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Griffin still wants to play and reportedly has an out in his contract if an opportunity arises, but that seems unlikely given that every franchise has been able to sign him since January. He’ll go the route that many former veterans take and instead cash in on his football knowledge in the booth. Griffin, 31, most recently totaled 101 yards from scrimmage in a single spot-start with the Ravens before landing on injured reserve last year.

The Jets appear to have a type when it comes to their next head coach, and a young, upcoming offensive mind does not appear to be it. Having already spoken to a handful of retreads, including former head coach Rex Ryan, the Jets appear to be targeting a coach with previous experience as a head coach after first-time head coach Robert Saleh was unable to get the job done. While it sounds like a narrow approach to the process, it’s worth pointing out that nobody has ever accused the Jets of being thought leaders when it came to their hiring process or roster construction. Johnson is one of the hottest head coaching candidates on the market, the decision to forego a formal request for an interview one is curious, to say the least.

Weaver was hired by the Dolphins last offseason to replace Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator after Fangio left for Philly. A former player turned coach, Weaver has been cutting his teeth in the coaching ranks since 2011 and has held various positions in the league since 2012. In their first season under Weaver, the Dolphins defense ranked 10th in points allowed (21.4) and fourth in yards allowed while also ranking in the top-10 in both pass and run defense. This isn’t the first time Weaver has been interviewed for head coaching jobs. He had multiple interviews with the Falcons and Commanders last offseason before both teams finalized their coaching hires.

These requests come just hours after Glenn held the Vikings to nine points to secure the NFC North and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Glenn’s impressive defensive performance, particularly in Week 18, goes well beyond the box score, as he managed to hold one of the league’s top offenses in check despite a defense that’s been ravaged by injuries in a way few have. As it stands right now, the Lions have five defensive starters on injured reserve, but several other key players have also made their way to the IR this season. Glenn’s name has been a popular one during recent coaching cycles, but his departure from Detroit after this season feels like a foregone conclusion. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported last month that Glenn’s name is “frequently mentioned” in New Orleans, which could offer an insight on who may have the inside edge for the Saints job. Glenn has spent the last four seasons in Detroit rebuilding a defense that was in need of a complete overhaul. His ability to keep them playing at a high level despite numerous injuries only speaks to his prowess as one of the league’s top game callers on the defensive side.

Of course, they are. Johnson is one of the most coveted head coaching candidates on the market, and for good reason. During his three seasons with the Lions, Johnson has led a top-five unit in scoring every season, which topped out with the team averaging the most points per game (33.2) in the league in 2024. Johnson is rumored to be very selective about where he will consider coaching, and wanting a team with a talented, young quarterback is near the top of his list. While 2024’s No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams had his share of struggles as a rookie, it’s hard to fault him for too much given the coaching situation he found himself in. While the Bears had several offensive pieces already in place for Williams, the duo of Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron were ill-prepared to usher in a new era with Williams. Johnson, or another offensive-minded head coach could help right the ship in 2025 if hired.

Head coach Doug Pederson is gone, but Baalke will have a third chance to find the Jaguars’ next head coach after botching deals with Urban Meyer and Pederson in his first four years with the team. It was reported earlier by FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz that the Jaguars could fire Baalke in hopes of attracting a new head coach, but owner Shad Khan seems to believe he can move forward with Baalke still calling the shots. That said, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero has already reported that the team’s next head coach “will report directly” to Khan, which could make for an interesting dynamic in the months to follow. Baalke’s failed coaching hires are only a part of the issues that have plagued Jacksonville in recent years, but with a franchise quarterback and talented young receiver now on the roster, finding a competent leader becomes priority No. 1 for the Jags.

Daboll and the Giants completely bottomed out in 2024, finishing the season with a 3-14 record in a year that saw them release Daniel Jones midway through the year. The four-year, $160 million deal Jones signed in the 2023 offseason proved to be disastrous, as Daboll was unable to continue the wizardry he worked with Jones in 2022 that made him look good enough for the Giants to go 9-7-1 and make the playoffs. Now, Daboll will get his chance to bring in his guy at quarterback and show what his offense can do with his preferred signal-caller of choice. It’s not often coaches get this kind of leniency, but it’s clear the Giants believe in the vision Daboll has sold them over the years. While he’ll undoubtedly be on a short leash to turn things around, there’s reason to believe Daboll and the Giants can turn the corner if they can hit on the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft.

At least part of this was expected. Pederson making it through the entirety of the season was surprising after the Jaguars opened the season with a 2-8 record in the 10 games Trevor Lawrence played this season. Pederson took over a team in distress after Urban Meyer went one-and-done with the Jags in 2021. He immediately elevated them to a 9-8 record and a comeback win in the playoffs over the Chargers, but things only went downhill from there. A hot start in 2023 that saw the Jaguars sitting on a 8-3 record after Week 12 ended with another 9-8 finish and the team missing the playoffs. Last year’s struggles carried over to this season, as Pederson’s future with the team felt all but solidified after a 2-6 start through the first two months of the season. With Lawrence already in two for the foreseeable future and Brian Thomas Jr. looking like a top-15 receiver in his rookie year, the Jaguars look like a prime landing spot for any head coaching candidate. We’ll see in due time how the decision to retain general manager Trent Baalke, who is now 0-for-2 in his head coaching hires, will affect the team, but the coaching search is back on, once again.

Joseph has long been rumored to make a return to the head coaching ranks ever since he was fired as the Broncos head coach at the end of the 2018 season. A strong stretch as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator from 2020-2021 put his name back on the map, and after returning to Denver in 2023, Joseph needed just two seasons to turn a bottom five defense into a top five defense. There’s a good chance Joseph will generate more interest from teams as the coaching cycle begins to ramps up.

The 53 yards saw Nailor finish second on the team in receiving, with Justin Jefferson’s 54 just one yards ahead of him. The brutal outing drops the Vikings to the No. 5 seed and also sends them to a road playoff game against the Rams, one of only two teams to defeat the Vikings this season, in the Wildcard Round.

To be fair to Hockenson, the entire Minnesota offense struggled against one of the best defensive game plans we have seen from Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. The return of linebacker Alex Anzalone played a massive part in locking down Hockenson, who routinely found himself in coverage of the veteran tight end. The loss sends the Vikings to a road matchup with the Rams, one of only two teams to beat the Vikings this season, in the Wildcard Round.