Cardinals, Ravens, Raiders, Giants Submit Chris Shula Interview Request
A number of defensive staffers are among the top candidates in this year’s head coach hiring cycle. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is certainly one of them. 
Two interview requests had already been made in his case, but many more have since emerged. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports the Cardinals, Ravens, Raiders and Giants submitted a slip for Shula. That means six of the eight teams which currently have a HC vacancy hope to speak with him.
Both Arizona and Las Vegas had coaches known for their work on the defensive side of the ball until recently. Pete Carroll proved to be a one-and-done staffer upon returning to the NFL. Not long after his firing, Jonathan Gannon‘s three-year tenure with the Cardinals came to an end. Teams often look to coaches with a separate background than their predecessor when making a change on the sidelines, but Vegas and Arizona are casting a wide net.
The Ravens have conducted a large number of interviews already in the aftermath of moving on from John Harbaugh. Baltimore has also requested to speak with three other coaches in addition to Shula, though. Further slips would come as little surprise. The Giants represent one of the top destinations for Harbaugh, but New York has also been connected to a long list of other candidates. That includes several staffers with a defensive background.
The grandson of legendary coach Don Shula, Chris has served as the Rams’ DC for each of the past two years. His success in that role could very well lead to the 39-year-old becoming the latest member of the Sean McVay coaching tree to land an NFL HC gig. Virtual interviews with Shula can take place beginning Tuesday, and several can be expected given the nature of interest in his case.
Packers HC Matt LaFleur’s Status Uncertain; LaFleur, GM Brian Gutekunst Not A “Package Deal”
4:30pm: When speaking to the media today, LaFleur said (via Demovsky) he and Policy spoke briefly on the flight home from Chicago. LaFleur added further talks are expected tonight or tomorrow, and one of the topics brought up will no doubt be his future in the organization.
11:08am: Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was unwilling to discuss his future in the aftermath of his team’s devastating loss to the Bears in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. That has not stopped the rest of the NFL world from discussing it, and according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the situation is unclear.
Before the game, we learned the Packers and LaFleur would have conversations about an extension after the season, and the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport also said LaFleur was not coaching for his job in the playoffs. That suggested LaFleur would be back in Green Bay for 2026 and beyond.
However, in their loss to Chicago, the Packers squandered an 18-point halftime lead and gave up 25 points in the fourth quarter alone. LaFleur should not be blamed for Brandon McManus’ missed kicks (two FGs and a PAT) or a Caleb Williams fourth-down conversion that will be forever cemented in Bears lore, but the defeat adds to a recent string of disappointing finishes.
LaFleur guided the Packers to 13-win campaigns in each of his first three seasons at the helm, and he successfully facilitated a monumental quarterback transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love. On the other hand, Green Bay has now lost three straight playoff games and has not won the NFC North since 2021. Even so, Albert Breer of SI.com believes the team would not consider a coaching change under normal circumstances, though he acknowledges LaFleur’s contract situation could complicate matters.
LaFleur, 46, is presently under contract through 2026, and team president Ed Policy has made it plain that he (like most team execs) does not want to have his head coach or general manager go into a season with just one year remaining on their deals. Despite a regression from LaFleur’s stellar start to his Packers tenure, he is in line for a raise and could command $15MM or more per season. Breer openly wonders whether Policy is willing to authorize such a deal at this point (it is believed that LaFleur is presently earning less than $10MM per year, per Demovsky).
General manager Brian Gutekunst’s contract also runs through 2026, and Demovsky confirms the GM and HC are not a package deal. If Policy elects to retain one and fire the other, Demovsky believes Gutekunst would be on more solid ground. Indeed, league sources said if Gutekunst returns, he will have more authority than he currently has (when former team president Mark Murphy hired Gutekunst in 2018, he deviated from the club’s longstanding HC-GM-team reporting structure and had both the HC and the GM report directly to the president).
As Demovsky acknowledges, there are a wide variety of outcomes here, including a LaFleur extension – which may come with conditions of staff changes and/or giving up his offensive play-calling duties – an outright firing, or a trade. One way or another, a speedy resolution is expected, and if LaFleur does become available, he would immediately become a top candidate for other teams in need of a new HC, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (video link).
The Falcons, who recently hired Matt Ryan as their “president of football,” certainly profile as a logical landing spot, since LaFleur worked in Atlanta as Ryan’s quarterbacks coach during the 2015-16 seasons. And, if the Packers move on from LaFleur, they could jump to the top of John Harbaugh’s list of preferred destinations.
There has been plenty of chatter connecting Harbaugh to the Giants. But as Schefter and ESPN colleague Jordan Raanan observe, Bob Harlan’s son, Bryan, is Harbaugh’s agent. Bob Harlan joined the Packers as assistant general manager in 1971, served as president and CEO from 1989-2006, and has been a chairman emeritus since 2008. Plus, Green Bay has a talented quarterback and roster, and Raanan classifies Harbaugh as a “Midwest guy at heart.”
LaFleur will address reporters at 4pm CT on Sunday. There may or may not be more clarity on his status at that time, though the Green Bay job would threaten the Ravens’ and Giants’ gigs as the most appealing vacancies on the market if it opens up.
Raiders, Dolphins Request HC Interview With Jeff Hafley
Jeff Hafley continues to draw notable head coaching interest around the NFL. The Packers‘ defensive coordinator has received another pair of HC interview requests. 
The Raiders and Dolphins have submitted a slip for Hafley, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. That means five of the eight teams with a vacancy have requested an interview in this case. Hafley has already received a request from the Cardinals, Falcons and Titans.
Vegas had not previously been linked to interest on this front, though that had been the case for Miami. Nevertheless, Hafley will be among the busiest candidates in this year’s cycle as he speaks with numerous suitors. Virtual interviews can begin as early as Tuesday. The first in-person summits with interested teams can begin after the divisional round since Green Bay’s season is over.
The nature in which the Packers lost last night represents a notable blemish on Hafley’s resume. Green Bay surrendered 25 points in the fourth quarter as part of the team’s late-game blown lead. That resulted in the Packers’ losing streak extending to five games. Defensive struggles were common during that period, one which took place after Micah Parsons‘ ACL tear.
With Parsons in the lineup, however, Green Bay jumped out to a 9-3-1 start. Hafley’s defense was a key factor in that success. Overall, the Packers finished the season ranked 11th in points allowed despite missing Parsons and others down the stretch. In 2024 – Hafley’s first year with the team – Green Bay ranked No. 6 in scoring defense and fifth in yards allowed. That, coupled with the 46-year-old’s experience as a head coach (at Boston College from 2020-23), has seen him frequently named as one of the top options on the market for this year’s hiring cycle.
The Raiders were among the teams to make a head coaching change on ‘Black Monday’ by dismissing Pete Carroll after just one season in charge. At that point, it appeared as though Mike McDaniel would be safe in Miami. However, he too wound up being fired. Both teams have already begun interviews with some of their HC targets, and they will look to do the same with Hafley.
Eagles’ Lane Johnson Returns To Practice; Azeez Ojulari’s Practice Window Opens
JANUARY 11: Johnson is officially inactive for today’s game. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes practice included encouraging moments during the past few days, but Johnson’s return to the lineup will not be possible until at least next week.
JANUARY 7: The Eagles are expecting to get some reinforcements on both sides of the ball in the playoffs.
The most impactful player who could return is right tackle Lane Johnson, who has not played since mid-November due to a foot injury. Swing tackle Fred Johnson has held up, but not excelled in his All-Pro teammate’s place.
Johnson practiced on Wednesday, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He would be a major boost to an Eagles offense that has sputtered in the second half of the season. After their Week 10 bye, Philly scored more than 2o points in just three of their last nine games. Those performances all came against a handful of the worst defenses in the league. Johnson would no doubt fortify the offensive line
On defense, the Eagles are expecting to have Nakobe Dean back in the wild card round; defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said as much on Tuesday (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman). Dean has been out since Week 15 due to a hamstring injury. He also missed the first five games as he completed his recovery from a January 2025 torn patellar tendon. In between, he posted a career-high four sacks in just 10 games, an impressive number for an off-ball linebacker. First-round pick Jihaad Campbell has started next to Zack Baun for the past few games and will likely slide back to the bench upon Dean’s return.
Philadelphia’s defense may also get outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari back on the field soon. He has been on injured reserve since the beginning of November and was designated to return on Wednesday, according to McLane. The fifth-year defender signed with the Eagles this offseason but was too far down the depth chart to play at the start of the year. After four healthy scratches, he finally got some game day action with both Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo landing on IR. Ojulari, however, only saw 32 snaps across three games before injuring his hamstring.
Panthers LT Ikem Ekwonu Suffers Torn Patellar Tendon
Ikem Ekwonu suffered what Panthers head coach Dave Canales referred to as a “significant” knee injury yesterday. Further testing has confirmed that is indeed the case. 
Canales said on Sunday Ekwonu suffered a torn patellar tendon. Surgery is forthcoming as a result. No firm timeline is in place at this point, but a lengthy rehab process now awaits the Panthers’ left tackle. Canales noted the injury will have an impact on Carolina’s offseason planning along the offensive line.
“It is something we have to consider, knowing we’re going to go through a full offseason — what’s the timeline, how does that affect training camp, roster numbers and all of that,” Canales said (via ESPN’s David Newton). “Timeline wise, all those times vary, but it’s significant.”
Ekwonu is in danger of missing not only the coming offseason program as well as training camp but also a large portion of the 2026 campaign. Being without him for an extended period would deal a notable blow to Carolina’s O-line, a unit which could see considerable turnover during the coming months. Ekwonu and the Panthers have a mutual interest in an extension, but a major injury such as this could lead to a pause in negotiations on that front.
Last offseason, the Panthers picked up Ekwonu’s fifth-year option. As a result, the 25-year-old is due to earn $17.56MM for 2026. That figure is guaranteed, but the potential for other left tackle investments in free agency and/or the draft will be something to watch closely in Carolina’s case. The team will be seeking offensive upgrades across the board coming off an inconsistent 2025 campaign which resulted in a division title but also left plenty of room for improvement.
Ekwonu was fully available for each of his first two years in the NFL. The former No. 6 pick missed just two games in each of the 2024 and ’25 campaigns, but that strong run of availability is in serious danger of being interrupted next season.
Browns’ Deshaun Watson Could Compete For QB1 Role In 2026
We heard last month that the Browns would likely retain quarterback Deshaun Watson for 2026, the last year of his contract. General manager Andrew Berry recently confirmed as much, as relayed by Cleveland.com’s Orange and Brown Talk Podcast.
During a recent installment of that podcast, Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot said Watson could find himself as the club’s starting quarterback once again, even if he is only a bridge to a younger passer. Watson has underperformed during his 19 appearances with Cleveland, but the other two QBs currently on the roster – Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel – failed to impress during their rookie campaigns in 2025.
The Browns will again be in the market for a quarterback in the first round of this year’s draft. They are armed with their own No. 6 overall pick and another first-rounder whose position will ultimately be determined by how the Jaguars finish the season, which could help Cleveland’s ability to trade up for a signal-caller if need be.
Regardless of how the Browns’ QB room looks after free agency and the draft, it appears Watson will be in the mix to be the Week 1 starter. Prior reporting indicated he has served as a valuable veteran presence for Sanders and Gabriel, and Cabot adds that the Browns liked what they saw from Watson after they opened his practice window in early December (even though he ultimately saw no game action in 2025 due to his Achilles injury).
Cabot did acknowledge that Watson’s status with the Browns could hinge on whom the team hires to be its next head coach. Former Ravens HC John Harbaugh is widely regarded as the best option on the market at the moment, and he reportedly has interest in the Browns’ gig. Cabot says Cleveland’s longtime divisional foe would be the sole decision-maker on the quarterback situation if the team is able to hire him.
“If you hire a John Harbaugh, he is certainly going to have every bit of say in who his quarterback is going to be,” Cabot said (h/t Yardbarker’s Zac Wassink). “He’s not just going to have input. He’s going to make that decision 100 percent.”
As a member of the Browns, Watson has compiled a 9-10 record, and his best season came in a six-game slate in 2023, when he finished with a traditional quarterback rating of 84.3 and a QBR of 43.7. His contract situation and off-field baggage aside, he has not looked like a viable starting quarterback since 2020, when he was a member of the Texans.
But he will not turn 31 until September, at which time he may have another opportunity to resuscitate his playing career.
Panthers, DC Ejiro Evero Agreed To Extension Prior To 2025 Season
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero‘s contract was due to expire at the end of the 2025 season. Although it was not revealed until Sunday, during head coach Dave Canales‘ end-of-season presser, Carolina extended Evero before the start of the ’25 campaign (via Joe Person of The Athletic). Person adds that the contract runs through 2027.
Evero, 45, has been with the Panthers since 2023, one year before Canales’ arrival. While new head coaches generally prefer to bring in their own coordinators, Canales noted at the outset that he hoped to retain Evero. As such, Carolina blocked him from taking defensive coordinator interviews with other clubs.
They could not prevent him from speaking with teams about a head coaching position, and he landed second HC interviews with three clubs in the 2024 cycle (including the Panthers, who ultimately settled on Canales). Obviously, he did not land any of those positions, but his status as one of the best defensive coaches in the game has endured.
Evero’s career as an NFL staffer began back in 2011 as a quality control coach with the 49ers. He eventually worked his way up the ranks and parlayed his work as the secondary coach and passing game coordinator with the Super Bowl champion Rams in 2021 into a defensive coordinator post with the Broncos in 2022.
That year was a disastrous one for the Broncos, who fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett in the middle of the campaign. Ejero’s defense, though, was not the problem, as his unit finished seventh in yards allowed. He declined to take the interim HC job upon Hackett’s dismissal and was released from his contract when Denver acquired Sean Payton.
In his first year with the Panthers in 2023, the club finished fourth in total defense (although Carolina surrendered the fourth-most points per game). In the first year of the Canales/Evero partnership in 2024, the Panthers finished dead last in terms of both total defense and scoring defense, which likely played a role in Evero’s absence from the 2025 HC circuit.
The Panthers nonetheless opted not only to retain Evero, but to extend his contract. While their surprising run to the playoffs in 2025 was made possible by a weak NFC South, they did push the Rams to the brink in a narrow wildcard-round loss on Saturday and ended the regular season in the middle of the pack with respect to yards allowed and points allowed.
As Carolina looks to build on something of a breakthrough, it will have continuity at the top of the coaching staff.
NFL Appeals Portion Of Brian Flores Lawsuit To SCOTUS
A portion of Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL and a handful of its clubs may be heading to the United States Supreme Court. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the league has filed a petition for writ of certiorari with SCOTUS in an effort to keep all of Flores’ claims in arbitration rather than open court.
In August, Flores’ claims against the league and three teams – the Broncos, the Giants, and the Texans – were allowed to proceed to court rather than remain in arbitration. In affirming that decision and ruling against the NFL, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reasoned that Flores never signed contracts with mandatory arbitration language with those clubs (the basis for his claims against those three teams is that they allegedly conducted sham head coaching interviews to comply with the Rooney Rule).
On the other hand, because Flores and co-Plaintiffs Steve Wilks and Ray Horton had signed contracts with the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Titans, respectively, and because those deals included a mandatory arbitration provision, the claims against that trio of teams remained in the purview of Peter Harvey, the arbitrator whom commissioner Roger Goodell appointed.
The NFL sought a rehearing of the Second Circuit’s decision – originally made by a three-judge panel – before the court’s full 13-judge bench, but that request was denied. Left with no other alternative, the league is now seeking review from the highest court in the land.
Of course, the Supreme Court grants only a small fraction of the petitions for writ of certiorari it receives each year. The NFL has presented the following question for review:
Whether an arbitration agreement governing disputes in a professional sports league is categorically unenforceable under the Federal Arbitration Act because it designates the league commissioner as the default arbitrator and permits the commissioner to develop arbitral procedures.
By narrowing the scope of the question to professional sports leagues, the league is allowing the court – if it chooses to hear the case – to narrow the scope of its eventual holding in the same way. In other words, even if the court rules in the league’s favor, it would not necessarily be greenlighting CEOs of all industries to preside over arbitration claims involving their companies in the same way that Goodell (or his designee) has presided over arbitration claims involving the NFL.
The NFL’s petition will further delay any trial or hearing on the merits of the suit, which Flores initiated nearly four years ago. In the meantime, Flores’ coaching career is still going strong.
The 44-year-old just finished a successful three-year run as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, and now that he is out of contract, he and Minnesota are discussing a new deal. Though he has been mentioned as a candidate for the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy, only the Ravens have put in a formal HC interview request as of the time of this writing.
Browns Request HC Interview With Rams Pass Game Coordinator Nate Scheelhaase
The Sean McVay coaching tree continues to bear fruit. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, the Browns have requested a head coaching interview with Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.
Scheelhaase, 35, made the jump to the professional ranks in 2024 after spending the entirety of his career as a collegiate staffer. That included his work as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Iowa State under highly-respected HC Matt Campbell, which clearly caught McVay’s attention.
After just one season on McVay’s staff, Scheelhaase landed two OC interviews in last year’s cycle and was even considered the favorite for the Jaguars’ gig. He ultimately opted to remain in Los Angeles with an expanded role.
In 2024, Scheelhaase helped the Rams finish as a top-10 passing offense despite injuries to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. In 2025, with 16 games of Nacua and 14 games of Davante Adams, Los Angeles topped the league in terms of both total offense and scoring offense, which clearly appeals to a Browns team that finished near the bottom of the pack in both categories.
Obviously, Cleveland does not currently possess anywhere close to the quarterback and receiver talent that the Rams boast, and a candidate who appears to be a rising star in the coaching world may prefer to wait for a more appealing opportunity. On the other hand, a young staffer who has never served as a coordinator at the NFL level could certainly be swayed by an HC contract if one were to be offered. He is also a possible candidate (f0r the second year in a row) for the Bucs’ offensive coordinator job.
ESPN’s Peter Schrager recently suggested both Scheelhaase and Rams OC Mike LaFleur could find themselves in the HC pool this year. Thus far, no interview requests have come LaFleur’s way, though that could certainly change in the near future.
Here is an updated look at how the Browns’ search to replace Kevin Stefanski is shaping up, via our HC tracker:
- Aden Durde, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/9
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Rumored mutual interest; Interview requested
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interview requested
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/10
- Dan Pitcher, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/9
- Tommy Rees, offensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/8
- Nate Scheelhaase, pass game coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/8
Dolphins’ GM Hire Could Improve Giants’ Odds Of Landing John Harbaugh; Miami HC Job Not Viewed As Desirable
The Giants have been connected to former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh from the moment Baltimore fired him last week, with initial reports saying New York is “all-in” on the former Super Bowl winner. The Dolphins have also contacted Harbaugh, but in the estimation of the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (video link), Miami’s GM hire is good news for Big Blue’s pursuit.
The ‘Fins recently named Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager, bypassing Chad Alexander in the process. Interestingly, Alexander – who worked for the Ravens during 11 of Harbaugh’s 18 years with the club – was added to Miami’s GM search just hours before Baltimore relieved Harbaugh of his duties. The Chargers have employed Alexander as their assistant GM since Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, became the Bolts’ head coach in 2024.
Without the Harbaugh connection in place at the top of the Miami front office, Garafolo believes one potential suitor is off the board. Plus, he suggests Harbaugh – who could have his pick of non-Ravens teams in need of a head coach – may not want to join the Dolphins anyway due to their uncertain quarterback situation and difficult salary cap picture, which could necessitate a reset of sorts.
Fox Sports’ Eric D. Williams echoes that sentiment. Citing Tua Tagovailoa’s contract and 2025 performance, cap constraints, and an aging roster, only one of the league sources with whom Williams spoke ranked the Miami post among the top three HC vacancies in the league. The Giants offer a more promising roster, which includes a rookie-contract quarterback in Jaxson Dart who flashed in 2025, and that is one of the reasons why the New York job is generally considered to be a more attractive one.
We heard just yesterday that Harbaugh is watching film on Dart and Tennessee QB Cam Ward and is staying in touch with decision-makers for both the Giants and Titans as well as members of his most recent Baltimore coaching staff. In a separate report for the NFL Network (video link), Garafolo says the Giants are not taking a “Harbaugh-or-bust” approach to their HC search, though he does acknowledge they are hoping they make Harbaugh’s short list and will land an interview with him. While Garafolo does not say so explicitly, the NFL Network included a graphic indicating former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski is one of the team’s other top candidates.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post says that if the Giants truly want Harbaugh, they may need to step outside of their comfort zone on multiple fronts. In addition to commanding a salary at or near the top of the HC market – although a portion of that will be offset by the roughly $34MM the Ravens are obligated to pay through the end of the 2028 season – Harbaugh ran what one league source called a “big program” that may include additional investments in a larger coaching staff, team facilities, and other aspects of the operation.
Per Schwartz, Harbaugh will also want assurances that he will be able to hire any coordinator or coach he wants without financial constraint. Nonetheless, he is said to be willing to have a conversation with GM Joe Schoen, and considering the appeal of their vacancy, it is not surprising that Schwartz believes the Giants are squarely in the mix for Harbaugh’s services.