helped oversee the league's top-ranked passing attack, top-ranked overall offense, and top-ranked scoring unit this past season. He also helped quarterback Matthew Stafford earn league MVP honors.

If Los Angeles' offense has similar success in 2026, Scheelhaase is likely to draw even more interest than he did this offseason, due in large part to another year of experience under McVay—Scheelhaase is only entering his third season with the Rams.

NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah reported on the 40s and Free Agents podcast (h/t NFL.com's Grant Gordon) that Scheelhaase impressed in interviews and that his lack of experience was viewed as his only real negative.

Chris Shula, DC, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Samantha Chow

While teams generally want a piece of McVay's offensive coaching tree, the Rams have put some defensive coordinators into head coaching jobs, too. Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris both received opportunities after serving as McVay's DC, and Chris Shula could soon follow suit.

What has been impressive about Shula, who is entering his third season as L.A.'s defensive coordinator, is the work he's done with young defenders like Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Kamren Kinchens, and Byron Young over the past couple of seasons.

This past season, the Rams ranked 10th in points allowed.

There's a very good chance that Shula oversees one of the league's very best defenses in 2026, as the Rams traded for standout cornerback Trent McDuffie and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett—though the Garrett trade did cost them Verse.

Shula received head coaching interest this offseason. If Los Angeles makes a strong run at the Super Bowl this year, and Shula's unit is as good as anticipated, he'll receive more in 2027.

Another factor teams will consider is the fact that Shula is the grandson of legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula and the son of former Cincinnati Bengals coach Dave Shula. When it comes to building a quality NFL staff, relationships matter, and Chris Shula has been making football relationships his entire life.

Grant Udinski, OC, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Gary McCullough

Like Doyle, the Jacksonville Jaguars' Grant Udinski is a young (turned 30 in January), rapidly ascending offensive mind who is coming off his first campaign as an offensive coordinator.

Despite limited coordinator experience, Udinski received head coaching interest this offseason.

"I was honored to be able to be considered for those opportunities, and really, it's a testament to the work that our team and our offense has put in to kind of raise my status and elevate me to even be considered," Udinski told reporters in a May press conference.

The interest in Udinski likely stemmed from two things. For one, he has experience under O'Connell, having spent three years in Minnesota before taking the Jacksonville Job. Secondly, he helped head coach Liam Coen as he delivered a rapid turnaround for both Jacksonville and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

The Jags ranked sixth in scoring offense, while Lawrence posted a 91.0 QB rating, the second-highest of his career.

If Jacksonville can replicate its 2025 success while Udinski successfully replaces departed running back Travis Etienne Jr., and Lawrence continues to make positive strides, it's hard to think Udinski won't get his own shot at turning around a franchise in 2027.