Top 6 Open NFL Head Coaching Jobs

Every NFL head coaching opening is, by definition, a dream job. There are only 32 of them. You’re at the absolute peak of the profession. Win enough games, and you’re hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Lose enough, and you’re back on TV breaking down film with perfect hindsight.

Right now, six teams are staring into that pressure cooker. And while all six jobs are technically “great,” some come with far fewer landmines than others.

No. 6 — Cleveland Browns

Cleveland lands here not because the roster is hopeless — the defense is legit — but because the math is brutal. The Browns hold the sixth and 28th overall picks, which is real draft capital. But they’re also sitting on roughly $3 million in cap space and one of the most immovable contracts in the league.

Any coach taking this job must answer one question immediately: What do we do with Deshaun Watson? Until that’s solved, everything else is noise.

No. 5 — Las Vegas Raiders

On paper, this looks tempting: the first overall pick and over $110 million in cap space. That’s how rebuilds are supposed to start.

But there’s an elephant in the room — Tom Brady. How involved is he? How much say does he have? And how does that dynamic actually work day-to-day? Add in an offense that struggled to protect anyone (a running back getting most of his yards after contact tells you everything), and this job comes with serious unknowns.

Still, it’s Vegas. That counts for something.

No. 4 — Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons don’t have a first-round pick and don’t have much cap flexibility, but context matters. This division is wide open. Eight wins took it this year.

The offensive pieces are already there — Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson — and the roster has enough talent to win immediately. The real question is quarterback direction. If you believe you can stabilize that position, this job suddenly looks very appealing.

No. 3 — Arizona Cardinals

Arizona has young weapons, solid cap space, and premium draft positioning. Trey McBride has quietly become one of the most productive tight ends in football, and the receiving core is on the rise.

The issue? The division. When three teams in your division are winning 12+ games, the margin for error disappears. And then there’s Kyler Murray — is he the guy, or isn’t he? A coach taking this job needs ownership alignment immediately.

No. 2 — Tennessee Titans

This is the sneaky-good option. Tennessee has the youngest roster in the league, the fourth overall pick, and over $113 million in cap space — plus no state income tax.

The Titans already invested heavily at quarterback, meaning a new coach gets a young signal-caller on a rookie deal and flexibility everywhere else. If you like building long-term instead of patching holes, this job makes a ton of sense.

No. 1 — New York Giants

Yes, it’s New York. Yes, the pressure is enormous. But the Giants offer something coaches crave: structure.

There’s defensive talent, young offensive playmakers, and a clear draft path forward. The biggest question — as with several teams on this list — is quarterback belief. If ownership and coach are aligned on that answer, this becomes the most powerful reset opportunity in the league.

Bottom line:

Every one of these jobs can change a career. But the best situations aren’t about headlines or markets — they’re about cap flexibility, quarterback clarity, and organizational trust. Get those right, and the carousel stops spinning fast.