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As the ultimate 4 groups compete in Sunday’s NFL convention championship video games, different groups across the league will be part of followers in watching how the video games play out.
Along with a Super Bowl berth at stake, Sunday will present one other information level for groups nonetheless looking for their subsequent head coach. With 5 jobs nonetheless open, a number of head-coaching candidates will probably be on show when the Denver Broncos tackle the New England Patriots at dwelling, in addition to when the Seattle Seahawks host the Los Angeles Rams.
Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are simply two of the coaches that different groups are inquisitive about. Let’s check out the coaches working Sunday concerned in discussions across the league. The groups listed as are people who nonetheless have openings and have carried out interviews with the candidate.
There’s loads of teaching background in Shula’s DNA, most notably being the grandson of former Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula, the winningest head coach in NFL historical past. Chris’ father, Dave, and uncle, Mike, have been additionally coaches within the NFL.
After starting his profession on the collegiate stage for 5 years, Shula, 39, bought his begin within the NFL in 2015 as a defensive high quality management coach with the San Diego Chargers. Since 2017, he’s been with the Rams on Sean McVay’s employees. He’s had quite a lot of roles, from linebackers coach to defensive backs coach to move sport coordinator and, since 2024, defensive coordinator.
Despite taking up the protection within the Rams’ first yr since 2014 with out celebrity defensive deal with Aaron Donald, Shula has directed a Rams unit that has considerably flown beneath the radar as a result of huge names on offense getting a whole lot of the shine. The Rams rank ninth within the league in scoring protection the final two years and tied for seventh in turnovers compelled. Although they offer up yards, they’ve demonstrated an inclination to lock down within the purple zone, boasting the third-best protection in purple zone effectivity and seventh-best protection in goal-to-go effectivity.
Scheelhaase, 35, has solely been teaching within the NFL for 2 years. He was employed by McVay in 2024 as an offensive assistant and passing sport specialist and was promoted this season to develop into the move sport coordinator. This yr, the Rams completed No. 1 within the league in complete offensive EPA, in keeping with TruMedia. They have been No. 1 in passing offense within the league, throwing for 268.1 yards per sport, and No. 1 in complete offense, gaining 394.6 yards per sport and scoring 30.5 factors per sport.
Although Scheelhaase has performed a superb job in his function and seems to be a promising head-coaching candidate sooner or later, the danger comes with separating Scheelhaase’s work from the atmosphere round him. McVay has lengthy been thought-about one of many brightest offensive minds within the sport, and having Matthew Stafford at quarterback, together with Davante Adams and Puka Nacua at huge receiver, definitely helps. Those are all circumstances that received’t essentially observe Scheelhaase to some other group.
The son of longtime NFL head coach Gary Kubiak, Klint Kubiak, 38, has bounced round to 5 organizations within the final 5 years. Kubiak labored on his father’s Broncos employees in 2016 as an offensive assistant, then he joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 when his dad grew to become an assistant head coach and offensive advisor. He took over because the Vikings’ offensive coordinator in 2021, returned to Denver because the passing sport coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2022, labored because the passing sport coordinator in 2023 for the San Francisco 49ers and offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints in 2024 earlier than becoming a member of the Seahawks this season.
Seattle completed the common season because the eighth-best scoring offense within the NFL. The Seahawks have been prime 10 in passing yards per sport and speeding yards per sport in an offense that featured Sam Darnold at quarterback, a breakout season from huge receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and an environment friendly operating again tandem. Kubiak had some vibrant spots as an offensive coordinator beforehand in Minnesota and New Orleans as effectively, however didn’t have sustained success till this season. The total expertise of the roster — on offense and protection — in Seattle in comparison with his different two earlier stops definitely helped.
Webb celebrated his thirty first birthday this week within the days main as much as the Broncos’ AFC title sport in opposition to the Patriots. The former journeyman backup quarterback wrapped up his taking part in profession in 2022 and is finishing his third yr as a coach, all on Sean Payton’s employees in Denver. Webb was the quarterbacks coach for the Broncos in 2023 and 2024 earlier than including move sport coordinator to his job description this season.
Webb would be the teaching candidate beneath the brightest highlight on championship weekend, because the Broncos navigate a tricky scenario at quarterback after Bo Nix broke his ankle on the finish of the divisional spherical sport in opposition to the Buffalo Bills, forcing Jarrett Stidham into the beginning lineup.
Denver’s protection bought a lot of the credit score for a improbable 2025 common season that ended with the Broncos getting the No. 1 seed within the AFC. However, the Broncos’ offense took a step ahead in Nix’s second yr within the NFL and was a key contributor to their success, too. As is the case with the Rams’ offensive assistants, determining how a lot of the offensive success is credited to the pinnacle coach is a key issue.
While the Raiders are the one crew nonetheless with a gap to have interviewed Webb, there’s an opportunity he might additionally find yourself within the combine with the Bills, the place he spent three seasons because the backup quarterback to Josh Allen.
It’s been nearly a decade since Joseph, 53, was a sizzling title on the teaching carousel coming off his one-year stint because the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator in 2016. Joseph’s two-year run as the pinnacle coach of the Broncos in 2017 and 2018 didn’t go effectively, as he didn’t win greater than six video games in both season. However, his return to Denver because the defensive coordinator in 2023 has produced spectacular outcomes.
In the three seasons beneath Joseph, the Broncos’ protection ranks fourth within the NFL in factors allowed per sport and fourth in complete defensive EPA. That contains this previous season, the place the 18.3 factors allowed per sport have been third-best within the NFL. The Broncos did have hassle forcing turnovers this season, with solely three groups producing fewer than their 14 takeaways. However, they ranked sixth within the NFL in Joseph’s first two seasons because the Broncos’ defensive coordinator and comfortably led the league in sacks. They additionally trailed simply the Houston Texans in complete yards allowed per sport in 2025.
LaFleur, 38, has spent important time on the staffs of a few of the brightest soccer minds within the NFL. He spent 4 years in San Francisco because the passing sport coordinator beneath Kyle Shanahan and has spent the final three seasons because the offensive coordinator beneath McVay.
LaFleur’s time in San Francisco earned him a chance as an offensive coordinator for the New York Jets in 2021 on Robert Saleh’s employees. In LaFleur’s two years because the Jets’ offensive coordinator, New York ranked within the backside three within the NFL in complete offensive EPA and offensive factors scored per sport.
In the final three years in Los Angeles, the Rams offense has been within the prime 10 in most main classes, together with fifth in offensive factors per sport and in complete offensive EPA. How a lot of that’s McVay’s presence will probably be a threat to think about for groups inquisitive about LaFleur.
After spending the primary decade of his teaching profession as an assistant within the faculty ranks, Brown, 39, bought his begin within the NFL on McVay’s employees in Los Angeles because the operating backs coach in 2020. He spent three seasons with the Rams earlier than getting offensive coordinator jobs with the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Neither cease produced glowing outcomes for offenses directed by Brown.
Brown joined Mike Vrabel’s employees in New England this season because the passing sport coordinator and tight ends coach. Along with Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator, Brown helped elevate second-year quarterback Drake Maye to an MVP candidate. The Patriots completed prime 5 in scoring offense and passing yards per sport.
Durde, 46, bought his NFL begin in 2015 as an intern with the Dallas Cowboys as a part of the NFL’s fellowship program. The bulk of his teaching improvement got here beneath Dan Quinn, who was the pinnacle coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2016 and introduced Durde in on his employees. When Quinn joined the Cowboys as their defensive coordinator in 2021, Durde was employed because the defensive position coach. Following Quinn’s departure to the Washington Commanders, Durde grew to become the defensive coordinator for the Seahawks in 2024 beneath head coach Mike Macdonald.
The Seahawks have been a top-five scoring protection the final two seasons, rating within the prime 10 in each speeding yards allowed per sport and passing yards allowed per sport. In 2025, the Seahawks had the No. 1 complete defensive EPA within the league, 11 factors forward of the second-place Browns. Their 25 compelled turnovers in 2025 have been sixth greatest within the league, they usually had three defensive touchdowns.
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