16. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Another 'eh' coaching job from Mike Tomlin keeps his record of non-losing seasons alive, but the Pittsburgh Steelers lost four in a row to end the season and have the same QB issues they have had for years now. At some point, something has to give. I am not sure Mike Tomlin is an elite head coach anymore.
15. DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans had a down year and still went 10-7 and won the AFC South. They'll be fine for the long-term, but the main area of concern for this team is getting better along the offensive line in 2025 and beyond.
14. Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
Jonathan Gannon and the Arizona Cardinals doubled their win total from 2023. This team is a sneaky pick to breakout in 2025 with the right players around them. Gannon and his staff are on the right track.
13. Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks
Going 10-7 in your first year as a head coach is impressive, but the Seattle Seahawks won't go anywhere worthwhile until they find a franchise QB and improve their offensive line. Macdonald seems to be the right man for the job, though.
12. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have again won the NFC South and are on their way to the playoffs. They really haven't skipped a beat since Tom Brady retired. The defense could use another pass rusher and some secondary help in my opinion, but this is a darn good football team.
11. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers
It's clear that the Green Bay Packers need another year. They have a ton of young talent, and a QB that falls into that category, but they are not going to contend with the truly elite teams in the NFC this year. Matt LaFleur is a stellar head coach, but you kind of feel like the Packers were going to be a bit better this year based on how they ended the 2023 NFL Season.
10. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens have to show up in the playoffs at some point, right? Right???
Lamar Jackson might win his third NFL MVP award, and if the Ravens don't figure something out in the postseason soon, Jackson is going to turn into this generation's Peyton Manning, while Patrick Mahomes turns into Tom Brady.
The personal accolades are great, but the postseason success in recent years just isn't there.
9. Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles
Right on the edge of being an elite head coach, I do believe Nick Sirianni does benefit from having one of the best rosters in the NFL. There always seems to be some degree of drama going on with the Eagles, and Sirianni tends to be right in the middle of it, but he knows how to win football games and did that yet again this year.