NFL coaching, GM shakeups are coming: What I’m hearing as the firing cycle begins

CBS Sports | American Football | 01/04/2026

Sources around the league outline which head coaches and general managers are safe, which are not, and how the NFL’s hiring calendar is about to unfold

By Jonathan Jones

The NFL hiring — and firing — cycle is upon us as the regular season concludes. The Giants and Titans already have openings at head coach while the Dolphins are the lone team without a GM.

Recent history tells us there will be six to eight head coach vacancies and two to four GM openings. But in talking with sources around the league, it is definitely harder to get to that total at GM than it is at head coach.

The NFL has tried to slow the hiring process down the last few years. Since it’s been 12 months since we have gone through this, here’s a quick refresher on the upcoming calendar:

Teams will start requesting interviews with candidates early this week, and teams can interview candidates on teams who aren’t playing in the wild-card round beginning Tuesday (in the case of the four teams playing Saturday night) and Wednesday (for everyone else playing Sunday).
In-person interviews can’t begin until Jan. 19 unless the coach is not employed by a team, and a second in-person interview can’t take place until Jan. 26.
And in order to complete the hiring process, teams must comply with the Rooney Rule which dictates interviewing, in person, at least two external candidates who are people of color or women.

No matter what, be sure to remember that your favorite team is “casting a wide net” looking for “the right person that fits” them regardless of background, because your team “will leave no stone unturned” to make sure they “get this right” with the goal of “building a sustained winner.”

Here’s what I’m hearing at head coach

Browns, Stefanski headed for splitsville

The Cleveland Browns and head coach Kevin Stefanski appeared destined for a breakup after six seasons. A two-time NFL Coach of the Year, Stefanski is 44-56 at the helm in Cleveland with two winning seasons and two playoff appearances.

At 43, Stefanski remains a young coach who is well thought of across the league, and few would be surprised if he winds up getting another head-coaching gig this cycle. In consecutive losing seasons Stefanski has handed off play-calling duties to his offensive coordinator, with last year going to Ken Dorsey and this year to Tommy Rees. It will be interesting to see how he handles that at his next stop should the expected take place.

The Pete Carroll era will end quickly in Vegas

The downward spiral that has been this season for the Las Vegas Raiders can’t come quickly enough, and signs point to this being a one-and-done season for legendary head coach Pete Carroll. Put simply, it hasn’t worked in Vegas. Carroll wasn’t Tom Brady’s first choice there, and the end result was a hodgepodge of differing coaching philosophies on top of a different personnel philosophy. Carroll fired two coordinators, including an offensive coordinator who is due $12 million from Mark Davis over the next two years, but kept his two sons who oversee underperforming groups. But his leadership showed through the past few weeks when the decision to place Maxx Crosby on IR could have ignited a powder keg.

Armed with the No. 1 overall pick, the Raiders are expected to again be led by Brady in the interview process this month. It was curious a year ago when the Raiders did not involve team president Sandra Douglass Morgan in much of the interview process. A recent trend in the league has been involving a diverse set of high-ranking executives in the process to make a sound organizational decision. Perhaps the team could benefit from having her voice — or even her ear — be one input in the process of finding the new leader of the team.

Jets likely to give Glenn second chance

Might Aaron Glenn be a second one-and-done coach in the league this year? It is highly unlikely. It has been a bad, bad year for Gang Green, but sources don’t sense Woody Johnson is inclined to cut bait on Glenn even if the performance on the field was below expectations. Glenn will soon prepare for defensive coordinator interviews, and there’s likely to be more staff shakeup after this season. The belief is Johnson wants to see what Glenn can do with a quarterback in Year 2, and the Jets have more ammunition than any other team to go get one.

Morris’ fate up in the air in ATL

No one is willing to confidently call Raheem Morris “safe” this cycle. The late-season jolt has helped his case for a third season after the team underachieved on the field at nearly every area except pass rush. Atlanta finishes its season Sunday against the Saints. Would a fourth consecutive win — with a chance to spur a three-way tie in the NFC South that would not include a playoff berth — be enough to buy Morris a third year?

Might Arizona stand pat?

Is Arizona It is not for certain the Cardinals will retain third-year coach Jonathan Gannon, though many have said to me that Michael Bidwill may be unwilling to pay three fired coaches at one time, as well as the fact the offense has been playing “with a practice squad” as one source put it. Gannon has handled himself well in press conferences that aren’t easy. There are big decisions Arizona has to make about its future, including at QB with Kyler Murray.

McDaniel expected back in Miami

As we have been reporting for weeks, it would be a surprise if Mike McDaniel is not back with Miami next season. That’s the way things have been shaping up for more than a month, and last week’s win with rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers helped reinforce that.

Big Red not going anywhere

No, Andy Reid is not retiring. He is set to make $20 million per year for the rest of the decade and still has Patrick Mahomes at quarterback.

Late skid should not sink Bowles

Buccaneers ownership usually waits until the end of the season to evaluate head coaches. It seems unlikely Tampa would part with Todd Bowles after paying him a three-year extension in the offseason. Bowles is 34-33 in Tampa, along with three playoff appearances that he hopes to make four after this weekend. Staff changes, however this season turns out, are likely, at the very least.

Coaching implications of Sunday night

John Hargbaugh and Mike Tomlin, two institutions of the AFC North, are both likely to return. Getty Images

The colossal Sunday night game against the Ravens and Steelers is an elimination game for the two teams, but not necessarily for the two coaches. If Mike Tomlin is not the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers next year, it will be his decision, as reported previously. He also has a no-trade clause, and the mechanics of a trade would be difficult to pull off because it would mean the Steelers would have to start a search late in the cycle’s calendar. Meanwhile, sources tend to believe John Harbaugh would be back in 2026 regardless of Sunday’s result. He signed an extension this past offseason that takes him through the 2028 season.