Another year and another coaching carousel has reached its stop. A whopping number of ten franchises parted ways with their past head coach, setting up the foundation for greener pastures. Now, all ten holes have been filled, with varying degrees of optimism surrounding the choices. It makes sense, as nailing a head coach hire can put you right on track for a playoff berth. Nevertheless, we all know that a few, or maybe even most of these hires, will come full circle, ending with a firing. It’s never easy to predict which coach is going to lead their team to the promised land, and which will simply be lost in the endless shuffle of coaches. Today, we’ll try and grade every hire, and see how they stack up against each other.
Jesse Minter to the Ravens: A
Jan 29, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Eric DeCosta, Jesse Minter, Steve Bisciotti, Sashi Brown photo prior to press conference at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images
Baltimore watched as their former defensive coordinator led his team to a Super Bowl berth. Now, they hope that Jesse Minter’s magic can achieve some similar results. There’s familiarity with Minter, as he served as the team’s DBs coach and defensive assistant from 2017 to 2020. In his first year as LA’s defensive coordinator, Minter’s unit was the top scoring defense. This season, they ranked ninth in points allowed, fifth in yards per game and fifth in turnovers forced. Additionally, with him being a disciple of the Harbaugh regime, his culture building will likely mesh well with the locker room. He’s got some big shoes to fill, but with Lamar Jackson as his QB, he’s got what it takes to find success.
Jeff Hafley to the Dolphins: B-
Jan 22, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley speaks to reporters during his introductory press conference at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
After serving Boston College as their head coach for three years, Hafley has earned the position in the professional ranks. Although his tenure as man in charge for Boston College was mostly mediocre, his past two years as DC for the Packers does sprout hope. He took a unit that was continuously underperforming and transformed them into a championship-caliber defense. Though the Micah Parsons of it all isn’t present, he’ll still be able to work with the pieces in the building. Ultimately, the legacy he’ll leave in Miami hinges on his leadership, and the Dolphins hope that his ability to coach the entire team will replicate his defensive success.
Mike LaFleur to the Cardinals: D+
Aug 14, 2025; Carson, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur reacts during a joint practice at the Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Cardinals continue the trend of poaching anyone that’s ever sat in the same room as Sean McVay. Admittedly though, it feels like the organization picked the wrong coordinator. Granted, anyone that’s learned under Kyle Shanahan for seven years and Sean McVay for three years surely has potential. Nevertheless, the numbers LA’s defense was putting up under Chris Shula’s scheme were impressive in their own right. Coupled with the fact that LaFleur wasn’t even the play-caller, it’s fair to be skeptical.
John Harbaugh: B+
Jan 20, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; John Harbaugh poses after the press conference announcing his hiring as the next New York Giants head coach at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
John Harbaugh became the hottest commodity the moment Baltimore announced his firing. A nucleus consisting of Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo shows promise for his new offense. Add on Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Abdul Carter, Harbaugh’s got his core to build around. However, with the Ravens roster in the final year(s) of his tenure there struggling to fire on all cylinders, it’s hard to guarantee success. His picks at coordinator need to hit, and he can’t afford to repeat the mistakes that led to his firing in Baltimore.
Robert Saleh to the Titans: A-
Jan 29, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi and Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh holds up the Titans jersey during the press conference at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Ever since Tennessee fired Mike Vrabel they’ve been in a freefall. The hope now, is that Robert Saleh will bring that same culture of accountability and toughness that was synonymous with Vrabel’s tenure. You could point at how Saleh’s time in New York quickly went up in flames. Alternatively, you could highlight the fact that Cam Ward needs an offensive mind to reach his ceiling. The argument against that is the following: Saleh was the catalyst for a consistent top five defensive in the unit in the NFL, one that collapsed the moment he left. Furthermore, his offense never gelled into a cohesive attack due to bad hires and even worse QB play, but always showed fight and saw many of its players improve. Lastly, with Brian Daboll at the helm as OC, Ward’s development is unlikely to stagnate, making the hire stand out as a good one.
Klint Kubiak to the Raiders: A-
Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) hugs offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in overtime at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
GM John Spytek and the rest of Las Vegas’ front office quickly hit the reset button following the disaster that was the 2025 Raiders season. With the first overall pick in their grasp, Klint Kubiak is set to lead their franchise to the promised land. There’s always a demand for offensive minds, but this year was low in supply of anyone in the same tier as Ben Johnson or Liam Coen. The next closest guy is Kubiak, who, despite being a little inexperienced, has shown flashes of brilliance. While Seattle’s offensive inconsistencies to end the regular season raised concerns, their playoff performances have silenced the doubters. Perhaps the biggest value Kubiak will bring to Vegas is his mentality in scheme. His run-first identity will not only be beneficial for his new rookie QB, but also Ashton Jeanty.
Joe Brady: C+
Aug 9, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady on the field before a game against the New York Giants at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Though the hire feels uninspired, the Bills offense has been a buzzsaw with Brady calling the plays. Granted, a big part of those results have been the thanks to Josh Allen. Regardless, Allen’s been adamant about how comfortable he feels in Brady’s system. Especially when looking at the run game, it’s easy to see what his strong suits are. Still, hiring an external candidate may have been the preferable choice here. Brady’s still got his fair share of flaws, and there’s a question surrounding his ability to lead the whole team.
Todd Monken: B
Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken on the field before the game against the Washington Commanders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Monken has waited his turn for a shot at head coach for a long while now. Given the fact that the Browns job is unforgiving, an accomplished coordinator like Monken fits like a glove. He’s got a pedigree of developing signal-callers, which is what Cleveland desperately needs right now. Otherwise, they’ll see the efforts of their defense once again go to waste. One aspect that may cause Browns fans to sound the alarm is that Monken has no prior experience as head coach. Nevertheless, considering the limited list of candidates available to Cleveland, they could’ve done a lot worse.
Kevin Stefanski: A
Nov 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski on the sidelines during warmups prior to a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Going from the offensive deficiencies of the Browns to the underutilized talent in Atlanta must be a jarring change for Stefanski. He will be the one in charge with maximizing the pieces the Falcons roster has, including QB Michael Penix Jr. While it won’t be an easy job, Stefanski’s resume bodes well for the Falcons. His scheme and offensive mind has continually led to units in Cleveland that have punched up their own weight. With the toys he has now, there’s a good chance the Falcons may be trotting out a top ten offense next year.
Mike McCarthy: C-
Jan 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy speaks at a press conference introducing him as the next head coach of the Steelers at PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium.. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Mike McCarthy is a very capable head coach who is a stabilizing presence. What that doesn’t change is the fact that the Steelers already had someone with similar traits in charge. Pittsburgh needs a hard reset, but the hire of McCarthy entails another episode of them masquerading as contenders. The high floor low ceiling Steelers with Mike Tomlin never left their mark come playoff time. While this isn’t to say it’s impossible for McCarthy to hoist a Lombardi with his hometown team, it’s very unlikely. It’s an uninspiring hire that will result in wins, but most probably won’t amount to any more rings.
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