From last to first, here’s how each of the NFL’s head coaches stack up.
It’s always interesting to rank anything from bottom to top. In the case of the 32 head coaches in the National Football League, there’s certainly an edge given here to those with experience. You will no doubt notice that some of the new hires who have never guided a club from the sidelines are at the top/bottom of the list.
Of course, the names in the Top 10 should also be very familiar as well. But some of those best at their job could face some interesting challenges this upcoming season, most notably a legend who will have to “do his job” without a player who was with the organization for 20 seasons.
32. Joe Judge (New York Giants)
A longtime assistant coach for the New England Patriots, Joe Judge will be the fourth different sideline leader for Big Blue since 2017 – following Ben McAdoo, interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo and Pat Shurmur. He inherits a club that’s with a combined 12-36 mark the past three seasons and hasn’t been to the playoffs since finishing ’16.
31. Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers)
The new man at the controls of the Carolina Panthers is former University of Baylor head coach Matt Rhule. He’s actually the first offensive-minded head coach in the history of a franchise that dates back to 1995. This was a team that dropped its final eight games in 2019 but stressed offense in free agency and defense during the draft.
30. Matt Patricia (Detroit Lions)
It’s been a rough two years for the former defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. The Lions have finished last in the NFC North each year under Matt Patricia’s command, the club owns a 9-23-1 record with him at the helm and it enters 2020 with a nine-game losing streak. A make-or-break year for the 45-year-old coach?
29. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns)
The recent offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings becomes the franchise’s 12th different head coach since 1999. Cleveland’s offense was problem-plagued a year ago and quarterback Baker Mayfield had his issues with ball security. But Kevin Stefanski (via Andrew Gribble of ClevelandBrowns.com) has a lot of talent to work with here.
28. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals)
Last season, the heralded assistant to Sean McVay led the Bengals to a 0-11 start – the worst in the history of the franchise. The club finished 2-14 and used the first overall pick in the draft on national champion quarterback Joe Burrow. But Taylor and his defensive coaches need to make some mass improvements on that side of the ball.
27. Doug Marrone (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Since taking the Jaguars to the 2017 AFC Championship Game and owning a 20-10 lead at Foxborough in the fourth quarter, it’s been all downhill. Doug Marrone’s team owns a combined 11-21 record the past two seasons and have gone from division champions to basement dwellers. This could be a very pivotal year for the head coach.
26. Kilff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals)
Kliff Kingsbury enjoyed a solid debut in the desert in 2019 based on the fact that the league’s worst offense from the previous season (with help from rookie quarterback Kyler Murray) made significant strides. But the former Texas Tech head coach has to show he’s got the right people to improve the NFL’s worst defense from a year ago.
25. Dan Quinn (Atlanta Falcons)
Dan Quinn’s five-year tenure with the club has had its ups and downs. It began in 2015 with 5-0 start but the Falcons finished 8-8. A year later he had the team in the Super Bowl and a 28-3 third-quarter lead turned into a disaster. A playoff appearance in ‘17 has been followed by two 7-9 marks but Atlanta finished strong this past year.
24. Adam Gase (New York Jets)
In Adam Gase’s first year on the job, the Jets got off to a rough start and played three different quarterbacks in their first two games. Eventually, Sam Darnold returned and after getting acclimated, the club won six of their final nine games. For perspective, this is the only head coach to take the Miami Dolphins to the playoffs since 2009.
23. Vic Fangio (Denver Broncos)
He may have met a few headlines this offseason (via Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk) but it’s more important to focus on what the Broncos did after a slow start this past season. Vic Fangio’s squad opened 0-4 before settling in and winning seven of its final 12 games. And this club had arguably the best offseason of any of the 32 NFL teams.
22. Anthony Lynn (Los Angeles Chargers)
It’s been an up-and-down three-year tenure for the Chargers’ current leader. The Bolts opened 0-4 in 2017 in his first season and then proceeded to win 21 of its next 28 regular-season games. But after a playoff win in ’18, high expectations were met with a 5-11 finish. It’s still a team with plenty of talent and a big change at quarterback.
21. Brian Flores (Miami Dolphins)
Keep in mind that the one-time defensive assistant of the Patriots has only been an NFL sideline leader for one year. The Dolphins did go 5-4 in their final nine games after a dreadful 0-7 start. Brian Flores’ club added a lot of talent in free agency and the draft. There are much higher expectations entering 2020 than there were a year ago.
20. Mike Zimmer (Minnesota Vikings)
He’s been at the helm of the Purple Gang for six years. But Mike Zimmer has yet to take the Minnesota Vikings to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The club comes off a 10-6 showing and a wild card appearance and won a road playoff game at New Orleans before being humbled by the 49ers. There have been some changes on defense.
19. Matt Nagy (Chicago Bears)
One year after winning a division title for the first time since 2010, the Bears got off to a sluggish start and an 8-8 mark wasn’t good enough to reach the playoffs. Matt Nagy has done an excellent job these past two seasons of learning how to win within the division (sans the Packers). But who will be Chicago’s starting quarterback in 2020?
18. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers)
He’s got just one season under his belt as the Green Bay Packers’ head coach. But Matt LaFleur led the team to it’s a 13-3 record, its first division title since 2016 and an appearance in the conference title game. Now the club looks is getting ready to reinvent itself, especially on offense. Could the Pack could be a better football team in 2020?
17. Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans)
The Titans have finished 9-7 each of the past four seasons, the last two under Mike Vrabel. But this past year, the club got hot when it counted most and owned a 10-point in the AFC title game at Kansas City. The key is whether Tennessee can build on last season’s late success. It’s a roster that certainly made its share of changes this year.
16. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers)
Kyle Shanahan was at the controls of the Niners this past season when they won nine more games than in 2018, tied for the third-biggest turnaround in one season in NFL history. But it all came apart in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV as the club couldn’t protect a 20-10 vs. the Chiefs. Still, this is an extremely talented roster.
15. Jon Gruden (Las Vegas Raiders)
The one-time Super Bowl champion head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is in his second stint with the Silver and Black the team now calls Las Vegas home. There certainly progress being made when it comes to the franchise under his guidance but they’re still a lot of work to be done for a team that has been to the playoffs once since ‘03.
14. Bruce Arians (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Bruce Arians is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year. He did a great job filling in for Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis in 2012. That led him to Arizona in 2013, where he had the Cardinals within one win of the Super Bowl in 2015. This past season, the Bucs struggled early but played solid football by year’s end. And they have a new quarterback.
13. Bill O’Brien (Houston Texans)
He may be the most maligned head coach in the league. On the job for six years, Bill O’Brien has led Houston to five winning seasons – four of those resulting in division titles. Of course, it’s the franchise that hasn’t reached the AFC Championship Game to date. And O’Brien has become an easy target since adding the title general manager.
"PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 15: Head coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills in action against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 15, 2019 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)"
12. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills)
From 2000-16, the squad from Orchard Park failed to reach the postseason. Now under Sean McDermott, the Buffalo Bills have been a playoff team to the past three years. The club has not enjoyed any postseason success so far. If the defense can step it up a notch this year, the Buffalo could be looking at its first division title since 1995.
11. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys)
After leading the Packers for 12-plus seasons and winning a Super Bowl, Mike McCarthy was not in the NFL in 2019. Now he’s at the helm of the Cowboys and the pressure is on for a team that always has high expectations. Getting quarterback Dak Prescott under contract is still as issue. And what will Dallas’ offense look like this season?
10. Frank Reich (Indianapolis Colts)
It’s been an interesting two years for the coach who has paid his dues around the league. The Colts got off to a 1-5 start in his debut season but finished 10-6 and won a playoff game. This past year, the team dropped seven of its final nine games common after a 5-2 start. Frank Reich and quarterback Philip Rivers have worked together.
9. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams)
Is the bloom off the rose a bit when it comes to Sean McVay? His first two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams saw him elevate the club to consecutive NFC West titles and a Super Bowl appearance in 2018. The club got off to a 3-0 start this past year but came unglued for numerous reasons. A revamped roster will test McVay in a big way.
8. Ron Rivera (Washington Redskins)
Ironically, his final game as head coach of the Carolina Panthers was a heartbreaking loss to the Redskins in Charlotte. Now he’s at the controls of Daniel Snyder’s team and hopes to restore this franchise back to prominence. Ron Rivera did lead his former team to four playoff appearances in five years from 20-13-17.
7. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Despite the fact that he’s never finished the season under the .500 mark, the Steelers’ sideline leader since 2007 has his share of critics and understandably so considering how the last two seasons have gone. There’s a lot of pressure on Mike Tomlin this year as the team has never missed the playoffs three straight years under his watch.
6. Doug Pederson (Philadelphia Eagles)
There are only four teams that have been to the playoffs each of the past three seasons. And while the Eagles have struggled in the postseason after winning it all in 2017, Doug Pederson has still found a way to get this team playing for a championship. But he has to find a way for his team to avoid the slow starts of the past two years.
5. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens)
Just when it looked like that the Ravens could be going in a different direction after some lean years, the club reinvented itself and this past season led the NFL in points scored and regular-season victories. John Harbaugh has now lead the club to two consecutive division titles after finishing with a combined 22-26 record from 2015-17.
4. Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks)
There’s been a change in philosophy in the Pacific Northwest the last few years as the Seattle Seahawks are now carried by their offense while their infamous “Legion of Doom” defense has gone by the wayside. Is this a change in philosophy when it comes to Pete Carroll or the club just doesn’t have the defensive personnel that it used to?
3. Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints)
The Saints have won three consecutive division titles for the first time in their history. But the last couple of years the club has fallen short of a second Super Bowl appearance – marked by strange performances in the postseason. Still, there is little doubt the enormous impact that Sean Payton has had in the Big Easy since his hire in 2006.
2. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs)
He’s the longest tenured head coach in the league. Andy Reid has been a sideline boss in the NFL since 1999 and now enters his eighth year with the Chiefs off the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship since 1969. This will be a fascinating team to watch, as it enters 2020 with a nine-game overall winning streak and an evolving defense.
1. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots)
For the first time since he took over the New England Patriots in 2000, Bill Belichick will not have quarterback Tom Brady on his roster. The man with the third-most head coaching victories in NFL history has had to adjust to life before without the famed signal-caller. But this year’s offseason for the team saw numerous veteran departures.
More fansided.com: NFL power rankings: Chiefs, Saints lead way into 2020