Projected Coaching Hires for the NFL’s 9 Vacancies

Steelers’ Mike Tomlin stepping down on Tuesday put NFL head coaching vacancies at 9. Here’s who could fill those roles.

Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on before the game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Jan. 12, 2026. Joe Sargent/Getty Images

The NFL now has nine head coach vacancies after Mike Tomlin stepped down from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.

That makes two head coaches of 18 years or longer leaving their respective jobs in the past week—the other being John Harbaugh, who was fired by the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 5. With over a quarter of the NFL teams looking for a new head coach, here’s a look at who could land where in the coming weeks.​

Arizona Cardinals

• ​Projected hire: Robert Saleh (San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator)

Arizona has an overhaul ahead after firing former head coach Jonathan Gannon. The Cardinals have quarterback questions ahead with Kyler Murray, who got benched for Jacoby Brissett, and Arizona’s defense needs serious retooling.

In 2025, the Cardinals gave up 28.7 points per game, so Arizona hiring a defensive coach such as Saleh would make a lot of sense. The Cardinals have the No. 3 draft pick in April, so Arizona could go in numerous directions to rebuild. Arizona already has significant offensive talent in wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride.​

Atlanta Falcons

• ​Projected hire: John Harbaugh (former Baltimore Ravens head coach)​

Falcons owner Arthur Blank could swing big for Harbaugh, who coached the Ravens for 18 seasons and won a Super Bowl in the process. Harbaugh or another new coach would need to navigate quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s future amid a third major knee injury and backup quarterback Kirk Cousins’ massive contract.

Adding former Falcons quarterback and MVP Matt Ryan to the front office as president of football operations could help lure the right head coach. In addition, the Falcons have a strong offensive core with running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts.​

Baltimore Ravens

• ​Projected hire: Kevin Stefanski (former Cleveland Browns head coach)​

Irony of ironies: A former Browns head coach could head to Baltimore and deliver a Super Bowl win with superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson under center. The original Browns left Cleveland for Baltimore in 1996 and won a Super Bowl. Winning another Super Bowl is a potential opportunity ahead if Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, can land this job and unlock the full potential of Jackson, a two-time MVP.

Jackson and company simply haven’t gotten over the hump in the playoffs, and the team fell short of the playoffs this past season amid injuries. Stefanski had success in Cleveland and led the team to a playoff win for the first time since 1994. He had strong defenses with the Browns, but never as ideal a quarterback situation as the Ravens.​

Cleveland Browns

• ​Projected hire: Mike McDaniel (former Miami Dolphins head coach)​

Cleveland could find a needed offensive boost in McDaniel, who turned the Dolphins into an offensive juggernaut at times in his tenure in South Beach. The Browns haven’t enjoyed stability on offense or at quarterback for a while, and McDaniel’s creativity could help the Browns turn the corner, whether the signal caller is Deshaun Watson returning to the field or Shedeur Sanders getting a shot in his second season. Cleveland keeping Jim Schwartz as the defensive coordinator would allow for someone such as McDaniel to go all-in on fixing the Browns’ offense.​

Las Vegas Raiders

• ​Projected hire: Klint Kubiak (Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator)​

Las Vegas offers a head coach the No. 1 pick in the draft and around $98 million in salary cap space to work with. Whether or not someone such as Kubiak can turn around a 3–14 squad the way Mike Vrabel turned around the New England Patriots is another story.

Kubiak enjoyed success with the New Orleans Saints before his latest successful stint in Seattle with quarterback Sam Darnold. That said, Las Vegas would pose a taller order than either of those teams, even if Kubiak has quarterback Fernando Mendoza to work with as the No. 1 pick in April.​

Miami Dolphins

• ​Projected hire: Chris Shula (Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator)​

The Dolphins could turn back the clock and have a Shula roaming the sidelines again. Chris Shula, the grandson of late Dolphins legend Don Shula, could give Miami a needed boost on defense.

The elder Shula became the league’s all-time winningest coach during his years in Miami, and the Dolphins haven’t been the same since his retirement in the 1990s. Chris Shula has developed his own career as a defensive leader, and the Rams have one of the best defenses in the league.​

New York Giants

• ​Projected hire: Jeff Hafley (Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator)​

The Giants added an elite linebacker in Abdul Carter in last year’s draft, so why not an elite defensive coach in Jeff Hafley to guide the team? Hafley helped the Packers become one of the toughest defenses in the league, built around star linebacker Micah Parsons, before the four-time Pro Bowler’s injury.

With the Giants, Hafley would have more young star power with Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence in addition to Carter. Offensively, he simply needs to build around quarterback Jaxson Dart and wide receiver Malik Nabers.​

Tennessee Titans

• ​Projected hire: Mike McCarthy (former Dallas Cowboys head coach)​

Two decades ago, McCarthy developed a talented young quarterback named Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. McCarthy could do the same with Titans second-year quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in 2025.

If McCarthy can build around Ward with a high draft pick and over $100 million in salary cap space, the Titans could see a Patriots-like turnaround sooner than later. McCarthy enjoyed success in his prior stops with the Packers and Dallas Cowboys.​

Pittsburgh Steelers

• ​Projected hire: Jesse Minter (Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator)​

The Steelers have tough shoes to fill with Tomlin leaving, but Minter could do just that after sustained success under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and then with the Los Angeles Chargers. Minter has strong defensive pedigree as a coach, and could help the Steelers get back to being a stronger defensive force in the AFC.

Offense will be a big question, too, for Minter or whoever the Steelers ultimately hire. Rodgers may retire, and the Steelers may see a transition at other key offensive positions.