NFL Rumors: Pat Fitzgerald, Marvin Lewis Drawing Interest for HC Jobs in 2021

Top candidates are already emerging as NFL teams prepare for what could be a busy coaching carousel this offseason.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald will be "one of the most in-demand NFL head coaching candidates in the upcoming hiring cycle," with two teams already inquiring about his availability.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, former Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is also under consideration for "several" opportunities going into the 2021 season.

Lewis, who interviewed for the Dallas Cowboys job last year, could be an intriguing candidate.

The 62-year-old spent 16 years with the Bengals, taking the team to the playoffs seven times, while his 131 wins rank 27th in NFL history. However, he went 0-7 in the postseason and had three straight losing seasons before getting fired after the 2018 season.

He has spent the past two years on the Arizona State staff under Herm Edwards but would be willing to return to the NFL for the "right spot," per La Canfora.

Fitzgerald could be a tougher sell after turning down interest from the NFL in the past.

The 46-year-old is coaching his alma mater and has called Northwestern his "dream job," for which he has "excessive loyalty," per Jim O'Donnell of the Daily Herald.

He has gone 105-81 over his 15 years with the Wildcats, leading them to Big Ten West titles in two of the last three years. His team has gone 6-2 in 2020 with a hard-fought loss to Ohio State in Saturday's conference title game.

That's all despite taking over a program that hadn't won a bowl game since 1948 before he arrived in 2006.

La Canfora previously reported Fitzgerald would be on top of the Chicago Bears' wish list if they were to move on from Matt Nagy this offseason. That position could at least allow him to remain close to home.

The Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans all currently have openings at head coach, with the Bears, New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars also potentially looking at a switch before 2021.