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All 32 NFL Head Coaches, Ranked

The 2023 regular season is still months away, which means there is time to look at all 32 NFL head coaches and rank them from best to worst.
NFL Head Coaches

With minicamps over and training camp just a few weeks away, it’s time to take a look at the 32 NFL head coaches heading into the 2023 season. While players win games at the end of the day, every stable organization needs the right leader calling the shots. Some teams have this, while other teams will be looking for a new captain in less than a year.

Ranking All 32 NFL Head Coaches

Tier 1: Hall of Famers

1. Andy Reid

Even before he had Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid was on the verge of the Hall of Fame. However, now that he’s paired with an all-time great, the two-time Super Bowl champion has become the king of the NFL head coaches. Reid’s offensive genius is second to none, but he’s not limited to just one side of the ball. The 65-year-old brings out the best in all of his players and he should be atop this list for as long as he feels like coaching.

2. Bill Belichick

Even though Bill Belichick hasn’t been able to recapture his magic without Tom Brady, he is still one of the best head coaches in the NFL. The eight-time Super Bowl champion is unmatched when it comes to putting together a defense and changing his scheme to fit the talents of his players. On paper, the 2023 Patriots are not the most talented team in the league, but they should compete for a playoff spot as long as Belichick is on the payroll.

3. Kyle Shanahan

There is only one offensive mind that can challenge Andy Reid’s, and that is Kyle Shanahan. While the 49ers head coach is a little too conservative in 4th down situations and has yet to truly solve his quarterback situation, he does everything else so well that you can easily excuse these flaws in his game. After all, nobody’s perfect.

Tier 2: Championship Caliber Coaches

4. Sean McVay

Sean McVay will have his work cut out in 2023. The Los Angeles Rams leader is one of the better head coaches in the NFL, but nobody can consistently win without good talent on the roster. There is a reason the Rams are at the bottom of the NFL Power Rankings, and if McVay can somehow drag this roster to eight or nine wins, then he could continue to move up this list.

5. Nick Sirianni

The Philadelphia Eagles have arguably the best roster in the game, but they wouldn’t reach their ceiling without the guiding presence of Nick Sirianni. The head coach deserves all the credit in the world for helping to develop Jalen Hurts into one of the best quarterbacks in the league while simultaneously managing the combination of youth and veterans on the roster. While the 2022 Eagles would have made the playoffs with just about any head coach, Sirianni deserves credit for guiding a less-refined version of the team to the postseason in 2021.

6. Mike McDaniel

Mike McDaniel has only been an NFL head coach for one season, so some might believe this ranking is a little premature. However, he deserves this high ranking for what he did last year. The former 49ers assistant turned Tua Tagovailoa into one of the most efficient passers in the league while building a defense that didn’t drop off at all without Brian Flores. Yes, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can make any offensive coach look smart, but McDaniel went above any beyond the talent on his roster. If the Dolphins quarterbacks can actually stay healthy, they should make a deep run in 2023.

7. John Harbaugh

The Baltimore Ravens have always been competitive under John Harbaugh, but they haven’t made a deep playoff run since they won it all back in 2012. Perhaps a much-overdue change at offensive coordinator can fix this, but another year without a playoff win could lead to a demotion on this list.

8. Pete Carroll

The 2022 season might just be the most impressive season of Pete Carroll’s coaching career. After parting ways with Russell Wilson, Carroll turned Geno Smith into a solid starter and guided the team to an incredibly unlikely playoff berth. Yes, Carroll’s offensive philosophy is outdated and he’s way too addicted to running the ball, but his team plays for him, and he clearly knows how to put guys in the best position to succeed.

9. Sean McDermott

Sean McDermott played a crucial role in transforming the Buffalo Bills from the AFC East’s annual doormat into one of the best teams in the league. However, much like Harbaugh, we’re going to need to see a deep postseason run before he earns a higher spot among the NFL head coaches.

10. Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin isn’t the type of coach that can make a good team great, but he can make an ok team good. The Steelers had no business finishing with winning records in each of the past four seasons, yet Tomlin found a way to win games with a well past his prime Ben Roethlisberger and a rookie Kenny Pickett.

Tier 3: Good But Not Great

11. Sean Payton

Sean Payton could fly up this list next year if he can prove that his success in New Orleans wasn’t just a byproduct of Drew Brees. Payton will need to adapt his quick-passing scheme to Russell Wilson’s desire to throw deep, and the fact that he hired Joe Lombardi to oversee this change is not a good first step. Only time will tell, but this doesn’t appear to be a great matchup.

12. Doug Pederson

Doug Pederson is not the type of coach that can single-handedly save a sinking ship, but he’s also good enough to win a Super Bowl. The 2023 Jacksonville Jaguars don’t have the same amount of talent as the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, but they should be able to make some noise in a crowded AFC as long as Pederson is calling the shots.

13. Brian Daboll

After helping transform Josh Allen from a raw prospect into one of the best quarterbacks in the game, Brian Daboll took a bad quarterback in Daniel Jones and turned him into a below-average one. Daboll is always going to be an offensive-minded coach, but the Giants were not as good as their record last year. If Daboll can do the impossible twice, then he’ll soar up the ranks of NFL head coaches.

14. Matt LaFleur

Aaron Rodgers didn’t play like a superhero last year, and the Green Bay Packers went 8-9 because of it. It’s easy to win games when you have an MVP-caliber quarterback, and now LaFleur has a chance to show what he can do with an unproven Jordan Love and one of the youngest rosters in football.

15. Mike Vrabel

Mike Vrabel is basically a lesser version of Pete Carroll. He runs an outdated offense with too strong a commitment to running the football, but he always gets a few more wins than he probably should. 2023 will be his biggest challenge yet, as this team lacks talent at just about every position.

16. Frank Reich

Frank Reich is the only first-year head coach I feel comfortable ranking, as we’ve already seen what he can do with the Indianapolis Colts. While the 2022 season was a disaster, Reich typically turned the Colts into a competitive team despite an underwhelming roster with no real answer at quarterback. If 2022 was an outlier, then the Carolina Panthers should finally be happy to have a real head coach for the first time since Ron Rivera.

17. Zac Taylor

The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the most successful organizations in recent years, but that has more to do with the talent on the roster than the man calling the shots. Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins are amazing, but Taylor’s scheme doesn’t do anything to elevate their abilities. While he doesn’t hinder his team by any stretch of the imagination, a better coach could probably get more out of the talent.

18. Dan Campbell

Dan Campbell can fire up anybody, but his in-game decisions, outdated philosophies, and overall inconsistent performances don’t justify a higher spot among NFL head coaches. The Lions finally have some national intrigue after their strong finish to 2022 – if they can live up to the hype, then Campbell will be much higher at this point next year.

19. Robert Saleh

It’s hard to judge Robert Saleh as a head coach when Zach Wilson has singlehandedly derailed multiple games. While Saleh deserves some of the blame for Wilson’s lack of progression, the former second-round pick has been an outright disaster every time he steps on the field. Now that he has Aaron Rodgers, we can finally see what Saleh can do with a competent roster.

20. Kevin O’Connell

The Minnesota Vikings were the luckiest 13-win team in the history of the NFL last year. While they pulled off a bunch of close victories, Kevin O’Connell didn’t do anything too impressive last year. Maybe he can get better with another year of experience, but right now, this is where he belongs.

Tier 4: Coaching Purgatory

21. Arthur Smith

The Falcons spent the past two seasons in salary cap hell, but now they finally had the financial freedom to actually build a competitive roster. If the results still aren’t there in 2023, Atlanta might try to find someone that can win games a little more consistently.

22. Kevin Stefanski

From a scheme perspective, Kevin Stefanski might just be the most boring head coach in the NFL. Perhaps he’ll get more creative with a less-rusty Deshaun Watson, but I’m not holding my breath.

23. Mike McCarthy

Mike McCarthy is just good enough to break your team’s heart every single year. While his teams never implode, they never play up to their talent. Basically, if you like losing in the divisional round of the playoffs, then Mike McCarthy is the guy for you.

24. Ron Rivera

Ron Rivera is just Mike McCarthy, but on the defensive side of the ball. If the stars align, he can bring you to the Super Bowl. The rest of the time, you’re left with an underwhelming mess.

Tier 5: Update Your Resume

25. Dennis Allen

The 2022 season showed that Dennis Allen’s failed run with the Las Vegas Raiders wasn’t a mistake. If he can’t win with Derek Carr in a weak NFC South, then he probably won’t ever earn another shot at a head coaching position.

26. Josh McDaniels

Josh McDaniels is a very good offensive mind. Unfortunately, it takes more than just X’s and O’s to lead a football team. The longtime New England Patriots offensive coordinator probably would’ve gotten the boot last year if Mark Davis could afford to fire him. Considering that Las Vegas got worse in just about every possible way, it’s safe to assume that this will be McDaniels’ last year with the Raiders.

27. Matt Eberflus

The Chicago Bears did not have much talent in 2022, but they shouldn’t have had the worst record in football. The organization went crazy in free agency and if the team doesn’t get results, Eberflus will be out of a job.

28. Brandon Staley

In 2021, Brandon Staley won the hearts of the analytics community thanks to his aggression on fourth down. In 2022, that aggression went away and he ended up being one of the most conservative decision-makers in football. With that fourth-down mask removed, the league saw a coach that was simply in over his head. Justin Herbert is an elite quarterback, and if Staley wastes another year of his prime, Kellen Moore should take over as head coach.

29. Todd Bowles

New York Jets fans were right – the team was not the problem with Bowles’ first run as a head coach. Every time Bowles had to make a decision in 2022, he chose wrong, and it’s hard to see that changing in 2023. The Buccaneers might not be the worst roster in football, but this coach could earn them the first-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Tier 6: First-Time Coaches (No Particular Order)

30. Shane Steichen
31. DeMeco Ryans
32. Jonathan Gannon

These three head coaches have yet to call an NFL game, so it’s far too early to rank them. Shane Steichen did wonders for Jalen Hurts, so hopefully he can do the same for Anthony Richardson. DeMeco Ryans was a hot commodity on the coaching cycle, and that bodes well for his future. Jonathan Gannon didn’t have the prettiest exit from Philadelphia, but the team’s performance prior to the Super Bowl speaks for itself.

Main Photo: David Butler – USA Today Sports

David Latham, Managing Editor

David Latham, Managing Editor

David joined LWOS as an NFL writer in 2017. A passionate fan of Boston sports, Latham covers the Patriots, fantasy football, and breaking news across the league.

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