Only 32 NFL head coaching jobs exist in the entire world. Let's try to power rank each one of them. Who stands at the top?
NFL Head Coach Power Rankings: Which coaches are standing at the top?
Not Ranked - Brian Callahan, Titans; Dave Canales, Panthers; Jim Harbaugh, Chargers; Mike Macdonald, Seahawks; Jerod Mayo, Patriots; Raheem Morris, Falcons; Antonio Pierce, Raiders; Dan Quinn, Commanders
It's obviously not fair to rank the new head coaching hires to set enter their first year with their new teams for the 2024 NFL Season. On the surface, though, besides Jim Harbaugh being hired by the Los Angeles Chargers, I am not sure the other head coaches in this class are going to find a ton of success. That's just one person's opinion, though.
There are 24 returning head coaches in the NFL. Let's rank those men.
24. Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints
Yuck. In five seasons as a head coach in the NFL, four being the entire season, Allen has just one winning record, and it came in 2023 when he Saints limped to a 9-8 record with one of the easiest schedules in the NFL. It's pretty clear at this point that Dennis Allen is a good coordinator, but falls short of being a good head coach and might end up being out of a job at the end of this coming season.
23. Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
I believe Jonathan Gannon can shoot up this list at the end of the 2024 NFL Season. In year one, Gannon and his GM Monti Ossenfort were playing with scraps, as the Cardinals roster was just dreadfully weak. Now embarking on year two together, I am telling you right now, this team is going to be a lot better than you might think.
22. Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are in a great spot to have a strong year in 2024. They got the No. 1 QB in the 2024 NFL Draft in Caleb Williams and may have figured something out on defense. Matt Eberflus isn't even a good head coach at this point, but he has a lot working in his favor for 2024, so if the success isn't there, it'll solely be on him.
21. Brian Daboll, New York Giants
Coaching with a horribly injured team in 2023, Brian Daboll did have a strong 2022 season with the Giants, but going into year three, there isn't really much to like about the current set-up in New York, and until Daboll can prove he belongs higher in these rankings, he'll remain this low.
20. Robert Saleh, New York Jets
You cannot entirely fault Robert Saleh, as he has had, to not fault of his own, pretty poor QB situations. Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles just a handful of plays into the 2023 NFL Season, so that essentially ended the Jets year. In 2024 though with Rodgers returning, there should be no excuse.
19. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles has been a head coach for seven years in the NFL and has three winning seasons. He's an alright head coach who is more of a floor-raiser, in my opinion. His Buccaneers surprised in 2023, winning nine games and making it to the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs. Perhaps they can build on that success in 2024.
18. Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles
Nick Sirianni is going to be this low in these rankings because of how his Philadelphia Eagles team looked in 2023. It's pretty clear that the 2022 success of the Eagles was largely due to his former coordinators in Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon, who are both head coaches. Sirianni's sideline antics seemed to rub people the wrong way, and crazily enough, I believe his seat is burning hot entering 2024 even though he's never had a losing record.
17. DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
What a first year as a head coach in the NFL for DeMeco Ryans, who seems likely to continue the success of the Shanahan-tree becoming head coaches in the NFL. Ryans and second-year QB CJ Stroud feels like a marriage that will end with multiple Super Bowl championships.
The Houston Texans won 10 games in 2023 and are my personal pick to win the whole thing in 2024.
16. Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts
Shane Steichen might already be an underrated head coach. His starting QB for most of the 2023 NFL Season, his first as a head coach, was Gardner Minshew. Somehow, his Colts went 9-8 and narrowly missed out on winning the AFC South and hosting a playoff game. If second-year QB Anthony Richardson is legit, the Colts are going to be a dark-horse Super Bowl team in 2024. Yes, Super Bowl.
15. Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Establishing himself as a quality head coach in the NFL, Kevin O'Connell will now get to try and develop 21 year old JJ McCarthy, who the Vikings took in the 2024 NFL Draft. Completing remaking their QB room by also adding Sam Darnold, Minnesota could flirt with a Wild Card spot this year, especially if McCarthy is a quick study.
14. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Zac Taylor still has a losing record as a head coach. The Bengals have had three-straight winning seasons, but a lot of their success does seem to be due to Joe Burrow. Now, Taylor does possess a 5-2 playoff record, and if his QB can just play a full season, something he hasn't yet done, he could shoot up these rankings.
13. Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
Sean McDermott and the Buffalo Bills just cannot get over the hump in the NFL playoffs. McDermott has a very strong 73-41 regular season record and also has a 5-6 playoff record. The Bills getting to the playoffs has never been an issue, but I am beginning to think that they have a ceiling with McDermott, and it's not a Super Bowl ceiling.
12. Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
Mike McCarthy has one more year remaining on his contract with the Dallas Cowboys, and with no extension in sight, you have to wonder if McCarthy has one last crack at it with the Cowboys. Over the last three seasons, Dallas has gone 12-5 in the regular season but have failed to make much progress in the playoffs.
A ceiling has clearly been hit, and 2024 might not be any different.
11. Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars
Doug Pederson is the king of nine-win seasons, having four of those across his seven years as an NFL head coach between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars. I was personally expecting more from the 2023 Jaguars, who won a playoff game in 2022, but perhaps 2024 is the year that Jacksonville and Pederson hit their stride.
10. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Improving from year one to year two, the Miami Dolphins have had quite the offseason and could be in a great situation to be even better in 2024. McDaniel and his teams have quickly developed a reputation that they can't play in cold weather, and their late-season downturns have only reinforced that reputation. If the Dolphins and McDaniel want to be bumped up a tier, they must win late in the season and in the playoffs.
9. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
Kevin Stefanski has two 11-win seasons in his four years as the Browns head coach. Years two and three were forgettable, but the Browns did figure it out on defense in 2023, as Jim Schwartz made quick work of that unit.
The bigger issue here is now not the defense, but it's if Deshaun Watson can return to his old form. If not, the Browns are in trouble. If Watson can return to how good he was with the Houston Texans, Cleveland is going to be a Super Bowl-contending team.
8. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
Sean Payton really put the Denver Broncos back on the right path in 2023. After a dreadfully embarrassing 2022 season, Payton came in, improved the team by three wins, and just simply fielded a competent, disciplined football team. Cutting ties with Russell Wilson was a huge decision, as Payton has now hitched his wagon to rookie QB Bo Nix.
If Payton is right and Bo Nix can play, the Denver Broncos are all the way back.
7. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Honestly, over the last few seasons, John Harbaugh's teams have underachieved in the postseason, which isn't ideal. I would not be surprised if his seat was turned onto the "Warm" position for 2024. I mean, the Ravens were the best team in the NFL in 2023 and just collapsed in the AFC Championship Game.
Something similar happened in 2019 as well when the Ravens were previously the best team in the NFL.
6. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Consistently fielding respectable football teams, the big knock on Mike Tomlin now is not being threatening in the playoffs. In fact, Tomlin's Steelers have not won a postseason game since 2016. He's got a losing playoff record as well, but one cannot dispute how consistent he's been. If the Steelers and Tomlin do end up parting ways, many teams will line up to hire Tomlin.
5. Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
What a job that Dan Campbell has done with the Detroit Lions. GM Brad Holmes deserves a ton of credit as well, but Campbell has his team ready to play every week, and their tough, gritty, bite-your-kneecap-off mindset isn't just a schtick; it's the real-deal.
4. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers
Matt LaFleur's team did not skip a beat in their first season without Aaron Rodgers, as the Packers made it to the NFC Divisional Round in 2023, and it was largely due to the mid-season turnaround by Jordan Love. LaFleur is simply a great head coach, and while Aaron Rodgers was his QB for most of his tenure, LaFleur does appear to be proving that his previous success was not all because of A-Rod.
3. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay's coaching job in 2023 with the Los Angeles Rams might have been one of the best coaching jobs in the NFL in quite some time. The Rams appear to be poised to return to their Super Bowl contender status in 2024, and Matthew Stafford is still slinging the rock. McVay actually has a higher winning percentage in the playoffs than he does in the regular season.
2. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
At some point, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has to win a Super Bowl, right? Constantly fielding the best rosters in the NFL and making deep playoff runs each season, the Niners are so close, and it's largely due to Shanahan, who is one of the very best head coaches in the NFL and may already be one of the best this century. You have to figure that he can get over the hump at some point.
1. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Are we good here? Do I need to explain this further? No. OK.