Defensive coordinators are 3 of first 5 head coaching hires

Jesse Minter, Robert Saleh and Jeff Hafley earned their head coaching opportunities on the defensive side of the ball.

Three of the five new hires this coaching cycle are former defensive coordinators. There are five openings still remaining and a few more defensive coaches could get a job, including Sean McDermott, Brian Flores and Vance Joseph.

Maybe the trend is shifting.

NFL teams have often sought offensive coaches in recent years. The success of guys like Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur inspired organizations to seek the rising offensive coordinators. Liam Coen and Ben Johnson stepped in and led their teams to division titles in their first season as head coaches after leading offenses.

Many teams will continue to prioritize an offensive coach to help develop a franchise quarterback. But finding the best candidate is important and pairing a defensive-minded head coach with the right offensive coordinator can be the right formula, too.

The Patriots hired Mike Vrabel, a former linebacker, last year. He brought Josh McDaniels back to New England to run the offense. They went from worst to first in the AFC East and are playing the Denver Broncos on Sunday in the AFC championship game.

The Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald, a former defensive coordinator with the Ravens, two years ago. He brought in Klint Kubiak to coach the offense and Seattle faces McVay and the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC championship game.

Minter served as the Chargers defensive coordinator the past two seasons before the Baltimore Ravens hired him on Thursday to replace John Harbaugh, who had given him his first opportunity as an NFL assistant.

Hafley, who was hired by the Miami Dolphins, was Green Bay’s defensive coordinator the last two seasons after coaching Boston College.

Saleh, who returned to the 49ers for a season after being the head coach of the New York Jets, was hired by the Tennessee Titans.

The New York Giants hired Harbaugh, who was a special teams coach two decades ago before spending 18 seasons as Baltimore’s head coach.

The Atlanta Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski, a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year in Cleveland and former offensive coordinator.

The Bills, Steelers, Raiders, Cardinals and Browns are still seeking a coach. They have options and interviewed coaches with offensive and defensive backgrounds.

The four teams playing Sunday are strong on both sides of the ball.

The Patriots, Broncos, Rams and Seahawks each have an offense that ranked in the top 10 in total yards and top 10 in scoring defense.

The NFC showdown features the league’s highest-scoring offense against the stingiest defense. The Rams led the NFL in scoring with an average of 30.5 points per game while the Seahawks gave up a league-low 17.2.

Los Angeles has All-Pro quarterback Matthew Stafford, All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua, wideout Davante Adams, running back Kyren Williams and three tight ends that McVay likes to use together.

Seattle has star players at all three levels on defense, including defensive tackle Leonard Williams, linebacker Ernest Jones IV, cornerback Devon Witherspoon and defensive back Nick Emmanwori.

In the AFC, Drake Maye leads an offense that was second in scoring (28.8) and third in yards. The Broncos had the No. 2 defense in yards allowed and gave up the third-fewest points (18.3).

Maye has playmakers around him, including running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson and wideout Stefon Diggs.

Denver’s defense features All-Pro interior lineman Zach Allen, edge rusher Nik Bonitto, cornerback Patrick Surtain and safety Talanoa Hufanga.

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FILE - Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)

FILE - San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh stands on the sideline during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Jan. 3, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Scot Tucker, File)

Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley speaks during a news conference at the teams NFL football training facility, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea placed overseas travel bans on three people as part of an investigation into alleged drone flights over North Korea that have deepened animosities between the rivals, authorities said Friday.

North Korea threatened retaliation earlier this month after accusing South Korea of launching a surveillance drone flight in September and again in January. The South Korean government denied operating any drones during the times specified by North Korea and began probing if civilians sent them.

The development threatens to further dampen prospects for a push by South Korea's liberal government to resume long-stalled talks with North Korea.

The three civilians put under travel bans include a man with the surname Oh who told South Korean media that he flew drones to check radiation levels at a North Korean uranium facility, according to a joint military and police investigation team.

The investigation team refused to give details about two other civilians except to say one was summoned for questioning in the past week.

South Korea media reported the trio has worked together for a drone manufacturer and that Oh and the person who was summoned worked as contract employees for the office of then conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol in 2022. The investigation team declined to confirm the reports.

President Lee Jae Myung has called for a thorough probe, saying unnecessary tensions with North Korea would cause negative impacts the economy. Lee took office last June via a snap election arranged after the early departure of Yoon, who was dismissed as president over his ill-fated martial law imposition in late 2024.

Analysts say North Korea's drone accusations were likely driven by its efforts to dial up anti-South Korea sentiments ahead of the ruling Workers’ Party congress expected in late January or February. North Korea could add leader Kim Jong Un's declaration of a hostile “two-state” system on the Korean Peninsula in the party constitution during the congress, the first of its kind in five years.

There have been no public talks between the two Koreas since 2019 and drone flights are a source of animosity between the rivals.

North Korea accused South Korea in October 2024 of flying drones over its capital, Pyongyang, to drop propaganda leaflets. South Korea has accused North Korea of occasional drone flights over the border in the past decade.

In December 2022, South Korea fired warning shots, scrambled fighter jets and flew surveillance drones over North Korea in response to North Korea’s first alleged drone flights across the border in five years.

FILE - A soldier stands at a North Korean military guard post with the country's national flag, seen from Paju, South Korea, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)