John Harbaugh has agreed to become the next head coach of the New York Giants. He is the first hiring in this head coaching cycle. And not long after that deal was finalized, news broke that the Atlanta Falcons will hire Kevin Stefanski.
That leaves seven of the original nine openings coming off the 2025 NFL season. Mike Tomlin stepped down as the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach after 19 seasons. In addition, the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons let go of their head coaches after Week 18, moving on from Mike McDaniel, Harbaugh, Jonathan Gannon, Pete Carroll, Stefanski and Raheem Morris, respectively. The Tennessee Titans and Giants fired their head coaches earlier in the season.
There have now been at least five head coaching changes in 16 straight seasons. More than a quarter of the league decided to make a switch this offseason.
Here's everything you need to know about the latest NFL head coach movement, including pros and cons for the open gigs. Which jobs are available? Which jobs are getting filled?
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New hires | Open jobs
Head coach jobs that have been filled
Atlanta Falcons
New coach: Kevin Stefanski (hired Jan. 17)
Former coach: Raheem Morris (fired Jan. 4)
What happened: The Falcons have hired Stefanski as their new head coach. The Falcons fired Morris on Jan. 4 following back-to-back 8-9 seasons. Atlanta has not made the playoffs in eight seasons, the second-longest drought in the NFL. The Falcons have also not had a winning record since 2017.
In addition to Morris' dismissal, the Falcons also fired general manager Terry Fontenot on Jan. 4 after five seasons. Their general manager search is ongoing.. -- Marc Raimondi
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New York Giants
New coach: John Harbaugh (hired Jan. 17)
Former coach: Brian Daboll (fired Nov. 10)
What happened: Harbaugh has agreed to the five-year deal the Giants offered him earlier this week, the longtime coach told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday.
"This is the New York Giants," Harbaugh told ESPN. "I'm proud and honored to the head coach of this historic franchise, and especially excited to work with the Mara and Tisch families. But most of all, I can't wait to get started with the great players on this football team to see what we can accomplish together."
Harbaugh, 63, spent the past 18 seasons as coach of the Baltimore Ravens, going 180-113 and winning a Super Bowl before he was fired last week after they missed the playoffs. The Giants have gone just 7-27 over the past two seasons and could benefit from a proven, winning head coach. Harbaugh will succeed Daboll, who was fired in November. Mike Kafka served as interim coach for the Giants' final seven games. -- Jordan Raanan
More:
Raanan: The fall of the Brian Daboll era
Head coach jobs that are open
Arizona Cardinals
Former coach: Jonathan Gannon (fired Jan. 5)
What happened: The Cardinals fired Gannon after three seasons, sources told Schefter on Monday. Arizona finished 3-14 this season, bringing Gannon's record to 15-36 in his three seasons as the team's head coach. He never reached the playoffs while also never finishing higher than third in the NFC West. General manager Monti Ossenfort will spearhead the search for a new head coach.
Pros of the Arizona job: When healthy, the Cardinals' offense can sing, and the defense can shut down teams -- as evident in their Week 9 win over the Cowboys. Arizona's roster is chock-full of talented players such as Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Josh Sweat, Walter Nolen III and Budda Baker -- a solid core for any coach.
Cons of the Arizona job: Some of the injuries that decimated the roster in 2025 could be lingering into the offseason and potentially beyond. Then, there's dealing with an owner who's overly concerned about spending too many resources. Also, the three other NFC West teams finished with double-digit wins this season. -- Josh Weinfuss
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Adam Schefter expects the Cardinals and Dolphins will move on from Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa this offseason.
Baltimore Ravens
Former coach: John Harbaugh (fired Jan. 6)
What happened: Harbaugh is out as the coach of the Ravens, sources told Schefter on Tuesday. Harbaugh's exit came two days after the Ravens lost at the rival Steelers 26-24, which eliminated Baltimore from the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Harbaugh had signed a three-year extension last offseason and was under contract through the 2028 season.
Pros of the Baltimore job: It's the clear-cut best situation of all the head coach openings. Baltimore has a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player in quarterback Lamar Jackson and a Pro Bowl-filled roster. Plus, the Ravens offer a culture of winning -- the third-most wins in the NFL (86) since 2018 -- and stability. The franchise has had only three head coaches in its 30-year existence.
Cons of the Baltimore job: The immense pressure of winning immediately. The next coach is following in the footsteps of Harbaugh, the winningest coach in franchise history, who led Baltimore to 12 playoff appearances and suffered only three losing seasons. And the next coach will ultimately be judged on whether he can take Jackson to new postseason heights. In eight NFL seasons, Jackson has just three playoff victories. -- Jamison Hensley
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Cleveland Browns
Former coach: Kevin Stefanski (fired Jan. 5)
What happened: The Browns fired Stefanski after six seasons, the team announced Monday. They finished the 2025 season with a 5-12 record en route to their second straight last-place finish in the AFC North and their fourth losing season under Stefanski. The team also announced that Andrew Berry, who arrived in Cleveland with Stefanski in 2020, will remain in his position as general manager.
Pros of the Cleveland job: The Browns have an elite defense, led by 2025 sack champion Myles Garrett, that is ready to compete now. The offense is a work in progress, but the Browns will have two first-round picks and, in the words of Berry, "ample cap room" to spend this offseason.
Cons of the Cleveland job: Despite the assets to make additions, there's no clear answer at quarterback -- the new head coach will be tasked with finding a solution. With the No. 6 pick, Cleveland could be out of striking distance for a top prospect. And there could be further growing pains with the Browns needing to replace as many as four starting offensive linemen this offseason. -- Daniel Oyefusi
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Las Vegas Raiders
Former coach: Pete Carroll (fired Jan. 5)
What happened: The Carroll era with the Raiders is over after just one year. The team fired the 74-year-old coach Monday after it went 3-14 this season, which ended with a 14-12 win over the Chiefs. Before the game, Las Vegas had lost 10 straight and already had wrapped up the No. 1 selection in the 2026 NFL draft. Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement that general manager John Spytek, who was hired along with Carroll last year, will lead football operations with minority owner Tom Brady, including the search for the team's next coach.
Pros of the Las Vegas job: The Raiders have 10 projected draft picks in 2026, including the No. 1 pick. They have a significant amount of cap space -- second-most in the NFL, per Roster Management System. And they have a couple of budding stars in the building, such as tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty.
Cons of the Las Vegas job: Stability. The Raiders are preparing to hire their fifth head coach since 2021. For any candidate, the question of whether the organization will have the patience for them to execute their vision should arise. At the same time, a new coach will have to deal with star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who is viewed as a leader of the organization, being the subject of trade talks. -- Ryan McFadden
More:
Kahler/McFadden: Inside Raiders' 2025 collapse, Tom Brady's influence
Staff: What does Pete Carroll's exit mean for the Raiders, Geno Smith?
Miami Dolphins
Former coach: Mike McDaniel (fired Jan. 8)
What happened: The Dolphins have fired McDaniel, the team announced Thursday. The move comes after McDaniel had met with reporters Monday and said he would be part of the team's interviews to hire a new general manager. Owner Stephen Ross met with McDaniel on Tuesday to discuss the season, and after that meeting and reflection, Ross decided to move on.
Pros of the Miami job: Besides living in Miami? Ross is willing to invest in the team, and its facilities are toward the top of the league. The Dolphins also own five picks in the first three rounds of the 2026 draft, have one of the league's best running backs in De'Von Achane and a building block left tackle in Patrick Paul. Miami's next head coach will also have the opportunity to build from scratch with the team's new general manager.
Cons of the Miami job: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill represent a $108 million cap hit in 2026. The former was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers this season, and Hill missed 13 games with a dislocated knee. Miami's roster is thin and there isn't a ton of salary cap space to build through free agency, so their 2026 draft class must be a hit. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
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Stephen A. Smith reacts to the Dolphins' decision to fire coach Mike McDaniel.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Former coach: Mike Tomlin (stepped down Jan. 13)
What happened: Tomlin has stepped down as Steelers head coach, ending a 19-year run during which he never had a losing season. The Steelers announced his decision Tuesday afternoon, saying his track record "will likely never be duplicated." Tomlin, who has two years remaining on his contract, informed Steelers players of his decision to walk away at their 2 p.m. ET meeting Tuesday, one day after Pittsburgh was eliminated from the playoffs with a 30-6 loss to the Texans in the AFC wild-card round.
Pros of the Pittsburgh job: Stability. The Steelers have only had three head coaches since hiring Chuck Noll in 1969. That means owner Art Rooney II is likely to have patience with the franchise's next head coach. Of course, he'll have impossibly large shoes to fill as he follows in the footsteps of a coach who, despite an 8-12 playoff record, never had a losing season in 19 years at helm.
Cons of the Pittsburgh job: The Steelers' roster has significant question marks, beginning at quarterback. Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year deal a season ago, and while he floated the possibility of playing in 2026, he's been transparent that Tomlin was a major factor in his decision to come to Pittsburgh. The Steelers need to add wide receiver help; star edge rusher T.J. Watt and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward have more games behind them than ahead. Ownership has also been hesitant to spend big on coaching staffs, free agents and facilities. -- Brooke Pryor
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Tennessee Titans
Former coach: Brian Callahan (fired Oct. 13)
Interim coach: Mike McCoy
What happened: The Titans fired Callahan just six games into his second season as the team's head coach. He finished with a 4-19 record as the Titans' coach, including 1-5 this season with 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward as the team's starting quarterback.
Pros of the Tennessee job: The Titans have the most cap space in 2026, per Roster Management System, and the No. 4 overall pick. They have Ward, who got monumentally better over the last five games of his rookie season. Defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons also just turned in his best season (11 sacks) of his career.
Cons of the Tennessee job: Outside of Ward and Simmons, the roster doesn't include many game changers on either side of the ball. The Titans have multiple holes to fill at premier positions such as cornerback, wide receiver and pass rusher. Then, there's the instability over the recent years. Dating back to 2022, Tennessee has fired either a general manager or head coach every year. -- Turron Davenport
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