Sportsnaut
There are eight vacancies in the NFL coaching carousel right now, with several recently-fired head coaches widely expected to immediately fill some of the vacancies. In such a unique cycle, it’s a fun exercise to attempt to predict who each NFL team will hire as their new head coach.
Let’s drive into our updated NFL coaching carousel predictions.
The Atlanta Falcons missed out on John Harbaugh, but there’s still an opportunity to land another excellent candidate with head-coaching experience. Kevin Stefanski, a two-time Coach of the Year, would inherit an offense with Bijan Robinson, Drake London and potentially Kyle Pitts. For a offensive architect who excels at using the screen game and getting the most he can out of an offense, it would be a great fit. Stefanski could also potentially bring Jim Schwartz with him to take over a defense in Atlanta that made real strides in 2025. The Falcons’ job offers a chance to compete for division titles immediately and that means job security for Stefanski. It’s a natural fit for both sides.
If the New York Giants are willing to fire general manager Joe Schoen, then we think Harbaugh replaces Brian Daboll. For the time being, with Schoen staying, we will say Harbaugh heads to Atlanta and the Giants pivot to Kevin Stefanski. He is an excellent coach whom the league recognizes was stuck in a bad organization with even worse quarterback play. With New York, Stefanski can immediately build the offense around dual-threat quarterback Jaxson Dart and help him elevate his game as a passer. Plus, the Giants can use their first-round pick on someone like Jordyn Tyson or Carnell Tate to create a fantastic, young receiver duo with Malik Nabers that is balanced out by having Cam Skattebo at running back. It would be an A-grade hire for New York, and Stefanski would finally have a real chance to prove how good he is both as a head coach and offensive mind.
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The Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions would love nothing more than to bring in Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator for the season. However, eight potential options in the NFL coaching carousel make that unlikely. If New York and Atlanta take the experienced head coaches, then McDaniel could hitch himself to Cam Ward. He has done great work with quarterbacks in the past and also demonstrated this year and in San Francisco that he can scheme up a great rushing attack—a crucial supporting element to a quarterback’s long-term success. Tennessee also boasts around $100 million in cap space and has premium draft capital, so the offense could be shaped how McDaniel desires, and he could bring in a top defensive coordinator. The Titans get the experienced coach with a brilliant eye for creating an explosive offense, and McDaniel finally gets to work with a...
