Black Monday has come and gone, and as John Harbaugh knows, not everyone reaches Tuesday. After surviving nearly 20 Black Mondays, Harbaugh’s name was called after Week 18. Of course, he is far from the only name available on the market.
Here’s a look at the best head coaches available in what has suddenly become a deep coaching pool, starting with the most recently fired head coach, Mike McDaniel.
Top 5 NFL Head Coaches On The Market, Including John Harbaugh
#5 – Mike McDaniel
Mike McDaniel inherited a player who wasn’t his choice and was told to create magic. At the time, Tua Tagovailoa was believed to be a star on deck, but now it’s clear there are flaws to his game at the professional level.
McDaniel’s team could have quit on him after a 1-6 start, but his team battled until the end, including a 5-1 run that would have trounced many teams’ entire seasons in the NFL. McDaniel is likely to have a landing spot before too long. The question is where.
#4 – Brian Flores
Brian Flores has prior head coaching experience and helped put together one of the most respected defenses in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings. Depending on the situation, Flores is a great option in 2026. Of course, a few names rank ahead of him.
The biggest red flag is Flores’ history of suing teams he believes were not fair in the interview process. With news updates trickling in about Flores’ ongoing lawsuit alleging discrimination in the interview process, including a potential hearing in the Supreme Court per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, teams are reminded of the risk they will take interviewing the defensive coordinator.
From a pure football standpoint, however, Flores is good enough to be a respected head coach in the NFL.
#3 – Vance Joseph
Vance Joseph has previous head coaching experience and has put together one of the top defenses in the NFL, not once, but twice, with different sets of players. Joseph’s struggles in Arizona can be attributed to the disastrous state of the franchise, so the resume is relatively solid.
His defense’s performance in the playoffs will be his last test before learning if he will coach for a new team in 2026.
#2 – Mike McCarthy
Mike McCarthy appears to have wrapped up his one-year break after losing his job at the Dallas Cowboys. As such, the former Green Bay Packers head coach is ready to take on a new task. Great offenses follow McCarthy, so the team that gets him can almost write it in marker that it will be able to put up points in 2026.
Of course, with a year off could come a level of rust the other candidates don’t have. However, after a few games, McCarthy should be back in top shape, but depending on where he lands, his rust will be the least of anyone’s worries.
#1 – John Harbaugh
John Harbaugh instantly created results when he signed with the Baltimore Ravens. In his first year as a head coach, he reversed a 5-11 team into an 11-5 team and brought the unit to the conference championship.
As such, there’s a chance that the team that signs Harbaugh ends up in the conference championship in 2026. Cardinals? Done. Raiders? No problem. Titans? No sweat. Harbaugh holds a lot of power just because of this and will take his time in choosing where he goes next.
Read More News:
Is John Harbaugh the Dolphins’ Next Head Coach? Rumors Intensify in Miami After Mike McDaniel Firing
Miami Dolphins HC Candidates: Top 5 Potential Replacements After Mike McDaniel Firing
Ravens Head Coach Candidates: Top 5 Potential Replacements For John Harbaugh Ft. Kevin Stefanski
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