Coaching Carousel: Matching a Top Candidate with Each of the NFL Vacancies

Mike Tomlin’s decision to step down as Pittsburgh Steelers coach after 19 years sent ripples across the NFL. It adds rocket fuel to what was already one of the most intriguing head coach cycles in recent memory. Nearly a third of NFL teams are now looking for a new head coach.

It’s too early to say what Tomlin’s intentions are for 2026. He could get an offer he can't refuse from another franchise (the hiring team would have to compensate the Steelers), take a break from coaching or pursue TV opportunities. 

Assuming Tomlin does not hop into this year’s fray, how will the head coach vacancy dominoes fall? Who gets John Harbaugh? Who will succeed Tomlin in Pittsburgh? Who will take on rebuilding projects in Cleveland, Las Vegas and Tennessee?

Here are my choices for each of the nine vacancies: 

Arizona Cardinals: Robert Saleh 

Quarterback Kyler Murray’s status is unclear, which could be a turn-off for a coveted veteran candidate like Saleh. As head coach of the Jets, he suffered through the Zach Wilson experience and had Aaron Rodgers for just five games before being fired. 

But the Cardinals have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 draft and more than $20 million in cap space, which means Saleh could at least have a significant say in the team’s future quarterback.

Robert Saleh had a miserable experience as Jets head coach with Aaron Rodgers (#8) and Zach Wilson. Would Saleh want to take another job with an uncertain QB situation? (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The Cardinals also have some young pieces on defense that Saleh would love, including cornerback Will Johnson and defensive tackle Walter Nolen III. Arizona is uniquely familiar with Saleh’s work as well — as San Francisco’s defensive playcaller for five seasons (2017-20, 2025), he has posed challenges for the Cardinals' offense. 

Atlanta Falcons: Kevin Stefanski 

After years of working with offensively-challenged rosters in Cleveland, Stefanski would inherit one of the NFL’s most talented offenses as Falcons coach. The drawbacks in Atlanta are the uncertainty over the quarterback situation — Michael Penix Jr.’s health, Kirk Cousins’ future — and no first-round pick in 2026. 

But owner Arthur Blank’s strong reputation and the addition of franchise legend Matt Ryan as the head of football operations should be major pluses to Stefanski. The two-time NFL Coach of the Year has already interviewed with the Falcons. 

Baltimore Ravens: Jesse Minter

After Tomlin's news on Tuesday, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was asked if the longtime Steelers coach would be a candidate to replace John Harbaugh.

"Holy s---, wouldn't that be awesome?" Bisciotti replied. 

All jokes aside, there's a natural fit for the Baltimore opening. The 42-year-old Minter is one of the league’s brightest defensive minds and would give a talented (and underachieving) Ravens defense a needed fresh voice. Before serving as the Chargers defensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh, Minter spent four seasons as an assistant on John Harbaugh’s staff in Baltimore (2017-20), so there’s familiarity on both sides. 

In stints at Michigan, Baltimore and Los Angeles, Jesse Minter has worked for both Harbaugh brothers. Now may be the time he sets out on his own as a head coach. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Cleveland Browns: Mike McDaniel

Despite the quarterback concerns in Cleveland — featuring the trio of Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel — there are very real reasons why this could be an attractive job for McDaniel. The competency on the defensive side of the ball would allow the former Dolphins coach to focus on offense, where he’s done his best work. 

Even if defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz leaves — the Browns reportedly would like to keep him in some capacity — there would be no shortage of candidates looking to be the new playcaller for Cleveland’s elite defense. 

McDaniel was the Browns' wide receivers coach in 2014, so he’s familiar with the organization. He was among the first head coach interviews that Cleveland announced. 

[Coaching Carousel: Ranking the 9 NFL Head Coach Vacancies]

Las Vegas Raiders: Brian Flores

The Vikings defensive coordinator has a connection with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady as they spent nine years together with the Patriots (2010-18), winning three Super Bowls. 

During his stint as Dolphins head coach, Flores had trouble dealing with Tua Tagovailoa, but that experience should make him better at navigating the quarterback position in Las Vegas. The Raiders are expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, with the No. 1 overall pick. 

Brian Flores could get another shot as an NFL head coach, this time with the Heisman Trophy winner as his quarterback. (Photo by Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)

Miami Dolphins: Jeff Hafley 

Many league observers have penciled in Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula here, considering he’s the grandson of Dolphins legendary coach Don Shula. But Packers DC Hafley would make a lot of sense. 

Miami’s new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, spent the past two seasons with Hafley in Green Bay. And Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis, who’s set to hit free agency this offseason, is an option to succeed Tua Tagovailoa as QB1. Hafley’s arrival could make that more likely. 

With head coach experience — albeit at the college level (Boston College) — and a commanding aura, Hafley would also represent the kind of CEO personality that the Dolphins didn’t have with Mike McDaniel. 

New York Giants: John Harbaugh 

For Harbaugh, the crown jewel of this hiring cycle, the allure of building a winner in New York could be too appealing to pass up. 

The Giants may not have a ton of cap space ($5.2M, 20th in the league), but they have a promising young quarterback in Jaxson Dart, plus several other offensive building blocks on rookie contracts — WR Malik Nabers, TE Theo Johnson, RBs Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. On the other side of the ball, New York's talented defense features edge rusher Abdul Carter, last year's No. 3 overall pick. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Chris Shula

Since 1969, the Steelers have had just three head coaches: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. All three were ascending, under-40 defensive minds when hired by Pittsburgh. 

Shula fits that trend — he turns 40 next month — and he could bring one of the Rams’ rising coaches with him to be the offensive playcaller. Nate Scheelhaase, L.A.'s 35-year-old pass game coordinator, is garnering head coach interest this cycle. 

Pittsburgh has an older roster to sort through, including the Aaron Rodgers question at quarterback, but Shula would benefit from a stable organization such as the Steelers. They are in good shape salary-cap wise ($39M, 10th in the NFL) and are projected to have five picks in the first three rounds of the 2026 draft.

Tennessee Titans: Matt Nagy 

The Chiefs offensive coordinator is close with Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi from their time together in Kansas City, and Nagy's experience as a head coach in one of the league’s toughest markets should be appealing to the Titans. From 2018-21, Nagy had a 34-31 record as the Chicago Bears' head coach. 

Plus, Nagy’s offensive background and experience with Patrick Mahomes would be a major bonus for Cam Ward, whose development should be priority No. 1 in Tennessee. 

Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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