There were eight NFL head coaching jobs that came open this season, and now they're all filled up, giving all 32 teams their head coach for the 2024 season. Out of those eight hirings, the biggest name out of those is Jim Harbaugh coming from the University of Michigan to join the Los Angeles Chargers that not only caused a shakeup in the NFL but in the college ranks as well.
Perhaps one of the most shocking things about the 2024 NFL head coach hires, though, is that longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wasn't one of them, nor was former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. After several interviews, particularly with the Atlanta Falcons, many thought that Belichick would for sure find his way back on the sidelines. Then again, it could be that most believe that Belichick at 71 is Jurassic, and so is his coaching style.
Vrabel's snub is a bit of a mystery, although when looking at the eight hires, there are some outliers that stick out that go against the 48-year-old. One of those specifically is age. The average age of these new eight coaches is 44, which is only four years younger than Vrabel. But the game is getting younger by the season. Five of the eight coaches hired were 45 and under, with three of those under 40. Only two — Jim Harbaugh and Dan Quinn — were 50 or older, with the new Chargers head coach being the oldest at 60.
The only numbers we're looking at here are who ranked the best out all these 2024 NFL head coach hires. So let's get to it.
1. Jim Harbaugh – Los Angeles Chargers
There's always tons of second-guessing and skepticism with college coaches coming to the NFL, but that's not the case here with Harbaugh. For one, Harbaugh is coming off making Michigan a national champion and built the program much like an NFL team, especially defensively. Secondly, Harbaugh has already had tremendous success in the NFL when he was with the San Francisco 49ers, going to a Super Bowl. Could the stars finally be aligning for the Chargers, combining their wealth of talent, particularly their franchise quarterback Justin Herbert now with elite coaching? It's certainly looking that way. This is easily the best hire of the 2024 NFL head coach hires.
2. Mike Macdonald – Seattle Seahawks
While it was rumored that Dan Quinn could find his way back in Seattle, this time as head coach, the Seahawks went a different route, choosing Mike Macdonald instead. However, that means that the Seahawks are still sticking with a defensive head coach, like Pete Carroll, who held the position for 14 seasons. It also means that the Seahawks are sticking with the current NFL fad, going with a younger head coach. At 36, Macdonald will be the youngest head coach in the league.
You do have to tend to like Macdonald's experience, learning under John Harbaugh for nine seasons with the Ravens and one under his brother Jim as Michigan's defensive coordinator. All eyes will be on what type of offensive staff Macdonald can put together now.
3. Brian Callahan – Tennessee Titans
Callahan had been with the Cincinnati Bengals since 2019 as the offensive coordinator. It wasn't until 2020 that he received the gift of Joe Burrow for a quarterback, who he rightfully helped develop into the player he is today. The 39-year-old also has experience with Peyton Manning and Matthew Stafford. It's clear with his hire that the Titans are looking for someone to develop Will Levis, or perhaps another quarterback. Either way, Callahan is being brought in to transition the offense and modernize it, pretty much changing everything that former head coach Mike Vrabel established. For the Titans, this feels like one of the better 2024 NFL head coach hires.
4. Dave Canales – Carolina Panthers
Canales wasn't necessarily one of the hot names during this coaching search among teams, making him a fairly unknown. However, in his first season as an offensive coordinator, the 42-year-old helped Baker Mayfield revive his career in Tampa Bay this year. The hope is that he can help improve Bryce Young in his second season. The real question, however, is how long is Canales' leash under owner David Tepper? Will Canales be given a full season with the Panthers, or will he be let go early like his predecessors? This feels like a strong hire, though, if he can avoid Tepper's impatience.
5. Dan Quinn – Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn may not have gone back to Seattle, but he did find himself with a new head coaching job with the Washington Commanders. Quinn was the last of the eight hires and comes in as Ron Rivera's replacement, who was also a former defensive head coach. That's what makes this hire a bit surprising given that more than likely the Commanders should be taking a quarterback with their No. 2 overall pick. His offensive staff hire will be one to look out for.
As the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys, Quinn will obviously have tons of experience in the NFC East, and his hire could be an extreme blow to the Cowboys. However, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach comes in as a mild, uninspiring hire. There are plenty of good things that could work for Quinn in Washington, however, including the team's massive amount of cap space to work with, along with the No. 2 pick.
6. Antonio Pierce – Las Vegas Raiders
Antonio Pierce became an instant hit within the Raiders roster after Josh McDaniels was fired after eight games, and he became the interim. So much so that Maxx Crosby said he was going to demand a trade if Pierce wasn't hired as the permanent head coach. So, then the question becomes, did Raiders owner Mark Davis' hand get forced into this hiring, fearing a revolt of his players if Pierce didn't receive the job?
Davis has yet to truly make great decisions since he took over from his late father Al in 2011. Also, McDaniels was so terrible and so disliked among the team that anybody taking over after him was bound to be liked. However, the Raiders did see some improvement under Pierce, going 5-4 after starting 3-5. They also showed signs of improvement as an offense, although some of that is skewed after their 63-21 shellacking of the Chargers in Week 15.
The Raiders need to hit on a head coach. Badly. And while Pierce is likable and seems passionate about the job, his little NFL coaching experience (one year coaching linebackers) is concerning. Regardless, it's a new era in Las Vegas.
7. Jerod Mayo – New England Patriots
Mayo has been the presumed head coach in waiting for years now. He's been an inside linebackers head coach with the Patriots since 2019. Considering the Patriots just had over 20 years worth of mostly winning football with one of if not the greatest head coach of all time, this could be a bit of an awakening in New England. But not having previous coordinator experience isn't a necessity.
The question will be how much things will stay the same and how much they will differ from the Bill Belichick era with Mayo. Most Patriots fans are probably hoping for a balanced hybrid version. This hire falls right in the middle of the 2024 head coach hires.
8. Raheem Morris – Atlanta Falcons
This is perhaps the most puzzling hire this season. After having over a dozen interviews with candidates, the Falcons seem like they settled with Raheem Morris. While Morris is considered one of the better defensive coordinators in the league, he's already had one attempt as an NFL head coach. From 2009-2011 with the Buccaneers, he finished with a measly 17-31 record (.354), having only one winning season and never made the playoffs. He also served as the interim head coach for 11 games with the Falcons after Dan Quinn was fired back in 2020. But he finished 4-7.
The Falcons were considering Morris before they hired Arthur Smith. back in 2020. So the question is, why now? This makes their decision back in 2020 look even worse.
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