Best head coach, coordinator and GM candidates in 2023

The best NFL coaching candidates in 2023 are a sign of the direction the league is headed. While there are plenty of brilliant minds on the offensive side of the ball available, the 2022 NFL season also put the spotlight on brilliant defensive coordinators and outstanding leaders.

While the Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts became the first NFL teams looking for a new coach, others will join them. It’s going to be another active coaching carousel and this year’s list of the top NFL coaching candidates offers a variety of options for front offices and owners.

Related: NFL coaches fired

As we did with our candidates list in 2022, we’re also focusing on other vacancies. There are multiple openings for general managers across the league and there is a deep pool of NFL GM candidates to explore. Likewise, coaches looking to fill out their staff for the 2023 season have a strong array of NFL coordinator candidates to choose from.

Let’s dive into the best head coach, general manager and coaching candidates in 2023.

NFL coaching candidates

DeMeco Ryans, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator

NFL coaching candidates are getting younger and more recognizable each year. DeMeco Ryans, age 38, became a defensive quality control coach just two years after retiring from the NFL. The two-time Pro Bowl selection quickly climbed the coaching ladder, receiving a promotion to inside linebackers coach (2018-’20) and then replacing Robert Saleh as the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator. Needless to say, he is doing a phenomenal job with this group.

Ryans’ defensive play-calling played an instrumental role in San Francisco’s playoff run last season. He already brings the defensive mind and ability to make adjustments that teams need to prioritize. Just as importantly, his track record as a player and coordinator demonstrates his leadership and communication, which are crucial to fulfilling the ‘CEO’ role for a head coach. Ryans is among our favorite NFL coaching candidates and it would be a surprise if he isn’t hired.

Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator

Nick Sirianni rightfully gets a lot of credit for the Philadelphia Eagles’ success. After all, the head coach has far exceeded expectations and proven that he was the perfect target for the role. However, it’s important to remember that Shane Steichen has a massive role in the offense.

Sirianni described this summer how involved Steichen is with everything Philadelphia does offensively. He started calling plays late in the 2021 season, playing a pivotal role in the Eagles’ offense taking off. It’s a change that carried over into 2022 with Philly boasting one of the top offenses all season.

Interest in Steichen will go beyond his work in Philadelphia. He served as the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2020, working alongside Justin Herbert in a record-setting rookie season. Combine his work with Herbert and Jalen Hurts, that’s a future NFL head coach.

Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator

Many of the decisions made by Nathaniel Hackett in 2022 warranted a lot of scrutinies. However, the move to hire Ejiro Evero as the defensive coordinator worked out perfectly. Taken from the Sean McVay coaching tree, Evero’s work with the Denver Broncos defense this season is outstanding.

A year after the Broncos ranked 20th in Total DVOA (3%) with Vic Fangio at the helm, Denver now ranks seventh in defensive DVOA (-10.6%) this season. Opponents have averaged just 4.8 yards per play with a 31.9% third-down conversion rate, despite Denver’s defense spending so much time on the field because of its lackluster offense.

There are certainly some risks in hiring a head coach coming off his first season as a defensive coordinator, with Brandon Staley serving as an example. However, Evero’s success and his time spent learning from Fangio, Mike McCarthy and McVay should provide him with more stamps of endorsements than some of the other top NFL coaching candidates.

Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots inside linebacker coach

Selected with the 10 pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Jerod Mayo became a central figure in the Patriots’ defense and someone Belichick trusted like few others. It’s why a few years after he played his last snap in 2015, Mayo was on Belichick’s coaching staff working with the linebackers. By 2021, he was receiving head-coaching buzz and that league-wide interest has ramped up since.

 NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported last year that Mayo made a strong impression on the Eagles’ brass during his head-coaching interview in 2021. He turned that into meetings with the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.

Mayo has spent years with some of the brightest minds in football and he still brings the work ethic, leadership and mind for the game that made him an All-Pro linebacker. Effectively serving as New England’s co-defensive coordinator, he is now overseeing one of the best units in football. He offers all the qualities the best NFL coaching candidates offer and he’ll only be 37 next year.

Ken Dorsey, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

NFL teams seeking a head coach love finding someone who can build a strong rapport with the quarterback. It’s undeniably one of the most important relationships in professional sports and it’s crucial to find a balance between challenging the face of the franchise and supporting them.

Ken Dorsey has played an influential role in the development of quarterback Josh Allen. The perennial NFL MVP candidate has publicly lauded his play-caller and quarterbacks coach on multiple occasions and the Bills’ locker room gravitates toward their offensive coordinator because of his attitude. Dorsey also proved to be an instrumental voice during Cam Newton’s best years.

“(Dorsey) is an extremely hard and efficient worker. He made my life as easy as possible. Not only is he a hard worker, but he has a vibrant killer instinct. He’s a known proven winner over the years.”

Cam Newton on former quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey (H/T Bills Wire)

As for the Bills’ offensive production, it ranked sixth in Football Outsiders’ Offene Weighted DVOA and is the third-best passing offense by DVOA. Buffalo averaged 410.8 total yards and 27.8 points in its first 12 games with 286 first downs and a league-high 51.8% third-down conversion rate.

NFL teams waited far too long to hire Brian Daboll as a head coach. While Dorsey might not be the next Daboll, owners and general managers will surely want to take a shot on him very soon. If he isn’t hired in 2023, Dorsey will be one of the top NFL coaching candidates in 2024.

Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator

Eric Bieniemy is one of our top NFL coaching candidates every year. Unsurprisingly, there’s a new reason provided during every coaching carousel as to why he wasn’t fired. Among them, teams were concerned about off-field issues that happened in 1991 and 2001. He is also held under scrutiny because he was on Colorado’s coaching staff when multiple players faced rape allegations.

Strangely, Urban Meyer wasn’t held to the same standard for coaching at a program with massive cultural problems and a lack of discipline. Legal issues more than a decade ago also didn’t prevent Mike Vrabel from landing a job nor did sexual assault charges in 1996 mean Matt Patricia couldn’t become a bead coach.

We’ve also seen reports that teams have concerns because Bieniemy isn’t the Chiefs’ primary play-caller. Coincidentally, that didn’t seem to keep Nick Sirianni, Dan Campbell, Zac Taylor or Nathaniel Hackett from landing jobs.

Bieniemy is an integral part of the Chiefs’ offense with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes raving about his work ethic, football mind and his impact on the team. There are no legitimate excuses as to why Bieniemy shouldn’t be a head coach.

Jonathan Gannon, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon certainly has a lot of talent to work with. As we’ve seen countless times over the years, some NFL coaches fail to take advantage of situations like this. Ganoon is seizing on his opportunity.

The 39-year-old served as the Colts’ defensive backs coach before following Sirianni to Philadelphia, immediately becoming the defensive coordinator. While he went through some growing pains as a first-year defensive play-caller, he is doing excellent work in 2022.

• Philadelphia Eagles defensive stats (2022): -11.7% Total DVOA (6th), 18.8 PPG allowed (8th), 296.4 total ypg allowed (2nd), 50% red-zone conversion rate (6th), 4.7 yards per play

Gannon interviewed with Denver in 2021, viewed as a rising NFL coaching candidate at the time. With the defensive improvements Philadelphia has made tied to Gannon’s glowing reputation around the league and his defensive mind, he’ll be an NFL head coach very soon. As for how he views the game, the Eagles captured it perfectly in a sit-down interview with him.

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator

Off the national radar just a year ago, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was just beginning to settle in as the play-caller. Dan Campbell made a late-season switch, with Campbell making the rare jump from tight ends coach to Detroit’s offensive strategist. Look at how dramatically the offense improved after the change.

It’s not a fluke. Entering Week 14, the Lions are ninth in FO’s Total Offense DVOA, striking a perfectly balanced offense. Detroit is averaging 369.1 total yards per game (7th in NFL), it leads the NFL in red-zone touchdown rate (73.9%) and ranks 10th in third-down conversion percentage (42.8%). He is doing all of this with Jared Goff at quarterback.

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator

Dan Quinn will be an NFL head coach in 2023. The 52-year-old is extremely well-liked by players, is respected by executives and coaches on his staff seems to enjoy working for him. Even if you removed what he is doing right now in Dallas from the evaluation, he’d be among the best NFL coaching candidates in 2023.

• Dan Quinn coaching record: 43-42, 3-2 in NFL playoffs

What makes it a near certainty that he’ll be hired is how close he came in 2021. A finalist for the Broncos’ position that went to Hackett, Quinn crushed interviews. After just one season as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator in 2021, teams saw more than enough to believe he deserved a second chance as a head coach. Now, the Cowboys’ defense is even better and the differences between before he took over vs now are staggering.

Yes, everyone knows what happened with the Atlanta Falcons. The team blew its chance at a Super Bowl and never quite recovered. In Quinn’s final years, he was overseeing a roster that was falling apart and everyone simply needed a rest. Give him the right offensive coordinator and Quinn will do well overseeing a defense and serving as the CEO on the sideline.

Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator

Almost every team with an NFL coaching vacancy this past offseason interviewed Kellen Moore. The Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings and each of them came away impressed by Moore’s football IQ and ingenuity (Tom Pelissero). Now in his third year as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, Moore has more of the experience he lacked previously.

A cursory look at the Cowboys’ statistics offensively won’t generate intense excitement. However, the 355.9 total ypg and 27.8 ppg averages are weighed down from when Cooper Rush started at quarterback. Keep in mind, though, Moore’s play-calling in that stretch still resulted in four wins, 128.4 rushing yards per game, a 35% third-down conversion rate and the team scored 20-plus points in each of those games.

With Prescott back under center, the Cowboys lead the NFL in Estimated Offensive Points per Game (39.0) and rank second in total ypg (424.3) in the last three weeks. On the year, Dallas ranks seventh in third-down conversion rate (44.2%) with the third-highest touchdown rate in the red zone (73%). Moore will need an experienced coaching staff around him, but he has all the making of an NFL head coach.

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines head coach

NFL teams aren’t going to take what Jim Harbaugh is saying publicly as gospel. The Michigan Wolverines head coach is already being looked into by team executives before the season even concludes. Harbaugh is denying any interest in leaving Michigan, but he said it with a caveat and he previously stated there is unfinished business in the NFL.

• Jim Harbaugh NFL record: 44-19-1

The coaching record speaks for itself. While he left San Francisco on bad terms, clashing with the brass, he remains well-regarded for everything he brings to a team. There is a danger in Harbaugh wanting significant input, effectively a shadow role as general manager, so he can build the roster his way. It’s a move that rarely works out, but it can work with the right partner in the front office. One thing is for certain, Harbaugh is one of the best NFL coaching candidates if he entertains a return once more.

Shane Bowen, Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator

For NFL teams seeking a young defensive-minded coach, Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has accelerated the coaching ladder quickly. He started as a student assistant at Georgia Tech and then served as a grad assistant (2010-’11), learning under Paul Johnson.

After one season as a grad assistant on Urban Meyer’s staff at Ohio State, Bowen spent the next three years at Kennesaw State before making the jump to the NFL in 2016 with the Houston Texans (2016-’17) before becoming the Titans’ outside linebackers coach.

In his first season as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator (2021), the Titans had the fifth-lowest blitz rate (21.3%) in the NFL, but finished ninth in sacks (43) and pressures (169). Tennessee finished the 2021 season ranked eighth in Football Outsiders’ Weighted DVOA. A year later, Bowen’s unit is top-12 in Weighted DVOA despite losing Harold Landry before Week 1.

Leslie Frazier, Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator

Leslie Frazier went through the interview cycle in 2021, meeting twice with the New York Giants and once with the Miami Dolphins. Ultimately, the 63-year-old remained in Buffalo as its assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

Renowned for his defensive acumen, experience and leadership, Frazier’s history of coaching defenses speaks for itself. Buffalo rated No. 3 in Weighted DVOA in 2021 and is No. 5 this season. The Bills also ranked third in nY/A in 2018 and 2019.

Frazier has experienced the recent trend of NFL teams and coaching search firms giving preference to those who work with quarterbacks.

” I think it’s very narrow-minded to only see the head coach as an offensive guy because you have a young quarterback. You need the right leader in that role because you’ve got to be able to handle multiple responsibilities, not just call offensive plays. I just think that’s a misguided approach, but I’m not the guy doing the hiring.”

Leslie Frazier on teams prioritizing NFL coaching candidates on the offenside side (H/T Pro Football Talk)

However, that could see a shift in 2023. Scoring is down significantly this year (23.0 to 21.9 PPG), marking the first time since 2017 that the NFL scoring average dipped below 22. Frazier, who has coached in the NFL since 1999, has the relationships around the league to build an offensive coaching staff that will complement what he brings.

2023 NFL head coach candidates

• Chris Horton, Baltimore Ravens special teams coordinator
• Mike Kafka, New York Giants offensive coordinator
• Richard Hightower, Chicago Bears special teams coordinator
• Brian Callahan, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator
• Byron Leftwich, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator
• Bubba Ventrone, Indianapolis Colts special teams coordinator
• Shane Waldron, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator
• Byron Leftwich, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator
• Sean Payton, former New Orleans Saints head coach

NFL coordinator candidates 2023

While the primary focus of the 2023 NFL coaching carousel is on head coaches, this is also an active time for coordinators. Whether it’s a head coach looking to fill out his staff or a team looking to hire a new defensive coordinator or offensive coordinator. There are plenty of intriguing names to know.

These are the names to know right now. We’ll provide profiles of each up the candidates and add additional coordinator prospects in the weeks ahead.

Offensive Coordinators

• Brian Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach
• Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach
• Ben Bloom, Cleveland Browns run game coordinator
• Brian Hartline, Ohio State passing game coordinator
• Alex Golesh, Tennessee offensive coordinator
• Stump Mitchell, Cleveland Browns run game coordinator
• Jerrod Johnson, Minnesota Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach
• Marcus Brady, former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator
• Pep Hamilton, Houston Texans offensive coordinator

Defensive Coordinators

• Sean Desai, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach
• Ryan Crow, Tennessee Titans outside linebackers coach
• Demarcus Covington, New England Patriots defensive line coach
• Christian Parker, Denver Broncos defensive backs coach
• Marquand Manuel, New York Jets defensive backs coach
• Patrick Graham, Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator
• Bobby Babich, Buffalo Bills linebackers coach
• Aden Durde, Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach

NFL GM candidates 2023: Future NFL general managers

No NFL team has fired their general manager during the 2022 regular season. Those decisions will likely come on Black Monday, when both head coaches and general managers are fired. For now, we’ll provide a list of NFL GM candidates in 2023 with profiles coming early this offseason.

• Louis Riddick, ESPN NFL analyst and former team executive
• Joe Horitz, Baltimore Ravens director of player personnel
• JoJo Wooden, Los Angeles Chargers director of player personnel
• Jacqueline Davidson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers senior director of football research
• Jeff Ireland, New Orleans Saints assistant general manager