Football is a team sport, which was last evidenced pretty clearly in Super Bowl LIX: The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs thanks to an all-star setup on both sides of the ball, and despite an apparent disadvantage on the sidelines, where Nick Sirianni faced off with arguably the best coach in the game — and one of the best of all time — in Andy Reid.
Is it a coincidence, however, that Sirianni was in his second title game in three years, and Reid was in his fifth in six seasons? Is it possible that both of their respective teams had become Super Bowl regulars thanks in large part to their presence on the headset? You see, if football is a team sport, then all positions matter, and there’s a case to be made that coaches are second only to quarterbacks when it comes to determining the ultimate trajectory of a contender; they, after all, are the ones calling the shots.
So which of the NFL’s head coaches are difference-makers — for both better and worse? Which ones are cemented as elite shepherds of both rebuilds and title bids? And which ones are under lots of pressure to make the most of their clubs in 2025? Here’s our complete ranking of all 32, divided into three tiers, knowing full well these men have a chance to write — or rewrite — their own true stories when the games begin this year:
Tier 3: Unproven or underwhelming
As long as these coaches are employed, they have a chance to redeem themselves. As we stand, however, they’ve either yet to prove their staying power or struggled to build a promising program.
32. Brian Callahan (Titans)
- 2024 Rank: N/A
- Season: 2nd with Titans, 2nd as coach
- Career record: 3-14 | Playoffs: N/A
We shouldn’t fault Callahan too much for inheriting an overhauled roster, but after he was unable to corral quarterback Will Levis‘ riskiest tendencies, there’s a lot riding on Cam Ward essentially controlling himself as Tennessee’s new face of the franchise.
31. Brian Schottenheimer (Cowboys)
- 2024 Rank: N/A
- Season: 1st with Cowboys, 1st as coach
- Career record: N/A | Playoffs: N/A
To say his promotion after Mike McCarthy’s exit was an anticlimactic surprise would be an understatement. But this is Jerry Jones’ show, so it’s actually par for the course. Yes, Schottenheimer’s name may be bigger than his resume, but this man first held a coordinator job way back in 2006; it’s not like he’s totally lacking in NFL chops. Are we sure there isn’t a remote possibility he makes like, say, Doug Pederson — another former NFC East hire who was overlooked by all except his own team’s powerful front office — and proves to be just the approachable leader Dallas needs?
30. Brian Daboll (Giants)
- 2024 Rank: 21
- Season: 4th with Giants, 4th as coach
- Career record: 18-32-1 | Playoffs: 1-1
Daboll looked like a wizard in his debut, rejuvenating both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley en route to a road playoff win. That feels like ages ago, with his record only plummeting since then. Unveiling rookie dual threat Jaxson Dart may well buy him more time, unless the aging Russell Wilson proves to be the serviceable downfield arm he’s been hunting for years.
29. Kellen Moore (Saints)
- 2024 Rank: N/A
- Season: 1st with Saints, 1st as coach
- Career record: N/A | Playoffs: N/A
Once branded a prime prospect to run the Cowboys, Moore got a Super Bowl ring by leaning upon Saquon Barkley as the rival Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator in 2024. Whether that translates to managing an entire organization is anyone’s guess.
28. Aaron Glenn (Jets)
- 2024 Rank: N/A
- Season: 1st with Jets, 1st as coach
- Career record: N/A | Playoffs: N/A
Returning to the same franchise with which he started his playing career, Glenn has no shortage of spirit, which fit right in as part of Dan Campbell’s Detroit Lions staff. His greatest challenge will be stabilizing, not further dramatizing, such a troubled franchise.
27. Raheem Morris (Falcons)
- 2024 Rank: 23
- Season: 2nd with Falcons, 5th as coach
- Career record: 29-47 | Playoffs: N/A
For a team that was supposed to be a quarterback away going into 2024, the young Falcons have a lot of questions after Morris’ situational calls contributed to another non-playoff season in Atlanta. If Michael Penix Jr. delivers under center, the tides could turn.
26. Liam Coen (Jaguars)
- 2024 Rank: N/A
- Season: 1st with Jaguars, 1st as coach
- Career record: N/A | Playoffs: N/A
His Jacksonville introduction was quirky, but the real concern is he’s bounced between six different jobs over the last six years. Still, he’s got a vision for aiding Trevor Lawrence, which is priority No. 1 as the mercurial quarterback enters another prove-it season.
25. Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals)
- 2024 Rank: 27
- Season: 3rd with Cardinals, 3rd as coach
- Career record: 12-22 | Playoffs: N/A
His fate may be tied to the trajectory of Kyler Murray, who’s still scattershot entering Year 7. But Gannon’s at least overseen gradual improvement in the win column, and his defense might finally be ready to pop thanks to offseason investments in the front four.
24. Ben Johnson (Bears)
- 2024 Rank: N/A
- Season: 1st with Bears, 1st as coach
- Career record: N/A | Playoffs: N/A
After years as the NFL’s hottest coaching candidate, lending all kinds of aggressive play-calling to the rival Lions’ turnaround, Johnson has the pieces to do something meaningful in Chi-Town. The key will be tapping into Caleb Williams‘ gifts while also keeping the gunslinger in check, which is a balance previous regimes couldn’t manage with their own quarterback projects.
23. Dave Canales (Panthers)
- 2024 Rank: 24
- Season: 2nd with Panthers, 2nd as coach
- Career record: 5-12 | Playoffs: N/A
A five-win debut may not seem like much, but it is when the previous coach made it just 11 games before getting the pink slip. Better yet, Canales had a once-listless Bryce Young throwing with authority by the end of his first season running a rebuild.
22. Shane Steichen (Colts)
- 2024 Rank: 19
- Season: 3rd with Colts, 3rd as coach
- Career record: 17-17 | Playoffs: N/A
Is he to be blamed or credited for cycling through quarterbacks like plenty of his Colts predecessors? Steichen can call an offense, as he once proved beautifully with the Eagles, but leaning upon Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones spells trouble.
21. Mike Macdonald (Seahawks)
- 2024 Rank: 25
- Season: 2nd with Seahawks, 2nd as coach
- Career record: 10-7 | Playoffs: N/A
Seattle didn’t make it to the dance in Macdonald’s first year replacing Pete Carroll, but the defense found an identity again. The next steps are a mystery, given the club’s simultaneous investments in both Band-Aid veterans (i.e. Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp) and long-term building blocks (i.e. Grey Zabel, Nick Emmanwori). At minimum, Macdonald should have them scrappy.
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Cody Benjamin
Tier 2: Serviceable veterans
These coaches aren’t necessarily slam-dunk bets to go the distance, either due to lack of experience, uneven stretches or recent woes, but they’ve also shown enough to warrant additional patience and belief.
20. Mike McDaniel (Dolphins)
- 2024 Rank: 11
- Season: 4th with Dolphins, 4th as coach
- Career record: 28-23 | Playoffs: 0-2
Not long ago hailed as the whiz kid responsible for unlocking Tua Tagovailoa, McDaniel has lately struggled to keep Miami disciplined. He’s undoubtedly invested in his troops, and proven capable of steering an explosive offensive attack, but now it’s formidability — not just fireworks — that he needs to unearth, lest the Dolphins keep treading water.
19. Todd Bowles (Buccaneers)
- 2024 Rank: 22
- Season: 4th with Buccaneers, 8th as coach
- Career record: 53-65 | Playoffs: 1-3
Bowles’ signature defense lost some of its snarl in 2024, but he’s successfully hired various forms of help for the rejuvenated Baker Mayfield, quietly overseeing yearly improvement since succeeding Bruce Arians. Can his outfit be more than a feisty spoiler?
18. Zac Taylor (Bengals)
- 2024 Rank: 14
- Season: 7th with Bengals, 7th as coach
- Career record: 46-52-1 | Playoffs: 5-2 (0-1 in Super Bowls)
In four of his six seasons running the show, the Bengals have missed the playoffs entirely. In the two years they actually made the postseason, they reached the AFC title game both times. So who is Taylor? The man responsible for giving Joe Burrow and Co. a little edge? Or for overshadowing his own talent with questionable preparation? Not even Bengals fans may agree on the answer.
17. Pete Carroll (Raiders)
- 2024 Rank: N/A
- Season: 1st with Raiders, 19th as coach
- Career record: 170-120-1 | Playoffs: 11-11 (1-1 in Super Bowls)
On one hand, he’s 73 and six years removed from leading a playoff win. On the other, he’s a proven culture-builder and big-game veteran, guiding 10 postseason bids in 14 years atop the Seahawks. There’s little doubting he’s set to raise the floor in Las Vegas, reunited with Geno Smith. The question is what, exactly, will constitute success in 2025 and beyond.
16. Mike Vrabel (Patriots)
- 2024 Rank: N/A
- Season: 1st with Patriots, 7th as coach
- Career record: 54-45 | Playoffs: 2-3
Is the former Patriots linebacker a solid bet after a mostly directionless Jerod Mayo dalliance? His zesty approach as a former Titans leader suggests as much. Still, Tennessee never quite escaped its reputation as an old-school offense under his watch. This marriage looks promising on his preferred side of the ball thanks to new personnel, but Drake Maye’s growth is the real X factor.
15. DeMeco Ryans (Texans)
- 2024 Rank: 13
- Season: 3rd with Texans, 3rd as coach
- Career record: 20-14 | Playoffs: 2-2
For a widely respected longtime NFL captain, Ryans’ units have been notoriously chippy, if not blatantly reckless. Still, his defense registers as one of the stingiest in the game. And if C.J. Stroud rebounds under center, a third straight playoff bid should be on tap.
14. Dan Quinn (Commanders)
- 2024 Rank: 20
- Season: 2nd with Commanders, 8th as coach
- Career record: 55-47 | Playoffs: 5-3 (0-1 in Super Bowls)
Few coaches enjoyed such a catapult in stock in 2024. That may be mostly due to Jayden Daniels‘ magical dynamism at quarterback. His coordinator hire of Kliff Kingsbury was part of the equation, though, as was his experience on the playoff stage.
13. Kevin Stefanski (Browns)
- 2024 Rank: 10
- Season: 6th with Browns, 6th as coach
- Career record: 40-44 | Playoffs: 1-2
It’s almost unbelievable Stefanski’s just four games under .500 for his career, given the regular dearth of roster stability in Cleveland. Does he have a hand in the Browns’ quarterback misfires? It’s hard to argue otherwise. Still, his squeezing a couple playoff bids out of decimated lineups, including one fronted by the likes of Joe Flacco and Kareem Hunt, affirms his helpful touch.
Tier 1: The cream of the crop
These coaches are not flawless, and some are under more pressure than others, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any team who wouldn’t rush to hire them if they were available, given their strengths.
12. Sean McDermott (Bills)
- 2024 Rank: 9
- Season: 9th with Bills, 9th as coach
- Career record: 86-45 | Playoffs: 7-7
We’re reliving Andy Reid’s Eagles tenure now, with McDermott — a Reid disciple — routinely shepherding talented Bills teams to the playoffs, only to be ousted by comparable foes on the doorstep of the ultimate game. It might be now or never for his defense in the bright lights, but as long as he’s paired with Josh Allen, he’s proven reliable about navigating hiccups to at least clinch January ball.
11. Sean Payton (Broncos)
- 2024 Rank: 18
- Season: 3rd with Broncos, 18th as coach
- Career record: 170-105 | Playoffs: 9-9 (1-0 in Super Bowls)
The stink of his sluggish and short-lived Russell Wilson marriage was all but fully offset by the promise of Bo Nix’s arrival in 2024. It appears Payton’s keen on leaning deep into the ground game and defense as the next step to contention. If the reigning champion Eagles are any indication, it might not be the wrong play, provided he also coaxes additional growth out of Nix under center.
10. Mike Tomlin (Steelers)
- 2024 Rank: 6
- Season: 19th with Steelers, 19th as coach
- Career record: 183-107-2 | Playoffs: 8-11 (1-1 in Super Bowls)
Etched into history for his long and illustrious tenure but equally debated among Steelers faithful for his now-eight-year streak of postseason duds, Tomlin is a tough one to tackle. He consistently defies the odds by dragging outdated offenses and streaky defenses into the wild-card race, but if meaningful wins are the standard in Pittsburgh, well, he’s run into quite a wall. Putting all his eggs into the basket of a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers may be worthwhile and/or entertaining but also speaks to his desperation.
9. Kevin O’Connell (Vikings)
- 2024 Rank: 12
- Season: 4th with Vikings, 4th as coach
- Career record: 34-17 | Playoffs: 0-2
The quarterback room has been a carousel in Minnesota, but each signal-caller to come under O’Connell’s spell has at least briefly soared to career-high heights. It’s almost easy to forget he’s still searching for his first playoff win, because he’s done almost everything else right, aligning with a creative defensive mind in Brian Flores and maximizing his playmakers with radiant positivity.
8. Matt LaFleur (Packers)
- 2024 Rank: 5
- Season: 7th with Packers, 7th as coach
- Career record: 67-33 | Playoffs: 3-5
Some tried to write him off as a pawn of the Rodgers show when he first got to Green Bay. He’s only led back-to-back playoff bids with Jordan Love since then, despite half of the supporting cast breaking down in 2024. He could stand to bring a little more bite in the playoffs, but five postseason entries in six tries? The Packers’ youth hasn’t been an issue but an asset under his lead.
7. Kyle Shanahan (49ers)
- 2024 Rank: 3
- Season: 9th with 49ers, 9th as coach
- Career record: 70-62 | Playoffs: 8-4 (0-2 in Super Bowls)
Depending on the year, Shanahan’s either a schematic genius on the precipice of glory or the dejected face of an injury-ravaged lineup. No other coach, after all, has guided four NFC title-game appearances in five years, while also overseeing four losing seasons. It’s pretty simple here: If his toys are sturdy, he can draw up a shootout with the best of them. Robert Saleh’s return as a right-hand man on defense should also help, though Shanahan’s also got a conservative bent in the biggest moments.
6. Jim Harbaugh (Chargers)
- 2024 Rank: 7
- Season: 2nd with Chargers, 6th as coach
- Career record: 55-25-1 | Playoffs: 5-4 (0-1 in Super Bowls)
Yes, his Chargers suffered an early playoff exit in 2024, but the fact he revived Los Angeles as a physical playoff team in the first place is reason to believe more is on the way for Justin Herbert and Co. Everywhere Harbaugh’s gone — Stanford, the 49ers, Michigan — he’s built a disciplined big-game contender. He’s set to double-down on the bruising approach this year.
5. Dan Campbell (Lions)
- 2024 Rank: 8
- Season: 5th with Lions, 5th as coach
- Career record: 44-35-1 | Playoffs: 2-2
Detroit lives and dies by his aggression, which sometimes borders on reckless, but we still don’t talk enough about how much his ferocious energy has redefined Lions football. He went from laughable meme to enviable leader as Brad Holmes began outfitting him with all-star weaponry, and even heartbreaks haven’t deterred his unit from playing with the authority of an NFC heavyweight. Losing both of his coordinators in 2025 will be a new test, but let’s not forget he’s been the man steering Motown since his arrival.
4. Nick Sirianni (Eagles)
- 2024 Rank: 15
- Season: 5th with Eagles, 5th as coach
- Career record: 48-20 | Playoffs: 6-3 (1-1 in Super Bowls)
His brash antics to close a pitiful 2023 collapse were enough to have Eagles fans reasonably pondering whether he’d totally failed an all-star assembly. Then he put his head down and became the behind-the-scenes glue for a remarkable rebound with a historically dominant finish. Maybe he’s boosted by Howie Roseman collecting premium talent across the board. But you don’t shepherd two Super Bowl appearances in three years by accident. He embodies the Philadelphia spirit with his passion.
3. John Harbaugh (Ravens)
- 2024 Rank: 4
- Season: 18th with Ravens, 18th as coach
- Career record: 172-104 | Playoffs: 13-11 (1-0 in Super Bowls)
Why is Harbaugh so much higher than Tomlin, his AFC North counterpart, given his similar lack of recent Lombardi action? His Ravens have proven more adaptable, leaning into Lamar Jackson’s legs while also developing the MVP’s aerial efficiency, and they’ve also parlayed perennial playoff bids into actual postseason victories over the last half-decade. It’s fair to question whether he’s always got Baltimore locked in until the finish line, considering the club’s penchant for blown leads, but you can always count on his group making the dance. It feels like a matter of when, not if, Jackson will help get him over the hump again.
2. Sean McVay (Rams)
- 2024 Rank: 2
- Season: 9th with Rams, 9th as coach
- Career record: 80-52 | Playoffs: 8-5 (1-1 in Super Bowls)
If you were starting a brand-new franchise, you’d be hard-pressed to hire anyone else. McVay is battle-tested thanks to six different playoff runs in eight years, two of which ended in the Super Bowl. He’s also energetic enough to cultivate long-term growth; look no further than how quickly the Rams’ remade young defense found its footing. Give McVay, who remains a near-unmatched motivator, a competent and/or reasonably healthy quarterback, and you’re locked in for a solid January fight.
1. Andy Reid (Chiefs)
- 2024 Rank: 1
- Season: 13th with Chiefs, 26th as coach
- Career record: 258-144-1 | Playoffs: 26-16 (3-2 in Super Bowls)
Did his lauded offensive strategies overcome the Chiefs’ utter lack of trench stability in their last Super Bowl effort? No way. But “last” is the key word there; Kansas City has still advanced to five of the last six championship contests under his watch. That’s ridiculous, no matter how you slice it. Once the chief of football’s most colorful big-play machine, Reid’s units have since adapted to win on the margins, with Patrick Mahomes in particular excelling as more of a situational artist alongside makeshift lineups. Is he perfect? No. Is he aging? Yes. But every roster he fields respects his warm, familial and proven leadership. And every winter, with Mahomes by his side, he’s registered as Mr. Inevitable, pushing the Chiefs the extra yard whenever they most need it.
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Author: Cody Benjamin
July 14, 2025 | 9:06 am
