We are officially four weeks away from the start of the 2022 NFL season, which means that teams across the league will start looking for new leaders of their organizations. There are several good head coach candidates around the league right now, and these seven people might have a chance to earn football’s highest job title in the coming weeks.
Seven Head Coach Candidates For the 2023 NFL Season
Raheem Morris
Current Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris already has some head coaching experience. Back in January of 2009, Morris took over for Jon Gruden and the young age of 32. Unsurprisingly, the relatively inexperienced Morris struggled in Tampa Bay, trying to share defensive coordinator responsibilities with Jim Bates while simultaneously trying to replace a Super Bowl winning head coach.
Morris took charge of the Rams defense when Brandon Staley left for the Los Angeles Chargers. The defensive coodinator won the second Super Bowl ring of his career in the following February. In their 29 games, Morris’ defense has recorded 26 interceptions. The 2022 Rams have been decimated by injuries, but thanks in large part to Morris, they still have the fourth-best rushing defense in the league.
Ejiro Evero
Evero was a defensive quality control coach in Tampa when Morris was head coach. He began coaching in 2004 at the high school level when he was just 23 years old. Fast forward 18 years and he’s defensive coordinator for the Broncos. This season his Denver defense has been as astonishing as the offense has been abysmal.
Evero joined the Broncos this year from the Rams, so the McVay coaching tree continues to grow. He’s overseen a unit that allows on average 1.4 touchdowns per game and just 0.8 at home. Only two teams blitz more than the Broncos in 2022, neither the Giants or Cardinals have as many sacks. Denver’s pass rush had been so impressive they were able to trade away Bradley Chubb, who has eight sacks. If the Broncos offense could score more than 17 points per game they would have an extra five wins.
Eric Bieniemy
Andy Reid is both part of, and the originator of storied coaching trees and it’s set to grow. Bieniemy success is obvious and he’s been a perennial head coach candidate since the 2018 season, his first year as offensive coordinator.
In 2018 his offense scored 66 touchdowns and 565 points. Tyreek Hill scored 13 of those touchdowns and with such a loaded roster the question asked was how good a coach do you need to be with Patrick Mahomes? But in 2021, Kansas City essentially rebuilt their offensive line and this season they’ve been successful with no Hill and plenty of injuries. Bieniemy must be a smart cookie to have navigated all the obstacles laid in front of him. 12 different players on the Chiefs offense have scored touchdowns this season so he clearly relates well to players of all standards.
17 total touchdowns for Tyreek Hill this past season 🐆 pic.twitter.com/aFXQczIe3G
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 22, 2021
Back in Week 3, Bieniemy attracted attention after he was seen engaging in what was called “a minor disagreement” with Patrick Mahomes. That shouldn’t deter teams from interviewing him though as they will all want a Head Coach who overrules their quarterback and doesn’t hesitate to explain themselves.
Last year Bieniemy interviewed with six of seven teams looking for a Head Coach. As Joe Burrow’s Bengals seem to have the wood over the Chiefs in the AFC he might want a new challenge.
Brian Flores
Flores’ record as a head coach is 24-25, and he was working for an owner who encouraged him to lose early in his tenure with the Miami Dolphins. He currently coaches the Steelers linebackers and while also serving as the senior defensive assistant.
In 2022, the Steelers linebackers have recorded 13.5 sacks. Alex Highsmith has 10 of his own, the same number as Myles Garrett and Brian Burns.
His coaching ability isn’t in doubt but he is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the NFL, along with Steve Wilks and Ray Horton. They allege NFL owners use racial discrimination in hiring their practices. The suit doesn’t seem like it will be resolved any time soon and that may deter some teams from hiring Flores. There won’t be many candidates with a winning record available though.
DeMeco Ryans
Defensive coordinators aren’t historically attractive head coach candidates, but Matt Eberflus’ success turning around the Bears may turn the tide. Ryans’ predecessor Robert Saleh left San Francisco to become a head coach in New York. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Ryans is a highly prized candidate. The 49ers have the NFL’s sack leader Nick Bosa and allow just 15.8 points per game.
Rather like Bieneimy, Ryans inherited a unit full of talent. The fact that the 49ers defense has improved exponentially in his second year suggests Ryans is getting his message across.
Dan Quinn
Quinn’s Cowboys are currently engaged in a three way battle for the title of “best defense in the league” with San Francisco and Philadelphia. Dallas is ranked 2nd in the league for takeaways and no team has recovered more fumbles. They top the league in terms of sacks made in 2022 with six more than the next team.
As Falcons Head Coach Quinn’s experience was headlined by the Super Bowl loss to Tom Brady’s Patriots in 2016. But Kyle Shanahan went on to become a head coach after that freakish occurrence. Overall, Quinn’s record as a head coach is 46-44 and having worked under such luminaries as Nick Saban, Pete Carroll, and Steve Mariucci, he has plenty of experience to share.
Jonathan Gannon
Gannon also spent time in Atlanta but long before Quinn’s arrival, he was a defensive quality control coach in 2007. He was hired by Mike Munchak when he was the Titans head coach after a spell with the Rams. Gannon worked in the Rams front office as a scout so his talent identification would be an asset at the draft.
He arrived in Philadelphia in 2021 and with the help of some shrewd draft picks and veteran signings the Eagles now have the most turnovers in the league. Their 15 interceptions leads the league and their 42 sacks is second to the Cowboys.
