Harbaugh Bucks Coaching Carousel Chaos
The strongest head coaching pool in years, McDermott on the market
The 2026 NFL coaching carousel is not defined by dysfunction. It is defined by impatience. Below are the only coaches that have been hired as of 1/20/2026.
Ten teams changed head coaches following the 2025 season, a volume that reflects how quickly organizational patience is evaporating. More telling than the number, however, is the profile of the departures. Buffalo fired Sean McDermott despite nearly a decade of sustained success. Baltimore moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons. Pittsburgh lost Mike Tomlin, one of the league’s most stable figures, after 19 years. These were not teardown moves. They were recalibrations by franchises that concluded continuity was no longer producing forward momentum.
Unlock an inside edge! NFL33 exists based on reader support, diving deep into NFL team-building, front offices and the NFL Draft.
Across the league, similar pressures are visible. Quarterback windows are tightening. Front offices are reasserting control. Ownership groups are less willing to accept regular-season competence without postseason advancement. The result is a carousel defined less by experimentation than by urgency, one in which even winning programs are no longer insulated from change.
Remaining HC vacancies: Bills, Ravens, Steelers, Browns, Cardinals, Raiders
The storylines below capture how and why this cycle unfolded, and what it suggests about where the league’s hiring logic is headed next.
1. “Close” is no longer enough for contenders
The defining move of this cycle was Buffalo firing Sean McDermott, a decision that clarified how the league now evaluates success at the top end.