RADIO
Chicago Bears - Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson has been the shining star of the last two coaching cycles after leading Detroit to three consecutive seasons with a top-three total offense. Many thought Johnson would be recruited by Tom Brady to the Las Vegas Raiders, but he jumped at the opportunity to work with Bears franchise quarterback Caleb Williams. This is a big get for the Bears, who are still searching for their first 4,000-yard passer in franchise history.
Grade: A+
Dallas Cowboys - Brian Schottenheimer
The Cowboys decided not to extend head coach Mike McCarthy after he posted a 49-35 record and three playoff trips in five seasons at the helm. Not many people thought Dallas was wrong for searching for a new head coach, but the Brian Schottenheimer hire is uninspiring — to say the least. Schottenheimer has been on the Cowboys’ staff since 2022 and has zero head-coaching experience. Can America’s Team not attract top-tier candidates?
Grade: D
Jacksonville Jaguars - Liam Coen
Last offseason, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales earned the Carolina Panthers’ head-coaching job thanks to his work with Baker Mayfield. One year later, the coach who replaced him in Tampa Bay is the new head coach in Jacksonville after improving Canales’ offense. Under Coen’s direction, the Buccaneers ranked No. 3 in total offense and No. 4 in points per game. This is an exciting development for Trevor Lawrence — awkward introductory press conferences aside.
Grade: B+
Las Vegas Raiders - Pete Carroll
Sure, Pete Carroll likely isn’t a long-term answer for the Raiders at 73 years old, but he was partially handpicked by Tom Brady to be the team’s next head coach. Carroll brings a 170-120 record as an NFL head coach with him to Las Vegas, and he’ll help stabilize an organization that has seemingly been all over the place for over a decade. Carroll isn’t a young flashy offensive mind, but he has a proven track record of success and can help the Raiders get out of the basement of the NFL. This is a high-floor hire.
Grade: B
New England Patriots - Mike Vrabel
The Jerod Mayo experiment lasted just one season despite Mayo being viewed as the next man waiting in the wings after Bill Belichick. However, with Mike Vrabel available, Robert Kraft decided to hand the keys from one former Patriots linebacker to another. Vrabel consistently outperformed expectations with the Tennessee Titans, winning two AFC South titles and advancing to the 2019 AFC Championship Game. Like Carroll, he’s a high-floor hire. But he has a ton of years left in his coaching career should things go as planned.
Grade: A-
New Orleans Saints - Kellen Moore
Several candidates seemingly turned the Saints down, and it looked like New Orleans could end up with a weak candidate as its next head coach. With that considered, Kellen Moore is a fantastic hire after helping the Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl LIX. Moore had offensive success in Dallas before a down year with the Chargers, but he proved to be adaptable in his lone season with the Eagles. The Saints roster is a mess at the moment, so it could take time for Moore to find success, but the hire is as good as New Orleans could have hoped for.
Grade: B+
New York Jets - Aaron Glenn
Of all the head coaching jobs that were open, former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was eyeing the Jets position, which has to feel good. New York has the longest postseason drought among the four major American sports, and Glenn wants to be a part of the turnaround. Finding the long-term answer at quarterback, something New York has failed to do for decades should be priority No. 1 for the new regime. Glenn’s overall defensive numbers weren’t great in Detroit, but he did a great job with the personnel he had and is viewed as a natural leader.
Grade: B
