The Three Most Coveted NFL Head Coaching Jobs in 2026
With the 2025 regular season all wrapped up, the teams out of the playoffs had some tough decisions to make. Head coaches who could see themselves enshrined in Canton, Ohio, got fired, such as John Harbaugh and Pete Carroll. However, when one door closes, another one opens. Going from Chip Kelly to Kyle Shanahan has brought the San Francisco 49ers three division titles, four NFC Championship appearances, and two Super Bowl appearances. Many teams have a head coach vacancy and will be conducting interviews in the next few weeks, so we’ll look at the three most sought-after jobs in the market.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Simply put, the ability to win your division in your first season as a head coach will give you job security for at least a few more seasons. The NFC South was far from what was expected this year and now looks to be wide open going into next year. The Falcons were one of three teams to finish with an 8-9 record in their division. Also, having solid groundwork of players to work with doesn’t hurt either. Young standouts Bijan Robinson, Drake London, James Pearce, Brandon Dorlus, and Xavier Watts are all still playing on their rookie contracts, leaving some wiggle room to spend in free agency in the coming months.
2. New York Giants
After consistently coaching up teams with some of the worst rosters in the NFL, Brian Daboll was fired in November after three and a half seasons with the Giants. Thankfully, the next coach will have a lot more pieces to work with in the future. Going into 2026, the new coach will have a healthy Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, and Jaxson Dart on the offense. The team finished 17th in points scored per game, outperforming expectations after losing wide receiver Nabers for the season before October began. The defense could certainly use some help outside of Brian Burns. However, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux are still young, and the team will have another top-five pick to potentially spend on another defensive piece.
1. Baltimore Ravens
Without a doubt, the Ravens' job is the most favorable since a two-time MVP will make the job a lot easier for the would-be coach. It’s hard to look at the 2025 Ravens and not just see missed potential all over the place. Zay Flowers put up a career-best in all receiving categories, but the offense got held down by a few other pieces. Mark Andrews ' decline in his age-30 season, coupled with fellow veteran Derrick Henry having a disastrous start to the season, sure didn’t help. Lamar Jackson missing nearly a quarter of Baltimore’s games was an even bigger reason. No matter who the Ravens hire to replace Harbaugh, they will be in “win-now” mode, so the fourth head coach in Ravens history better be able to steer the ship and get this team back on track.
