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Jackson lists the NFL head coaches who were fired during or after the 2024 NFL season. Which teams have head coaching vacancies ahead of the 2025 season? Who are top candidates to replace them?
Every NFL season, several head coaches are fired during the year or right after the campaign wraps up. Last year, we saw a whopping eight coaches relieved of their duties, meaning a quarter of the NFL's head coaching jobs were open. This time around, seven coaches were let go. The turnover of coaches in the league has gotten wild, but that's now the nature of the business.
Fans of struggling franchises see the chance to hire a new head coach as a potential pathway to turn things around, so the topic of fired coaches and top candidates is always a hot one. In this article below, we'll list six head coaches who were fired and hint at the top candidates to fill their spots.
Who will fill the head coaching roles in Jacksonville, New Orleans, Las Vegas, New York, Dallas and Chicago? Let's dive in below.
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Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
Record With Franchise: 49-35
Playoff Record: 1-3
Best Season: 12-5 (2022)
Mike McCarthy had modest success in Dallas, but he is not being retained as the team's head coach. The 61-year-old has 11 total postseason victories in his career and could land another head-coaching gig in the future. Now, it's time for Jerry Jones to land the next leader of Amercia's team.
Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars
Record With Franchise: 22-19
Playoff Record: 1-1
Best Season: 9-8 (2022)
The Doug Pederson experiment in Jacksonville got off to a solid start. The Jags won a playoff game in Year 1 of his tenure following a disastrous season with Urban Meyer at the helm. However, franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence has not taken another step forward, which was why Pederson was brought in. This will be an attractive job for Lawrence believers in the coaching profession.
Jacksonville Jaguars fired Doug Pederson as their head coach, per source.
Pederson’s tenure in Jacksonville ends after three season and a 22-29 record, including 18 losses in the last 23 games. pic.twitter.com/MfAayhTcQz
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2025
Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints
Record With Franchise: 18-25
Playoff Record: 0-0
Best Season: 9-8 (2023)
Dennis Allen took on the tough challenge of taking over for Sean Payton in New Orleans. After a promising season in 2023, the Saints fell apart in 2024. The organization has seemingly put off a rebuild for the last half-decade, but it's time to start getting younger with an eye toward the future. After flaming out as the head man for two franchises, it would be a surprise if he lands another head coaching job.
Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders
Record With Franchise: 9-17
Playoff Record: 0-0
Best Season: 5-4 (2023 as interim)
Antonio Pierce was a breath of fresh air for the Las Vegas locker room following the firing of Josh McDaniels early in the 2023 campaign. However, Pierce looked in over his head in his first and last season as the Raiders' full-time head coach. Tom Brady is said to be leading the head coaching search in Las Vegas.
The #Raiders reportedly have made a big impression on #Lions Ben Johnson with Tom Brady. #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/WSE5zQl0nA
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) January 11, 2025
Robert Saleh, New York Jets
Record With Franchise: 20-36
Playoff Record: 0-0
Best Season: 7-10 (2023)
Robert Saleh had the Jets playing great defense for most of his tenure, but the team's offensive woes were a problem from start to finish. The Aaron Rodgers experiment flaming out was the final straw, and Saleh was let go in the middle of the 2024 campaign. New York's roster has several young pieces to build on, but the quarterback remains an issue.
Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears
Record With Franchise: 14-32
Playoff Record: 0-0
Best Season: 7-10 (2023)
Like Saleh, Matt Eberflus had the Chicago defense playing great football at times, but the offense led by Justin Fields and Caleb Williams was never good enough for him to keep his job. Chicago gave up a Hail Mary to lose to the Washington Commanders as time expired seemingly marking the end of the Eberflus era.
Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots
Record With Franchise: 4-13
Playoff Record: 0-0
Best Season: 4-13 (2024)
Jerod Mayo was owner Robert Kraft's first pick to take over for Bill Belichick, but things did not go as planned in Year 1. The Patriots looked outmatched and outcoached in most of their games, and Mayo did not seem prepared to lead a franchise. The Patriots have already hired former Tennessee Titans head coach and New England linebacker Mike Vrabel to take over the reins.
He’s back!
Patriots Hall of Famer Mike Vrabel returns to New England as our 16th head coach. pic.twitter.com/a3r7IQNzvk
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 12, 2025
Potential Coaching Candidates for 2025
- Ben Johnson, Lions OC
- Brian Flores, Vikings DC
- Jesse Minter, Chargers DC
- Liam Coen, Buccaneers OC
- Aaron Glenn, Lions DC
- Pete Carroll, Former Seahawks HC
- Todd Monken, Ravens OC
- Kliff Kingsbury, Commanders OC
- Vance Joseph, Broncos DC
- Joe Brady, Bills OC
- Drew Petzing, Texans OC
- Mike Kafta, Giants OC
- Kellen Moore, Eagles OC
- Bobby Slowik, Texans OC
- Anthony Weaver, Dolphins DC
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