Exiting the regular season, six teams are searching for new head coaches. That number is up from last season but not quite as high as 2019, though there may well be more vacancies that emerge during the playoffs.
Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:
Updated 1-27-21 (7:05pm CT)
Atlanta Falcons
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/4
- Todd Bowles, Buccaneers defensive coordinator: Interview expected
- Joe Brady, Panthers offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/7
- Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern head coach: Rumored candidate
- Nathaniel Hackett, Packers offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/7
- Raheem Morris, Falcons interim head coach: Interviewed on 1/1
- Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/4
- Arthur Smith, Titans offensive coordinator: Hired
Detroit Lions
- Darrell Bevell, Lions interim head coach: Interviewed on 1/5
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/4
- Todd Bowles, Buccaneers defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/13
- Dan Campbell, Saints assistant head coach: Hired
- Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern head coach: Rumored candidate
- Marvin Lewis, Arizona State co-defensive coordinator/former Bengals head coach: Interviewed
- Urban Meyer, former Ohio State head coach: Rumored candidate
- Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/7
- Arthur Smith, Titans offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/12
Houston Texans
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/18; second interview likely
- Joe Brady, Panthers offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/5
- Jim Caldwell, former Colts and Lions head coach: Interviewed on 1/22
- David Culley, Ravens AHC/wide receivers coach: Received second interview on 1/27
- Matt Eberflus, Colts defensive coordinator: Initially declined interview request; interviewed on 1/16; considered frontrunner?
- Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern head coach: Rumored candidate
- Leslie Frazier, Bills defensive coordinator: Received second interview on 1/26
- Josh McCown, Texans quarterback: Interviewed on 1/22
- Arthur Smith, Titans offensive coordinator: To be interviewed
- Brandon Staley, Rams defensive coordinator: Interview requested
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/6
- Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach: Rumored candidate; not interested in position
- Urban Meyer, former Ohio State head coach: Hired
- Raheem Morris, Falcons interim head coach: Interviewed on 1/7
- Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/9
- Arthur Smith, Titans offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/10
Los Angeles Chargers
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interview requested
- Joe Brady, Panthers offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/7
- Brian Daboll, Bills offensive coordinator: To be interviewed on 1/10; considered favorite
- Matt Eberflus, Colts defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/12
- Jason Garrett, Giants offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/8
- Urban Meyer, former Ohio State head coach: Contacted
- Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/9
- Arthur Smith, Titans offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/11
- Brandon Staley, Rams defensive coordinator: Hired
New York Jets
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/6
- Joe Brady, Panthers offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/9
- Matt Campbell, Iowa State head coach: Interview declined
- Brian Daboll, Bills offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/10
- Matt Eberflus, Colts defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/10
- Aaron Glenn, Saints defensive backs coach: Interviewed on 1/10
- Patrick Graham, Giants defensive coordinator: Interview requested; to stay with Giants
- Marvin Lewis, Arizona State co-defensive coordinator/former Bengals head coach: Interviewed on 1/7
- Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator: Hired
- Arthur Smith, Titans offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/11
- Brandon Staley, Rams defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/10
Philadelphia Eagles
- Eric Bieniemy, Chiefs offensive coordinator: Interview requested
- Todd Bowles, Buccaneers defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/18
- Joe Brady, Panthers offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/13
- Mike Kafka, Chiefs quarterbacks coach: Rumored candidate
- Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebackers coach: Interviewed on 1/15
- Josh McDaniels, Patriots offensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/17
- Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma head coach: Rumored candidate
- Robert Saleh, 49ers defensive coordinator: Interviewed on 1/12
- Arthur Smith, Titans offensive coordinator: Interview requested
- Nick Sirianni, Colts offensive coordinator: Hired
- Brandon Staley, Rams defensive coordinator: To be Interviewed
- Duce Staley, Eagles running backs coach: Mentioned as candidate
Marvin Lewis is no stranger to media pressure so he would be a good fit in NY from that perspective. Whether or not he could motivate the Jet players remains the big question.
you should cross off the guys out of the running
Technically speaking, no one is out of the running until someone has actually been hired.
I believe he’s referring to coaches such as Ryan Day, who denied interest in an NFL opportunity, or Matt Eberflus, who rejected a Houston interview
Predictions
ATL: Eric Bieniemy
DET: Robert Saleh
HOU: Joe Brady
JAX: Urban Meyer
LAC: Brandon Staley
NYJ: Brian Daboll
Any particular reason for those choices other than the fact they all have the letter B in their name?
ATL – Saleh
DET- Lewis
HOU – Bieniemy
JAX- Meyer
LAC- Daboll
NYJ- Eberflus
PHI- Brady
Someone please hire Ryan Day, and Urban Meyer too. Jim Harbaugh got extended for 5 years, and he has to be able to beat SOME OSU coach.
I was hoping they would get rid of Jim Harbaugh and bring back either Rich Rodriguez or Brady Hoke.
What coach was fired this year? That’s who the Jets may hire. Then their beat writers and the NY media will tell everyone how the fired coach will do better coaching the Jets because they are such a much better franchise than the team that fired the coach.
After all, look how good it turned out for them hiring Gase after the Dolphins fired him.
They’re probably on the phone with Bill O’Brien and Matt Patricia.
According to a post the other day Bienenmy already Met with the Chargers on the 1-4 or 1-5. This post now states they have requested an interview. Which is it?
Looks like teams are finally done with Josh McDaniels after what he did to the colts who can blame them plus he’s highly overrated and this season proved that
Need to update this. It just popped back up at the top of the feed but to be interviewed on dates are dates that have passed. They either interviewed or have not interviewed. Also a previous report on trade rumors was that Bienemy has already interviewed with the Chargers so which is true your remark as interview requested or already interviewed
I would never waste my time watching the scouting combine but it would be very interesting to get an inside look at some of these interviews. Just a program idea for the NFL in case they have to scrap the combine this year.
Why wouldn’t Doug Pedersen now become an attractive candidate for the Chargers ?
So Philly and Houston left?
And Detroit but they don’t really count lol.