6 NFL assistant coaches who will be household names after this season

July 19, 2024

Every year there’s a breakout offensive or defensive coordinator who vaults to the top of a declining franchise’s head coaching candidate list. In 2022, then-Ravens defensive coordinator Mike McDonald revamped the Ravens defense and was offered the head coaching job after the 2023 season. Houston Texans OC Bobby Slowick came out of Kyle Shanahan’s school and transformed a grounded offense with a rookie QB into one of the most entertaining offenses the NFL saw last year.

This year looks set to be no different. Coaches from all disciplines and schools of thought are poised to take the spotlight of GMs around the world as the next hot coordinator. Guys like Ben Johnson and Slowick are obvious choices, but there are plenty of others who could get a chance with an NFL franchise in the near future. Here’s a look at who could be next in line for a hot head coaching role in the NFL.

Zach Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Robinson is the big coordinator name to go for this cycle. SteelersSaints and Falcons. He eventually followed fellow NBA player Raheem Morris to Atlanta to work with dynamic, explosive skill players and a quarterback who could get the ball to them.

The reason I rate Robinson so highly is because he comes from the McVay lineage when McVay started diversifying his offense — more gap scheme runs with QB Matthew Stafford, more pistol offense, more high-low. I think the pistol and gap scheme runs are concepts that will be popular again in the NFL in 2024, so getting a coordinator who’s already ahead of the scheme curve would be great for whoever acquires him post-Atlanta.

Anthony Weaver, Miami Dolphins

The first branch on the Mike McDonald tree was Weaver, who was the defensive line coach under McDonald and is now coaching at Miami. Dolphin This is a talented team, but clearly Fangio’s defense was missing something. Weaver will adhere to the same defensive discipline as McDonald, but I think he’ll have more opportunities to be creative in man coverage. With Jevon Holland being an incredibly versatile safety, Jalen Ramsey still being Jalen Ramsey, and a reliable middle linebacker in Jordyn Brooks, Weaver has the potential to take the Dolphins defense to the next level.

Coming from the McDonald coaching line, he should garner a lot of attention this season as the head defensive coach. Everyone is looking for the next big thing and he could be it.

Ryan Nielsen, Jacksonville Jaguars

Honestly, I’m surprised Nielsen hasn’t had more head-coaching interviews at this point. After coming over from New Orleans to lead the Falcons defense, he turned Atlanta into a top-10 team in EPA/Plays Allowed despite a terrible offense. He’s now in Jacksonville, where he’s blending his four-man down-front, man-coverage-heavy defense with a team in need of defensive improvement.

The reason I rate Nielsen so highly is because he can get a high level of play out of his stars. Safety Jesse Bates had the best year of his career with Nielsen’s defense. As DL coach in New Orleans, he consistently led that group to play its best. Now he’ll be working with one of the best pass rushers in the league in Josh Hines-Allen and a defense that’s talented when it matters. I’m sure he’ll be interviewing next offseason.

Jeff Ulbrich, New York Jets

This is the third consecutive defensive coordinator on this list because their defense is the best. Ulbrich is on this list because he is the co-architect of what could be the best defense in the league in 2024. New York JetsWith his aggressive style of play up front and physical secondary play, Ulbrich’s defenses have always been on a roll, but it’s the plays he’s pulled from unknowns that have earned him this high on the list. Quincy Williams became a Pro Bowl linebacker under Ulbrich’s tutelage. Bryce Huff became a star under his tutelage, and the secondary hasn’t faltered despite what seemed like an inevitable decline in defensive quality.

Additionally, Ulbrich just coached the Senior Bowl in 2024, which isn’t a huge indicator of immediate success in the NFL, but it does show how highly both the Jets and the NFL value Ulbrich. If the Jets live up to their great potential on defense, he could be the head coach next year if he wants to.

Frank Smith, Miami Dolphins

Frank Smith is also an interesting case. Technically, he’s the offensive coordinator of the most explosive offense the NBA has ever seen, so shouldn’t he get more attention? Well, he doesn’t call the plays. Mike McDaniels still does that. But Smith’s experience with the run game and offensive line means he could still be a candidate for a head coaching job. Before Miami, he was the run game coordinator in Los Angeles. Chargersand you can see how creative and wild the Dolphins run game can be when everything is going well. With the NFL leaning more and more on the run game to get teams out of their two-high shells, and the Dolphins run game being one of the coolest in the league, Smith deserves more attention.

The worry is that while McDaniels has all the play-calling authority, it’s now Frank Smith’s turn to take a head shot at Shanahan’s third.

Christian Parker, Philadelphia Eagles

Parker is the only coach here without an official offensive or defensive coordinator title, currently serving as the passing game coordinator and DB coach in Philadelphia, but league insiders have him positioned as the next big-time defensive tackle on the rise. He’s done a masterful job with the DBs, developing Denver’s Pat Surtain II into the best cornerback in football and developing Pro Bowl regular Justin Simmons. He’s widely regarded as one of the best DB coaches in the league and will likely be the DC next season.

But if there’s one thing we know about the NFL, it’s that players who develop quickly move into the manager’s chair, and Parker could be someone to watch as the team selects in the next coaching cycle.