Not saying that Stefanski is toast, or that we'd hire a coordinator if he is .... but here's some names to consider ...... just in case. (and truth be told, I have trouble surviving 3 and 4 win consequtive seasons or even a 5 win season if we somehow beat the Bengals)
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/ranking-nfl-head-coach-candidates/Naturally, all eyes in the NFL are currently fixated on what the playoff picture will look like as we rocket toward the regular-season finale in Week 18. However, only a select few franchises will actually enter the race for a Lombardi Trophy this season. As for the others, they'll be picking themselves up by their bootstraps and start planning for a better tomorrow in 2026. Within that group that is on the outside looking in on the postseason are organizations that could be reevaluating their head coaching position as Black Monday looms.
Already, there are two open jobs in the NFL in the New York Giants and the Tennessee Titans after they fired their head coaches midseason. However, more are expected to follow and be open by this time next week. When the dust settles on those firings, the next question will center around who could be the next coach up.
Below, we're going to highlight some new blood who could enter the conversation this cycle. Specifically, we'll be ranking the top 10 candidates who have no prior history of being an NFL head coach. So, while the likes of Robert Saleh, Kliff Kingsbury, Mike McCarthy, Brian Flores and other veteran coaches will certainly be at top of mind, we'll exclude them for this exercise to take a look at some up-and-comers.
10. Grant Udinski
Current position: Offensive coordinator, Jacksonville Jaguars
If you're outside of Jacksonville, you probably haven't heard of Udinski, but he'll be an intriguing name to follow this hiring cycle and in the years to come until he gets scooped up. Earlier this month, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones reported that Udinski, who turns 30 in January, could be getting head coaching interviews as early as this cycle. Of course, given Udinski's age, he may still be a few years away from securing a job, but it's not hard to see why he's garnering interest. Last year, he was the assistant OC and assistant quarterbacks coach with the Minnesota Vikings, who saw Sam Darnold resurrect his career with a 4,300-yard season. While he does not call plays for the Jaguars, Odinski has been a central piece to Trevor Lawrence finally clicking and leading an offense that is in the upper echelon of the league in scoring.
9. Mike LaFleur
Current position: Offensive coordinator, Los Angeles Rams
Whenever someone is under the Sean McVay umbrella, they're seemingly destined to get looks as a potential head coach at some point. For LaFleur, the younger brother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, he could prove to be one of the latest in that regard. The 38-year-old has served as Los Angeles' OC since the 2023 season, and while he largely doesn't call the plays in L.A., he's helped spearhead the most prolific offense in the NFL this season. Los Angeles leads the NFL in points per game (30.1) and is second in total yards per game (394.6).
Along with his connection to McVay, LaFleur also branches from the Kyle Shanahan tree, working under him as the passing game coordinator in San Francisco from 2017 to 2020 before leaving to become the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets under Robert Saleh. That stint in New York has the potential to hurt him as he did call plays over his tenure there, and the results were lackluster with Zach Wilson as the main signal-caller. Still, his pedigree under McVay will likely warrant him a look or two.
8. Anthony Weaver
Current position: Defensive coordinator, Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are on the outside looking in on the playoffs and are potentially looking at a transformative offseason, particularly as they are projected to move on from Tua Tagovailoa in some capacity. While the season looked like it was going to result in an unmitigated disaster after a 1-6 start, they did level off, thanks in large part to Anthony Weaver's defense. Over the last nine games, where the club has gone 6-3 down the stretch, the former defensive end oversaw a unit that is allowing just 20.1 points per game entering Week 18. During his first year on the job in 2024, the Dolphins were a top five defense in the league in total yards allowed. That should set up the 45-year-old to garner some interviews.
7. Lou Anarumo
Current position: Defensive coordinator, Indianapolis Colts
Anarumo has been a popular head coaching candidate dating to his days as the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals. However, he's yet to elevate to that role. After six seasons in Cincinnati, the 59-year-old was let go by Cincinnati after the 2024 campaign, but has landed on his feet quite well, quickly being hired as the defensive coordinator of the Colts. While most of the attention in Indy has been paid to the offense beginning with Daniel Jones and recently surrounding Phillip Rivers, Anarumo's defense has quietly been solid. They are among the best run defenses in the league and in the top half of the NFL in takeaways. Not only that, but Cincinnati's struggles defensively in 2025 only further prove he wasn't the problem. This stint with the Colts has seemingly boosted his stock back up to the point where he could once again have his fair share of interview requests coming in.
NFL coordinators with something to prove: Which ones are trying to keep job, which ones could be head coaches?
Jared Dubin
NFL coordinators with something to prove: Which ones are trying to keep job, which ones could be head coaches?
6. Todd Monken
Current position: Offensive coordinator, Baltimore Ravens
Monken became a fascinating candidate a year ago after coming back to the NFL following a successful stint as the OC at Georgia and pulling the strings of a high-octane offense with the Baltimore Ravens. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Baltimore, Monken's offenses were essentially top 10 across the board. During that stretch, Lamar Jackson also won the NFL MVP in 2023 and nearly won it again last season. This year, however, the Ravens offense has stalled out, in part, due to Jackson not being healthy. While that's a valid reason for the unit dropping off, it likely dents Monken's stock at touch. Nevertheless, the 59-year-old still should be one of the more popular candidates, particularly for teams looking for someone with an offensive background.
5. Jeff Hafley
Current position: Defensive coordinator, Green Bay Packers
Hafley is in his second stint coaching in the NFL, initially entering the league in 2012 as an assistant with the Buccaneers before making stops with the Browns (2014-2015) and 49ers (2016-2018) as their defensive backs coach. After that, he dipped back to the collegiate level for some time, working as the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State for the 2019 season before taking on the head coaching role at Boston College. He's since spent the last two years as the DC in Green Bay and has steered the ship of some of the best defenses in the league. In Year 1 during the 2024 campaign, Green Bay was top five in the NFL in total yards and takeaways, and top 10 in the league in points allowed. This year, Green Bay has continued to be one of the sturdier defenses, but the unit did take a hit after losing star pass rusher Micah Parsons to a torn ACL. In spite of that, Hafley has shown he can be a strong defensive play-caller and has head coaching experience (albeit in the college circuit), making him a strong candidate this go around.
4. Chris Shula
Current position: Defensive coordinator, Los Angeles Rams
As we noted with LaFleur above, if you're a coordinator who is even remotely attached to Sean McVay, you're going to get attention during hiring cycles. That said, Shula's affiliation with McVay shouldn't be what has NFL decision-makers turn their attention toward him. Instead, it's the strong play by Los Angeles' defense over his tenure. Since assuming the DC role in 2024, the Rams have the fifth-highest pressure rate in the NFL and sixth-highest sack rate (including playoffs). He's taken a young unit and helped put L.A. in the thick of the Super Bowl conversation this season, where the Rams are holding opponents to 20.4 points per game, which is in the top third in the NFL. Shula's defense also has the third-lowest red zone touchdown rate (46.9%) and eighth-lowest third-down conversion rate (36.2) entering Week 18.
Of course, Shula's blue blood background as the son of former Bengals head coach David Shula and the grandson of the late Hall of Fame coach Don Shula doesn't hurt his chances.
3. Klint Kubiak
Current position: Offensive coordinator, Seattle Seahawks
Kubiak has bounced around quite a bit over the last few years, but the next step in his career path should be as an NFL head coach. Most recently, Kubiak, the son of former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak, has served as the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints in 2024 and is now in that role with the Seattle Seahawks. In both spots, he's impressed.
While the numbers don't exactly show it, Kubiak had a Saints offense punching above its weight class in 2024. When he left for Seattle this year, the numbers began backing up what our eyes told us during Kubiak's Saints tenure. With the Seahawks, Kubiak has formed an offense that is second in the league in scoring entering Week 18 and tied for fourth in the NFL in yards per play. Kubiak has continued the revitalization of Sam Darnold and, in some respects, even has him playing better than he did with Minnesota last year. Kubiak has also helped wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba set franchise records in receiving yards and currently leads the league in that category.
If you're looking for an offensive-minded coach, you'd be hard-pressed to find many as promising as Kubiak.
2. Jesse Minter
Current position: Defensive coordinator, Los Angeles Rams
Minter tops this list when it comes to defensive-minded head coaching candidates this cycle, who haven't had a kick at the can already. The 42-year-old started in the NFL working under John Harbaugh as an assistant with the Baltimore Ravens (2017-2020) before eventually finding his way to Jim Harbaugh, where he served as his defensive coordinator at Michigan from 2022 to 2023. There, he helped the Wolverines win a College Football Playoff National Championship before following Harbaugh to Los Angeles to work under him as his defensive coordinator for the Chargers. Over the last two seasons, Minter has had the Chargers defense playing at an elite level. In 2024, L.A. was the No. 1 scoring defense in the league. The unit is currently allowing the seventh-fewest points per game (20.1) in the NFL entering Week 18 this year, and is in the top half of the league in both turnovers and sacks. With the Harbaugh pedigree on his résumé, it won't be surprising to see Minter as a head coach sooner rather than later.
1. Joe Brady
Current position: Offensive coordinator, Buffalo Bills
Brady will be a highly sought-after candidate this cycle after the 36-year-old has impressed over his tenure as the offensive coordinator in Buffalo. Last season, he helped Josh Allen to an MVP award, while orchestrating an offense that finished No. 2 in the NFL in scoring and No. 10 in the league in total yards. This season, Buffalo's offense has taken a little bit of a step back, but one could argue that it has more to do with personnel than it does with anything related to Brady. Despite some questionable play at wide receiver, Brady has Buffalo entering the final week of the regular season ranking sixth in the league in scoring and fifth in total yards. The Bills also have arguably the NFL's best rushing attack, spearheaded by Allen and James Cook. Brady is the prototypical young, offensive-minded coach that organizations seem to love hiring. The question is whether or not the right opportunity comes around that forces Brady's hand to leave Josh Allen's side.
