Heading into the 2025 NFL offseason, seven head coaches were fired. The organizations part of the head coaching search were the Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and the New Orleans Saints. Each of these teams missed the playoffs in 2024, and are looking to turn around their franchise with a new head coach ahead of the 2025 season.
New England Patriots Hire Mike Vrabel
The Patriots fired Jerod Mayo after just one season with the team. The team struggled mightily on defense, which was concerning considering Mayo was a defensive minded coach. In response, the Patriots hired another defensive minded coach in Mike Vrabel. Vrabel is already in the New England Patriots Hall of Fame, thanks to his services as a linebacker for the team. Vrabel was most recently the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. Vrabel would finish his first four seasons with a winning record, including 2019 where they knocked off the defending Super Bowl champions New England Patriots, the 14-2 Baltimore Ravens, and held a halftime lead against the eventual Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs. However, two straight seasons with a losing record would cost Vrabel his job. Vrabel was a very solid coach in Tennessee, known for motivating his players, which is a culture change that will be welcome in New England after the 2024 season.
Chicago Bears Hire Ben Johnson
The 2024 season was yet another forgettable season for the Chicago Bears. It seemed to be another repeatable cycle for the Bears. They decided to keep Matt Eberflus for this season, after an offseason where the Bears loaded up with veteran players and generational quarterback talent in Caleb Williams. The season would be underwhelming for the Bears, who went 5-12, including an eleven game losing streak in the middle of the season. Williams struggled in his first year under center, so it was clear Chicago would need an offensive minded coach for the job. Knowing this, they would go out and get Ben Johnson, who was by far the best offensive mind on the market. Over the last three seasons as offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, Johnson has consistently fielded a top-5 offense. Johnson will be vital in helping Caleb Williams and the rest of the offense live up to the lofty standards before the 2024 season.
New York Jets Hire Aaron Glenn
The New York Jets were expected to be a contender in 2024. They had a top defense, and Aaron Rodgers coming back from injury to help boost the offense. They even traded for Davante Adams in the middle of the season. But the season wouldn’t go to plan, as the Jets would fall to 5-12. Aaron Rodgers struggled mightily during the season, and enters the 2025 offseason mulling retirement. While the decision Rodgers makes will obviously effect the teams’ 2025 season, who the Jets would hire as head coach would have the greatest impact. With a talented roster, it would be important for the Jets to have a culture shift away from losing. There was no better motivator on the market than Aaron Glen, who was renowned for how he commanded the Detroit Lions defense through so many injuries and setbacks during the 2024 season. This culture change will be paramount for a Jets team that has the longest playoff drought in the league.
Las Vegas Raiders Hire Pete Carroll
Since the team moved to Vegas in 2021, the Raiders have had four different head coaches. Of these coaches, the only one to command a winning record is Rich Bisaccia as interim head coach in 2021. Despite this, the Raiders have consistently fielded talent on both sides of the ball. After years of hiring first time head coaches, it was expected that Las Vegas would hire a veteran name on the market to stabilize their franchise. Pete Carroll brings in over 40 years of coaching experience on all levels. He was the head coach of USC during their dominant years in the 2000’s, where the school won two national championships. Carroll would also coach Seattle from 2010-2024, where he would go to two Super Bowls, including a dominant victory in Super Bowl 48. Carroll also led Seattle to ten postseason appearances throughout his tenure, which is success the Raiders are expecting him to bring to Las Vegas.
Current Vacancies
The Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, and New Orleans Saints are still searching for their future head coach.
