The coaching carousel continues to spin, with the Baltimore Ravens the latest team to make their hire, deciding on Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to change John Harbaugh. Minter, who’s the fourth head coach in Ravens historical past, has agreed to a five-year contract with the workforce, 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. But McDaniel is probably not in LA for lengthy as he will be interviewing for the Buffalo Bills head coach opening on Friday.
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Another two offensive coordinator positions have additionally been stuffed, as 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 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 total 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 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 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 a part of Harbaugh on his employees.
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Also on Saturday, the Atlanta Falcons officially announced that Kevin Stefanski would be the workforce’s subsequent head coach. The former Cleveland Browns coach takes over for Raheem Morris, turning into the Falcons’ third head coach previously 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 common 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 in the end selected to deliver them again after accidents ravaged what checked out occasions 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 file: 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, they usually’re fed up with the turnover. Harbaugh is 63, however he has quite a lot 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 nicely 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 common 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 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 in and command respect instantly.
The Giants have floundered for years, however touchdown the coach extensively considered as the perfect available on the market brings again prompt credibility. Now we’ll see how rapidly they will win collectively.
Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons
Head coaching file: 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 high names available on the market, with the NFL at massive taking a look at extra than simply his wins and losses with the Browns whereas attempting to raise a struggling franchise into playoff rivalry. Sound acquainted, Atlanta? Stefanski’s offensive acumen is a hybrid of a number of schemes and coaching bushes, 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 huge 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 stable recipe going ahead, even when the reply at quarterback and no first-round choose this spring current important challenges. If workforce proprietor Arthur Blank is lastly keen to be affected person and let this undertaking play out, Stefanski might finish the Falcons’ eight-year playoff drought ahead of anticipated, particularly in a weak NFC South.
Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins
Head coaching file: 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 vice chairman 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, 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 nicely 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 seems 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 absolute best final result.
Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans
Head coaching file: 20-36, fired 5 video games into fourth season with New York Jets
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Why he was employed: The common 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 hire on the offensive employees to proceed growing Cam Ward, who appeared increasingly promising as his rookie season went on.
Most of all, nevertheless, Saleh figures to assist stabilize a Titans franchise that’s on its second common supervisor and now second head coach (third counting interim) since firing Mike Vrabel after the 2023 season. It’s a bit 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 the identical place now that Saleh has been tabbed. Either manner, Saleh is the form of agency, even-keeled chief who might go a good distance towards halting all of the shedding in Tennessee.
Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens
Head coaching file: First job, was Chargers defensive coordinator from 2024-25
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Why he was employed: The Ravens could have fired John Harbaugh, however they’re staying inside his tree to change him. Minter spent 4 seasons as a defensive assistant in Baltimore beneath Harbaugh from 2017-2020 earlier than becoming a member of Harbaugh’s brother Jim as 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 models and his play-calling prowess. Just 42 years outdated, Minter was thought-about one of many high 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 greater. Lamar Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP, the Ravens have top-end expertise 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 try this. Baltimore is infamous for drafting and growing 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 in need of expectations this previous season.
It’s a wise swing — even when a Lombardi Trophy is likely to be the one manner the franchise gauges its success.
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 received NFL MVP in 2024 and is arguably the perfect quarterback within the league. Even with Allen taking part in an uncharacteristically sloppy sport 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 carried out. No workforce has arguably been victimized extra by the current Chiefs dynasty than the Bills, who misplaced to Kansas City 4 occasions within the playoffs, and in each manner conceivable — from the notorious 13 seconds sport within the 2021 season, to at house within the divisional spherical within the 2023 season, to each a blowout (2020 season) and an in depth sport (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 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 might decide to take a spot 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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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 up 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 could have a brand new job with the Chargers, however he is probably not 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 sport coordinator Anthony Lynn and former Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver on Saturday. On Sunday, it is going to 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 go sport coordinator Aubrey Pleasant, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Sean McVay’s coaching tree is rising by the yr, and Rams assistants have as soon as once more been fashionable in one other cycle.
As for Pleasant, he helped the Rams maintain opponents to the Tenth-fewest factors per sport (20.4) within the common season. He’s in his second stint on McVay’s employees. This one began in 2023. Previously, he served as 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 marketing consultant 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 yr one with the workforce. He additionally mentioned the workforce might 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 common supervisor James Liipfert for their 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 head coach place. Before that interview, Udinski is anticipated to have his second interview for the head coach job with the Cleveland Browns.
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Criss Partee
Los Angeles Chargers DC Jesse Minter won’t be interviewing for the Cleveland Browns head coaching emptiness on Thursday as scheduled. The perception is that he probably feels he has different HC alternatives which might be extra sure, in accordance Browns beat author Mary Kay Cabot.
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Criss Partee
The Buffalo Bills have accomplished their interview with Brian Daboll for the head coach place. Daboll was Buffalo’s offensive coordinator for the primary 4 years of Josh Allen’s profession. He performed an enormous half in Allen’s development within the early levels of his NFL profession.
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The Philadelphia Eagles have requested an interview with Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Boyle simply completed his first season as Bears OC, and the offense completed third within the NFL in dashing yards (144.5), sixth in whole yards (369.2), ninth in factors (25.9), and Tenth in passing yards per sport (225.1).
Philadelphia ranked decrease in every of these offensive classes in 2025.
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Chris Cwik
The Washington Commanders will interview Chicago Bears defensive pass-game coordinator Al Harris for the workforce’s vacant defensive coordinator place, in accordance to NFL Network.
While Harris has not been a defensive coordinator but, he obtained excessive marks for his work with the Bears, who led the NFL in takeaways this season.
Harris beforehand labored with Commanders head coach Dan Quinn in Dallas, so does have a connection in Washington.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is assembly with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday about their head-coaching place, in accordance to ESPN.
Brady interviewed with the Bills a day earlier for their head-coaching job. He served as the offensive coordinator beneath Sean McDermott, who was fired earlier within the week.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Gannon additionally has been a candidate for the Dallas Cowboys’ DC job.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are finalizing an settlement to hire Zac Robinson as their new offensive coordinator, in accordance to a number of experiences.
Robinson had been the Atlanta Falcons OC.
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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 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 three 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 sport coordinator/working 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 head 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 anticipated to hire former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to occupy the identical function 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 obtained 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’ go sport specialist and tight ends coach in 2024.
He was additionally the OC at his alma mater from 2020-22 and at Alabama throughout the 2023 season.
