Jan 06, 2026
3 min read
Which training job is most likely to attract new recruits?Judy Battista ranks openings in the 2026 hiring cycle, including opportunities to work with Jaxson Dart in the Big Apple and Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland.
Nowhere is the difference more dramatic than in the 32 buildings the league plays in today — 14 are ready for the postseason, 18 are left, and they're facing frustration and big decisions about their futures.When the owner makes a change of head coach, it is worth noting that some success inspires them.In a few months, Rance has become contenders again.This is what every owner who hires a head coach imagines for their team.
The fact that it doesn't happen that often is a testament to how difficult these decisions are and how much effort it takes to make a regime successful.Who would have imagined that the Raiders' hiring of Pete Carroll would end in a disaster of a season, especially after being reunited with quarterback Geno Smith?Or that the Cowboys' unusual path (they didn't interview any of the other top candidates last offseason and finally drafted a coach who was seen as a hot candidate 15 years ago) seems to have prevented the right hire.Brian Schottenheimer handled Dallas' preseason trade of Micah Parsons and the in-season death of Marshawn Kneeland in a strong and humane manner, while building the offense into the league's top five in scoring.
With seven openings after the 2024 season and eight after 2023, nearly half the league has changed coaches in the past two years.It's a lot, but it's getting better.Here are the jobs available this year and how to collect them.
Perhaps the most interesting opening of this era.Why?They are the Giants, the team's flagship, whose ownership — despite on-field struggles over the past decade — is respected around the league for its management style regarding coaching and personnel decisions.And they have a promising quarterback in 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart.
Maximizing Dart and a handful of other young talents on both ends of the court will be the task for the next coach, but ensuring consistent leadership and continued success will be just as imperative.With the exception of Brian Daboll's freshman season, which earned him a playoff berth and a first-round victory, the Giants have remained largely defensive since Tom Coughlin left 10 years ago, something team president John Merry long said was not the way to build a winner.Most of the Giants' recent hires are new head coaches, including the recently fired Daboll, so it's a wonder if they'll turn to experience this time around and whether they'll need to play on the offensive side of the ball.Another tie for the job?The Giants' draft position, which gives them the fifth overall pick prior to Round 1, will be tough.The search is being led by general manager Joe Schoen, which means he will most likely be hired, though the team has yet to make an official announcement.Mara is undergoing cancer treatment and it is not clear to what extent she will be involved in the hunt.
The Browns have won just eight games over the last two seasons and two-time coach of the year Kevin Stefanski is likely to attract a lot of interest from other teams to find a coach after leaving Cleveland.Watson remains at the center of one of the worst trades and contracts in team history.
There are other gaps — skill position players need updating, the offensive line is aging and injury-prone — that need to be filled to get the Browns back into contention.But the next coach inherits a promising situation.Sanders made some improvements late in the season.The Browns' rookie class looks strong -- linebacker Carson Schwesinger is the favorite for defensive rookie of the year, while running back Quinshon Judkins faces defensive end Mason Graham and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Plus, the new coach will just have to deal with the end of Watson's disastrous contract.To hold on.General manager Andrew Berry will remain in place.This team is in the process of rebuilding, but at least there are resources.The question is: With no obvious candidates among this year's contenders, which voice will ultimately make the right QB decisions and propel this team forward?
It's never a good sign when a consulting firm is called in to look at how an organization works; it almost always results in change, whether the company is making widgets or trying to win football games.This is the case in Atlanta, where a house cleaning took place.Raheem Morris is out after just two seasons, despite winning eight games each year and mounting a four-game hitting streak to end the 2025 season.This was an unusually quick hook from Arthur Blank, who is widely regarded as one of the more patient, patient owners in the game.But the Falcons have been around for eight seasons without a playoff appearance, and general manager Terry Fontenot, who signed Kirk Cousins to a huge contract through 2024 about six weeks before he stunned him — and Cousins — by drafting Michael Penix Jr., was also fired. The organization announced that two consulting firms will assist in the search for GHC and assist GHC.
The Falcones have some very attractive pieces, including Bijan Robinson, Drake London, A.J. Terrell, James Pearce Jr., and Xavier Watts. Penix will return after a torn ACL for his third season, and the new coach will be heavily evaluated to see if the inconsistent quarter shows enough potential to continue as a novice.With a decision on Cousins.A's future, the NFC South is very winning.With an 8-9 record, a quick move into divisional competition is easily achievable if they achieve the same record as the Falcons and BUCS.Fyfy.Cons: The Falcones don't have a first-round draft pick in 2026 because they were traded to move to draft Pearce last April.eto, if the short timeline provided by Morris is any indicator, a new instructor should leave the Heat.
Jonathan Gannon was fired after three seasons - they've lost 14 of their last 15 this season - starting another season of transition for the Cardinals.Kyler Murray is still there and owed $36.8 million next season, though a change at quarterback is on the horizon, whether the team can trade him or release him.Murray's exit could improve the job - the new coach could pick his own quarterback.Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was a candidate at Arizona prior to Gannon's hiring, could be involved again, especially since the Cardinals' defense never improved under Gannon, himself a defensive back coach.The roster is loaded with talent, including tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., so a shakeup is possible even in the toughest division, the NFC West.Despite the head coaching change here, Michael Bidwill isn't considered an eager owner, but candidates must have a plan at quarterback.
On the plus side, the Titans have quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons, a high draft pick and $100 million or more in cap space this offseason.All of these are strong draws for coaching candidates, who know the Titans will have to move quickly to keep their jobs.And that's the downside: there's been a lot of turnover in the general manager and head coach in recent years, and owner Amy Adams Strunk and others.This indicates a lack of patience and focus on the part of the top.Mike Werbel's immediate success in New England, a year after he was fired at Tennessee, despite leading the Titans to the playoffs three times in six seasons without an elite quarterback, reinforces the idea that even talented coaches can't last long enough.Additionally, much of the roster lacks top-level talent and will require a major overhaul to remain competitive.He has the wherewithal and Nashville is an easy city to sell to free agents, but the next coach will be under pressure to win right away.
After a completely disastrous season, the Raiders hit the reset button again, with the expected turnaround under Pete Carroll and quarterback Gene Smith failing to materialize.There's a lot of intrigue here, especially regarding the involvement of minority owner Tom Brady in the coaching search (he was involved before Carroll was hired and is expected to play a key role again) and how important his opinion will be in deciding what to do with the most important thing the Raiders have to offer.to the candidates: the first choice in the draft.That means the Raiders can select quarterbacks, even if their roster needs extend beyond that position.After the failure of the Carroll experiment, it's reasonable to think the Raiders will select a younger, offensive-minded head coach.Whoever it is, his first order of business should be to mend fences with Maxx Crosby, the Raiders' elite rusher, who was furious with the Raiders' decision to shut him down for two games before the end.But it's a long rebuild — the Raiders are the worst team in the league by a not-so-new margin and are in the AFC West, one of the toughest divisions in the game.
