20. Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys
Brian Schottenheimer and the Dallas Cowboys are on the right track. This team was 6-5-1 at one point in 2025 before a late-season collapse squashed any hope of a playoff berth. Schottenheimer did his job, but it was really the defense that ruined things.
With Schottenheimer clearly having the authority to oversee a remake of that unit, Dallas could flirt with double-digit wins in 2026. Schottenheimer is a strong offensive mind and really only needs his defense to be average. With a top-7 scoring offense led by an efficient quarterback, the Cowboys could threaten in 2026.
19. Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts
Starting 7-1 in 2025, Shane Steichen and the Indianapolis Colts were building something notable, and for a minute there, it finally felt like the Colts were on the right track. Indy then collapsed and won just one more game the rest of the way, but Steichen should get a ton of credit for the offense that he was able to put on the field.
Indy's front office botching the quarterback room isn't necessarily his fault, but with an overall lack of notable success thus far, Steichen doesn't come in very high in our power rankings.
18. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
It just feels like Zac Taylor hasn't really been 'the guy' for the Cincinnati Bengals. Having missed the playoffs three years in a row now, you get the sense that 2026 has to be a notable year, or major changes could be coming. Taylor feels like an average head coach who could get a bit of a boost thanks to an elite quarterback in Joe Burrow.
17. Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders
Now 17-17 as the Washington Commanders head coach, Dan Quinn is entering a crucial third year, and based on how 2025 went, it makes us feel like 2024 was a massive outlier. Quinn has coached a ton of games in the NFL and has always been a strong defensive mind, but his massive regression year in 2025 has us asking way more questions.
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