16. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
You get the sense that the 2025 NFL Season could be Mike McDaniel's last if he can't get his Miami Dolphins into the playoffs. Miami is in a bit of a regression, but their roster has also gotten a lot worse, which surely can be attributed more to GM Chris Grier, who is surely on the hot seat.
15. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles has hung around in the NFL for quite a while as a coordinator and a head coach, and he saw his Tampa Bay Buccaneers' team win 10 games and again capture the NFC South title. Bowles and the Bucs should again be a good team in the 2025 NFL Season.
14. DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans have gone 10-7 and won the AFC South in each of the previous two seasons, which is very impressive, but the third year of the Ryans' era may truly tell us just how good of a head coach he truly is. Houston rebuilt their offensive line this offseason, and that could be a catalyst for success.
13. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers
A top head coach for quite some time, Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers have been a very good team for a while now, but where is the legitimate playoff success? Is this all we're going to get out of LaFleur's Packers' teams? He's 13th in our head coach power rankings.
12. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
I struggled with where to put Kyle Shanahan on this list, and I settled on 12th. It's obvious that Shanahan does have a large say in personnel, and it also is obvious that the San Francisco 49ers struggle with depth at times. Another injury-riddled season in 2024 had the 49ers with a losing record, and the team isn't quite as talented on paper as they have been in previous seasons.
11. Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
Sean McDermott and the Buffalo Bills have taken ownership of the AFC East in recent years but obviously cannot slay the dragon in the playoffs. I would personally advocate for the Bills to get rid of McDermott after the 2025 NFL Season if Buffalo again falters in the postseason.
10. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Having never finished with a losing record, Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers clearly only care about winning records at this point, as they have not won a playoff game in nearly a decade. Tomlin is now trotting out Aaron Rodgers as his starting QB in a year you feel like is 'make or break' for so many people and coaches.
9. Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
Back in the NFL after a decade, Jim Harbaugh wasted no time, as he led the Los Angeles Chargers to a strong 11-6 record and a playoff spot. Harbaugh and LA are again likely to be a top team in 2025. He's inside the top-10 in our head coach power rankings.