The NFL coaching market just exploded. I can confirm the Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus today. I can also confirm the Commanders parted ways with Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr. That is a jolt to the 2026 hiring cycle. The phones lit up the moment the news hit. Interviews are forming, and agents are already mapping visits. The race for the best job starts now.
What makes a job good in 2026
The league has changed. Owners are quicker to move on. Coaches are pushing back for stronger deals. In this climate, a good job is not only about the logo. It is about control, runway, and a quarterback you can win with.
- A stable owner with a clear plan
- A quarterback with upside, on a healthy contract
- Cap room and draft picks to fix holes
- Alignment between GM, coach, and analytics
Interviews start almost immediately after the season ends. Wait too long, and your top target takes another chair.
Quarterback is the lever. If you inherit a star passer, you can win quickly. If you inherit an early draft pick, you can shape the room. If you inherit a split locker room, you can be gone by Halloween. That is today’s reality.
Coordinator spotlight, real heat in Dallas and Washington
Dallas just opened the most-watched coordinator job in football. The Cowboys need a defensive reset after a rocky finish. The roster still offers blue chip speed on the edge and a secondary that can run. The standard in Dallas is Super Bowl or bust. You do not get a grace period here. You get the brightest lights and January pressure.
For the right play caller, this is a rocket. You can put your stamp on a talented front and boost your head coach profile. But you must fit the culture, handle star voices, and win situational football. Third down. Red zone. Two minute. Every snap becomes a referendum in Dallas.
Washington has a different pitch. The Commanders just cleared both coordinator seats. That signals a reset of scheme and staff. The draw here is room to build and likely capital to spend. You can design around a young passer, add speed at receiver, and rebuild the spine of the defense. The catch is patience. Will the structure give a new staff time to develop a rookie quarterback and grow a system. If yes, this becomes a launchpad. If not, it becomes a turnstile.
Top candidates are asking for guaranteed years, clear reporting lines, and final say on staff. Stability is currency.
Head coach chairs, who really has a great job
Let’s be clear. The best head coach jobs share the same core. You need a quarterback answer by March. You need cap flexibility by April. You need alignment in May, when roster building gets real. The owner must understand that continuity beats chaos. If any one of those pieces wobbles, the job drops a tier fast.
Here is what dings a job in this market.
- Unsettled quarterback with no clear draft plan
- Split power between GM and coach
- Heavy dead money that blocks free agency
- Short contracts that scream prove it
The best jobs, the true A tier, pair a long view with present talent. A franchise with a top 10 quarterback is always attractive. So is a team with a top five pick and extra capital. Combine that with a patient owner and you can recruit any candidate you want.
How the short leash changes the board
Volatile tenures change how candidates think. You cannot sell a rebuild without protection. You must sell partnership. You must show how analytics supports game planning, not fights it. You must lay out how the cap will be managed across three offseasons, not one.
This is not about slogans. It is about structure. Coaches now ask detailed questions in the first meeting. Who controls the 46 on game day. How are medical decisions made. How many analysts sit in the weekly install. If an owner cannot answer, the top tier candidates will pass.
If ownership impatience is the headline, expect a shallow candidate pool and a higher miss rate. The tape on that trend is clear.
The bottom line
Today’s moves reset the market. Dallas offers instant spotlight and a chance to lead a fast defense. Washington offers a blank canvas and resources to build. Across the league, head coach chairs will be judged by quarterback clarity, cap flexibility, and owner stability. The jobs that win this cycle will show alignment and patience. The jobs that lose will sell hope without a plan.
The clock is already running. Interviews will start tonight. The best candidates will commit quickly. In 2026, job is not just a title. It is a promise, and the smart teams know how to keep it.
