OTL: Which Head Coach Opening is the Most Desirable?

An Offseason of Turnover

As I left Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium way back in Week 1, following yet another Baltimore Ravens 4th quarter collapse, civil Bills fans and I stated the same sentence to one another until we hit the parking lot: “We’ll see you guys in the AFC Championship.”

Well, championship week has arrived, and to the surprise of many, rather than preparing for the game, both Buffalo and Baltimore will spend the week searching for new head coaches. The Ravens decided to move on from 18-year head coach John Harbaugh, while Buffalo announced Monday that they also fired their head coach, Sean McDermott. McDermott was given the keys to the team in 2017 and ultimately ended the franchise’s 18-year playoff drought. McDermott ended his tenure with 98 regular-season wins, sitting behind just Hall of Famer Marv Levy for most in franchise history. Under McDermott, the Bills reached the postseason in eight of nine seasons, clinched the AFC East five years in a row, won a playoff game in six straight seasons, and made it to the AFC title game twice.

It ultimately wasn’t enough, as Buffalo now joins the Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and others in the hunt for a new head coach. Two playoff teams from this year, and a Ravens team that was a missed field goal away from claiming a spot in the dance.

With three top-tier openings, which is the clear premier destination, and who’s the best man for the job?

A Case for Each

Baltimore

The Ravens are, without a doubt, one of the more talented teams to ever become available in a coaching cycle. A 2x MVP under center, surefire Hall of Famer Derrick Henry leading the ground game, and a young core of pieces to build around on both sides of the ball. The Ravens have underachieved when looking at the talent that’s been on the roster since 2019, when Lamar took home his first MVP. Getting someone in the building who will get the most out of this roster is priority number one.

Since Jackson’s arrival in 2018, the Ravens have reached just one AFC Championship Game, despite finishing as the one-seed twice and recording 86 regular-season wins in the process. It’s obvious the Ravens won’t retain every pending free agent for the next coach in line, but it’s 100% a Super Bowl-caliber roster if the team addresses the correct positions of need in the offseason (namely the trenches).

The expectations will be high, but John Harbaugh’s successor will have a talented roster to work with right out of the gates.

Best Potential Candidates: L.A Chargers DC, Jesse Minter; Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak

Buffalo

The Bills and their fans have had quite a rollercoaster of emotions following their overtime loss to the Broncos in Saturday’s divisional round matchup. Yes, football is a team sport, and you won’t win solely off the back of one player. However, you can also make the same argument that this was Josh Allen and the Bills’ best shot at reaching the mountain top. Buffalo had phenomenal success under McDermott, especially when you factor in what the team once was prior to his arrival. Buffalo went from the laughing stock of the league to yearly-contenders, yet it wasn’t enough in the eyes of questionable owner, Terry Pegula.

However, Wednesday’s press conference may have shed some light on the internal problems within the Bills organization. It truly appeared as if the agenda for Pegula and GM Brandon Beane was to deflect as much blame as possible from themselves and, in return, shift the blame to the coaching staff. For Buffalo’s next hire, it seems like it’s going to be a real challenge to construct the type of team they desire. There’s been a lot of speculation regarding the relationship between McDermott and the front office, and their unwillingness to address the needs of Sean and his staff regarding building a Super Bowl team.

Buffalo’s next hire will take over a team that truly is better than when McDermott arrived. They’ve got an MVP at quarterback, last season’s rushing TD leader and the 2025 rushing title winner, James Cook, and one of the top offensive lines in the league. It’s going to be difficult to find a coach who can bring as much consistent success as McDermott produced, and time will only tell if Buffalo ultimately made the right move.

Best Potential Candidates: Former Bills OC & NYG HC Brian Daboll; Bills OC, Joe Brady

Pittsburgh

Following Mike Tomlin’s announcement that he’d be stepping down as head coach, the Steelers immediately became a premier destination in the eyes of many. They’re coming off yet another embarrassing first-round playoff exit, with a roster that is only getting older. With questions surrounding Aaron Rodgers‘ future as well, how valuable is the Pittsburgh head coaching job? From a loyalty standpoint, there’s no better franchise than the Steelers. Since 1969, Pittsburgh has had just three head coaches: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Tomlin. However, the new hire would be inheriting a fan base that has grown tired of the mediocre results they’ve become accustomed to seeing. Pittsburgh was once viewed as a tough opponent that would give you a fight for a full four quarters. They’ve unfortunately become a team that has made late-season collapses and early playoff exits a yearly tradition. There are definitely intriguing pieces on both sides of the ball for whoever becomes the next man in the driver’s seat. They’ve got the defensive talent to win, but finding someone who’s going to recharge the identity of this offense is going to be key to their success. The Steelers offense has been quite underwhelming dating back to the later years of Ben Roethlisberger’s career. Rodgers gave them a bit of a spark at times, but there are still a number of pieces that need to be addressed offensively. It’s without a doubt a job that provides security, a loyal fanbase, and a rich history to lean on. However, when looking at teams like Baltimore and Buffalo, it’s hard to imagine the Steelers being destination number one for the top candidates in the job market.

Best Potential Candidates: Vikings DC, Brian Flores; Rams DC, Chris Shula; 49ers OC, Klay Kubiak

The post OTL: Which Head Coach Opening is the Most Desirable? appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/01/22/out-to-lunch/baltimore-pittsburgh-buffalo/