The coaching carousel continues to spin, with the Baltimore Ravens the latest team to make their hire, choosing Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to exchange John Harbaugh. Minter, who’s the fourth head coach in Ravens historical past, has agreed to a five-year contract with the crew, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Chargers can even have a brand new offensive coordinator, as former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is expected to head to Los Angeles. McDaniel declined to interview for the Buffalo Bills head coach opening on Friday however stays within the combine for the Las Vegas Raiders’ prime job.
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Another two offensive coordinator positions have additionally been stuffed, because the Kansas City Chiefs are bringing back Eric Bieniemy within the function he held from 2018 to 2022. Former Atlanta Falcons OC Zac Robinson is becoming a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the identical function.
Earlier this week, the Tennessee Titans finalized a deal to hire Robert Saleh as their new head coach.
Saleh spent the previous season because 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 choose Cam Ward.
The Bills shocked the league Monday morning by firing their head coach, Sean McDermott. General supervisor Brandon Beane retained his job and can discover McDermott’s alternative.
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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 because 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 silence since information broke of their pending union, the New York Giants and John Harbaugh finalized their deal, and the Giants made the hire official. The deal is anticipated 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 anticipated to be part of Harbaugh on his employees.
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Also on Saturday, the Atlanta Falcons officially announced that Kevin Stefanski would be the crew’s subsequent head coach. The former Cleveland Browns coach takes over for Raheem Morris, turning into the Falcons’ third head coach prior 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 in opposition to the Chicago Bears within the wild-card spherical, however the Packers’ braintrust finally selected to deliver them again after accidents ravaged what checked out occasions like a Super Bowl crew this season.
Here’s a rundown of the hirings, firings and buzzy conditions to watch.
HIRED
John Harbaugh, New York Giants
Head coaching report: 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 loads of juice left and figures to deliver stability to a proud franchise that is fallen on among the hardest occasions 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 effectively 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 keen to cede personnel decision-making to Harbaugh regardless of the nominal hierarchy contained in the franchise. And crew 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 doubtless 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 considered as the very best available on the market brings again instantaneous credibility. Now we’ll see how rapidly they’ll win collectively.
Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons
Head coaching report: 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 available on the market, with the NFL at massive extra than simply his wins and losses with the Browns whereas attempting to carry a struggling franchise into playoff rivalry. Sound acquainted, Atlanta? Stefanski’s offensive acumen is a hybrid of a number of schemes and coaching timber, which may also help new president of football Matt Ryan kind by 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 large 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 choose this spring current important challenges. If crew proprietor Arthur Blank is lastly keen to be affected person and let this undertaking play out, Stefanski may finish the Falcons’ eight-year playoff drought prior to anticipated, particularly in a weak NFC South.
Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins
Head coaching report: 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 lately 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 anticipated, Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported, primarily based largely on the wage cap cleanup required because the crew 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 effectively 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 undertaking.
Hafley is taken into account to be one of many stronger candidates available on the market, and the Dolphins did not fiddle in securing their very best consequence.
Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans
Head coaching report: 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 employees to proceed creating Cam Ward, who seemed an increasing number of promising as his rookie season went on.
Most of all, nonetheless, 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 a little bit shocking 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 means, Saleh is the type of agency, even-keeled chief who may go a great distance towards halting all of the dropping in Tennessee.
Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens
Head coaching report: First job, was Chargers defensive coordinator from 2024-25
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Why he was employed: The Ravens might have fired John Harbaugh, however they’re staying inside his tree to exchange him. Minter spent 4 seasons as a defensive assistant in Baltimore underneath Harbaugh from 2017-2020 earlier than becoming a member of Harbaugh’s brother Jim because the University of Michigan’s defensive coordinator. After profitable a nationwide championship in Ann Arbor, he adopted Jim to the Chargers, the place he has spent the previous two seasons coordinating a protection that is completed top-10 in DVOA each years, incomes leaguewide respect for the unpredictability of his items and his play-calling prowess. Just 42 years previous, Minter was thought-about one of many prime candidates available on the market, particularly amongst first-time head coaches.
He steps right into a state of affairs the place the expectations could not be larger. Lamar Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP, the Ravens have top-end expertise pretty much as good as anyone’s, and the one factor left for this iteration of the franchise is to attain the Super Bowl and win it. Minter appears to match the invoice of a man who can do this. Baltimore is infamous for drafting and creating expertise and spending little on free brokers, so a coach like Minter who maximizes his gamers appears ideally positioned. Plus, Jackson ensures a excessive flooring on offense, so Minter can focus extra of his efforts on shoring up a protection that fell wanting expectations this previous season.
It’s a sensible swing — even when a Lombardi Trophy could be the one means the franchise gauges its success.
FIRED
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
Record with crew: 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 the very best quarterback within the league. Even with Allen taking part in an uncharacteristically sloppy recreation in Saturday’s divisional-round loss to the Denver Broncos, there have been ample probabilities to win, and McDermott’s Bills could not get it executed. No crew has arguably been victimized extra by the latest Chiefs dynasty than the Bills, who misplaced to Kansas City 4 occasions within the playoffs, and in each means 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 a detailed 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 continuously 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 crew: 201-126-2 (together with playoffs), 19 seasons
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Why he stepped down: After practically 20 years of success in Pittsburgh, Tomlin confronted criticism in latest 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 practically 20 years in a high-stress function. 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 choose to take a spot 12 months 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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Sean Leahy
Weaver has been the Dolphins’ DC for the previous two seasons. He has additionally drawn curiosity from the Bills and Steelers for his or her head coaching positions.
Weaver was additionally a candidate for the Ravens job earlier than they employed Jesse Minter.
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Sean Leahy
McDaniel was set to meet with Bills executives on Friday, at some point after he was scheduled to interview for the Browns head coaching job.
Unless McDaniel will get the Las Vegas Raiders job, he’ll take over as Jim Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator with the Charg
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Andy Backstrom
The Miami Dolphins launched Jeff Hafley as their subsequent head coach, and he is now constructing his employees.
The Dolphins are bringing aboard former Buffalo Bills particular groups coordinator Chris Tabor, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Notably, Tabor was the Cleveland Browns’ ST coordinator from 2011-17, and Hafley served because the Browns’ defensive backs coach from 2014-15.
In extra Dolphins information, normal supervisor Jon-Eric Sullivan is hiring Kyle Smith as his assistant GM, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Smith beforehand held the identical title with the Atlanta Falcons.
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Sean Leahy
The former Chargers and Colts quarterback may leap into the job of an NFL coach following his quick return on the finish of the common season.
According to the NFL, solely 4 gamers have ever gone from taking part in one season to a head coach job the subsequent 12 months — Norm Van Brocklin, Walt Kiesling, Ray Flaherty, Red Weaver.
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Tarohn Finley
The Falcons interviewed Chicago Bears assistant normal supervisor Ian Cunningham for the final supervisor place, in accordance to the team.
Cunningham has spent the final 4 seasons with the Bears and has frolicked within the Eagles and Ravens entrance places of work. Falcons’ former quarterback and new president of soccer, Matt Ryan, performed at Boston College with Bears normal supervisor Ryan Poles, who Cunningham labored underneath in Chicago.
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Tarohn Finley
The Tennessee Titans will interview Chicago Bears defensive backs coach and cross recreation coordinator Al Harris for his or her defensive coordinator opening, in accordance to NFL insider Josina Anderson.
Harris helped the Bears’ defensive unit lead the NFL with 22 turnovers within the common season. Bears security Kevin Byard led the NFL with seven interceptions. Bears cornerback Nashon Wright broke out underneath Harris with 5 interceptions.
Before Harris joined the Bears, he coached with the Cowboys, FAU, Chiefs and the Dolphins. Harris additionally spent 14 seasons taking part in within the NFL.
The Titans have additionally requested to interview Cowboys defensive position coach Aaron Whitecotton for his or her defensive coordinator opening. The Titans lately employed former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as head coach.
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Sean Leahy
The 56-year-old Bieniemy earlier served because the Chiefs’ working backs coach and later OC from 2013-2022. He was OC at UCLA in between stops with the Commanders (OC) and Bears (working backs coach).
Bieniemy was a part of the Chiefs’ title-winning groups in Super Bowls LIV and LVII.
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Tarohn Finley
The Tennessee Titans reportedly spoke to Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith about their offensive coordinator place, in accordance to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Smith spent 10 seasons coaching with the Titans in numerous roles and was the offensive coordinator for his final two seasons with the crew.
Smith spent the final two seasons because the Steelers’ offensive coordinator. Smith was the top coach of the Atlanta Falcons, the place he compiled a 21-30 report in three seasons with the crew.
The Titans lately employed former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their head coach.
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Tarohn Finley
The Philadelphia Eagles interviewed Dolphins senior passing recreation coordinator Bobby Slowik for the offensive coordinator opening, in accordance to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Before becoming a member of the Dolphins, Slowik served because the offensive coordinator of the Houston Texans for 2 seasons. Slowik additionally spent eight seasons coaching underneath 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in Washington and San Francisco.
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Tarohn Finley
Giants head coach John Harbaugh will solely retain two coaches from former head coach Brian Daboll’s employees, in accordance to the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz.
The Giants will reportedly retain exterior linebackers coach Charlie Bullen and tight ends coach Tim Kelly. Offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo is reportedly not anticipated to be a part of the Giants’ new employees.
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Tarohn Finley
The Tennessee Titans requested to interview Cowboys defensive position coach Aaron Whitecotton for his or her defensive coordinator opening, in accordance to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Despite the crew buying and selling Micah Parsons earlier than the season, Whitecotton’s defensive position remained among the many prime in quarterback hits.
Aaron Whitecotton was an assistant defensive position coach for the 49ers when Robert Saleh was the defensive coordinator in 2020. He then spent 4 seasons with Saleh on the New York Jets earlier than becoming a member of the Cowboys within the earlier season.
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Kate Magdziuk
The Commanders have interviewed Steelers DC Teryl Austin for their very own defensive coordinator opening, The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala reported Friday.
Austin has been with the Steelers since 2019, serving three years as a senior defensive assistant and secondary coach earlier than being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2022. He served within the function for every of the previous 4 seasons underneath former head coach Mike Tomlin.
Austin has 9 complete seasons of expertise as a defensive coordinator, together with 4 years with the Detroit Lions and one with the Cincinnati Bengals. Though his defenses have ranked within the forty fourth and 58th percentiles in yards and factors allowed, per Pro Football Reference, his items have ranked within the prime eight within the league in takeaways in 5 of 9 seasons.
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Kate Magdziuk
Just 26 days since his final NFL begin, Philip Rivers is reportedly set to interview for the Buffalo Bills’ head coach opening, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday.
He joins Mike McDaniel, Anthony Lynn, Anthony Weaver and Grant Udinski as those that will meet with the crew in Florida by the weekend — conferences which is able to reportedly embody quarterback Josh Allen, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.
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Sean Leahy
The 33-year-old had a brief taking part in profession with the Ravens earlier than shifting in to coaching. He spent 4 seasons as a defensive analyst in Baltimore earlier than turning into the Jaguars’ exterior linebackers coach for one season. He returned to the Ravens in 2022 as inside linebackers coach earlier than taking on as defensive coordinator in 2024.
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Sean Leahy
Nagy interviewed this week for the open Eagles offensive coordinator job and has drawn curiosity from the Cardinals and Raiders.
With Nagy’s contract expiring after this season, there was a path to deliver Eric Bieniemy again as OC.
The 47-year-old Nagy had been with the Chiefs since 2022, first as a senior assistant and QB coach after which OC from 2023-2025.
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Sean Leahy
Mike McDaniel might have a brand new job with the Chargers, however he will not be in LA for lengthy as he’ll be interviewing for the Bills’ head coach opening on Friday.
The Bills will then converse with Commanders run recreation coordinator Anthony Lynn and former Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver on Saturday. On Sunday, it will likely be Jaguars OC Grant Udinski’s flip.
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Andy Backstrom
With Jesse Minter taking the Baltimore Ravens’ head-coaching job, the Los Angeles Chargers want a brand new defensive coordinator.
They’ve requested to interview Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/defensive cross recreation coordinator Aubrey Pleasant, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Sean McVay’s coaching tree is rising by the 12 months, and Rams assistants have as soon as once more been standard in one other cycle.
As for Pleasant, he helped the Rams maintain opponents to the Tenth-fewest factors per recreation (20.4) within the common season. He’s in his second stint on McVay’s employees. This one began in 2023. Previously, he served because the Rams’ cornerbacks coach from 2017-20. In between, he labored as a defensive assistant for the Detroit Lions (2021-22) and as an offensive guide for the Green Bay Packers (2022).
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Criss Partee
New Miami Dolphins head coach confirms that he’ll name performs on protection in 12 months one with the crew. He additionally stated the crew will likely be bringing in a brand new offensive coordinator. Hafley served as defensive coordinator for the previous two seasons in Green Bay.
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Criss Partee
The Atlanta Falcons interviewed Houston Texans assistant normal supervisor James Liipfert for his or her open GM place on Thursday.
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Criss Partee
The Buffalo Bills have reportedly scheduled their interview with Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski on Sunday for the top coach place. Before that interview, Udinski is anticipated to have his second interview for the top coach job with the Cleveland Browns.
