The NFL coaching carousel is slowing down, and for Matt Nagy, the window of opportunity might be closing faster than expected.
With the Cleveland Browns making their move and hiring Todd Monken as their next head coach, the list of available jobs has shrunk to just two: the Arizona Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders. For coaches still in the hunt, that’s a tight squeeze-and for Nagy, who once seemed like a strong candidate to land a top job this cycle, it’s a stark reminder of how quickly the landscape can shift.
Nagy, of course, isn’t new to this game. After his head coaching stint with the Chicago Bears from 2018 to 2021, he returned to Kansas City, where he’s been a key part of Andy Reid’s staff over the past four seasons, most recently serving as offensive coordinator.
His name surfaced early and often this cycle, particularly following the Tennessee Titans’ decision to part ways with Brian Callahan back in Week 5. From that point on, Nagy was viewed as a serious contender, with buzz continuing well into January.
But as the dust settles, that early momentum hasn’t translated into a job. Despite being mentioned as one of three finalists for the Titans’ vacancy, reports now indicate that wasn’t the case. Tennessee ultimately chose Robert Saleh, while the other two rumored finalists-Kevin Stefanski and Jeff Hafley-landed elsewhere, with the Falcons and Dolphins, respectively.
That left Nagy looking elsewhere. He’s been linked to a few other teams-some formally, some speculatively-but nothing has stuck.
The Ravens opted to replace John Harbaugh with Jesse Minter. The Cardinals reportedly had Nagy on their radar, but there’s been no official movement there, and Arizona appears to be focusing its attention on offensive minds like Mike LaFleur from the Rams and Klint Kubiak from the Seahawks.
The Raiders, however, have interviewed Nagy, and that remains his most realistic shot. But even that feels like a long shot at this stage.
In the late stages of a hiring cycle, there’s usually some smoke around the leading candidates-buzz, leaks, momentum. So far, there’s been little of that surrounding Nagy.
That doesn’t mean it’s over, but it does mean the odds are getting longer.
And if he was hoping for a soft landing back in Kansas City, that door appears to be closed as well. The Chiefs have already moved on, promoting Eric Bieniemy to fill the offensive coordinator role. That leaves Nagy without a clear path forward-for now.
The carousel hasn’t stopped spinning completely, but with each passing day, the ride slows down. And unless something unexpected happens soon, Matt Nagy may find himself watching this round of coaching hires from the outside looking in.