July 3, 2026, 11:55 a.m. CT
Ranking NFL head coaches is never as simple as looking at career wins or Super Bowl rings. Sure, Andy Reid has taken the Kansas City Chiefs to the Super Bowl five times since 2019, winning three — but how does missing the 2025 playoffs affect where he stands among other coaches? What about Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, who took his team to the Super Bowl in just his second season at the helm?
Some coaches have massive resumes, while others are just about to kick off their first season. That makes it all the more important to balance proven success with projections ahead of the coming season.
I ranked all 32 NFL head coaches. Every coach was graded on a 1-10 scale in five categories: identity/culture, schematic edge, player development, roster situation, and my confidence level in the team entering 2026. The total score created the ranking — and career winning percentage was used as the tiebreaker when needed. Let’s not waste any more time; here’s the full list from No. 32 to No. 1:
32. Mike LaFleur, Arizona Cardinals
LaFleur lands at No. 32 largely because of uncertainty. He has offensive experience, but Arizona’s situation makes this one of the toughest jobs in the league entering 2026. Will Jacoby Brissett pan out as a bridge quarterback? Will Carson Beck get a shot? I’m not even sure that LaFleur knows as of this moment.
31. Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins
Hafley brings valuable defensive experience and an opportunity to reshape the Dolphins. Remember, he was the head coach at Boston College just three years ago; it’s been an impressive ascension to a professional head coaching job. Still, there are many questions about talent on the roster and overall projection, which keeps him near the bottom of the barrel entering 2026.
30. Todd Monken, Cleveland Browns
Monken was a highly respected offensive coordinator in the Harbaugh regime with the Baltimore Ravens, giving him a real foundation — and after adding a few playmakers in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cleveland could have some firepower this season. The two main questions are whether his success in Baltimore can translate to Cleveland and who will be the starter at quarterback.
Note: Monken and Hafley tied with 32 points and remained tied after the first criteria tiebreaker. The second tiebreaker became personal preference.
29. Klint Kubiak, Las Vegas Raiders
Kubiak has offensive upside after winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2025, but he remains unproven as a head coach. The Raiders’ roster is a bet on projection more than a ranking of resume.
28. Aaron Glenn, New York Jets
Glenn is a culture setter who brings leadership and a daunting defensive scheme to the Jets. Turning that into wins will be the challenge, especially in a franchise that has struggled to find stability. Geno Smith is projected to take snaps under center this season; 6-11 would be the ceiling for the ’26 Jets.
27. Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts
Steichen was seen as THE frontrunner for the Coach of the Year award entering their Bye Week at 8-2… But it was downhill from there. The Colts need more consistency before Steichen can move up in this ranking, and some around the league believe he will, with Daniel Jones set to return early in the season, if not for the opener.
26. Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers
Canales has shown enough promise to believe he can continue helping to develop a young offense. Carolina’s roster situation keeps him on the lower end, but there is still a path for him to rise on next year’s list after signing a few potential impact free agents.
25. Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers
McCarthy brings a Super Bowl pedigree and years of experience to Pittsburgh. The biggest question is whether his approach can evolve enough after a year off in order to push the Steelers back into true contention. Can a reunion with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers work out? That remains to be seen.
24. Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens
Minter earned his opportunity through his defensive work. Baltimore is in a strong position, and his ranking reflects both the upside and the unknowns that come with a first-time head coach following in the footsteps of an all-time great in John Harbaugh.
23. Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys
Familiarity with the Cowboys organization has helped Schottenheimer get adjusted to this highly visible role. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are, undeniably, one of the most talented wide receiver duos in the NFL — and the rest of the roster has plenty of talent.
Moore has long been viewed as one of the league’s better offensive minds. He got the Saints’ gig several years after he was once expected to land a head coaching job. Can he establish a winning culture in New Orleans? The roster is talented — it’s now about making the most of their potential.
21. Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons
Stefanski has shown he can keep teams competitive despite difficult offensive circumstances (ie: his time in Cleveland). Everything should work out once the Falcons find their long-term quarterback, but that has yet to be realized.
20. Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles
Sirianni has won many games in Philadelphia, despite outside criticism throughout his tenure. He even has a Lombardi Trophy that can never be taken from him. Philadelphia’s results keep him in the top 20, but too many questions about schematic control and long-term confidence keep him in the bottom half of these rankings.
19. Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills
Brady is one of the more fascinating first-year head coaches. People in Buffalo have felt he’d be ready for a head coaching job eventually, and now he gets a shot at the team he’s been with for several years. It’s the team’s roster and projection that pushes Brady higher than where he might be if it were a straight-up ranking.
18. Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars
Coen’s offensive background and emerging leadership fit very well in Jacksonville. The Jaguars have enough pieces to be much better than they have historically been, and Coen gives the team clear direction.
17. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bowles continues to bring stability and experience to Tampa Bay. He might not be viewed as one of the flashiest coaches in the league, but his teams remain competitive.
16. Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings
O’Connell is essentially known as “the quarterback whisperer” around the league. The J.J. McCarthy experiment hasn’t worked out how the franchise envisioned, but there is plenty of excitement and anticipation for what O’Connell can do with Kyler Murray.
15. Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans
Saleh gets another chance to prove himself as a head coach this season with the Tennessee Titans. He’s the definition of “right person, wrong time” in NFL terms. His defensive mind remains one of the best in the league, and the Titans have an exceptional opportunity to build a team around those strengths and Cam Ward’s playmaking.
14. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Taylor’s past three seasons and (lack of) playoff appearances would relegate him to the bottom of this list, but he’s entering 2026 with arguably the best opportunity in the NFL to make a deep playoff run. He already led Cincinnati to a Super Bowl and proved he can win at a high level with Joe Burrow. Now, it’s time to do it again, or else he could be out of a job.
13. Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders
Under Quinn’s leadership, the Commanders franchise has changed direction. Quinn’s defensive background and leadership style have given Washington a clear identity as it enters 2026 with a talented roster.
12. Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
Campbell has completely changed the Lions’ identity. Detroit now plays with toughness, confidence, and belief, which is a direct reflection of its new head coach.
11. John Harbaugh, New York Giants
Harbaugh gives the Giants immediate credibility. His championship background, leadership style, and long track record make him one of the easiest coaches in the league to trust.
10. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
Payton moves into the top 10 because his track record still matters and Denver finally feels like it has the right foundation for his program to take off. He remains one of the best minds in football. The Broncos will enter the 2026 season off an AFC Championship appearance the previous year.
9. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers
LaFleur has been one of the league’s most consistent winners. The Packers have remained competitive virtually every year through major changes, which speaks to his offensive structure and leadership.
8. Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
Harbaugh has won everywhere he has coached. His ability to set the culture and track record of immediate turnarounds makes him one of the most dependable coaches in the league.
7. Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks
In 2025, Macdonald showed the league he’s one of the brightest defensive minds. Seattle’s belief in him is easy to understand because of the schematic creativity that he brings. Can the Seahawks get back into Super Bowl contention next season? Absolutely.
6. Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
Putting Vrabel over the coach that he lost to in the Super Bowl was incredibly tough, but it speaks to how great a coach he has been. Identity/Culture was at an all-time high in 2025, but has taken a step back with offseason drama looming.
Vrabel has shown he can build a physical, disciplined team, and his leadership gives the Patriots a strong foundation. Pair that with an incredibly talented roster, and that gives you one of the best situations in the league.
5. Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
Johnson is the boldest ranking near the top, but his offensive expertise and incredible culture-building skills give him a real case. If Chicago’s young core develops the way many expect, Johnson could quickly become one of the league’s premier head coaches.
4. DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
Ryans has quickly built a strong identity in Houston. His leadership and incredible defensive background make him one of the brightest young coaches.
Still just 41, expect to see Ryans and the Texans in plenty of big games in the future. If Houston can nail down its quarterback situation behind CJ Stroud, it should be perennial Super Bowl threats for years to come.
3. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Simply put, Reid is the most accomplished active head coach in football and still belongs in the upper echelon. If you were to rank head coaches based on career success, Reid would be No. 1, but this ranking also weighs roster situation and projection. That’s why he lands just behind Nos. 1 and 2.
2. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Shanahan remains one of the best pure football minds in the NFL. His offensive system consistently creates easy answers for quarterbacks, maximizes skill-position talent, and forces defenses to defend every inch of the field.
The only thing keeping Shanahan from the top spot is the lack of a Super Bowl win. Still, his schematic edge and ability to develop offensive talent make him one of the easiest coaches in the league to trust.
McVay checks literally every box in this ranking. He has the Super Bowl, the offensive creativity, the player-development track record, and the ability to keep the Rams competitive even when the roster around him changes.
What separates McVay is how quickly he adapts. The Rams have gone through different versions of their offense, different personnel groups, and different roster-building cycles. Still, McVay remains in Los Angeles, dominating at the highest level. Entering 2026, there might not be a coach in the league who blends proven success with schematic value better than McVay.
