Playoffs
Hall of Fame
NFL head coach power rankings
Elliot Harrison|NFL Media analyst
Elliot Harrison|NFL Media analyst
Who is your front man of choice? Eddie Vedder? David Lee Roth? Gordon Lightfoot?
OK, many of you probably haven't heard of that last guy, but most assuredly you all know the NFL's 32 front men -- that is to say, the 32 head coaches I was tasked with ranking. Speaking of Lightfoot, if you could read my mind, you'd guess No. 1. Probably not No. 3, though. The challenging part: Weighing the stacked résumés of the Tom Coughlins of the world against the promise of successful upstarts like Chip Kelly. And in the late teens/early 20s, the process became increasingly difficult.
We tried to balance "What have you done for me lately?" and career accomplishments. Feel free to share your take here: @HarrisonNFL. For comparison's sake, here is last year's ranking.
32. Jim Tomsula, San Francisco 49ers
Tomsula is our caboose, mostly because he inherited the worst situation. It's not like the 49ers are devoid of talent, but this has been an offseason of turmoil. Unlike the other rookie head coaches, Tomsula is following a guy in Jim Harbaugh who manifested incredible success. It would help if players quit retiring.
31. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons
Quinn looks like the right man for the job in Atlanta, as the main issue for the organization the last few seasons has been its defense. Some Falcons fans, of course, would cite leadership, clock management and whatever other gripes they had with former coach Mike Smith. Whatever you think of Smith, Atlanta will be hard-pressed to match the success he had without turning around the defense.
30. Todd Bowles, New York Jets
Bowles is our highest-ranked coach among those who have never had their own head gig before (interim stints aside). Bowles won Assistant Coach of the Year -- and universal kudos -- for his performance as the Cardinals defensive coordinator last season. Does it mean he'll excel as head coach? Not necessarily. But I like the way he handled questions about Geno Smith and his need to earn his place this offseason.
29. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
Quarterback struggles have been at the center of Gruden's brief tenure in Washington. Fair or not, it appears Gruden's success is directly tied to the performance of Robert Griffin III, as the club did not draft a quarterback, and neither Kirk Cousins nor Colt McCoy appear to be the answer. That said, one year does not make a coaching career. Let's see what the revamped defense can do to keep the Redskins in games this season.
28. Mike Pettine, Cleveland Browns
Pettine looked to have things turned around in Cleveland last season, getting off to a promising 7-4 start -- and then the bottom fell out. Turning to Johnny Manziel at quarterback didn't do anything to brighten the gloomy finish to the year. Pettine's defensive background should come in handy, as the Browns have plenty of young talent to work with, players -- like former first-round pick Justin Gilbert -- who, if they pan out, could make quite a difference going forward. However, Pettine must also prove he and his staff can work wonders with quarterbacks.
27. Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Bradley simply hasn't had the talent that other coaches on our list have enjoyed in his two seasons in charge. The general consensus around the league seems to be that Bradley will turn Jacksonville around, provided he's given the second-most precious commodity a head coach can possess: time. If you watched the Jags close enough last year, you saw signs this club is ready to take the next step. Bradley, who cut his teeth as Pete Carroll's defensive coordinator in Seattle, has a positive vibe that is infectious. Let's see what his young roster does this season.
26. Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders
Del Rio might have wondered when he was going to get another opportunity to steward an NFL franchise. Now he has that second chance, and it comes with maybe the toughest assignment in pro football: turning around the most woeful franchise in the league. Del Rio's expertise is on the defensive side of the ball, and that is precisely where he will have his work cut out for him, as Oakland must improve there. At least he has young talent to work with. That wasn't always the case toward the end of his tenure with the Jaguars.
25. Joe Philbin, Miami Dolphins
Some eyebrows were raised when the Dolphins extended Philbin through the 2016 season. It's not that the former Packers offensive coordinator has been a failure, rather that the Dolphins have been stuck in neutral since he came on board in 2012; Miami has finished 7-9, 8-8 and 8-8 in his three years. That said, Ryan Tannehill has improved each year under Philbin and his staff. Plus, the Dolphins added Ndamukong Suh, and Tom Brady is currently set to miss four games -- so perhaps this is the year.
24. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
One season might not provide enough evidence for us to gauge what kind of head coach a guy is. Yet, given how Zimmer made Minnesota competitive despite starting a rookie quarterback and playing without his best player, it's impossible to not notice the job he's doing. Tack on how he handled the Adrian Peterson situation this offseason and you have the makings of a solid organizational leader. The 2014 Bengals surely missed what he used to bring to their defensive coordinator post.
23. Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans
O'Brien's first season in Houston can't be deemed anything but a success. The Texans lost not one but two starting quarterbacks at various points, while playing most of the season without the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Jadeveon Clowney aside, O'Brien is used to dealing with circumstances out of his control, as his successful run at Penn State indicates.
22. Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers
Ugh ... so not fair putting McCoy here. From what we've seen over two seasons, McCoy probably deserves to be higher. He led the Chargers to a playoff appearance his first season and almost did the same last year, despite the myriad injuries San Diego endured. This team played multiple centers and started three different running backs. OK, so maybe the Chargers only went 9-7 in each of his two campaigns. They certainly have been in the thick of things, and McCoy has drawn improved play out of Philip Rivers.
21. Ken Whisenhunt, Tennessee Titans
Whisenhunt's expression in postgame press conferences last year tells you what kind of toll the Titans' showing took on him. Putting a coach who directed the Cardinals (of all franchises) to Super Bowl XLIII at No. 21 might be counterintuitive, but Whisenhunt hasn't been a winning head coach since 2009. Still, those who say Arizona only went to that Super Bowl because of Kurt Warner must understand who chose Warner to start over Matt Leinart, despite the Cards' considerable investment in the latter player.
20. Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos
You could make an argument for Kubiak to be ranked anywhere in the large midsection of this list, but No. 20 feels like the right spot. Most league observers feel he is a solid fit for both the Broncos and Peyton Manning. The last time we saw Kubiak as a head coach, he was leading a Texans team that finished with the worst record in pro football in 2013. Yet, he did take Houston to two straight playoff appearances, winning a game each time. With eight years of head-coaching experience, Kubiak is also a little more well-versed about the demands of the job than most of those below him on this list.
19. Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills
Where do you put Ryan? Is he a brash front man who doesn't do well with quarterbacks and was responsible for the New York Jets' crumbling performance last season? Or is he a fantastic motivator, the man who took the Jets to AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and '10, only to be led off the road by a front office that made poor decision after poor decision?
18. Lovie Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Like Ken Whisenhunt, Smith endured an extremely difficult 2014 season that left him with a high draft pick but dinged his reputation. Don't misread this ranking; I'm not disrespecting Smith's overall career. Bears management was ready to be rid of Smith and his 10-6 record following the 2012 season -- and the team promptly won a total of 13 games over the next two seasons without him. What will Smith do this season? Tough to say with a rookie QB, but 86 wins in the NFL -- Smith's lifetime total -- is no joke. Though he's coming off a 2-14 campaign, Smith still has a winning record in the pros.
17. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
The 2013 Coach of the Year took a step back last season, at least in terms of the win-loss record, but he still has his Panthers headed in the right direction. That starts with the fact that Carolina did not take a step back in the standings, winning its second straight NFC South title. It continues with the new deal for quarterback Cam Newton. And perhaps it will be underlined by a defense that finished 2014 hot. That side of the ball has always been Rivera's best; what he and his staff are able to accomplish on the offensive side is what will determine this club's fate in 2015.
16. Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
To be blunt, the reaction to last offseason's hiring of Caldwell was less than enthusiastic. It felt like analysts and fans alike chalked up his Super Bowl appearance with the Colts to the presence of Peyton Manning. After Manning was hurt, Indy tanked. Then Caldwell took over a Lions team that had gone 11-21 the previous two seasons. All the mild-mannered coach did was turn Detroit around, making what tended to usually be one of the league's worst teams down the stretch into a sturdy 11-5 playoff club.
15. Jeff Fisher, St. Louis Rams
Fisher has placed higher on this list in past seasons, but at some point, we must acknowledge the mediocrity of his recent Rams teams, despite his long NFL tenure. We won't deny the fantastic job he did in Tennessee, managing that team's relocation from Houston and getting the franchise to its first (and only) Super Bowl, but finishes of 7-8-1, 7-9 and 6-10 in St. Louis have affected his standing.
14. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
Garrett was one of the more difficult head coaches to rank. It seems like folks are more underwhelmed than wowed by him, but it's tough to find serious flaws in his coaching record. Garrett took over a 1-7 team in Week 10 of the 2010 season and led Dallas to a 5-3 finish down the stretch -- with Jon Kitna at quarterback. While his Cowboys finished 8-8 three seasons in a row, they were in position to win the NFC East in Week 17 of each campaign. In 2013, hopes were dashed when Tony Romo was injured for the season finale. Last year, Garrett and the Cowboys surprised everyone, actually raising hopes with a 12-4 mark and a two-game playoff run.
13. Chip Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles
After talking to people around the NFL Media offices and perusing the various opinions in the social media universe, it would seem there are legions of people out there who would take Kelly as their head coach in a second. No relatively new coach has received the kind of pub Kelly has over the last two years. So how good is he? Well, he's compiled a 20-12 regular-season record and made a one-and-done appearance in the 2013 playoffs. While his system hasn't exactly revolutionized the league as some expected, you have to give the man props for doing what he's done with quarterbacks like Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez. Is this too low for Kelly? Or too high? Your take is welcome ... @HarrisonNFL.
12. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
Lewis, who had never been a head coach before landing the Bengals job, is entering his 13th season in Cincinnati, giving him the second-longest tenure among NFL coaches with their current teams, behind only Bill Belichick (who is entering his 16th season in New England). That is obviously impressive in this day and age of merry-go-round coaching hires, dismissals and "mutual" splits. So is the fact that Cincy has made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. At some point, of course, the Bengals will actually have to win a playoff game, or history will look at Lewis as just a guy.
11. Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
Back in 2012, no one really knew what to think of Pagano -- specifically with regard to what kind of job he could do. He'd implemented a plan for the Colts, only to miss almost the entire season while fighting leukemia. Yet, over the last two seasons, Indianapolis has improved, winning one additional playoff game each season. His players play for him, and that, as much as anything, is indicative of a solid head coach.
...
OK, many of you probably haven't heard of that last guy, but most assuredly you all know the NFL's 32 front men -- that is to say, the 32 head coaches I was tasked with ranking. Speaking of Lightfoot, if you could read my mind, you'd guess No. 1. Probably not No. 3, though. The challenging part: Weighing the stacked résumés of the Tom Coughlins of the world against the promise of successful upstarts like Chip Kelly. And in the late teens/early 20s, the process became increasingly difficult.
We tried to balance "What have you done for me lately?" and career accomplishments. Feel free to share your take here: @HarrisonNFL. For comparison's sake, here is last year's ranking.
32. Jim Tomsula, San Francisco 49ers
Tomsula is our caboose, mostly because he inherited the worst situation. It's not like the 49ers are devoid of talent, but this has been an offseason of turmoil. Unlike the other rookie head coaches, Tomsula is following a guy in Jim Harbaugh who manifested incredible success. It would help if players quit retiring.
31. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons
Quinn looks like the right man for the job in Atlanta, as the main issue for the organization the last few seasons has been its defense. Some Falcons fans, of course, would cite leadership, clock management and whatever other gripes they had with former coach Mike Smith. Whatever you think of Smith, Atlanta will be hard-pressed to match the success he had without turning around the defense.
30. Todd Bowles, New York Jets
Bowles is our highest-ranked coach among those who have never had their own head gig before (interim stints aside). Bowles won Assistant Coach of the Year -- and universal kudos -- for his performance as the Cardinals defensive coordinator last season. Does it mean he'll excel as head coach? Not necessarily. But I like the way he handled questions about Geno Smith and his need to earn his place this offseason.
29. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
Quarterback struggles have been at the center of Gruden's brief tenure in Washington. Fair or not, it appears Gruden's success is directly tied to the performance of Robert Griffin III, as the club did not draft a quarterback, and neither Kirk Cousins nor Colt McCoy appear to be the answer. That said, one year does not make a coaching career. Let's see what the revamped defense can do to keep the Redskins in games this season.
28. Mike Pettine, Cleveland Browns
Pettine looked to have things turned around in Cleveland last season, getting off to a promising 7-4 start -- and then the bottom fell out. Turning to Johnny Manziel at quarterback didn't do anything to brighten the gloomy finish to the year. Pettine's defensive background should come in handy, as the Browns have plenty of young talent to work with, players -- like former first-round pick Justin Gilbert -- who, if they pan out, could make quite a difference going forward. However, Pettine must also prove he and his staff can work wonders with quarterbacks.
27. Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Bradley simply hasn't had the talent that other coaches on our list have enjoyed in his two seasons in charge. The general consensus around the league seems to be that Bradley will turn Jacksonville around, provided he's given the second-most precious commodity a head coach can possess: time. If you watched the Jags close enough last year, you saw signs this club is ready to take the next step. Bradley, who cut his teeth as Pete Carroll's defensive coordinator in Seattle, has a positive vibe that is infectious. Let's see what his young roster does this season.
26. Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders
Del Rio might have wondered when he was going to get another opportunity to steward an NFL franchise. Now he has that second chance, and it comes with maybe the toughest assignment in pro football: turning around the most woeful franchise in the league. Del Rio's expertise is on the defensive side of the ball, and that is precisely where he will have his work cut out for him, as Oakland must improve there. At least he has young talent to work with. That wasn't always the case toward the end of his tenure with the Jaguars.
25. Joe Philbin, Miami Dolphins
Some eyebrows were raised when the Dolphins extended Philbin through the 2016 season. It's not that the former Packers offensive coordinator has been a failure, rather that the Dolphins have been stuck in neutral since he came on board in 2012; Miami has finished 7-9, 8-8 and 8-8 in his three years. That said, Ryan Tannehill has improved each year under Philbin and his staff. Plus, the Dolphins added Ndamukong Suh, and Tom Brady is currently set to miss four games -- so perhaps this is the year.
24. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
One season might not provide enough evidence for us to gauge what kind of head coach a guy is. Yet, given how Zimmer made Minnesota competitive despite starting a rookie quarterback and playing without his best player, it's impossible to not notice the job he's doing. Tack on how he handled the Adrian Peterson situation this offseason and you have the makings of a solid organizational leader. The 2014 Bengals surely missed what he used to bring to their defensive coordinator post.
23. Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans
O'Brien's first season in Houston can't be deemed anything but a success. The Texans lost not one but two starting quarterbacks at various points, while playing most of the season without the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Jadeveon Clowney aside, O'Brien is used to dealing with circumstances out of his control, as his successful run at Penn State indicates.
22. Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers
Ugh ... so not fair putting McCoy here. From what we've seen over two seasons, McCoy probably deserves to be higher. He led the Chargers to a playoff appearance his first season and almost did the same last year, despite the myriad injuries San Diego endured. This team played multiple centers and started three different running backs. OK, so maybe the Chargers only went 9-7 in each of his two campaigns. They certainly have been in the thick of things, and McCoy has drawn improved play out of Philip Rivers.
21. Ken Whisenhunt, Tennessee Titans
Whisenhunt's expression in postgame press conferences last year tells you what kind of toll the Titans' showing took on him. Putting a coach who directed the Cardinals (of all franchises) to Super Bowl XLIII at No. 21 might be counterintuitive, but Whisenhunt hasn't been a winning head coach since 2009. Still, those who say Arizona only went to that Super Bowl because of Kurt Warner must understand who chose Warner to start over Matt Leinart, despite the Cards' considerable investment in the latter player.
20. Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos
You could make an argument for Kubiak to be ranked anywhere in the large midsection of this list, but No. 20 feels like the right spot. Most league observers feel he is a solid fit for both the Broncos and Peyton Manning. The last time we saw Kubiak as a head coach, he was leading a Texans team that finished with the worst record in pro football in 2013. Yet, he did take Houston to two straight playoff appearances, winning a game each time. With eight years of head-coaching experience, Kubiak is also a little more well-versed about the demands of the job than most of those below him on this list.
19. Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills
Where do you put Ryan? Is he a brash front man who doesn't do well with quarterbacks and was responsible for the New York Jets' crumbling performance last season? Or is he a fantastic motivator, the man who took the Jets to AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and '10, only to be led off the road by a front office that made poor decision after poor decision?
18. Lovie Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Like Ken Whisenhunt, Smith endured an extremely difficult 2014 season that left him with a high draft pick but dinged his reputation. Don't misread this ranking; I'm not disrespecting Smith's overall career. Bears management was ready to be rid of Smith and his 10-6 record following the 2012 season -- and the team promptly won a total of 13 games over the next two seasons without him. What will Smith do this season? Tough to say with a rookie QB, but 86 wins in the NFL -- Smith's lifetime total -- is no joke. Though he's coming off a 2-14 campaign, Smith still has a winning record in the pros.
17. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
The 2013 Coach of the Year took a step back last season, at least in terms of the win-loss record, but he still has his Panthers headed in the right direction. That starts with the fact that Carolina did not take a step back in the standings, winning its second straight NFC South title. It continues with the new deal for quarterback Cam Newton. And perhaps it will be underlined by a defense that finished 2014 hot. That side of the ball has always been Rivera's best; what he and his staff are able to accomplish on the offensive side is what will determine this club's fate in 2015.
16. Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
To be blunt, the reaction to last offseason's hiring of Caldwell was less than enthusiastic. It felt like analysts and fans alike chalked up his Super Bowl appearance with the Colts to the presence of Peyton Manning. After Manning was hurt, Indy tanked. Then Caldwell took over a Lions team that had gone 11-21 the previous two seasons. All the mild-mannered coach did was turn Detroit around, making what tended to usually be one of the league's worst teams down the stretch into a sturdy 11-5 playoff club.
15. Jeff Fisher, St. Louis Rams
Fisher has placed higher on this list in past seasons, but at some point, we must acknowledge the mediocrity of his recent Rams teams, despite his long NFL tenure. We won't deny the fantastic job he did in Tennessee, managing that team's relocation from Houston and getting the franchise to its first (and only) Super Bowl, but finishes of 7-8-1, 7-9 and 6-10 in St. Louis have affected his standing.
14. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
Garrett was one of the more difficult head coaches to rank. It seems like folks are more underwhelmed than wowed by him, but it's tough to find serious flaws in his coaching record. Garrett took over a 1-7 team in Week 10 of the 2010 season and led Dallas to a 5-3 finish down the stretch -- with Jon Kitna at quarterback. While his Cowboys finished 8-8 three seasons in a row, they were in position to win the NFC East in Week 17 of each campaign. In 2013, hopes were dashed when Tony Romo was injured for the season finale. Last year, Garrett and the Cowboys surprised everyone, actually raising hopes with a 12-4 mark and a two-game playoff run.
13. Chip Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles
After talking to people around the NFL Media offices and perusing the various opinions in the social media universe, it would seem there are legions of people out there who would take Kelly as their head coach in a second. No relatively new coach has received the kind of pub Kelly has over the last two years. So how good is he? Well, he's compiled a 20-12 regular-season record and made a one-and-done appearance in the 2013 playoffs. While his system hasn't exactly revolutionized the league as some expected, you have to give the man props for doing what he's done with quarterbacks like Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez. Is this too low for Kelly? Or too high? Your take is welcome ... @HarrisonNFL.
12. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
Lewis, who had never been a head coach before landing the Bengals job, is entering his 13th season in Cincinnati, giving him the second-longest tenure among NFL coaches with their current teams, behind only Bill Belichick (who is entering his 16th season in New England). That is obviously impressive in this day and age of merry-go-round coaching hires, dismissals and "mutual" splits. So is the fact that Cincy has made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. At some point, of course, the Bengals will actually have to win a playoff game, or history will look at Lewis as just a guy.
11. Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
Back in 2012, no one really knew what to think of Pagano -- specifically with regard to what kind of job he could do. He'd implemented a plan for the Colts, only to miss almost the entire season while fighting leukemia. Yet, over the last two seasons, Indianapolis has improved, winning one additional playoff game each season. His players play for him, and that, as much as anything, is indicative of a solid head coach.
...
