Six teams have made coaching changes so far during this year’s cycle. Here are the candidates connected to each of the now-HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.
Updated 1-7-25 (9:40pm CT)
Chicago Bears
- Bill Belichick, head coach (North Carolina): Expressed interest
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Thomas Brown, interim head coach (Bears: Interview expected
- Pete Carroll, former head coach (Seahawks): To interview 1/9
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interview requested
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interview expected
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): To interview 1/9
- Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interview expected
- Mike McCarthy, head coach (Cowboys): Interview blocked
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interview requested
- Drew Petzing, offensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interview requested
- David Shaw, senior personnel executive (Broncos): Interview requested
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): To interview 1/8
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interview requested
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Liam Coen, offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interview requested
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interview requested
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interview requested
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interview requested
- Robert Saleh, former head coach (Jets): Interview requested
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Mentioned as candidate
Las Vegas Raiders
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Rumored candidate
New England Patriots
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interested in position
- Pep Hamilton, former offensive coordinator (Texans): Interviewed 1/7
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interview expected
- Byron Leftwich, former offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/7
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): To interview 1/9
New Orleans Saints
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/10
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): To interview 1/9
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interview requested
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Mentioned as candidate
- Darren Rizzi, interim head coach (Saints): Interview expected
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Interview being arranged
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interview requested
New York Jets
- Bill Belichick, head coach (North Carolina): Showed interest; meeting never scheduled
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interview requested
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Brian Griese, quarterbacks coach (49ers): Interview requested
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interview requested
- Josh McCown, quarterbacks coach (Vikings): Interview requested
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): To interview 1/8
- Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed
- Darren Rizzi, interim head coach (Saints): Interview requested
- Rex Ryan, former head coach (Bills): Interviewed 1/7
- Bobby Slowik, offensive coordinator (Texans): Interview requested
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Jeff Ulbrich, interim head coach (Jets): To interview
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Interviewed 1/3
The Bears list seems to look a lot like an attempt to find the next Lovie Smith: Vrabel, Flores, Glenn, Weaver.
Meanwhile, the OC List looks like Ben Johnson and just filling out a list of OC guys. Arthur Smith was a miserable failure in Atlanta and Mike McCarthy has done nothing but rest on the coattails of good teams.
What’s missing (outside of Ben Johnson) are the truly innovative thinkers to help unlock Caleb Williams like Liam Coen and Joe Brady.
Instead, just reads like a “leader of men” and “coaches with prior failed experience” checklist.
They have requested interviews with Monken and Kingsbury, which have done pretty well as OCs this year. Brady has also been mentioned, so not sure what your point is. I question anyone being labeled an innovative thinker when they have Josh Allen improvising.
The only defensive minded guy the Bears should be considering is Vic Fangio who they should have given the HC job to instead of Nagy.
Don’t let this distract you from the the fact that in 1966, Al Bundy scored four touchdowns in a single game while playing for the Polk High School Panthers in the 1966 city championship game versus Andrew Johnson High School, including the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds against his old nemesis, “Spare Tire” Dixon.
Andrew Johnson High filed a protest after the game claiming the six years Al Bundy spent in high school made him ineligible for that game. There were also rumors that Bundy led a conspiracy to tamper with the footwear of players from Andrew Johnson High.
The further the Lions get in the playoffs, the less likely I see Glenn or Johnson leaving. The perceived “good jobs” will likely be gone.