The NFL has a crazy turnover rate every season, which includes coaches getting hired and fired. This offseason, six head coaches were replaced, and eight were fired and replaced in 2023. From Deion Sanders to coaches such as Robert Saleh who are waiting on their next opportunities, here are ten head coaching candidates to watch for 2025.
Ten NFL Head Coaching Candidates To Watch in 2025
1. Chris Shula, LA Rams DC
Shula, the grandson of legendary football coach Don Shula, is someone to watch for head coaching jobs in 2025. Shula will be in his second season calling the defense for the LA Rams, and with the youth and potential of the group spearheaded by their ferocious defensive line, it could lead to a head coaching opportunity for Shula.
It also helps that under head coach Sean McVay, many of his assistants have gone on to get head coaching jobs under him, most recently Raheem Morris and Kevin O’Connell.
2. Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders OC
After being fired from his first head coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals in January of 2023, Kingsbury could be looking for his next opportunity after the 2025 season. Kingsbury was arguably the best offensive coordinator in the league last season, coaching electric rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to arguably the best rookie season of any quarterback ever.
Under Kingsbury, Washington’s offense finished fifth in points scored and seventh in total yards and fell one game short of the Super Bowl. Kingsbury received head coaching interest after last season but decided to stay in Washington for another season.
3. Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings DC
Flores is another coach who will look for his second opportunity as a head coach in the NFL with a strong season in 2025. Flores will be heading into his third season as the defensive coordinator for the Vikings, and in his previous two, the Vikings have been among the league’s best. In two seasons, they have totaled 53 defensive takeaways, which is the third most in the NFL. They tied for the league lead last season with 33.
4. Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills OC
Brady has been the Bills offensive coordinator for two seasons and has posted top-of-the-league results. In 2024, the Bills finished second in scoring with 30.9 points per game, earned themselves the number two seed in the AFC, and netted Josh Allen his first NFL MVP award.
Brady received interest around the league this offseason for jobs, but with another strong year in Buffalo, Brady could be looked at as the top choice for openings next offseason.
5. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame HC
Fresh off of a National Championship appearance back in January of 2025, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman might be a hot name to watch for NFL coaching vaccines. Though Freeman has been on the record saying he loves being at Notre Dame, with another strong playoff run with the Fighting Irish this coming season, Freeman could be heavily pursued by NFL teams.
6. Deion Sanders, Colorado HC
Sanders, also known as “Coach Prime,” will always be on the NFL’s radar for head coaching opportunities as long as he is coaching at the college level. Both his sons, Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders, are in the NFL, and if presented an opportunity to coach his sons in the NFL, Prime could make the jump from college to the pros.
Deion recently signed an extension at Colorado, and if he were to leave after the 2025 season, it would be $12 million for his buyout for any NFL team that would hire him.
7. Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers DC
Saleh was fired from the New York Jets in the middle of the season after being hired by them in 2021 from SF. Instead of taking a year off, Saleh jumped right back into the coaching ranks, returning to SF to be the defensive coordinator again while awaiting another chance to be a head coach.
While in SF for his first tenure, his defenses always ranked among the top of the league and helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl in 2019.
8. Zac Robinson, Atlanta Falcons OC
Robinson will enter his second season as an NFL offensive coordinator after spending most of his coaching tenure in the NFL in the LA Rams organization. The Falcons have a good opportunity in front of them this season to win their division in the NFC South, and if Robinson’s chemistry with second-year quarterback Michael Penix pays off, it could see Robinson become an NFL head coach sooner than later.
With talented pieces like Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson, the Falcons could be one of the top offenses in the league in 2025.
9. Nick Caley, Houston Texans OC
Caley will be in his first season as an offensive coordinator after being the LA Rams tight ends coach and passing game coordinator the last couple of seasons. If Caley can help C.J. Stroud and the Texan’s offense bounce back in 2025, Caley could be one and done in Houston.
10. Mike LaFleur, LA Rams OC
Mike LaFleur is the the brother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and should be a name to watch on the head coaching circuit in 2025. Every coach who has held the offensive coordinator position in LA under McVay have gone on to head coaching jobs which includes Matt LaFleur who was the Rams OC in 2017. Kevin O’Connell and Liam Coen are two other head coaches who had the OC position under McVay.
Main Image: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
