Six NFL teams have already fired their head coaches, setting the stage for a month of intensive interviews governed by league rules designed to balance competitive integrity and hiring needs. The Raiders, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals are all in the market for new leadership.
Teams can immediately interview candidates who are not under contract with another organization. For coaches employed by other teams, the process is more structured. Interview requests for such coaches began Monday.
Non-playoff teams can hold virtual interviews with their own coaches starting Tuesday (for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) or Wednesday (for all others). For assistants on playoff teams, timing varies based on their team’s schedule. Coaches on the two teams with a bye—Seattle and Denver—can be interviewed virtually this week, limited to three hours. Those on wild-card teams must wait until Jan. 13, except for Houston and Pittsburgh assistants, who are available Jan. 14 due to their Monday night game.
In-Person Interviews and the Rooney Rule
In-person interviews with assistants under contract can begin Jan. 19, unless their team is still alive for the conference title games. Those coaches must wait until Jan. 26, or until their team is eliminated or has a bye before the Super Bowl. Coaches on Super Bowl teams can be interviewed through Feb. 1, but not after that until Feb. 9, the day after the Super Bowl. No coach may sign or agree to sign a contract until their season ends.
The Rooney Rule, implemented in 2003, requires teams to conduct in-person interviews with at least two diverse candidates (minority or female) from outside the organization before hiring a head coach. Similar rules apply for coordinator positions, and at least one diverse candidate must be interviewed for any quarterback coach job.
General Manager Searches
For general manager candidates, teams could start seeking permission Monday to interview candidates from other organizations who were not the primary decision maker. In-person interviews with at least two diverse candidates from outside the organization are required under the Rooney Rule. Unlike head coaches, a GM candidate from a playoff team may accept a job before their season ends if their current team provides written permission.
