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Ranking the NFL’s eight head coach openings: Who tops the list after Harbaugh joins the Giants?
As eight franchises prepare for the Divisional round of the 2025 NFL playoffs, eight other teams are in the midst of searching for a new head coach.
Not a all vacancies are created equal. Roster quality, quarterback outlook, draft capital and trust in ownership or the front office all shape how attractive a job really is.
With that in mind, and with the New York Giants likely off the board amid reports that John Harbaugh is close to joining them, here is how the eight remaining openings stack up, ranked from most appealing to least.
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1. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore is the most attractive opening on the board. An elite quarterback in Lamar Jackson. A proven roster builder in Eric DeCosta. Blue-chip talent everywhere you look, such as Zay Flowers, Kyle Hamilton, and Nate Wiggins. It’s all there.
Despite their disastrous start to 2025, with the players at their disposal, and health permitting, the Ravens should be challenging for the AFC North title in 2026.
The Ravens are built to win now, and whoever takes this job will feel that pressure immediately. Expectations will be sky-high from day one.
2. Tennessee Titans
Tennessee’s appeal begins and ends with upside of Cam Ward, the first overall pick in 2025, who flashed the creativity and toughness that teams covet in a franchise quarterback, even if consistency remains a work in progress.
The Titans also hold a top-three pick in the 2026 draft, offering a chance to add another elite building block.
The concern is how much work remains. The roster is thin in the trenches and lacks proven playmakers on both sides of the ball, meaning a new coach would be taking on a longer-term rebuild.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
An Aaron Rodgers-sized hole would leave a gaping void in the Steelers' offense were he to retire or move on. And with no heir apparent on the roster, and no obvious quarterback available at pick No.21 in the upcoming draft (unless Ty Simpson falls), there’s much uncertainty at the most important position on the team.
In D.K. Metcalf, Joey Porter Jr., Derrick Harmon and Nick Herbig, there are several young talents that the new head coach can lean upon to help carry the team forward. However, some of the cornerstones on the roster, such as T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, are entering the twilight of their careers.
Having 12 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, including three in round three and two in round four, makes this job more appealing than it would be otherwise.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders’ opening is defined by opportunity and risk. Holding the No.1 overall pick in the 2026 draft gives Las Vegas control of the quarterback market, while Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty and Maxx Crosby provide elite talent at premium positions.
But organisational instability looms large. Coaching turnover has been constant, and outside of those stars, the roster is shallow, particularly along the offensive line and at wide receiver. A new coach would need patience – and backing – to reshape the team.
5. Atlanta Falcons
On paper, Atlanta looks enticing. Bijan Robinson and Drake London headline an offense with real depth, and the roster overall is more complete than most teams on this list.
The problem is the quarterback, and it’s a severe one. Michael Penix Jr. is sidelined after his third ACL tear, Kirk Cousins no longer resembles the player Atlanta hoped for, and the Falcons lack a 2026 first-round pick to find a successor. That uncertainty caps the job’s appeal.
6. Arizona Cardinals
Arizona offers intriguing pieces but major questions. Trey McBride has established himself as the league’s best tight end, Michael Wilson emerged as a legitimate weapon late in the season, and Josh Sweat is coming off a career-high 12 sacks.
With the No. 4 pick in 2026, there is draft flexibility. Still, Kyler Murray’s future is unresolved and complicated by his contract, Calais Campbell is nearing 40, and Marvin Harrison Jr. has yet to justify his hype, leaving a roster caught between timelines.
7. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland rounds out the list despite a promising rookie class. Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin Jr., Mason Graham and Carson Schwesinger all impressed in 2025, and the Browns hold two first-round picks in 2026.
But the quarterback situation is toxic. Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders struggled, Deshaun Watson’s injury and contract loom large, and doubts persist about GM Andrew Barry’s ability to solve the position. For most coaches, that combination is simply too much to overcome.
8. Miami Dolphins
Mike McDaniel may be the only Dolphins' head coach to end his tenure with a record above .500 since Todd Bowles in 2011, but his departure came as no surprise after an extremely disappointing season.
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He leaves behind a side in disarray, with no viable quarterback, no GM, major holes at several key positions, very few blue-chip players, and the least amount of every team listed in this article in 2026 projected cap space.
Roster gymnastics will surely create sufficient cap space for the overhaul sorely needed, but it will likely take years and a series of very shrewd moves before Miami can challenge the likes of the Patriots and Bills in the AFC East.
