NFL coaching hire winners and losers: Who made out best in teams' moves this year?
The NFL's coaching carousel made for a particularly long ride this go-around.
More than four months passed from the time of the first firing of a head coach – the New York Jets dumping Robert Saleh in October after a 2-3 start – to the last hire – the New Orleans Saints bringing aboard Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on Tuesday. In all, seven teams made leadership changes at the top. While that figure is relatively standard for a given cycle in recent years, there was plenty of unexpected fallout for teams across the league – from those that did opt for an overhaul to those that didn't.
Here are the biggest winners and losers of this year's coaching fires and hires:
Winners
Chicago Bears
In orchestrating the Detroit Lions' prolific offense for the last three seasons, Ben Johnson developed a reputation for being precise and discerning. That extended beyond his typical duties and into his approach to head-coaching interviews, as he dropped out of the last two cycles despite being a leading candidate. Landing the most in-demand option this cycle, then, was a victory in and of itself for a Bears franchise that has largely been rendered irrelevant from a competitive standpoint for the last decade-plus, with no playoff wins since 2011. Whether Johnson's aptitude as an assistant will translate to a top post remains to be seen, but his acumen as a play-caller is unquestioned, and he clearly understands the importance of connecting with players and establishing buy-in after his time under Dan Campbell. And at the very least, Chicago can feel encouraged about the trajectory of 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, whose presence was a driving factor in Johnson taking the job.
Robert Kraft
The New England Patriots owner seemed to sincerely regret almost everything about the last year, from the untenable position in which it put Jerod Mayo to how Bill Belichick's successor handled that subpar set of circumstances. But after his public mea culpa, Kraft quickly moved to the front of the hiring line to secure Mike Vrabel, the former Patriots linebacker and Tennessee Titans coach whom Kraft said "had a clear and focused strategy for how to get us back to a championship way." That matters greatly to the 83-year-old, who has lamented New England's three-year playoff absence. While the Patriots' vacancy was attractive enough that Kraft could have lured a top assistant from another franchise, he instead secured someone better equipped than Mayo was to turn the page on the Belichick era and return the organization to a competitive state.
Drake Maye
The hire of Vrabel, a tough-minded CEO-style coach whose Titans offenses were defined by their rugged run games, might not scream bottom-line improvement for Maye, the No. 3 pick in last year's draft who showed plenty of promise as a rookie. But Vrabel has vowed to surround his quarterback with "great people," an effort he acknowledges begins with building up the undermanned offensive line. The coach seems to be off to a strong start in establishing support through his staff, as offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will be called on to adapt his scheme to accentuate Maye's mobility. Meanwhile, former Jaguars coach Doug Marrone's arrival as offensive line coach should help fast-track the development up front.
New York Jets
Another season of dysfunction and reports of Woody Johnson's heavy-handed approach left many wondering what kind of candidates Gang Green would be able to attract to fill its voids at head coach and general manager. With Aaron Glenn – who was also under strong consideration for the Saints' opening after his time as an assistant there – and Darren Mougey, however, the Jets might have captured their first semblance of stability in some time. With a patient, process-driven approach, the franchise has a chance to implement the cultural reset that has been sorely needed. It might take time to manifest in the standings, but Glenn – who was voted the league's top defensive coordinator in a 2023 survey of players – should be able to get his message of personal and joint accountability to resonate within the locker room in the early going.
Pete Carroll
When the Seattle Seahawks pushed out their longtime coach, it seemed like Carroll's farewell from the NFL. And he even seemed to embrace that notion himself, as he went back to the University of Southern California to co-teach a class this semester. Well, school's out, kids: Carroll is back in the saddle as the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach. Given that the only other team he interviewed with was the Bears, it was no sure thing that he would be granted another opportunity, especially given that he will become the oldest coach in league history when he makes his debut. But Mark Davis – and apparently Tom Brady – saw fit to bring him on to invigorate this group and try to shed the label of AFC West outcast.
C.J. Stroud
The Houston Texans quarterback's encore to a sterling rookie campaign was wrecked by rampant protection problems and crippling injuries to his receiving corps. The hire of Nick Caley as offensive coordinator should help get Stroud – and the Texans' offense at large – back on track. The former Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator and tight ends coach, who eschewed coordinator looks elsewhere, further extends the reach of the Sean McVay coaching tree. For Stroud, that likely means a heavier dose of motion and more empowerment to change protections and play calls.
Buffalo Bills
Pulling the strings for the second-ranked scoring offense and an MVP campaign is typically a ticket to a head-coaching role. And though Joe Brady interviewed with three teams for their top job, he's back for another ride with Sean McDermott and Josh Allen as offensive coordinator. Brady helped Buffalo weather what was supposed to be a season of change given the loss of top targets Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, and his highly adaptable attack proved comfortable emphasizing its run game or unleashing Allen through the air. With much of their core already in place despite receiver Amari Cooper heading to free agency, the Bills' offense should have a smoother transition to 2025.
Shane Steichen
The Indianapolis Colts coach was granted a reprieve from owner Jim Irsay despite a 45-33 meltdown in Week 17 against the lifeless New York Giants that knocked his team from playoff contention. Beyond that, however, Steichen's offseason got off to a strong start with the addition of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to his staff. Though his run leading the Cincinnati Bengals' defense came to an unceremonious end amid the unit's downturn, Anarumo's aggressive approach should be embraced by players after ousted coordinator Gus Bradley's static scheme seemed to grow stale. With Anarumo at the controls, Steichen should be able to place more of his focus elsewhere, including on setting Anthony Richardson up for success in a critical third year of the quarterback's NFL tenure.
Brian Callahan
His first year at the helm was defined by rampant on-field mistakes, whether it was quarterback Will Levis' 18 turnovers or an unending cavalcade of special teams gaffes. While the Titans' plan behind center has yet to come into focus, help could be on the way for the latter issue with the hire of John Fassel. Long regarded as one of the league's top special teams coordinators, "Bones" led a Cowboys unit that had two Pro Bowlers last season in returner KaVontae Turpin and kicker Brandon Aubrey. If Fassel can elevate this group to a league average level, the Titans' hopes for becoming competitive within the AFC South could get a significant boost.
Jacksonville Jaguars' running game
He fumbled his first "DUUUUVAL" chant, but there's no question that Liam Coen knows how to fix a run game. In his lone season running the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense, the Jaguars' newly appointed head coach took the Buccaneers' ground attack from last place the prior two years to a fourth-place finish (149.2 yards per game) in 2024. Replicating that turnaround in Jacksonville could be tricky given the state of the team's offensive line, but the arrow is pointing up for running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby.
Young offensive coordinators
Good time to be young and in search of a lofty title, even if it doesn't come with play-calling responsibilities. The Bears made Declan Doyle, 28, the NFL's youngest offensive coordinator, and the Jaguars followed suit with Grant Udinski, 29. Both have enjoyed meteoric rises, as Doyle was an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints in 2022, the same time when Udinski was assistant to the head coach and director of special projects for the Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell.
Losers
Dan Campbell
The Lions coach took the season-ending loss to the Washington Commanders particularly hard, and with good reason: Campbell knows as much as anyone how hard it is to get back to the top tier of the league every year. The challenge will be especially difficult for Detroit, which lost not only Ben Johnson and Glenn as expected but also six other assistants. Among the notable departures were passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand (Jets offensive coordinator), receivers coach coach Antwaan Randle El (Bears receivers coach/assistant head coach) and defensive line coach Terrell Williams (Patriots defensive coordinator). There were some promising developments, with offensive line coach Hank Fraley staying and adding run game coordinator to his responsibilities and linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard taking over the reins to the defense. But the fear of brain drain is real, and the Lions will have plenty of lost wisdom to make up for.
Dallas Cowboys fans
Brian Schottenheimer deserves a chance to show what he can do as a first-time head coach. Still, it's entirely fair that the Cowboys faithful would be disillusioned not only by the endpoint of this coaching search, but also the process that led to it. Dallas was tied with New England for the fewest candidates interviewed (four), and Schottenheimer is a far cry from Vrabel as a proven entity worth centering one's efforts around. Continuity will no doubt benefit Dak Prescott and some other incumbent figures. But at a time when the rival Eagles won the Super Bowl – with an attack led by Moore, the former Cowboys offensive coordinator who was pushed out – and the Commanders made it to the NFC title game that has eluded the Cowboys for so long, Dallas might be going bankrupt in a key currency: relevance.
Aaron Rodgers
With Woody Johnson opting for a full reset, it appeared for some time that Rodgers would be a long shot to be granted a third year in Gotham Green. But the arrival of Glenn and Mougey cemented his fate, with the team now plucking out the piece around which it centered all its plans for the past two years. Despite all the volatility of his time with the Jets, Rodgers called the stretch "the best two years of my life" and maintained his preference was to remain with the organization. And while he could end up coming out ahead if he lands with a stable outfit like the Pittsburgh Steelers – should he choose to play at all – the four-time NFL MVP now can no longer redefine what will go down as a failing chapter of his career.
Mike McCarthy
He and the Cowboys called off their marriage after five years. After getting a late start to this year's cycle, he was passed over for the Bears job and withdrew from consideration from the Saints, though his decision came at a time when the team was zeroing in on Moore. Now he's set to spend the year out of football and preparing himself for consideration next offseason. That method worked for him when he did it prior to being hired by Dallas in 2020, and maybe he could follow the same path as Carroll, who is 12 years his senior. But there are no guarantees, and it's a tough break for a coach who not long ago seemed like he would be leading some team this fall.
Bobby Slowik
A year ago, he was the surprise name to emerge in the coaching cycle after coming on strong in his first season as the Texans' offensive coordinator. Now he's out of work after a trying campaign for Houston's offense prompted his dismissal. There's no reason that Slowik, who on Tuesday was hired as the Miami Dolphins' senior pass game coordinator, can't recover from this setback, with Joe Brady serving as a potential model after he bounced back from being dropped as the Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator in 2021. But it's likely that Slowik will need to wait a good while to run an entire team.
Trent Baalke
When Jaguars owner Shad Khan initially announced he would retain Baalke, he left open the possibility for a change if the team had trouble luring top coaching candidates due to the general manager's presence. Coen's initial withdrawal from the Jaguars' search then prompted Baalke's dismissal, with the former Buccaneers offensive coordinator then circling back to join the franchise. Baalke's series of regrettable moves certainly warranted a change in leadership. But the reversal still goes down as one of the most stunning turns of the hiring and firing cycle.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Losing an offensive coordinator and top play-caller to a head coaching job can be deflating for any franchise. Tampa took it especially hard when Coen reneged on his acceptance of a new contract keeping him in place so that he could go back to the Jaguars after they fired Baalke, as the Buccaneers blocked multiple offensive assistants from following him there. Turning to Josh Grizzard could prove fruitful, as the former pass game coordinator was instrumental in helping Baker Mayfield throw for a career-high 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. But four different offensive coordinators in four years is tough for any team to endure.
Minority coaching pipeline
Of the 11 offensive coordinator hires, zero have gone to minority candidates, according to data compiled by USA TODAY Sports. The Eagles and Saints still have openings, but this is going to be a tough trend for the league to account for, especially after the league in December touted the nine quarterbacks coaches of color as evidence that the pipeline was shaping up well.
Ohio State
At the collegiate level, few can compete with the Buckeyes' bucks. But the school was served up a lesson in the NFL's spending power, as the Raiders tripled offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's salary to bring him over as the play-caller under Carroll. The defending champs promoted Brian Hartline, a former NFL wideout who's played a key role in establishing the school's incredible run of receivers, but it marks yet another notable figure in the team's title run who's ticketed for the league in 2025.
Jerod Mayo
Even as the grumbling grew late in the Patriots' 4-13 campaign, it's hard to square how the coach Kraft so readily crowned as Belichick's successor could be out after just one year. Yet that's exactly where Mayo found himself, and the New England coach hasn't landed elsewhere as defensive coordinator gigs have filled up. Expect it to be a long climb back up the coaching ladder for the 38-year-old.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL coaching hire winners and losers: Who fared best in teams' moves?
