This off-season, 10 NFL teams elected to part with their Head Coach. It’s the most openings in several years, and that included some of the longest tenured coaches in the NFL. Now that all 10 openings have been filled, it’s time to see who won and who lost in the NFL’s latest hiring cycle. Below is my rankings of the 10 new hires, along with the biggest challenge facing each team. Teams appear in ascending order.

No. 10: Miami Dolphins
Head Coach Hire: Jeff Hafley
Previous Post: Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator
About: Hafley ran a fine if unspectacular defense in Green Bay. It’s not a bad hire, per se, just feels like an uninspiring hire. That’s fine because Miami is a seemingly uninspiring team, having under-performed the past few seasons. The team replaced its General Manager, too. And the team has started purging the roster. That makes it unclear what kind of scheme and talent the team will have in a division with the reigning AFC Champion in the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills with Josh Allen. It could be a long year in Miami.
Biggest Challenge: Who is going to play quarterback? The team seems likely to part with Tua Tagovailoa, and Hafley has mentioned his interest in Malik Willis. The Dolphins need a new quarterback and some stability on offense to make a move up.

No. 9: Cleveland Browns
Head Coach Hire: Todd Monken
Previous Post: Offensive Coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens
About: The Cleveland post seemed to be one of the hardest to fill, with many candidates withdrawing. That makes sense. The roster doesn’t seem great, nor does the ownership and front office. In fact, I toyed with dropping this one to the bottom. It’s kind of a toss-up. But I feel like there are a few more pieces in place for Cleveland and Monken, who has run some sturdy if uninspiring offenses. The Browns have been a mess and might still be a mess, but it can’t get much worse.
Biggest Challenge: Who is going to play quarterback? This might be a common theme on this list. The Browns still have veteran Deshaun Watson, who will reportedly be on the roster and available, as well as second-year man Shedeur Sanders. Neither have recently looked like the answer, but maybe Monken can succeed where Kevin Stefanski failed?

No. 8: Arizona Cardinals
Head Coach Hire: Mike LaFleur
Previous Post: Los Angeles Rams Offensive Coordinator
About: Not much separates these first three options on the list if I’m being honest. In fact, it’s fair to have questions about LaFleur, whose offense flamed out with the New York Jets. Yes, the Rams’ offense was good in 2025, but Sean McVay has more to do with that. In Arizona, LaFleur is paired with Nathaniel Hackett, another failed Offensive Coordinator from the New York Jets. It doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence, no matter which guy is calling the plays. But the Cardinals do have some pieces.
Biggest Challenge: Who is going to play Quarterback? Kyler Murray is on the roster and under contract. But the Cardinals appeared to sour on him. Will a new administration see a chance to make it work? Possibly, but it feels more likely Murray ends up elsewhere. That could leave the Cardinals as a squad with two good receivers and a great tight end but no one to get them the ball.

No. 7: Buffalo Bills
Head Coaching Hire: Joe Brady
Previous Post: Buffalo Bills’ Offensive Coordinator
About: There is some dysfunction in Buffalo. I think it more stems from the owner and Front Office, but it exists. A team that made the second round of the playoffs fired its coach. It’s a curious move. The owner then seemed to blast the coaching staff for wanting receiver Keon Coleman and turned around and promoted the Offensive Coordinator that wanted him to Head Coach. What does it all mean? Can Brady keep the offense going, or even improve it, while building the rest of the team? It’s an inexperienced staff around him for the most part, too, on a squad that feels like it’s a pressure cooker with Super Bowl expectations. It’s not a bad hire, but it’s curious.
Biggest Challenge: Improving the passing weapons. Can Coleman take the leap in year three? What about getting more out of Dalton Kincaid, or at least keeping him on the field? That will help, but the Bills have lacked a true No. 1 option since Stefon Diggs left. Can they get one? Will they even try? That might be what the team needs to advance.

No. 6: Tennessee Titans
Head Coaching Hire: Robert Saleh
Previous Post: San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator
About: I thought the Titans were the worst opening of the 10 available. That being said, they might be assembling one of the best possible staffs. Saleh comes in to take over as Head Coach, and likely work on fixing the defense. He also brought in Brian Daboll to run the offense. This feels like as good a pairing as the Titans were apt to find. The roster still has questions, but they might be trending in the right direction.
Biggest Challenge: Rebuilding the roster. The Titans have precious few blue-chip prospects on either side of the ball. Cam Ward was uneven as a rookie but could improve with better coaching and more help. The Titans’ defense needs work, too. The Titans will have to be aggressive in the draft and free agency and hope this staff can maximize the team’s assets.

No. 5: Pittsburgh Steelers
Head Coaching Hire: Mike McCarthy
Previous Post: Dallas Cowboys Head Coach
About: The Steelers got a lot of flak for hiring McCarthy. I get that it’s not the most inspiring hire and feels different from what the Steelers have done in the past, but the team has been stuck in neutral for a long time. The Steelers’ offense has been good enough not to hold them back, but not good enough to be a contender. McCarthy was very successful during the regular season in Dallas and could help break the 9-8 logjam for the Steelers.
Biggest Challenge: What happens with Aaron Rodgers? If Rodgers is back, the Steelers should have a stable option at quarterback. If he retires, the question is what the team does. Mason Rudolph and Will Howard don’t seem like viable starting options for a playoff team. Once the quarterback domino is set, McCarthy can begin rebuilding the roster.

No. 4: Baltimore Ravens
Head Coaching Hire: Jesse Minter
Previous Post: Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
About: Minter comes into a good situation. You could argue with better consistency and better health the Ravens would have been a contender in the AFC. The team also seemed like it just needed some kind of change, which is why they moved on from John Harbaugh. I like what Minter did with the Chargers’ defense, and he should be able to use some good pieces in Baltimore to improve that unit. Meanwhile, with some fresh approaches on offense, the Ravens have the pieces to make a playoff run in 2026.
Biggest Challenge: Putting it all together. The Ravens have talent on both sides of the ball. They, arguably, should have been a playoff team in 2025. More consistency, and better play on defense, should get them there.

No. 3: New York Giants
Head Coaching Hire: John Harbaugh
Previous Post: Baltimore Ravens Head Coach
About: I thought the Giants’ opening was the most attractive this hiring cycle. But the team doesn’t land at No. 1 on this list because I wasn’t wowed by Harbaugh. He’s a solid, veteran coach. He could bring stability and intensity to the Giants, a team with talent on both sides of the ball. It’s also a somewhat open division, which bodes well. Again, I just wasn’t wowed by the hire or the staff he’s assembling.
Biggest Challenge: Getting the most out of the offense. Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo looked good as rookies, though both struggled with injury. The Giants have a good, young tight end prospect in Theo Johnson and a great receiver in Malik Nabers. The pieces are there. And yet, Harbaugh has brought in Matt Nagy as Offensive Coordinator to make it all work. Could that happen? It sure could. Will it happen? I’m less than optimistic.

No. 2: Atlanta Falcons
Head Coaching Hire: Kevin Stefanski
Previous Post: Cleveland Browns Head Coach
About: Stefanski needed a change. I’m sure it was rough being in Cleveland, which saddled him with an albatross in Deshaun Watson. It was too much to overcome along with other injuries. Atlanta is a young team with a good roster that has under-performed. They are also in a winnable division. All that should be good for a leader who is a former NFL Coach of the Year.
Biggest Challenge: Finding a quarterback. The one thing that didn’t make sense for me was seeing Stefanski finally freed of a Cleveland team that never had a quarterback to end up in Atlanta, plagued by the same issue. The Flacons are set to release Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix, Jr. is coming off a third knee reconstruction. Stefanski could have his work cut out for him again.

No. 1: Las Vegas Raiders
Head Coaching Hire: Klint Kubiak
Previous Post: Offensive Coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks
About: I’m loathe to praise the Raiders as a Broncos’ fan, but I liked this hire. Kubiak has been doing good work. He ran a good offense in New Orleans in 2024, then helmed the offense for the Super Bowl Champion Seahawks in 2025. He’s done it all with young and journeyman quarterbacks. He’s established a good run game and made the most of passing game weapons, especially tight ends. The good news is that he has some talent to work with on the Raiders, including a good young running back in Ashton Jeanty and a great young tight end in Brock Bowers. I suspect he’ll do some fun things with the roster.
Biggest Challenge: Finding a quarterback. Geno Smith the veteran is still on the roster, but he wasn’t good in 2025. The Raiders have the No. 1 overall pick and are likely to take Fernando Mendoza. It will then be up to Kubiak to get him ready to compete in a loaded AFC West.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.