> At a Glance
> – Six NFL head-coaching jobs are open after Black Monday and earlier firings
> – Giants claim the top spot thanks to Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and draft capital
> – Cardinals sit last amid a stacked NFC West and uncertain quarterback future
> – Why it matters: These 32 coveted posts shape franchises for years, and candidates are already being matched to each opening
The regular season ended and the pink slips flew. Now six franchises are shopping for a new sideline boss, and News Of Philadelphia sizes up which gig offers the best-and worst-situation for 2026.
How We Got Here
Black Monday axed Kevin Stefanski (Browns), Pete Carroll (Raiders) and Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals) within hours of Week 18’s close. The Falcons had already dumped Raheem Morris, while the Titans and Giants made in-season switches, bringing the total to six vacancies.
The Rankings
1. New York Giants
- The draw: Rookie QB Jaxson Dart tossed 24 TD in 12 starts, and the roster owns the No. 5 overall pick plus young standouts Malik Nabers, Andrew Thomas, Brian Burns and Abdul Carter
- The catch: Only one winning season since 2017 and a loaded NFC East
- Fit: Former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, a two-time Coach of the Year, is the ideal pairing for Dart
2. Atlanta Falcons
- The draw: Skill players Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts and rookie pass-rushers James Pierce, Jalon Walker plus ball-hawk Xavier Watts
- The catch: Eight straight non-playoff seasons and no 2026 first-rounder after the Pierce trade; quarterback decision still pending
- Fit: Veteran Mike McCarthy (174-112-2 career) could steady the ship
3. Tennessee Titans
- The draw: No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward showed flashes; weapons Chig Okonkwo, Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor are in place
- The catch: Back-to-back 3-win seasons and a front office that quickly fired Brian Callahan after ousting Mike Vrabel
- Fit: Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, 38, has vaulted Jaxson Smith-Njigba into Offensive Player of the Year contention
4. Las Vegas Raiders
- The draw: Holding the No. 1 pick (likely Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore) and young core Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, possibly Maxx Crosby
- The catch: No coach has lasted four seasons since 2001; this will be the fourth different hire in four years
- Fit: Vikings assistant Brian Flores brings culture change and ties to minority owner Tom Brady
5. Cleveland Browns
- The draw: 2025 draft haul includes Quinshon Judkins, Harold Fannin Jr., Carson Schwesinger, Mason Graham plus All-Pro Myles Garrett locked up
- The catch: A 17-year playoff drought before Stefanski and a messy quarterback room featuring Deshaun Watson and the looming Shedeur Sanders circus
- Fit: Rams deputy Chris Shula, 40, could replicate Sean McVay’s schematic success
6. Arizona Cardinals
- The draw: History of patience-seven of eight coaches since 1996 got at least three seasons; Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson form a promising nucleus
- The catch: Kyler Murray appears finished, dead-cap looms, and the team picks third in a draft with only two top quarterbacks; division houses the NFC’s three best teams
- Fit: Texans DC Matt Burke, 49, a former Cards assistant, pilots one of 2025’s elite defenses
Key Takeaways
- Only 32 of these jobs exist, so every vacancy draws interest no matter the roster or front-office chaos
- The Giants’ combination of a potential franchise QB, premium draft capital and young playmakers nudges them ahead of flashier rosters
- Experience versus innovation dominates candidate talk: retreads like McCarthy and Stefanski project to Atlanta and New York, while rising coordinators Kubiak, Flores, Shula and Burke headline rebuilds elsewhere
