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It’s the time of year for NFL head coaches to begin mental work on their players. This includes Andy Reid, who has a plan for Xavier Worthy. Also, Nick Sirianni has cautioned his team about the upcoming season. But how do those coaches and others stack up against each other? Let’s find out as we rank all 32 head coaches for the 2025 NFL season.
Teams can be volatile during the season, going on hot streaks or cold stretches. However, head coaches generally lose or gain value gradually throughout the year.
It’s time to take a look at how the coaches stand going into the season. This is based on how the teams will perform, without heavy weighting toward roster strength. For example, John Harbaugh would not be ranked No. 1 just because he has the best roster heading into the season, according to espn.com. However, having a poor roster can weigh against a coach’s value.
Also, this isn’t a historical ranking. A coach can be ranked lower or higher than his career status.
Away we go!
32. Kellen Moore, Saints
It seems like Moore is set up for failure in his first season. The quarterback situation is not good, especially for the early part of the season. It’s not hard to imagine the Saints getting off to a bad start. If the Saints win eight games, Moore could move up as many as 10 spots.
31. Brian Callahan, Titans
The Titans didn’t look like a well-oiled bunch (get the historical reference?) in 2024. Callahan will have to prove he belongs higher on this list. Cam Ward could help him look better.
30. Liam Coen, Jaguars
There’s no strong evidence to suggest Coen will be a great head coach. Is he just a strong play caller? Can he mold a team? Can he be a leader? This applies to Moore, too.
29. Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals
The Cardinals haven’t been had under Gannon. And he has shown a little bit of potential. But there aren’t a lot of reasons to be excited about the Cardinals under his guidance. And that drags down his ranking.
28. Aaron Glenn, Jets
When you look at what Glenn accomplished with the Lions, especially with all of the injuries and what the team was before it got decimated, I could see him rising on this list before the season is over. He might not win a huge amount of games this year, but the Jets should be competitive with higher hopes for 2026.
27. Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys
Remember, this is Dallas. And Schottenheimer has built-in advantages from a talent standpoint. The fact that he could have an explosive passing attack will make the Cowboys candidates for coming from behind. And that can make a coach look better than he is.
26. Dave Canales, Panthers
Many people seem to be making a big deal of Bryce Young’s resurgence at the end of last year, as if Canales is some great QB whisperer. But it seemed like Canales gave up on Young last year, and Young succeeded despite it. Canales needs great play from Young for the Panthers to win games, and it’s hard to buy into that right now.
25. Brian Daboll, Giants
Let’s put it this way. If Daboll doesn’t succeed this year, he’s likely toast in New York. The offense has huge question marks, but the defense could cause huge problems for opposing quarterbacks and keep the Giants competitive week in and week out.
24. Shane Steichen, Colts
The jury is still out on Steichen. He is aggressive, and that’s one of those things that makes people view coaches in a positive light. If he can overcome the quarterback situation and get the Colts in playoff contention, he will move up this list for next year.
23. Mike Macdonald, Seahawks
At times last year, Macdonald looked like a guy who was ready to soar in the coaching ranks. There’s plenty of potential here, but there’s also a chance quarterback Sam Darnold makes him look bad down the stretch.
22. Ben Johnson, Bears
Putting Johnson this high is a bit of a gamble. He’s a first-year guy who has a great upside, but whether he can handle an iffy roster and get along with a reportedly stubborn quarterback will determine whether he belongs here.
21. Kevin Stefanski, Browns
Stefanski is probably a little overrated by many NFL observers. He’s done good things with the Browns, but 2025 looks like it could be a disaster. And even if he coaches well, this won’t look good on him.
20. Pete Carroll, Raiders
There’s a scenario where Carroll outperforms this ranking. And it hinges on Ashton Jeanty. If Jeanty has a huge season, which is possible, people are going to credit Carroll — probably a little too much.
19. Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
This may be a little low for Morris. He seems like a very capable coach. And he has the type of team to be in playoff contention. If that happens, he’s a lock to move up for next year.
18. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
It wasn’t long ago when McDaniel could have commanded a much higher spot on this list. But the Dolphins haven’t lived up to the promise, and McDaniel has much less to work with in 2025. He could fall even further if the season plays out the way it could.
17. Mike Vrabel, Patriots
Let’s make Mike Vrabel prove it in New England. Yes, he did some nice things with the Titans. But he’s conservative, and that doesn’t always work well in the NFL these days. Plus, he must prove he can mesh with Drake Maye and get the most out of him.
16. Zac Taylor, Bengals
Taylor has been dropping in the rankings, largely along the lines of his defense’s performance. Also, many of the Bengals' wins are directly related to the efforts of Joe Burrow, who could win with many head coaches. This is a turning-point season for Taylor.
15. Todd Bowles, Buccaneers
There’s no doubt Bowles has been a quality NFL coach. But he hasn’t proven he belongs in the top 10. With an aging roster in certain key spots, Bowles could make that move into the upper ranks with another playoff season.
14. DeMeco Ryans, Texans
Last year showed a lot for Ryans. But it wouldn’t hurt for him to be more aggressive in certain game situations. That’s what the Texans need to take the next step in their development. If he’s the guy, he must prove it this year.
13. Mike Tomlin, Steelers
Keep in mind these are 2025 rankings. Tomlin has been a great coach, but he hasn’t been proving his mettle in recent years. Tomlin’s failures in certain elements of the game, such as clock management, will have to improve, or he could fall even further.
12. Sean Payton, Broncos
This is another coach who would rank higher if the past weighted more heavily. He’s still a good coach, but he’s on the outside looking in for the top 10 this year. Depending on his handling of Bo Nix, Payton stands a chance to regain some of his past luster.
11. Jim Harbaugh, Chargers
Continuing the trend, Harbaugh has a great track record. But going into this season, he’s in a prove-it mode. He has enough tools and weapons to get the Chargers into the AFC title mix. Will he be able to do it?
10. Kyle Shanahan, 49ers
This shows how much things can change from year to year. Shanahan was a top-five guy last year, but has to hold on for a top-10 spot this season. His roster stubbornness may be catching up to him, and the 49ers could suffer this year.
9. Sean McVay, Rams
There’s no doubt McVay is still a good coach. He’s definitely a top-10 pick, and some would have him in the top five. But it still seems like he’s trending down heading into 2025. Time will tell if he can prove that wrong.
8. Sean McDermott, Bills
In a way, it may seem unfair to put McDermott in this spot. He has the Bills competing for AFC Elite status year in and year out. But he hasn’t been able to win the biggest of games, and that hurts his standing with the Bills’ organization. And it may impact his chances to succeed this year.
7. Dan Quinn, Commanders
Don’t consider Quinn a flash in the plan. He had a lot of success as a head coach in Atlanta. And he did a superb job last season with the Commanders. If the team soars again this year, Quinn could move into the top five.
6. John Harbaugh, Ravens
Now things get tough. Harbaugh can coach. But it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Ravens keep disappointing their fans at the end of the season. Eventually, that has to pull a coach’s ranking down, as it did to McDermott.
5. Dan Campbell, Lions
Who doesn’t love Campbell as a head coach? But he can’t be a top-three guy until he proves he can get it done without those two fabulous coordinators, Johnson and Glenn.
4. Matt LaFleur, Packers
Like some of the other coaches recently mentioned, LaFleur has missed success in recent postseason opportunities. But he has a great opportunity to soar this year. If he’s as good as he looked in the past, the Packers might reach the Super Bowl in 2025.
3. Kevin O'Connell, Vikings
It’s hard to ignore O’Connell’s coaching record. He’s 34-17 in three seasons running the show. He got burned by Darnold last year, but if he can mold J.J. McCarthy into a winner, he will prove he belongs this high.
2. Andy Reid, Chiefs
Keeping the Chiefs on or near the top of the heap year after year has been quite an accomplishment for Reid. Winning close games also shows coaching chops. But at this level of NFL coaching, even the smallest things can cause a drop. It’s just one spot, but there’s a coach one notch higher heading into this season.
1. Nick Sirianni, Eagles
There’s no doubt Sirianni earned his high ranking coming into this season. The Eagles performed like a well-coached team throughout the 2024 campaign. And in the Super Bowl, Sirianni simply outcoached Andy Reid, regardless of Reid’s stature as one of the best of all time. Therefore, it’s Sirianni at the top.
