Sportsnaut
After another disastrous season in 2025, the Las Vegas Raiders are in search of a new head coach for the third straight offseason. However, while the job is one that many coaches would desire, some of the best options to replace Pete Carroll are quickly coming off the board.
Former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is the top choice for almost all of the head coach openings around the NFL. However, he is on the verge of agreeing to a deal with the New York Giants. Another strong option, former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, is also nearing a deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
When Pittsburgh Steelers legend Mike Tomlin stepped down from his job, surely, Raiders fans thought he could be a replacement as well. However, he reportedly plans to sit out of coaching in 2026. With that in mind, let’s look at the next best options to be Las Vegas’s next head coach.
Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is set to interview with the Raiders this weekend. While he may not excite Raiders fans, he is a candidate for the job and offensive coordinator openings around the league because his mind for that side of the ball is still highly regarded around the NFL.
With the team expected to use the No. 1 overall pick in April on Fernando Mendoza, it does make sense for him to be developed by one of the better offensive minds in the game.
Another respected offensive coordinator is Buffalo Bills coach Joe Brady. He elevated his status around the game with the role he played in turning Josh Allen from a very good QB to an MVP in 2024. He has also gotten a lot out of a Bills offense not overflowing with stars, besides Allen, the last two years.
Brady is another sensible option for a team hoping to develop a franchise QB in the spring and summer.
Despite his previous lawsuit against the NFL, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has elevated his status around the game in a major way with the work over the last two years by turning the Vikes D into a top unit.
What also helps is that he has previous head coach experience, as he did a solid job during his three seasons with the Dolphins. Winning 10 and 9 games in his final two years.
Because of the Dallas Cowboys’ high standard and desperation to get back to the Super Bowl, Mike McCarthy’s winning 12 games for three straight seasons gets overlooked. Raiders fans would love to get results like that consistently. The team hasn’t had three straight double-digit win seasons since the start of this century.
Furthermore, it also gets forgotten that he was the head coach who helped develop Aaron Rodgers into a future superstar in the game. There is reason...
