play2:31Cam Newton: John Harbaugh, Mike Tomlin are victims of their own successDan Orlovsky and Cam Newton discuss what’s at stake for John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin ahead of the pivotal Week 18 matchup between the Ravens and Steelers.
play0:43Graziano: Colts will see what Riley Leonard can give them in Week 18Dan Graziano and Mike Greenberg discuss the Colts’ decision to give Riley Leonard the start for Week 18.
play2:13Liam Coen to McAfee: Jakobi Meyers was the answerLiam Coen tells Pat McAfee how Jakobi Meyers has lifted up the Jaguars since the team traded for him.
Jeremy FowlerCloseJeremy Fowlersenior NFL national reporterJeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.Follow on XDan GrazianoCloseDan Grazianosenior NFL national reporterDan Graziano is a senior NFL national reporter for ESPN, covering the entire league and breaking news. Dan also contributes to Get Up, NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, Sunday NFL Countdown and Fantasy Football Now. He is a New Jersey native who joined ESPN in 2011, and he is also the author of two published novels.Follow on XDec 31, 2025, 10:00 AM ET
Schefter: Brian Flores will have coaching options (1:20)Adam Schefter joins “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss where Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores might end up next season. (1:20)
Cam Newton: John Harbaugh, Mike Tomlin are victims of their own successDan Orlovsky and Cam Newton discuss what’s at stake for John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin ahead of the pivotal Week 18 matchup between the Ravens and Steelers.
Dan Orlovsky and Cam Newton discuss what’s at stake for John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin ahead of the pivotal Week 18 matchup between the Ravens and Steelers.
Graziano: Colts will see what Riley Leonard can give them in Week 18Dan Graziano and Mike Greenberg discuss the Colts’ decision to give Riley Leonard the start for Week 18.
Dan Graziano and Mike Greenberg discuss the Colts’ decision to give Riley Leonard the start for Week 18.
Liam Coen to McAfee: Jakobi Meyers was the answerLiam Coen tells Pat McAfee how Jakobi Meyers has lifted up the Jaguars since the team traded for him.
Liam Coen tells Pat McAfee how Jakobi Meyers has lifted up the Jaguars since the team traded for him.
What are you hearing on potential jobs that could come open over the next seven days?
Which candidate do you believe most strongly will get a head coaching job this cycle?
Who is the most interesting head coach candidate not currently in the NFL?
As we get set for the final weekend of 2025 NFL regular-season games, the handful of remaining playoff races will get most of the attention. But the annual coaching carousel is also on deck, and we could see a lot of movement there as teams hit the offseason.
Insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have been calling sources around the NFL for the latest news and buzz on key coaching situations heading into Week 18. Are there any updates on the open Giants and Titans spots? Which other coaching gigs could come open in the next few days? Who are the top candidates to get hired — from both inside and outside the NFL?
Jeremy and Dan poked around for the latest there, and they even broke down a few general manager hot seats around the league. It’s all here, as our national reporters answer big questions and empty their notebooks heading into Week 18.
Graziano: My sense is that a lot of people are watching Las Vegas for the potential that Pete Carroll is one-and-done with the Raiders. This season has gone quite poorly, and they seem to be positioning themselves for the No. 1 draft pick, so the theory is they might want someone else around to develop that selection if it’s a quarterback.
Fowler: That one is complicated, because some within the coaching staff are cautiously optimistic that Jonathan Gannon will get a fourth year, and some within the coaching industry see a path to Gannon potentially staying. Owner Michael Bidwill likes Gannon and can attribute the rough season to injuries and the lack of a hand-picked quarterback for the head coach. The flip side is Arizona is so far away from the other three teams in the NFC West and simply isn’t competitive right now.
On the Bucs, Todd Bowles’ buyout would be hefty after the team extended his contract through 2028, and the team doesn’t seem overly eager to pay that. Bailing on Bowles would be the Bucs’ way of embracing a rebuild. But someone will have to pay if they lose to Carolina. Staff changes are not off the table either way.
We’re in the same spot on the other jobs you mentioned, and Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor appears to be safe. Morris has helped himself a bit over the past three games, but I’m not sure it’s enough. That leaves us with the surprise category. I can’t help but envision teams with current or future openings watching the Baltimore-Pittsburgh game wondering whether John Harbaugh or Mike Tomlin could somehow become available. That’s not my expectation, to be sure, but the chatter won’t quite dissipate.
Graziano: That chatter is out there, but I’ve heard nothing from inside either building to indicate either team is contemplating a change. Most of the speculation seems to stem from fan discontent, and neither the Steelers nor the Ravens are the type of organization to make compulsive decisions based on fan discontent.
Cam Newton: John Harbaugh, Mike Tomlin are victims of their own success
Fowler: It wouldn’t shock me if teams wanted to speak with Gruden, assuming his lawsuit will reach a conclusion at some point. In a year with limited offensive options, this would be the time. His imprint is still all over the NFL coaching landscape. McCarthy would be a key figure in this equation, too. Out of the retread options, he seems well positioned. That doesn’t mean he’ll get a job, but I do expect him to interview.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian publicly denying any NFL interest back in October doesn’t necessarily end the conversation. He has deep NFL ties after stints with the Falcons and Raiders over the years, and he could easily gauge the market without being directly involved.
Graziano: Who knows? There are always surprises. I’d be saying Bill O’Brien, who was a successful NFL head coach once upon a time, if he hadn’t had such a lousy season at Boston College. The Bears gave Eddie George an interview last cycle. Would the Titans do the same? Could the Giants give Antonio Pierce a call two years after his brief stint with the Raiders and bring back their legendary linebacker?
Fowler: Here’s a college sleeper … Bret Bielema. He has won 19 games over the past two seasons as Illinois’ head coach, and he spent three years as an NFL assistant between collegiate head coaching stints, so I believe the pros is still attractive to him. He’s an outside-the-box idea, but anything goes this cycle.
Graziano: For sure. Again, that team had high expectations the past two years and has not come close to meeting them. Blank is eager to win as soon as possible and might not be patient with this group.
Graziano: Colts will see what Riley Leonard can give them in Week 18
Fowler: Ballard remains a moving target because he drafts well and builds good rosters — but no division titles in nine years is a tough sell. I’ve talked to a few people in the league who wonder whether Ballard would be the first to go over coach Shane Steichen if Irsay-Gordon makes changes at all. But the Colts had a good thing going for 10 games before the injuries, so that factors in, too. Most people I’ve talked to are leaning toward Ballard’s job being safe.
With other spots, some of the people I’ve talked to believe Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort will ultimately be safe. Browns general manager Andrew Berry has been operating like someone who will be back, and that’s my sense of what will happen. His successful 2025 draft was carefully crafted with 2026 in mind, and he has had the freedom to negotiate extensions with veterans.
• The Falcons have not quit on Morris, who has railed off three consecutive wins to make his case for a third year in Atlanta. But that doesn’t ensure his return. Morris would most likely need to make staff changes if he does stay. Special teams has been a bugaboo, and quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s development hasn’t proceeded as hoped.
• League sources consider it likely that Washington makes a change at defensive coordinator after Joe Whitt Jr. was stripped of playcalling duties earlier this season. The Commanders are 31st in total defense. Injuries and a lack of pass rush personnel have contributed, but coach Dan Quinn faces a critical third season in Washington and appears poised to make changes. Quinn has been calling the defense; whether he continues to do so will depend on an offseason review.
• Former Giants coach Brian Daboll should be a viable offensive coordinator option for teams looking to hire one. He could get head coaching interviews, as well. He has significant playcalling experience and did some good things with Jaxson Dart before his November firing.
“The offense presents things that look the same but are different for the defense — I think that bodes really well for us moving forward,” tight end Colby Parkinson said. “These will set us up for success.”
• Anthony Campanile is worth watching; the Jags’ defensive coordinator could get interviews this cycle and a head coaching job down the road. People around the league are taking note of what has happened in Jacksonville and how quickly Coen and his relatively inexperienced staff have turned things around. The Jaguars have the league’s best run defense in yards allowed per game, and they trail only the Bears with 30 takeaways.
The turnaround in Jacksonville is across-the-board impressive. QB Trevor Lawrence’s confidence is sky-high thanks in part to a couple of midseason moves by the coaching staff and the front office. Coen and his staff used the team’s Week 8 bye to drill down on what they believed Lawrence liked and didn’t like in the offense and focus on what they could do to keep building it around his strengths and preferences.