How Many Coaching Vacancies Are There In The NFL?

Looking to get into coaching in the NFL? Here’s a breakdown of how many coaching vacancies there are at each level of the sport.

Introduction

The answer to this question largely depends on the year that you ask it. In recent years, there have been an average of 7-8 coaching vacancies in the NFL. However, this number can fluctuate greatly from year to year. For example, in 2017 there were only 5 coaching vacancies, while in 2018 there were 11.

The NFL’s Coaching Carousel

The NFL’s coaching carousel is in full swing. As of right now, there are eight head coaching vacancies. That number could rise or fall depending on what happens with a few other teams, but it’s still a significant number. This is the most coaching turnover we’ve seen in the NFL in quite some time.

Coaching Vacancies

As of January 3rd, there are 7 NFL coaching vacancies. These teams are the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Washington Redskins.

Coaching Changes

The 2019 NFL season is officially in the books, and that means it’s time for the annual coaching carousel. So far, there have been six coaching changes, with more likely to come. Here’s a look at all the latest coaching news and rumors:

-The Arizona Cardinals have fired head coach Steve Wilks after just one season. Wilks was hired last year to replace the retired Bruce Arians, but he went 3-13 in his only season at the helm. Cardinals offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is rumored to be a leading candidate to replace Wilks.

-The Cincinnati Bengals have also made a change, firing head coach Marvin Lewis after 16 seasons. Lewis led the Bengals to seven playoff appearances, but they never won a postseason game under his tenure. It’s unclear who will replace Lewis at this point.

-The Green Bay Packers are making a change at head coach as well, firing Mike McCarthy after 13 seasons. McCarthy led the Packers to a Super Bowl win in 2010, but they failed to make the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin is serving as interim head coach for the rest of the season.

-The Jacksonville Jaguars are making a change at head coach as well, firing Doug Marrone after three seasons. Marrone led the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game last season, but they have struggled mightily this year and currently have the worst record in the NFL at 3-13. It’s unclear who will replace Marrone at this point.

-The New York Jets are also making a change at head coach, firing Todd Bowles after four seasons. Bowles led the Jets to 10 wins in 2015, but they failed to make the playoffs in each of the past three seasons. It’s unclear who will replace Bowles at this point.

-The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making a change at head coach as well, firing Dirk Koetter after three seasons. Koetter led the Buccaneers to nine wins in 2016, but they slipped to 5-11 this season and haven’t made the playoffs since 2007. It’s unclear who will replace Koetter at this point, but defensive coordinator Mike Smith is rumored to be a leading candidate.

Conclusion

When all is said and done, there will likely be between 6 and 8 coaching vacancies in the NFL this offseason. With so many potential openings, it will be an interesting offseason for sure.