X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Rising Stars: Five NFL Assistant Coaches That Could Be Head Coaches Next Year

Who are the top NFL head coaching candidates? Dan Larocca looks at five current NFL coaching assistants that could be head coaches in 2023.

With the NFL playoffs in full swing, many teams are already looking ahead to preparations for the 2023 season. This offseason will include a head coaching change for at least five NFL teams - the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts will all be looking to fill vacancies at head coach.

For most franchises, prior coaching experience on an NFL sideline is a prerequisite for the head coaching job. The coordinator and position coach roles provide valuable experience in game planning, situational awareness, and managing specific position groups while giving a glimpse into the requirements of leading the locker room as a head coach.

So which current NFL assistant coaches are best positioned to be head coaches in 2023?

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

First, What Can We Learn From 2022 Head Coach Hirings?

There were 10 head coaching changes in the lead-up to the 2022 season. Seven of these vacancies were filled by first-time head coaches, all coming from offensive or defensive coordinator positions. The remaining spots went to head coaching veterans in Doug Pederson, Todd Bowles, and Lovie Smith.

Five of these 10 new head coaches led their team to the playoffs in 2023, while two were fired less than a calendar year after taking the job. The five new head coaches for 2022 who have already seen playoff returns are the aforementioned Doug Pederson in Jacksonville, Todd Bowles in Tampa Bay, Brian Daboll with the Giants, Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, and Mike McDaniel with the Dolphins.

It should be noted that four of these five are offensive-minded coaches with playcalling experience coming from offensive coordinator roles at their previous franchises.

It is clear that prior reps leading the offensive or defensive side of the ball indicate a higher likelihood of being hired as a head coach. Which current coordinators or assistants are likely to make the leap to head coach in 2023?

 

#1. San Francisco 49ers DC Demeco Ryans

Demeco Ryans is one of the hottest names in coaching circles right now, and for good reason. The former All-Pro linebacker has had a quick ascent up the coaching ladder since retiring as a player in 2015. Ryans started as a defensive assistant with the 49ers in 2017 before progressing to defensive coordinator just five years later, replacing former DC Robert Saleh, who took the head coaching job with the Jets.

In his two years as the 49ers' defensive coordinator, Ryans’ units have finished third and first in the NFL in yards allowed, with the defense playing a large role in the team’s deep playoff runs over that time. The 49ers also ended the 2022 regular season with the top-ranked scoring defense, allowing just 15.3 points per game.

Ryans has interviews lined up with several teams already, including the team that drafted him, the Houston Texans. It would be a surprise to many if he does not land a head coaching job this cycle.

 

#2. Philadelphia Eagles OC Shane Steichen

Eagles OC Shane Steichen has flown largely under the radar as a key contributor to Philadelphia’s recent offensive success, largely due to the spotlight being on second-year head coach Nick Sirianni. Steichen has played a critical role for the Eagles in his two years as offensive coordinator, including calling plays for the NFL’s second-best offense by both points and yards in 2022.

Steichen came to Philadelphia after a short stint as OC with the Los Angeles Chargers, meaning his pedigree includes coaching two rising stars in QB Justin Herbert and QB Jalen Hurts. Steichen’s playcalling helped catapult Hurts into the MVP conversation this year and has been instrumental in leading the Eagles’ explosive offense into the NFC Championship this postseason.

Expect Steichen to be a top candidate with teams looking for an offensive mind at head coach in 2023.

 

#3. Denver Broncos DC Eljiro Evero

The Denver Broncos had a disastrous season under first-time head coach Nathaniel Hackett in 2022, with the one silver lining being Eljiro Evero’s defensive unit.

Evero inherited a defense that ranked 20th in total DVOA in 2021 and helped improve them to 10th in DVOA among defenses in 2022. Despite a bottom-tier offense not providing much relief, Denver’s defense tied for second in the NFL in 2022 in yards per play allowed.

While Evero only has a year of coordinator experience under his belt, his previous experience coaching with the likes of Sean McVay, Mike McCarthy, and Vic Fangio has helped prepare him for the next step.

 

#4. Dallas Cowboys OC Kellen Moore

Another former player turning heads as a head coaching candidate is current Cowboys OC Kellen Moore. In his third season as offensive coordinator, the Cowboys finished 2022 as the third-best scoring offense after leading the league in this category last year.

The 2022 season brought new challenges for Moore and the Cowboys' offense, including an early-season injury to QB Dak Prescott that brought backup QB Cooper Rush into relevance. Rush went 4-1 during Prescott’s absence, putting a spotlight on Moore’s ability to adapt the gameplan according to the team’s strengths on a week-by-week basis.

Moore will likely garner interest again as a head coaching candidate this offseason.

 

#5. Philadelphia Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon

With Philadelphia being one of the hottest teams in 2022, it is no coincidence that two Eagles coordinators made this list. DC Jonathan Gannon is in his second year as head of the Eagles' defense, joining the team in 2021 alongside Nick Sirianni.

The Eagles finished the 2022 regular season with the eighth-best scoring defense in the NFL, a stark improvement over their 2021 campaign where they finished 18th in this category. Philadelphia led the league with 70 sacks this season, 15 more than the next-highest team. They also finished the season with a 15.1% turnover rate, good for third-best in the NFL.

For teams looking to replicate the same magic that other defensive-minded coaches like Mike Vrabel and Robert Saleh have seen in their first HC jobs, don’t be surprised if Gannon gets his first shot at a head coaching role in 2023.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

NBA

Charles Bediako Agrees to a Training Camp Deal with Detroit
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery, Uncertain for Training Camp
Charlotte Hornets

DaQuan Jeffries Waived by the Hornets
CFB

Eric Singleton Jr. Questionable For Saturday
Braden Schneider

Limited in Training Camp
Lars Eller

Recovering From Abdominal Procedure
Nick Jensen

in Danger of Missing Start of Season
Brandon Montour

to Miss Two Weeks After Ankle Surgery
Gabriel Landeskog

a "Full Go" for the Season
Samuel Girard

Avalanche Hope to Have Samuel Girard Available for Start of Season
Mackenzie Blackwood

Out Week-to-Week
Alex Tuch

Day-to-Day With Undisclosed Injury
Jordan Greenway

to Sit Out Training Camp
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Considered Day-to-Day
Simon Edvinsson

to Miss a Couple of Weeks
Mikael Backlund

Signs Two-Year Extension
Connor Ingram

to Be Waived by Mammoth
Zach Hyman

Misses Start of Training Camp
Nick Paul

Out Until November
Kris Letang

Cleared for Training Camp
David Pastrnak

Out for Start of Training Camp
Matthew Tkachuk

Expected to Be Out Until December
NBA

Trevelin Queen Joins Chinese Team
Damian Lillard

Not Rushing His Return
Brooklyn Nets

Keon Johnson Waived by Nets
Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Progressing in Recovery
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP