Ranking the NFL head coaches for the 2024 season
By Seth Trachtman,
6 hours agoThe impact of NFL head coaches is arguably greater than any other major US sport. Heading into the 2024 season, these are the best head coaches ranked 1-32.
1. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs (1 of 32)
Reid continues to add to his Hall of Fame resume with more Super Bowl rings. He won his third ring with Kansas City last year, and there seems to be no stopping Reid and the Chiefs. Acclaimed for his offensive genius in 14 seasons with the Eagles, he had a .583 winning percentage and nine playoff appearances that has been surpassed by his time in KC. Big Red has made the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons, helping to develop a generational quarterback in Patrick Mahomes.
2. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers (2 of 32)
Following in the footsteps of his father, legendary head coach Mike Shanahan, Kyle has made a name for himself with great success over seven seasons in San Francisco. The 49ers reached their second Super Bowl under his watch last year, falling just short to the Chiefs again. His team is favored in the NFC once more, with four winning seasons in the last five years and an explosive offense with out-of-nowhere quarterback Brock Purdy. Shanahan's incredible play-calling and apparently great evaluation of talent puts him on an elite level in his coaching generation.
3. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens (3 of 32)
Harbaugh has accomplished it all in 16 seasons as Ravens head coach. His squad won the Super Bowl in 2012 and have been to the playoffs 11 times, including five of the last six years. Early in his career, the defense was key to his squad's success, while the Ravens have been more balanced recently with Lamar Jackson leading the way. His teams usually leave no stone unturned, disciplined and tough in all phases, as shown by his career 160-99 regular-season record.
4. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams (4 of 32)
McVay's accomplishments continue to mount, even proving the doubters wrong last season with a playoff appearance following a 5-12 season. His offensive play-calling continues to impress, and seemingly any coach associated with McVay has seen their career ascend. He's now made five playoff appearances in seven seasons, reaching two Super Bowls and winning one in 2021. Still not even 40, McVay has a chance for a truly historic coaching resume.
5. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers (5 of 32)
It's clear Tomlin continues to make the most of his talent, prolonging his streak to 17 straight years finishing at least .500 despite some very sub-par quarterback play in recent years. While Tomlin only has one Super Bowl ring over that time, it's tough to see how the team could have been much more successful during his time. He has frustrated Steelers fans with a conservative brand of offense in recent years, but the proof is in the results, with 11 playoff appearances and a .633 regular-season winning percentage.
6. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers (6 of 32)
LaFleur's success has been remarkable in five seasons with Green Bay. He won 13 games in each of his first three seasons with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, but fell just short of a playoff berth in his fourth. After regressing to 8-9 in 2022, LaFleur showed that he could also develop a quarterback himself with Jordan Love quickly becoming one of the top young signal callers in the league last season. The ultimate playoff success is still missing, but the vast majority of NFL teams would love to have LaFleur on their sideline.
7. Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions (7 of 32)
Campbell's performance as Detroit's head coach has been nothing short of extraordinary so far, delighting Lions fans and bettors while turning the Lions into a winner. The team has made drastic improvements in each of the last two seasons after going 3-13-1 in his first full season at the helm, ending their playoff drought with two playoff wins last year. Detroit could be ready to take the next step under the hard-nosed Campbell, who has successfully combined old-school ideology with the aggressive nature of the new-school NFL statheads.
8. Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills (8 of 32)
McDermott is credited with turning around a Bills franchise that got accustomed to losing before he arrived in 2017. He broke an 18-year playoff drought for the franchise and has made the playoffs in six of seven years with the help of quarterback Josh Allen and a strong defense. McDermott's ability to thrive despite losing his coordinators is further proof of his leadership, but he needs to show more success in the playoffs, with a 5-6 postseason record.
9. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos (9 of 32)
Payton built his reputation as one of the top head coaches in football with New Orleans over 15 seasons, making the playoffs nine times and bringing a Super Bowl home in 2009. However, in conjunction with Drew Brees' retirement, Payton decided to depart and is still looking for his quarterback in Denver. Russell Wilson wasn't the answer, but Payton hopes first-round pick Bo Nix has some Brees in him. Payton showed enough in New Orleans (152-89 overall) to get the benefit of the doubt.
10. Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys (10 of 32)
Few NFL head coaches can claim the regular-season success of McCarthy in his two stops with Green Bay and Dallas. Over 17 seasons, he's made the playoffs 12 times and won the Super Bowl with the Packers in 2010. McCarthy has also won with two different franchises, and helped improve the Cowboys offense as the play-caller last season. Unfortunately, McCarthy's conservative decision-making and overall mediocre playoff success has jeopardized his teams repeatedly — particularly with Dallas, as the team is only 1-3 in the playoffs.
11. Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars (11 of 32)
Pederson had three winning seasons in five years with Philly, including an improbable Super Bowl victory with backup quarterback Nick Foles in 2017. However, he seemed to wear out his welcome with the Eagles before successfully turning around the Jags in 2022 with an AFC South title. Last season was a bit of a disappointment despite a 9-8 finish, but there's something to be said for five winning seasons in seven years.
12. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins (12 of 32)
McDaniel was Kyle Shanahan's right-hand man in San Francisco, and has shown why in two seasons as Miami's head coach. The Dolphins offense has skyrocketed with McDaniel's scheme, showing elite performance last season. He's made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but is still trying to figure out the team's defensive woes to take the next step in the playoffs.
13. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns (13 of 32)
Stefanski has found success amid some trying circumstances in Cleveland, particularly last season when he overcame the injuries to Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson to make the playoffs. Watson's mediocre play since coming on board has also limited Cleveland's upside, but the team has built a strong defense and supporting cast. Stefanski's success at 37-30 with two playoff appearances in four years in one of the league's toughest divisions is deserving of more credit than he's received.
14. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals (14 of 32)
The Bengals have become a perennial contender under Taylor with the help of star quarterback Joe Burrow. He was still able to manage a winning record last season at 9-8 despite Burrow nursing an injury, and came up just short of a Super Bowl victory in 2021. Some would say Taylor's offensive play-calling is too conservative, but there's little doubt he's one of the top offensive minds in the game and has put the Bengals back on the right track.
15. DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans (15 of 32)
It's hard to imagine a more successful head coaching debut than what we saw from Ryans in 2023. The former 49ers defensive coordinator came back to Houston and immediately delivered an AFC South champ with the help of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Ryans' imprint was also on the defense, which showed strong improvement. He's on the right track of joining the elite head coaches in the league.
16. Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers (16 of 32)
Harbaugh returns to the NFL after 10 years at Michigan, ultimately winning a national title. He came up just short of winning a Super Bowl while with the 49ers in 2012, but had a very successful four seasons at 44-19-1 with three playoff appearances in San Francisco. The Chargers are in a bit of a rebuild as they navigate cap issues, but Harbaugh has the credibility to get them back on the right track quickly.
17. Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles (17 of 32)
Head coaching stock is fluid, and Sirianni is a prime example. He was on top of the world one year ago after leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl. While the Eagles made the playoffs again last season, they struggled down the stretch with talk of discord between Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts along with struggles after losing both his offensive and defensive coordinator. The standards are high in Philadelphia, but Sirianni probably needs some positive trends to stay around much longer, even with three straight winning seasons.
18. Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders (18 of 32)
It seemed like only a matter of time before Quinn got another head coaching opportunity after leading the Cowboys defense back to prominence in recent seasons. Quinn was Atlanta's head coach from 2015-2020, leading them to a heartbreaking Super Bowl loss in 2016. He saw plenty of success, but the team declined after Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan was hired away in 2017 and Quinn failed to record another winning season afterwards. Washington does have interesting building blocks, led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, to help Quinn make the most of his second chance.
19. Robert Saleh, New York Jets (19 of 32)
The Jets are always seemingly a sideshow with the help of the New York media, and that's continued to be the case under Saleh. After going 11-23 in his first two seasons with no semblance of offense, Saleh's team brought in future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a host of the quarterback's former Packers teammates. The result was a disaster after Rodgers was injured in Week 1, and Saleh's job could be on the line if the results aren't better this year — whether the situation is actually of Saleh's making or not.
20. Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings (20 of 32)
A former Rams assistant under Sean McVay, O'Connell is already considered one of the top offensive minds in the game. He has a new challenge after the Vikings let Kirk Cousins walk in free agency, as he sets out to develop Sam Darnold and now-injured rookie J.J. McCarthy, the team's first-round pick in the 2024 draft and — hopefully — their signal caller of the future. The Vikings still have hope of playoff success despite going 7-10 last season after they went 13-4 in O'Connell's first season with the team.
21. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21 of 32)
Bowles' first full-time head coaching gig could have gone better, as he went 24-40 in four seasons with the Jets from 2015-2018. He's successfully transitioned the Bucs post-Tom Brady, making the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and winning one playoff game. It's notable that the NFC South has arguably been the weakest division in football during that time, but Bowles deserves credit for helping his teams overcome some rough patches.
22. Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons (22 of 32)
Morris gets his second chance to coach the Falcons after serving as Dan Quinn's replacement on an interim basis in 2020. Previously, he was one of the youngest head coaches in history as Tampa Bay's leader from 2009-2011. Stuck with middling talent, Morris went 17-31 in three seasons, but he's been one of the most widely respected defensive coordinators in the league for several years. It's exciting to see him get another opportunity with a veteran Falcons roster very capable of winning immediately.
23. Brian Daboll, New York Giants (23 of 32)
Daboll was credited with rectifying Daniel Jones' career in his first season with the team, going 9-7-1 and helping to earn Jones a big contract. However, Jones struggled early last season before tearing his ACL, and the Giants were roughed up without much offensive depth to finish 6-11. The prospects of a bounce-back season look dire in the cutthroat NFC East, and another floundering season will likely cost the former offensive coordinator his job.
24. Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints (24 of 32)
Allen's Saints took a step forward in his second season, finishing 9-8 but still failing to make the playoffs. The team's defense, its main strength for the last several seasons, has been maintained with Allen as the head coach. However, the boring flavor of football that the team has played does put Allen's job in jeopardy if the team doesn't make the playoffs in 2024. Previously, Allen was the head coach of the Raiders for two-plus years from 2012-2014, going 8-28.
25. Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts (25 of 32)
Steichen's play-calling and creativity has garnered rave reviews between his time as the offensive coordinator of the Eagles and one year as the head coach in Indy. Unfortunately, rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending injury early in the year, a major setback for the franchise. Steichen will look to build on the glimmers of success we saw last season.
26. Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals (26 of 32)
Gannon inherited difficult circumstances last season on a rebuilding Cardinals team that was without Kyler Murray for the first half of the season. There were signs of growth from the team's young players despite a 4-13 finish, but Gannon still has a big hill to climb as Cardinals head coach in the tough NFC West.
27. Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears (27 of 32)
The Bears improved to 7-10 last year after earning the No. 1 pick in the draft last season, and did so despite off-field distractions that included the early-season firing of their defensive coordinator. Eberflus deserves credit for keeping Chicago together last season, but now the expectations are much higher after the drafting of Caleb Williams and a bevy of free agent moves. This could be a make-or-break year for Eberflus, and it remains to be seen if he's capable after going 10-24 in his first two seasons.
28. Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders (28 of 32)
Pierce's early returns as head coach of the Raiders have been positive, helping to turn around a fledgling squad after Josh McDaniels was fired. The team went 5-4 under Pierce's watch, leading to a full-time opportunity. He faces major challenges going forward with quarterback issues and a tough AFC West division.
NR. Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans (29 of 32)
The son of legendary offensive line and former Raiders head coach Bill Callahan, Brian has earned his opportunity after serving as the Bengals offensive coordinator over the last five seasons. He's tasked with developing young Will Levis at quarterback, along with a defense that has shed talent in recent years.
NR. Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers (30 of 32)
Canales helped revive the Buccaneers offense in his one season as coordinator in 2023, leading to a head coaching job in Carolina. The reality is that he steps into a difficult situation, with second-year quarterback and 2023 No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young looking in over his head as a rookie and no early draft picks to salvage the team's holes. His success with Young this season could determine the franchise's path for the next generation.
NR. Mike Macdonald, Baltimore Ravens (31 of 32)
The Ravens defense became elite again under Macdonald over the last two seasons as coordinator, after also making a name for himself under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. It's more difficult nowadays for defensive coaches to get attention for head coaching jobs with teams craving offense, but Macdonald was able to emerge and earn an extremely desirable job in Seattle.
NR. Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots (32 of 32)
A former Pro Bowl linebacker in New England, Mayo has been seen for several years as the heir apparent to Bill Belichick. He will finally get his chance this year after the parting of ways between Belichick and the Patriots, but steps into a tough situation with a young, rebuilding team.
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