You can have all the talented players in the world on your team, but without a good head coach, those players are directionless.
A quality NFL head coach won’t take their squad to the Super Bowl alone.
But with their countless responsibilities, they gain their players’ respect and develop personal bonds with them. The buttons they push are the difference between consistent disappointment or annual meaningful football in January. As natural leaders, they clearly move the needle in a positive fashion and can make the best of a terrible situation. Heck, even their quips defending their players in public are often perfectly stated. The great coaches don’t miss a beat.
By contrast, a poor head coach is in over their head.
They’re overwhelmed with the complex tasks and the daily and necessary minutiae. At a certain point, it’s obvious their players have tuned their message out, and they often don’t have the answers to extremely basic questions a head coach should know. In the event of inevitable controversy or if they’re at the helm of a shorthanded roster, the lousy head coaches act as more of an unfortunate rusty anchor than a robust engine. The chaotic results almost always show on (and sometimes off) the field.
Let’s dive into For The Win’s preseason NFL head coach rankings, tier by tier.
In the interest of fairness, it’s difficult to offer concrete judgment for any of these coaches that haven’t even coached a real game yet. They did enough to earn a head coaching job, but that role is so vastly different than any other, so it’s nearly impossible for us to know how they’ll acclimate.
That being said, I’ve got the latest Sean McVay protege last on the list because I’m not convinced the coaching tree is quite strong enough to overcome the fact that the Vikings still employ Kirk Cousins at QB.
Smith enters his third NFL head coaching gig with an 89-87 record but most recently led Illinois to a 17-39 record over a four-plus season span so … yeah.
Still, he deserves better than this roster and, as if that weren’t bad enough, it sure seems like the Texans might not actually want him around long-term.
Lovie Smith will be voting for Davis Mills to be a captain when the team makes their captain selections ahead of the first game. #Texans
— Cody Stoots (@Cody_Stoots) July 29, 2022
It’s hard to even begin to think about evaluating Eberflus because, at their current disaster pace, the Bears might not even have a competitive roster until the next U.S. Presidential election — meaning in 2024.
Among the gentlemen starting massive rebuilds, Brian Daboll’s probably in the most optimal spot. The Giants won’t win many games this year, but a team with promising new prospects such as Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal could play spoiler for many a contender. Daboll’s proven capable hands as a talent developer in his Buffalo days will not go unnoticed.
Giants HC Brian Daboll says his starters will play in the preseason Thursday and explains why pic.twitter.com/ivhgt3PupC
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) August 7, 2022
Dennis Allen leads a hype tree with minimal strong roots near the New Orleans bayou. However, he’s a great defensive mind who has worked wonders with the likes of Marshon Lattimore and Cameron Jordan and led one of the NFL’s better defenses for nearly a decade.
McDaniels’ first stint as a head coach in Denver could not have gone more wrong. He was young, brash, and probably in over his head before a 4-12 record in 2010 gave way to the hotshot OC journeying back to New England. It seems he’s showing more maturity on this go-around, which is a good thing, given the Raiders’ make-up of veteran stars across the board.
After the forgettable late years of the Mike McCarthy era in Green Bay, Hackett was instrumental in revitalizing a successful second act for Aaron Rodgers as the offensive coordinator. While he sits at the head of the table now in Denver, Hackett may well do much of the same to “let Russ cook.”
Nathaniel Hackett on the Broncos’ two-minute drill to end practice:
“We’ve got a long way to go, but that was really nice to see.”
Said Russell Wilson called the final play on the TD to Trey Quinn.
— Aric DiLalla (@AricDiLalla) August 4, 2022
A devout Shanahan tree disciple, McDaniel has been given the keys to a blazing teal and white Ferrari in South Beach. If anyone can unlock the ability of the question-mark-laden Tua Tagovailoa, it’s probably McDaniel. At the very least, it’ll be fun to see McDaniel’s creative playbook get the ball into Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle’s hands as often as possible.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel today talking about watching Dan Marino during his childhood while being a Broncos fan:
“My whole childhood I was saying Elway was better than Dan Marino. Now magically I’ve reversed course.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/tWCsQY8fFB
— Will Manso (@WillManso) August 7, 2022
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Every head coach featured in this part of the ranking barely has their head above water. And they are putting a lot of effort into paddling their legs and staying afloat, most likely for a lost cause.
Poor Matt Rhule will try to save his job with some combination of the Artist Formerly Known as Baker Mayfield, Sam “He’s Still In The NFL?” Darnold, and rookie Matt Corral. Godspeed, good buddy.
After Arizona’s back-to-back second-half collapses over the past few years, it’s fair to wonder whether the rest of the league has caught up to the limited Kingsbury. He’s almost certainly wasting a roster that should be in the upper echelons of the NFC, and this isn’t the first time anyone’s expressed this thought. A recent contract extension should not mean he’s safe in Arizona long-term.
I asked Kliff Kingsbury about having Kyler Murray call the plays via radio on Saturday: "I just wanted him to know that, 'Hey, this shit ain't easy.' Every now and then, he starts shaking his head when I'm calling it in there. I’m like, 'Alright, go ahead big dog.'"
— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) August 4, 2022
Mike McCarthy will do Mike McCarthy things, i.e., take a talented team with a top quarterback and minimal holes and completely bungle everything once the game is win-or-go-home.
Mike McCarthy not happy about the extra pushing and shoving pic.twitter.com/z2uvL3cJUP
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 9, 2022
Arthur Smith did an admirable job with a dumpster-fire situation in Atlanta last year, but he’s in a tough spot after the Falcons essentially wiped the slate clean once more. Owners say they’ll be patient in rebuilds. That is until you go on to a 5-12 campaign. And so the callous grinder of the coaching mill churns on.
In D.C., I’m not sure how valid or cool the “Riverboat Ron” nickname is when you’re under .500 every season.
All the head coaches who sit in this segment haven’t accomplished much of anything of note yet. However, there are plenty of signs that they might soon be on the brink of a great foundation.
Brandon Staley will enter 2022 as the leader of what definitely feels like the NFL’s most-hyped team — the Chargers. L.A. missed out on last year’s postseason after a nail-biting Week 18 defeat. Call it a hunch, but adding Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson to a squad with Justin Herbert, a loaded receiving corps, and a top-notch offensive line means that this team won’t need any “play-in” games later this fall.
With a year of experience under his belt — and continued forward-thinking in the form of fourth-down aggressiveness — Staley seems like the perfect man to steady all of that talent.
Brandon Staley spent a good five minutes coaching up rookie CB Ja’Sir Taylor during stretching. Not sure how many head coaches devote that kind of time to a 6th round pick. pic.twitter.com/PxEdjFumBW
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) August 2, 2022
I still have my doubts as to what it is that Nick Sirianni actually does in Philadelphia. But the Eagles seem to believe in him. They wouldn’t have done things like pull off a blockbuster trade for A.J. Brown if they didn’t think the Sirianni was The Guy. OK, I take that back: They might have made the trade regardless. Even still — Philly has an excellent team on paper, and Sirianni will get a ton of credit if their new volatile concoction pans out.
With the sport’s most influential player under center, some folks may try to downplay Todd Bowles’ impact on the Buccaneers. They will be dead wrong. Dead, dead wrong. Bowles is the guy whose defensive schemes held Patrick Mahomes to nine points in a Super Bowl. He still has many of those same players at his disposal now, along with other great talents.
"It's aggressive."
🗣: @The_Dream99 on HC Todd Bowles' style of defense pic.twitter.com/6Ic0TOkxIC
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) August 3, 2022
After their stellar draft, in the second year of a top-two pick’s career, the pressure will be on for Saleh to win in New York. If he takes the Jets to prominence, injuries and all, he might be the new King of Queens.
Then there’s Dan Campbell. His apex predator analogies will get tired in the event the Lions don’t start winning within the next few years. But his players seem to have bought in anyway. On a team so far away from contention, that speaks volumes.
For Dan Campbell and his Detroit Lions, it’s all about grit.#HardKnocks with the @Lions starts August 9 on @HBOMax pic.twitter.com/z8Cawt6Khp
I’ve seen enough from this next trio to think there could be a potential blaze of glory soon. At the same time, the sample size tells me they could also crash and burn just as quickly. Ah, the duality of the Football Guy.
By no means do I have qualms with Stefanski, the coach. But he’s shamelessly put himself at the epicenter of the acquisition of a quarterback credibly charged with over 24 allegations of sexual misconduct. He clearly seems to value football over human beings. And when (or if) that quarterback sees a heavier suspension, it’ll be hard to justify Stefanski not going down with the ship he tied himself to by losing his job.
It feels weird not ranking Taylor any higher, but I got to be honest: A lot of that 2021 Bengals’ season felt predicated on luck. For one, not many teams with that shoddy offensive line usually make such deep playoff runs. For the other, Taylor’s another guy where I’m not sure it’s more Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, among others, stirring the Bengal tiger drink. How much of an impact does Taylor really make? Is it his schemes that open up throwing lanes for Burrow, or is Burrow just palling around with one of the game’s top receivers?
I need to see 1) An AFC top seed and 2) At least one more playoff win before I can anoint Cincy’s lead man as the real deal.
Since taking over the Colts in 2018, you could argue that Reich’s done the best with the hand he’s been dealt. Not many coaches would be able to win 37 games (just one losing season) with three different quarterbacks over four years. If Reich can squeeze anything worthwhile out of a 37-year-old Matt Ryan, he should probably get a lifetime contract from Jim Irsay.
Frank Reich: "These last few weeks with Matt (Ryan) have been incredibly eye opening to what a pro he is… I always knew he was a great passer, but his accuracy, it's insane."
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) May 25, 2022
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
While there is a big gap between some of these men, these are the head coaches I would most trust if I wanted to win a big game in 2022. In some shape or form, they either have proven track records or currently lead some of the NFL’s elite squads.
The last time we saw Doug Pederson, he helped the Eagles by tanking during an actual game for a better draft pick. After that messy divorce in Philadelphia, he now gets his hands on Trevor Lawrence. Pederson once won a Super Bowl with the Carson Wentz/Nick Foles chimera. So, he can do anything.
Pete Caroll qualifies for the top 10 by being grandfathered in. I can’t discount all the good he did for Seattle during the Legion of Boom era. However, I can also account for how the Seahawks are about to be one of the worst teams in football for a good while.
Pete Carroll says Geno Smith is starting at QB for Seahawks Saturday at Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/hJ5LqaeiFG
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) August 9, 2022
In four seasons in Tennessee, Vrabel has never had a losing record. Despite injuries to Derrick Henry and the underwhelming Ryan Tannehill, Vrabel even guided the Titans to the AFC’s top seed last year. As an unofficial understudy during his time in New England as a player, it seems Vrabel absorbed a lot of information from his legendary mentor.
Three years for LaFleur in Green Bay and three 13-win seasons. That’s the best in the NFL since the young coach took over in 2019. He will eventually need some more playoff success in the form of an NFC title for all these stellar regular seasons to not feel so hollow.
Aaron Rodgers' late-career resurgence has been incredible and directly coincides with Matt LaFleur's arrival in Green Bay.
Since 2019: – 39 regular-season wins (1st in NFL) – 111 passing TDs (1st) – 12,416 passing yards (5th) – 13 INT on 1,626 attempts – Back-to-back MVPs
— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) June 26, 2022
The coaching apple does not fall from the tree. Many regard Shanahan as the best play-caller in football, and for good reason. Even with an albatross at quarterback like Jimmy Garappolo, Shanahan’s offensive units are consistently near the tops of the league. No one understands what’s at their disposal better than he does. And while he’s more active on offense, it’s obvious Shanahan’s defensive studs respect him.
Now imagine the potential for magic with a more talented Trey Lance.
Tomlin won nine games and made the playoffs with the animated puppet Ben Roethlisberger last year. To date, in 15 years, he’s never had a losing season in Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, John Harbaugh is another coach with a Super Bowl ring and impressive longevity. He’s also got a special relationship with Lamar Jackson, one of the more gifted quarterbacks the NFL’s ever seen. That partnership will continue to serve him well in the years to come.
Easy to read John Harbaugh’s lips to Lamar Jackson: “do you want to go for it?” pic.twitter.com/6TNuuJFKJ8
— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) September 20, 2021
To me, the top four are unassailable at this time.
After 37 wins (three in the playoffs) in the last three years, it would be irresponsible to think less of Sean McDermott. The defensive mastermind is coming off a season where Buffalo had the league’s top defense in scoring and by yards. Factor in an impeccable top-five offense with Josh Allen ripping secondaries up, and it’s clear McDermott knows when to insert himself into situations and when to let his players thrive.
Not everyone can strike that balance so successfully, and I find it hard to believe there’ll be any sort of dip for McDermott’s team any time soon. If he adds a Super Bowl ring to his resume, he’s another guy who should be entrenched in the top five until further notice.
I’ve admittedly soured a little on Bill Belichick (I know). I’m not sure Mac Jones is the answer after Tom Brady (and I’m not sure Belichick thinks he’s the answer either). New England’s in for a few rough seasons, but I’ll give “The Hoodie” the benefit of the doubt given *gestures at everything over the past 20 years* for now.
The man with the photographic memory simply had to take home the coaching silver medal. Since taking over the Rams in 2017, here’s McVay’s resume:
Sure, you can try to discount McVay by noting his relative All-Star squad. That’s foolish. Only a few people can get so many egos and personalities to mesh together into something beautiful on the football field. McVay is a rare breed.
As for the top spot, I did waffle on this decision. While I like Sean McVay’s overall ledger, and he is at the wheel of the defending Super Bowl champion, Andy Reid gets the edge because of consistency. The last time Reid had a losing season was a decade ago. The last time one of his teams missed the playoffs was in 2014. In a partnership with Pat Mahomes — a formerly raw player he developed, I remind you — the 63-year-old Reid might be well into his 70s before we see him under .500 again. The Chiefs will more than likely be a Super Bowl contender for most of that time, too. That sort of extended success is mostly unprecedented in the salary-cap era. Give the Kansas City head coach his deserved crown.
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Come on, guys. It's the preseason. Literally cool your Jets.
The Green Bay Packers will meet the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 of the NFL Preseason on Friday night from Levi’s Stadium. The Packers are coming off a 13-4 year as they look to make another run in the playoffs this year, meanwhile the 49ers went 10-7 and will give the reigns to Trey Lance to help them get further this year.
This will be a great start to the NFL Preseason, here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the game this evening. Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers
The Philadelphia Eagles will meet the New York Jets in Week 1 of NFL Preseason action on Friday night from Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles will look for their first win in the preseason in five games and as of now, we're not sure if Jalen Hurts will play at all. As for the Jets, they have gone 4-2-1 in their last seven preseason games and will be looking forward to seeing how Zach Wilson does this year.
This will be a great start to the NFL Preseason, here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the game...
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