The NEXT: Common Thread Between the NFL's Final Four

Look at the coaching trajectories of these four teams.

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Not the biggest splash hire last year, but hard to argue now it wasn't the best hire Balto could have made.

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Every offseason, when a handful of NFL coaching gigs are up for grabs, it always seems to be an ideological battle between "big-name guy with experience" and "young assistant on the rise." If you're one of the teams this season who still hasn't filled their spot, think latter category. Why? Look at these playoffs.

Andy Reid: been in Philly a decade now, but when he first got the gig, he was a well-respected assistant. John Harbaugh: was actually an assistant under Reid for a while, doing work with the defensive backs, when the Ravens came calling. Mike Tomlin: Was leading the Vikings defense when he impressed the Rooneys. Ken Whisenhunt: coordinated the Steelers' offense in their Super Bowl run a few years back. (He was a favorite for the job that Tomlin got.) Soooo…Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum? Put down the "Shanahan red phone" (no offense, dude's a great coach) and start looking a bit closer at a guy like Rex Ryan.

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