Russini’s what I’m hearing: This NFL coach hiring cycle is going to be huge

The judge, jury and executioner wants back in.

It took Bill Belichick one Super Bowl title, as a 14-point underdog to the “Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis Rams, to gain complete control of the New England Patriots organization. The results were historic. Belichick’s success in New England with Tom Brady — six Super Bowl titles over two decades — earned him the trust of ownership and gave him the authority to operate with little oversight.

The setup with another team might not be quite the same. Belichick wants as much authority as he can get in his next job, but very few teams are willing to grant any candidate the kind of freedom he had in Foxboro. Regardless, make no mistake: Belichick wants to be an NFL head coach in 2025.

“Coaching is in his blood; he wants this,” a person close to Belichick shared over text. Belichick has spent this season working in media, appearing on seemingly every network and podcast as he tries to stay top-of-mind with the goal of working a whistle, not a microphone, next season. The 72-year-old is staying ready.

This is what I’m hearing from around the league this week:

• The upcoming coaching cycle could be very big — three themes to remember and the buzziest name (it isn’t Deion) as flirting season begins

• The Jets could have decisions on their quarterback, coach and GM — just as their owner is leaving

• Twenty-three million reasons Daniel Jones might have taken his last snap as a Giant

• What’s behind the Ravens’ defensive struggles

• The Bengals should have learned some roster-building things from the champs

• It’s Anthony Richardson again in Indy — what does that mean for Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard?

• The only tech advice I will ever give you

---

The names — and themes — of the upcoming coaching cycle

Seven head coaches were hired last winter; many across the NFL expect that number to be higher this year. The most coaches hired in a cycle is 10, most recently after the 2021 season. This upcoming coaching cycle might not hit double digits, but it will be close. It’s not even Thanksgiving week, there is still so much football to be played, yet conversations about the next wave of coaches are already brewing among owners and their front-office staffs. Search firms are collecting information, agents are making calls, and, most importantly, teams that know they want a change are already meeting internally to discuss the possibilities. From what I gather, flirting season is in full swing.

• It’s too early to say whether Ben Johnson, the Detroit Lions’ highly regarded offensive coordinator, will become a head coach, but he is widely considered one of the top candidates. Despite interest last season, he chose to remain with the Lions to continue to learn and grow. With that in mind, the playcaller hopes to work with a strong owner and quarterback, but I’m told he will be particular about his pick. We’ll see if this is the cycle when he decides to jump in.

• Coach Prime isn’t landing at The Star. The 57-year-old University of Colorado coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback has said publicly he wants to stay in college football, despite some theories that Jerry Jones is targeting his former star. Sanders holds an 11-10 record over two seasons with the Buffaloes, and as of now, I have not spoken to a team decision-maker interested in bringing Sanders in as an NFL head coach. (A real shame; his sunglasses would be perfect for that glaring sun in Dallas.)

• For now, the former player-turned-coach getting the most hype around the league is former Titans head coach and current Browns consultant Mike Vrabel. As owners look around at the league’s successful head coaches, the culture-builders stand out (think Dan Campbell, Mike Tomlin and Raheem Morris). Vrabel fits into that category, a former player who can unite a locker room while holding his players accountable. Vrabel was a finalist for the Chargers and Falcons jobs last year. He wants to coach in 2025 and I expect him to have his pick of available jobs.

• Speaking of Vrabel, a decision-maker expecting to make a coaching change pointed out to me a trend they are focused on bringing to their team for 2025: a physical brand of football. Pointing to the Chargers, Chiefs, Packers, Lions and Eagles, he made it clear that this season has proven running the football is part of a winning foundation. Trends always make their way back around!

• New Raiders minority owner Tom Brady represents “excellence,” according to Raiders majority owner Mark Davis. While Brady is busy broadcasting for Fox and may have only 10 percent equity in the Raiders, I expect his involvement in running the team to be closer to 90 percent. We already know the organization wants to lean on Brady when picking a future quarterback. One of Davis’s strengths is his openness to listening to experienced football people, and he values Brady’s understanding of what it takes to win at a high level.

---

Jets in limbo

Both the NFL and the Jets are operating as if owner Woody Johnson will leave the organization again when (or if) he’s nominated the ambassador to the United Kingdom by President-elect Donald Trump. In 2017, Johnson was nominated for that position in January but didn’t leave until the summer, once he was confirmed. Christopher Johnson, his brother and the vice chairman of the Jets, took over in his stead.

It appears headed that way again, and plenty is hanging in the balance for the organization — the Jets will need to decide on their quarterback, head coach and possibly general manager this offseason. I’m told no decisions have been made on any of the above, but let’s be clear: There is no guarantee Aaron Rodgers will be back in a Jets uniform in 2025.

Rodgers, who turns 41 in December, said this week that he wants to play next year, and while Woody Johnson hasn’t been thrilled with his star QB’s performance, Rodgers has a strong relationship with Christopher Johnson. The next month-and-a-half will help shape the team’s decision.

The Jets do not owe Rodgers any guaranteed money in 2025. They would need to pay him a $35 million option bonus plus his $2.5 million salary if they decide to bring him back. Rodgers has a cap hit of $23.5 million. They are projected for a top-10 pick — No. 8, per Tankathon — which could put them in a position to draft a quarterback too.

---

A Daniel Jones decision to come

The New York Giants, on a bye week, have yet to inform their quarterbacks who will be starting Week 12 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll left the door open in their latest media availabilities, but this could be it for Daniel Jones.

The team is sitting at 2-8 and the organization faces significant financial implications tied to Jones’ contract: $23 million of his 2025 salary becomes guaranteed if he suffers a season-ending injury. That financial risk is one reason the Giants might decide to bench him if their playoff hopes remain dim; the backup options are Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito.

---

The Ravens’ defensive dip

If we were sitting at the bar together right now, we could debate dozens of NFL topics until the last-call bell. But the one topic that needs no arguing? Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the best player in football right now. His performance is so exceptional that even an opposing AFC coach couldn’t help but acknowledge: “If he was doing this with the Baltimore Ravens defense of the past, Baltimore would be the best team in the league. The Chiefs may be undefeated, but they’ve been heavily reliant on defense and special teams. Jackson is single-handedly winning games.”

Will the Ravens overcome their defensive struggles and pave the way for Jackson to reach the Super Bowl? Last year, Baltimore’s defense was the first in NFL history to lead the league in points allowed, sacks and takeaways. This year, under first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr, the Ravens rank 27th in yards allowed and last against the pass. Baltimore has given up 253 total points this year, and 106 (41.9 percent) have come in the fourth quarter.

I’ve had multiple coaches and front office members point to the Ravens feeling the loss of their defensive trio of coaches: former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald (now Seattle’s head coach), former defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson (defensive coordinator in Tennessee) and former defensive line coach Anthony Weaver (defensive coordinator for Miami). Those three were instrumental in shaping the Ravens’ defensive strategy, and their absence has been keenly felt. The team selected Orr as the defensive coordinator over Weaver, who interviewed with the Commanders and Falcons for the head coach job and ultimately left the organization to join the Dolphins.

As of late, Weaver’s group appears to be headed in the right direction, with a top-10 defense in the league. They are third in third-down defense and 11th in red-zone defense. The Dolphins are thriving under their first-year defensive coordinator, and I expect Weaver to once again garner significant head-coaching interest.

---

Burrow can only take Bengals so far

The 4-6 Bengals are on pace to be the only team to have each of the following in the same season: the passing yardage leader, receiving yardage leader and sack leader. Yet, they find themselves ninth in the AFC standings.

There’s a league-wide belief that Joe Burrow and this offense can propel the team into the playoffs, but overcoming this defensive performance remains a significant hurdle. Efforts around the trade deadline to strengthen the defense — they tried to get a defensive tackle and corner — were in vain. Even the recent workout with former Dolphins corner Xavien Howard, who was offered a deal, didn’t lead to an agreement. The team hoped Howard could help against Steelers wideouts George Pickens and Mike Williams, whom the Bengals will face twice after their Week 13 bye. I’m told the two sides couldn’t come to a financial agreement.

A member of an AFC front office was critical of Cincinnati’s unwillingness to redo their defense the way the Chiefs have over the last few years. Just look at the last time these two teams faced each other in the AFC title game, after the 2022 season, to now. Kansas City has consistently revamped its defense through the draft, free agency and player development resulting in a younger, more dynamic group. The Bengals, meanwhile, have remained stagnant and their players have aged. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has been known for his creative schemes, which previously masked roster deficiencies. However, this season, injuries and inconsistent performances have exposed vulnerabilities that scheme alone can’t cover up.

---

The Colts’ QB flip-flop

Two weeks ago, the Colts seemed to be in survival mode. By benching Anthony Richardson, the fourth pick of the 2023 draft, and replacing him with 39-year-old Joe Flacco, coach Shane Steichen — and, by extension, embattled general manager Chris Ballard — were trying to save Indy’s season, and possibly their jobs.

The Colts were 4-4 at the time; they’re now 4-6. Flacco, a turnover machine the past two weeks, is Richardson’s backup again. They’re not necessarily tapping out on the season (too soon?) but owner Jim Irsay is undoubtedly tired of the organization’s inability to find a top-shelf quarterback since Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement more than five years ago. Though with Richardson’s injury history, there’s still a chance we could see Flacco again at some point.

Richardson, like many young quarterbacks, is experiencing significant growing pains, but it makes sense for the franchise to see what he’s got and continue to evaluate him. That said, the Colts have some big decisions to make at season’s end, and it’s a very open question as to who will be making those calls.

---

A bit of life advice

Finally, this has nothing to do with football, but since I learned a difficult lesson this past week I wanted to pass along some advice so you can avoid the same mistake: Write your passwords down on a piece of paper and put it in a safe place. If you depend on your phone as much as I do, don’t keep your passwords stored in your actual phone! It’s been a long week, but I’m happy to be back on track — and if you want to hear more about my self-inflicted hell, listen to the latest episode of the “Scoop City” podcast:

(Photo: Winslow Townson / Getty Images)