The Buffalo Bills axed head coach Sean McDermott after their AFC Divisional Round loss to Denver, which means 10 NFL head coaching jobs officially opened up this winter. Four have already been filled, with multiple high-profile names off the board and much more movement on the horizon.
This coaching cycle promises variety, from established legends like John Harbaugh, to promising retreads like Kevin Stefanski and Robert Saleh, and compelling newbies like Jeff Hafley. Let's dive into every hire so far and pass early judgement.
Miami Dolphins: Jeff Hafley
Grade: B-
After loud indications that Mike McDaniel's job was "probably safe," the Miami Dolphins cut the cord and will begin anew with Jeff Hafley roaming the sidelines. This is a fascinating hire. Hafley, 46, offers a unique background. He spent two years as the Packers' defensive coordinator, and before that he was the head coach at Boston College for four years.
Hafley's tenure at BC did not feature excessive winning — he posted a career record of 22-26 — but he became well known and respected for his ability to unearth hidden gems on the recruiting front. An eye for talent always helps, and Hafley has a reputation for getting the most out of disparate parts. In that sense, he's the perfect head coach for this version of the Dolphins.
Green Bay's defense this past season was fairly tame, ranking 22nd in estimated points added (EPA) per play. The Packers were strong against the run and feeble against the pass. Of note, however, is the fact that Green Bay ranked fifth in that same category a year ago. The Micah Parsons injury undermined the Packers' scheme in a big way down the stretch of 2025, so it's hard to blame Hafley for the fluctuation. Green Bay's defense was sixth in yards per game year ago, and that was before Parsons arrived. So Hafley has shown his chops, more or less.
He's still fairly young and green by NFL head coaching standards, but then again, most new hires are nowadays. The Browns are interviewing a 30-year-old, last we checked. Hafley provides a unique perspective and should infuse new life into a fractured, beaten-down locker room. Bringing the Dolphins back to relevance will be no easy task. Miami needs to find a real quarterback and massively improve Hafley's personnel options on defense. But maybe he can help there. This is a good hire. Risky, sure. Some may have preferred a more established name. But it's a fun gamble.
Atlanta Falcons: Kevin Stefanski
Grade: A
Kevin Stefanski finally escaped Cleveland Browns purgatory and immediately landed in a new kind of purgatory with the Atlanta Falcons. There has not been a more consistently underachieving roster over the past few years. Arthur Smith and Raheem Morris, both well-respected names around the league, could not locate the key that unlocks what is, on paper, a perennial NFC South champ. Stefanksi, however, might be the man for the job.
The division aspect was probably a huge selling point for Stefanski, who definitely had multiple options. That generally is a positive sign, when a coach is so wanted. Last season was a ruthless exercise in misery for Browns fans, but Stefanski put together two 11-win campaigns in Cleveland, both with disgusting QB situations. The wheels came off in 2024, and remained off in 2025, but when Stefanski has the personnel — and Atlanta has the personnel — he tends to deliver results.
Altanta will return Nate Ulbrich at defensive coordinator and with him the bones of what feels like an ascending defense. Stefanski will no doubt take a central role in reshaping Atlanta's offense, with plenty of ammo at his disposal. The Browns, in their heyday, made great use of volume runners like Nick Chubb. Stefanski should be just what the doctor ordered for a Falcons team that has struggled to fully unleash Bijan Robinson, despite his overwhelming talent and a clear capacity for MVP-type production.
What does Atlanta do with their quarterback situation, exactly? That will be the question hanging over Stefanski's first season at the helm. Michael Penix will spend most or all of 2026 recovering from a torn ACL. Before the injury, Penix really did not look like a franchise QB. It's probably too soon for Atlanta to hit abort on the former No. 8 pick, but the Falcons will need to install their contingency plans. Is Kirk Cousins back? Are the Falcons a player for Daniel Jones in free agency? Options exist. But the last thing Stefanski wants is to inherit such a promising roster, only to get stuck in another dire QB situation that undermines all his work.
Still, the Falcons are getting a two-time Coach of the Year who has been yearning to lead a real football team for ages. This was quite possibly the best outcome for Atlanta.
New York Giants: John Harbaugh
Grade: B
Do we think John Harbaugh regrets signing with the New York Giants so soon? The man could be coaching Josh Allen right now. Alas, Harbaugh took his meetings and zeroed in on the Giants job pretty quickly. It's hard to knock this deal for either side. Harbaugh gets tremendous amounts of money and control, and he's a desirable coach in a desirable location. This sets the foundation for a much more promising era of Giants football.
New York can bank on folks wanting to play in New York for John Harbaugh. That does not sound like a real strategy, but it will almost certainly work. To what extent does it work is the question. Harbaugh spent 18 years on the sideline in Baltimore, winning a Super Bowl in 2012 and stacking a lot of regular season accolades. But the Ravens severely underperformed in the postseason throughout Harbaugh's shared tenure with Lamar Jackson, and this past season — an injury-fueled nightmare — saw Baltimore miss the playoffs entirely, just when the Chiefs dynasty collapsed and the AFC floodgates opened up.
Harbaugh ought to command respect in the locker room and raise the floor for a team that has spent far too long in the NFL basement. It's not hard to understand why the Giants coveted the most established option after Brian Daboll's tenure went so far sideways. But can Harbaugh actually push New York over the hump? Is he a great organizer and motivator, or is he a coach who can elevate and ascend — thrust the Giants, who seemingly have their franchise cornerstone in Jaxson Dart, past the Wild Card phase in a tough division and into Super Bowl territory.
It sure sounds like the Giants will bring over ex-Ravens OC Todd Monken to lead the offense under Harbaugh. That is the first potential misstep of this new regime, as Harbaugh is a coach very much dependent on his coordinators. Monken's scheme clashed with Lamar Jackson and it's unclear if he can help Dart strike the proper balance between reckless, creative abandon, and simple, bread-and-butter quarterbacking. The Giants are in a far more stable place, and Harbaugh is one of the all-time greats in his job, but it remains to be seen if he's a proper fixture in New York or the bridge to an even brighter future once his tenure eventually stagnates. At 63, this is probably Harbaugh's last rodeo, for better or worse.
Tennessee Titans: Robert Saleh
Grade: B+
The Tennessee Titans landed on 49ers defensive coordinator and ex-Jets head coach Robert Saleh after an expansive interview process. This is no doubt a quality hire for Tennessee. Saleh's Jets never really left the runway, but we can't blame the defensive guru for Zach Wilson and the typical Jets malaise. New York's defense was overwhelmingly successful during Saleh's tenure, so there's reason he can elevate that unit in Tennessee. This hire ought to send Jeffery Simmons through the roof.
Unlike his Jets tenure, Saleh will begin in Tennessee with a proper franchise QB. Cam Ward's rookie season was a mixed bag, but he made about a dozen of last season's craziest individual plays. The arm talent pops immediately, even if a lot of beautiful passes fell on slippery hands or bad routes. He needs help and guidance, like all young quarterbacks, but the talent couldn't be more clear. The Titans made the right choice at No. 1. Now, it's up to Tennessee to add the right pieces around him.
The Titans are flush with cap space and thus have the capacity to add significant talent on both sides of the football this offseason. Another high draft pick promises another foundational piece, if all goes well, and Saleh should have the gravitas to lure quality coordinators to Nashville, especially given the Kyle Shanahan connection.
If there is a concern here, it's more on Saleh's side than Tennessee's. The Titans are still in the early stages of a rebuild, which can be tricky for any coach to navigate. Tennessee's ownership has proven rather finicky in recent years, unable (or unwilling) to weather the storm in uncomfortable circumstances. Just look at how the Mike Vrabel era started and ended. Saleh probably belongs in a more stable and secure environment, but if the Titans give him the necessary grace and put their resources toward the right upgrades, this team could flourish in the coming years.