A league filled with new bosses: 10 head coaches in new places reshape NFL sidelines

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Robert Saleh sees being in the NFL as a blessing no matter if it's the first, second or even third time around with yet another team.

“We’re the luckiest people in the world,” Saleh said.

His second chance as an NFL head coach came in Tennessee with the Titans, and he has lots of company as a new head coach with a new franchise. The NFL tied its record with 10 head coaches hired by new teams this offseason, matching the previous high last reached in 2022.

John Harbaugh had his choice of jobs for his second NFL team, and Kevin Stefanski simply switched from Cleveland to Atlanta. Mike McCarthy, back home in Pittsburgh, has joined a list of men to coach three franchises.

The other six all are in their first go-round as NFL head coaches: Buffalo’s Joe Brady, Mike LaFleur in Arizona, Jesse Minter in Baltimore, Todd Monken in Cleveland, Jeff Hafley in Miami and Klint Kubiak in Las Vegas.

For coaches like Saleh, a new team offers the chance to fix areas that didn't work before. Saleh said he's made “significant changes” from his first training camp with the New York Jets in 2021. He went 20-36 before the Jets fired him after a 2-3 start in 2024.

“Just a completely different coach from my first year as a head coach to now,” Saleh said when his Titans reported for training camp.

A new coach also offers the players new hope. Tennessee needed Saleh after firing Brian Callahan six games into his second season, and left tackle Dan Moore said the Titans can tell there's been a coaching change walking into the building for work.

"It feels professional, feels organized, just feels like winning culture,” Moore said of a franchise mired in a stretch of four straight losing seasons.

Two of the new coaches quickly switched teams, with Harbaugh going from Baltimore after 18 seasons to the New York Giants. Stefanski went 45-46 in Cleveland and was out of work less than two weeks when the Falcons hired him.

Harbaugh didn't want a break like McCarthy took during the 2025 season after his contract ended in Dallas. Harbaugh said he couldn't wait to get back to work as he followed some sage advice from an NFL coach who went from Philadelphia to Kansas City in 2013.

“ Andy Reid is a man of few words, and his four words to me were: Change can be good. That’s what he said, change can be good. He was excited. He’s fired up for us. He’s a good friend," Harbaugh said when taking the Giants' job. "We’ll sign up for that deal right now, what he did in Kansas City. Let’s do that.”

The Harbaughs now have competition with another pair of brothers coaching in the NFL with the LaFleurs.

Arizona hopes to tap into Mike LaFleur's success running the Los Angeles Rams' offense as coordinator the past three seasons. The Cardinals also hope he can bring the type of success that his older brother, Matt, has had in Green Bay with six playoff berths in seven seasons.

The Las Vegas Raiders happily waited for the offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Hiring Kubiak meant the addition of another son of a former NFL coach. Kubiak's father, Gary, spent 10 years as a head coach, with eight in Houston and two in Denver.

Brady now is the league's youngest head coach at the age of 36 with his promotion from offensive coordinator in Buffalo. LaFleur turned 39 in March after being hired by Arizona, and Kubiak also turned 39 after getting his first NFL head coaching gig.

McCarthy easily could've stayed off the sideline after going 185-113-2 across 18 seasons (playoffs included) with Green Bay and Dallas. His tenure in Dallas ended after an injury-marred 7-10 finish in 2024 led to a parting of ways.

He took off the 2025 season to spend time with his family. Then his hometown team had its first coaching vacancy in 19 seasons with Mike Tomlin stepping down. With McCarthy taking over the Steelers, he joins a list of men who coached three different NFL teams including Sid Gillman, Mike Shanahan, Lovie Smith and Wade Phillips.

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AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

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