Sean McDermott is one of the top NFL head coaches currently available, but recent reporting from Ian Rapoport suggests that McDermott is likely to take the upcoming year off.
Once McDermott was fired, it quickly became clear that NFL teams were not rushing to interview him, and now, with only the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders still searching for a head coach, he is clearly out of the current hiring cycle.
Similar to Mike Tomlin, McDermott may be preparing for either a brief reset year or a return to coaching in the 2026 NFL season. This is not necessarily a negative outcome, as coaches like Mike McCarthy sat out a season before becoming the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach, while Mike Vrabel also took a year off before landing with the New England Patriots.
The question then becomes projecting into the future: which NFL teams could be in need of a new head coach after the 2026 season? One team that makes a lot of sense is the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Looking across the NFL landscape, several teams could realistically be in the market for a new head coach after next season, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Philadelphia Eagles.
While it is still early, the Eagles stand out as a franchise with extremely high expectations that historically refuses to settle for less, much like the Buffalo Bills under McDermott or the Baltimore Ravens when they moved on from John Harbaugh.
Philadelphia signed Nick Sirianni to a multi-year extension following the 2025 Super Bowl, though neither owner Jeffrey Lurie nor general manager Howie Roseman disclosed the length of the deal. As history has shown, NFL teams are more than willing to fire coaches even when multiple years remain on their contracts.
One major factor working in McDermott’s favor is his strong connection to the Eagles organization. From 2001 to 2010, McDermott worked his way up within Philadelphia’s staff, eventually becoming the defensive coordinator in 2009. Those prior organizational ties often matter in NFL hiring cycles, as seen with Mike McCarthy’s past connection to the Steelers playing a role in his return to coaching.
McDermott also has deep personal ties to the Philadelphia area. He grew up in the suburbs, with his family living in West Chester before settling in Lansdale when he was in second grade. He attended La Salle College High School and North Penn High School before playing college football at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, still relatively close to Philadelphia.
Despite an 11-6 season, questions continue to surround Sirianni. The Eagles have been one-and-done in the playoffs in three of the past five seasons, with the other two resulting in Super Bowl appearances.
Even during their 2024 Super Bowl run, reports suggested Sirianni was operating on a short leash. In Philadelphia, expectations are championship-or-bust, and if the 2026 season fails to meet those standards, the organization could once again be searching for a new head coach.
McDermott, just now 51 years old, brings proven success as an NFL head coach.
During his tenure with the Buffalo Bills, he consistently fielded one of the league’s most competitive teams, making seven straight playoffs, and six straight seasons of winning a playoff game.
While some believe McDermott prefers calling defensive plays himself, he has previously stated: “I don’t see that you’re able to be exactly the best defensive coordinator in the league, the best head coach in the league,”
With the Eagles currently benefiting from Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator, a potential McDermott hire should likely involve retaining Fangio to maintain defensive continuity.