Realistic Goals for All 10 NFL Head Coaches With New Teams in 2026

A whopping 10 NFL franchises—or nearly a third of the league—has welcomed in a new head coach this offseason.

Coaching in the NFL is already a brutal field, and it’s only getting harder as the league sees increased annual turnover. The success of Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson and Liam Coen in their first year with the Patriots, Bears and Jaguars has only increased the expectations of a quick turnaround for new coaches, and made teams more willing to move on to the next hot coaching candidate.

While every team aims to win a Super Bowl or at least make the playoffs each year, it’s highly unlikely that every recently hired coach, or even half of them, will be as successful as Vrabel, Johnson and Coen. With every vacancy officially filled, here’s a look at a realistic goal at what each new hire can realistically achieve in their first season as head coach.

Arizona Cardinals (Mike LaFleur): 7-8 wins

Mike LaFleur, Cardinals. — Mike LaFleur is heading to the Cardinals after serving as the Rams offensive coordinator. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

New Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur has the unenviable task of trying to make Arizona competitive in the toughest division in the NFL. The Rams, 49ers and Seahawks were three of the NFC’s final four teams, and the Rams and Seahawks are arguably the two best teams in the entire league.

It would be difficult for the Cardinals, who appear ready to make a change at quarterback, to be expected to win the division in Year 1 under LaFleur. If they can make it difficult for their divisional foes while earning 7-8 wins, that would be a good result for LaFleur’s first season.

Atlanta Falcons (Kevin Stefanski): Playoff berth

Kevin Stefanski, Falcons. — Kevin Stefanski joined Atlanta after six years in Cleveland. | Falcons.

There are still questions surrounding quarterback Michael Penix Jr., but the Falcons have too talented of a roster not to be making the playoffs, particularly in a weak NFC South. If Kevin Stefanski can lead a dysfunctional Browns squad to the playoffs twice in a much tougher AFC North, he should be able to bring the Falcons back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Baltimore Ravens (Jesse Minter): Playoff berth, defensive growth

Jesse Minter, Ravens. — Jesse Minter is back in Baltimore as the Ravens’ head coach. | Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images

Assuming Lamar Jackson is fully healthy in 2026, the Ravens will be expected to return to the playoffs and win the AFC North with Jesse Minter at the helm. The Ravens fired John Harbaugh because he was unable to get over the hump with Jackson, and anything short of a playoff berth will be a huge letdown.

Along with returning to the playoffs, Jesse Minter will be expected to improve Baltimore’s defense. Minter was hired in large part because of his work with the Chargers’ defense, and he will be expected to produce a similar turnaround with the Ravens.

Buffalo Bills (Joe Brady): Divisional round or bust

Joe Brady, Bills. — Joe Brady was promoted from offensive coordinator to the Bills head coach. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With Josh Allen in his prime, it’s Super Bowl or bust for the Bills. The Bills fired Sean McDermott because they didn’t want to miss out on their Super Bowl window, so the pressure is on Joe Brady, even as a first-year head coach.

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If the Bills fall short of a Super Bowl, they should at least be expected to win a playoff game and advance to the divisional round—the standard that McDermott has set over his last six seasons in Buffalo. If they don’t, there will likely be outcry in Western New York.

Cleveland Browns (Todd Monken): Win 8 games

New Browns coach Todd Monken will look to improve an offense that struggled greatly in 2025. The Browns largely won five games thanks to their stellar defense, but that unit has taken a massive hit with Jim Schwartz resigning from his position as defensive coordinator. If Monken can steer Cleveland back on track and improve on their win total, that would make for a promising first season as the Browns’ new lead man.

Las Vegas Raiders (Klint Kubiak): 7-8 wins

The Raiders have been a hot mess for much of the last two decades, but they’re seeking stability and success with the hiring of Klint Kubiak. It won’t be easy in their first season as Las Vegas competes in the AFC West and goes up against the NFC West in 2026, but if they can tally seven to eight wins, that would be a significant step in the right direction for a team lacking a lot of marquee talent.

More importantly, improved player development will define whether Kubiak’s first season is successful. Assuming the Raiders draft Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, getting him off to a a confident start would be a success in itself. As Kubiak also alluded to in his introductory press conference, it will be important for him to get the offensive line right to then unlock Ashton Jeanty and the running game.

Miami Dolphins (Jeff Hafley): Equal or better their win total

Jeff Hafley, Dolphins. — Jeff Hafley will try to turn around the Dolphins. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

As the Dolphins welcome in a new regime to South Beach, they’re signaling a time of transition for the franchise. Not only do the Dolphins have a new head coach and general manager, but they also appear to be ready to move on from several key veterans, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Expectations likely won’t be too high as they make significant changes to the roster, but it would be positive to see Miami at least reach seven wins, which they did this year.

New York Giants (John Harbaugh): Make the Giants a playoff contender

John Harbaugh, Giants. — John Harbaugh is tasked with trying to turn around the Giants. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

John Harbaugh was viewed by many as the best head coach available this offseason, and the Giants managed to lure him to New York. The Giants won just four games this season, but with a coach of Harbaugh’s reputation at the helm, they will be expected to produce much better results. While missing out on the playoffs wouldn’t necessarily be a failure in Year 1 under Harbaugh, it would be disappointing if they’re not contending for a playoff spot until late in the season.

Pittsburgh Steelers (Mike McCarthy): Playoff berth

Unlike the other teams with new head coaches, the Steelers did not fire a coach in hopes of improvement. Mike Tomlin walked away on his own terms.

It’s hard to fully project what’s realistic for the Steelers immediately in the post-Tomlin era. Pittsburgh is a largely aging team with uncertainty at the quarterback position as Aaron Rodgers mulls whether he’ll return. Tomlin set an impeccable standard by leading the team to a Super Bowl in his second season and never recording a losing season. While Mike McCarthy has consistently led his teams to the playoffs, it could be more difficult with where this Steelers squad is at. Given their recent track record and the AFC North coming off a down year in 2025, it’s realistic to expect the Steelers to aim for a division title and playoff berth next season.

Tennessee Titans (Robert Saleh): 6-8 wins

Robert Saleh, Titans. — Robert Saleh has earned his second head coaching gig with the Titans. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Titans have won just three games in each of the last two seasons, so doubling their win total in their first season under Robert Saleh would be a positive step for the franchise.

Similarly to the Raiders, seeing improvement across the roster is most important for Tennessee. If Cam Ward can take steps forward under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and the defense gets better as Saleh calls the plays this time around, the Titans should feel good about the direction of their team.