It’s only Week 12, and there are already two NFL head coaching vacancies. Nine teams have a 3-7 record or worse, which means there could be a lot more jobs opening up around the league over the next few weeks. While some teams prefer to wait until their season is over to make coaching changes, many organizations are already putting together a shortlist of the top NFL coaching candidates in 2025.
That list surely features heavy hitters with plenty of NFL experience, such as Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel. But we can’t forget about the top candidates who have never gotten the chance to be an NFL head coach, like Detroit’s Ben Johnson or even past head coaches like Minnesota’s Brian Flores.
Yet, there’s always the possibility of dipping into the college ranks, and it sounds like two specific names are generating NFL head coaching interest.
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NFL teams eyeing Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman
Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks are the top-ranked college football team in the nation. The 38-year-old former Georgia defensive coach has quickly risen up the ranks, but after excelling at Oregon, it’s possible he could be eyeing a jump to the NFL. Teams are certainly interested.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman hasn’t enjoyed the same recent success as Lanning, but the 38-year-old still holds a respectable 28-9 record as the Fighting Irish’s head coach. He too, is viewed as a rising star who’s often been linked to the NFL since taking over at Notre Dame in 2021.
There’s no way to know how interested Lanning and/or Freeman are at ditching college football for the NFL, and good luck getting an answer out of them while they’re under contract with their respective programs. Yet, sometimes, all it takes is an offer too good to refuse to move on from a good job.
Recently, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicated that both Lanning and Freeman are generating interest around the NFL as head coaching vacancies open up.
“Last week, I mentioned Oregon coach Dan Lanning as someone who has generated intrigue in some NFL circles. Some context: Do I think Lanning, who is in his third year with the Ducks and has a massive buyout, is leaving for the pros right now? No. But the point is that a relatively thin pool of candidates leaguewide could create a lane for top college coaches if they choose to pivot. Another name that is on the radar of the league office is Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman. Neither Lanning nor Freeman have any NFL experience, but if there’s a year to think creatively, this might be it.”
Jeremy Fowler on Dan Lanning and Marcus Freeman
Again, it’s not known whether either coach would be eager to leave for the NFL, and like other candidates, it could depend on landing in the perfect scenario with the ideal GM and roster nucleus already in place. Yet, with some insiders speculating that this could be an offseason that features a lot of moving parts in the coaching world, maybe Lanning or Freeman land in the NFL.
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