Who is the best coordinator in the NFL? The National Football League is always looking for the next up-and-coming head coach who could become the next Kevin O’Connell or DeMeco Ryans. Some of the best NFL coordinators will get their shot to run a team before long, while others are happy to contribute to perennial Super Bowl contenders.
Let’s dive into our rankings of the best NFL coordinators right now. This is a combination of both the best defensive coordinators and offensive coordinators entering the 2025 NFL season.
1. Steve Spagnuolo, Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator
Best NFL coordinators
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Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is the best coordinator in the NFL. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes deservedly get credit for the team’s three Super Bowl rings, but Kansas City’s defenses have been instrumental in getting that far. Hired in 2019, Spags has engineered top-10 defenses and made it all work with frequent turnover at linebacker and in the secondary. Overall, he’s a four-time Super Bowl champion as a defensive coordinator and Kansas City is thankful NFL teams don’t seem keen on giving him a second chance as a head coach.
Read More: NFL power rankings 2025, evaluating all 32 teams
2. Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator
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After winning two national championships as the Georgia Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator, Todd Monken returned to the NFL in 2023. Replacing Greg Roman, he took over a Baltimore Ravens team that had the 13th-best yards-per-play average (5.5) and averaged the 17th-most points per drive (1.90). A year later, Baltimore averaged the third-most yards per play (5.9) with the fifth-most points per drive (2.37). It reached historic levels this past season, with Monken and Lamar Jackson running an offense that averaged 6.8 yards per play (1st) and averaged 2.8 points per drive (3rd). Monken has helped elevate Jackson to an all-time great level over the last two seasons and Baltimore is thankful its play-caller hasn’t been poached yet.
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3. Vic Fangio, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator
Best NFL coordinators
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The Philadelphia Eagles wanted to make Vic Fangio their defensive coordinator in 2023, but circumstances out of their control resulted in him taking the Miami Dolphins’ job. Fangio left Miami a year later and returned to where he was wanted. Under Fangio, the Eagles’ defense went from ranking 29th in EPA per Play allowed allowed (0.058) to third-best (0.087) in a year. Fangio’s scheme and his tutelage of Eagles defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean also proved critical to Philadelphia’s championship aspirations. Fangio isn’t going to be an NFL head coach again, so the Eagles get to keep him for as long as he wants to be around.
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4. Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
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Many of the best NFL coordinators right now are coaching on the defensive side of the ball. Brian Flores might be another instance of a defensive coordinator who might not get a second chance as a head coach. That’s a shame, because he’s completely turned the Minnesota Vikings defense around. After allowing the third-most points per game (25.1) in 2022, Minnesota has been one of the league’s best defenses over the past two seasons, as evidenced by ranking third in EPA per play (–0.056) and sixth in success rate allowed (42.1%). Flores deserves endless credit for his work in Minnesota, and that just adds to a résumé that includes four Super Bowl titles from his time working with the New England Patriots defense.
Read More: NFL defense rankings 2025, evaluating all 32 defenses
5. Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator
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The San Francisco 49ers got their man back this offseason. In the last two seasons with two defensive coordinators, Steve Wilks and Nick Sorensen, San Francisco’s defense never came close to reaching its former heights. Now, Robert Saleh is back. He oversaw top-10 defenses twice during his time as the New York Jets head coach, and he was even better when focused on defensive play-calling in San Francisco (2017–2020). The 49ers might want to enjoy having him while they still can, because he’ll get head-coaching interviews in 2026.
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6. Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator
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Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is an example of why you should never close the book on a coach’s career too early. He looked like the next up-and-comer in 2020 after winning the Broyles Award—best assistant in college football—for his work with the historic 2019 LSU Tigers offense. The Carolina Panthers made him their offensive coordinator, but his two-season stint was a disaster. Brady then landed in Buffalo as Josh Allen’s quarterbacks coach, learned from his mistakes, and eventually got a second chance as a play-caller. Allen is playing even better than he did with Brian Daboll, and the Bills’ offense is coming off a season where it ranked top-10 in rushing, red-zone efficiency, and third-down efficiency. Brady is going to be one of the top NFL coaching candidates in 2026.
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7. Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator
Best NFL coordinators
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Just about everyone questioned the Washington Commanders a year ago when they hired Kliff Kingsbury to pair with Jayden Daniels. Entering 2025, Daniels is viewed as a top-five MVP candidate, and Kingsbury is recognized as one of the best NFL coordinators right now. The Commanders’ play-caller answered the long-standing questions regarding his offenses falling off in the second half of the season. From Weeks 12–18, the Commanders averaged 30 points per game, and the team scored 91 points during its three-game playoff run. Kingsbury has even more talent to work with this season, and he’s a safe bet for head-coaching interviews in the next hiring cycle.
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8. Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator
Best NFL coordinators
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It’s not often that a coordinator returns to the team that fired him as head coach, but that’s exactly what happened with Vance Joseph. The Denver Broncos’ defensive play-caller was hired by Sean Payton to run the defense, and his work has been outstanding. In 2024, Denver allowed the second-lowest yards-per-play average (4.9), the third-lowest conversion rate on third down (46.9%), and the fewest points per drive (1.61). Joseph absolutely maximizes the talent he is given, and he’s also done a nice job helping the Broncos’ young defenders improve their game.
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9. Jim Schwartz, Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator
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Jim Schwartz is certainly one of the best defensive coordinators of his era. The 59-year-old first became a defensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans (2001–08), and he’s since had stints with the Bills, Eagles, and now the Cleveland Browns. Schwartz’s units have been asked to carry the weight of a team with subpar quarterback play for the last three seasons. Cleveland’s defense has more than held its own, ranking sixth in EPA per play (–0.047) and second in success rate allowed (40.4%) from 2023–24.
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10. Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator
Best NFL coordinators
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Jesse Minter is going to be one of the most in-demand NFL coaching candidates in 2026. After winning a national championship as the Michigan Wolverines’ defensive play-caller in 2023, he followed Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers. Before his arrival, the Chargers’ defense allowed 5.5 yards per play (26th), 2.01 points per drive (24th), and 32.6 yards per drive (25th). In Minter’s first season as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, his group allowed 5.3 yards per play (13th), 1.66 points per drive (3rd), and 30.5 yards per drive (15th). Minter might not quite replicate Mike Macdonald’s level of success in year two, but there will be NFL teams out there seeing him as a similar type of head coach.
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NFL, MLB & college football writer for Sportsnaut. Graduated from San Diego State University with BA in Journalism, 2019. ... More about Matt Johnson