You can get by with a lot in the NFL, but you can't get by without the right head coach in place.
The league has proven over and over how much coaching matters, so who has the top coaches in the league heading into the 2026 season? We've already taken a look at the stellar lineup of coaches in the AFC for this upcoming season, but the NFC might be equally loaded.
This season should be one of the most competitive in recent memory. As we've continually evaluated every aspect of rosters around the league, it's already shaping up to be an incredible season, but with the lineup of coaches in the NFC, this is going to be another really tough year to crack the top 7 and get into the playoffs, much less endure throughout.
Our latest NFL Power Rankings are going to take a look at every head coach in the NFC for 2026, and rank them worst to best based on their pedigree, projection for this season, and roster strength. (Rookie head coaches will be listed at the bottom of the list)
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking NFC head coaches worst to best for the 2026 season
16. Mike LaFleur, Arizona Cardinals (rookie)
This was the only name on the list that was easy to place, because Mike LaFleur is the only rookie head coach in the entire conference.
That comes as a bit of a shock, especially because there were quite a few in the AFC, but it really felt like the Arizona Cardinals had to settle for the only guy who would take their job. And Mike LaFleur is not a bad option.
LaFleur got his break in the NFL as part of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, starting off with the Browns in 2014 and following Shanahan to Atlanta and San Francisco after that before getting a shot to call plays with the Jets in 2021. He's been the offensive coordinator for the Rams over the last three years, and the Rams are hoping his proximity with two of the best coaches in the league (Shanahan, Sean McVay) can give them at least a piece of that pie.
15. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This may seem harsh, but you can argue that Todd Bowles has done less with more than any head coach in the entire NFC. Despite the fact that the Bucs had three straight division titles to open up Bowles's tenure with the team, they weren't fooling anybody.
The Bucs are 35-33 and have never had more than 10 wins in a season under Todd Bowles. Not only that, but the Bucs have been bounced immediately from the playoffs every single year under Bowles.
The standard is high. Bowles took over for a Super Bowl-winning team with Tom Brady at quarterback, and they were still only able to win eight games. It was a stunner that the Bucs brought Bowles back this year in the first place. He's entering the 2026 season firmly on the hot seat.
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