The 2026 NFL head coach cycle has been a true roller coaster. Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, and Sean McDermott have all said goodbye to their respective teams, and a new era is on the horizon. Five teams have already filled their vacancies, so let’s grade them.
The white whale of this coaching cycle was former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. In 18 years with his former team, he has a 180-113 regular-season record, a 13-11 playoff record, and led the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory. He was let go simply because the team had hit its ceiling with him.
The Giants have a rising star at QB in Jaxson Dart. He’s backed by a top 10 wide receiver in Malik Nabers and a defensive front that most coaches can only dream of. This is a match made in heaven for both sides, and Harbaugh’s enthusiasm shines through. This was the best possible move New York could have made.
Kevin Stefanski’s time with the Cleveland Browns was a disaster, but that wasn’t entirely his fault. The front office pushed for the Deshaun Watson trade and handcuffed their head coach. He led the Browns to a playoff berth with Joe Flacco and won two Coach of the Year awards.
It’s fair to say the Falcons have a better roster than the Browns. Bijan Robinson is a freak athlete, Drake London is a great receiver, and the defense was surprisingly strong last season. The QB situation is up in the air, but Kirk Cousins is still in Atlanta. He’s familiar with Stefanski from their Minnesota days, and that could be a plus.
The Dolphins initially stated they would retain head coach Mike McDaniel, but ultimately fired him. It seemed they wanted Harbaugh and ended up with former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Hafley is a brilliant defensive mind. With him at the helm, Green Bay’s defense saw a noticeable shift. They allowed only 5.1 yards per play to opposing defenses over the last two years.
This is a big move with an incredibly high ceiling. Coordinators turned head coaches can be a risky bet, but Hafley was one of the best on the market.
Speaking of coordinators turned coaches, Robert Saleh is heading into his second stint as an NFL head coach. What he’s done as the San Francisco 49ers DC is wildly impressive. His time as the New York Jets’ head coach was a trainwreck, but he wasn’t even a in the top five problems that franchise had.
The Titans decided to go with a defensive mind here to help develop second-year QB Cam Ward. As long as Saleh finds the right OC, this could end up being a great hire. This team isn’t much better than the Jets, though. Saleh could be walking into another messy situation.
Holy lateral move, Batman! Mike Tomlin stepped down as the Steelers’ head coach, and they turned to Mike McCarthy as his replacement. This is not a bad hire by any means, but it’s not exactly an upgrade.
Under Tomlin, the Steelers have not had a losing season. They also haven’t made it past the divisional round since 2016. He’s 193-114-2 in 19 seasons as Pittsburgh’s head coach, with a playoff record of 8-12. In 18 seasons as a head coach, McCarthy is 174-112-2, and 11-11 in the playoffs. Both have a Super Bowl win, and neither has made it back since the early 2010s.
The Steelers could’ve taken a big swing at Chris Shula here, but went with a safer pick. McCarthy will win games in Pittsburgh, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll bring them a Super Bowl.
After moving on from Harbaugh after 18 seasons, the Ravens needed to find a more than suitable replacement. The job was already attractive with two-time MVP Lamar Jackson under center, so they had their pick of the litter. They went with Los Angeles Chargers DC, Jesse Minter.
This is a terrific hire for Baltimore. With players like Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith on their defense, Minter can make some magic. Similar to Saleh, he needs to find a great OC if Todd Monken moves on.
Minter is a nice change of pace, which is something the Ravens desperately needed. He’s familiar with the franchise, working as a defensive assistant from 2017 to 2020. The Ravens nailed this. Let’s see if he can adapt as a head coach.
The NFL’s coaching cycle isn’t over yet. The Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders are still pursuing their next leader. There are some great names still floating around; it’s just a matter of time for these franchises to find their guy.
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