Which teams have vacancies?
A few teams have been looking for new staff for weeks. Here is an overview:
The head coach
- Houston Texans: The Texans coach was canned after going 3-13-1 in his only season and reportedly spent time with team owner Cal McNair making his case to stay in control. Houston went through two coaches in two years, both among the only black head coaches in the league.
- Carolina Panthers: Carolina fired head coach Matt Rhule in October after the team got off to a 1-4 start. Rhule joined the Panthers in January 2020 after spending much of his career in the college ranks (he has since returned, taking over in Nebraska). Interim coach Steve Wilks has the Panthers 6-10 heading into Sunday’s game against the Saints.
- Denver Broncos: Denver fired Nathaniel Hackett on Dec. 26, when the Broncos fell to 4-11 despite signing Russell Wilson in the offseason. It was Hackett’s first season as NFL head coach after arriving in Denver from Green Bay, where he was the Packers’ offensive coordinator. Jerry Rosburg assumed the interim. Denver, 4-12, takes on the Chargers on Sunday.
- Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis fired Frank Reich, who was hired in 2018 after helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl as offensive coordinator, in November. The Colts have been in disarray, jumping to quarterback with Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles throughout the season while struggling to reach a 4-11-1 record heading into Sunday’s game against the Texans. . Colts legend Jeff Saturday took over as interim coach.
General manager
- Tennessee Titans: The property fired general manager Jon Robinson in December, after 7 seasons in Nashville. During his tenure, the Titans never finished 9-7, going 69-47.
Who is on the hot seat?
- Kliff Kingsbury: With high expectations in the desert, Kingsbury could be out of a job. The Cardinals, 4-12, lost Kyler Murray to a torn ACL suffered against the Patriots in December, but the team fell short of expectations long before that.
- Other names to know: Watch out for Dallas (Mike McCarthy), Tampa Bay (Todd Bowles) and the Los Angeles Chargers (Brandon Staley) if there’s one in the playoffs. Commanders (Ron Rivera) and Saints (Dennis Allen) are also “maybe”, writes Ben Volin.
Whose future is it?
Sean McVay: The 36-year-old wonderkid who led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory last season is 5-11 in Sunday’s game against the Seahawks, and ESPN reported on Saturday that his future in Los Angeles could be in jeopardy. question.
McVay said Friday his goal for 2023 is to fix the Rams, who are wrapping up the worst season in NFL history with a defending Super Bowl champion.
McVay remains interested in the broadcast booth. He hasn’t definitively stated his plans beyond the weekend.
“It’s flattering,” McVay said when asked about the latest year-end rumors about broadcasters’ interest in him as an analyst.
“It’s always going to be things that you anticipate and expect, because I haven’t run away from the fact that ultimately or whenever it is, (broadcasting) is something that I interested in,” he added. “But I want to be here right now, focus on that, and that’s where I’m at.”
McVay’s future has become a subject of annual speculation due to his acknowledgment of late-season burnout and his open interest in an easier life away from the coaching routine. McVay, who turns 37 on January 24, married last year and said he would consider quitting training to raise a family.
McVay was granted a new contract following the Super Bowl triumph, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches in the 2026 season.
Who are the coaching candidates to know?
This year’s training cycle is expected to feature a handful of attacking coaches:
- Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson
- Eagles Offensive Coordinator Shane Steichen
- Darrell Bevell, Dolphins quarterbacks coach
- Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan
- former Colts coach Frank Reich
And a number of defensive coaches:
- 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans
- Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon
- Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier
- Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo
- Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo
- Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn
Other names to watch out for:
- Jim Harbaugh: the Michigan coach reportedly interviewed for the Broncos job and was in contact with the Panthers. He issued a lukewarm statement on Thursday – “no one knows what the future holds”. Michigan could also face NCAA sanctions.
- Sean Payton: The former Saints coach, who was set to join Dolphins amid Tom Brady retirement/non-retirement saga, is still under contract with New Orleans. But the Broncos got permission to interview him for their role as head coach.
Latest Updates | Sunday
Lovie Smith fired after one season in Houston — 11:00 p.m.
The Texans coach was canned after going 3-13-1 in his only season and reportedly spent time with team owner Cal McNair making his case to stay in control. Houston went through two coaches in two years, both among the only black head coaches in the league.
Now, former Patriot manager Nick Caserio, Houston’s general manager, will conduct a search. The Texans have the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft after beating the Colts on Sunday in their season finale.
Caldwell, Reich interviewing in Carolina — 1:30 p.m.
Jim Caldwell and Frank Reich — both former Colts head coaches — are interviewing for the Panthers vacancy, according to Pro Football Talk. Learn more here.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @k8tmac. Follow Andrew Mahoney on Twitter @GlobeMahoney. Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at cpriceglobe. Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com.