Predicting The Seven NFL Head Coaching Hires Of The 2026 Offseason - Bills, Ravens, Steelers, Browns, Cardinals, Raiders, Titans

January 20, 2026

Andy predicts who the Bills, Ravens, Steelers, and others will hire as their next head coach. Read the offseason predictions and analysis.

The NFL offseason is in full swing. Even though the postseason is still ongoing, seven head coaching positions are open as we approach the start of the 2026 league year.

In this piece, we will attempt to predict who will take over the duties for the seven franchises and determine whether they can get each team back on track. At the start of the offseason, there were up to 10 openings, but the Giants agreed to terms with former Ravens HC John Harbaugh, the Dolphins signed Packers DC Jeff Hafley, and the Falcons hired former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski.

In this exercise, we will only identify coaches as potential hires if they have already had an interview with the representative team to keep these predictions as realistic as possible. Let's dive in!

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Arizona Cardinals - Matt Nagy

The Arizona Cardinals opted to part ways with Jonathan Gannon after his three-year tenure. After the 2025 season, there were rumblings that Gannon's job was safe, but the team decided to instead look for a clean slate ahead of a critical 2026 season.

Gannon won a career-low three games with the Cardinals last season and ended his time with a modest 15-36 record.

The Cardinals have been linked to numerous proven NFL names, such as Raheem Morris, Robert Saleh, and Arthur Smith, but expect them to turn to a former HC who has enjoyed success: Matt Nagy.

Nagy served as the HC of the Bears from 2018 through 2021, then as Kansas City's OC (offensive coordinator) from 2023 through 2025. With the Bears, Nagy was quite successful, earning AP Coach of the Year honors in his debut season in 2018. Overall, he led them to a 34-31 record.

In 2023, the Chiefs averaged the second-most yards per game but took a step back over the past two seasons.

Nagy would provide the Cardinals with some-needed stability and provide an offensive mind to assist Kyler Murray in a make-or-break season.

Baltimore Ravens - Brian Flores

Another highly coveted opening is the Baltimore Ravens. In a somewhat surprising move, the Ravens fired longtime coach John Harbaugh after failing to qualify for the 2025 postseason. Harbaugh would waste little time as he agreed to terms with the Giants just a few weeks after he was relieved of his duties.

The Ravens have already begun an exhaustive list of interviews, with most names being former NFL head coaches and a handful of the most coveted coordinators on the open market. However, given that the Ravens are still in their contention window with superstar QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry on the roster, they will agree to terms with former HC and DC Brian Flores.

Flores spent three seasons as Miami's head coach and finished with a 24-25 record. Flores was eventually relieved of his duties following a string of disagreements with the front office that ultimately resulted in Flores pressing charges against the front office after accusations of being forced to lose games and of racial discrimination.

Flores would immediately make an impact with the Vikings, leading their defense. As their DC (defensive coordinator) (from 2023-2025), Flores's unit would allow less than 20.0 PPG in two seasons and finish within the top five in sacks in back-to-back seasons.

Flores would bring an experienced mind into the Ravens' locker room and keep them in contention.

Buffalo Bills - Brian Daboll

In a shocking move, the Buffalo opted to part ways with longtime head coach Sean McDermott following their playoff loss to the Denver Broncos. This marked yet another disappointing playoff run for the Bills, cut short before they could reach the Super Bowl.

Throughout his nine-year tenure as the Bills' head skipper, McDermott led them to a promising 98-50 regular-season record but always fell short in the postseason, posting an 8-8 record, which ultimately led to his firing.

This will be one of the most coveted jobs on the market with superstar QB Josh Allen under center. While the current offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, will be considered for this title, expect the Bills to bring in a former head coach, Brian Daboll.

Before taking over as offensive coordinator with the Giants in 2022, Daboll was Buffalo's OC and was very productive in that role. From 2018 through 2021, Daboll led Buffalo to holding a top-5 scoring offense in two seasons and was even named the 2020 AP Assistant Coach of the Year. With the Giants, Daboll enjoyed a stellar debut season in 2022, leading them to the postseason and earning AP Coach of the Year honors.

With Allen in his prime, expect the Bills to do everything possible to put him in a position to win a Super Bowl. Pairing him with Daboll will put him in an excellent position to succeed.

Cleveland Browns - Mike McDaniel

The Browns parted ways with the previously mentioned Stefanski and will look to replace him with an offensive-minded coach. With defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz still expected to lead one of the sport's top defensive units, pairing him with a budding offensive mind could make a significant impact for this club and push them to the next level in their rebuild.

Mike McDaniel was the head skipper in Miami for four seasons and brought them to a 35-33 record. In 2022 and 2023, McDaniel immediately made a mark in the NFL, leading the Dolphins to average 364.5 yards per game and a league-leading 401.5 total yards per game in his first two seasons, respectively. In 2024, they took a slight step back but remained productive, totaling 325.9 yards per game.

Tyreek Hill. 80 yards for a TD!

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— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024

Unfortunately, he had his worst output in 2025, which ultimately led to his firing.

In Cleveland, McDaniel is the perfect solution to bolster Cleveland's offense, which scored the second-fewest 16.4 PPG. With the Browns already having budding stars on the offensive side of the ball like Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr., McDaniel appears to be the perfect fit to bring them to their fullest potential.

Las Vegas Raiders - Klint Kubiak

The Pete Carroll experience did not work out as planned. In his return to coaching, the former Super Bowl Champion and longtime Seattle Seahawks head coach stumbled, leading them to just three victories. During the regular season, the Raiders averaged a league-low 14.2 PPG. They averaged only 77.2 rushing yards per game and 167.7 passing yards per game.

A change was needed, and the Raiders quickly opted to move off Carroll as they look to take the next step in their rebuild. Holding the first overall pick, adding a top offensive mind to pair with their soon-to-be franchise QB, Fernando Mendoza, Klint Kubiak, seems like a perfect fit.

Kubiak served as the Saints' OC in 2024 and was moved to Seattle in 2025, where he once again spearheaded the offense. With the Seahawks, he played a lead role in leading them to claim the NFC's top seed. The Seahawks averaged an elite 28.4 PPG, the third-most in the league. They were a very balanced team, averaging 123.3 rushing yards per game and 228.1 passing yards per game.

Kubiak helped Sam Darnold turn his second-straight 4,000-yard campaign and created a game plan that allowed both Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet to enjoy the best seasons of their career.

While an experienced coach would also be a great match for Mendoza, the Raiders are looking for not only a budding offensive mind but also a coach who can provide a massive spark to the locker room, which is coming off a three-win season. Kubiak is prepared to lead a rebuild and will also create a running scheme to assist Ashton Jeanty round into form following a disappointing debut season.

Pittsburgh Steelers - Chris Shula

After a 19-year tenure in the Steel City, Mike Tomlin decided to step down from his head coaching role following another disappointing playoff loss. With the Pittsburgh HC job open for the first time in nearly 20 seasons, do not be surprised if they not only go with an unexpected candidate, preferably a young coach who can grow into the role.

Throughout the franchise's history, they have employed only three coaches since 1969. The Steelers and the Rooney family want their next head coach to grow in this role, not play a game of musical chairs like many other NFL franchises do.

The perfect fit would be Los Angeles Rams DC Chris Shula, and yes, he's related to that Shula. Chris is the grandson of legendary Dolphins' HC Don Shula.

Shula has spent the past two seasons serving as the DC for the Rams. In 2024, the Rams allowed just 22.7 PPG and shut down opposing QBs, allowing only 223.1 passing yards per game. In 2025, Shula took a step forward, allowing only 20.4 PPG with just 216.7 passing yards and 110.8 rushing yards per game.

Kobie and Jared get to the QB!

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— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 19, 2025

The 39-year-old will be given the opportunity to grow in this role and become the next face of Steeler football for decades to come.

Tennessee Titans - Mike McCarthy

Update - The Titans are expected to hire Robert Saleh

Let's round this up with a bit of a "bold" prediction. The Titans have a promising young QB under center in Cam Ward and want to pair him with an offensive-minded coach. With McDaniel, Harbaugh, and Stefanski off the table, look for them to hire Mike McCarthy.

McCarthy spent a year off from coaching in 2025 but has expressed interest in returning to the NFL. Through the 18-year NFL tenure as an HC, McCarthy posted a 125-77-2 record with the Packers (13 seasons) and a 49-35 record with the Cowboys (five seasons). With the Cowboys, McCarthy led the Dallas offense to tally the top-5 most yards in the sport in two of the three seasons and brought them within the top-15 in all but one.

As the Packers HC, he is most known for winning Super Bowl XLV and seven NFC North Division titles. Bringing in a QB whisperer for Ward following a well-needed year off is the perfect match.

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