The Best Available Jobs

Mike Tomlin has resigned after 19 years and 19 consecutive non-losing seasons in Pittsburgh.  Even though his departure was voluntary, his fate was probably sealed when the Steelers got shellacked by the Texans in the wild card game, their seventh straight playoff loss (five of which have come in the wild card round).  Tomlin did win a Super Bowl, but that was 17 years ago.  So, maybe the time was right for a change in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers job is the ninth head coaching vacancy heading into next season.  Barring anything unforeseen, it'll likely be the last.  And, if history is any indication, all nine teams will move fast to hire a new head coach.  I'd imagine that most, if not all of the jobs are either filled by the Super Bowl or on hold only because they want one of the conference champions' coordinators but can't officially hire them until their season's over.

Not all nine of those jobs are created equal, though.  And not all eight coaching hires will be home runs.  Look at the Raiders.  They're looking for a coach for the second straight year after getting rid of Pete Carroll, who didn't lead the turnaround that was expected.  Others you figure will work out swimmingly, like Mike Vrabel with the Patriots or Ben Johnson with the Bears.

Obviously, there are only 32 NFL head coaching jobs.  If you're offered one, you'll take it.  But, if given the option, which would you choose?  Which of the nine available jobs is the best?

9. Cardinals: Winning in Arizona will be tough.  The Cardinals have a lot of holes to fill, and the other three NFC West teams all reached the Divisional Playoffs.  So, the first year or two won't be easy.  Will ownership and the fan base be patient enough to wait it out?  I have a feeling they won't and the Cardinals will be looking for a new head coach again in another year or two.

8. Raiders: Well, the Pete Carroll thing sure didn't work out, huh?  As a result, the Raiders will start over again!  And they'll be doing it in a division with three very good teams.  Plus, whoever they hire will be their fifth head coach since Jon Gruden's resignation midway thru his third season back with the Raiders in 2021.  This is one of the most difficult jobs for any head coach.  In multiple respects.  Whoever gets the Raiders job probably shouldn't plan on being there very long.

7. Titans: I'm sure in hindsight, they're wishing they'd never fired Mike Vrabel.  They've finished 3-14 in each of the two years since they let him go.  Meanwhile, he's probably gonna win Coach of the Year in New England!  Still, there's always opportunity in the AFC South (although, maybe not with the team Houston has built).  Plus, the benefit of being so bad in back-to-back years is that this season they have the No. 2 pick after taking Cam Ward No. 1 last year.

6. Giants: Let's be honest.  This is a tough job, and whoever takes it will have his work cut out for him.  There are definitely some pieces in place, so a successful first season isn't unheard of.  Both Ben McAdoo and Brian Daboll made the playoffs in their first season with the Giants.  Sustained success has been the issue, though.  But still.  It's the Giants.  It's one of the marquee franchises in the NFL.

5. Browns: Kevin Stefanski brought some stability to the Browns and won two Coach of the Year awards in six seasons.  They've got a good foundation, too.  Myles Garrett just set the sack record and will probably be the Defensive Player of the Year.  So, it probably won't take too much for the next Browns coach to be successful.  Of the three available AFC North jobs, it's the third-most desirable.  But compared to some of the other openings, it's far more appealing.

4. Dolphins: Mike McDaniel's firing was perhaps the most surprising of them all.  Especially since the Dolphins waited a few days after the end of the season.  I originally suspected McDaniel was only let go once Harbaugh became available, and I wouldn't be surprised if he lands one of the eight other available head jobs.  Whoever replaces him in Miami will take over a roster with enough talent to contend for a playoff spot next season.

3. Falcons: Arthur Blank clearly got tired of his team's continually failing to meet expectations.  That's why he brought Matt Ryan in and completely restructured the organization.  So, it's obvious that he wants to win.  Which is certainly doable in the NFC South.  He's a good owner and he'll set up his new coach for success, so this should be a very attractive job.  Harbaugh has already said this is one he'll consider, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he ends up in Atlanta.

2. Ravens: John Harbaugh's time in Baltimore had run its course, but the Ravens job is still one of the better ones in the NFL.  The Ravens also have a history of coaches with longevity, with Brian Billick lasting nine years before Harbaugh's 18.  This is probably the team looking for a new head coach in the best position to be successful next season.  After all, a missed field goal on the last play in the final game was the only thing that kept the Ravens out of the playoffs this year.  And that was after a terrible start and key players missing time with injuries.   

1. Steelers: Chuck Noll.  Bill Cowher.  Mike Tomlin.  That's a complete list of the Steelers' head coaches since the merger.  Which was in 1970!  Whoever gets the Pittsburgh job will have job security.  Not to mention patient ownership and a winning culture.  This is easily the most desirable of the available coaching jobs.  Of course, the Steelers also have a passionate fan base who'll expect results, so the pressure will be on whoever gets it.

Of course, the job being desirable doesn't guarantee success.  And a job that may not be that desirable on paper could end up being the perfect fit for both team and coach.  But if past success and organizational history are any indication, those two jobs in the AFC North should be the most coveted of the available coaching positions.