Chargers Expected To Hire Mike McDaniel As Offensive Coordinator
The Chargers are close to naming Mike McDaniel their next offensive coordinator, Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington of ESPN report. McDaniel, who’s having dinner with team brass on Tuesday, is expected to take the job.
While McDaniel dropped out of the running to become the Browns’ head coach on Tuesday, he remains a candidate for the openings in Las Vegas and Baltimore, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. If he doesn’t land with the Raiders or Ravens, though, McDaniel is primed to sign a deal to join Jim Harbaugh‘s staff in Los Angeles. The Chargers have informed other candidates they’re planning to hire McDaniel, Dianna Russini of The Athletic relays.
After McDaniel’s four-year run as the Dolphins’ head coach ended on Jan. 8, the Lions, Eagles and Buccaneers joined the Chargers in showing interest in him for their offensive coordinator positions.
The Lions have since hired Drew Petzing, though the Eagles and Buccaneers each regarded McDaniel as their top target, per Darlington. However, McDaniel’s desire to return to California will win out. He previously worked there from 2017-21 as an assistant on Kyle Shanahan‘s staff in San Francisco.
McDaniel’s success with the 49ers led the Dolphins to hire him as their head coach, and the move paid dividends initially. The Dolphins combined for a 20-14 record and earned playoff berths in McDaniel’s first two seasons. Their offense impressed in finishing sixth in yards and 11th in scoring in 2022, but the unit found another gear in 2023.
During an 11-win campaign, the Dolphins scored the most points and racked up the second-most yards in the NFL. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the league in passing en route to a Pro Bowl nod, while Tyreek Hill ended the year tops in receiving yards.
Unfortunately for McDaniel, the 2023 campaign proved to be his peak in Miami. After the Dolphins combined for a 15-19 mark over the past two seasons, owner Stephen Ross fired him. A significant Tagovailoa decline helped lead to McDaniel’s ouster. The left-hander played so poorly in 2025 that McDaniel benched him for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers ahead of Week 16. Tagovailoa sat out each of Miami’s final three games. The Dolphins’ offense wrapped up the year 25th in points and 26th in yards.
As the fifth overall pick in 2020, Tagovailoa entered the league one selection before Chargers QB Justin Herbert. The 27-year-old put together his second Pro Bowl season in 2025 to help the Chargers to 11 wins and a playoff berth. However, after an ugly 16-3 loss to the Patriots in the wild-card round, Harbaugh fired offensive coordinator and longtime friend Greg Roman.
In Roman’s second and last year running their offense, the Chargers racked up the 12th-most yards in the league, but they struggled to put points on the board. LA was just 20th in scoring, though it hurt Roman’s cause that the team’s starting tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, didn’t play together all year.
Slater sat out the entire season with a torn patellar tendon, while an ankle injury ended Alt’s campaign after just six games. The Chargers were also shorthanded at running back, where offseason free agent pickup Najee Harris tore his Achilles in Week 3 and first-round rookie Omarion Hampton fractured his ankle and wound up missing eight games.
Although this season didn’t go according to plan for the Chargers, they’re now on the verge of reeling in one of the game’s most respected offensive minds. The 42-year-old McDaniel is slated to work with an enviable group of talent that will include Herbert, Slater, Alt, Hampton, wide receivers Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre Harris, and tight end Oronde Gadsden II. While it doesn’t appear McDaniel will receive his second head coaching job this winter, that could change a year from now if he revives the Chargers’ offense in 2026.
Bills Fire HC Sean McDermott
In the wake of another disappointing playoff exit, the Bills are making a change on the sidelines. Sean McDermott is out, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. 
General manager Brandon Beane will remain in place, Rapoport adds. He will help lead the search for McDermott’s replacement. Buffalo has now become the 10th team in the NFL to make a head coaching change during the 2026 offseason. The rest of the Bills’ staff was being informed of the news when it broke, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.
[RELATED: Bills Promote Beane To President Of Football Ops]
McDermott arrived in Buffalo in 2017. His tenure has been defined in large part by sustained success in the regular season, with the Bills reaching the playoffs all but once and posting double-digit wins in each of the past seven years. Despite the availability and high level of play produced by quarterback Josh Allen, however, McDermott’s teams have yet to break through in the postseason. The franchise will look to do so with a new voice on the sidelines.
Allen and McDermott have won a total of eight playoff games together. That is the most in NFL history by a HC-QB tandem which has failed to reach a Super Bowl (h/t WFAA’s Ed Werder). A path to ending that streak of shortcomings appeared to exist during this year’s playoffs in particular, with Patrick Mahomes‘ Chiefs, Lamar Jackson‘s Ravens and Joe Burrow‘s Bengals all missing the tournament. Nevertheless, an overtime loss in Denver on Saturday marked another loss in the divisional round for the Bills.
A turnover-filled performance on Allen’s part was a major factor in this year’s Buffalo exit. Overall, though, underwhelming showings on defense were seen on multiple postseason occasions over the years during McDermott’s Buffalo tenure. Given his background as a defensive coordinator, that increasingly became a talking point with respect to McDermott’s job security. A firing in this case adds further to the noteworthy changing of the guard when it comes to multiple AFC teams known for stability.
Today’s McDermott news does not entirely come as a surprise, however. Entering the wild-card round, the Bills and Packers were named as potential John Harbaugh suitors. Green Bay wound up reaching an extension agreement with Matt LaFleur recently, but Buffalo has elected to take the alternative route. Harbaugh has already made his decision, officially taking on the Giants’ HC gig this past weekend. Kevin Stefanski is also off the board, since he is now with the Falcons.
Buffalo now joins the list of destinations for HC candidates. With Allen and a core of players attached to long-term extensions (signed, in many cases, last offseason), the Bills will no doubt be seen as one of the more attractive landing spots for staffers. Once a hire is made, Allen will begin the process of adapting to a new head coach for the first time in his career.
After their run of four straight Super Bowl losses under Marv Levy, sustained success proved difficult to attain for the Bills. Seven different full-time head coaches were in place until McDermott’s hire. His arrival helped spark a run which included five consecutive AFC East titles. Overall, McDermott posted a record of 98-50 in the regular season and 8-8 in the playoffs.
Beane, like McDermott, worked with the Panthers before coming to the Bills nine years ago. His tenure has overlapped with many of the team’s best accomplishments in recent memory, sparked of course by the decision to draft Allen in 2018. Beane has drawn criticism for elements of his roster-building approach, though, and in 2025 in particular his actions (or lack thereof) at the receiver position were a main talking point. Nonetheless, Buffalo has opted for stability in the front office moving forward.
Lengthy HC tenures in Baltimore (Harbaugh) and Pittsburgh (Mike Tomlin) recently came to an end. With McDermott now out as well, the AFC will look far different on the sidelines when the 2026 season kicks off. Meanwhile, McDermott’s next move will become one of the top storylines around the league as the coaching landscape takes shape.
Titans To Hire Robert Saleh As HC
Robert Saleh was expected to be choosey with his second head coaching opportunity, but the 49ers’ defensive coordinator has made a decision to dive back in after one season. The Titans are hiring Saleh as their next head coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Saleh, 46, impressed the team’s decision-makers during his interview Monday in Tennessee. He was originally scheduled to speak with the team virtually on Sunday, but the two sides pivoted to an in-person meeting that could not take place until the following day due to league hiring rules.
The race appeared to be down to Saleh and Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who was set for his own in-person interview with the Titans on Tuesday. Nagy was the rumored frontrunner as of Monday afternoon, though Saleh was on the radar as a finalist over the weekend. Saleh won over owner Amy Adams Strunk and general manager Mike Borgonzi to become a head coach for the second time in his career. Saleh had an in-person interview with the Cardinals on Tuesday, but the Titans have convinced him to pass on that meeting.
Borgonzi was leaning toward Nagy, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, but ownership’s preference for Saleh ultimately (and unsurprisingly) won out. Davenport sent a follow-up tweet clarifying Saleh impressed Borgonzi, who then voiced his support for this hire rather than reuniting with Nagy. Considering Strunk’s recent history with hirings and firings, it will be interesting to learn if Borgonzi was leaning strongly in the direction of hiring his former Chiefs coworker. Both Nagy and Saleh were second-chance candidates. The Titans interviewed or sought to interview 15 such options, prioritizing experience.
Saleh’s first opportunity as a head coach came with the Jets. Like his new job in Tennessee, the New York stint followed a successful run as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, a position Saleh first held from 2017 to 2020. He was Kyle Shanahan‘s first hire when he took over as San Francisco’s head coach, and the two worked together to turn the league’s bottom-ranked defense into one of its best. By 2019, the transformation was complete, and another strong year in 2020 turned Saleh into one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the 2021 hiring cycle.
The Jets swooped in with a five-year contract, and Saleh moved to New York with the goal of turning the hapless franchise around. But, like several other coaches before him, he could not get the job done with the AFC’s Big Apple franchise. He finished with a 20-36 record before he was fired midway through the 2024 season, his fourth as head coach.
Saleh’s tenure with the Jets was heavily impacted by the team’s inability to land a solid quarterback. General manager Joe Douglas used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft to select Zach Wilson, but the BYU product never came close to meeting his billing.
New York’s offense, coordinated by fellow ex-Shanahan assistant Mike LaFleur, struggled through two seasons with Wilson as a starter before Douglas pivoted to Aaron Rodgers in 2023. As part of their play for the MVP quarterback, the team mutually agreed to part ways with LaFleur to recruit former Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett immediately after his disastrous year as the Broncos’ head coach. Rodgers tore his Achilles on the fourth Jets offensive play of the 2023 season, and the Jets’ offense collapsed with Wilson back under center.
On defense, however, Saleh was able to replicate his work in San Francisco. The Jets finished 32nd in points and yards allowed in his debut year and fourth in both categories in his second. Another strong year in 2023 was wasted after Rodgers’ injury, and Saleh was then fired after a 2-3 start in 2024. Many saw the decision from owner Woody Johnson as an unfair one, as Douglas had been the driving force between acquiring Wilson and Rodgers. Saleh did not receive a full season with the latter, and his 7-10 showings with Wilson under center have aged pretty well.
Saleh signed on as a consultant with the Packers for the rest of the 2024 season before returning to San Francisco in the offseason to retake his former job. The 49ers’ defense did not have the same statistical results in 2025 as their previous top seasons under Saleh, but he coached his way through injuries to several key players. San Francisco lost All-Pros Nick Bosa and Fred Warner early in the season but still finished 12-5 and stifled the Eagles’ offense in the first round of the playoffs. The 49ers, who also lost first-round defensive end Mykel Williams, finished last in sacks but still ranked 13th in points allowed. Though Saleh’s defense allowed just 281 yards in the divisional round, turnovers from San Francisco’s offense led to a 41-6 victory by the Seahawks.
Saleh will have a chance to shape a franchise that does not have many long-term cornerstones outside of rookie quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Tennessee is projected by OverTheCap to have almost $100MM in 2026 cap space and is slated for the fourth pick in April’s draft.
Saleh’s first order of business will be filling his new staff. His long history in the NFL gives him plenty of relationships with other coaches around the league, especially those also branching off of Shanahan’s tree. Saleh will likely prioritize hiring his offensive coordinator, as he is expected to call defensive plays in Tennessee, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. In New York, he handed that job off to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, and though the unit excelled, Saleh felt disconnected from the game, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel could be the first name on Saleh’s list of OC candidates. The two worked together in San Francisco, with McDaniel staying one year longer before he took the job in Miami. They could reunite in Tennessee, per SNY’s Connor Hughes, which would create one of the most exciting head coach-coordinator duos in the league.
Saleh and McDaniel worked together for four seasons in San Francisco. The latter is still up for HC jobs and has been tied to a few OC positions as well. He would certainly be a prime option to coach Ward given his success revitalizing Tua Tagovailoa‘s career earlier this decade.
Connected to the Tennessee job since Brian Callahan‘s firing, Nagy suddenly stands on unstable terrain. He coached this season without a contract for 2026, and the Chiefs hired his predecessor — Eric Bieniemy — to replace him as OC today. It had looked like Nagy would land in Nashville for a bit, and a second interview being scheduled only reaffirmed that expectation. Now, Nagy — who returned to Kansas City as quarterbacks coach under Bieniemy in 2022 before replacing him in ’23 — is a coaching free agent.
Strunk has struggled with big-picture decisions in recent years. She famously fired GM Jon Robinson months after extending him and then fired Mike Vrabel following the 2023 season. She refrained from a true attempt to trade Vrabel in order to get in on the 2024 HC market from the jump. Her Callahan hire backfired, with the Titans giving him only 23 games. Strunk also fired GM Ran Carthon after two years, hiring Borgonzi. The latter snared roster control from president of football ops Chad Brinker after the 2025 season and ran the coaching search.
It is rather interesting to see the Titans hire Saleh before meeting with Nagy a second time, but they will head in a defensive direction — as they did with Vrabel — with Saleh becoming Borgonzi’s first hire as a GM.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Dolphins Hire Jeff Hafley As Head Coach
11:10pm: The Dolphins have signed Hafley to a five-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since announced the hire.
“Jeff is a man of integrity, intellect and great passion who players will buy into and play for,” Sullivan said. “He has a vision for the kind of team we will be and the ability to motivate them to move in one direction on the path towards that goal. I’m thrilled to go on this journey with him and together we will build a winner that this organization deserves.”
4:05pm: The Dolphins are close to naming a new head coach. They’re nearing an agreement with Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Since their search for Mike McDaniel‘s replacement began over a week ago, the Dolphins interviewed 10 head coaching candidates. Hafley became the first member of the group to set up a second interview, and he emerged as a frontrunner for the job on Saturday. Two days later, Hafley is in position to secure his first NFL head coaching gig.
Hafley, who drew widespread interest across the league during this hiring cycle, had scheduled second meetings with the Raiders and Titans. The Cardinals also wanted to interview him again, per Albert Breer of SI.com.
The 46-year-old Hafley will instead head to Miami, where he has a key connection in rookie general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. Hafley spent the past two seasons in Green Bay, where he worked with Sullivan. The Dolphins are the second NFL organization for Sullivan, who was a Packers employee from 2004-25.
Sullivan was a firsthand witness to Hafley’s impressive work with the Packers, who boasted quality defenses in both seasons under his leadership. The Packers ranked top 10 in points (sixth) and yards (fifth) in 2024. The unit was less successful this season (11th scoring and 12th in total defense), but losing Micah Parsons to a season-ending ACL tear in mid-December proved too much to overcome.
The Packers fizzled out after a 9-3-1 start in losing four straight games to end the regular season. The club then blew a 21-3 halftime lead to the Bears during a 31-27 loss in the wild-card round. Head coach Matt LaFleur will now work to find a replacement for Hafley.
A former Siena wide receiver, Hafley began his coaching career with Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2001. He served as a running backs coach that year, his lone season on the offensive side. Hafley was a college assistant on defensive staffs at Albany, Pittsburgh and Rutgers before jumping to the pros in 2012. He worked with defensive backs for the Buccaneers, Browns and 49ers through 2018, though Hafley went back to college as Ohio State’s co-defensive coordinator and DBs coach the next season.
After a one-year stint with the Buckeyes, Hafley became a head coach for the first time at Boston College. The Eagles went 22-26 and played in two bowl games under Hafley from 2020-23. He then left for the Packers.
In exiting Green Bay for Miami, Hafley will become the Dolphins’ eighth straight first-time NFL head coach. They haven’t selected an experienced HC since Dave Wannstedt landed the role in 2000. The Dolphins’ most recent playoff win came during Wannstedt’s first season at the helm. They’ve gone to the postseason just five times since then, including twice during the McDaniel era.
Although McDaniel guided the Dolphins to playoff berths in each of his first two seasons at the controls, the team sputtered to a 15-19 mark from 2024-25. Owner Stephen Ross made a change after a 7-10 campaign in which McDaniel benched high-priced quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with three weeks left in the season. Seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers finished the year as Miami’s starting QB.
Picking Miami’s next head coach was the first major responsibility for Sullivan, who will cross off that task when Hafley’s agreement becomes official. Once Hafley assembles a staff, the Dolphins’ full attention will turn to their roster.
Whether to go forward with Tagovailoa will rank among the most important offseason decisions for the Dolphins’ new regime. Tagovailoa is open to a fresh start, which he could get under Hafley. Otherwise, cutting Tagovailoa would leave the Dolphins with a $99.2MM dead cap charge. That would likely make it more difficult for Hafley to lead a quick turnaround, but the Dolphins are confident they’ll right the ship under him.
Chiefs To Bring Back Eric Bieniemy As OC
Earlier today, Eric Bieniemy received an interview request from the Chiefs for their offensive coordinator position. A reunion is indeed set to take place. 
Bienemy is expected to return to his previous role with Kansas City, as first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Once a hire takes place, the Chiefs will have their Matt Nagy replacement in the building. Nagy has not yet taken a head coaching position, but the team has been preparing for a departure in his case.
According to Scoop City‘s James Palmer, this reunion has been in the works for a notable stretch. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke with Bieniemy last night after the Bears’ divisional round loss, Palmer adds. A plan to have Bieniemy depart Chicago – where he served as the team’s running backs coach in 2025 – is now in motion.
From 2013-22, Bieniemy worked on Reid’s staff in Kansas City. The final five years of that span included Bieniemy operating as the team’s offensive coordinator. Reid routinely campaigned for the 56-year-old to receive a head coaching opportunity, but numerous interviews across various hiring cycles did not result in a hire. In the end, Bieniemy took on a play-calling OC gig with the Commanders for 2023. One season in that role was followed by another one-and-done campaign at UCLA.
During last year’s hiring cycle, Bieniemy returned to the NFL ranks by joining Ben Johnson‘s staff. The Bears produced a record of 11-6 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs during Johnson’s first year as a head coach. The ground game played a key role in that success, and both D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai enjoyed strong seasons down the stretch in particular. Their performances have helped Bieniemy’s stock as a coordinator, although this KC reunion will no doubt see Reid continue to handle play-calling duties.
Nagy was a top Reid assistant during his first Chiefs stint, and he was the team’s OC for one season before becoming the Bears’ head coach. After that Chicago run ended, Nagy returned to Kansas City at first as a quarterbacks coach. Nagy has again held the title of offensive coordinator for the past three years, but this Bieniemy return signals he will be coaching elsewhere in 2026. Nagy has been connected to a number of HC openings in recent days, and a Titans hire in particular would come as little surprise given his Chiefs connections with general manager Mike Borgonzi.
Lions To Hire Drew Petzing As OC
The Lions have landed on their preferred candidate for the offensive coordinator position. Drew Petzing is heading to Detroit, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
The sides are working to finalize an agreement in this case, per Schefter. Once that takes place, the Lions will have their John Morton replacement set for 2026. Morton was dismissed after one season in the OC role.
This hire is likely to see Petzing handle play-calling duties, Schefter’s colleague Jeremy Fowler confirms. Head coach Dan Campbell took over in that capacity midway through the 2025 campaign. As Fowler notes, though, it was expected throughout Detroit’s search process that Campbell would hand those responsibilities to the new offensive coordinator. Petzing called plays during his three years with the Cardinals.
When Arizona hired Jonathan Gannon as head coach, Petzing was among the members of his initial staff. Both remained in place with the Cardinals through the end of the 2025 campaign. Gannon was fired shortly after the end of the regular season, however. Petzing and other staffers have since been expected to depart during the hiring cycle. He and Campbell have never worked together, but as ESPN’s Field Yates notes, Petzing is very close with Bears head coach (and former Lions OC) Ben Johnson.
Campbell will hope that level of familiarity – in a sense – will help bring about a return to Johnson-era production on offense. Detroit did not fall particularly short in that respect in 2025, ranking fifth in points and yards per game. Still, struggles in the run game in particular were an issue this past season. Improving on that front will be a key priority for Petzing’s unit.
The 38-year-old led Arizona to rankings of 19th and 24th in total and scoring offense, respectively, during his first season in place. Petzing’s best year came in 2024, when the Cardinals just missed out on a top-10 finish in each of those areas. Strong production on the ground was a key feature of Arizona’s offense during the first two season of Petzing’s tenure. That helped land him a head coaching interview during last year’s hiring cycle. Dealing with numerous injuries, the Cards regressed on offense in 2025.
Arizona’s HC position is still open at this time. The team’s offensive coordinator spot will now doubt remain vacant until Gannon’s replacement is in place. Petzing, meanwhile, will take charge of a Lions offense still featuring many of the elements it had during Johnson’s highly effective tenure. If things go according to plan in 2026, Petzing could once again find himself on the head coaching radar during next year’s cycle.
Broncos QB Bo Nix To Undergo Season-Ending Ankle Surgery
The Broncos pulled off an overtime win on Saturday to advance to the AFC title game. They will be without their quarterback for the remainder of the postseason, however. 
During his post-game press conference, head coach Sean Payton announced (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero) Bo Nix broke a bone in his ankle during Denver’s win over Buffalo. Surgery will be required as a result. Nix will not be able to return in time for next week’s contest or (if applicable) the Super Bowl.
Payton specified Nix’s injury occurred on the second-to-last play in overtime. It was during that sequence that a Tre’Davious White pass interference penalty set the Broncos up deep in Bills territory. Nix took a knee on the ensuing first down to help line up Wil Lutz‘s game-winning field goal. Denver is set to host the AFC championship game next week as a result of the win, but the team will now be forced to play that contest without its QB1 of the past two seasons.
Nix will undergo surgery on Tuesday. In the meantime, Denver will prepare for an unexpected quarterback situation in the wake of today’s stunning development. Per Payton, Jarrett Stidham will start next week while Sam Ehlinger will serve as the backup. Stidham logged a grand total of one snap during the 2025 season (a kneeldown in October). He will now be tasked with leading the Broncos’ offense as part of their bid to return to the Super Bowl.
Denver managed to win a back-and-forth affair during the team’s playoff debut. The Bills committed five turnovers but still managed to force overtime thanks to a last-minute field goal drive at the end of regulation. The Bronco’s offense was hot and cold throughout the day, but prior to Buffalo’s final fourth quarter possession Nix led an impressive go-ahead touchdown drive. The second-year passer was of course an important figure in Denver’s ability to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC and his absence will be a major storyline leading up to next week.
Coming out of college, Nix faced questions about his ceiling at the NFL level. The Auburn/Oregon product drew strong reviews early and often in the pre-draft process from Payton, however. Nix ultimately came off the board 12th overall in the 2024 draft, making him one of a record six quarterbacks taken in the first round of the event. Denver’s playoff drought came to an end last season, due in large part to Nix’s play as a full-time starter.
The 2025 campaign saw Nix, 25, produce similar numbers to his rookie season. Nevertheless, Denver managed to post a 14-3 record while enjoying strong defensive showings. Vance Joseph‘s unit did not deliver a strong performance (takeaways aside) today, but it will be heavily leaned on in the AFC title game. Stidham has been with the Broncos since Payton’s arrival in 2023, but he has made just two starts since then. His next will come at a critical time to say the least, with the Broncos seeking their first Super Bowl appearance since winning it 10 years ago.
The Patriots will host the Texans tomorrow in the AFC’s other divisional round matchup. The winner will be on the road no matter what, but either New England or Houston will spend next week preparing to face Stidham rather than Nix. This will create a highly unusual setup with the conference championship on the line.
Falcons Hire Kevin Stefanski As HC
On the day John Harbaugh‘s Giants hire became official, another major domino in the head coaching market is set to fall. Kevin Stefanski‘s next gig has been lined up. 
Stefanski is finalizing a deal with the Falcons to become their next head coach, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Stefanski, 43, flew to Atlanta earlier today to meet with team officials. That interview has now produced an accepted offer, as confirmed by a team announcement. This is a five-year deal, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” a statement from new president of football Matt Ryan reads.
Ryan’s hire last week represented the first major piece of business for Atlanta. It recently become known the team’s preference was to hire a new head coach before filling the only current general manager vacancy in the NFL. Today’s news thus comes as no surprise. Likewise, the fact Stefanski is set to take charge of the Falcons fits with several reports leading up to his agreement.
At the time of his Browns firing, Stefanski loomed as the top HC candidate on the market. Shortly thereafter, Harbaugh’s dismissal changed the pecking order amongst available staffers. There was a widespread expectation Harbaugh would be the first candidate to take one of the nine available positions in this year’s cycle, with Stefanski soon to follow. In particular, the Giants and Falcons were named as frontrunners in Harbaugh’s case. Stefanski, meanwhile, was seen as Plan B for both teams. Shortly after learning Harbaugh would not be an option, Atlanta’s attention clearly shifted back to Stefanski.
Earlier today, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported Stefanski would be open to retaining Jeff Ulbrich as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator. WFAA’s Ed Werder confirms Ulbrich – who was blocked from interviewing with the Cowboys for their DC opening – is expected to remain in place. Meanwhile, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes former Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees is a strong candidate to follow Stefanski to his new home.
As part of a lengthy stint with the Vikings, Stefanski spent one season as the team’s OC. That year cemented his status as one of the top head coaching candidates at the time, and his first HC opportunity came in Cleveland. The Browns won double-digit games twice during his tenure (2020 and ’23). On both occasions, Stefanski took home Coach of the Year honors.
The high points of Stefanski’s Cleveland stint brought about a pair of playoff berths but otherwise it resulted in four losing seasons. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, the Browns have won just eight games. Overall, Stefanski’s six seasons produced a record of 45-56. The Falcons will hope to provide him with a stable QB situation (although with Michael Penix Jr.‘s injury situation, that may prove difficult). In any case, a strong offensive line and a skill-position group headlined by running back Bijan Robinson and receiver Drake London awaits Stefanski.
After Arthur Smith guided them to three consecutive 7-10 seasons, the Falcons made a change on the sidelines. A reunion with Raheem Morris took place during the 2024 hiring cycle. His first year back in Atlanta ended with a finish of 8-9 and extended the team’s playoff drought. Expectations were higher for this season, one which ended on a four-game winning streak to yield another 8-9 mark. Owner Arthur Blank acted quickly once the campaign was over, firing Morris along with GM Terry Fontenot and embarking on the restructuring which has landed Ryan in a position of considerable power.
Stefanski was among the Titans’ HC finalists and was scheduled to conduct a second interview with Tennessee tomorrow. He was also a strong candidate to speak with the Ravens for their vacancy a second time. Those arrangements are now moot, while two of the NFL’s head coaching vacancies have been filled.
Packers Extend GM Brian Gutekunst, HC Matt LaFleur
11:01pm: According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, LaFleur and the Packers have agreed to a multi-year extension. NFL Network peer Ian Rapoport adds that an extended deal has been agreed to with Gutekunst, as well. In addition, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports that executive vice president Russ Ball was included in the extensions, as well.
According to Dianna Russini and Matt Schneidman of The Athletic (subscription required), Policy did not give Green Bay’s playoff loss to the Bears a great deal of consideration. That game was just one of the many data points Policy took into account when making the decision to extend his top power brokers.
8:24am: The Packers are working toward contract extensions with general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Both Gutekunst and LaFleur are expected to reach agreements with the team.
As things stand, Gutekunst and LaFleur are unsigned beyond 2026. It’s no surprise the Packers are nearing extensions with the two, however, as CEO Ed Policy made it known last summer he’s against allowing GMs and head coaches reaching lame-duck status.
“I’m generally opposed — I’d never say never — [but] I’m generally opposed to a coach or GM going into the last year of their contract,” Policy said. “That creates a lot of issues. I think normally you have a pretty good idea of where that relationship is going when you have two years left — not always, but normally.”
As a Packers employee since 1999, the 52-year-old Gutekunst has spent approximately half of his life with the organization. He worked in scouting roles until taking over for Ted Thompson as the team’s GM in 2018. A Super Bowl appearance has eluded the franchise since then, but the Packers have gone to the postseason in six of Gutekunst’s eight years at the helm.
Less than a year after Gutekunst assumed the reins, he fired longtime head coach Mike McCarthy in December 2018. The ensuing head coaching search led to the hiring of LaFleur, then the Titans’ offensive coordinator. The Packers have gone a resoundingly successful 76-40-1 under LaFleur in the regular season. However, they’ve struggled to a 3-6 mark in the playoffs.
The Packers’ 2025 season ended with a wild-card round meltdown against the archrival Bears, who overcame a 21-3 halftime deficit to escape with a 31-27 win. There was some uncertainty about LaFleur’s status in the immediate aftermath, but another report indicated he’d land an extension. It appears that will be the case despite the Packers’ season finishing with five straight losses. They went 9-7-1 in the regular season after starting 9-3-1.
The Gutekunst-LaFleur duo produced 13-win seasons and NFC North titles in each of their first three seasons, but the Packers’ results have been less impressive in recent years. They compiled an 8-9 mark in 2022, future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ last season in Green Bay, and have combined for a 29-21-1 record and no division crowns in three seasons since then.
Gutekunst found the Packers’ third straight franchise QB in Jordan Love, the 26th pick in 2020, and that no doubt earned the executive a longer leash. All indications are he and LaFleur will continue working together in Green Bay for the foreseeable future.
Giants Finalize Deal To Hire John Harbaugh As Head Coach
The Giants have finalized a five-year deal with John Harbaugh to make him the team’s new head coach, per Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
“I’m proud and honored to the head coach of this historic franchise, and especially excited to work with the Mara and Tisch families,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). “But most of all, I can’t wait to get started with the great players on this football team to see what we can accomplish together.” The 63-year-old is set to host his first press conference as the Giants’ head coach on Tuesday, per Garafolo.
Harbaugh emerged as the leading candidate for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy shortly after he was fired by the Ravens last week. He visited New York on Wednesday for a lengthy in-person meeting, but no deal came together before Harbaugh flew back to his (current) home in Baltimore. On Wednesday night, however, it was reported that Harbaugh accepted the job, which kicked off a multi-day process to finalize the agreement. The five-year deal is expected to be worth at least $100MM, per FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, keeping Harbaugh as one of the highest-paid coaches in the league.
Compensation, however, was not the reason for this week’s delay, as that sum was agreed upon early in the negotiating process, according to Garafolo. Instead, Harbaugh wanted to change the Giants’ leadership hierarchy into one that more resembled the Ravens’. In the past, New York’s head coach has reported to the team’s general manager, who in turn reported to ownership, but in Baltimore, Harbaugh reported directly to owner Steve Bisciotti. The Giants agreed to Harbaugh’s terms and formalized the new reporting structure in his contract, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
“I report to [Giants owner] John Mara,” Harbaugh confirmed (via The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor). He added that he looks forward to forming a strong partnership with general manager Joe Schoen, who was a key part of the Giants’ full-court press to land the veteran head coach. It remains to be seen if there will be any other formal division of powers beyond the reporting structure written into Harbaugh’s deal.
Harbaugh will now get to work building his coaching staff. The Giants promised to spare no expense in hiring his assistants, many of whom will likely come from his previous staffs in Baltimore. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is considered the top candidate for the Giants’ OC job, though he is also scheduled for a second head coaching interview with the Browns. Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who was Harbaugh’s assistant head coach in Baltimore in 2022 and 2023, is at the top of the team’s list of DC candidates.
After Harbaugh hires his top lieutenants, he will work with them to hire the rest of his staff. The Giants have already notified some of their incumbent coaches that they will be moving in a different direction, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.
At the same time, Harbaugh – and his new staff, as they come aboard – will get to work evaluating New York’s roster to prepare for the offseason. None will be more important than quarterback Jaxson Dart, who Harbaugh had already scouted in advance of his trip to New York, where the two got some face time.
“I’m very excited about these players,” Harbaugh said (via O’Connor). “I spoke with Jaxson two or three times at length & I couldn’t be more impressed with him. Watched him on tape, he had a heckuva rookie season and he’s got the right mindset. That is one tough dude.”
Harbaugh coached a few current Giants during his time in Baltimore, including linebacker Chris Board and safety Beau Brade. Pending free agent right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor started his career as a Ravens fifth-round pick in 2017, and offensive lineman Reid Holskey spent his first NFL training camp under Harbaugh last summer. In general, though, he will be working with a brand-new group of players.
“I think the Giants roster is strong and it’s our job to make it stronger,” Harbaugh continued, per O’Connor. “We are going to compete for the playoffs and for championships. I expect and want to make the playoffs next year.”
That proclamation will gladden the hearts of Giants fans who have only witnessed two playoff berths since the team’s 2011 Super Bowl victory. New York has gone through multiple attempted rebuilds since, including their latest effort led by Schoen and Daboll that featured a wild card win in their first year and a 13-38 record since. Daboll was removed in November with the team headed for its third straight season with double-digit losses.
Consistent playoff appearances were a hallmark of Harbaugh’s time in Baltimore. The Ravens made the postseason in 12 of his 18 seasons as head coach, including five straight berths to start his tenure, culminating in a 2012 Super Bowl win. In the last eight seasons with Lamar Jackson, the team qualified for the playoffs six times, though Baltimore never won more than one game in a single postseason. Those struggles, as well as a concerning pattern of blown double-digit leads, were ultimately the impetus behind Harbaugh’s firing in Baltimore.
Harbaugh will be looking to bring that regular-season success to New York along with the strong culture and coaching staff he built in Baltimore. The Giants have a tight cap situation at the moment, but they could use Harbaugh’s reputation to draw a strong free agent class at more affordable prices. The team is also slated for the No. 5 pick in April’s draft, which will be one of Harbaugh’s biggest early decisions as a head coach.