It's widely argued that quarterback is the most important position in football, but the players we know and love wouldn't be where they are without their all-knowing, headset-wearing fathers of football.
In this instance, Vavel will take the portfolio of the 32 head coaches and put them head-to-head to determine who we'd most like to coach our franchise.
1 - Andy Reid - Kansas City Chiefs
For every plaudit that Patrick Mahomes has received, Andy Reid has been there every step of the way. Without having a Hall of Fame head coach to provide an ideal system for him, there’s no guarantee Mahomes becomes the player he is today.
Even before being paired up with the two-time MVP, Reid was well on his way to being one of the best coaches in NFL history. In his first head coaching job with the Philadelphia Eagles, he took the team to four NFC Championship games in a row, including one Super Bowl appearance.
2 - Sean McVay - Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay would be holding top spot on this list if it weren't for four-time Super Bowl Champion Andy Reid. He is the league's fourth youngest coach, yet holds the fifth most experience, and has been thriving in LA since his appointment in 2017.
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The 39-year-old notably won Super Bowl LVI in a tight affair with the Cincinnati Bengals and has clinched playoff football six times in eight seasons with the franchise.
He's an elite team-builder, who despite having little draft capital over recent seasons due to the ballsy Mathew Stafford trade back in 2021, which paid off, has consistently challenged for championships whilst drafting gems, e.g., Puka Nacua, Kobbie Turner and Jared Verse.
The Rams have a long-term captain at the helm of their franchise who elevates everyone around him, and they'll be in no rush to get rid of him.
3 - Dan Campbell - Detroit Lions
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The man behind one of the biggest culture changes in NFL history. Before Dan Campbell, the Detroit Lions were a joke of a franchise, having won only one playoff game in over 60 years. Since his appointment, they’ve broken the playoff drought, won the NFC North twice, made it to the NFC title game, and secured the number one seed.
He’s already the best head coach that this team has ever had in the Super Bowl era. The only thing missing is winning the whole thing, and perhaps a team that doesn’t suffer a historic injury crisis can do just that.
4 - Kevin O'Connell - Minnesota Vikings
Kevin O'Connell is an outstanding talent developer who has brought back good times to Minnesota. From his first 51 games, he's come out victorious in 34 of them and has kept his franchise competitive in the league's toughest division.
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KOC is arguably the league's best man-manager and possesses the rare ability to extend the shelf life of his regressing players and make them a force for good on his roster.
As a play caller, O'Connell has significantly improved the proficiency of the offence, which has the knack for always allowing his receivers to thrive downfield.
An exciting project awaits him in JJ McCarthy, with the result most likely to be successful.
5 - John Harbaugh - Baltimore Ravens
The first of two Harbaugh brothers to appear on this, and the only one with a Super Bowl. Although they won it in the 2012 season, the Ravens have yet to have a postseason run resulting in multiple wins.
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He has, however, overseen the transition from Joe Flacco to Lamar Jackson, seeing the latter's potential and developing him into arguably the league’s best Quarterback.
While a deep playoff run has eluded him, you’ll never get a poor John Harbaugh team, a trait that can be seen with only two losing seasons in his seventeen years in charge.
6 - Kyle Shanahan - San Francisco 49ers
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A mastermind when it comes to offensive scheming, Kyle Shanahan is a true game-changer when it comes to creating a volatile offence. 2025 is expected to be the biggest test of his coaching career, and he's one of a handful you'd back to exceed expectations.
His journey with Brock Purdy speaks volumes about the type of coach he is, moulding the 2022 Mr Irrelevant into a franchise quarterback who has kept the franchise competing for championships.
Although Shanahan has struggled to win the big one - his resilience to always get back on the saddle makes him one of the league's toughest coaches and rightfully earns him a spot in the top 10.
7 - Jim Harbaugh - Los Angeles Chargers
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The second of the Harbaugh brothers brings success wherever he goes. From making the NFC Championship in his first three seasons in San Francisco, from a national championship win with Michigan, to making the playoffs in his first year with the Los Angeles Chargers.
When Jim Harbaugh is in the building, the energy immediately skyrockets and winning is soon to follow. He is a culture shifter and a tone setter while putting his players in the best position to win. As long as Los Angeles continues to draft well, this will be a Super Bowl team before too long.
8 - Demeco Ryans - Houston Texans
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Stepping into the Houston Texans for your first coaching job was seen as an impossible task, but Demeco Ryans made the sinking ship float. He's an A1 talent nurturer and has assembled one of the league's best rosters in just two seasons.
His Shanahan-inspired West Coast spread offence has seen the development of multiple stars to a Pro Bowl level, all whilst constructing a top-three defence littered with great players, which has propelled his side to consecutive AFC South titles. And there's an expectation that he'll make it a third successive season.
9 - Sean Payton - Denver Broncos
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The Broncos coach faced his fair share of criticism for how harsh he was in his judgment of the man he replaced, Nathaniel Hackett. A losing record in his first season only enhanced the voice of the doubters.
But this past season, his critics were silenced as he took his team to the playoffs, with the much-maligned rookie, Bo Nix, as his quarterback. He showed that his judgment of players is as solid as ever and that his offensive scheme remains one of the league's best.
10 - Dan Quinn - Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn smashed the record books in his first season as head coach of the Commanders, leading his side to an NFC Championship with rookie phenom Jayden Daniels.
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His coaching hires have been top-notch too, with Kliff Kingsbury concocting an intricate offensive playbook that they leaned on heavily to create success, all whilst his defensive playcalling kept the back door shut.
If it were one season alone, he'd be in the top three, but for him to firmly sit inside the top ten, he'll need to show his franchise can somewhat match the level they played to in 2024.
11 - Matt LeFluer - Green Bay Packers
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Not many coaches can boast starting their career with three consecutive thirteen-win seasons, but that’s exactly what LaFleur accomplished. In recent years his resume hasn’t been as exemplary, but it still includes making the playoffs in two of the last three years with the youngest squad in the league.
Future rankings will be dependent on the development of Jordan Love.
12 - Sean McDermott - Buffalo Bills
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It may seem disrespectful to see Sean McDermott in 12th, but it just shows how many super-talented head coaches there are in the league. Yes, he's taken his side to the playoffs in seven of his eight years in the job, but he's never once got to the Super Bowl. That in itself doesn't define you as a great coach, but when you've got one of the league's MVP at your disposal in Josh Allen, you naturally expect more.
McDermott's team-building approach puts greater emphasis on acquiring players with the right character to match their talent, which has fostered a roster whose synergy makes them one of the toughest in the league.
13 - Nick Sirriani - Philadelphia Eagles
He’s a Super Bowl-winning head coach, has made the playoffs in each of his four seasons as a head coach, and boasts the highest winning percentage of any coach in NFL history. Yet outside of the YouTube comment section, no one would consider him elite.
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Sirianni has benefited from having an elite roster more than that roster has benefited from him. Bringing in established coordinators from outside of his coaching tree was essential to the Super Bowl run following 2023’s embarrassing collapse. What that does show, however, is that Sirianni is willing to listen to criticism and not put his ego in the way of team success.
14 - Mike Tomlin - Pittsburgh Steelers
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As the league's longest-standing coach, you've got to be doing something well. Mike Tomlin has consistently made his roster play greater than the sum of their parts; he's a marvel at building an elite defensive unit. However, what moves him down the list is the development of a functional offence, notably after Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2021.
Still, the fundamentals he holds dear are clearly defined throughout his side's play - tough, instinctive, and aggressive - making him a true leader of men.
15 - Mike Vrabel - New England Patriots
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After a year out of the game, the big man is back. He’s essentially a defensive version of Dan Campbell in that he’s a thinking man’s meathead. His departure from Tennessee had nothing to do with results but disagreements with the front office, as he elevated a solid roster to the AFC Championship game and a #1 seed.
16 - Pete Carroll - Las Vegas Raiders
The 73-year-old finds himself back in the thick of the action, this time with the Raiders, a whole new situation and a promising influx of talent over the offseason, but does the fire still burn within?
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In his last post, Carroll was crowned Super Bowl champion in 2013 and reached the playoffs ten times in 14 years, making his time in Seattle a memorable one.
Yet, towards the end of his tenure, things started to get a little stale. A trait you don't want following you through the door.
17 - Mike McDaniels - Miami Dolphins
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A head coach who comes into every season with a great offensive game plan but struggles to adapt once the season reaches its conclusion. A sub-par roster and an injury-plagued quarterback do limit his potential.
18 - Todd Bowles - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Three successive NFC South titles speak for themself, but Todd Bowles time in Tampa Bay just feels a bit average. He's won 27 and lost 24, so he's just scraped a positive record, and he's never progressed further than the divisional round.
The job he's done so far has been adequate, but nothing to push him up higher in this list.
19 - Kevin Stefanski - Cleveland Browns
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Incredible to see a two-time Coach of the Year so far down on the list. It’s an achievement in its own right. Stefanski has shown promise, especially on the offence, but his hand in the Deshaun Watson trade and inability to do anything with him have destroyed his rankings.
He also received one of the lowest head-coach rankings in the NFLPA annual report cards, scoring a C grade.
20 - Mike MacDonald - Seattle Seahawks
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Mike MacDonald has the makings of a great NFL coach; he possesses the unique ability to adjust game plans on the fly, but his sample size just feels a bit too small. Even if Dan Quinn is sitting ten spots higher than him, it's about expectations. Quinn drastically exceeded them, and MacDonald met his.
21 - Shane Steichen - Indianapolis Colts
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Feels harsh considering the bad hand he’s been dealt at quarterback; however, he was reportedly influential in the decision to draft Anthony Richardson. Perhaps if Daniel Jones becomes the incumbent starter, he may begin to prove his head coaching credentials once more.
22 - Zac Taylor - Cincinnati Bengals
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With the talent on his roster, you could argue Zach Taylor has underperformed. A 0.470 record in six seasons with just two playoff appearances. Yes, he's made a Super Bowl, but he couldn't get over the line and hasn't been able to get back since. He has developed some talent, but that is partly due to them being near-elite level already.
23 - Jonathan Gannon - Arizona Cardinals
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Now entering his third season, Gannon should finally be able to start coaching a somewhat competitive team, as the first two years in the job have seen a serious rebuild.
He’s managed to have some interesting moments in the Cardinals, such as last season’s 41-10 annihilation over the Los Angeles Rams, but the talent of the roster has made those few and far between.
24 - Dave Canales - Carolina Panthers
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Although part of the Pete Carroll coaching tree, Canales hasn't quite had the success he'd have hoped for. The situation he walked into was bleak; he has shown some promise, but it looks like he may have bitten off more than he can chew in Carolina.
25 - Raheem Morris - Atlanta Falcons
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Morris had one of the better situations out of any rookie head coach last season, but the end result felt uninspired. The development of Michael Penix, however, should add some excitement to this already talented roster.
26 - Brian Daboll - New York Giants
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It's surprising Daboll can still call himself a head coach, with 2025 a make-or-break year for him. He's mustered up a 0.363 win percentage in 50 games, and that is mostly down to him. Often, his teams feel unequipped to compete, and the power trip of him or Mike Kafka as play caller has only damaged his reputation as an offence-first type of coach.
27 - Brian Callahan - Tennessee Titans
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When I think about every head coach in the league, Callahan is the only one I can’t picture. That isn’t his fault, but his first year in the job just left no impression.
In a year of bad teams, the Titans' roster managed to get the number one pick, which shows the talent he was working with. Though he didn’t do anything to elevate them.
First-Time Head Coaches
28 - Aaron Glenn - New York Jets
29 - Ben Johnson - Chicago Bears
30 - Liam Coen - Jacksonville Jaguars
31 - Kellen Moore - New Orleans Saints
32 - Brian Schottenheimer - Dallas Cowboys