Predicting the Next NFL Coaching Hires: Dark Horses and Frontrunners for 2025
The NFL is a league of constant change, and that extends beyond the players on the field. Every year, teams shuffle their coaching staffs, and the 2025 season promises to be no different. After a wild 2024 season that saw the Chicago Bears fire Matt Eberflus before Thanksgiving, and the Cowboys parting ways with Mike McCarthy despite three straight 12-win seasons prior, the stage is set for another round of changes. With the regular season concluded, several teams have already parted ways with their head coaches, signaling a new era of leadership for those franchises. Let’s take a look at some of the potential candidates who could be leading NFL teams in 2026.
The Frontrunners
Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears Head Coach): After multiple seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, Johnson has established himself as one of the best offensive minds in the game. In 2025, Johnson was hired by the Chicago Bears to work with quarterback Caleb Williams. Johnson’s innovative offensive schemes will be tasked with revitalizing the Bears’ offense and developing quarterback Justin Fields into a top-tier signal caller.
Aaron Glenn (New York Jets Head Coach): Glenn, a former first-round pick by the Jets in 1994, returns to New York as their head coach. He brings a defensive mind to the Jets, who have struggled in recent years. Glenn had been the defensive coordinator in Detroit since 2021, with the Lions coming off back-to-back NFC North titles.
Kellen Moore (New Orleans Saints Head Coach): Moore, previously the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, is set to transition to head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Moore is expected to call plays, and Nussmeier has followed Moore at each NFL stop: Cowboys, Chargers, Eagles, and now Saints. He served as QBs coach in each season since 2020.
Mike Vrabel (New England Patriots Head Coach): Vrabel makes his return with the Patriots, where he won three Super Bowl titles as a player. Vrabel was also a successful head coach with Tennessee, earning 2021 Coach of Year honors. He brings back OC Josh McDaniels, who has multiple stints as New England OC on his resume.
Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach): Coen was a star in coaching circles. With a background as an offensive coordinator, Coen will look to develop the Jaguars’ young talent. His ability to maximize quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s potential will be key.
Pete Carroll (Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach): The Raiders hired veteran head coach Pete Carroll to steer their franchise moving forward in shocking move. Carroll will become the oldest head coach in the NFL history at 73. He brings a wealth of experience leading the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl title.
Brian Schottenheimer (Dallas Cowboys Head Coach): Dallas moved on from Mike McCarthy to just promote Schottenheimer, who joined the organization as a consultant in 2022 before taking over the offensive coordinator job in 2023. The Cowboys were a top-five offense in 2023, but they struggled last season even with Dak Prescott on the field.
The Dark Horses
Todd Monken (Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator): Monken has transformed the Baltimore offense into a powerhouse, with Lamar Jackson possibly poised to win his second straight MVP award. Monken’s Ravens had the second-best Offense+ grade in the league last year, and Lamar Jackson has been a first-team All-Pro in two of the three seasons he’s been offensive coordinator. With an incredible run game and a dynamic passing attack, he’s elevated Baltimore’s offense to another level.
Drew Petzing (Arizona Cardinals Offensive Coordinator): Petzing is in his second season as the Cardinals offensive coordinator and is an underrated candidate who shouldn’t be overlooked this cycle. The Cardinals offense has been efficient under Petzing, ranking 11th in the league in total yards. It has found particular success on the ground, finishing second in the league in yards per attempt in 2023 and currently ranking second in that category again in 2024 entering Week 18.
Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator): By any metric, Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been phenomenal in 2024. Still, for all of Allen’s excellence, Buffalo remains in the top tier of Super Bowl contenders because coordinator Joe Brady, who took over from Ken Dorsey in the middle of last season, built a truly balanced offense that’s able to get the most out of Allen and the players around him.
Wes Phillips (Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks Coach): Sam Darnold is playing so well that it might get Phillips hired as a head coach in the NFL. While Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell does have a heavy hand in the Minnesota offense, Phillips should get some of the credit for the Vikings making Darnold a high-level starter in the NFL who has them in playoff position. This season, Minnesota’s offense ranks ninth in total points and fifth in passing yards.
Bobby Slowik (Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator): Stroud burst onto the scene as a rookie, but he should still get some looks as a possible head coach this year as well. Slowik comes from the ever-popular Shanahan coaching tree, initially breaking into the league as a defensive assistant under Mike Shanahan before joining Kyle Shanahan’s staff with the Washington Commanders.
Other Names to Watch
Brian Flores (Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator): Over the past two seasons, Flores has helped the Vikings defense turn into one of the more feared units in the league. Entering Week 18, Minnesota is fourth in the league in fewest points allowed and tied for the third-most in total sacks. Flores was successful as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019-21 but didn’t seem to jive with ownership, which was illegally tampering with Sean Payton.
Evero (Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator): Under first-year HC Dave Canales in 2024, Evero is effectively the head coach of the defense. He has trained under great coordinators, including Vic Fangio and Dom Capers, giving him a unique blend of perspectives. And interest in the league hasn’t waned: Evero has interviewed for eight head-coaching jobs over the past two cycles, earning second interviews with the Colts, Falcons, Panthers, Seahawks and Texans.
Josh McCown (Minnesota Vikings QB coach): The Texans considered McCown as a head coach even if he hadn’t had any coaching experience. He didn’t get the job, but his work with Sam Darnold on the Vikings just confirmed that he has a bright future.
Dennis Allen (Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator): Chicago’s defense will be guided by veteran Dennis Allen, former New Orleans Saints head coach, who has eight very successful years as an NFL defensive coordinator.
Robert Saleh (San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator): Robert Saleh has been rehired as the Defensive Coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, returning to a role where he previously achieved significant success. Saleh’s first tenure with the 49ers saw him craft one of the NFL’s most formidable defenses, culminating in a Super Bowl appearance.
The NFL coaching carousel is always spinning, and the 2025 season promises to bring another round of changes. While the frontrunners have the inside track, the dark horses could surprise and land a coveted head coaching job. As teams evaluate their options, these are some of the names to watch as they look to shape the future of their franchises.