20. Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts
After a 7-1 start, Shane Steichen and the Indianapolis Colts were primed for something special, but Daniel Jones tore his Achilles, and the rest of the season just totally collapsed. Indy missed the playoffs and now have way more questions than answers, but we have to give Steichen credit for the wicked-hot start, as it's clear that Indy is talented and Steichen can be a winning coach in this league. But we can't rank him too high given how the season ended.
19. Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Kevin O'Connell and the Minnesota Vikings won nine games this year after a brutally tough start, and one year after winning 14 games in the regular season. The QB position was a sore spot for this team this year, but O'Connell's coaching job was good enough for this team to at least eek out a winning record in 2025. If the Vikings can't find stability at QB in 2026, O'Connell's ability to get that position shored up will be questioned.
18. Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
It was a down year for the Detroit Lions after a 15-win season in 2024. Dan Campbell clearly didn't bring in the right coordinator replacements, as the defense was bad, and Campbell had to take play-calling duties away from John Morton, who also got fired. Detroit has all the talent in the world, but the team barely scraped by with a record above .500, and they missed the playoffs.
17. Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers
Dave Canales is a losing head coach so far, but being able to win the NFC South with this team clearly paints a good picture for his chances to last. The Carolina Panthers don't have a good enough QB to consistently win, which is a problem, but the regime that drafted Bryce Young isn't there anymore, so I believe they could eventually make a change.
16. Kellen Moore, New Orleans Saints
Kellen Moore and the New Orleans Saints definitely took a noticeable step in the right direction in 2025, as it seems like Moore and rookie QB Tyler Shough can both stick around. Shough played quite well over the last month of the season, and the Saints could have ended the season on a five-game win streak. New Orleans could absolutely compete for the NFC South title in 2026.