ESPN staffMar 30, 2023, 05:00 PM ET
Five teams have hired a new head coach to lead their franchise for 2023 and beyond. Others have found coordinators for their offense and defense.
The coaching changes started early this season, with the Panthers firing Matt Rhule on Oct. 10. The Colts followed, firing Frank Reich on Nov. 7, replacing him with former ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday. The third change was Denver firing first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett on Dec. 26. After getting a Week 18 win, the Houston Texans fired Lovie Smith just hours later. The Cardinals followed by firing Kliff Kingsbury the next day on Jan. 9.
On Jan. 26, the Panthers announced the hiring of Reich, a former Panthers quarterback, as the next head coach of the franchise. On Jan. 31, the Broncos agreed to a deal with former Saints head coach Sean Payton after his initial retirement following the 2022 season and the Texans hired 49ers coordinator DeMeco Ryans. On Feb. 14, the Colts announced that Eagles OC Shane Steichen will be their next head coach and the Cardinals announced Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon as their next head coach.
Here's everything you need to know about the latest NFL head-coach movement, with news on open jobs, potential open jobs and candidates. Plus, we list offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator positions that need to be filled.
HEAD COACH HIRES
Carolina Panthers
New head coach: Frank Reich
Former head coach: Matt Rhule
Reich, the starting quarterback for the first game in Panthers history in 1995, is now the team's sixth head coach. Owner David Tepper chose Reich, 61, after an extensive search that included nine candidates, including interim head coach Steve Wilks and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
More:
News: Panthers hire ex-Colts coach Reich as new head coach
Denver Broncos
New head coach: Sean Payton
Former head coach: Nathaniel Hackett
After announcing his retirement from coaching after the 2021 season, Payton has returned to the NFL and will be the Broncos' 19th head coach in franchise history. In a deal made on Jan. 31, the New Orleans Saints will receive the Broncos' 2023 first-round pick (No. 29) and 2024 second-round pick for Payton and the Saints' 2024 third-round selection.
More:
Sources: Broncos reach deal with Saints for Sean Payton
Sean Payton hire: Why Broncos and Saints made the deal, and what to expect
'An outstanding leader': Sean Payton officially named new Broncos coach
Sean Payton: Russell Wilson's QB coach won't be in facility
Houston Texans
New head coach: DeMeco Ryans
Former head coach: Lovie Smith
The Texans hired San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans as their new head coach Jan. 31. Ryans has agreed to a six-year deal and will be the franchise's sixth full-time coach. The Texans also become the first team in NFL history to have hired three consecutive Black coaches.
More:
Texans hire 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans as head coach
How DeMeco Ryans of 49ers became prime NFL head-coach candidate
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans expects to win in his 'dream job'
DeMeco Ryans hire has reenergized Houston, but lots of work ahead for Texans
Indianapolis Colts
New coach: Shane Steichen
Former coach: Frank Reich
A coaching search that spanned five weeks and combed through 14 initial candidates has finally come to an end. The Colts have announced the hire of Eagles offensive coordinator Steichen to become their new head coach, putting the 37-year old at the helm of a team looking to rebound from a 4-12-1 season and seeking long-overdue stability at quarterback.
More:
News: Colts officially hire Steichen as head coach
Colts hire Steichen as head coach: Big questions, what's next
Can Shane Steichen rejuvenate Colts?
Arizona Cardinals
New head coach: Jonathan Gannon
Former head coach: Kliff Kingsbury
The Arizona Cardinals hired Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as their new head coach on Feb. 14. The move comes two days after the Eagles lost Super Bowl LVII to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-35. The 40-year-old Gannon had been the Eagles' defensive coordinator for the past two seasons. He turned Philadelphia into a top-10 defense in his first year, and this season the Eagles ranked No. 2 in the league while boasting two Pro Bowlers. Gannon received a five-year contract.
More:
Sources: Cardinals finalizing deal with Jonathan Gannon to be HC
News: Cardinals hire Eagles' Jonathan Gannon as new head coach
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOB OPENINGS
Indianapolis Colts
New OC: Jim Bob Cooter
Former OC: Marcus Brady
The new Colts head coach is expected to name veteran NFL assistant Cooter as the team's offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Cooter, 38, was most recently the Jaguars' passing game coordinator.
OC JOBS FILLED
Arizona Cardinals
New OC: Drew Petzing
Former playcaller: Kliff Kingsbury
Baltimore Ravens
New OC: Todd Monken
Former OC: Greg Roman
The Ravens hired Georgia offensive coordinator Monken as their new offensive coordinator on Feb. 14. Monken, 57, helped guide Georgia to back-to-back national championships.
New England Patriots
New OC: Bill O'Brien
Former playcallers: Matt Patricia/Joe Judge
O'Brien, 53, who spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama, now is back to where his NFL career began in 2007 as a coaching assistant.
New York Jets
New OC: Nathaniel Hackett
Former OC: Mike LaFleur
The Jets ended a two-week search for an offensive coordinator, hiring the former Denver Broncos coach -- a move that will fuel speculation about a potential Aaron Rodgers trade.
Los Angeles Rams
New OC: Mike LaFleur
Former OC: Liam Coen
The Rams are in the process of hiring former Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
Los Angeles Chargers
New OC: Kellen Moore
Former OC: Joe Lombardi
The Chargers are hiring Moore as their new offensive coordinator. The move comes less than 24 hours after the Cowboys released a statement that said Moore and the team reached a "mutual decision to part ways" following an end-of-season review process.
Philadelphia Eagles
New OC: Brian Johnson
Former OC: Shane Steichen
The Eagles are promoting quarterbacks coach Johnson to offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. He'll replace Steichen, the new head coach of the Colts.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New OC: Dave Canales
Former OC: Byron Leftwich
The Buccaneers hired Seahawks quarterback coach Canales as their new offensive coordinator, the team announced.
Tennessee Titans
New OC: Tim Kelly
Former OC: Todd Downing
The Titans announced Feb. 7 that they have promoted Kelly to offensive coordinator. Kelly spent last season as the Titans' pass game coordinator.
Washington Commanders
New OC: Eric Bieniemy
Former OC: Scott Turner
The Commanders have named Bieniemy as the team's new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The sides agreed on a two-year deal that includes a "promotion in title, contractual structure" and a pay raise, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
DC JOBS OPEN
Buffalo Bills
Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is taking a year off from coaching, the team announced. Frazier plans to return for the 2024 season, according to the team, but Beane said that they weren't sure if his return would definitely be with the Bills.
When it comes to filling the role, the possibility has been left open for Sean McDermott to call the defensive plays. The team is still working through possibilities and does not have any interviews set up with outside candidates at this time.
Philadelphia Eagles
Former DC: Jonathan Gannon
DC JOBS FILLED
Arizona Cardinals
New DC: Nick Rallis
Former DC: Vance Joseph
Rallis, 29, worked with Gannon in Philadelphia for the past two seasons.
Atlanta Falcons
New DC: Ryan Nielsen
Former DC: Dean Pees
The Falcons hired Nielsen as defensive coordinator, taking him from their biggest rival after he spent last season as the co-defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints.
Miami Dolphins
New DC: Vic Fangio
Former DC: Josh Boyer
Former Broncos head coach Fangio has reached an agreement with the Dolphins to be the team's defensive coordinator, a source confirmed to ESPN. Fangio, 64, sat out this season after Denver fired him last January.
Cleveland Browns
New DC: Jim Schwartz
Former DC: Joe Woods
Carolina Panthers
New DC: Ejiro Evero
Former DC: Phil Snow
The Panthers have agreed to terms with Evero to make him the team's defensive coordinator on new head coach Frank Reich's staff. Evero, was the Broncos' defensive coordinator last season.
Denver Broncos
New DC: Vance Joseph
Former DC: Ejiro Evero
Broncos coach Sean Payton is hiring Vance Joseph, the team's former head coach, to be his defensive coordinator.
Minnesota Vikings
New DC: Brian Flores
Former DC: Ed Donatell
The Vikings have hired Flores as their new defensive coordinator, the team announced Feb. 6. Flores spent last season as the Pittsburgh Steelers' senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach after being fired as head coach by the Miami Dolphins following the 2021 season.
San Francisco 49ers
New DC: Steve Wilks
Former DC: DeMeco Ryans
The Niners are hiring Wilks, who was most recently the interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers, as their next defensive coordinator one week after defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans departed to become the Houston Texans' head coach.
New Orleans Saints
New DC: Joe Woods
Former DCs: Kris Richard and Ryan Nielsen
The Saints hired Woods their new defensive coordinator. Woods, who was fired as the Cleveland Browns' defensive coordinator after the 2022 season, will reunite with Saints head coach Dennis Allen. Woods was a defensive backs coach with the Raiders in 2014 when Allen was the team's head coach.
