July is “breakout” month in the NFL. Everyone’s optimism is sky-high, the sweaty slog of training camp hasn’t hit yet and we in the media are giddily producing a frenzy of predictions.I wanted to give this a shot, too, highlighting coaches to watch in a league of so much organizational turnover from year to year. Amid all of that change, who might really impact their respective teams?Some ground rules/parameters for this list of potential “breakout assistants,” created out of conversations with team and league sources, my own observations and film study, plus a couple of extra tidbits from our writers:
The assistant coach does not have to be a coordinator.
The coach may be well-known to one fanbase already — congrats, you guys know ball — but could make a greater impact locally and nationally in 2026.
Some coaches may be poised to receive interest for higher-level jobs, but to be included here they do not have to be “future head coaches” or “future coordinators” — they might just be really, really good at the job they have. The point is, you’ll notice their work.
I paired some coordinators together because of the overall potential of or intrigue in the tandem (my list, my rules).
