The NFL will have at least seven new head coaches for the 2025 season, representing almost a fourth of the league’s 32 teams. Six have been hired, with the New Orleans Saints expected to find their man soon.
Here’s breaking down who made the best and worst hires, from Caleb Williams getting an ideal offensive-minded leader to Dak Prescott seeing an uninspiring in-house promotion.
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Johnson was the most sought-after young rookie coach because of his fantastic work with the Lions‘ offense. The Bears are hoping he’ll benefit Caleb Williams plenty in Year 2 to prompt a big breakout season for the No. 1 overall pick. As he did with the Lions, the first priority will be upgrading the offensive line. Johnson also landed OC Declan Doyle and DC Dennis Allen, ideals supporting coordinators for his staff.
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The Patriots were hasty to promote Jerod Mayo to replace Bill Belichick at first, but they were smart to reverse course after only one season and hire another former linebacker of theirs. Vrabel got the Titans to overachieve with hard-nosed defense and a dynamic, run-based offense. He can have that same impact to get more out of their players on both sides of the ball, starting with second-year QB Drake Maye.
The Jaguars didn’t let up in trying to get Coen, the former Buccaneers offensive coordinator, who once worked under Rams wunderkind Sean McVay. Jacksonville tried the radical route with Urban Meyer and then went for a one-time Super Bowl winner in Doug Pederson. Now, they’re rolling with the others in the league by going after a rising, hot-shot play-caller and quarterback whisperer who should be a huge help for 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence.
Carroll once again becomes the oldest coach in the NFL over new division rival Andy Reid, 66, also joining an AFC West that has his former 49ers and Pac-12 rival, Jim Harbaugh. Rounding out the group is one-time Super Bowl winner Sean Payton. The Raiders needed a venerable heavy-hitter to clean up their mess, starting with the defense and then finding the right complementary QB. Tom Brady had to make this move for a well-respected coach he once helped beat in a Super Bowl.
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Glenn goes back to the team for which he starred as a defensive back, as the Jets stay with a defensive-minded coach to replace Robert Saleh. Glenn did well with the Lions as their complementary coordinator and will get back to fixing that side, but he has an offensive mess to clean up, too, starting with the big decision on Aaron Rodgers’ future.
MORE: Aaron Glenn dodges questions about Aaron Rodgers as his starting QB
The Cowboys went from moving on from Mike McCarthy to promoting his offensive coordinator. It’s a shocking, non-big-name move from Jerry Jones, who stayed conservative with someone already on staff, despite a lot of disappointment with or without a healthy Dak Prescott in 2024. This doesn’t move the needle considering the Eagles and Commanders were the NFC finalists and another East team, the Giants, still has a better offensive-minded coach in Brian Daboll.
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