PITTSBURGH — The NFL head coaching landscape shifted on its axis Tuesday when Mike Tomlin stepped away from the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 seasons, bringing the total number of vacancies to nine–over 25% of teams in the league. In a league defined by parity, the 2026 coaching cycle presents a rare spectrum of opportunities, ranging from “turnkey” Super Bowl contenders to historical franchises buried under salary cap distress.
For the first time in nearly two decades, the two most stable pillars of the AFC North—Baltimore and Pittsburgh—are simultaneously looking for leadership. While the Ravens fired John Harbaugh following a disappointing 8-9 campaign, the Steelers find themselves in uncharted waters after Tomlin’s voluntary exit. Across the league, owners are desperate to find the next offensive innovator or culture-setter to navigate an era defined by high-volume passing and complex cap gymnastics.
Determining the “best” job requires weighing roster talent, quarterback stability, draft capital, and the patience of ownership. Here is a ranking of the current NFL head coaching vacancies ahead of the 2026 season.
1. BALTIMORE RAVENS
The Ravens’ opening is the undisputed crown jewel of this cycle. Despite an 8-9 finish in 2025, Baltimore remains a roster built for immediate contention. The primary attraction is Lamar Jackson, a two-time MVP who, despite a late-season hamstring injury that derailed the 2025 campaign, remains the league’s most dynamic dual-threat weapon.
Baltimore’s infrastructure is arguably the best in professional sports. General manager Eric DeCosta oversees a scouting department that consistently finds value, and the team’s salary cap health remains manageable. The defense, led by Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith, finished in the top ten in yards allowed last season. Ravens ownership is patient and lets the front office do its job. For a new coach, the task is not a rebuild; it is a refinement. Specifically, the next hire must modernize an offense that struggled with fourth-quarter consistency, leading to five blown leads of seven points or more in 2025.
2. PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Taking the whistle in Pittsburgh is a legacy appointment. The Steelers have employed only three head coaches since 1969, a level of stability that is unheard of in modern athletics. While Tomlin’s departure follows a 30-6 wild-card loss to Houston and a seven-game postseason losing streak, he leaves behind a culture of winning. The Steelers finished 10-7 in 2025, extending Tomlin’s streak of never having a losing season to 19 years.
The roster presents a fascinating, if aging, puzzle. Aaron Rodgers, who turned 42 in December, provided flashes of brilliance but struggled with mobility behind an evolving offensive line. The defense remains the team’s heartbeat, anchored by T.J. Watt’s 19 sacks in 2025. The challenge for a new coach is deciding whether to continue the “win-now” path with Rodgers or initiate the franchise’s first true “reset” in a generation.
3. ATLANTA FALCONS
The Falcons offer the best “offensive playground” in the league. With Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts all under 26 years old, the skill-position talent is elite. Atlanta finished 2025 with an 8-9 record, but their red-zone efficiency (62%) ranked ninth in the NFL, suggesting a team that is an improved defensive scheme away from winning the NFC South.
The quarterback situation is unique: a veteran in Kirk Cousins and a blue-chip prospect in Michael Penix Jr. Penix showed typical rookie struggles in nine starts last year, completing 60.1% of his passes and posting the league’s lowest interception rate (1.1%). A creative offensive mind could turn Atlanta into a top-five unit overnight.
4. NEW YORK GIANTS
The Giants are in the midst of a youth movement that makes them a high-upside project. The organization has pivoted to promising rookie Jaxson Dart at quarterback. While Dart’s rookie season was a statistical roller coaster, he flashed the arm talent and confidence that made him a first round pick.
The concern in East Rutherford is health. Star receiver Malik Nabers, who had a historic rookie year, is currently recovering from a torn ACL and meniscus suffered in September. He remains on a cane as of January, making his Week 1 status for 2026 uncertain. However, with Brian Burns (16.5 sacks in 2025) leading the defense, the Giants have the bookend stars necessary to compete if the next coach can stabilize the offensive line.
5. MIAMI DOLPHINS
Miami is a “boom-or-bust” vacancy. The Dolphins possess the fastest roster in football, led by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but the franchise is at a crossroads. Rumors persist that the team will designate Tua Tagovailoa as a post-June 1 cut to alleviate a massive cap hit, a move that would signal a total reset at the game’s most important position.
The Dolphins are currently $24.4 million over the 2026 salary cap. The new coach will likely have to navigate a season of heavy “dead money” while searching for a new quarterback. The draw here is the lifestyle and the remnants of an explosive offense, but the lack of draft flexibility makes it a difficult climb in the competitive AFC East.
6. TENNESSEE TITANS
The Tennessee Titans leapfrog into the sixth spot due to an enviable combination of draft capital and financial flexibility. Following a 3-14 season and the mid-season departure of Brian Callahan, the organization enters 2026 with over $70 million in projected cap space. This financial war chest allows a new coach to aggressive reshape a roster that struggled with identity.
The pivot point in Nashville remains Cam Ward. While he struggled in 2025, his physical tools and leadership remain tantalizing for a quarterback-centric coach. Furthermore, the Titans possess the #4 overall draft pick in the upcoming 2026 draft, providing a clean slate to either pair a new signal-caller with a veteran offensive line or draft a blue-chip tackle to protect Ward. The blank-canvas nature of this job, coupled with a patient ownership group under Amy Adams Strunk, makes it more attractive than the more rigid situations in the desert or the rust belt.
7. ARIZONA CARDINALS
Arizona falls to seventh despite possessing generational talent at receiver and tight end in Marvin Harrison Jr and Turk McBride. The biggest decision is what to do with franchise QB Kyler Murray’s 2025 stats—962 yards and 6 touchdowns in limited action—and the flourishing of the Cardinals offense under Jacoby Brissett make the QB decision complicated. If the Cardinals move on from Murray, the financial ramifications are massive.
The Cardinals finished 3-14 and face a grueling defensive rebuild. Arizona allowed nearly 26 points per game last season, ranking in the bottom five for both rush defense and pressure rate. While they have draft picks and cap space, the roster lacks depth across nearly every defensive unit. This is a “total build” job that requires a coach capable of overseeing both a defensive overhaul and the navigation of the decision regarding Kyler Murray.
8. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
The Raiders are a franchise searching for a soul. After a 3-14 season under Pete Carroll, Las Vegas finds itself in “QB Purgatory.” They do not have a clear starter on the roster and will likely be picking in the top five of the 2026 draft. While Maxx Crosby remains one of the league’s premier edge rushers, the lack of offensive identity and the historical instability of the front office make this a challenging landing spot for a first-time coach.
9. CLEVELAND BROWNS
The Cleveland job is the most difficult in the league due to the Deshaun Watson contract. Watson is scheduled for an $80.7 million cap hit in 2026—an NFL record. This financial albatross makes it nearly impossible for the Browns to pursue top-tier free agents to bolster a roster that finished 5-12.
Rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel failed to impress in 2025, leaving the quarterback room in shambles. While the defense, led by Myles Garrett, remains elite, the combination of cap hell and a lack of a clear answer at quarterback makes Cleveland the least attractive destination in this cycle.
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As the 2026 NFL playoffs continue, these nine franchises are already looking toward the draft and the combine. The decisions made in the coming weeks will define the next decade for these cities. Whether it is a veteran like John Harbaugh finding a new home or a rising coordinator taking his first lead role, the “help wanted” signs in the NFL have never been more significant.
The league is built on the idea that any team can rise from the basement to the Super Bowl with one right hire. For the fans in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta, the hope is that the right name is currently on a shortlist, ready to change the trajectory of their franchise.
