The NFL’s coaching carousel consistently becomes more interesting year after year. NFL owners commit to providing revenue, success, and entertainment to their respective cities, so, as of late, owners have had much shorter “leashes” with coaches than in the past. The term “one and done,” which refers to a coach who only works the position for one year before being fired, has become increasingly common in today’s sporadic coaching landscape. While no one knows precisely how many head coaching vacancies there will be, there are undoubtedly strong opinions from fans regarding the direction of their respective teams.
Thirteen coaches, position coaches, coordinators, and head coaches have been fired this season. As of January 7, there were five head coaching vacancies. Recently, the New England Patriots fired Jerod Mayo, Bill Belichick’s heir apparent. Mayo was inserted into a challenging position with little talent on the roster. Earlier in the year, the New Orleans Saints let go of head coach Dennis Allen. New Orleans should be an appealing city for many coaches, but their lack of elite talent might deter some potential prospects. The Chicago Bears fired Matt Eberflus due to the team’s lack of regular-season success. Some argue that the Bears have the most appealing situation for a coach due to their young talent and the prominent market of Chicago. The Jaguars proved that even Super Bowl-winning coaches can get fired, as they let Doug Pederson go. The promising quarterback play in Jacksonville should appeal to many candidates, although Trevor Lawrence has yet to produce the results many hoped for. The most controversial fired coach was Robert Saleh of the New York Jets. Many executives felt he was a sufficient vote, but shaky ownership and a lack of success led to a quick change in the head coaching role. Coaches are split on their opinions regarding the appeal of the Jets job.
The most coveted candidate during the cycle is looking to be Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson. Johnson has plenty of experience at the NFL and college level, coaching for Boston College, the Miami Dolphins, and, subsequently, the Detroit Lions. His offensive work with the Lions has been nothing short of elite over the last few seasons. He propelled players such as Jared Goff, Graham Glasgow, and David Montgomery, leading the entire unit to back-to-back top 5 offenses. Johnson keeps his circle close, not giving any hints to the media about his future in the league. Many prominent media sources have linked Johnson to the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Chicago Bears. These teams all have young quarterbacks with elite upside for Johnson to work with. Johnson will surely meet with these three teams, and maybe more, before deciding on the most significant choice of his life.
Mike Vrabel, the former Tennessee Titans head coach, will be near the top of many teams’ coaching lists. He saw modest success with the Titans, earning a 2-3 playoff record and knocking off Tom Brady and the Patriots in the Wild Card round. Vrabel has a trait that many believe to be unmatched: intensity. While he might not be the single most intelligent candidate available, his intensity can change the trajectory of a team. Dan Campbell’s success story with the Lions will surely push Vrabel up coaching boards due to their similar ways of building culture and the passion they enshrine in their players. The last coaching candidate who will certainly earn a job is the Detroit Lions’ defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. While his fellow coordinator, Ben Johnson, earns most of the flowers from fans across the league, Glenn has accomplished unbelievable things with the Lions. This year, he has dealt with more injuries than any defense in the league. The Lions consistently saw double-digit players on the injured reserve, yet they still had an excellent defense throughout the year. Furthermore, Glenn has a unique aura to him that draws fans and players toward him. Although defensive coaches are becoming increasingly less coveted, his combination of intelligence, aura, and scouting ability will be attractive to owners across the league.
While many children dream of coaching in the NFL, job security is far more shaky in those positions, leading to a highly stressful life for the coaches. These next few weeks should be very telling for the future of many NFL squads.
