The NFL head coaching cycle is on fire right now. With 10 teams making a change at one of the most important positions, four dominoes have already fallen. There are still six teams in the market for a new leader, and these would be the best fits for each one.
It’s easy to read Brian Daboll’s name and dismiss him as a legitimate head coach, given his tenure with the New York Giants. It’s more important to note his part in Josh Allen’s development. He served as the Bills’ offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021 before heading off to East Rutherford.
When the Bills drafted Allen in 2018, Daboll was brought on as the OC and immediately tasked with a project quarterback. In four seasons, he turned the Wyoming product into a bona fide top-five NFL QB.
Daboll would bring familiarity to Buffalo, something this team might need. It doesn’t appear that the players are thrilled about Sean McDermott’s firing; a friendly face might be important for immediate buy-in. He had his bad moments in New York, but it’s widely agreed that Daboll was not the biggest issue with the Giants.
Mike McDaniel was fired by the Miami Dolphins on January 8, 2026, three days after the Browns fired Kevin Stefanski. While it seemed Miami wanted to pursue John Harbaugh, he’s officially off the market. They did, however, plan on keeping McDaniel before Harbaugh was fired.
McDaniel is a terrific offensive mind who may be better suited as a coordinator. It should be noted that in four seasons with Miami, he totaled a 35-33 record. The Dolphins’ problems were much bigger than the head coach.
The Browns have a dangerous defense and a potential franchise QB in Shedeur Sanders. McDaniel couldn’t unlock consistency with an oft-injured Tua Tagovailoa, but a young and hungry QB could give him some fire to work with.
The Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon after three seasons, and it was the right move for their franchise. Gannon is a smart defensive mind and will likely land a great coordinator job, but he couldn’t unlock Arizona’s offense.
Enter Klint Kubiak, the offensive genius for the Seattle Seahawks. While he’s only spent one season with the team, he’s turned their offense into something special. They’re playing in the NFC Championship this week with Sam Darnold under center.
Arizona will likely move on from Kyler Murray, giving a new head coach the choice of Jacoby Brissett or an outside signing. Kubiak might not be ready to leave Seattle yet, but if he does, the Cardinals should throw everything they have at him.
The Raiders were arguably the NFL’s worst team in 2025. Their offense was horrible with Geno Smith, and the defense was nonexistent outside of Maxx Crosby. They’re looking at every option for head coach, but the Rams’ defensive coordinator might be a great fit.
Shula has a way of getting the most he can out of his defense. He’s been a member of Sean McVay’s staff for nearly a decade and is considered McVay’s favorite protégé. The question is how well he can transition from coordinator to head coach.
Tom Brady is leading the search for Vegas’ new head coach. He’s always been a football IQ guy, and Shula checks the boxes of a genius. The Raiders will likely add Fernando Mendoza in the Draft. That could immediately upgrade their QB situation for Shula as he transitions.
The biggest name in the coaching cycle hit the market when the Ravens let Harbaugh go. He was immediately sought after and hired by the New York Giants. The decision to let go of the 18-year head coach was a huge change of pace for Baltimore.
Several names are floating for the Ravens’ HC job, including the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter. He has spent the last two seasons with LA and helped create a top-five NFL defense during his tenure.
Minter can help Baltimore’s struggling defense, which ranked 24th in yards per game allowed (354.5). It would be paramount for him to find the right offensive coordinator for Lamar Jackson. After 18 years of the same thing, a change of pace was needed.
Sean McDermott was fired by the Bills on Tuesday morning in a surprising move. Buffalo has struggled to win big games in the playoffs, and through his tenure, they didn’t make it to the Super Bowl once.
The Steelers’ longtime head coach, Mike Tomlin, stepped down after nearly 20 years. Similar to the Ravens, they hit their ceiling with him, and it was time for a change. Given his history with Josh Allen and an anticipated QB change for Pittsburgh, McDermott would be a great hire.
McDermott amassed a 98-50 regular-season record in Buffalo and went 8-8 in the postseason. He’s a head coach who knows how to win games but was limited by his general manager. Defense has always been Pittsburgh’s identity. Why not hire a defensive-minded head coach to breathe new life into it?
The 2026 coaching carousel picked up steam fast. What seemed to be a weak year turned into something massive. Decisions made in January will change franchises in September.
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