NFL Head Coaching Changes: Which Teams Have New Coaches in 2026?

Every year in the NFL, some coaches find themselves with a ticket to ride the annual head coaching carousel. This season, 10 new head coaches are starting with new teams, nearly a third of the entire league.

Seven of these new coaches are assuming the role for the first time in their careers after successful runs as coordinators elsewhere. The AFC North has three new coaches and the AFC East has two. That follows a strong showing from last year’s first-time coaches, including Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears), Mike Vrabel (New England Patriots) and Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars) and, to some extent, Brian Schottenheimer (Dallas Cowboys) and Kellen Moore (New Orleans Saints).

The pressure is on for new head coaches to turn the page successfully onto a new chapter that fans and their organizations can get excited about. Some, like Jesse Minter in Baltimore and Joe Brady in Buffalo, are stepping into the role for the first time on teams with Super Bowl aspirations. Trial by fire doesn’t really do their situations justice.

Here is a preview of all 10 new head coaches that emerged from this year’s coaching cycle, where they came from and the challenges that lie ahead in their new roles.

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NFL Coaching Changes Entering the 2026 Season

Nearly a third of the league turned over with new head coaches for 2026, following seven changes a year ago. Last year Ben Johnson, Mike Vrabel and Liam Coen set a high bar by taking their teams on playoff runs and, in Vrabel’s case, an improbable Super Bowl appearance. They looked like the right hires for their jobs. but what about this year’s crew?

This season, these 10 coaches hope to follow that path and avoid the fate of coaches like Pete Carroll, who is no longer the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after a one-and-done stint.

• Mike LaFleur – Arizona Cardinals (former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator)
• Kevin Stefanski – Atlanta Falcons (former Cleveland Browns head coach)
• Jesse Minter – Baltimore Ravens (former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator)
• Joe Brady – Buffalo Bills (former Bills offensive coordinator)
• Todd Monken – Cleveland Browns (former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator)
• Klint Kubiak – Las Vegas Raiders (former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator)
• Jeff Hafley – Miami Dolphins (former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator)
• John Harbaugh – New York Giants (former Baltimore Ravens head coach)
• Mike McCarthy – Pittsburgh Steelers (former Dallas Cowboys head coach)
• Robert Saleh – Tennessee Titans (former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator)

Mike LaFleur, Arizona Cardinals

LaFleur inherits the Cardinals after a successful tenure as the Rams’ offensive coordinator under Sean McVay. Last year the Rams led the NFL in yards and points behind a stellar passing game led by quarterback Matthew Stafford. Los Angeles was also seventh in rushing yards and sixth in yards per attempt.

In Arizona there are challenges everywhere, starting at quarterback. The Cardinals signed Jacoby Brissett to an extension. He’s a veteran capable of starting in the NFL, but it would be foolish to put Super Bowl aspirations on his shoulders or the team’s, especially in this division. The NFC West is stacked with three Super Bowl contenders in the Seahawks, the Rams and the 49ers.

For Arizona, success this year would look like establishing Marvin Harrison Jr. as a legitimate No. 1 receiver and making Jeremiah Love, drafted third overall, one of the best backs in the league from the jump.

Arizona went hard on offense in the draft. The Cardinals took Love third overall, drafted offensive guard Chase Bisontis out of Texas A&M with the 34th pick and took Miami quarterback Carson Beck with the top pick of the third round. Beck had flirted with the top 10 in mock drafts for years and led the Hurricanes to a national championship a year ago.

It appears the plan, at least on offense, is to develop Beck behind Brissett and journeyman veteran Gardner Minshew II while building the ancillary pieces for either he or a top quarterback Arizona could select in next year’s draft.

On defense there is nowhere to go but up. Jonathan Gannon’s unit ranked 29th in points allowed and 27th in yards allowed, but the Cardinals didn’t bolster the defense in any meaningful way. This is a transitional, development year for Arizona under a new head coach.

Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons

Stefanski was one of the premiere coaching hires in the league after being released from the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching job. Making two playoff appearances in 10 years as the Browns’ head coach puts him in rare territory, but the last two seasons were a disaster: 3-14 in 2024 followed by 5-12 in 2025. Under the weight of the Deshaun Watson contract and expectations, it was a no-win scenario.

Now Stefanski takes over for Raheem Morris in Atlanta competing in a division that has been wide open for years. The Falcons have playmakers. Bijan Robinson has established himself as one of the top backs in the league, Drake London has emerged as a legitimate No. 1 receiver and Kyle Pitts put together a second-team All-Pro season after consistently falling short of expectations. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. even put together a solid rookie season.

The challenge for Stefanski is one that he is well accustomed to: a quarterback conundrum. Penix is coming back from a torn ACL, his third in the last five years. After a disappointing season in Miami, Atlanta signed Tua Tagovailoa, who may benefit from an NFC South division largely played in warm weather and ideal conditions. He has the weapons around him that made him successful at Alabama and in Miami, but the challenge for Atlanta is keeping him healthy and keeping pressure off him. That’s an easier task with a running back like Robinson to lean on.

Atlanta made a run at the NFC South title last year but lost it on a tiebreaker. Stefanski has established himself as one of the best defensive minds in the game and doesn’t lack talent on that side of the ball, which could make Atlanta a competitive team in the NFC and possibly champions of the division.

Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens

Minter enters his first head coaching job after two seasons as the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator and two as the Michigan DC, all under Jim Harbaugh. Last year the Chargers defense ranked fifth in yards allowed, ninth in points allowed, seventh in takeaways and finished as a top three passing defense.

Minter isn’t new to the Ravens organization. He served as a defensive assistant and defensive backs coach for four years, from 2017 to 2020, so he’s familiar with Lamar Jackson, much of the roster and the expectations that come with No. 8 behind center.

Baltimore started its offseason by drafting Olaivavega Ioane, the top-ranked guard in the draft, after losing Tyler Linderbaum to free agency. The Ravens also signed pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who has been underrated as one of the best pressure creators in the NFL. It’s move that both bolsters Baltimore and saps talent from division rival Cincinnati.

In the second round the Ravens drafted Zion Young, the fifth-ranked edge rusher out of Missouri. The 6-foot-6 pass rusher was first-team All-SEC in 2025 and lands in one of the best developmental organizations in the NFL with a defensive-minded coach and Pro Bowl talent around him. Baltimore rounded out its defensive additions with more depth in the secondary and along the front.

After a letdown 2025 season in which the Ravens missed the playoffs for just the second time in eight years, Baltimore starts this season with a new head coach for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills

Brady also enters his first year as a head coach carrying Super Bowl expectations into the fray, which is what happens when Josh Allen is your quarterback. Brady climbed the ranks of the Bills’ coaching staff, starting as a quarterbacks coach before becoming offensive coordinator, so no one is more familiar with Allen’s game.

Last year the Bills finished fourth in yards and points per game and were the top-ranked run game in the NFL behind James Cook and Allen. Buffalo brought in DJ Moore from Chicago to reinforce the receiving corps but did little to address its fundamental flaw: stopping the run.

The Bills ranked 28th in rushing yards allowed and second to last in rushing touchdowns allowed. Bradley Chubb helps the pass rush but is more of a replacement for the departed Joey Bosa, so Buffalo could be headed for a season with similar challenges.

The Bills’ main competition in the division will come from the Patriots, who stole the division from Buffalo for the first time in five years and advanced further in the playoffs. Last season felt like one of Buffalo’s best chances at a Super Bowl, and chances like that aren’t guaranteed to come around again. The organization believes Brady has answers that former head coach Sean McDermott didn’t.

Todd Monken, Cleveland Browns

Monken lands his first head coaching job in Cleveland after seven seasons as an offensive coordinator. In 2023 and 2024 he led the Ravens to a top five offense, but they took a considerable step back in 2025, finishing middle of the pack and missing the playoffs. That was enough to prompt a full cleanout of Baltimore’s coaching staff from head coach John Harbaugh on down.

Monken lands back in Cleveland, where he was an offensive coordinator in 2019, and inherits an interesting situation.

The Browns’ quarterback situation remains a mess. Deshaun Watson is the starter given the salary cap hit and his track record as a one-time Pro Bowl quarterback, with second-year question marks Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel behind him. Trading Myles Garrett and acquiring Jared Verse were signals that Cleveland isn’t focused on this season.

The Browns invested heavily in offense early in the draft, taking Spencer Fano with the ninth overall pick out of Utah and Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion at No. 24. They doubled down at wide receiver with Denzel Boston at the 39th overall pick. Monken finally got his first defensive playmaker in Emmanuel McNeil-Warren out of Toledo, late in the second who ranked as the No. 3 safety in this year’s draft.

Those moves point to a team building for the future, with emphasis on “future.” The Browns appear to be looking at the next three to four seasons as their young quarterbacks get NFL reps, while Cleveland crosses its fingers for a top pick in next year’s quarterback-rich 2027 draft.

Klint Kubiak, Las Vegas Raiders

Kubiak lands his first head coaching job after three years as an offensive coordinator, most recently in Seattle, where he turned a Sam Darnold-led offense into a top 10 unit that won the Super Bowl.

Kubiak now takes over a Las Vegas team with No. 1 overall pick, Heisman winner and national champion Fernando Mendoza, second-year running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers, who has already established himself as one of the best at his position in the game. In a highly a competitive division and fresh off owning the worst record in the NFL last season, there aren’t high hopes, but there’s room for optimism and Las Vegas plans to exercise patience.

It’s an open question as to whether Mendoza starts right away or whether those duties fall to veteran Kirk Cousins while they bring Mendoza along slowly.

Las Vegas used its next picks on defense with Treydan Stukes at safety and Keyron Crawford on the edge. In free agency, they signed Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and added veteran linebackers Nikobe Dean and Quay Walker.

With Kansas City, Denver and Los Angeles all looking like playoff contenders, Las Vegas is the runt of the division. But if Kubiak can establish a successful system, the Raiders have the talent to soon find themselves competing with the rest of their divisional rivals.

Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins

Hafley earns his first NFL head coaching job after two seasons as the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator. He previously served as head coach at Boston College for four seasons, so he’s familiar with the role, though the stakes are much higher now.

In 2024, Hafley was behind a top five defense and this past year, dealing with injuries, the Packers finished just outside the top 10. Hafley represents a massive pendulum swing for Miami, which previously employed offensive-minded Mike McDaniel while, in some ways, neglecting the defense.

Miami is in full transition. McDaniel is gone, longtime quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is gone and Malik Willis is in at QB with his first real shot in the NFL.

The Dolphins enter this season with little to lose so the focus is on building a contender of the future. In the first round of the draft they took tackle Caleb Rogers out of Alabama and cornerback Chris Johnson out of San Diego State. In the second round they drafted linebacker Jacob Rodriguez out of Texas Tech, and in the third round his Texas Tech teammate, wide receiver Caleb Douglas. Rounding out the top three rounds, Miami added Will Kacmarek, a tight end out of Ohio State, and Chris Bell, a wide receiver out of Louisville.

By trading Jaylen Waddle, Miami signaled a near-complete reset of its roster, especially on offense. Hafley inherits some veteran playmakers on defense. Last year linebacker Jordyn Brooks led the NFL in tackles, but with Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick also gone, this is a completely new era for the Dolphins.

John Harbaugh, New York Giants

Harbaugh finds himself with a new job for the first time in 20 years, taking over a reclamation project with the Giants. After brief flashes of inspired play in 2025, New York finished 4-13, dead last in the NFC East for the second straight year.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart played well at times but too often found himself in the blue medical tent. Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending knee injury he’s still working back from. Cam Skattebo suffered a season-ending injury of his own and was last seen failing a backflip at Fanatics Fest. There are plenty of questions about whether these young playmakers can stay healthy enough to help the Giants compete within their division and conference.

In the draft, the Giants had two top 10 picks. They selected pass rusher Arvell Reese, ranked as the top player in the draft, who fell to them at No. 5. He joins a loaded pass-rushing room and could quickly establish himself as a Pro Bowl talent. New York then addressed the offensive line with tackle Francis Mauigoa out of Miami, rated the top tackle in the draft. The Giants took corner Colton Hood in the second round out of Tennessee and added 6-foot-4 receiver Malachi Fields out of Notre Dame, who could climb the depth chart quickly.

Harbaugh brought over two former Baltimore mainstays, fullback Patrick Ricard and tight end Isaiah Likely, signaling his trust in players he believes can be difference-makers in new environments. The Giants could have at least four Pro Bowlers on defense in Brian Burns, Reese, Abdul Carter and Jevon Holland. If this team can stay healthy on offense, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Giants compete for the division.

Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers

McCarthy takes his third NFL head coaching job after sitting out 2025 when his tenure as Dallas’ head coach ended. In three straight years with the Cowboys, McCarthy put together a top five offense, and now he reunites with longtime quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. The situation is a lot different this time. Rodgers is nearing the end of his career but still gives the Steelers their best shot to win now.

Somehow the Steelers won the division and made the playoffs in 2025. But after failing to win a playoff game since 2008, the team decided to move on from longtime head coach Mike Tomlin and bring in McCarthy. Pittsburgh finished toward the bottom third of the league on both offense and defense, and once again finds itself in a highly competitive division.

In the draft, the Steelers first addressed the offensive line, taking tackle Max Iheanachor out of Arizona State. In the second round they added wide receiver Germie Bernard out of Alabama, and in the third round they drafted quarterback Drew Allar out of Penn State right down the road as a developmental option.

The Steelers made their biggest splashes in free agency, trading for Michael Pittman Jr. and signing him to a three-year extension, bringing in running back Rico Dowdle from Carolina and adding cornerback Jamel Dean from Tampa Bay. It doesn’t seem like Pittsburgh has added enough to clear the hump of the playoffs’ first round, but the Steelers appear to have done enough to stay competitive in a division that’s always winnable given how volatile divisional play can be.

Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans

Saleh gets his second NFL head coaching job, taking over a Titans team that has finished 3-14 in two consecutive seasons. Last year Tennessee fired head coach Brian Callahan after a 1-5 start, leaving the franchise in desperate need of a new chapter. It’s a feeling Saleh can relate to.

After serving as the Jets head coach for four seasons, Saleh was let go in 2024 before regrouping in San Francisco, where he now has multiple successful runs as defensive coordinator. He inherits a Titans team with work to do but plenty of reasons for optimism.

It starts behind center with second-year quarterback Cam Ward, who had a rough rookie year on paper but showed flashes of No. 1 pick talent. Surrounding Ward with playmakers was a primary goal for Tennessee this offseason. It started with drafting Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate at fourth overall and adding receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency on a four-year deal.

On defense, Saleh got key pieces to pair with Jeffrey Simmons, one of the best and most underrated defensive linemen in the NFL. The Titans added depth up front in John Franklin-Myers and Jermaine Johnson II and signed cornerbacks Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott to three-year deals. They also drafted edge Keldric Faulk out of Auburn and linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. out of Texas, the No. 3 ranked linebacker in this year’s draft.

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