The NFL’s latest hiring cycle has concluded, with the 10th head coach vacancy filled since the end of the regular season.
The Las Vegas Raiders role was the last to be filled and they had to wait until after the Super Bowl to introduce Klint Kubiak, after the Arizona Cardinals appointed Mike LaFleur and Todd Monken was handed the Cleveland Browns job.
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Those moves followed the Buffalo Bills appointing Joe Brady, the Pittsburgh Steelers hiring Mike McCarthy, and Jesse Minter returning to the Baltimore Ravens, while the Tennessee Titans brought in Robert Saleh.
John Harbaugh (New York Giants) and Kevin Stefanski (Atlanta Falcons) were the first two head coach appointments, while the Miami Dolphins hired Jeff Hafley.
Details of each appointment are listed below.
The Las Vegas Raiders interviewed Kubiak before the Super Bowl but could not appoint the Seattle Seahawks offensive co-ordinator until after the title decider.
The 38-year-old, whose father is Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak, became the 25th head coach in Raiders history less than 48 hours after helping Seattle become the latest NFL champions.
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Kubiak was flanked by some Raiders legends, who were involved in their three Super Bowl wins between 1977 and 1984, but the franchise has struggled in recent years and has the first pick in this year’s draft.
“It’s not daunting at all – it’s a blessing,” said Kubiak, who replaces veteran coach Pete Carroll. “I look at it as ‘You know what? What a great challenge.'”
LaFleur joined the Arizona Cardinals on a five-year contract to succeed Jonathan Gannon.
The 38-year-old is the younger brother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and has spent the past three seasons as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive co-ordinator.
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“I couldn’t be more fired up,” said LaFleur. “Having competed against them in the NFC so many times in recent years, I know the type of talent and toughness the team has.”
Mike LaFleur’s older brother Matt coaches Green Bay but they will not face Arizona during the 2026 regular season [Getty Images]
Steelers appoint fourth coach since moon landing
Harbaugh was the second-longest serving coach in the NFL behind long-term divisional rival Mike Tomlin, who chose to end his 19-year spell with the Pittsburgh Steelers after they lost in the first round of the play-offs.
The Steelers have now appointed former Green Bay Packers and Dallas head coach McCarthy to replace Tomlin and become just their fourth head coach since 1969.
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McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, was with the Packers from 2006-2018 and led them to the Super Bowl championship in 2011 when they beat the Steelers.
With McDermott leaving the Buffalo Bills after nine seasons, it means three of the NFL’s longest-serving head coaches have moved on in the same cycle.
The Bills have decided to promote Brady, 36, from being their offensive coordinator to their new head coach.
Brady, who joined Buffalo as their quarterbacks coach in 2022, has agreed a five-year deal and will be the Bills’ 21st head coach.
Harbaugh and Stefanski right back to work
The New York Giants were one of two teams to sack their head coach mid-season and they acted swiftly after Harbaugh was released by the Baltimore Ravens upon missing out on the play-offs.
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Harbaugh was the most sought-after coach during this cycle and the 2013 Super Bowl champion interviewed with Atlanta and planned to meet with Tennessee.
But the Giants were the first team to welcome the 63-year-old to their training facility and they agreed a reported five-year deal, making Harbaugh one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches.
Stefanski interviewed with the Giants, Baltimore, Tennessee, Las Vegas and Miami, having twice been named Coach of the Year during six seasons in charge of the Cleveland Browns, who fired him in early January.
But the 43-year-old will replace Raheem Morris as the Atlanta Falcons coach on a reported five-year contract.
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Minter makes Ravens return
Jesse Minter has spent the past two seasons as defensive coordinator of the Chargers [Getty Images]
Minter has agreed to return to Baltimore in the top job, having previously spent four years as an assistant coach with the Ravens under Harbaugh.
The 42-year-old then worked in the college game before returning to the NFL as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator for the past two seasons.
“This is an organisation whose values, culture and tradition of excellence reflect everything I believe about the game of football and how it should be played,” said Minter.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti added: “He clearly understands the values, high expectations and history of the Ravens, and he has a great vision for the future.”
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Harbaugh had been in charge of the Ravens for 18 years so Minter will be just the fourth head coach in the team’s 31-year history.
Saleh back in head coach role
Robert Saleh’s only previous head coach role was with the New York Jets from 2021 to 2024 [Getty Images]
The Tennessee Titans were the first team to fire their head coach this season when they sacked Brian Callahan in October, with Mike McCoy acting as interim as they ended the campaign with a 3-14 record.
Saleh has come in as the full-time replacement, and brought in ex-New York Giants coach Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator.
Saleh was New York Jets head coach from 2021 until being sacked in 2024, returning to his former role as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator for the past season after a stint as an offensive consultant for the Packers.
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“This was the most desirable location, the most desirable team,” said the 46-year-old.
“The people here are unbelievable, and they’re the type of people you want to work with.”
Browns give Monken first head coach role
Todd Monken has shifted between the NFL and college football during his coaching career [Getty Images]
The Cleveland Browns have given Monken his first head coaching role in the NFL after spending the past three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator.
The 59-year-old has previous experience with the Browns, having been their offensive coordinator in 2019.
Cleveland and Atlanta held initial interviews with Seattle’s British defensive coordinator Aden Durde, who has helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl, where they will face the New England Patriots on Sunday, 8 February.
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The Miami Dolphins named Hafley as their new head coach following the sacking of Mike McDaniel.
The 46-year-old has spent two seasons as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers and has also held roles as an assistant coach with the 49ers, Cleveland and Tampa Bay.
“He has tenacity and grit, while at the same time establishing trust with his players in order to get the most out of them,” said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.
