Top NFL Head Coach Candidates for 2023

Sports Illustrated compiles a list of the top coordinators, assistants and former head coaches ahead of this season’s coaching carousel.

As the NFL season winds down, firing season and hiring season are approaching, which means teams will be looking to fill their newly vacated head coaching positions. Many former head coaches and assistants from around the league will have the opportunity to interview for a head job in January.

The head coaching jobs with the Panthers, Colts and Broncos are currently open, and there should be even more openings when the season ends and teams make their final personnel decisions. Last year, 10 NFL head coaching jobs opened up in January, with another opening in the spring when Bruce Arians retired from the Buccaneers.

Here is a list of some of the top candidates teams will consider this offseason.

Former Saints coach Sean Payton

There will be no more coveted coaching candidate than Payton, the former Saints head coach. Payton retired from New Orleans last offseason, but already is reportedly looking to return to the sidelines after just one year off. In order to get him, a team will have to pay him handsomely and acquire his contract rights from the Saints. But there likely will be strong interest in the Super Bowl XLIV champion.

Eagles OC Shane Steichen

Shane Steichen is in his second season as offensive coordinator with the Eagles :: Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports

The best team in the league often gets its staff plundered during hiring season, and there’s no reason to believe the Eagles won’t, too. Steichen is in his second year as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator, his second stint as a coordinator, and he has helped Eagles coach Nick Sirianni assemble a top NFL offense. With NFL teams looking for the next young offensive mind, Steichen is someone to watch this offseason.

Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon

While Steichen just recently rose to prominence, the other Philadelphia coordinator is more experienced with the process. Gannon interviewed with multiple teams last year, and another year leading a strong Eagles defense has only bolstered his résumé. As Philadelphia approaches the playoffs, there is a realistic possibility it could lose both coordinators this winter.

49ers DC DeMeco Ryans

DeMeco Ryans replaced Robert Saleh as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2021 :: Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports

For the second straight season, the 49ers defense has performed as one of the top units in the league, thanks in large part to Ryans. The former Texans linebacker took over for Robert Saleh in 2021, and he has kept up the standard of strong defenses in San Francisco. Last year, Ryans interviewed for the Vikings and Raiders jobs. Interest in his services is likely to be even more significant this offseason.

Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy

It seems as if Bieniemy has been a top candidate for several years, but the Chiefs’ deep playoff runs in recent seasons likely have hurt him in the eyes of impatient potential employers. The Chiefs’ offensive coordinator is again leading one of the top offenses in the league, which could lead to a second MVP award for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. At some point, all that success likely merits a head coaching position.

Cowboys DC Dan Quinn

Dan Quinn has presided over a stingy Dallas defense the past two seasons :: Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

The former Falcons head coach has re-established himself as a top defensive coordinator with the Cowboys, and it might get him another shot as a head coach. Quinn interviewed for several jobs last year, coming close to landing the Broncos job before deciding to return to the Cowboys this season. That might not be the case again in 2023.

Cowboys OC Kellen Moore

Moore just entered the coaching field in 2018, but he’s been the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator since 2019 under two different head coaches. As a result, he has more experience than a typical 34-year-old assistant. Moore has helped the Cowboys offense perform at a high level statistically for a second straight season.

Bills DC Leslie Frazier

Leslie Frazier has served as an NFL coordinator or head coach for each of the past 20 seasons.  :: Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports

The former Vikings head coach has done an excellent job running the Bills defense, helping the team make four consecutive playoff appearances, including the past three AFC East titles. Frazier boasts three years of head coaching experience in addition to being one of the top coordinators in the league. That résumé should get him consideration for another head coaching job.

Rams DC Raheem Morris

After winning a Super Bowl as the Rams’ defensive coordinator, Morris came close to getting the Vikings job last year before the Rams’ other coordinator, Kevin O’Connell, got the job. Despite a down season for the Rams in 2022, Morris remains a candidate with experience on both sides of the ball. Since he was fired as the Buccaneers’ head coach in 2011, Morris has established himself as one of the top assistants in the league.

Former Colts coach Frank Reich

Reich was fired by the Colts in November, but he enjoyed solid success in Indianapolis over the past four-plus years. He led the team to two playoff berths and a 40-33-1 record since 2018. Colts owner Jim Irsay soured on Reich, but he’s someone who could be appealing to teams looking for candidates with head coaching success. He also served as offensive coordinator for the Eagles when they won Super Bowl LII in the 2017 season. 

Lions OC Ben Johnson

Johnson might be the biggest rising star on this list, going from tight ends coach to top offensive coordinator in one year. His work in leading the Lions to a top-five offense has helped give the team an opportunity to make the playoffs, making him one of the rising offensive coaches in the league.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh

It seems as if Harbaugh has been rumored to return to the NFL ever since Michigan hired him in 2015, but it hasn’t led to anything. Last year, after making the College Football Playoff, Harbaugh interviewed with the Vikings but ended up staying in Ann Arbor. This year, he has another chance to win a national championship, and there could be a team willing to pay handsomely to bring him back to the pros.