NFL head coaching vacancies: Best fits for Bills, Steelers, Ravens and more

The NFL playoffs are in full swing, but while most of the attention is on the teams chasing a Lombardi Trophy, a large chunk of the league has already turned its focus to the offseason.

The biggest domino to fall so far was the Giants finalizing a deal with John Harbaugh to become their next head coach, but plenty of intrigue remains across the rest of the hiring cycle. That includes the Buffalo Bills suddenly entering the hunt for a new head coach after firing Sean McDermott following their divisional round loss to Denver.

With eight head-coaching jobs -- 25% of the league -- still open, let's play matchmaker. Below, we pair each vacant position with one of the top candidates on the market and examine why the fit makes sense.

Follow live updates on NFL coaching and GM changes, firings and rumors.

Arizona Cardinals: Robert Saleh

Previous position: 49ers defensive coordinator

Saleh is likely to be picky about his next job after his failed tenure with the New York Jets. One reason that first stint did not work out was New York's inability to identify a viable franchise quarterback.

Arizona is in a similar spot, as the Cardinals are widely expected to move on from Kyler Murray this offseason, but they hold the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft, giving them a clear path to address the position. If and when Saleh and the Cardinals solve the quarterback issue, they would have intriguing weapons -- namely Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. -- to build around.

While the quarterback situation matters, Saleh -- who has reportedly been requested to interview for the job -- would also be an attractive hire to fix what was a disastrous Arizona defense in 2025. The Cardinals allowed 28.7 points per game and 358.9 total yards per game, both of which ranked in the bottom 10 in the NFL.

Even during his lean years in New York, Saleh was able to elevate the defense, and he has done a masterful job keeping an injury-riddled 49ers unit humming into the divisional round.

Baltimore Ravens: Kliff Kingsbury

Previous position: Commanders offensive coordinator

It's not hard to figure out which of the eight teams with a coaching vacancy is the cream of the crop. It's the Ravens, and it's not particularly close because of two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.

No other franchise searching for a head coach can offer that level of elite play and stability at quarterback, so Baltimore should have its pick of the litter. Kingsbury is widely viewed as one of the top candidates on the market this cycle, and he appears to be an ideal fit for Jackson and the rest of the Ravens offense.

He has previous head-coaching experience after leading the Cardinals from 2019 to 2022, and he most recently worked with Jayden Daniels as Washington's offensive coordinator. Daniels has a similar skill set to Jackson, and Kingsbury had him operating at a high level during his rookie season, which helped the Commanders reach the NFC Championship Game.

If he can tune Baltimore's offense in a similar way around Jackson, the Ravens could be back among the league's top contenders in short order.

Buffalo Bills: Joe Brady

Previous position: Bills offensive coordinator

After moving on from Sean McDermott, the Bills suddenly became the most desirable job currently available. Why? Because any coach who comes aboard will instantly align himself with Josh Allen, who is arguably the best quarterback that the league has to offer.

So, when it comes to finding their next leader, Allen will have to be a big piece of the equation, and Buffalo will likely want someone with whom he has a strong rapport. Insert Joe Brady.

Buffalo's offensive coordinator has been an up-and-coming head coaching candidate over the last few years, and he recently interviewed for the Ravens opening. If you're the Bills, you already know that Allen and Brady have a strong relationship, so it'd make sense to elevate him to the big chair. Brady has been with the organization since 2022, when he first arrived as the quarterbacks coach, so he also has plenty of familiarity with the front office as well.

Ranking head coaching vacancies: Which of these three remaining jobs is the most desirable?

Jared Dubin

Cleveland Browns: Jim Schwartz

Previous position: Browns defensive coordinator

It's rare to see a team fire its head coach and then simply elevate one of his coordinators, as most organizations prefer to clean house. However, we're making a couple of exceptions here, and that includes this situation with the Browns and Jim Schwartz.

Cleveland's defense was one of the few bright spots of the 2025 season, and from the outside looking in, Schwartz appeared to have strong buy-in from his players on that side of the ball. If he commands that level of respect inside the locker room, the transition would be seamless.

He also has previous head-coaching experience, having led the Detroit Lions from 2009-13. If he wants another opportunity, this would be an intriguing setup, though much will hinge on what kind of offensive coordinator he brings aboard.

Las Vegas Raiders: Klint Kubiak

Previous position: Seahawks offensive coordinator

The Raiders are an intriguing organization this cycle. The Pete Carroll era crashed and burned, but there is hope for a brighter future. That is because a trying 2025 season resulted in Las Vegas landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, putting the franchise in position to select Heisman Trophy–winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

If Mendoza lives up to the hype, the Raiders would suddenly have a promising young core that includes the Indiana quarterback, along with running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers. Pair that with roughly $98 million in projected cap space -- the third most in the NFL -- and this rebuild could be jump-started quickly. That should make Las Vegas an attractive destination for someone like Kubiak, who is among the most sought-after candidates.

Over the past two years, Kubiak has built a reputation for elevating offenses. In New Orleans, he had the Saints punching above their weight in 2024. This season, as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator, Kubiak helped lead the team to the No. 1 seed in the conference with a dynamic offense. If he can get Sam Darnold to throw for more than 4,000 yards and run a unit that averages 5.9 yards per play -- tied for the third-highest in the NFL -- there's no telling what he could do with Mendoza if the rookie lives up to his billing as the top pick.

Miami Dolphins: Jesse Minter

Previous position: Chargers defensive coordinator

With John Harbaugh landing with the Giants, where does Miami turn next? Well, how about Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter?

Team owner Stephen Ross has deep ties to the University of Michigan as one of its top donors and has a relationship with Jim Harbaugh, under whom Minter is currently coaching with the Chargers. Minter served as Harbaugh's defensive coordinator at Michigan from 2022-23, including during the program's College Football Playoff national championship run in 2023, so Ross is well aware of him.

This pairing also aligns better from a timeline perspective. Minter, 42, is young enough to help lead a rebuild, and Miami's defense played well down the stretch in 2025, giving him something to build on heading into 2026.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Brian Flores

Previous position: Vikings defensive coordinator

Flores would be a familiar face for the Steelers. The current Vikings DC worked under now former head coach Mike Tomlin in 2022 as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach after his tenure as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins ended in 2021. After that quick one-year stint in Pittsburgh, Flores moved on to Minnesota and has bolstered his reputation back up as one of the top defensive minds in the league, which feels like an ideal fit stylistically with the Steelers' identity.

The big question for Flores as he looks for his second chance as an NFL head coach will be what Pittsburgh's plans are at quarterback. Aaron Rodgers has alluded to this being his final season, so they'll need an answer at the most important position in the sport. If he gets a clear enough answer there, working with former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt could be extremely appealing to him.

Tennessee Titans: Matt Nagy

Previous position: Chiefs offensive coordinator

The Titans are an attractive destination. One of the more underrated storylines of the second half of the regular season was the emergence of Cam Ward, the projected No. 1 overall pick in 2025, who flashed late in the year.

If the next head coach believes Ward can be a franchise cornerstone at quarterback, Tennessee has the hardest part of a rebuild intact and represents a blank slate for a coach to mold in his image. The Titans are projected to have more than $100 million in available salary cap space and possess the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

For Nagy, who is aiming for his second stint as an NFL head coach after leading the Bears from 2018 to 2021, the Titans check a lot of boxes. Nagy has interviewed with Tennessee, and he's the type of offensive mind who could help accelerate Ward's development.