<
>
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Get ESPN+

NFL head-coach openings: Latest buzz, rumors and top candidates

Will Brian Flores and Dan Quinn each get another chance to be a head coach during this cycle? AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

And so we wait. The NFL has stood at five head-coaching openings since the Texans fired Lovie Smith and the Cardinals moved on from Kliff Kingsbury in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 season, joining Broncos, Colts and Panthers franchises that made leadership changes during the campaign. While the ensuing two-plus weeks have brought lots of confirmed interviews as well as a fair share of conjecture, the first team to make a move still remains a mystery.

To be sure, the deliberate pace does not mean nothing is happening, with all five clubs engaged in comprehensive searches. Sean Payton's name continues to loom as the key that could unlock the entire carousel season, but there are no sure things in regard to the Saints' Super Bowl winner's future whereabouts. To make sense of all the latest on both the head-coach and coordinator search front, NFL Insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler have consulted with plugged-in sources from around the league and offered the latest forecast and their own interpretations of events.

Jump to:
Cardinals | Panthers | Broncos
Texans | Colts | Assistants