GREEN BAY, Wis. — The NFL coaching carousel rarely slows down, but entering MLK weekend, it has reached the stage where silence matters as much as news.
Nine head coaching jobs opened across the league this cycle, creating one of the busiest markets in recent memory. According to league chatter, betting markets and reporting tracked by EasySportz, the New York Giants are believed to be finalizing terms on an agreement with John Harbaugh, the longtime Ravens coach and Super Bowl winner. If and when that move becomes official, it would leave eight head coaching vacancies still open — with one major domino looming over the entire process.
That domino is Green Bay.
Matt LaFleur’s contract runs through next season, and the Packers remain in talks on a potential extension. EasySportz expects one of two outcomes: LaFleur commits to Green Bay long-term, or he becomes the most valuable name on the open market. If the latter happens, any team landing him would almost certainly need to compensate the Packers with draft capital, a steep but realistic price for a coach with a strong regular-season résumé and playoff experience.
As of Friday evening, Jan. 16, 2026, EasySportz reporting and prediction markets list the following early favorites for the eight open head coaching jobs — all subject to rapid change:
Kevin Stefanski, former Browns coach, has emerged as the betting favorite for the Falcons job.
Chris Shula, a Rams assistant, is gaining momentum for the Steelers opening.
Jesse Minter, Chargers defensive coordinator, is viewed as the early favorite in Baltimore.
Jeff Hafley, Packers defensive coordinator, is tied most closely to Miami.
Matt Nagy, Chiefs offensive coordinator and former Bears head coach, is the leading name for Tennessee.
Grant Udinski, Rams assistant, is drawing interest from Cleveland.
Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator and former Dolphins coach, remains a top name in Las Vegas.
Vance Joseph, former Broncos head coach and longtime defensive assistant, is linked to Arizona.
The entire market hinges on LaFleur. If he stays in Green Bay, teams will move quickly down their boards. If he becomes available, multiple franchises would likely reshuffle their priorities overnight. Based on current reporting, betting odds and league sourcing, EasySportz speculates LaFleur’s most realistic landing spots would be Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Miami or Arizona, with Baltimore and Tennessee viewed as longer shots.
Meanwhile, former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is widely expected to land quickly if he re-enters the market. League sentiment suggests McDaniel could command another head coaching job, but if not, he would have his pick of high-profile offensive coordinator openings. Early favorites for that scenario include Detroit, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. Philadelphia, in particular, is expected to swing big after a wild-card exit and a midcycle offensive reset. Tampa Bay narrowly missed the postseason and returns Todd Bowles with a warm seat, making a splash hire at offensive coordinator logical.
All of this comes with an asterisk. Coaching markets change hourly, leverage matters, and playoff results still loom large with four postseason games on tap this weekend.
That said, EasySportz’s current crystal-ball forecast entering MLK weekend looks like this — purely speculative and based on present information:
LaFleur to Atlanta if he becomes available, with Stefanski as the fallback. Minter in Baltimore. Shula in Pittsburgh. Hafley staying put in Green Bay if LaFleur exits. Davis Webb or Brian Flores in Las Vegas. Vance Joseph in Arizona. Udinski in Cleveland. Nagy in Tennessee. Miami remains the true wild card, with names like Klint Kubiak and Stefanski still hovering.
None of this is settled. It rarely is this early in the process, especially with 8 current openings.
But as the league shifts its focus to divisional-round football, the coaching market waits — quietly, tensely — on one office in Green Bay. When that call gets made, the rest of the league will follow.
Make sure to check back with EasySportz for more updates on the NFL coaching market throughout the weekend.
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