Because most NFL coaching changes happen in January, those moves can often be overshadowed by the postseason and – subsequently – the major moves that teams makes in free agency. However, those coaching changes shouldn’t be overlooked.
A year ago, 15 of the league’s 32 teams made changes to at least one of their head coach, offensive coordinator, or defensive coordinator spots, and many of those hirings turned into major stories throughout the 2017 season. New head coaches Sean McVay, Sean McDermott, and Doug Marrone led the Rams, Bills, and Jaguars, respectively, to the postseason in their first go-rounds in charge, while new defensive coordinators Steve Wilks and Mike Vrabel leveraged their one-year stints as a play-callers to become the next Cardinals and Titans head coach, respectively.
Which new coaches could make a similar impact this year? We may have to wait to find out, but there are certainly plenty of candidates. The full breakdown of 2018’s major coaching changes from around the league is below:
Head coaches:
- Arizona Cardinals: Hired Steve Wilks to replace Bruce Arians.
- Chicago Bears: Hired Matt Nagy to replace John Fox.
- Detroit Lions: Hired Matt Patricia to replace Jim Caldwell.
- Indianapolis Colts: Hired Frank Reich to replace Chuck Pagano.
- New York Giants: Hired Pat Shurmur to replace Ben McAdoo / Steve Spagnuolo (interim).
- Oakland Raiders: Hired Jon Gruden to replace Jack Del Rio.
- Tennessee Titans: Hired Mike Vrabel to replace Mike Mularkey.
Offensive coordinators:
- Arizona Cardinals: Hired Mike McCoy to replace Harold Goodwin.
- Buffalo Bills: Hired Brian Daboll to replace Rick Dennison.
- Carolina Panthers: Hired Norv Turner to replace Mike Shula.
- Chicago Bears: Hired Mark Helfrich to replace Dowell Loggains.
- Cincinnati Bengals: Retained interim OC Bill Lazor.
- Cleveland Browns: Hired Todd Haley to fill vacant position.
- Denver Broncos: Retained interim OC Bill Musgrave.
- Green Bay Packers: Hired Joe Philbin to replace Edgar Bennett.
- Indianapolis Colts: Hired Nick Sirianni to replace Rob Chudzinski.
- Kansas City Chiefs: Promoted Eric Bieniemy to replace Matt Nagy.
- Los Angeles Rams: Will not hire OC to replace Matt LaFleur.
- Miami Dolphins: Hired Dowell Loggains to replace Clyde Christensen.
- Minnesota Vikings: Hired John DeFilippo to replace Pat Shurmur.
- New York Giants: Hired Mike Shula to replace Mike Sullivan.
- New York Jets: Promoted Jeremy Bates to replace John Morton.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired Greg Olson to replace Todd Downing.
- Philadelphia Eagles: Promoted Mike Groh to replace Frank Reich.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Promoted Randy Fichtner to replace Todd Haley.
- Seattle Seahawks: Hired Brian Schottenheimer to replace Darrell Bevell.
- Tennessee Titans: Hired Matt LaFleur to replace Terry Robiskie.
Defensive coordinators:
- Arizona Cardinals: Hired Al Holcomb to replace James Bettcher.
- Baltimore Ravens: Promoted Don Martindale to replace Dean Pees.
- Carolina Panthers: Promoted Eric Washington to replace Steve Wilks.
- Cincinnati Bengals: Hired Teryl Austin to replace Paul Guenther.
- Detroit Lions: Hired Paul Pasqualoni to replace Teryl Austin.
- Green Bay Packers: Hired Mike Pettine to replace Dom Capers.
- Houston Texans: Hired Romeo Crennel to replace Mike Vrabel.
- Indianapolis Colts: Hired Matt Eberflus to replace Ted Monachino.
- New England Patriots: Will not hire a DC to replace Matt Patricia, but LBs coach Brian Flores will call plays.
- New York Giants: Hired James Bettcher to replace Steve Spagnuolo.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired Paul Guenther to replace John Pagano.
- Seattle Seahawks: Hired Ken Norton Jr. to replace Kris Richard.
- Tennessee Titans: Hired Dean Pees to replace Dick LeBeau.
Special teams coordinators:
- Arizona Cardinals: Hired Jeff Rodgers to replace Amos Jones.
- Carolina Panthers: Promoted Chase Blackburn to replace Thomas McGaughey.
- Chicago Bears: Hired Chris Tabor to replace Jeff Rodgers.
- Cleveland Browns: Hired Amos Jones to replace Chris Tabor.
- Dallas Cowboys: Promoted Keith O’Quinn to replace Rich Bisaccia.
- Denver Broncos: Hired Tom McMahon to replace Brock Olivo.
- Houston Texans: Hired Brad Seely to replace Larry Izzo.
- Indianapolis Colts: Hired Ray Ventrone to replace Tom McMahon.
- New York Giants: Hired Thomas McGaughey to replace Tom Quinn.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired Rich Bisaccia to replace Brad Seely.
- Tennessee Titans: Promoted Craig Aukerman to replace Steve Hoffman.
Other 2017 OCs, DCs with new jobs:
- Buffalo Bills: Hired former Titans OC Terry Robiskie as wide receivers coach.
- Cleveland Browns: Hired former Bengals OC Ken Zampese as quarterbacks coach.
- Dallas Cowboys: Hired former Seahawks DC Kris Richard as secondary coach/defensive passing game coordinator.
- Denver Broncos: Hired former Giants OC Mike Sullivan as quarterbacks coach.
- Houston Texans: Hired former Raiders DC John Pagano as outside linebackers coach.
- Miami Dolphins: Reassigned former Dolphins OC Clyde Christensen as director, football and player development.
- Minnesota Vikings: Hired former Raiders OC Todd Downing as a senior offensive assistant.
- New York Jets: Hired former Bills OC Rick Dennison as offensive line coach/run game coordinator.
- Oakland Raiders: Hired former Packers OC Edgar Bennett as wide receivers coach.
More must-reads: