2026 NFL coaching news: Bills reportedly promote OC Joe Brady to head coach; Brian Daboll headed to Titans

Only two teams are left playing. The Patriots and Seahawks will meet in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, Calif.

Many more teams are still aboard the NFL’s coaching carousel.

The latest big developments landed Tuesday, with the Bills reportedly promoting Joe Brady to head coach after firing Sean McDermott last week. Brady has served as offensive coordinator since November 2023.

Elsewhere in the AFC, the Titans are reportedly hiring Brian Daboll as their next offensive coordinator. Daboll was fired as Giants head coach midseason after being hired in 2022, and now he’ll get a chance to mold 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward under head coach Robert Saleh’s leadership. That follows news on Monday that the Chargers hired former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator.

Over the weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers hired Mike McCarthy to become their next head coach. McCarthy replaces Mike Tomlin, who resigned at the end of the Steelers’ season. He would become the franchise’s fourth head coach since 1969.

Before the Steelers made their move, the Ravens hired Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to replace John Harbaugh, who was fired after the regular season and ultimately landed the Giants head coaching job.. Here’s a rundown of the hirings, firings and buzzy situations to watch.

HEAD COACHES HIREDJoe Brady, Buffalo Bills

Head coaching record: First job, was Bills offensive coordinator from 2023-25

Why he was hired: On the surface, it’s a weird move at best to fire head coach Sean McDermott, publicly state that coaching was a problem with the Bills’ roster … then turn around and promote a coach from that staff. To be fair, Brady is a respected offensive mind who’s fairly renowned for his creativity and maximization of talent. To be blunt, he’s also a first-time head coach who doesn’t figure to upset the power structure team owner Terry Pegula and general manager Brandon Beane clearly have in place.

Buffalo still has Josh Allen, and there’s no doubt Brady has played a key role in developing him into an MVP-level quarterback year in and year out. McDermott’s management of the roster, especially on defense, perhaps went underappreciated during his nine seasons with the Bills, so whomever they hire as defensive coordinator is the next key to watch. But really, the Bills not making a Super Bowl in this era of the franchise has been due to poor luck as much as anything. Maybe Brady is the man to get them over the hump.

Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers

Head coaching record: 174-112-2 regular season, 11-11 playoffs, five seasons with Dallas Cowboys, 13 seasons with Green Bay Packers.

Why he was hired: Sure, it was a while ago, but McCarthy has a Super Bowl ring for a reason — and it happens to be the only one Aaron Rodgers has won in his stellar career. McCarthy re-established his bona fides after his Packers run, leading Dallas to the playoffs in three of his five seasons under Jerry Jones. He sat out the last hiring cycle, seemingly waiting for the perfect job. McCarthy grew up in the Pittsburgh area, so he’s no stranger to the franchise’s lore.

Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens

Head coaching record: First job, was Chargers defensive coordinator from 2024-25

Why he was hired: The Ravens may have fired John Harbaugh, but they’re staying within his tree to replace him. Minter spent four seasons as a defensive assistant in Baltimore under Harbaugh from 2017-2020 before joining Harbaugh’s brother Jim as the University of Michigan’s defensive coordinator. After winning a national championship in Ann Arbor, he followed Jim to the Chargers, where he has spent the past two seasons coordinating a defense that’s finished top-10 in DVOA both years, earning leaguewide respect for the unpredictability of his units and his play-calling prowess. Just 42 years old, Minter was considered one of the top candidates on the market, especially among first-time head coaches.

He steps into a situation where the expectations couldn’t be higher. Lamar Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP, the Ravens have top-end talent as good as anybody’s, and the only thing left for this iteration of the franchise is to reach the Super Bowl and win it. Minter seems to fit the bill of a guy who can do that. Baltimore is notorious for drafting and developing talent and spending little on free agents, so a coach like Minter who maximizes his players seems ideally placed. Plus, Jackson ensures a high floor on offense, so Minter can focus more of his efforts on shoring up a defense that fell short of expectations this past season.

It’s a smart swing — even if a Lombardi Trophy might be the only way the franchise gauges its success.

John Harbaugh, New York Giants

Head coaching record: 180-113 regular season, 13-11 playoffs (including a Super Bowl title), 18 seasons with Baltimore Ravens

Why he was hired: The Giants have had four full-time head coaches and two interims since Tom Coughlin resigned after the 2015 season, and they’re fed up with the turnover. Harbaugh is 63, but he has a lot of juice left and figures to bring stability to a proud franchise that’s fallen on some of the hardest times it’s ever faced. (The Giants’ 59 wins since 2015 are the second-fewest in the NFL, ahead of only the Jets).

There’s talent to develop on the roster between QB Jaxson Dart (who might sync well with Harbaugh’s preferred offensive coordinator, Todd Monken), RB Cam Skattebo, WR Malik Nabers, LT Andrew Thomas, and a defense that includes DT Dexter Lawrence and edge rushers Brian Burns and Abdul Carter. There’s also a general manager in Joe Schoen, as Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson explained, who was apparently willing to cede personnel decision-making to Harbaugh despite the nominal hierarchy inside the franchise. And team owner John Mara, one of the more influential voices in the league, revealed he’s battling an undisclosed form of cancer last September, which likely emboldened the desire for a head coach to come in and command respect immediately.

The Giants have floundered for years, but landing the coach widely viewed as the best on the market brings back instant credibility. Now we’ll see how quickly they can win together.

Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons

Head coaching record: 45-56 regular season, 1-2 playoffs, six seasons with Cleveland Browns

Why he was hired: Stefanski was one of the top names on the market, with the NFL at large looking at more than just his wins and losses with the Browns while trying to lift a struggling franchise into playoff contention. Sound familiar, Atlanta? Stefanski’s offensive acumen is a hybrid of multiple schemes and coaching trees, which can help new president of football Matt Ryan sort through the talent the Falcons have on that side of the ball (including Kirk Cousins, whom Stefanski coached in Minnesota). They’re also retaining defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich after the Falcons’ defense made big strides this season.

Stefanski as head coach and offensive mastermind, with Ulbrich sticking around to continue building his side of the ball? That’s a solid recipe going forward, even if the answer at quarterback and no first-round pick this spring present significant challenges. If team owner Arthur Blank is finally willing to be patient and let this project play out, Stefanski could end the Falcons’ eight-year playoff drought sooner than expected, especially in a weak NFC South.

Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins

Head coaching record: First job, was Packers defensive coordinator from 2024-25

Why he was hired: The direct connection is Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was hired as Dolphins general manager on Jan. 9 after spending over two decades in the Packers’ organization, most recently as vice president of player personnel.

As for the broader fit? Well, the Dolphins have proven to be a less attractive option among coaching candidates this cycle than previously expected, Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported, based largely on the salary cap cleanup required as the team moves on from Tua Tagovailoa. With John Harbaugh off the board, Hafley is the most logical next move, perhaps for both parties. Hafley has head coaching experience at Boston College from 2020-23, he improved Green Bay’s defenses the last two seasons, and Miami would do well to lean on that side of the ball — not to mention star RB De’Von Achane and an improving O-line — while the Dolphins try to sort out the QB situation in what now looks like a multi-season project.

Hafley is considered to be one of the stronger candidates on the market, and the Dolphins didn’t mess around in securing their best possible outcome.

Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans

Head coaching record: 20-36, fired five games into fourth season with New York Jets

Why he was hired: The general consensus around the league is Saleh’s failures with the Jets were largely out of his control, and he’s had good defenses wherever he’s been. He’ll reportedly call defensive plays in Tennessee, so it’ll be interesting to see who the Titans hire on the offensive staff to continue developing Cam Ward, who looked more and more promising as his rookie season went on.

Most of all, however, Saleh figures to help stabilize a Titans franchise that’s on its second general manager and now second head coach (third counting interim) since firing Mike Vrabel after the 2023 season. It’s a little surprising Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy didn’t get the job, considering his availability and ties to GM Mike Borgonzi from their time together in Kansas City, but perhaps Nagy is in play for the same position now that Saleh has been tabbed. Either way, Saleh is the kind of firm, even-keeled leader who could go a long way toward halting all the losing in Tennessee.

FIRED

Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans (in season)
Brian Daboll, New York Giants (in season)
Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills

RESIGNED

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL coaching news live blogLive354 updatesTue, January 27, 2026 at 9:47 AM PST

Yahoo Sports Staff

Former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is set to become the Tennessee Titans’ next offensive coordinator if he isn’t hired by the Las Vegas Raiders, according to multiple reports. Daboll will join former Jets coach Robert Saleh’s staff, after Saleh was hired by the Titans last week. The pair will be tasked with developing quarterback Cam Ward after a rocky rookie season.

Daboll has completed two interviews with Las Vegas, most recently on Monday. Broncos offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are also thought to be frontrunners for the job.

2026 NFL coaching news: Bills reportedly promote OC Joe Brady to head coach; Brian Daboll headed to Titans

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