One other day, one other wild spin of the NFL teaching carousel.
Not even 24 hours after his crew suffered its newest playoff disappointment, getting trounced at dwelling within the wild-card spherical by the Houston Texans, Mike Tomlin is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 seasons − not one of the sub-.500 selection. It ends the longest energetic marriage between a company and HC.
Commercial
Pittsburgh turns into the ninth franchise in want of a brand new head coach in what’s nonetheless an unfolding hiring cycle. The Steelers’ subsequent rent will turn into simply their fourth coach since 1969, Tomlin preceded by Corridor of Famers Chuck Noll and Invoice Cowher, that trio bringing six Lombardi Trophies to the Metal Metropolis.
Tomlin’s departure turns into the headliner of a wild week-and-a-half of teaching turnover. The Giants and Titans made modifications through the season. The Falcons fired head man Raheem Morris (and GM Terry Fontenot) on the ultimate day of the common season. Black Monday claimed two-time NFL Coach of the Yr Kevin Stefanski, former Tremendous Bowl-winning coach Pete Carroll and ex-Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon. John Harbaugh was fired by the Baltimore Ravens and Mike McDaniel by the Miami Dolphins within the days after Black Monday.
It is all the time attainable one other emptiness might open − particularly with so many certified candidates all of the sudden flooding the market. However including the Steelers to the checklist, let’s analyze the 9* jobs which might be presently open − ranked from most engaging to least. (*Topic to vary.)
Commercial
Quarterback state of affairs
They do not come significantly better than two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson, who’s as dynamic as anybody who’s ever performed the place. Naturally, he has detractors − not but in a position to win the Tremendous Bowl and extra pointed latest questions on his work ethic and relationship with Harbaugh. Jackson additionally tends to get banged up and misses a number of follow time. Nonetheless, most groups would like to have such issues behind middle.
Nevertheless there is a main monetary concern dealing with Jackson and the crew within the aftermath of what was a massively disappointing season for him personally and the crew as a complete. Jackson carries a $74.5 million wage cap quantity in each 2026 and 2027, the ultimate two years of his five-year, $260 million extension. These are untenable figures for any crew seeking to preserve or enhance a roster, suggesting some form of renegotiation or new extension is required − assuming Jackson stays in Baltimore, which appears a digital given.
Commercial
Backup Tyler Huntley is about to hit free company. Cooper Rush, who was signed to be the first backup a yr in the past however struggled when Jackson was out and finally changed by Huntley, is signed for the 2026 season however might be a cap casualty.
Roster
Heading into the 2025 season, the Ravens have been broadly seen as a crew with probably the greatest expertise quotients within the league. But it is truthful to say that, whereas acknowledging its accidents, the crew added as much as a lot lower than the sum of its elements over the course of an 8-9 marketing campaign. Baltimore wound up with six gamers incomes Professional Bowl honors in a season when Jackson and star RB Derrick Henry did not. Kyle Hamilton is arguably the sport’s greatest security, main a talent-laden secondary. However there’s clearly work to be accomplished on each traces.
Wage cap
GM Eric DeCosta is ready to have about $28 million at his disposal this yr, per Over The Cap, placing the crew within the higher half of the league by way of spending energy. Nevertheless Jackson’s contract muddies that outlook. Professional Bowl C Tyler Linderbaum, TE Isaiah Possible, Professional Bowl P Jordan Stout, S Alohi Gilman, LB Kyle Van Noy and Professional Bowl FB Patrick Ricard are among the many pending free brokers.
Commercial
2026 NFL draft
Baltimore is scheduled to choose 14th within the first spherical this yr, which might match the earliest spot it has chosen previously decade. Given the roster holes free company is prone to create, DeCosta is prone to have a busy offseason.
Outlook
As at present constructed, the Ravens stay one of many league’s most formidable groups − but most likely one which wanted a brand new voice and philosophy after Harbaugh held sway for practically 20 years. He maintained them as a near-perennial contender and gained Tremendous Bowl 47 however has been dogged lately by rampant tactical failures and repeated challenges holding onto fourth-quarter leads. The group ought to have its choose from loads of certified candidates, however the principle precedence could also be discovering somebody who will jibe with Jackson whereas getting the remainder of the roster to play all the best way as much as its estimable potential.
Quarterback state of affairs
Jaxson Dart’s rookie season was a combined bag, his swagger a pleasant match within the Large Apple even when his sometimes reckless on-field strategy too typically undermined his well being and availability. After the Giants traded again into final yr’s first spherical to acquire Dart, it is going to be incumbent on the subsequent coach and his employees to rein within the younger slinger sufficient to fairly defend himself whereas additionally giving him adequate leeway to leverage his multi-dimensional play-making capacity and get this offense really buzzing. Russell Wilson’s one-year keep is up, however Jameis Winston stays in 2026 as one of many league’s high backups.
Commercial
Roster
The crew’s enviable younger core is broken however not irreparably so. Incandescent WR Malik Nabers (ACL) and rookie RB Cam Skattebo (ankle) didn’t survive the 2025 season. OLB Abdul Carter, the third total choose of final yr’s draft, might wind up being the very best participant on the crew – however he’s obtained loads to work on by way of his professionalism, on and off the sphere. Veteran OLB Brian Burns, DL Dexter Lawrence II and LT Andrew Thomas are all Professional Bowl-caliber gamers. The protection wants in depth work behind its entrance, and Thomas is the one participant whose identify must be written in pen on the O-line … when he’s wholesome sufficient to play.
Wage cap
GM Joe Schoen, who’s working the teaching search and can retain his submit regardless of coach Brian Daboll’s firing in November, is at present set to have about $11 million in cap area. It’s a determine that has the Giants center of the pack league-wide, however the golf equipment above them have considerably extra spending energy – particularly in the event that they resolve to focus on WR Wan’Dale Robinson, who’s coming off his first 1,000-yard season, or frontline Cor’Dale Flott, who’re each headed totally free company.
Commercial
2026 NFL draft
In competition for the No. 1 total choose barely every week in the past, the Giants will now choose fifth on this yr’s first spherical. They nonetheless owe the Houston Texans their third-rounder to consummate final yr’s draft night time deal to get Dart.
Outlook
Regardless of largely residing within the wilderness since they gained Tremendous Bowl 46 to cap the 2011 season, the Giants stay one of many league’s flagship franchises and a plum job – even when the organizational stability they boasted for years appears to have largely evaporated. Schoen has made questionable selections through the draft and free company however has additionally amassed an ample quantity of proficient gamers to win – and possibly pretty rapidly if the best coach is ready to translate potential into manufacturing.
Commercial
Quarterback state of affairs
Insert shrug emoji? As a lot nationwide curiosity as they generated in 2025, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders − largely Sanders − have been a combined bag as rookies. They’ve pretty distinct talent units, but each flashed their optimistic traits whereas additionally elevating sufficient inquiries to recommend neither is prone to be immediately anointed QB1 in 2026 by Stefanski’s successor. Deshaun Watson is beneath contract for another season – for a completely assured $46 million – and returned to follow late within the season after present process a number of Achilles surgical procedures after initially being injured through the 2024 season. He might clearly rejoin the combination, but additionally (nonetheless) looks as if a problematic determine – in a soccer context and in any other case – as the subsequent employees tries to get this membership again to the playoffs. Going fishing for one more possibility within the 2026 draft is actually on the desk.
Roster
It’s truthful to name DE Myles Garrett legendary at this level, and he may legitimately be the very best participant within the NFL. He’s additionally one whose prime is being wasted and solely a yr faraway from requesting a commerce after expressing a perception he’d by no means win a Tremendous Bowl in Cleveland – which tracks given no participant ever has. But there’s quite a bit to love round Garrett, notably a extremely promising 2025 draft class that features DT Mason Graham, LB Carson Schwesinger, TE Harold Fannin Jr., WR Isaiah Bond, RBs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson … and possibly one or each quarterbacks. WR Jerry Jeudy and CB Denzel Ward are usually among the many league’s higher gamers at their respective positions, although 2025 wasn’t a banner yr for both. With Gs Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio out of contract, it’s excessive time to reconstruct the offensive line – notably if GM Andrew Berry and the subsequent coach goal one other younger QB.
Commercial
Wage cap
At present, Berry might want to trim greater than $12 million to easily be cap-compliant as soon as free company begins, and he and the crew gained’t get aid from possession’s Watson gaffe for one more yr – whether or not or not he’s on the roster in 2026. TE David Njoku is probably the most high-profile pending free agent, however Fannin and the cap crunch possible make him expendable.
2026 NFL draft
The Browns personal the sixth total choose this yr plus the first-rounder of the Jacksonville Jaguars, wherever that lands. Berry might put collectively a package deal to focus on a particular quarterback, however such a gambit might be fairly costly given what seems like a dearth of high-end prospects on the place this yr. And persevering with to load up on wanted expertise elsewhere wouldn’t be a nasty fallback as Cleveland resets − whereas additionally doubtlessly giving Sanders, Gabriel or another person the chance to run with the reins a bit of longer.
Commercial
Outlook
Dismissing Stefanski was a daring (and maybe misguided) selection given what he’d achieved regardless of the drawbacks of this job – particularly after he and Berry obtained saddled with Watson and needed to prematurely offload Baker Mayfield. Transferring ahead, quarterback stays the apparent concern holding again a crew that can possible proceed to lookup at the remainder of the AFC North till it’s solved. However, if it will get rectified by Berry and the subsequent coach briefly order, this crew might emerge as a powerhouse in nearly no time.
Quarterback state of affairs
Monday night time’s resounding loss to Houston is now even likelier to be Aaron Rodgers’ last sport within the NFL given how carefully he linked his resolution to return to Pittsburgh along with his affinity for Tomlin. Regardless, along with his one-year deal about to run out, Rodgers additionally had as a lot company in his future with the Steelers because the crew did. At current, Mason Rudolph − he is spent all however one in every of his eight NFL seasons primarily as a backup in Pittsburgh − and Will Howard, a sixth-round draft choose final yr, are the one passers beneath contract for 2026.
Commercial
Roster
Constructed to win now – which was all the time the expectation beneath Tomlin – there’s a proficient group right here … however a decidedly getting older one. Perennial All-Execs like Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt, who’re each north of 30, headline the league’s costliest protection − which additionally consists of DB Jalen Ramsey and LBs Alex Highsmith and Patrick Queen. Offensively, Rodgers provided heavy reward and admiration for the crew’s usually younger and proficient offensive line. However WR DK Metcalf is the one bona fide downfield weapon, and the backfield committee of Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren gained’t strike worry into most defenses.
The larger query right here is how the group needs to proceed – particularly whether or not GM Omar Khan and the subsequent coach wish to do a tough reset and divest a number of the veteran expertise and the price related to it.
Wage cap
With practically $40 million within the coffers – possibly extra if there’s a veteran purge – Khan’s free company price range at present ranks among the many league’s high 10. Nonetheless, the Steelers have traditionally put a premium on drafting, creating and rewarding their very own gamers. This doesn’t look like the time for them to go on an in depth spending spree.
Commercial
2026 NFL draft
Reminder: It may happen in Pittsburgh. No stress, Omar. Khan owns the twenty first choose of the primary spherical and has an additional choice in Spherical 3, courtesy of final yr’s commerce of WR George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Nonetheless, for a franchise so badly in want of a younger quarterback to assist redefine it, this most likely isn’t the yr you’re going to search out that man within the draft.
Outlook
If this was a blind résumé, there wouldn’t be a second considered slotting the Steelers behind their feckless rivals in Cleveland. The Browns, for instance, have much more long-term property on their roster — and the power to additional fortify it – than does Pittsburgh. However would you somewhat work for a franchise that’s nearly by no means sniffed the Tremendous Bowl or for the Rooney household, whose six Lombardi Trophies are tied for probably the most in league historical past. It’s possible Pittsburgh is headed for the dropping season in 2026 that it by no means skilled beneath Tomlin. However there’s a chance right here to be nice – and a requirement for excellence – that’s traditionally coupled with unmatched NFL job safety. Aspiring candidates must be beating a path to the confluence of the Three Rivers in a bid to steer one in every of professional sports activities’ really nice groups.
