It would not seem Mike McDaniel will be a head coach within the 2026 NFL season, however he’s expected to have a high-profile job, in accordance to an ESPN report.
McDaniel and the Los Angeles Chargers, in accordance to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, are expected to attain an settlement that can make the previous Miami Dolphins head coach the new offensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh’s team.
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Another offensive coordinator place is stuffed, as the Kansas City Chiefs are bringing again Eric Bieniemy within the position he held from 2018 to 2022.
Meanwhile, on the NFL head coaching carousel, the Tennessee Titans reportedly finalized a deal to hire Robert Saleh as their new head coach.
Saleh spent the previous season as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator after being fired by the New York Jets in 2024. He‘s had good defenses wherever he’s been, and now he will get an opportunity to assist stabilize the Titans franchise and construct a winner round No. 1 general decide Cam Ward.
The Buffalo Bills shocked the league Monday morning by firing their head coach, Sean McDermott. General supervisor Brandon Beane will reportedly retain his job and discover McDermott’s substitute.
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Meanwhile, the Bills’ AFC East rival, the Miami Dolphins, finalized their own head coaching hire with Jeff Hafley, who spent the previous two years as the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator.
The strikes observe a busy weekend that noticed the 2 largest names on the NFL head coaching market formally discover new groups to lead.
After about two days of curious silence since information broke of their pending union, the New York Giants and John Harbaugh finalized their deal Saturday, and the Giants made the hire official. The deal is expected to be 5 years in size and with a complete worth of $100 million — one of many largest contracts within the league — in accordance to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz.
Harbaugh turns into the Giants’ fifth head coach (seven counting interims) since Tom Coughlin resigned in January 2016. Former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is reportedly expected to be a part of Harbaugh on his workers.
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Also on Saturday, the Atlanta Falcons officially announced that Kevin Stefanski will be the workforce’s subsequent head coach. The former Cleveland Browns coach takes over for Raheem Morris, turning into the Falcons’ third head coach up to now six seasons and twentieth in franchise historical past.
Green Bay, in the meantime, is standing pat with its management. Head coach Matt LaFleur is reportedly getting a contract extension, as is normal supervisor Brian Gutekunst. There was some query if LaFleur would return after the Packers misplaced their final 5 video games, together with blowing an 18-point lead towards the Chicago Bears within the wild-card spherical, however the Packers’ braintrust finally selected to deliver them again after accidents ravaged what checked out instances like a Super Bowl workforce this season.
Here’s a rundown of the hirings, firings and buzzy conditions to watch.
HIRED
John Harbaugh, New York Giants
Head coaching document: 180-113 common season, 13-11 playoffs (together with a Super Bowl title), 18 seasons with Baltimore Ravens
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Why he was employed: The Giants have had 4 full-time head coaches and two interims since Tom Coughlin resigned after the 2015 season, and so they’re fed up with the turnover. Harbaugh is 63, however he has numerous juice left and figures to deliver stability to a proud franchise that is fallen on among the hardest instances it is ever confronted. (The Giants’ 59 wins since 2015 are the second-fewest within the NFL, forward of solely the Jets).
There’s expertise to develop on the roster between QB Jaxson Dart (who may sync properly with Harbaugh’s preferred offensive coordinator, Todd Monken), RB Cam Skattebo, WR Malik Nabers, LT Andrew Thomas, and a protection that features DT Dexter Lawrence and edge rushers Brian Burns and Abdul Carter. There’s additionally a normal supervisor in Joe Schoen, as Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson explained, who was apparently prepared to cede personnel decision-making to Harbaugh regardless of the nominal hierarchy contained in the franchise. And workforce proprietor John Mara, one of many extra influential voices within the league, revealed he is battling an undisclosed type of most cancers final September, which probably emboldened the need for a head coach to are available and command respect instantly.
The Giants have floundered for years, however touchdown the coach broadly seen as one of the best in the marketplace brings again on the spot credibility. Now we’ll see how rapidly they will win collectively.
Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons
Head coaching document: 45-56 common season, 1-2 playoffs, six seasons with Cleveland Browns
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Why he was employed: Stefanski was one of many prime names in the marketplace, with the NFL at giant extra than simply his wins and losses with the Browns whereas attempting to raise a struggling franchise into playoff competition. Sound acquainted, Atlanta? Stefanski’s offensive acumen is a hybrid of a number of schemes and coaching timber, which can assist new president of football Matt Ryan kind by means of the expertise the Falcons have on that aspect of the ball (together with Kirk Cousins, whom Stefanski coached in Minnesota). They’re additionally retaining defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich after the Falcons’ protection made massive strides this season.
Stefanski as head coach and offensive mastermind, with Ulbrich sticking round to proceed constructing his aspect of the ball? That’s a strong recipe going ahead, even when the reply at quarterback and no first-round decide this spring current vital challenges. If workforce proprietor Arthur Blank is lastly prepared to be affected person and let this challenge play out, Stefanski may finish the Falcons’ eight-year playoff drought prior to expected, particularly in a weak NFC South.
Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins
Head coaching document: First job, was Packers defensive coordinator from 2024-25
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Why he was employed: The direct connection is Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was hired as Dolphins general manager on Jan. 9 after spending over 20 years within the Packers’ group, most not too long ago as vp of participant personnel.
As for the broader match? Well, the Dolphins have proven to be a less attractive option amongst coaching candidates this cycle than beforehand expected, Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported, based mostly largely on the wage cap cleanup required as the workforce strikes on from Tua Tagovailoa. With John Harbaugh off the board, Hafley is essentially the most logical subsequent transfer, maybe for each events. Hafley has head coaching expertise at Boston College from 2020-23, he improved Green Bay’s defenses the final two seasons, and Miami would do properly to lean on that aspect of the ball — not to point out star RB De’Von Achane and an enhancing O-line — whereas the Dolphins attempt to kind out the QB state of affairs in what now appears like a multi-season challenge.
Hafley is taken into account to be one of many stronger candidates in the marketplace, and the Dolphins did not fiddle in securing their absolute best consequence.
Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans
Head coaching document: 20-36, fired 5 video games into fourth season with New York Jets
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Why he was employed: The normal consensus across the league is Saleh’s failures with the Jets have been largely out of his management, and he’s had good defenses wherever he’s been. He’ll reportedly name defensive performs in Tennessee, so it’ll be fascinating to see who the Titans rent on the offensive workers to proceed growing Cam Ward, who appeared increasingly more promising as his rookie season went on.
Most of all, nevertheless, Saleh figures to assist stabilize a Titans franchise that’s on its second normal supervisor and now second head coach (third counting interim) since firing Mike Vrabel after the 2023 season. It’s just a little stunning Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy didn’t get the job, contemplating his availability and ties to GM Mike Borgonzi from their time collectively in Kansas City, however maybe Nagy is in play for a similar place now that Saleh has been tabbed. Either method, Saleh is the form of agency, even-keeled chief who may go a good distance towards halting all of the shedding in Tennessee.
FIRED
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
Record with workforce: 106-58 (together with playoffs), 9 seasons
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Why he was fired: Quite merely, McDermott did not attain a Super Bowl with Josh Allen, who gained NFL MVP in 2024 and is arguably one of the best quarterback within the league. Even with Allen enjoying an uncharacteristically sloppy recreation in Saturday’s divisional-round loss to the Denver Broncos, there have been ample possibilities to win, and McDermott’s Bills could not get it finished. No workforce has arguably been victimized extra by the current Chiefs dynasty than the Bills, who misplaced to Kansas City 4 instances within the playoffs, and in each method possible — from the notorious 13 seconds recreation within the 2021 season, to at residence within the divisional spherical within the 2023 season, to each a blowout (2020 season) and an in depth recreation (2024 season) at Arrowhead. But there have been different gut-wrenching losses too, together with Saturday’s, and the Bills determined they’d sufficient of a coach who helped the protection consistently overperform its expertise however went simply 8-8 within the playoffs, and ceded the AFC East to the rising New England Patriots this season.
STEPPED DOWN
Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Record with workforce: 201-126-2 (together with playoffs), 19 seasons
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Why he stepped down: After almost 20 years of success in Pittsburgh, Tomlin confronted criticism in current seasons for his failure to make deep postseason runs. It’s doable these calls for started to weigh on Tomlin after such a very long time coaching. It’s additionally doable he was merely prepared to take a break after almost 20 years in a high-stress position. Since Tomlin is leaving — and was not fired — the Steelers nonetheless maintain his rights ought to he need to return to coaching. Tomlin additionally may decide to take a niche yr or two earlier than returning to the sport. If he decides to get again into coaching, he would presumably be a extremely sought-after goal for groups.
FIRED
Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans (in season)
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (in season)
Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
NFL coaching information dwell weblog
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Ryan Young
Senior Vice President of Football Operations and Strategy Kevin Abrams, who has been with the workforce since 1999, is leaving the Giants group as a part of a restructuring effort. He was with the workforce by means of six head coaches and two Super Bowl wins.
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Andy Backstrom
The Minnesota Vikings have signed defensive coordinator Brian Flores to a contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.
Flores stays a candidate to fill head-coaching vacancies for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, who reported that if Flores would not land these jobs, he’ll keep in Minnesota.
Following his three-year keep as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach and one-year stint as the Steelers’ senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach, he is served as the Vikings’ DC for 3 seasons.
In that span, he is coached models which have ranked thirteenth, fifth and seventh in scoring protection.
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Criss Partee
The Buffalo Bills will interview Washington Commanders run recreation coordinator/operating backs coach Anthony Lynn for the workforce’s head coach place, in accordance to Senior NFL Insider Josina Anderson.
Lynn was head coach of the Chargers for 4 years and led the workforce to profitable seasons in his first two with the franchis
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Ryan Young
Eric Bieniemy is headed again to Kansas City. After days of hypothesis, the Chiefs have agreed to phrases with Bieniemy to deliver him again as their subsequent offensive coordinator, in accordance to the NFL Network.
Bieniemy spent 5 seasons with Kansas City as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, and helped lead the workforce to a number of Super Bowl titles. Now, with Matt Nagy out, the trail is evident for Bieniemy to return.
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Criss Partee
The Buffalo Bills accomplished an interview with offensive coordinator Joe Brady for the pinnacle coach place on Wednesday. Brady has spent 4 seasons in Buffalo as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the final two years. He has by no means been a head coach within the NFL.
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Andy Backstrom
The Atlanta Falcons are expected to rent former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to occupy the identical position of their group, in accordance to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
That signifies that Rees is on observe to as soon as once more serve as the OC for Kevin Stefanski, whom the Falcons employed as their subsequent head coach this previous weekend.
With the Browns, Rees acquired the bump to OC in 2025. He took over play-calling duties from Stefanski and helped the workforce attain 5 wins regardless of a revolving door at quarterback and an array of accidents.
Before that, the previous Notre Dame QB was the Browns’ cross recreation specialist and tight ends coach in 2024.
He was additionally the OC at his alma mater from 2020-22 and at Alabama in the course of the 2023 season.
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Kate Magdziuk
The Falcons have requested to interview Chiefs assistant GM Mike Bradway for his or her open normal supervisor place, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday.
He has been with the Chiefs relationship again to 2018, having been promoted to assistant GM in 2025 after serving as the workforce’s senior director of participant personnel for the earlier 4 seasons.
Bradway joins Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, 49ers director of scouting/soccer operations Josh Williams and Steelers assistant GM Andy Wiedl within the interview pool for the open place, which can report to new president of football Matt Ryan.
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Ryan Young
After leaving the Chiefs formally — which arrange a reunion in Kansas City for Eric Bieniemy — Matt Nagy has now interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles for his or her open offensive coordinator job. Nagy was thought of a favourite for the Titans head coaching job, however the workforce all of the sudden made a transfer to herald Robert Saleh as a substitute.
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Criss Partee
The Atlanta Falcons have requested to interview Chicago Bears assistant normal supervisor Ian Cunningham for his or her open GM job. Atlanta additionally interviewed Cunningham for the president job, which went to former Falcons QB Matt Ryan. Cunningham is taken into account a powerful candidate for the GM place.
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Chris Cwik
The Buffalo Bills favored what they noticed from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense this season. The workforce reportedly requested to interview Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski for the Bills’ vacant head-coaching place.
Udinski led the Jaguars to a top-10 end in factors scored in 2025. It was the 30-year-old’s first season as an offensive coordinator.
The workforce additionally put in a request for Miami Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, who can be being courted by the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Chris Cwik
The Buffalo Bills made waves after the workforce fired head coach Sean McDermott. Now, the workforce’s coaching search is lastly beginning to take form.
The workforce needs to interview at the very least three totally different coaches, per a number of stories. The Bills have requested permission to communicate with Brian Daboll and Anthony Lynn, and can speak with offensive coordinator Joe Brady concerning the position, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
Both Daboll and Lynn have earlier connections to the workforce. Daboll was the Bills’ offensive coordinator earlier than he left to be a part of the Giants. Lynn served as the workforce’s assistant head coach earlier than getting a head-coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The workforce additionally submitted an interview request with Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, per NFL Network.
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Ryan Young
Barring some late change, Mike McDaniel is headed to Los Angeles. The Chargers are expected to rent McDaniel as their subsequent offensive coordinator within the close to future.
For extra on McDaniel’s transfer to the Chargers, click on right here.
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Jason Owens
The Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed on Tuesday that they’ve accomplished an in-person interview with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores for his or her head coaching emptiness.
Flores, the previous head coach of the Miami Dolphins, has labored for 3 seasons as the defensive coordinator in Minnesota. He beforehand labored as a defensive assistant for the Steelers in 2022 below Mike Tomlin, who resigned final week after 19 seasons as Pittsburgh’s head coach.
Flores is one among a number of candidates the Steelers have spoken with throughout their interview course of.
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Ryan Young
Mike McDaniel will not be the following head coach of the Cleveland Browns. He formally withdrew from their head coaching search forward of a scheduled interview on Wednesday, in accordance to the NFL Network.
He continues to be a candidate for the Ravens and Raiders head coaching jobs, and he’s interviewing with the Chargers for his or her offensive coordinator place.
Mike McDaniel may be very probably to have a brand new job within the close to future. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
(Carmen Mandato through Getty Images)
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Andy Backstrom
The Las Vegas Raiders have accomplished a second interview with Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for his or her head-coaching opening, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Minter simply completed his second season as the Chargers’ DC. He adopted Jim Harbaugh from Michigan to L.A. Before returning to the NFL ranks, Minter was the Wolverines’ DC from 2022-23. He helped Michigan go 15-0 and win the nationwide title in the course of the 2023 season.
The Chargers led the NFL in scoring protection in 2024 and clocked out ninth in that division in 2025.
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Criss Partee
The Philadelphia Eagles interviewed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard on Monday, in accordance to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.
Grizzard was let go in Tampa after two years with the workforce. He served as the workforce’s passing recreation coordinator in 2024 when the Bucs have been a top-three passing offense. Josh was promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2025 season, the place, after a sizzling begin, accidents took over, and the offense struggled to preserve it going.
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Andy Backstrom
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hiring longtime Pittsburgh Steelers particular groups coordinator Danny Smith, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.
Smith, 72, was with the Steelers from 2013-25. Before that, he was the ST coordinator in Washington from 2004-12. He’s been coaching within the NFL for the reason that mid-’90s and coaching on the whole for the reason that ’70s.
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Criss Partee
The New York Giants and new head coach John Harbaugh are expected to be aggressive in focusing on former Ravens gamers in free company this offseason, in accordance to Connor Hughes of SNYtv. Harbaugh needs individuals who know his method to perform his message within the locker room. Center Tyler Linderbaum is one title to regulate.
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Criss Partee
These are the identified second interviews for the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach job. Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, LA Chargers DC Jesse Minter, and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
The Ravens’ entrance workplace (Steve Bisciotti/Eric DeCosta) mentioned there’ll probably be 4 or 5 second interviews, so just a few extra names are expected to be added.
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Criss Partee
The Tennessee Titans are signing new head coach Robert Saleh to a five-year contract, per Adam Schefter. Saleh is thought for his top-ranked defenses whereas calling the pictures as defensive coordinator in San Francisco throughout each stints with the franchise.
While the 49ers weren’t the standard dominant protection we have seen lately in 2025, a number of accidents to stars, together with All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, contributed to some slippage on protection. Even with these defensive points, the Niners discovered methods to win 12 video games this season and make it to the divisional spherical of the playoffs.
