Every NFL franchise wants stability and synergy between its head coach and quarterback— the league’s two most critical leadership positions. When it works, it builds championship winning teams. When it doesn’t, it ruins seasons, stuns player development, and costs people their jobs.
As the 2025 season approaches, four team stand out for having the weakest quarterback/head coach combinations in the league. Whether due to inexperience, regression, mismatched timelines, or unclear direction, these duos currently rank at the bottom of the NFL.
4. Aaron Glenn and Justin Fields — New York Jets
Few quarterbacks face more pressure in 2025 than Justin Fields — and few head coaches face more than Aaron Glenn, the Jets new hire and 3rd head coach within the last seven years.
Fields was traded to Pittsburgh in 2024 after a rocky stint with the Bears. He landed behind an offensive line in flux and started six games for the injured Russell Wilson. In those six starts with the Steelers, Fields had 1,106 passing yards, 5 passing touchdowns, 1 interception, and posted a career-best 90.0 passer rating. During free agency, Fields signed with the New York Jets in a make-or-break year in 2025.
While Fields looked more poised in those games — showing improved pocket management and fewer turnover-worthy plays — he still took too many sacks and struggled against elite defenses. His dual-threat ability remains impressive, but questions about his long-term viability as a passer persist.
Aaron Glenn, meanwhile, arrives from Detroit with a reputation as a strong leader and defensive innovator, but he’s first-time head coach with not a whole lot of offensive background, meaning Fields development will fall heavily on his offensive staff.
The paring is loaded with risks. If Fields regresses, Glenn may not survive long in New York, especially in the NY media and the Jets fans that have been craving success. The Jets have some intriguing young pieces, but unless Fields makes that leap, they’ll again be in the quarterback market next offseason.
3. Brian Callahan and Cam Ward — Tennessee Titans
The Titans are embracing a rebuild in 2025 with a new head coach and a new face of the franchise — but that doesn’t mean they’re ready to win now.
The Tennessee Titans used the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to select Cam Ward, the electric quarterback from the University of Miami. Ward was a Heisman finalist in 2024, throwing for over 3,600 yards and 36 touchdowns while dazzling scouts with his pocket movement, cannon of an arm and his ball accuracy.
Ward is raw. He comes from a spread-heavy system, often relied on improvisation, and will understand the learning curve adjusting to NFL defenses. His footwork and mechanics needs some work, and he will improve over the 2025 season especially behind Tennessee’s rebuilding offensive line.
Head coach Brian Callahan, previously the offensive coordinator in Cincinnati, was hired to mold Ward and install a modern offense, but Callahan himself is entering his first year as a head coach. While he helped develop Joe burrow, there’s a massive difference between being an OC and running the entire team.
This duo could pay off in a few years, but in 2025, expect growing pains. This is more of a long term project than a competitive product as of right now in my opinion.
2. Kevin Stefanski and Joe Flacco/Kenny Pickett — Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns have one of the NFL’s better defenses, but their quarterback and coaching combination threatens to waste that talent yet again.
Joe Flacco, entering his age-40 season, was feel-good story in 2023 when he briefly revived Cleveland’s playoff hopes. But in 2024, his lack of mobility, age, and diminished arm strength were obvious. He’s a cerebral player who knows how to read defenses, but he can no longer carry an offense week to week.
And yet, Kevin Stefanski seems poised to start Flacco again in 2025 — despite the Browns drafting quarterbacks Dillion Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the middle rounds of the 2025 draft. While both rookies offer long-term intrigue, neither is likely to start early in the season. Also to mention, the Browns signed Kenny Pickett in free agency to make the QB room even more crowded.
That means Cleveland enters 2025 with a 40-year-old bridge quarterback and a coach who’s under pressure to see better results in 2025. Stefanski’s offense is predicated on play-action and precision timing — concepts that require consistent QB play to work, which the Browns haven’t had since you could argue was Baker Mayfield. He’s now gone two straight years without an above-average offense and is firmly on the hot seat.
Between Flacco’s physical decline and a looming QB controversy, this pairing offers no real upside. Cleveland is once again stuck in netural at the NFL’s most important position.
1. Kellen Moore and Spencer Rattler/Tyler Shough
No pairing in the NFL has more uncertainty than first-time head coach Kellen Moore and his two unproven quarterbacks: Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough.
Rattler, a 2024 mid-round draft pick, started seven games for the New Orleans Saints in 2024. He threw for 1,317 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. While he showed flashes of mobility and poise, he struggled under pressure and failed to lead any consistent scoring drives, going just 0-7 as a starter.
Shough, the Saints shocking second-round pick in 2025 (No. 40 overall) from Louisville, brings intriguing tools — he’s 6-foot-5, with a great arm and a prototypical build for a QB, but he also comes with injury concerns and with him being the oldest QB from his class, along with a history of inconsistent play at the college level.
And then there’s Moore. While he earned praise as an offensive coordinator with the Cowboys, Eagles and Chargers, he now faces the challenge of being a first-time head coach responsible for developing two raw quarterbacks — both without a proven track record. His offensive schemes rely on precision and tempo, which neither quarterback has shown consistently.
WIth an uncertain QB room and a rookie HC at the helm, the Saints' direction is murky at best. If I was a Saints fan, I wouldn’t put too much faith into this season and just enjoy the ride and being patient.
Not every QB/coach paring is built to win immediately. In some cases, like Cam Ward and Brian Callahan — 2025 is about planting seeds for the future. In others like Joe Flacco and Kevin Stefanski— the window is closing fast, and urgency reigns.
In every case above, one truth remains: If these duos fail in 2025, their teams will likely be searching for new answers — at quarterback, head coach, or both by the time the calendar turns to 2026.