NFL Week 18 is here, which means that some head coaches are coaching their final game with their current organization. Many double-digit loss teams, and perhaps a few with winning records, will be recruiting the next innovative coaching prospect that can take their franchise to the next level. Here are some of the top current coordinators who may be NFL head coaches in 2026.
Joe Brady took over as the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator last season after serving as the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2022 and interim OC in 2023. QB Josh Allen won the NFL MVP award during Brady’s first year as the play caller, and also cut his interception percentage from 3.1 to 1.2. While the passing game has not been quite as good this season, the Bills are still top-five in total yardage and sixth in scoring.
If the Cincinnati Bengals were to move on from head coach Zac Taylor, that may be the perfect spot for Brady. Back in 2019, he was the passing game coordinator for the LSU Tigers squad that won a national championship with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Brady could be the coach who helps Burrow regain his joy for the game.
Chris Shula has turned the Los Angeles Rams into a top-ten scoring defense in his second year as the defensive coordinator. While the Rams are towards the middle of the pack in terms of yardage, they rank fifth in the NFL in takeaways and tenth in sacks. Los Angeles has had some hiccups over the last couple of weeks, but with the overall body of work, Shula likely remains a strong candidate in the upcoming cycle.
As the grandson of the late great Don Shula, the younger Shula has proven he is not just here because of his family name. There should be a handful of teams looking for a defensive-minded coach, and the current Rams DC is likely near the top of the list for many organizations.
Minnesota Vikings DC Brian Flores could draw head coaching interest in this cycle, despite all the circumstances surrounding him currently. The work cannot be denied, as the Vikings are currently top-ten in yardage and points allowed. Flores is known as one of the most aggressive, yet creative, defensive minds in the NFL. That has resulted in Minnesota being ranked in the top ten in sacks and takeaways as well.
Potential suitors for Flores will likely want to dive deeper into his time with the Miami Dolphins. There were questions regarding his leadership and ability to manage the locker room. Some of that could have been a result of the overall dysfunction inside the organization, however, and not necessarily on the coach. What is known is that any NFL team looking for a head coach who can turn around an abysmal defense may not need to look any further than Flores.
The work that Seattle Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak has done should not go unnoticed. Sam Darnold has put up huge numbers again this year, while third-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba looks like the best receiver in all of football. The Seahawks are second in the NFL in points per game, so teams with lackluster offenses would surely be interested.
Kubiak may have actually been on a few teams’ radar last season. During his first two games as the New Orleans Saints’ OC, the squad had back-to-back 40-plus point games. Injuries, combined with facing some defensive juggernauts, however, would ultimately derail their season.
Organizations with young QBs, or those who will be drafting one, are always looking for an innovative mind to work with the potential face of the franchise. Kubiak could absolutely fit the bill in that regard.
Black Monday is less than a week away, and plenty of jobs with varying levels of intrigue could be open. Some of those may include the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Bengals, and Dolphins. Each of those teams will likely be interested in some of the candidates on this list (except for the Dolphins with Flores, of course).
Shula ending up with Miami would be intriguing, since a Shula coaching the Dolphins worked to perfection in the past. Questions surrounding many upcoming NFL head coaching vacancies are likely to be answered within the next few weeks.
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