NFL coaching carousel updating what head coach jobs are open, coaches on hot seat

The NFL coaching carousel started with two in-season firings but continued on Jan. 4 with Raheem Morris' firing by the Atlanta Falcons after their Week 18 game.

Entering the first day of the offseason for 18 teams, three head coaching jobs are open. The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants fired coaches during the season, with the Falcons making the first head coaching move of the offseason.

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There may be several more openings as teams evaluate their seasons this week.

Let's take a look at the NFL coaching carousel, to be updated with more coaching news coming down this week:

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NFL head coach openings

Tennessee Titans

The Titans fired Brian Callahan on Oct. 13, 2025 after a 1-5 start.

• Fired coach: Brian Callahan (4-19 in two seasons)

• 2025 record: 3-14 (1-5 when Callahan was fired in October)

• What's to come in 2026? Cam Ward's Week 18 shoulder injury will need addressing first and foremost. Ward took some encouraging steps forward in December, but he needs help across the skill positions. Tennessee should add a quality veteran option at receiver and tight end to give Ward a better chance to take another step forward. Defensively, Tennessee also needs help at cornerback and off the edge.

New York Giants

The Giants fired Brian Daboll on Nov. 10, 2025 after a 2-8 start.

• Fired coach: Brian Daboll (20-40-1 in four seasons)

• 2025 record: 4-13 (2-8 when Daboll was fired in November)

• What's to come in 2026? The Giants defense took a step back in 2025, as Dexter Lawrence's impact waned and the pass rush outside of Brian Burns was less effective than in 2024. Jaxson Dart appears to be the short-term answer at QB; will he be the long-term solution? The Giants could stand to add an offensive difference maker in the offseason.

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta fired Raheem Morris on Jan. 4, after the Falcons' Week 18 win.

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• Fired coach: Raheem Morris (16-18 in two seasons)

• 2025 record: 8-9

• What's to come in 2026? The Falcons also fired GM Terry Fontenot on Jan. 4. Atlanta has an encouraging young defense, an elite running back in Bijan Robinson and a true WR1 in Drake London. The Falcons also have an experienced offensive line. So what went wrong? Special teams and up-and-down QB play. The former is an easier fix, especially with the encouraging stretch to finish the season by kicker Zane Gonzalez. But what do the Falcons, with a new coach and GM, do about Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins?

What other NFL coaching jobs could come open?

Arizona Cardinals

• Current coach: Jonathan Gannon (15-35 in three seasons)

• What's to come in 2026? Some injury luck? Arizona finished the season with five offensive starters (including Kyler Murray, James Connor and Marvin Harrison Jr.) and a handful of defensive contributors on injured reserve. Murray's future is a huge question.

Baltimore Ravens

• Current coach: John Harbaugh (180-113 in 18 seasons)

• Is he on hot seat? ESPN's Adam Schefter and FOX Sports' Jay Glazer each reported on Jan. 4 that Harbaugh's future is unclear. Harbaugh and the Ravens made the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons heading into 2025, but the Ravens finished 8-9 this season despite Super Bowl expectations.

• What's to come in 2026? Lamar Jackson deflected questions about his status (and his coach's status) after the Ravens' Week 18 loss. Those are the No. 1 and No. 2 things on the Ravens' offseason checklist. Next? A defensive difference maker in the front seven (Baltimore finished near the bottom in pass defense) plus another receiver to pair with Zay Flowers.

Cincinnati Bengals

• Current coach: Zac Taylor (52-63-1 in seven seasons)

• Is he on hot seat? Despite missing the playoffs the last three seasons, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported on Jan. 4 that Taylor is likely safe.

• What's to come in 2026? Cincinnati's defense improved in the second half of 2025, but the season was lost by then. Keeping Joe Burrow healthy is a necessity, as is adding some defensive impact players. Trey Hendrickson is an upcoming free agent.

Cleveland Browns

• Current coach: Kevin Stefanski (45-56 in six seasons)

• Is he on hot seat? FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported during the Jan. 4 FOX NFL Sunday pregame show that Stefanski is likely out after one season. Cleveland is 8-26 over the last two seasons.

• What's to come in 2026? The Browns won their final two games in 2025 to fall out of the top 4 of the 2026 NFL draft. That complicates the QB question. Shedeur Sanders had an up-and-down rookie year, and Cleveland will need more talent around the 2026 starter regardless.

Las Vegas Raiders

• Current coach: Pete Carroll (3-14 in one season)

• Is he on hot seat? FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported during the Jan. 4 FOX NFL Sunday pregame show that Carroll is likely out after one season. Las Vegas lost 10 games in a row before the Week 18 victory over Kansas City.

• What's to come in 2026? The Raiders own the No. 1 pick, and they have a need for a QB of the future.

Miami Dolphins

• Current coach: Mike McDaniel (35-33 in five seasons)

• Is he on hot seat? It's unclear. McDaniel and the Dolphins missed the playoffs for the second straight season, and GM Chris Grier was fired in-season.

• What's to come in 2026? The Dolphins have a QB question, as most teams do on this list. Between Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, Miami has $108 million (per Spotrac) in cap hits currently devoted to the two veterans. Miami will have to address the pair's future, then move on from there.

New York Jets

• Current coach: Aaron Glenn (3-14 in one season)

• Is he on hot seat? NFL Network reported on Jan. 3 that Glenn will return in 2026. But the Jets were non-competitive in the final five games and bad on both sides of the ball all season.

• What's to come in 2026? With the No. 2 pick and a large amount of cap space, there are plenty of resources to utilize to infuse a roster with many holes. The biggest? Quarterback.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NFL coaching carousel updating what head coach jobs are open, coaches on hot seat