By Hunter Montroy

Ben Johnson is certainly at the top of the list when it comes to filling a spot for a head coaching position this year. NFL teams know he is a smart guy who is only going to pull the trigger on the best situation possible, which is why the Jets did not request an interview with him, knowing he would likely laugh at them in their face. It’s quite certain he will not take the job with the Jaguars given their miserable situation with both GM and ownership.

The Patriots are the team that’s garnered the biggest discussion so far given their situation, as they are the more favorable of the group. The Patriots have their quarterback, who showed immense talent his rookie year even with a shoddy offense. Although they could have had the 1st overall pick in the 2025 draft, a 4th isn’t bad. The team also boasts $131 million in cap space for 2025, which allows a head coach to truly construct a great team as they build to something great.

For Ben Johnson, however, Mike Vrabel is the one who sits atop the list for the Patriots this year. Mike Vrabel is the most likely candidate for this team given his history with them. Vrabel is also a desirable candidate for the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching position as well, given Tom Brady’s involvement, which gives Johnson the potential opportunity. Tom Telesco was just fired from his GM position today on January 9th, allowing for the team to be completely rebuilt with those who best suit the new head coach, making it a favorable spot.

If we look at potential teams with head coaches in the hot seat, there are some far better options with a gifted offense. Is the Bengals Zac Taylor in potential trouble given their recent performance this year and prior less-than-desirable past seasons? Of course, after their rebuild, Taylor eventually took them to the Super Bowl, which they lost, and they have since experienced bigger dips each year after that.

The Dolphins have been seeing some undesirable results year after year, and let’s be honest, they have never looked like a Super Bowl team with the McDaniel/Tua duo. I think both of them are great as a QB and HC, but from the fanbase, Tyreek Hill, and ownership, it seems McDaniel is starting to walk on thinner ice. After failing to make it to the playoffs, the Dolphins made sure to post on Twitter that HC Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier will return next season. Typically, teams with smooth operations and trust from ownership do not need posts like these to be made. Johnson could probably make quick work of the Miami Dolphins by getting Tua to reach his ceiling and utilize that stacked offense.

https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1876093803989553409

The New York Giants could clean house entirely after this year unless they can miraculously turn things around, although I doubt that is going to happen. They need a solid quarterback for 2025, and this year’s draft class isn’t eye-popping. However, with expectations low, the Giants will probably perform poorly in 2025, just like in 2024, which will give them a high draft pick, making them a desirable candidate for their rebuild if both HC and GM are booted. Johnson could see this team being a great target for him, as Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy Jr. are two great young offensive weapons that Johnson is very familiar with when it comes to Wide Receiver and Running Back.

The Arizona Cardinals haven’t exactly been on fire under Jonathan Gannon. They will look to make the playoffs in 2025 after failing this season, and their roster isn’t awful by any means. Johnson could thrive with what they got.

As of January 9, 2025, we are days away from the Wild Card Weekend. Two teams to look out for are the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. Discussions surrounding the HC positions for Harbaugh and Tomlin have been talked about in the past, and this year feels like a make-or-break for either of them. I truly think whichever team loses this weekend will have an interesting off-season and a fire under their ass in the 2025 season to perform at a very high degree. Could you imagine Ben Johnson looking at both of these teams, especially the Ravens, knowing John Harbaugh better get Lamar Jackson to perform at his absolute best, and if they lose, his job could be on thin ice?