7. Brian Schottenheimer – Cowboys
The Cowboys’ hire was met with a collective eye-roll around NFL circles. This was the easy choice for the worst of the bunch. To start off, no other team would have even considered hiring Schottenheimer other than the Cowboys. Despite being the team’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, Schottenheimer did not call plays, making this promotion even more of a stretch.
Jerry Jones can attempt to justify this hire all he wants, but that won’t change the fact that not a single fan or analyst is seriously convinced about Schottenheimer’s capabilities. The hire feels like a calculated bid for Jones to maintain full control over the Cowboys organization. But hey, it’s not the worst decision made by a Dallas sports GM in 2025.
6. Liam Coen – Jaguars
Aside from his incredibly awkward introductory press conference, Coen’s lack of experience is where the real concern lies. He was only the offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay for one season, having previously filled the same role for the Kentucky Wildcats and Los Angeles Rams in multiple different back-and-forth stints.
There are multiple factors that indicate why Coen could have success. For one, the Buccaneers’ offense finished ranked within the top five in most major categories in 2024. Baker Mayfield also saw career-highs in passing yards (4,500), passing touchdowns (41), and passer rating (106.8) under Coen. Perhaps Trevor Lawrence can have a similar resurgence next season with Coen’s leadership.
5. Aaron Glenn – Jets
Aaron Glenn was one of the hottest coordinators on the market during this hiring cycle, having proved his coaching prowess in four seasons as the Lions’ defensive coordinator. However, it’s hard to say if Glenn has what it takes to turn around this historically incompetent franchise.
The hire has many striking similarities with the Jets’ last head coach, Robert Saleh. Both Saleh and Glenn were highly touted defensive coordinators that were viewed as top head coaching candidates. The Jets will hope that Glenn’s tenure fares better than Saleh’s did.
4. Kellen Moore – Saints
Fresh off a Super Bowl win as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore takes over one of the league’s more troubled franchises. The Saints find themselves in NFL purgatory due to their aging roster and awful cap situation. Despite finishing in last place in the NFC South with a record of 5-12 (their worst record since 2005), New Orleans will be picking 9th in the upcoming NFL Draft. They will end up missing out on a top quarterback or an elite player like Travis Hunter unless they decide to trade up.
Moore has never been a head coach before. And while his resume as a coordinator with the Cowboys and Eagles is impressive, he will have his work cut out for him coaching this team which is currently directionless.
3. Pete Carroll – Raiders
The only real negative to this hire is the fact that Pete Carroll will turn 74 years old in 2025. Other than that, Carroll has been a proven culture changer in the past, having built a perennial contender out of the Seahawks for over a decade. He was able to build Seattle through the draft, something he will be have to do once again to replenish Las Vegas’ anemic roster.
Carroll also gives the Raiders somewhat of a foothold in what will be a brutally tough AFC West going forward. They will need all the help they can get in order to have any shot at competing with the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos.
2. Ben Johnson – Bears
Speaking of in demand coordinators, nobody was more widely pursued than Ben Johnson. It was the kind of hire that the Bears had to make given their recent string of mediocre head coaches. Even though Johnson is unproven as a head coach, many believe that he has the potential to be an offensive innovator—something that Chicago desperately needs.
The Bears have to compete against the likes of Dan Campbell, Matt LaFleur, and Kevin O’Connell, all of whom have proven themselves to be among the upper echelon of active NFL head coaches. Hiring an offensive guy will also aid in the development of Caleb Williams, who was subjected to some of the worst coaching in the entire league during his rookie season.
1. Mike Vrabel – Patriots
Vrabel to the Patriots was the most obvious fit of the entire hiring cycle. It was a match that I had predicted as soon as the season ended and it came to fruition before any of the other hires. Vrabel had been seen as one of 2025’s top candidates for quite some time—one that was expected to be pursued by numerous different teams.
As one of the most successful Belichick disciples, Vrabel is the perfect candidate to turn the Patriots back into a contender. In the AFC East, catching up to Buffalo will be a demanding task; however, both the Dolphins and Jets are vulnerable should New England have a strong offseason.
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