The NFL coaching talent continues to be better than ever. Whether a head coach is offensive or defensive minded, more teams are learning how to find savvy schemers and leaders.
Fading are the days of coaches who want players to adjust to their ways; trending are the coaches who adapt to their players
The venerable coach in the top spot now has the league’s hardest team to beat, but he has plenty of Super Bowl-winning and contending company in the top 10.
Here’s Sporting News’ annual ranking from 1-32.
2024 NFL RANKINGS: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | Defense
Reid has his three rings and is having a blast with Patrick Mahomes. The louder the rumors get about a possible retirement, the more he seems to want to come back and enjoy this special late ride. There’s no debate on the best current football coach with Bill Belichick and Nick Saban retired.
The NFL’s top sideline savant is getting a little older, but after it seemed he might step down and share his wunderkind offensive scheming elsewhere, he looks rejuvenated with some of his best coaching to get the most out of a transitioning, post-Super Bowl team.
Shanahan has only one thing missing from an impressive resume as a terrific offensive leader: a ring to match half of his father Mike’s total. His loaded team will have some time to hit the final ceiling above NFC champion, and like Reid and McVay, he’s too good to be denied the inevitable.
This elder Harbaugh is looking to jump up near Reid with a second ring soon, but his sizzling career record (.612 winning percentage) already makes him an all-timer. He continues to be one of the toughest, most likable, and well-rounded coaches.
Tomlin is also working to avoid being stuck on one Super Bowl ring. It’s ridiculous that the league’s longest-tenured coach — 16 seasons, one more than rival Raven Harbaugh — ever needs to hear job-insecurity rumors, and Tomlin still has yet to have a losing season. The Steelers have made the playoffs 11 times because of a strong defensive foundation, even when they have a QB mess to sort.
PREDICTIONS: 2024 NFL season | Why Cowboys will miss playoffs | Why Chiefs will win Super Bowl
Harbaugh hasn’t coached in the NFL in a decade, but he makes an ideal, triumphant return fresh off lifting his alma mater Michigan to a national championship. He will pick up his winning ways soon in Los Angeles. This Harbaugh will fortify the Chargers mentally and physically to become a force soon, one good enough to put some more heat on the Chiefs.
Campbell is seen as the player-friendly, rah-rah folksy guy, but he trusts some innovative coordinators in Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. Now that the Lions have been an impressive breakthrough story, expect them to be elevated to consistent contenders.
LaFleur was rolling as a consistent 13-win coach with the final run of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, but he’s been just as impressive in getting the Pack back on track quickly with Jordan Love taking over his offense. He will hope more defensive changes led by another new coordinator (Jeff Hafley) can push the Packers to a different kind of high ceiling with Love.
McDaniel has taken using offensive speed and quickness to another level to make Tua Tagovailoa the ultimate passing facilitator. The team also keeps tweaking its post-Brian Flores defense hoping for better complementary results.
Sirianni did well to keep Philadelphia from having a full-on Super Bowl hangover, but there were hiccups as the coordinator replacements didn’t work out to maximize Jalen Hurts’ offense or Jalen Carter’s defense. Sirianni has been feeling some heat despite the recent NFC title, and the Belichick rumors will swirl for a while. Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio should be ace assistants for Sirianni, however.
Ryans was expected to be a great leader of an entire team after his defensive players loved him in San Francisco. The former Texans star linebacker felt right at home again in Houston, keeping up the strength on his side of the ball while also finding a strong offensive extension of Shanahan in Bobby Slowik.
Taylor has an AFC title to his credit with Joe Burrow, as the Bengals have been the one AFC team to give Reid and the Chiefs a challenge. He lost his offensive coordinator, Brian Callahan, but with Lou Anarumo still leading his defense, watch out for a big bounceback.
McDermott has felt the pressure of not breaking through past the Chiefs. He had to make some key coordinator changes to maintain Buffalo’s overall prowess with Josh Allen and the defense. Now the intrigue begins on whether taking big personnel hits will hurt the Bills or make them better adjust.
McCarthy cannot continue the path of regular-season success with little to show for it in the playoffs, especially with an owner like Jerry Jones in a demanding NFC East. The offense needs to find some more balance to help Dak Prescott, and the defense needs to rally under Mike Zimmer with Dan Quinn leaving a big void.
With a healthy Aaron Rodgers this time to support a dominant defense, Saleh will be expected to lead the Jets to the playoffs. There are some major Ryans-like, post-49ers upside, but it will either manifest or go bust.
O’Connell is a bright offensive mind. He’s done well to operate an exciting passing offense and was wise to get Brian Flores to lead the defense. Unfortunately, he will need to wait a season to fully make the transition from Kirk Cousins to J.J. McCarthy.
Pederson and his staff struggled a bit to make the right adjustments down the stretch last season, and the team’s chances of building on a 9-8 division title were lost. Pederson needs to lean on his Super Bowl-winning mojo to get Jacksonville on track or risk another change.
Payton crushed it with the Saints and is another member of the one-ring club, but his Broncos’ tenure so far has been marred by an aggressive offensive breakup with Russell Wilson. He will do it more his way in 2024 or fade trying.
Bowles has taken over well for Bruce Arians and kept the team together in the big change from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield. Now, he faces the challenge of more transitional personnel that affects his defense more.
Stefanski had his big breakthrough for the franchise with Mayfield, but the Deshaun Watson arrival hasn’t panned out. Stefanski is now leaning on Ken Dorsey to influence his offense to match the powerful backbone of Jim Schwartz’s defense.
Quinn has an NFC championship under his belt with the Falcons with a boost from Shanahan. After revving up his career again, leading a bang-up defensive job with the Cowboys, he was worthy to flip to their rivals with a promotion. He and Kliff Kingsbury are the right minds to change the culture to a new winning one with Jayden Daniels as the missing QB centerpiece.
Steichen has proved to be a rising offensive coach in Philadelphia, but it’s difficult to evaluate what he can do in Indianapolis until he can get a healthy, fruitful season from Anthony Richardson. The defense remains intact and can be a helpful factor.
Eberflus is almost at the point Saleh is — a defensive-minded coach with more of his makeup on his side of the ball buoyed now much bigger offensive expectations. It’s likely playoffs-or-bust with Caleb Williams for Eberflus to coach the team into 2025.
Daboll is taking over more control of the offense knowing it’s his last shot to get Daniel Jones on the right path, which is more crucial than ever with Saquon Barkley departing and Malk Nabers arriving. The defense has some good parts but needs to come together better, too, for Patrick Graham.
Morris gets a well-deserved, long-awaited second shot back in the NFC South. He was smart to bring Zac Robinson from the Rams with him to help a much-improved QB talent situation. Morris’ defensive influence also will be seen, now with additional veteran playmakers in tow.
Pierce is a mix of Ryans and Campbell in terms of the former player coaching vibe. He got immediate turnaround results last season to make him worthy of the job overseeing a defensive-positive team in QB transition.
The Saints are nearing the end of their defensive heyday that was led by Allen, but he’s struggled in replacing Sean Payton during his second head-coaching tenure. The Saints don’t have playoff makeup, and if there’s no playoffs, they will likely replace Allen.
Macdonald has plenty of promise coming over as former ace coordinator of the Ravens’ defense. He also made a fun decision to rev up the offense with Ryan Grubb.
The Titans were having some Bill Belichick-coaching tree fatigue with Mike Vrabel, so they were smart to get a star offensive mind to help Will Levis the way he did Joe Burrow. Callahan also was smart to tap into the Ravens’ defense with Dennard Wilson.
This will be weird to see the Patriots led by someone other than a hoodied septuagenarian — a former star linebacker of his, no less. Mayo has to meet some defensive challenges along with a delayed offensive transition around Drake Maye.
“The Quarterback Whisperer” will see if he can have a stabilizing effect on No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young in his second season, but returning defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero may need to deal with a mess.
Gannon’s team looks like a defensive disappointment in Year 2, so it will be leaning a lot on Kyler Murray and some young offensive pop to come through.
