Coaching Carousel News and Rumors: Which College Coaches Are Interviewing for NFL Roles?

    Which college coaches are part of the 2025 NFL coaching carousel as the pros look to poach the best talent from college football.

    College-to-NFL head coaching jumps have been a rare occurrence in recent seasons. Fourty-three head coaches were hired between the 2019 and 2024 offseasons, and just four of them came directly from the college ranks: Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals, 2019) Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers, 2020), Urban Meyer (Jacksonville Jaguars, 2021), and Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers, 2024).

    However, multiple receive interviews every year, and with the regularity of turnover — average of seven openings per season over the last five offseasons — there’s always the opportunity for some to make the jump. Which college coaches have participated in the 2025 coaching carousel and interviewed for NFL jobs?

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    2025 Coaching Carousel Tracker

    David Shaw, Former Stanford Head Coach

    Interviews requested: Chicago Bears HC, New Orleans Saints HC

    David Shaw, who has served as a senior personnel executive for the Denver Broncos since June 2024, notably coached for the Stanford Cardinal from 2011-2022, achieving a 96-54 record, including a 5-3 bowl record and four Pac-12 Coach of the Year titles.

    Shaw has experience in the NFL ranks, serving with three different organizations from 1997 to 2005 before spending over a decade with the Cardinal. He has consistently been a coaching candidate among league circles for a while, including conducting multiple interviews during the 2024 offseason (Chargers and Tennessee Titans).

    However, his 2024 interview with the Chargers led to public criticism regarding the reporting of the news, as both ESPN’s Adam Schefter and SI’s Albert Breer reported the news on social media accompanied by the fact that the interview led L.A. to being Rooney Rule-compliant. With Michigan’s Harbaugh the presumed favorite for the role from the start, many took issue with the situation.

    This led to pushback toward the Chargers, the league, and the reporters, given the seeming disregard for Shaw’s legitimacy as a candidate. Overall, the drama overshadowed what is an otherwise impressive résumé, including a seven-year stretch with Stanford where the Cardinal averaged 10.4 wins per year and finished inside the AP Poll Top 25 six times and the top 10 four times.

    Shaw may consistently be a name who gets calls every offseason, but it remains to be seen if he will ever land a head coaching gig in the NFL.

    Matt Campbell, Iowa State Head Coach

    Interviews scheduled or conducted: Chicago Bears HC

    Matt Campbell has been in a head coaching role in the college ranks since 2012, spending five seasons at Toldeo (35-15) before joining the Iowa State Cyclones in 2016. After a 3-9 season in Year 1, he has manned the Cyclones’ ship to winning seasons in seven of his nine years in charge.

    Notably, he had a 9-3 season in 2020 and finished inside the top 10 and had an 11-3 year in 2024, finishing one game shy of the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.

    The three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year has reportedly turned down opportunities to take NFL jobs in the past and has experience building culture while leading NFL talent (11 players drafted since 2019, including three top-100 picks).

    While he will have questions to answer on his plans at the next stage, he has proven himself at the college level. He has a $4 million buyout for his contract that extends until 2032.

    2025 Coaching Carousel Rumors Tracker

    Bill Belichick NFL Reunion Rumors

    It was reported on Jan. 8 by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero that “multiple NFL teams have inquired” about whether 2025 North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick would return to the NFL in 2025, including the Las Vegas Raiders. With Tom Brady and Richard Seymour as a part of their minority ownership group, a pursuit from Vegas tracks logically.

    However, a subsequent report from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini later on Jan. 8 revealed that “Belichick has no plans to return to the NFL, per sources,” and he is focused on his recruiting efforts with UNC.

    READ MORE: Inside UNC, Belichick’s First 48 Hours on the Recruiting Trail

    With a clause in Belichick’s contract dropping his buyout significantly after June 1, 2025, a key salary cap date for the NFL, a move seems more likely to happen later in the offseason, if at all.

    However, it’s hard to imagine any NFL teams waiting until then to hire their head coach of the future, setting up the legendary coach for a new chapter in Chapel Hill, N.C.

    Deion Sanders NFL Rumors

    Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders has been coaching in Boulder, Colo., for two seasons and was a tiebreaker away from a Big 12 Championship Game berth in 2024. Despite his success and the subsequent consistent rumors and cries for a jump to the big stage, he has seemingly rejected the discussion at every turn.

    However, he made one concession on Jan. 8 regarding a potential NFL future, saying, “The only way I would consider [coaching in the NFL] is to coach my sons.”

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    The only teams at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft order with head coaching vacancies this offseason are the New England Patriots (No. 4), the Jaguars (No. 5), the Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6), and the New York Jets (No. 7). However, only half of them will likely be in the QB market this offseason.

    The Las Vegas-Sanders family rumors have run rampant and don’t seem like they will slow down no matter what is said by any parties, but for now, it seems as though Coach Prime and the Colorado athletic staff expect Sanders to return in 2025 with Colorado’s big offseason pickups.

    College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACCBig TenBig 12SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.

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