NFL head-coach openings: Latest buzz, rumors and what we're hearing on candidates for Broncos, Giants, Dolphins

The NFL coaching carousel spins the Monday after every regular season ends, and often it spins in ways unforeseen. Not many foresaw the firing of Brian Flores in Miami, whereas for the other firings that have occurred, it's fair to put them in the "expected" category. There are six head-coach openings now, with one more interim coach -- Las Vegas' Rich Bisaccia -- in the playoffs.

We've turned to insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler not only to make sense of what already has transpired but also for their insight on what steps each team with a head-coach opening might take next. We know of several of the candidates each team has requested to interview and/or already might have spoken to. Graziano and Fowler separate fact from fiction and share what they've heard so far about each opening and whether there are more to follow.

What's the latest with the openings for the Broncos, Giants, Jaguars, Bears, Vikings and Dolphins? Who are the names to watch? Here's what Graziano and Fowler had to say, along with more newsy nuggets and notes from the week.(Note: This was written before Houston fired coach David Culley on Thursday afternoon.)

Jump to a team:
Giants | Dolphins
Jaguars | Broncos
Vikings | Bears
Raiders | Notebook

Denver Broncos

Where it stands: The Broncos fired Vic Fangio on Sunday after finishing last in the AFC West for the second year in a row. Fangio went 19-30 in three seasons at the helm. Denver has missed the playoffs the past six seasons. "Our search to find the next head coach of the Broncos will be a comprehensive, collaborative process," said general manager George Paton, who will conduct the search and has the authority to choose the next coach. "We're approaching it with an open mind and look forward to spending time with some outstanding candidates. ... You can't keep recycling coaches and expect to sustain a winning culture."

Fowler: Paton was once torn over whether to keep Fangio, but a third straight losing season and struggles on offense made the status quo untenable. Paton and the Broncos pivot to a diverse group of candidates, already requesting nine coaches for an interview. The search has predictable names (Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett) and surprises (Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Packers quarterback coach Luke Getsy). The early buzz is those first two names are primary candidates, especially Quinn. And the team has done a lot of research/work on Hackett. Where do you stand on Denver, Dan?

Graziano: I have also heard Quinn as a potential front-runner, but he's drawing interest everywhere right now and might be able to pick which interviews he takes and which he doesn't. It's also important to note Eric Bieniemy's spot on Denver's list. He has interviewed all over the league the past couple of years and hasn't been offered a head-coach job yet. Can he dazzle the Broncos and persuade the Chiefs' division rival to be the one to take a shot? I find it interesting that they're interviewing two members of the Packers' offensive staff, given that they need a quarterback and Aaron Rodgers could -- could! -- be available in a trade this offseason. And I was surprised to see Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn on their list, but only because you don't see a lot of coordinators from losing teams get these interviews. Speaks to what people around the league think of Glenn, who is a compelling guy to interview and should do well in the room.

Fowler: Correct. Glenn has the leadership qualities going for him. That defensive roster in Detroit might have been the worst in the NFL, and he at least made it competitive. Bieniemy has interviewed with more than half the league at this point, but Paton has intimate knowledge of Bieniemy's coaching from their Minnesota days together, so the request speaks to Bieniemy's acumen. He'll be in the mix. Uphill climb, though. Also heard on Wednesday that Denver will probably add one or two more candidates to the mix. I don't think that's Doug Pederson, as it stands. Who could it be?

Graziano: They put in a permission slip Tuesday night on Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, so maybe that's one of the guys you heard about. Like a lot of these guys, Callahan is getting his current team ready for a playoff game this weekend and can't talk to other teams until next week. Interesting name with strong NFL-coach bloodlines, and the fact that he's getting a call underscores how important it is to teams that these candidates come from places that win. No Bengals coordinators were getting these calls a year ago. Heck, they were just trying to hold on to the jobs they already had!

New York Giants

Where it stands: The Giants fired Joe Judge on Tuesday after two seasons at the helm and a 10-23 record. New York ranked 31st in passing yards and 30th in passing touchdowns in 2021 as it finished last in the NFC East with a mark of 4-13. General manager Dave Gettleman announced his retirement on Monday, so the organization has two major openings.

Graziano: The Giants say they're going to hire a GM first and the GM is going to hire the coach, which ... there's an argument to be made about whether that's the right way to go, but it's the way they like to do it, so fine. The point is that having a GM opening and a head-coach opening offers the Giants a chance to hire a pairing they believe shares the same vision and works well together. This has been an issue there, and it's a big reason they have only one winning season since 2012.

There are some interesting potential pairings of guys who currently work together -- assistant GM Joe Schoen and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in Buffalo, for example. Schoen was scheduled to interview via Zoom for the Giants' GM opening on Wednesday. Other GM candidates to watch include Kansas City executive player personnel director Ryan Poles, Baltimore college scouting director Joe Hortiz, Tennessee VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden and others. Assuming there is no internal candidate on the list (assistant GM Kevin Abrams does not appear to be a candidate), this will be the first time the Giants will have hired a GM who didn't previously work for the organization since 1979, when they hired George Young. This is a potentially transformative hire for an organization that obviously needs to shake up the way it has always done things.

Fowler: Dan, what an incredible turn of momentum in New York, where Judge appeared safe just weeks ago. There's certainly a sense that his past few weeks -- from the 11-minute news conference screed to back-to-back QB sneaks on second-and-11 and third-and-9 in Week 18 -- led to his demise. Ownership appeared embarrassed by it all. But Judge inherited a terrible roster that got pounded by injury. This team never really had a chance. The next Giants coach faces much-improved odds, with two top-10 picks and a new GM who can handpick his players and his new coach. I'm expecting the Giants to move expeditiously on their GM search so they don't fall behind. Dan, you know the Giants' culture well. What are some new ideas the team needs out of a head coach?

Graziano: They'll be looking for some good ideas on how to score points. The Giants haven't finished top-15 in the league in total offense or scoring offense since 2015, which was Tom Coughlin's final year as coach. Even in 2016, when they went 11-5 and made the playoffs in Ben McAdoo's first year, they were 25th in yards and 26th in points scored. They finished 31st in both categories in Judge's two seasons, and their average finish over the past six years is 25th in yards and 26th in points. I'm certainly not one who likes to engage in the "They need an offensive guy!" talk when it comes to head coaches. They need to find a great leader with a coherent and well-articulated vision for the team's direction (and the ability to implement it successfully soon). But whether it's head-coach candidates, GMs or candidates for the offensive coaching staff, they're going to be looking for ideas on how to make their team better at getting on the scoreboard.

Chicago Bears

Where it stands: The Bears fired coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace on Monday after a 6-11 season. Nagy lasted four seasons; Pace was around for seven and his teams never won a playoff game. He twice traded up to draft quarterbacks, taking Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2 in 2017 and Justin Fields at No. 11 last year.

Graziano: The Bears appear to be conducting their general manager and coach searches concurrently, which will allow them to identify candidates they like for each spot and figure out which of them pair best together. Coachwise, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is the name I've heard most strongly connected with this job in the early going, although I think Todd Bowles and Brian Flores will get serious looks as well. And early favorites don't always end up getting the jobs. If the Bears do pick Frazier or Bowles or Flores or another defensive-background coach (which is totally fine, of course, if you believe in the guy as a leader), the big question that will follow is whom they're bringing with them for offensive coordinator to shepherd the development of Justin Fields.

Fowler: How a head-coaching candidate sells his offensive coordinator in interviews will be crucial. Not only what you sell, but whether you can deliver that coach. The Buffalo guys could utilize ascending quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey, but he could probably stay in Buffalo and take over for offensive coordinator Brian Daboll if Daboll gets a head job. Former Eagles coach Doug Pederson will be involved in this job, but that might be too close to home, as he, like Nagy, comes from the Andy Reid tree. The word is that Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has a killer staff lined up, as he's prepped behind the scenes for another head-coaching opportunity. And Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will bring a detailed plan for maximizing Fields. I get the sense leadership will be high on the list, maybe more so than offensive wizardry. Will the Bears be looking for nostalgia? And is that a mistake?

Graziano: Frazier could be cast as a "nostalgia" pick, since he played on the legendary 1985 team, but I think that undersells him. His work as Buffalo's defensive coordinator has been stellar, and holding his Minnesota tenure against him feels unfair, given that his quarterbacks were Christian Ponder and the last vestiges of Donovan McNabb. There's no reason to believe he can't bring the leadership qualities they're looking for. But yes, I think it's entirely possible that Hackett or one of the other offensive coordinators they're bringing in could dazzle them with their plan for Fields' development. And honestly, given what they've invested in Fields, it would be hard to blame them for leaning that way.

Miami Dolphins

Where it stands: The Dolphins fired Brian Flores after missing the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season and third under Flores. He departed with a record of 24-25. Flores ran through four offensive coordinators, two defensive coordinators and four offensive line coaches, among other personnel changes, a fact not lost on Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. "I think an organization can only function if it's collaborative and it works well together," Ross said on Monday. "And I don't think that we were really working well as an organization that it would take to really win consistently at the NFL level."

Fowler: That's quite the admission from Ross, and it speaks to the problem being about relationships rather than performance-based. Otherwise, it's hard to argue with the job Flores did. When was the last time a coach won eight of his last nine games and got fired? Just about everyone in the league is shocked about this one. I talked to more than a few people who wonder whether Miami fired the wrong guy, that maybe general manager Chris Grier should have been expendable. Dan, working well with others will be a key criterion for Miami brass in this search.

Graziano: Absolutely. I'm really watching Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll here. He's got a prior connection with Tua Tagovailoa from his Alabama days, and a couple of people who know the landscape there have told me Daboll's personality might mesh with the Miami brain trust. As you hinted, the relationship between Flores and Grier was not in a good place, and obviously they're going to look for someone they feel they can work with and get along with.

Fowler: That checks out on Daboll. Plus, he's a coach at his core -- don't think he's looking to usurp personnel power, for example. He has coached basically every position on the field and will be tasked with coaching players and coaches. I wouldn't see a power struggle here. 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel will be interviewing, and it won't surprise if he knocks out his interview. He's an incredibly smart guy with 15 years under the Kyle Shanahan tree.

Graziano: McDaniel absolutely should not be dismissed as a head-coach candidate. He's well-regarded around the league and a big part of the design and operation of Shanahan's run-based offense in San Francisco. For this job, the candidates should have as many questions for ownership as vice versa. Why was a coach with a record as good as Flores' fired after only three years? Who's really going to be the quarterback? Do I have to try to build up Tagovailoa, or are we in the Deshaun Watson/Russell Wilson market? There's some uncertainty in Miami.

Fowler: Well, some candidates will assuredly hope for the latter. Tagovailoa showed promise in the second half of the season, and he's incredibly accurate. But the Dolphins also managed him well, rarely letting him cut loose. There are limitations in his game.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Where it stands: The Jaguars fired Urban Meyer on Dec. 16, 2021, after just 13 games. Jacksonville stood 2-11, and Meyer had made countless missteps. "After deliberation over many weeks and a thorough analysis of the entirety of Urban's tenure with our team, I am bitterly disappointed to arrive at the conclusion that an immediate change is imperative for everyone," owner Shad Khan said in a statement.

Graziano: Jeez, who could have imagined Meyer was a bad idea? Except, like, everyone? The Jaguars have lost 130 games in the past 11 years -- an average of 11.8 per season. This is not because they are a well-run, smoothly operated organization from the top down. And the announcement that general manager Trent Baalke is staying in place and leading the coaching search hasn't made it more appealing to potential candidates. Still, the presence of Trevor Lawrence, still regarded as a historically high-level prospect at quarterback, will entice plenty of people to coach this team.

Former Eagles coach Doug Pederson and former Colts and Lions coach Jim Caldwell are both interesting candidates who interviewed a couple of weeks ago. Former Texans coach Bill O'Brien, now Alabama's offensive coordinator, was slated to interview this week now that the Crimson Tide's season is over. These are all former NFL head coaches who have had success in places where many have not. Caldwell had winning records in Detroit. O'Brien had a perennial playoff team in Houston. Pederson coached the Eagles to their first Super Bowl title. The Jaguars are further ahead than anyone else in their process and could make a hire first. They've also talked to some of the high-profile coordinators, including former Jags quarterback Byron Leftwich, who is the Bucs' offensive coordinator, and Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, among others.

Fowler: Dan, it's hard to knock Jacksonville for experimenting at head coach after all the losing, but given Meyer's shocking lack of self-awareness at every stop in Jacksonville, the Jaguars absolutely can't miss this time, even if that means playing it safer. The Bill O'Brien buzz is real. He has a real shot at this, and Jacksonville would work to pair him with a killer defensive coordinator (it would probably aim for Vic Fangio, who will have a gazillion options). But I'm also told Jacksonville will take its time, finalizing the first round of interviews this week before narrowing the search to three candidates. Caldwell and Pederson both had strong interviews, from what I was told. This is still very much wide open.

Graziano: O'Brien is a good coach! He was 54-52 in Houston, with five winning records and four playoff appearances in his first six seasons. It was O'Brien the GM who got them both fired four games into his seventh season. If he doesn't need to pick the players, he might be a really good call in Jacksonville. But that's going to depend on his and their faith in Baalke to put together a winning roster.

Minnesota Vikings

Where it stands: The Vikings fired Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman on Monday after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Zimmer concludes his time in Minnesota with a 72-56-1 record through eight seasons. "We met with Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer to notify them we will be moving in a different direction at the general manager and head-coach positions in 2022," the Wilfs said in a statement. "We appreciate Rick and Mike's commitment to the team's on-field success, their passion for making a positive impact in our community and their dedication to players, coaches and staff."

Fowler: The Vikings are just getting off the ground. They've started with a massive list of candidates for each position and are in the process of whittling it down. The early feeling is that they want a coach who relates well to the locker room and can adapt to personnel, particularly on defense. For as good as the defense had been under Zimmer traditionally, melding younger draft picks with the veterans didn't work last year. This is no longer the 2016 attack. There will be changes to account for that. And Eric Kendricks' recent comment to the media about a "fear-based organization" was telling. The Vikings need a coach who will build players up.

Graziano: Interesting. The first thought I had upon reading that was Jim Caldwell, because he's from that Tony Dungy tree and Dungy had such a reputation as a positive reinforcement guy. I do think Eric Bieniemy gets a look here, as his first pro coaching experience was on the Minnesota staff from 2006 to '10. But yeah, as you said, this one's tough to get a handle on right now because they do seem to be incredibly early in their candidate-sorting process.

Fowler: Yep. Wednesday should create some traction, as I expect Minnesota to start requesting interviews for GMs and head coaches very soon. I'm expecting Nathaniel Hackett and Doug Pederson to be on the early lists, but nothing is finalized yet.

Las Vegas Raiders

Where it stands: Rich Bisaccia took over as the interim coach when Jon Gruden resigned on Oct. 11. All the 61-year-old longtime special teams coordinator has done is go 7-5 and help lift the Raiders into the postseason. Whether Las Vergas removes the interim tag from his name or looks elsewhere is to be determined.

Fowler: Yes, we hear the Jim Harbaugh smoke. And, yes, many around the league believe it's real -- or was real. Team owner Mark Davis does love big names. But people inside the Raiders organization were operating with two beliefs as of late last week -- that momentum existed behind general manager Mike Mayock's campaign to keep the job in 2022, and that a win over the Chargers to enter the playoffs greatly strengthened Bisaccia's case for the full-time job next year.

Graziano: Bisaccia coaching his way into the full-time job would be a great story. He's a lifelong special teams coach who never really got a look before, lucking into his opportunity and making the most of it. I know the players really like him. I was talking to cornerback Casey Hayward Jr. a few weeks back, and he told me, "We all know, if he's going to keep the job -- which we all want, because we love him -- we have to win our games." They lost that week in Kansas City but haven't lost since, and if they can win Saturday in Cincinnati and put together a run, you'd have to think Bisaccia ends up staying. I do believe the Harbaugh stuff is legit, and that Davis is and/or will be tempted to go that route. But Bisaccia has at the very least made it a harder call than Davis would have expected it to be.

Fowler: I'm told Derek Carr's presence will factor heavily into the thinking. The Raiders are all-in on Carr as the franchise guy. If he's vibing with Bisaccia -- and by all accounts he is -- that will be considered. The question with Bisaccia becomes, would he be insulted if the Raiders tried to hit him with a short-term deal? That sometimes happens with interim-turned-full-time guys. I'm still watching the Harbaugh storyline carefully, but because of recruiting concerns at Michigan, he might be running out of time. Who else makes sense here?

Graziano: The Carr situation, to me, is the key. He has one year left on his deal at a nonguaranteed $19.9 million. You say they're "all-in," and I understand what you mean, but until there are more years, more money and more guarantees on that contract, they are not truly "all-in." Will they wait until they're sure they have their GM and coach in place before deciding about a Carr extension? If they can't get one done, do they end up having to trade him, and what do Mayock/Bisaccia think of that idea versus what a new GM/coach pairing might? I think we have to see what happens in their playoff game Saturday in Cincinnati before we have a real idea of the direction the Raiders might go. This is a check-back-next-week situation, I believe.

Let's empty your notebooks. What else are you hearing?

Fowler

• Second-chance general managers could be involved in this cycle. Teams have had conversations about former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff. Former Texans GM Rick Smith will garner interest from the Bears. Dave Caldwell (Jacksonville), Bob Quinn (Detroit) and John Dorsey (Cleveland) are among former general managers serving as senior consultants for teams. They have ample experience.

• One surprising part of the GM cycle so far: the lack of buzz around two of the game's best teams, Green Bay and Tampa Bay. Bucs vice president of player personnel John Spytek helped build a Super Bowl roster, and Packers co-directors of player personnel John Wojciechowski and Jon-Eric Sullivan have the Packers well-stocked for a Super Bowl run. Yes, those teams have top-shelf QB play. But the rosters stand alone as elite apart from their respective passers. They should probably be getting more interview buzz.

• The feeling in some league circles is that Pete Carroll is safe -- he's not ready to retire, and the Seahawks would have major guts to fire a legend outright -- but that it might be time for Carroll to concede personnel final say to John Schneider. The two work together seamlessly, anyway, so the transition would be easy. And the move would embolden the personnel staff that sometimes feels handcuffed by coaches' preferences.

• One coach still facing an uncertain future is Houston's David Culley. I'm told Houston could stretch this out a few more days as the evaluation of the coaching staff and other areas of football continue. Culley has felt safe throughout, I'm told, but this could drag on. (Update: Culley was fired by the Texans on Thursday afternoon.)

• Talked to a few league people who think Doug Pederson might bring Matt Nagy with him as his offensive coordinator, a Chiefs tandem drawing up plays. That would be quite awkward if Pederson pitches that in his interview with the Bears. But Nagy, freed from Chicago consternation, might be liberated as a playcaller if Pederson pitches him for other teams.

• Dan Quinn hasn't sorted through his interviews yet and won't start that process until planning for this week's playoff game with San Francisco is done. It's not a slam dunk he interviews with all of his requests, from Denver to Miami to Chicago. He can be selective, feeling like he has the ultimate fallback option in Dallas. He will dig in on this at the end of the week and come up with a plan of attack.

• Something people in the league are talking about: Vic Fangio and Sean McVay potentially reuniting in Los Angeles. Not sure how that would look, especially with Raheem Morris doing a good job as McVay's defensive coordinator. And maybe that's a contingency plan in case Morrie gets a head job out there. Fangio will have plenty of options either way.

• A personnel man directly involved in last year's coaching cycle disputed the notion that Eric Bieniemy doesn't interview well: "You can tell he can lead and is a great teacher," the person said. Bieniemy will get more chances this cycle.

Graziano

• If Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll leaves for a head-coach job, there's a good chance the Bills would promote QB coach Ken Dorsey (the former University of Miami star) to offensive coordinator. Dorsey has been Josh Allen's QB coach for the past three years, and the two have an outstanding relationship. Buffalo believes Dorsey is ready for the big job, and had Daboll been hired by the Chargers last year it's likely Dorsey would be the OC in Buffalo already. If Daboll doesn't leave, I wonder if Dorsey would be a candidate to be the OC for, say, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier should Frazier get a head-coach job elsewhere.

• Haven't heard any buzz around the Tennessee coordinators, which surprises me a little bit. The last two offensive coordinators Mike Vrabel had are head coaches now in Green Bay and Atlanta. Todd Downing did a pretty remarkable job in his first year as offensive coordinator, maintaining an often-dominant run game even without Derrick Henry and navigating the injury issues of top receivers Julio Jones and A.J. Brown. And defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, given more oversight this year, helped transform what was a not-very-good Titans defense last year into a strong unit this year. The Titans hold the top seed in the AFC field and are regarded as a very well-coached team. If not this year, expect Downing and Bowen to generate interest in the coming years, assuming continued success for the Titans under Vrabel.

• A district court judge ruled this week that the previous owner of the Broncos (who sold the team to Pat Bowlen in 1984) does not have right of first refusal if the team is sold. This ruling removed a major obstacle from the Bowlen family's efforts to sell the team, and it means the Broncos could have new ownership this calendar year. This is noteworthy as it pertains to head-coach candidates, some of whom might understandably feel uncomfortable taking a job and not knowing who the owner of the team is going to be. Mike Shanahan told me long ago that the two questions you ask when a team approaches you about a head-coaching job are, "Who's the owner?" and, "Who's the quarterback?" General manager George Paton is well-regarded, and he's been allowed to execute his plan so far. But the Broncos might not have an obvious answer to either one of those Shanahan questions.