When legendary former NFL coach Invoice Belichick became North Carolina head coach on Wednesday, it obtained us to considering: What is the excellent school teaching gig for each AFC head coach?
So droop actuality (slightly) as we ship all 16 again to varsity.
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS | Sean McDermott: College of Miami |McDermott has no ties to the college as a participant or coach, however after eight seasons surviving the sub-zero temperatures of Buffalo, the nice and cozy Florida local weather might be exhausting to withstand. After watching Payments followers take over Exhausting Rock Stadium for a Week 2 sport in opposition to the Dolphins, McDermott said (h/t Batavia Daily News’ Alex Brasky), “I truly had somebody come over throughout the sport and ask me if this was a house sport, which is fairly cool, proper?”
MIAMI DOLPHINS | Mike McDaniel: Yale | According to the school’s website, McDaniel walked on to the Bulldogs as a large receiver in 2001 however didn’t register a stat as a four-year letterman. He’s been stuffing NFL stat sheets as a coach ever since, and with 33.8 factors per sport scored in 2024, Yale is ideal for a play-caller like McDaniel.
NEW YORK JETS | Jeff Ulbrich: Hawaii | Ulbrich earned first-team All-WAC honors as a center linebacker with Hawaii earlier than his choice within the 2000 NFL Draft by the 49ers. His solely expertise with school teaching got here as a linebackers coach and particular groups coordinator with UCLA from 2012-14, however after 4 straight shedding seasons, the Rainbow Warriors want him greater than the Bruins.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | Jerod Mayo: North Carolina | As soon as Belichick strikes on, after all. The Patriots stunned everybody by hiring Mayo to exchange the legendary coach in New England, so why not ship him to Chapel Hill on the finish of Belichick’s tenure with the Tar Heels? — Bruce Ewing
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS | Sean Payton: San Diego State | Payton had two stints with the Aztecs, first as an offensive assistant from 1988-89 and because the workforce’s operating backs coach from 1992-93. Maybe the third time would be the attraction for the Aztecs, who completed 3-9 this season.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | Andy Reid: Brown College |
According to U.S. News and World Report, Brown is the nation’s prime faculty for aspiring writers. Earlier than becoming a member of BYU’s soccer program as a graduate assistant in 1982, Reid thought-about a profession in sports activities writing and even penned tales for the college newspaper whereas on the Cougars’ roster.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Antonio Pierce: College of Tulsa |
In a piece for The Players Tribune in the offseason, Pierce recalled going undrafted in 2001 as a consequence of issues over his lack of dimension. Paradoxically, Pierce resigned as an assistant coach with Arizona State, the most important faculty within the nation, amid a recruiting scandal in 2022, however he received’t have such issues in Tulsa, the college with the smallest undergraduate enrollment of any FBS program.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Jim Harbaugh: Michigan | Certain, Harbaugh earned four years of sanctions for failing to cooperate with NCAA investigators in 2023, however he led the workforce to a nationwide title in 2023 and 2028 can be right here earlier than you already know it. As soon as a Michigan man, as soon as once more a Michigan man. — Bruce Ewing
AFC North
PITTSBURGH STEELERS | Mike Tomlin: Iowa | Tomlin would slot in seamlessly at Iowa as a result of he prioritizes protection and particular groups and would love nothing greater than to win a hard-fought Huge Ten sport 9-6. It’s additionally not possible to image him carrying something apart from black and gold after his 18 years with the Steelers.
BALTIMORE RAVENS | John Harbaugh: Michigan | Brothers love one-upping one another, proper? Nicely, that’s precisely what John might do by bringing Michigan a nationwide championship a number of years after his youthful brother, Jim, did the identical.
CINCINNATI BENGALS | Zac Taylor: Nebraska | Nebraska hasn’t had a winning season since 2016, and it’s nonetheless looking for the reply to deliver this system again to its glory days of the Nineties. Who higher than Taylor, who was the Cornhuskers’ beginning quarterback in 2005 and 2006 and could be searching for a brand new job this offseason?
CLEVELAND BROWNS | Kevin Stefanski: Temple | Temple desperately wants a brand new chief after going 13-42 over the previous 5 seasons, and it might use some native blood to get the job completed. Stefanski, a Philadelphia native, can be the right selection to show this program round. — Jack Dougherty
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS: DeMeco Ryans: Alabama | Ryans performed at Alabama from 2002-05, so he’s conversant in the expectations in Tuscaloosa. And as one of many NFL’s brightest younger head coaches, he’d be greater than certified to steer one in all school soccer’s most prestigious manufacturers.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Shane Steichen: UNLV | UNLV hired ESPN analyst Dan Mullen, the previous Florida and Mississippi State HC, as its head coach Thursday, however possibly the celebrities might align for Steichen and his alma mater in a number of years. The second-year Colts head coach appeared in 23 video games at quarterback for the Rebels from 2003-06.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Doug Pederson: Temple | The “Philly Particular” mastermind returns to town of his biggest teaching accomplishment. If the previous Eagles coach can win a Tremendous Bowl over Invoice Belichick and Tom Brady with Nick Foles as his beginning QB, Pederson might flip round an Owls program that has had 4 consecutive 3-9 seasons.
TENNESSEE TITANS: Brian Callahan: Illinois | Callahan is a local of Champaign, and Illinois might take a web page out of Arizona State’s playbook by hiring him. “I’m dwelling,” Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham said throughout his introductory information convention in 2022, and fewer than two years later, he has Arizona State three wins away from the primary nationwide title in program historical past. — Eric Smithling
