24. Robert Saleh, New York Jets
Another head coach that does not deserve a lot of blame, Robert Saleh was the glue that held the New York Jets together. The Jets did get worse after he got fired, and while he could be higher on this list, he did not have a slam-dunk tenure as their head coach and may have to wait another couple of years before earning another gig.
23. Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
A team that did not win as many games as their roster talent indicated, Raheem Morris did buck the trend of the Atlanta Falcons going 7-10. They went 8-9 in 2024 but were 6-3 at one point. The rapid regression of Kirk Cousins definitely hurt them, but Morris did not exactly show a ton to inspire confidence in his abilities for the long-term.
He has to hope that Michael Penix Jr ends up being a legitimate franchise QB.
22. Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts
I am not sure what there is to like about the Indianapolis Colts at this point, but I will say that Shane Steichen being able to win eight games with Anthony Richardson as his primary starter is quite impressive. Steichen isn't a great head coach, and his GM, Chris Ballard has done him no favors, but there are quite a few coaches who are better at what they do.
21. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Mike McDaniel can't really prevent Tua Tagovailoa from getting hurt. He's a very sharp offensive mind but does seem to lack the tough edge that the best head coaches in the NFL have. I don't think he did a bad job by any means in 2024. GM Chris Grier is going to have to invest more into their offensive line and may also want to invest into a more high-end backup QB as well.
19. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers have some work to do this coming offseason. Re-investing into the trenches is a great place to start, and I would also add that paying Brock Purdy top-dollar would be a bad idea.
18. Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
Mike McCarthy is a solid head coach that knows how to win games. It's not his fault that Dak Prescott needed hamstring surgery and missed most of the season. I would retain McCarthy if I were the Cowboys' front office, but he does have a tendency to fall short when the playoffs roll around.
17. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
A pretty average head coach at best, Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals were able to finish with a 9-8 record despite being 4-8 with just five games to play. The Bengals missed the playoffs but have finished with a winning record for the fourth year in a row, so I guess that's something.