What NFL teams need a head coach? Track the coaching carousel, interview requests and more
The 2023 NFL regular season is in the books.
And that, of course, means that the 2024 coaching carousel is now in full swing.
Three NFL teams fired their head coaches during the season and will now decide whether to move forward with their interims, with Antonio Pierce in Las Vegas ostensibly having the best chance of sticking around. Five others − the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders − made a change shortly after season’s end.
Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn looks on during pre-game warm-ups before a game against Washington.
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While NFL teams are prohibited from holding in-person interviews with coaches who are employed by another club until after the divisional round of the playoffs, per a rule change approved by owners last fall, candidates for vacancies are already starting to emerge.
Here’s a look at the potential head coaching hires for each team with a vacancy, a brief look at the state of each coaching search and any interviews that are known to have been requested, scheduled or completed so far.
Atlanta Falcons coaching search
Fired: Arthur Smith on Jan. 8
Known candidates:
▶ Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald: Interviewed on Jan. 12 (per team)
▶ Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero: Interview requested (per multiple reports)
▶ Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris: Interview requested (per ESPN)
▶ Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks: Interview requested (per multiple reports)
The skinny: After a third consecutive 7-10 finish, Falcons owner Arthur Blank decided to go back to the proverbial drawing board, announcing Smith’s ouster in the early hours of Black Monday. The team said in a news release that Blank and CEO Rich McKay will lead the search with general manager Terry Fontenot advising. Prior to hiring an up-and-coming offensive mind in Smith, Blank previously hired a pair of experienced defensive coordinators in Dan Quinn and Mike Smith, so which direction he’ll choose to go with this hire is anyone’s guess.
Carolina Panthers coaching search
Fired: Frank Reich on Nov. 27
Known candidates:
▶ Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero: Interviewed on Jan. 11 (per team)
▶ Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald: Interviewed on Jan. 11 (per team)
▶ Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken: Interviewed on Jan. 11 (per team)
▶ Carolina Panthers interim coach Chris Tabor: Interviewed on Jan. 10 (per team)
▶ Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan: Interview requested (per team)
▶ Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales: Interview requested (per team)
▶ Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson: Interview requested (per team)
▶ Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson: Expected to interview (per ESPN)
▶ Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris: Interview requested (per team)
▶ Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn: Interview requested (per team)
▶ Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik: Interview requested (per team)
▶ Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith: Interview requested (per team)
The skinny: It’s déjà vu for Panthers owner David Tepper, who is back on the market for a new head coach after pulling the plug on Reich partway through his first season in Carolina. With interim head coach Chris Tabor unlikely to stick, it will be interesting to see where Tepper turns for what will be his third hire as Panthers owner − and whether his decision to can Reich after just 11 games will scare some of the top candidates away. Keep an eye on Johnson, who has Carolina ties and was pursued by Tepper a year ago.
Las Vegas Raiders coaching search
Fired: Josh McDaniels on Nov. 1
Known candidates: None
The skinny: Antonio Pierce made a strong impression during his time as interim head coach, leading the Raiders to a 5-4 record with a season-ending win over the Denver Broncos. Owner Mark Davis told ESPN that he was “really excited” about the team’s performance under Pierce but noted that he still had to go through the process of setting up interviews for the job, as required by the Rooney Rule. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has also gotten some buzz as a possibility for this job, though it’s unclear whether he will entertain a leap back to the NFL.
Los Angeles Chargers coaching search
Fired: Brandon Staley on Dec. 15
Known candidates:
▶ Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham: Interviewed on Jan. 11 (per team)
▶ Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken: Interviewed on Jan. 12 (per team)
▶ Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore: Interviewed on Jan. 9 (per team)
▶ Los Angeles Chargers interim coach Giff Smith: Interviewed on Jan. 9 (per team)
▶ Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Former Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier: Scheduled to interview Jan. 14 (per CBS Sports)
▶ Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks: Interview requested (per multiple reports)
The skinny: Staley finished with a winning record in each of his two full seasons as Chargers head coach, but owner Dean Spanos opted to fire him after the team got drubbed by the Raiders in Week 15 of Year 3. Staley’s successor will inherit a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert but also lofty expectations. This is another vacancy that has been bandied about as a possible landing place for Jim Harbaugh.
New England Patriots coaching search
Ousted: Bill Belichick on Jan. 11
Known candidates:
▶ New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo: Hired on Jan. 12 (per team)
The skinny: Robert Kraft has owned the Patriots for almost 30 years now, and in that time, the team has only had three head coaches: Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll and Belichick. So who’s next? The team announced Friday that it’s Mayo − the former New England linebacker who has also spent the entirety of his coaching career with the team. NFL Network reported that Mayo had been dubbed the contractual successor to Belichick, which means the team did not have to abide by Rooney Rule interviewing requirements before hiring him. At 37, Mayo will become the youngest head coach in the NFL.
Seattle Seahawks coaching search
Ousted: Pete Carroll on Jan. 10
Known candidates: None
The skinny: For the first time in 14 years, the Seahawks are looking for a new coach after opting to move on from Carroll. (Owner Jody Allen said in a statement that the move was amicable, and Carroll will remain with the organization in an advisory role.) Dan Quinn, the team’s former defensive coordinator, has been floated in national news reports as a strong potential candidate for the job.
Tennessee Titans coaching search
Fired: Mike Vrabel on Jan. 9
Known candidates:
▶ Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan: Interviewed on Jan. 12 (per team)
▶ New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka: Interviewed on Jan. 12 (per team)
▶ Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn: Interview requested (per ESPN)
▶ Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald: Interview requested (per ESPN)
▶ Las Vegas Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
The skinny: Vrabel’s firing came as a shock, in part because he was just two years removed from winning coach of the year honors; Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk called the move “as difficult as any I’ve made” in ownership. The decision to fire Vrabel, rather than look for a potential trading partner, could indicate that Strunk and company plan to move quickly to hire their next coach − though the top candidates for the position were immediately unclear.
Washington Commanders coaching search
Fired: Ron Rivera on Jan. 8
Known candidates:
▶ Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson: Interview requested (per multiple reports)
▶ Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald: Interview requested (per NFL Network)
▶ Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris: Interview requested (per multiple reports)
▶ Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn: Interview requested (per multiple reports)
▶ Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik: Interview requested (per The Washington Post)
▶ Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver: Interview requested (per multiple reports)
The skinny: New Commanders owner Josh Harris waited until the end of the season to fire Rivera, but it’s evident that he’s been identifying head coach candidates for some time. Within hours of Rivera’s firing, there had been reports that Washington had already requested permission to interview several candidates, including two coaches each from the playoff-bound Lions and Ravens. Harris also indicated that the team’s current offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, will receive consideration as a candidate.
Other NFL coaching news
Jan. 11: The Giants announced they’ve hired Carmen Bricillo as their new offensive line coach.
Jan. 10: The Giants announced that they have “mutually agreed to part ways” with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
Jan. 10: The Bears announced that they have fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and four other offensive assistants, including quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert and running backs coach Omar Young.
Jan. 9: The Jaguars fired running backs coach Bernie Parmalee and didn’t renew assistant offensive line coach Todd Washington’s contract, according to NFL Network.
Jan. 8: The Jaguars fired defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and seven members of his defensive staff, according to The Florida Times-Union, which is part of the USA TODAY Network.
Jan. 8: The Giants fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, head coach Brian Daboll announced.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What NFL teams need a head coach? Track the coaching carousel, interview requests and more