The NFL hiring cycle is nearing its conclusion, with 5 of the seven openings stuffed.
With solely the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints nonetheless available in the market, here is our rating in inverse order of the head-coaching hires this offseason.
5. Pete Carroll (Las Vegas Raiders)
Professionals: Tradition builder; profitable observe report
Cons: Quick-sighted, unsure timeline
The Raiders have lengthy lacked a successful tradition, which can change with Carroll. He has gained wherever he is gone, and we would be shocked if the Raiders did not enhance within the win column in 2025.
The issue is, this is not the 2010 NFC West. Carroll led the Seahawks to a division title in his first season as head coach with a 7-9 report. He did not have his first successful season in Seattle till his third season.
Hiring Carroll in 2025 is a wager on him to spark a right away turnaround, which might be robust. The AFC West is without doubt one of the league’s hardest divisions, with three 2024 playoff groups. Every has a head coach with a formidable resume. Mixed, Carroll, Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers), Sean Payton (Denver Broncos) and Andy Reid (Kansas Metropolis Chiefs) have gained 9 convention championships and 5 Tremendous Bowls, they usually maintain a .626 regular-season successful proportion (668-396-3).
Carroll, 73, would be the oldest coach in NFL historical past when the 2025 season kicks off. By the point the Raiders flip round, he is likely to be nearing the top of his four-year contract and able to retire for good. (Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he agreed to a three-year take care of a fourth-year workforce possibility.)
4. Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Professionals: Removed normal supervisor Trent Baalke, 2024 success
Cons: Restricted pattern dimension, scattered job historical past
The very best factor Coen did was reject Jacksonville’s preliminary advances. After declaring his intentions to return to Tampa Bay in 2025 as Bucs offensive coordinator, Jaguars proprietor Shad Khan had an epiphany and fired underperforming GM Trent Baalke. The front-office construction is likely to be a large number, nevertheless it’s nonetheless in a greater place than simply 48 hours in the past.
Coen had his most success in 2024 with the Bucs, who completed the common season No. 3 in total offense and No. 4 in scoring. He received his begin within the NFL with the Rams as an assistant broad receivers coach (2018-19) after reducing his enamel within the FCS ranks. He by no means stays in a single place for lengthy, which may make some nervous.
Coen started his teaching profession in 2010 at Brown as quarterbacks coach, joined Rhode Island the next season and returned to Brown for 2012-13. Extra not too long ago, he went backwards and forwards between the Los Angeles Rams and Kentucky, the place he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2021 and 2023.
3. Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears)
Professionals: Offensive play-calling wizard; aggressive, analytics-driven strategy
Cons: Will talents translate?
The Bears are placing all of their eggs in Johnson’s basket. The extremely sought former Lions offensive coordinator (2022-24) has arguably the hardest job of all 2025 teaching hires: make the Chicago offense purposeful.
They’re the one NFL franchise and not using a 4,000-yard passer, they usually’ve additionally gone six consecutive seasons with out fielding a top-10 offense. Johnson’s ingenuity and aggressiveness ought to assist reverse the Bears’ fortunes.
He has developed a popularity as a superb play-designer, together with Jared Goff’s stumble move in opposition to the Bears and the working again toss-turned-shovel move in opposition to the Commanders.
