How Open NFL Head Coaching Jobs Are Impacted by Lions-Vikings Week 18 Result

An extra wrinkle to the big Lions-Vikings Week 18 clash.

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Glenn paces the sidelines during their game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings will play for the NFC's No. 1 seed and first-round by Sunday night. The winner gets the NFC North crown, while the loser heads to the playoffs as a wild-card team with a road game in front of them the following week.

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported there is more on the line pending on the Lions-Vikings result in Week 18, too. Schefter noted that the timing of when top assistants from both team's coaching staffs can interview for open head coaching jobs hinges on the result. He mentioned that coaches from the winning team are cleared to interview three days after the game and coaches from the losing team have to wait at least three days after the wild-card round playoff games conclude.

There's more than just the NFC North title and No. 1 seed at stake Sunday night when the Lions host the Vikings. The timing of head coach interviews with coordinators on both teams depends on the Vikings-Lions outcome.https://t.co/U5fri6H9bC

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 4, 2025

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a top target for open head coach positions. According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints are all expected to have Johnson as a top candidate for their open head coach jobs.

Both teams' defensive coordinators, Detroit's Aaron Glenn and Minnesota's Brian Flores, will get interviews as well. All three mentioned coordinators are considered top head coaching candidates in the upcoming hiring cycle across league circles, according to Schefter.

The interviews that can kick off three days after the Lions-Vikings game (for the winning team) are virtual. Assistant coaches on the losing team Sunday won't be able to conduct the same interviews until three days after their wild-card game.

The NFL is no longer allowing in-person interviews until after the divisional round. Non-playoff coaches can interview for open head coaching jobs three days after their regular season ends.

The Bears, Jets and Saints all have decisions to make, with other teams surely to join the fold in this year's head coaching carousel shortly after Week 18 comes to a close.

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