The high turnover rate in the NFL means there are always new head coaching positions available. Many teams will be looking at the NFL offensive coordinators available for hire to fill their most important role.
NFL owners seem more committed than ever to hiring offensive coaches. In the last six hiring cycles, 48 head coaches have been hired by NFL teams. 29 had an offensive background, while 18 came from the defense.
The lone coach that fit into neither category was former Patriots special teams coach Joe Judge, hired by the New York Giants in 2020 before being replaced by Brian Daboll, the former offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills. Judge is currently an offensive assistant with the Patriots.
Because offense tends to be a bigger driver of wins than defense in the modern NFL, an offensive head coach provides another advantage – when they do well and their coaching staff gets poached, they can keep their offense intact.
Considering that, let’s look at the top NFL offensive coordinators available for head coaching positions. Afterward, check out our defensive coordinator candidates for head coach.
Adam Stenavich, OC, Green Bay Packers
Adam Stenavich was outstanding as Green Bay’s offensive line coach from 2019 to 2021, consistently identifying and developing late-round draft picks into serviceable starters.
Promoted to become Green Bay’s OC in 2022, Stenavich helped Jordan Love become one of the league’s most electric quarterbacks in 2023. Despite fielding the NFL’s youngest roster by snap-weighted age, the Packers ranked eighth in yards per play.
Although Stenavich doesn’t call plays in Green Bay, he’s a critical cog in the club’s offensive hierarchy. He might get more looks in 2025, especially after helping the Malik Willis-led Packers to two victories this season.
Ben Johnson, OC, Detroit Lions
Ben Johnson can become an NFL head coach the moment he decides he wants to.
Multiple clubs — including the Panthers and Commanders, for starters — have reportedly wanted to hire Detroit’s OC over the past few offseasons. Instead, Johnson has turned down opportunities, preferring to stick and build with the Lions.
How much longer he’s willing to wait remains unclear. Johnson might not be able to reject the chance to work with a quarterback like Dak Prescott in Dallas or Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia, especially if Detroit advances to or wins the Super Bowl this season.
Bobby Slowik, OC, Houston Texans
Bobby Slowik brought Shanahan’s offense to Houston and immediately got results, helping first-round QB C.J. Stroud to an Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2023. Given how fellow Shanahan acolytes DeMeco Ryans (Slowik’s boss) and Mike McDaniel have worked out as head coaches, Slowik will be targeted.
This offseason, he interviewed with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Tennessee, and Washington before signing an extension to stay with the Texans for at least one more year. With Stroud locked in as a potential MVP candidate, Slowik could be on the move as soon as 2025.
Drew Petzing, OC, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona went 1-8 with Joshua Dobbs and Clayton Tune under center last season. However, the club immediately improved after quarterback Kyler Murray (ACL) returned in November, ranking ninth in offensive EPA per play from Week 10 onward, per TruMedia.
Drew Petzing didn’t get any head coaching looks after the 2023 season, which wasn’t necessarily surprising. Ownership groups might have had difficulty selling their fan bases by hiring the offensive coordinator from a team that finished with a 4-13 record.
The Cardinals are 1-2 to begin this season, but Petzing’s offense — now featuring first-round rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and TE Trey McBride — has looked explosive. Arizona scored 69 points over the first two weeks of the year before playing a tight game against the Super Bowl-hopeful Lions in Week 3.
Joe Brady, OC, Buffalo Bills
What a whirlwind it’s been for Joe Brady in the last few years. Coming off a national championship season as LSU’s passing game coordinator, Brady became the Panthers’ OC in 2020 and interviewed for five NFL head coaching positions the following offseason.
Ex-Carolina HC Matt Rhule fired Brady midway through the 2021 campaign, but Brady rebounded, joining the Bills as QBs coach in 2022 before taking over for fired OC Ken Dorsey in November 2023.
Josh Allen is the easy MVP pick through three weeks. Buffalo leads the NFL in scoring and efficiency. One in five of the Bills’ pass plays has gone for at least 16 yards, giving them the highest explosive passing rate in the league.
If Allen keeps playing like this, Brady could have his pick of jobs next spring.
Kellen Moore, OC, Philadelphia Eagles
Kellen Moore is on his third team in as many years, but his job-hopping hasn’t prevented NFL teams from considering him as a head coach. Moore took four HC interviews in 2022 before meeting with the Panthers in 2023 and the Chargers (for whom he was OC) in 2024.
The Eagles’ offense scored 34 points in Moore’s Week 1 play-calling debut. Philadelphia hasn’t been as effective since, but injuries to WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith have limited Moore’s options.
Free agent signing Saquon Barkley might be amid a career season, which would only help raise Moore’s profile.
Klint Kubiak, OC, New Orleans Saints
Another branch of the Kyle Shanahan tree. No coordinator has improved his stock more through the first three weeks of the season than Klint Kubiak, whose Saints offense still ranks second in points per drive (3.39) and third in EPA per play (0.15) despite putting up just 12 points against the Eagles on Sunday.
While it will take more than a three-game sample for Kubiak to get a head coaching opportunity, he’s enabled QB Derek Carr to get more aggressive while installing modern concepts in New Orleans’ offense.
Carr used play-action on just 14.2% of his dropbacks in 2023, dead last among all quarterbacks and eight points below the NFL average. He’s No. 1 this season at 41.7% and averages 10.3 yards per attempt on those throws.
Todd Monken, OC, Baltimore Ravens
Todd Monken probably should’ve received head coaching interest after turning a Jameis Winston/Ryan Fitzpatrick-led Buccaneers offense into the 12th-most efficient unit in the NFL six years ago. Since then, he’s won two NCAA titles as Georgia’s offensive coordinator and returned to the pros to coach 2023 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
His age (58) will work against him, but Monken would bring the schematic flexibility that teams strive to attain. He’s consistently earned rave reviews from his players. Monken interviewed for the Chargers and Panthers HC jobs this past offseason.
Honorable mention: Bengals OC Dan Pitcher; Buccaneers OC Liam Coen; Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury; Giants OC Mike Kafka