2023-24 NFL Season: Head Coach Tiers
We already did our quarterback tiers heading into the 2023-24 NFL Season. Now we’re going to do the same with the NFL head coach tiers. Let’s talk about it.
Blue Chip: Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh
The blue chip list is easy to explain. All of these guys are going into the Hall of Fame.
Andy Reid is the best coach on the planet right now. Is there really a need to explain after what he’s done with the Chiefs? Not even mentioning his resume with the Eagles (AKA Donovan McNabb was lowkey trash and all he did was kept winning).
Kyle Shanahan went undefeated with the last pick in the draft. Argument over. Matt Ryan won the MVP with him. Argument over. If you don’t get how great Kyle Shanahan is, I don’t trust you to cross the street.
McVay is easy. We know how great he is. The success with Jared Goof and Super Bowl ring speaks for itself.
Then we have the list of defensive guys. I do think that he’s lost it in recent years but he’s still the most accomplished coach ever so he belongs here. What Mike Vrabel has done with the Titans despite all the shortcomings on the roster is remarkable. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season and deserves his respect on any sort of list like this. Harbaugh has a .607 win percentage and a title.
These are your elite coaches. Not sure you even debate it.
Red Chip: Brian Daboll, Mike McDaniel, Doug Pederson, Nick Sirianni, Sean Payton, Pete Carroll, Sean McDermott
This list represents your very good coaches. They are accomplished and you have no hesitations about them running your organization. Pete Carroll is the borderline one but you can’t argue about his program. He’s energetic and breeds competition. He’s gotten a lot out of younger players too.
The Giants had no business being in the playoffs and Daniel Jones is now $40+ million QB. That’s Brian Daboll.
Doug Pederson and Sean McDermott have proven to be winning coaches. Nick Sirianni just went to the Super Bowl and had a real plan for Jalen Hurts. Sean Payton would be a tier higher but it feels like his ego has gotten the best of him. Walking back those Hackett comments was weak sauce and he is going to get burned on this Broncos job.
Question Marks: Zac Taylor, Matt LeFleur, Frank Reich, Kevin O’Connell, Kevin Stefanski, Robert Saleh
This is the group of solid coaches. We’re just not 100% confident in them. I think Zac Taylor is good but it also feels like the talent of Burrow, Chase, and Higgins, has a lot to do with it. Both Taylor and LeFleuer are the understudies that still need to prove they’re elite.
Kevin Stefanski has a Coach of the Year award under his belt. I still don’t know what to do with him until this Deshaun Watson thing comes together.
Too soon to say on Saleh and O’Connell. I also really want to see what Reich does with Bryce Young.
Mediocre: Mike McCarthy, Dan Campbell, Matt Eberflus
Maybe this is being harsh towards Matt Eberflus, but I feel like I know what I’m getting here. All three of these guys are as average as average gets. All flawed yet not completely terrible. Eberflus can kinda run a defense but I’m not sure what else he really provides.
McCarthy has been the epitome of average for years. Is it necessary to even explain it? Aaron Rodgers hated him and wouldn’t even use his playcalls. Then immediately won an MVP again as soon as he was gone. In three years with Dallas, he has one playoff win. It’s not going to change either.
Dan Campbell seems like a good motivator. Someone that you want to play for. Other than that, I have no idea what he actually provides.
Rookie Hires: Demeco Ryans, Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon
I’m not in the interview room so I’m not going to try to pretend to rank these guys until we actually see it happen.
Disasters: Todd Bowles, Josh McDaniels, Dennis Allen, Brandon Staley, Arthur Smith, Ron Rivera
This is your list of guys that probably need to be fired. You can do better and you’re never going to win anything if one of these guys is your head coach.
The Bucs immediately tanked as soon as Todd Bowles got the job. He didn’t win anything in New York either. He’s just not a head coach. He’s at his best when he can be a DC for someone like Bruce Arians.
Ditto for Josh McDaniels. It works when he works for Belichick. He’s 17-28 as an NFL head coach. Dennis Allen never wins either (15-38).
We’ve already been over Ron Rivera. That guy is a joke. I have no idea how Brandon Staley didn’t get fired last year. Arthur Smith literally only has his job because his dad is a big wig at FedEx. Go Google it.
