Top 10 NFL Coordinators Ready To Become Head Coaches

Head coaches are already firmly on the hot seat this season.

These coordinators are the names to pay attention to.

There were 10 new head coaches entering this season, including a few surprising changes like Sean McDermott being out in Buffalo or John Harbaugh in Baltimore.

Veterans like Todd Bowles (Buccaneers), Jim Harbaugh (Chargers) and Dan Quinn (Commanders) are potentially on thin ice after slow starts to the season.

Fans will be wondering who might be the next man up to lead their team.

Who could be the coordinators who replace those head coaches on the hot seat? Here are the 10 names you need to know before the coaching carousel begins this offseason.

Ruiz : Ulbrich has been a fringe head-coaching candidate since serving as Jets defensive coordinator under Robert Saleh.

Nothing has changed since he parted ways with his former boss, and Ulbrich has strengthened his résumé by running the Falcons' defense.

He got above-average results from a young Atlanta defense in 2025 and had the unit playing at a top-10 clip by season’s end.

Atlanta pummeling Josh Allen and derailing his MVP campaign on "Thursday Night Football" was one of the season's biggest shocks and put Ulbrich back on the head-coaching radar.

Ulbrich isn’t a flashy defensive playcaller.

You won't find exotic blitzes and fancy coverages on the Falcons' defensive tape.

But you will find a defense that’s structurally sound and always plays hard.

Atlanta has punched well above its weight defensively since Ulbrich’s arrival.