Admin January 6, 2025
Aaron Rodgers acknowledged that Sunday could be his last NFL game
Aaron Rodgers discusses the possibility of Sunday being his last NFL game.
Sports Seriously
As Week 18 action wraps up across the league, most NFL teams are already looking ahead to next season. For some franchises, that means a search for a new head coach.
At time of publishing, four teams have head coaching openings: the New England Patriots, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears. Another handful could be fired on Black Monday pending Week 18 results.
With more head coaches potentially on the way out, here are the top candidates for this upcoming hiring cycle:
NFL coaching candidates
Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator
Johnson has long been tabbed as the next top head coaching candidate as he’s built the best offense in the NFL by standard and advanced metrics. He helped Jared Goff go from left behind in Los Angeles to a top-five quarterback by advanced metrics in the NFL this season.
The Lions’ offense ranks third in the league in expected points added (EPA) per play on offense (0.16) entering Week 18. They’re third in EPA/pass and fourth in EPA/rush. They’re the top scoring team in the league and Johnson’s hands are all over this.
He’s been interviewed for head coaching positions before but decided to remain in Detroit. That may be the case again this year or he could make the change and turn around a team looking for an overhauled offense.
Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator
Monken came into Baltimore last season and quarterback Lamar Jackson won a second NFL MVP award. In year two, Jackson’s improved as a passer by most every metric and is an MVP frontrunner once again.
The Ravens’ offense is right with the Lions’ unit as one of the best in the league by advanced metrics. Baltimore is first in the NFL in EPA/play on offense (0.21), first in EPA/pass (0.42), and tied for second in EPA/rush (0.03) entering Week 18.
The Ravens have built a dynamic, efficient and productive offense with Monken at the helm. He’ll deservedly get interviews for a head coaching position.
Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator
It took time but the Lions’ defense caught up with the offense as another strength of the team. Despite being decimated by injuries at every level, Detroit entered Week 18 ranked seventh in the NFL in EPA/play allowed on defense (-0.05).
Safety Brian Branch has become a defensive player of the year candidate under Glenn’s tutelage and players like Alim McNeill (prior to injury), Kerby Joseph, and Terrion Arnold have all grown into impact players this season.
Glenn’s track record for development will make him a prime candidate, as will his likability. He’s one of the most-liked coordinators in the NFL.
Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator
Brady coached Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase at the college level at LSU and has spent the last year and a half as the offensive coordinator with Buffalo.
Despite trading away wide receiver Stefon Diggs before the 2024 season, the Bills’ offense has been one of the best and most efficient units in the league. Buffalo ranks second in EPA/play (0.19), EPA/pass (0.33), and tied for second EPA/rush (0.03) league-wide entering Week 18.
Buffalo’s run game and offensive line play has improved with Brady at the helm this season. His ability to improve on the talent already in-house will improve his chances at a head coaching position.
Liam Coen, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator
Coen’s predecessor Dave Canales became the head coach in Carolina after just one year as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. By most every metric, Coen has done a much better job in the same position.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield is enjoying his best season in the NFL with career-highs in completion percentage, touchdowns, yards per attempt, yards per game, and quarterback rating. The Buccaneers’ rushing offense has gone from last in the NFL in yards last year to 10th in the league entering Week 18.
Tampa Bay is the No. 6 offense in the league by EPA/play entering Week 18, ahead of the likes of Cincinnati, Green Bay, and Kansas City. That should get Coen plenty of attention for a potential head-coaching position.
NFL coaching candidates: Former head coaches
Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator
Kingsbury flamed out in Arizona after the Cardinals took a big step back in the 2022. He returned to the NFL ranks this year as the Commanders’ offensive coordinator and coached up one of the biggest surprises in the league this season.
Washington entered Week 18 with the No. 5 scoring offense and No. 3 rushing offense in the NFL. The Commanders’ offense is one of the best in the NFL per advanced metrics as well and entered Week 18 as the No. 4 in EPA/play.
His work with the offensive line and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels will be a massive green flag for prospective franchises with young quarterbacks. He’ll need to convince teams that he’ll avoid a repeat of what happened in Arizona, though.
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
Flores went 24-25 as the head coach in Miami and failed to make the playoffs but has built one of the best defenses in the NFL in Minnesota this season. With an offseason to make personnel changes, the Vikings are a top-three defense in EPA/play (-0.10, third), EPA/pass (-0.03, third), and EPA/rush (-0.22, first).
His defenses do not rely on one specific scheme, which makes them one of the toughest to play against in the pass, and he brings unpredictable blitzes to force the issue against offenses.
Flores is undoubtedly one of the top defensive minds in the league. But with his track record in Miami and a race discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and multiple teams, that could hold him back from a head coaching position in this cycle.
Mike Vrabel, former Tennessee Titans head coach
Vrabel went 54-45 over six seasons with the Titans including an AFC championship game appearance in the 2019 NFL season. Following a 7-10 season in 2022 and a 6-11 campaign in 2023, the Titans parted ways with Vrabel and moved on to Brian Callahan.
Vrabel spent the 2024 season as a personnel consultant with the Cleveland Browns and could be a head coaching candidate once again. He has more playoff wins than any former coach on this list and built a hard-nosed, physical culture in Tennessee.
Bill Belichick, former New England Patriots head coach
Belichick built one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history in New England. From 2000 to 2023, he broke the record for most Super Bowl wins by a head coach (six) and went 333-178. He currently is signed on to be the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels program in 2025 but could leave that post to return to the NFL.
It wouldn’t take much convincing for a team to hire one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. If Belichick wants back in, he could be a fit most anywhere.