Ranking all 32 NFL head coaches for the 2025 season

There isn't a more accomplished NFL resume among modern head coaches, short of Bill Belichick, than what Reid produced. Over 26 remarkable seasons in Philadelphia and Kansas City, he's been to six Super Bowls, winning three, and made the playoffs 20 times. The Chiefs have also won the AFC West in nine consecutive seasons. Reid's genius as an offensive designer and player caller is renowned across the league, and he's also arguably the most well-liked coach in the NFL among players.

There's seemingly nothing that can stop McVay's success, having overcome Aaron Donald's retirement and a series of offensive injuries last year to make the playoffs for the sixth time in eight seasons. McVay's early resume is terrific, including two Super Bowl berths and a ring in 2021. His offensive play-calling is already the stuff of legends, and his ability to get the most out of his talent has been clear.

Sirianni is on top of the world as a Super Bowl champ. His four-year resume is incredibly impressive, reaching the Super Bowl twice and making the playoffs in all four seasons despite coordinator turnover following the 2022 season. Of course, Sirianni has had the benefit of Howie Roseman's excellent roster, but his fiery attitude, willingness to take risks, and the nearly unstoppable "tush push" are more than enough to put him among the top coaches in the league.

Long known as an offensive mastermind and quarterback whisperer, Payton is doing it again after drafting Bo Nix last year. Nix had a surprisingly outstanding rookie campaign, vaulting Denver back to the playoffs in only Payton's second season in Denver. With an elite defense that Payton helped turn around and now their long-term quarterback, the Broncos are looking as dangerous as they have since Peyton Manning quarterbacked the team. Payton's prior resume over 15 seasons in New Orleans speaks for itself, going 152-89 during the regular season with nine playoff appearances and a shocking Super Bowl victory in 2009 with the help of Drew Brees. 

Harbaugh enters his 18th season in Baltimore with a very strong resume, with 12 playoff appearances, including six of the last seven seasons. His lone Super Bowl victory was back in 2012, and since then, playoff success has been somewhat fleeting. The rest of the AFC can say the same in recent seasons thanks to the Chiefs, but Harbaugh's candidacy in Canton could depend on another Super Bowl run.

It only took one season for Harbaugh to prove he's still got it as an NFL head coach after a nine-year hiatus at Michigan. He led the 49ers to the Super Bowl and made the playoffs three times in four seasons during his first NFL tenure with San Francisco, and went 11-6 with a playoff berth in his first season as Chargers head coach in spite of some major personnel turnover. Being in a division with Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and the Chiefs makes the task more difficult, but Harbaugh appears very much up to the challenge.

As Tomlin enters his 19th season in Pittsburgh, he's yet to have a losing season. The Steelers have also made the playoffs in 12 of their 18 years, with two Super Bowl berths and one victory in 2008. The fact that the team continues to be competitive in recent seasons in spite of pure quarterback mediocrity goes to show Tomlin's coaching ability, but big changes are in store for 2025. The team has gone all-in with Aaron Rodgers and a host of other veterans as they try to get their first Super Bowl since 2016, and there are annual whispers about Tomlin going elsewhere. Reaching the bar of "just good enough" could be weighing on both Tomlin and diehard Steelers fans, so the rumors of an exit could continue if this season doesn't go as the team hopes.

Campbell is the "it" coach in the NFL these days, marrying a "football guy" demeanor with analytically sound decision-making. The results speak for themselves so far, as the Lions have put an end to their losing ways with back-to-back playoff appearances. Now entering his fifth season, Campbell has turned around the Lions much faster than anyone expected, but 2025 is set to be his biggest challenge after losing his offensive and defensive coordinators. The next step on the mountain is playoff success, and the NFC appears relatively open for the taking if Campbell can overcome the offseason hits to his staff.

LaFleur is possibly the league's most underrated coach, making the playoffs for the fifth time in six years last season. He's been able to navigate an almost complete turnover of his roster, including the transition at quarterback from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love. There's no questioning LaFleur's offensive prowess, though some credit must be given to the front office's excellent talent evaluation. Like many head coaches in his tier, the only thing missing for LaFleur is playoff success.

Carroll has a historic resume as a head coach both in college and the NFL. After his success at USC, Carroll coached 14 seasons in Seattle with two Super Bowl appearances (one win) and 10 playoff appearances. The Raiders are hoping the soon-to-be 74-year-old has some magic left in him, but the goal couldn't be tougher in a loaded AFC West division with the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos.

Shanhan's track record as an offensive play caller and quarterback developer speaks for itself, with Brock Purdy going from Mr. Irrelevant to a star for the 49ers. It's also more than a bit notable that Shanahan has taken San Francisco to two Super Bowls in his eight seasons, but he's yet to win the big one with the 49ers or as the offensive coordinator of the Falcons. The team's inconsistency under his watch is also difficult to come to terms with, as the 49ers have seen four losing seasons during his tenure.

O'Connell's stock couldn't be much higher after a surprising 2024 season in which the Vikings finished 14-3 with Sam Darnold starting under center. His ability to develop quarterbacks will be tested again with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy getting his opportunity this season. Minnesota's rebuilt defense shouldn't be overlooked, either, as the team's hiring of Brian Flores has paid huge dividends. After greatly exceeding expectations in two of three seasons, O'Connell's NFL head coaching career couldn't be going much better.

Quinn's six-year tenure in Atlanta didn't turn out like he hoped despite taking the Falcons to a Super Bowl, but he's writing a new chapter in Washington. His first season couldn't have gone better, leading Washington back to the playoffs with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and a revamped defense. Quinn's track record as a defensive mind is exemplary, and he's gaining notoriety again as a head coach.

Vrabel's teams over six years in Tennessee routinely showed toughness and overachievement, producing winning records in his first four years before the talent began to slip. He gets another shot with New England, inheriting promising quarterback Drake Maye and a team that had plenty of resources to rebuild this offseason. It's a great situation for Vrabel to show why he was so well-regarded with the Titans.

McDermott turned around the Bills even before they drafted Josh Allen, as he enters his ninth season in Buffalo, having made the playoffs eight times. The fact that the Bills have turned around their negativity under McDermott speaks volumes, but patience among fans is wearing thin with the team's playoff failures. McDermott hasn't shown the decision-making aggressiveness of some of the new school coaches, and it remains to be seen if that will change.

Did we jump the gun in crowning Ryans an elite head coach after one season? He helped turn around the Texans in only one season with the help of C.J. Stroud, but the team regressed somewhat last season. Still, they finished 10-7 for the second consecutive and made the playoffs, even with middling performance on both sides of the ball. He deserves credit for making offensive coaching changes, and the team has also addressed its offensive line issues. At some point, the AFC South will toughen, but until then, Ryans and Houston are in a great position to thrive.

Bowles' tenure as head coach of the Bucs has gone much better than his four seasons leading the Jets, as he's made the playoffs all three years. Of course, the former defensive coordinator's offense led the way last season, but Bowles deserves credit for the franchise's seamless transition from Tom Brady and Bruce Arians. He's also successfully navigated three different offensive coordinators.

There's no doubt McDaniel is an elite offensive play caller through three seasons, with the Dolphins' No. 1 offense in 2023 to show for him. He's also made the playoffs twice in three seasons in spite of some major injury issues over the years. However, the team showed signs of age last season in missing the playoffs, and there's concern that the bottom has dropped out for Miami after some offseason personnel losses. The impacts aren't all McDaniel's doing, but 2025 is a pivotal season for his future in Miami.

Taylor has overseen four consecutive winning seasons in Cincinnati, yet the Bengals have failed to make the playoffs in the last two years at 9-8 as their defense has floundered. That's not all Taylor's fault, with talent continuing to leave, but it could reflect on him if the team misses the playoffs again in 2025. Cincinnati's Super Bowl berth in 2021 bought Taylor some time, but that time could be running out if the team wastes Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and company in their primes one more time.

It's been an up-and-down tenure in five seasons for Stefanski, and the team has bottomed out at 3-14. Stefanski deserves credit for leading Cleveland to the playoffs twice, including with backup quarterbacks in 2023, and it's unclear how much say he had in the Deshaun Watson debacle that has handicapped the franchise. Still, the team's recent fallout shows on his resume, and it wouldn't be a shock to see the Browns' uneven ownership decide to move on if the turnaround isn't immediate.

It's never easy to replace a legend, as Macdonald did when he replaced Pete Carroll in Seattle last season. The team was a satisfactory 10-7, but the real test will come this year with more of his own players and new quarterback Sam Darnold. The NFC West looks difficult again as Macdonald tries to prove himself after showing himself to be an elite defensive coordinator in Baltimore.

Gannon was somewhat of a surprise hire when the Cardinals pulled him away from Philadelphia defensive coordinator duties in 2023, but the early results are positive. The franchise is on the upswing, going from 4-13 in his first year to 8-9 last season. The trends are going in a positive direction for the young coach, with the defense now out of the cellar and an offense that's young and beginning to thrive. This could be Arizona's year to really surprise with an NFC West division that's showing some cracks.

Morris is on his second full-time tenure as an NFL head coach after serving in the role with Tampa Bay in his early 30s. He appears more ready for the job now, leading the Falcons out of tumult with Kirk Cousins to a strong finish last season. The expectations are starting to rise in a mediocre NFC South division with Michael Penix Jr. and a host of other young weapons.

Entering his third season, this could be a make-or-break year for both Steichen and quarterback Anthony Richardson. Steichen is 17-17 over two seasons, navigating struggles at the quarterback position as best he could. The competition between Richardson and Daniel Jones doesn't breed much confidence in the end result this season, but Steichen has a relatively easy AFC South going for him. Finishing with negative point differentials in back-to-back years, Steichen hasn't exactly done anything to give him the benefit of the doubt should 2025 turn south.

Canales was hired to get first overall draft choice Bryce Young on track after a horrible rookie season, and the early results are favorable. After an early-season benching, Young played his best ball down the stretch last year, and the Panthers franchise has hope again. There's still a long way to go after a 5-12 finish in his first season, however.

Now entering his fourth year in New York, Daboll is in a very tough situation. He likely received the benefit of the doubt and one more year from ownership after a surprising first season in 2022, but the team has been in a nosedive since then in large part due to quarterback issues. The Giants are in desperation mode, but hope the issues are addressed with Jaxson Dart, Russell Wilson, and Jameis Winston. It wouldn't be a shock to see ownership cut bait early if the start of the season is rocky.

Callahan has only been a head coach for one season, but 2025 could be pivotal after going 3-14 in Year 1 and now with a new front office in Tennessee. His first season with the franchise couldn't have gone much worse, and early struggles from No. 1 overall draft choice Cam Ward could put a target on Callahan's back, deserving or not.

Coen has a strong track record as an offensive coordinator at the college level and the NFL, serving in the job with the Rams and Buccaneers. It's the 39-year-old's inexperience that is questioned, but it's a new approach for the Jaguars after the recent failures of Urban Meyer and Doug Pederson. He has the weapons on offense if he can help get Trevor Lawrence on track.

Glenn helped turn around a leaky defense in Detroit over four seasons, finishing seventh in points last year while overcoming major injuries. He also has notable experience as an excellent NFL cornerback over 15 seasons, including his first eight years with the Jets. The fit is there for the rebuilding franchise, giving Glenn time to develop as a head coach.

There wasn't a hotter head coaching candidate over the last two offseasons than Johnson, giving him the ability to be picky about accepting the perfect job. That job is apparently Chicago, where the former Lions offensive coordinator will help develop Caleb Williams after the quarterback looked like a deer in headlights at times as a rookie. Johnson's creative play-calling as a coordinator will hopefully carry over in his new home.

Moore was once a hot head coaching candidate as the Cowboys' offensive coordinator, and he revived his stock this year after he helped lead the Eagles to Super Bowl victory. While relatively young at 36, Moore has been with many different coaching staffs on his path to his first head coaching gig. He faces a tough situation with a rebuilding Saints squad.

The son of accomplished former head coach Marty Schottenheimer, Brian was a very popular head coach interview in the 2000s while serving as offensive coordinator of the Jets. Since then, he's been around the league and college, but was owner Jerry Jones' choice after firing Mike McCarthy. It was a surprise decision that hasn't drawn much fanfare, but the 51-year-old Schottenheimer's wealth of experience could help him succeed.