As the NFL season fast approaches, let’s take a look at where all 32 squads rank in terms of who patrols the sideline.
The Leader Of The Pack
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
6 Super Bowl wins as head coach + 2 Super Bowl wins as an assistant = End of Conversation.
Belichick is the best coach in the NFL, and it will most likely remain that way until he retires.
Steps Off The Pace
2. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
The most impressive young mind in the sport made it to the big game last year before coming up short. There’s a good chance he’ll be back a few more times.
3. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
Outside of the Tom Brady and Belichick combo, Payton and Drew Brees may be the most dynamic duo in the NFL.
4. Doug Pederson, Philadelphia Eagles
Pederson helped to cure a wicked Super Bowl hangover for his squad in the middle of the year and had them playing like a dangerous team afterwards.
5. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks
Last year was supposed to be a transition year in Seattle. Instead, it may have been the finest coaching performance of Carroll’s career.
6. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Is he ever going to be able to win the big one or will Reid just continue to climb the ranks of coaches with the most career wins?
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On The Rise
7. Matt Nagy, Chicago Bears
Not much was expected out of the Bears in 2018. Nagy went out and proved that was a bad call and has an AP Coach of the Year award to prove it.
8. Frank Reich, Indianapolis Colts
After the Colts won nine of their last 10 games, Reich looked like a genius. Let’s see if he can turn the same trick with ramped up expectations.
9. Anthony Lynn, Los Angeles Chargers
Tons of talent on both sides of the ball and Lynn on the sidelines makes the Chargers a team to watch in 2019.
Middle Of The Road
10. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Harbaugh’s seat was getting warm last year, but a playoff berth after a strong close to the year squelched that talk.
11. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
Was Cam Newton’s injury to blame for a disastrous 2018 season? We should have an answer pretty quick after opening weekend.
12. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Is all of the drama cleared out in Pittsburgh, or is Tomlin simply incapable of controlling the locker room?
13. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have the pieces in place on both offense and defense. It’s time for Garrett to get over the hump.
14. Bill O’Brien, Houston Texans
O’Brien has been a great regular season coach, but the shellacking at the hands of the Colts in the playoffs opens up lots of questions.
15. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings switched signal callers and took a step backwards. Growing pains or has this team missed its shot?
16. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons
If the Falcons aren’t in the playoff mix this year following a 7-9 campaign, then Quinn’s seat could start getting toasty.
17. Mike Vrabel, Tennessee Titans
If the Titans improve off of a solid 2018, Vrabel will quickly find himself on the list of coaches on the rise.
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Lots To Prove In 2019
18. Doug Marrone, Jacksonville Jaguars
Marrone got a pass last year, but we doubt he would survive another faceplant.
19. Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
The Bills played better down the stretch, but it was still a step back from a surprising playoff berth.
20. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
For all of the injuries the Redskins dealt with last year, Gruden actually did a fine job.
21. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
2018 was a wash due to injuries, but Shanahan has to take a leap forward this time around.
22. John Gruden, Oakland Raiders
The Gruden decade in Oakland/Las Vegas is not off to a stellar start.
23. Pat Shurmur, New York Giants
The Giants were competitive in the second half in spite of being out of it, so that could be a building block.
24. Matt Patricia, Detroit Lions
Barring marked improvement in year two, Patricia may go down as another wasted hire in Detroit.
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New Kids On The Block
25. Bruce Arians, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If the Buccaneers don’t improve under Arians, it will be them, not him.
26. Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland Browns
Kitchens did a great job with the Browns offense last year. How will he do now that he’s boss of the whole kitchen?
27. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers
The clock is ticking on the prime of Aaron Rodgers career, so LaFleur better be the right man for the job.
28. Vic Fangio, Denver Broncos
After raising eyebrows with the Bears defense in 2018, the long-time assistant gets his first crack at a head gig.
29. Adam Gase, New York Jets
A disappointing tenure in Miami led to Gase being handed a ton of power in the Big Apple.
30. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
The quest for the next Sean McVay led to Taylor being a hot commodity last offseason.
31. Kliff Kingsbury, Arizona Cardinals
We’ll have to wait and see how Kingsbury’s high-powered offense translates to the NFL.
32. Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins
It’s a rebuilding year in Miami, and it looks like it’s going to be a long one.
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