Current Head Coaches, Rankings

I did a report, a few months back, within which I ranked the coaches from 2017. I thought it would be good to revisit that, in a similar way, by ranking the 2018 cast of Head Coaches.

Although success and longevity will form a part of the rankings, I’m also looking at which coaches have full control of their teams and total respect from their players. I’m going to speculate a bit with the new guys. I’m also taking into account the strength of the rosters i.e. are a team winning because of the team or the roster.

Please bear in mind, this is my personal opinion and I’d welcome any thoughts to the contrary.

#1 – Bill Belichick – New England Patriots

Unanimously the best coach in football if not the best coach ever. Regardless of what you think of his style, techniques & personality, Belichick gets the best out of his players and his eye for detail is, undeniably, what drives the Patriots to challenge each and every year.

#2 – Mike Zimmer – Minnesota Vikings

I love Mike Zimmer, I always thought he was awesome in Cincinnati and he’s proved that he’s as capable a head coach as he was a coordinator. Zimmer is a tough guy but his players seem to love playing for him and I believe he’ll push the Vikes on to great success in 2018 and the future.

#3 – Sean Payton – New Orleans Saints

Payton is an offensive guy, as evidenced in some appalling defensive play over his time in New Orleans, and he plays the game purely to score more points than the opposition. Payton is a winner and he builds a team ethic that the players buy into.

#4 – Doug Pedersen – Philadelphia Eagles

As the current SB champs, it would have been easy to put Pedersen higher up the list but he still has some improvements to make and it will be really interested to see how he handles the team this year. I have full confidence that Pedersen will keep the Eagles at the top of the NFC East in 2018.

#5 – John Harbaugh – Baltimore Ravens

Harbaugh is a polarising guy but he has had undoubted success by installing an ‘us against them’ attitude in his team. To keep the team competitive in 2017, with so many key injuries, may have been one of his biggest achievements so far. Look for Baltimore to rebound in 2018.

#6 – Ron Rivera – Carolina Panthers

Rivera has achieved success in Carolina despite having weak rosters and he gets the best out of his players. He’s a defensive guy who has built strong units with limited talent. Rivera isn’t the most exciting coach ever but his teams find a way to win.

#7 – Pete Carroll – Seattle Seahawks

At the start of last year, Carroll would have been in the running for the #2 coach in the league. Seattle will remain competitive under his tutelage this year but they are not in a position to win the Superbowl. The team seems to have lost a little of it’s edge and that falls on Carroll’s shoulders

#8 – Andy Reid – Kansas City Chiefs

Reid is a great coach and has been for a long time. The knock on Reid at the moment would be that he may be out of touch with modern schemes as evidenced in the mid-season slump, from KC, last year. Reid gets the full respect of players, other teams and fans but he may be a dwindling force.

#9 – Mike Tomlin – Pittsburgh Steelers

Tomlin is a hard guy to rate, he’s kept Pittsburgh competitive for many years now. Pittsburgh are in safe hands with Tomlim but, given the quality of the roster, they would expect more Superbowl appearances/titles. Tomlin needs to get his stars to perform, consistently, in 2018

#10 – Doug Marrone – Jacksonville Jaguars

Marrone took over a struggling Jags team and turned them into a competitive force in his first season with the team. Marrone is clearly the type of coach required to turn this talented team into a challenger. Can the team improve again in 2018? Marrone certainly won’t let them relax.

#11 – Anthony Lynn – LA Chargers

I’m taking a punt on Anthony Lynn. With only a year as a HC under his belt it was difficult rating

him higher than some of the more established coaches. Bottom line is that I think Lynn could make the Chargers great but this is the make or break season for him. Fingers crossed!

#12 – Sean McVay – LA Rams

McVay pushed the Rams onto decent success last year but he’ll need to see further improvement, especially with such a talented roster, to be considered a top HC. Given his age, McVay could/should be a great coach in this league for many years to come.

#13 – Mike McCarthy – Green Bay Packers

Sometimes I love McCarthy and sometimes I don’t. We’re only 18 months on from a press conference where he admitted he had no idea what to do with the team and then they ‘ran the table’. Last year, when Rodgers was injured, McCarthy’s coaching was questionable.

#14 – Dan Quinn – Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta has a very talented roster but they didn’t look like Superbowl contenders last year and they lost a lot of winnable games. After the sadness of their Superbowl loss in 2016, Quinn actually did pretty well to keep the team positive. Quinn sits, quite rightly, in the middle of the pack.

#15 – Bill O’Brien – Houston Texans

There are times when O’Brien doesn’t appear to have control of a game but he has a brilliant football mind and his team dealt with some devastating injuries last year. O’Brien will be on the hot seat should the Texans regress in 2017 but I think they’ll challenge the Jags in the AFC South.

#16 – Jon Gruden – Oakland Raiders

Gruden was, undoubtedly, the best coach in the league when he took his Tampa team to SB 37 success. We’re 15 years on from then and Gruden has spent the last few years working in the media. Gruden’s play-calling may be outdated but only time will tell.

#17 – Kyle Shanahan – San Francisco 49ers

Shanahan could push into the top ten by year’s end but, at the moment, the jury is out. The 49ers finished 2017 on a winning streak so Shanahan will have to ensure that continues into 2018. The team are set up to win now so Shanahan has everything there to be successful.

#18 – Sean McDermott – Buffalo Bills

To take the unfancied Bills to the playoffs was no small achievement but it’s hard to know how much of that was because of McDermott. McDermott will be tied to his QB play in 2018 and he may have to be brave in throwing Josh Allen in sooner than convention suggests is ideal.

#19 – Jason Garrett – Dallas Cowboys

Garrett is lucky to still have a job in Dallas but credit to Jerry Jones for sticking with his man and keeping some continuity. Garrett needs to repay that faith and deliver a winning season in which they go deep in the playoffs. 2018 will be his last if that’s not achieved.

#20 – Adam Gase – Miami Dolphins

Gase overachieved in 2016 when Miami made the playoffs. Last year, the team seemed dysfunctional which has brought about a ‘change in culture’ and the departure of some star players. Gase won’t have the luxury of a rebuilding season in 2018 so I worry for his future.

#21 – Matt Nagy – Chicago Bears

Nagy is my favourite of the new coaches. As OC in Kansas City, Nagy oversaw a Dangerous and progressive offense. Nagy arrives in Chicago with a decent roster at his disposal so he should be able to hit the ground running even in a tough division. Nagy should be successful.

#22 – Todd Bowles – New York Jets

Bowles is a great guy and a decent coach but he’s had it hard in New York so far and the future doesn’t look too bright. The Jets actually over-achieved last year so that shows well on Bowles but he won’t be given much longer to turn the team completely around.

#23 – Hue Jackson – Cleveland Browns

I actually believe Jackson is the right guy in Cleveland despite the 1-31 record over the past two years. Other, more talented coaches, would have imploded but Jackson remains calm and positive. Saying that, 2018 needs to see a big improvement as you can’t rebuild forever.

#24 – Jay Gruden – Washington Redskins

It’s hard to know where the Redskins are heading under Gruden. There are moments of promise followed by inevitable disappointment. The flip-flop of Smith and Cousins at QB may not bring the necessary improvement so I can’t see Gruden being in charge past this year.

#25 – Marvin Lewis – Cincinnati Bengals

Lewis is another coach that appeared to be on his way at the end of the 2017 season. Hs inability to win in the playoffs and a slip in play from some of his better players normally spells the end for a coach. If he’s not pushed, Lewis may well retire after 2018.

#26 – Dirk Koetter – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Koetter seems like a good guy and he was, undoubtedly, a good coordinator but he failed to win with a talented team last year and, maybe, he should have been relieved of his duties. Needless to say, 2018 is make or break for Koetter and a playoff berth, at least, will be expected.

#27 – Matt Patricia – Detroit Lions

It’s hard to know how good a coach Patricia is given that Belichick would have had a lot of control over the Pats defense during Patricia’s time there. The Lions are a decent team but I can see a time of ‘bedding in’. Patrica may get some time to build his own reputation as well as the team.

#28 – Pat Shurmur – New York Giants

Shurmur gets another chance to be a HC after a disappointing time in Cleveland a few years back. Shurmur is a great offensive mind and should help rejuvenate veterans such as Manning & Beckham. The Giants expect success so the pressure will be on Shurmur immediately.

#29 – Vance Joseph – Denver Broncos

Joseph is my lowest ranked incumbent HC given the team’s performance in 2017. Defensively, where Joseph’s knowledge lies, the unit should have been better and given the team a chance to win. The Broncos should improve in 2018 but it won’t be through Joseph’s coaching.

#30 – Steve Wilks – Arizona Cardinals

Wilks seems a good guy but he’s going into Arizona presented with a difficult situation. Wilks will have to decide early whether to play veteran, Sam Bradford, at QB or go with rookie, Josh Rosen. Wilks takes a lot of credit for Carolina’s D play, over the last few years, so he deserves his chance.

#31 – Mike Vrabel – Tennessee Titans

Vrabel should bring some energy to a decent Titans team in 2018. As a player, Vrabel played hard and he would have learnt a few tricks from Belichick. Vrabel needs to ensure the offense plays to its potential to see the Titans make the playoffs again. There will be no excuses for a lack of success.

#32 – Frank Reich – Indianapolis Colts

Purely by default, Reich has to be bottom of the list as he shouldn’t have even been the Colts HC. If McDaniels had taken the job, Reich would have stayed with the Eagles. Given the situation, Reich may thrive but the Colts look like a poor team and may be without their QB to start the season.