NFL Coaching Candidates 2026: 12 Best NFL Head Coach Candidates

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Who are the top NFL coaching candidates next offseason? Ben Johnson, Mike Vrabel and Liam Coen were among the most coveted NFL head coach candidates last spring. One year later, their respective teams are in the playoff hunt and teams on the outside of it are looking for their next coach.

There aren’t nearly as many top-end candidates this year, with some of the biggest names highlighted coming into the season not delivering quite as much success as expected. Still, when evaluating the best NFL coaching candidates for 2026, there are plenty of intriguing names.

Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator

NFL Coaching Candidates 2026 — Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even before the Micah Parsons acquisition, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley had done excellent work with the unit. In the final 11 regular-season games in 2024, Green Bay held opponents to just 19.7 PPG with a 38.8 percent third-down conversion rate, and the unit ranked third in Defensive EPA per Play (-0.06). Unsurprisingly, the defense has been even better this season with Parsons. Hafley has head-coaching experience in college (Boston College, 2020-’23), and he’s previously served as a defensive backs coach for Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and San Francisco. With the strong endorsements he’s received from both players and his peers, Hafley will almost certainly get multiple head-coaching interviews this offseason.

Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2025

Mike McCarthy, Former NFL Head Coach

It’s not a particularly strong crop of NFL coaching candidates in 2026, which could mean former head coaches have increased odds of landing a gig. Mike McCarthy is the standout of the bunch. The 62-year-old took this season off from coaching, but he seems open to returning to the sideline. He ranks 15th all-time in wins (174), posting a .618 winning percentage with the Packers (13 seasons) and a .583 winning percentage with the Dallas Cowboys. In 18 seasons as an NFL head coach, McCarthy’s teams made the playoffs 12 times with 11 seasons with double-digit wins. The combination of his experience, consistency, and his background in helping quarterbacks could prove highly appealing for teams seeking a sure thing.

Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator

Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will be the most coveted head-coaching candidate in the NFL this offseason. He worked under head coach John Harbaugh from 2017-2020 with the Baltimore Ravens, and then found himself calling plays as defensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines (2022-23). After winning a national championship with Harbaugh at Michigan, he followed him to Los Angeles. Inheriting a defense that the previous season ranked 24th in Defensive EPA per Play (0.019) and 23rd in Success Rate (44.3 percent) prior to his arrival, Minter has orchestrated a top-five defense in EPA per Play (-0.048) and top-seven in Success Rate (42.1 percent) over the last two seasons.

Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator

For the first two weeks of the 2024 NFL season as the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator, it looked like Klint Kubiak would be the next big name. However, injuries ravaged that unit afterward, and Kubiak wound up seeking a fresh start with the Seattle Seahawks. Heading into Week 13,, Kubiak’s offense is 11th in EPA per Play (0.061), ninth in Success Rate (47.3 percent), second in yards-per-play average (6.3) and eighth in points per drive (2.41). He’s also spent time under two top coaches in Mike Macdonald and Kyle Shanahan, with those ties likely to make him even more appealing to franchise owners seeking that next bright, young coach.

Chris Shula, Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator

Typically, NFL coaching candidates from the Sean McVay ‘school’ are from the offensive side of the ball. That’s not the case with Chris Shula. Promoted to serve as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator in 2024, Shula was also once McVay’s roommate. Chris, the grandson of Don Shula, joined McVay’s staff in 2017 and worked his way up from assistant linebackers coach to defensive play-caller in seven years. Since the start of the 2024 season, Shula’s defense has improved every year. Los Angeles entered Week 13 allowing the sixth-lowest yards-per-play average (4.8), the third-lowest scoring rate (31 percent), and the second-fewest points per drive (1.50) in the NFL. Shula has expressed interest in becoming a head coach, but stated he’ll remain with the Rams until the right opportunity becomes available.

Read More: Dynasty Rookie Rankings 2026

Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Head Coach

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, who turns 40 years old in January, has been on the NFL’s coaching radar for at least a year now. It’s a question of whether or not he’s interested in making the jump to the highest level. Notre Dame promoted him to head coach in 2021, tapping him to be the successor to Brian Kelly. Freeman has now delivered three consecutive seasons with double-digit wins and, unlike Kelly, got Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. He’s beloved by players, renowned for his leadership, and is well-regarded for his defensive mind. If Freeman has any interest in becoming an NFL head coach, multiple teams would want to interview him.

Kelvin Sheppard, Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator

It’s a matter of when, not if, the Detroit Lions lose defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard to a head-coaching gig. He was still playing linebacker in the NFL in 2017 before making the transition to coaching with the Detroit Lions in 2021 as outside linebackers coach. He took over the linebackers in his second season of coaching and just two years later, Dan Campbell chose him to follow in the footsteps of Aaron Glenn. Through the first 11 games this season, even amid injuries, Detroit has had a top-10 defense in yards-per-play average, scoring rate, third-down defense, and points per drive. Turning 38 years old in January, Sheppard’s leadership and coaching style receive as strong of reviews as his play-calling.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator

Coming into the season, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady was right up there with Jesse Minter as the two best NFL coaching candidates in 2026. Unfortunately for the 36-year-old, the Bills offense hasn’t been quite as good as it was last year. Buffalo’s issues this season, however, might say a lot more about the front office and the receiving corps it assembled. What matters is that over the last two seasons, the Bills offense ranks first in EPA per Play (0.165) and third in Success Rate. Allen gets a lot of credit, but Brady also deserves recognition for his work in committing to James Cook and orchestrating a great rushing offense.

Anthony Campanile, Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinator

There are quite a few defensive-minded NFL head coaching candidates this year. In his first season as a defensive play-caller, Anthony Campanile has done impressive work turning the Jacksonville Jaguars defense around. A year ago, Jacksonville ranked 30th in yards per play allowed (5.9), 31st in scoring rate (45.6 percent) and yards per drive (36.8), and 32nd in turnover rate (4.4 percent). Across 11 games with Campanile, the Jaguars rank 15th in yards per play (5.3), seventh in scoring rate (34.5 percent), fifth in turnover rate (14.3 percent), and 14th in yards per drive (29.9). He also did great work with the Packers’ linebackers in 2024.

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores won’t be for everyone, certainly not with an ongoing lawsuit against the NFL and three other teams (including the New York Giants). However, he’s unquestionably been one of the best defensive coordinators in football over the last three seasons. Flores also exceeded all expectations as a head coach in Miami, albeit with a toxic relationship with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and a bit of a history with a lot of turnover at offensive coordinator. Still, a brilliant defensive mind with Super Bowl rings and some decent success in his first stint as an NFL head coach should warrant a second chance.

Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator

NFL Coaching Candidates — Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Robert Saleh merited serious consideration for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ coaching vacancy last offseason, and he’ll be brought in for head-coaching interviews in 2026. In his return to the San Francisco 49ers, the defensive coordinator has had the misfortune of losing his top players (Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Mykel Williams) to season-ending injuries early in the season. Saleh has been left coaching one of the thinnest and most inexperienced defenses in the NFL and yet San Francisco’s defense is playing fairly well. He’s a great leader with an excellent defensive background, and given the pool of candidates this year, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Saleh gets a second chance at being a head coach.

Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator

Because of the overall regression from the Washington Commanders this season and the injuries to Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin, there hasn’t been as much buzz about Kliff Kingsbury. However, it’s worth looking at what he’s accomplished with Marcus Mariota as his starting quarterback. Over the last two seasons, Mariota has posted a 93.3 QB rating, completing 65.5 percent of his pass attempts with a 13-7 TD-INT ratio while averaging 7.4 yards per attempt. From Weeks 8-13, when Mariota was primarily the Commanders’ starting quarterback, Washington ranked 13th in EPA per Play (0.041) and 10th in Success Rate (46.4 percent). Kingsbury is demonstrating that his success running the Commanders offense in 2024 was about more than just Daniels’ ability, and given the lack of compelling offensive-minded NFL coaching candidates, Kingsbury could have some added appeal.

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