Art by Ava Anderson
The Seattle Seahawks are the 2025-26 Super Bowl champions and less than 48 hours later, their offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak signed as the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, according to ESPN.
This filled one of the 10 open head coach vacancies this off-season, tying the record for most openings in a cycle in NFL history, according to the Athletic.
Here’s my best five hires of this cycle and how I see them panning out.
5. Klint Kubiak – Las Vegas Raiders: B
The Seahawks not only had arguably the best defense in the league this season, but also an incredibly efficient season offensively, as wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba – also known as the Emerald City Route Artist, led the NFL in receiving yards, according to Pro Football Reference.
The Raiders signed Kubiak with the hope he can elevate their struggling offense to the next level since they are likely to pick Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall, according to FOX Sports.
The pairing of Kubiak and Mendoza, along with tight end Brock Bowers, running back Ashton Jeanty and a solid offensive line, the Raiders could develop into a serious team over the next few years.
4. John Harbaugh – New York Giants: B+
The Baltimore Ravens finally moved on from Head Coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons, and the New York Giants did not waste any time, signing him a little over a week after being fired, according to ESPN.
Harbaugh, despite his recent struggles in the playoffs, will prove to still be a very good coach, especially heading into a favorable situation with a young, developing Giants team.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo look to build off their rookie campaigns. With wide receiver Malik Nabers returning from his torn ACL, the Giants could be a sneaky wildcard contender heading into the 2026 season with Harbaugh at the helm.
3. Robert Saleh – Tennessee Titans: A-
The Tennessee Titans looked like a disaster of a team last year, having quarterback Cam Ward as their bright spot on both sides of the ball.
Now Titans’ Head Coach Robert Saleh helped the San Francisco 49ers to the 2025 NFC Divisional Round, leading a defensive unit plagued by injuries to still rank amongst the top 13, according to Pro Football Reference.
Saleh, paired with Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll, can easily turn this team around if Titans management gives them ample time. Despite the strong hirings, there are still a lot of questions surrounding the talent on this team, but Saleh has proven he can make the most out of tough situations.
2. Kevin Stefanski – Atlanta Falcons: A-
Former Head Coach Raheem Morris struggled to bring the Atlanta Falcons over the hump they have been stuck climbing since their last playoff appearance in 2017.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski led the Cleveland Browns to two playoff appearances and even managed a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2020 AFC Wildcard, their first since the 1994-95 season under former Head Coach Bill Belichick, according to Pro Football Reference.
Now with Stefanski leading a very talented Falcons team, the team looks to finally take a weak NFC South division, with wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson as the leaders on offense.
1. Jesse Minter – Baltimore Ravens: A+
The Ravens hiring Jesse Minter, a young, smart, defensive-minded coach is exactly the piece they need to make the leap in the playoffs. Minter in his two seasons as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers led the No. 1 scoring defense in 2024 and No. 9 in 2025, according to Pro Football Reference, making the Chargers a contender.
The Ravens defense fell off hard after the 2024 season, finishing as the No. 18 ranked defense in 2025, according to Pro Football Reference. Minter has experience developing a young defense in Los Angeles, so there is no doubt in his ability to develop the rising stars on the Ravens defense.
Defensive end Mike Green, safety Malaki Starks and linebacker Teddye Buchanan all made some impact for the Ravens, but Minter’s development will hopefully bring these guys to a new level while also helping new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle maintain an elite offense with quarterback Lamar Jackson in charge.
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Contact Shane Stephens by email: shane.stephens@pepperdine.edu