🏈 NFL Coaching Carousel 2026: Chaos, Legends Ending, and New Starts
Breaking down the head coach openings, exits, and the wild ride that is the 2026 NFL coaching cycle.
Where coaching changes hit harder than a blitz pick-up and franchises scramble like quarterbacks on a busted play.
The NFL offseason exploded in January 2026 — there are nine head coaching openings, legendary careers coming to an end, and teams scrambling to find their new leaders. This coaching merry-go-round is spinning faster than a Justin Tucker kick — and it’s only mid-January.
📊 The Big Shocks: Legends Retire and Multiple Firings
This cycle isn’t your typical hot-take carousel — it’s historic.
Mike Tomlin — After 19 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the most iconic coaching tenures in league history ended with his decision to step down. The Steelers now join the coaching hunt for the first time in nearly two decades.
Mike McDaniel — Fired by the Miami Dolphins after a disappointing 7-10 season, setting Miami up as a major head coach vacancy.
Other firings include Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals), Raheem Morris (Falcons), Kevin Stefanski (Browns), Pete Carroll (Raiders), Brian Callahan (Titans), and Brian Daboll (Giants). That’s a lot of open seats — eight teams are actively searching.
In short: this year’s carousel has more empty chairs than a bench mob in garbage time.
🧠 First Big Hire: Giants Go Big With Harbaugh
The headline grabber so far? New York Giants closing in — and reportedly finalizing — a deal with John Harbaugh as their next head coach. Harbaugh, fresh off an 18-year run with the Ravens (Super Bowl champ, deep playoff résumés), brings credibility and chaos control to a franchise desperate for direction.
This hire could be the template for the rest of the cycle: experienced, respected leaders sought by rebuilding teams. The Giants aren’t just grabbing a coach — they’re grabbing stability.
📝 Who’s Hot and Who’s Getting Calls
With so many openings, teams aren’t just interviewing the usual suspects — they’re chasing impact names and fresh perspectives. Rumors and interviews include:
The Baltimore Ravens requesting interviews with rising offensive minds like Joe Brady, while also circling veteran defensive coaches.
Multiple teams throwing interview requests at veteran coaches and coordinators alike — the list reportedly includes names like Klint Kubiak, Robert Saleh, and more.
And if you’re looking for bright young coaches, teams like the Las Vegas Raiders have added Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase to their interview list — even with limited NFL experience.
🔥 The Full Coaching Vacancy Map
With Tomlin’s departure, nearly one-third of the league has a head coach opening — an unusually high number in this era of coaching stability.
Here’s the rough list of teams currently hunting head coaches in 2026:
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
Las Vegas Raiders
Miami Dolphins
New York Giants (Harbaugh expected to sign today)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tennessee Titans
Nine openings. Tons of interviews. A handful of rising stars. And a few legends staring down retirement or second acts.
🔮 Bandicoot Predictions: What Happens Next?
Here’s how we think this carousel shakes out — with a sprinkle of humor and pure Bandicoot intuition:
Veteran Stability First: Harbaugh sets the tone — look for teams to snatch established leaders before untested coordinators.
Upside Gambles Later: Younger or mid-career coaches could thrive later in the cycle, especially on teams with young quarterbacks or top draft capital.
Storylines to Watch: How many teams land ideal fits vs. “best available”? Will there be surprise hires like coordinators jumping straight to head coach? Stay tuned — this thing isn’t done yet.
🏁 Final Whistle
January 2026 didn’t just kick off NFL coaching changes — it blasted them into overdrive. The mix of legend exits, big-name hires, and open seats across the league makes this one of the most compelling offseasons in recent memory.
Grab your favorite jersey and settle in. The coaching carousel is just getting warmed up — and we’re watching every spin.
— The Bandicoots 🏈🔥