Matching Top NFL Head Coaching Candidates with New Job Openings

The latest edition of Black Monday came and went, leaving five (maybe six) NFL teams looking for their next head coaches.

For the most part, there were few surprises. The Chicago Bears finally said goodbye to Matt Nagy. Mike Zimmer got his walking papers in Minnesota, and the Denver Broncos opted to go on without Vic Fangio. 

Then the Miami Dolphins dropped the bombshell that they were firing Brian Flores. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars fired their coach before it was cool. Urban Meyer got the boot in December.

The Las Vegas Raiders could be a little late to the party. They'll have a decision to make regarding interim head coach Rich Bisaccia. The team made the playoffs in Week 18, so that decision is postponed. 

Regardless, at least five teams will be going in a new direction. Given what we know about each of their searches, their rosters and the state of the organization, here's a top candidate for each job.   

*Teams are listed alphabetically. 

Chicago Bears: Former Miami Dolphins Head Coach Brian Flores

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The Bears went the route of a quarterback guru the last time they had a head coaching vacancy.

Matt Nagy was coming from Andy Reid's coaching tree in Kansas City, but the result was not a high-flying offense.

That will make Chicago's search interesting. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported the team won't necessarily be looking for a guy to develop a quarterback, with "their focus likely on leader-of-men types." He mentioned Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus as potential fits. 

That was before the Dolphins made their surprising decision to let go of Brian Flores, who was the defensive play-caller in New England before leading Miami to winning seasons in each of the last two years, narrowly missing the playoffs both times. 

The Dolphins won eight of the last nine games thanks in large part to the development Tua Tagovailoa. Flores was able to field solid defenses in Miami while bringing in the right people to get progress from their young quarterback. 

The Bears should be looking for someone who can do the same thing with their defensive personnel and for Justin Fields. Flores has already shown he could do the job.       

Denver Broncos: Green Bay Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett

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The Broncos parted ways with Vic Fangio after his team recorded a 19-30 record over three straight losing seasons. 

The firing puts a lot of pressure on George Paton, who took over as general manager last offseason. Broncos CEO Joe Ellis said in a statement that Paton will have "full authority" to select the next head coach. 

With Paton spending his previous 14 years in the Minnesota front office, he is undoubtedly familiar with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. It's also no secret that the Broncos and the Packers quarterback were connected in the offseason amid reports that Rodgers wanted a trade. 

After watching the Broncos struggle through another season with a combination of Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback, the franchise could want to position itself as a destination for Rodgers again. 

Alternatively, they could be looking to mold a rookie quarterback. The team has the ninth pick in the draft, meaning it could have its choice of some of the top prospects in this year's class. 

Either way, Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett would make sense. The 42-year-old has already interviewed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. While he doesn't have play-calling duties with the Packers, he has experience doing so with the Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Former Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson

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To say the Urban Meyer experiment did not work out for the Jacksonville Jaguars would be an understatement. It was a disaster. 

Now bringing back legitimacy to the franchise is going to be important for Jags owner Shad Khan. 

After all, the fact that a contingent of fans showed up to the final game of the season dressed as clowns to protest the choice to bring back general manager Trent Baalke doesn't show much faith in the organization

The Jags need an established NFL presence who can help quarterback Trevor Lawrence reach his potential after the 2021 first overall pick struggled to a 3-14 record as a starter. 

Doug Pederson spent this season out of the league, but he checks all of those boxes. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Dec. 29 that Pederson was the first to get an interview when the Jaguars started their search. 

Pederson was the Eagles' head coach for five years. He posted a winning season in three of those campaigns, including a Super Bowl-winning run in 2017. 

Granted, things blew up in 2020, when the team went 4-11-1. But when you look at what Carson Wentz did with the season on the line for the Colts in Week 18, it becomes clear that might not have been Pederson's fault.     

Las Vegas Raiders: Interim Head Coach Rich Bisaccia

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The Las Vegas Raiders don't technically have an opening, and if they do it right, they won't. Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia took over when Jon Gruden resigned in October after emails surfaced in which Gruden used racist, anti-gay and misogynistic language.

With the Raiders clinching a playoff spot after a win against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, it's time to knock the "interim" off his title even though the organization has been connected to much bigger names, including Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports also noted the Raiders may be looking for a "rock star" hire such as Mike Tomlin or Sean Payton via trade.

After Gruden resigned and Bisaccia took over, wideout Henry Ruggs III was released following his arrest on a charge of a DUI resulting in death. Ruggs has since been charged with four felonies and a misdemeanor stemming from the crash.

Not only did Bisaccia keep the team competitive, but the Raiders are back in the postseason for the first time since 2016.

Importantly, even with a 1-5 stretch under his watch, he has the faith of key players in the locker room.

"I love having him as my head coach, and he's somebody I've been able to go to for advice from day one from the time I came here three years ago," defensive end Maxx Crosby said, per Tom LaMarre of Sports Illustrated.

Most teams are looking for a head coach who can develop strong relationships within the organization and win games. Bisaccia has already proved he can do both in Las Vegas.

Miami Dolphins: Former Detroit Lions Head Coach Jim Caldwell

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The Dolphins were easily the most surprising team to nix their head coach after they won eight of their last nine games to secure back-to-back winning seasons. 

However, the team missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season under Brian Flores, who was let go after a power struggle with general manager Chris Grier. 

Still, if ownership is going to fire a coach who had the team on the precipice of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, it better have someone great lined up. Former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell isn't a slam-dunk hire, but he has had success as a head coach.

He went 26-22 with the Indianapolis Colts, making a Super Bowl appearance in 2009 before losing Peyton Manning to a neck injury in 2011 and going 2-14 in his final campaign. 

He had winning seasons in three of his four years with the Detroit Lions (2014 to '17), with a 7-9 record in 2015 being the exception. Given Detroit's struggles since he left, his performance there has gotten better with age.   

The Dolphins hired Caldwell as an assistant head coach in February 2019, but he took a leave of absence due to an undisclosed health issue and didn't coach a game. His name has resurfaced as a candidate for head coaching vacancies, and Miami coach be interested. 

And with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross already saying he won't lure Jim Harbaugh away from Michigan, Caldwell is the best candidate. 

Minnesota Vikings: Tampa Bay Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich

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The decision to part ways with Mike Zimmer after eight seasons and a 72-56-1 record seemingly had to do with more than just the wins and losses. 

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported "Zimmer's abrasive style has been an issue within that team for years." 

The Vikings have an incredible group of offensive weapons, including running back Dalvin Cook and wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. The Vikings should have a dominant offense. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich could be the man for the job as well as a strong presence in the locker room. 

Leftwich is only 41 years old and might breathe some life into the franchise after the 65-year-old Zimmer's departure. Tom Brady also endorsed Leftwich, telling reporters he has been "amazing" to work with. 

The Bucs have obviously been good with Brady in the fold, but they ranked third in yards and fourth in scoring in Leftwich's first year as the offensive coordinator in 2019 with Jameis Winston at quarterback. 

Leftwich has spent the last three years learning under Bruce Arians. It's about time he gets a shot at running his own show. The Vikings have the kind of roster that could experience a quick turnaround.    

The young coordinator has the experience and energy to potentially hit the ground running in Minnesota.