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If there’s one thing we learned from the 2025 NFL season, it’s that coaching make a big impact. Just look at how the New England Patriots went from 4-13 under Jerod Mayo in 2024, and 14-3 under Mike Vrabel in 2025.
Every offseason, franchises cycle through different leaders, hoping to find one who can press all the right buttons. If all goes well, the coach eventually leads them to a Super Bowl victory. But sometimes, coaching hires don’t pan out. Since first-year head coaches are all unproven, you won’t find any on this list of the best head coaches in the NFL right now.
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There are so many good leaders in the NFL. Some coaches who may only be assistants right now will go on to become Super Bowl-winning head coaches. While this group didn’t make the list of top 10 NFL head coaches ahead of the 2026 season, a Super Bowl win would certainly earn them a spot. The coaches who just missed the cut are the remaining NFC North trio, Chicago’s Ben Johnson, Detroit’s Dan Campbell, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell. We also have a pair from the AFC South in Houston’s DeMeco Ryans and Jacksonville’s Liam Coen. Each of these coaches have at least one 11-win season under their belts and/or playoff success.
Related: NFL Executive Explains What Sets Justin Jefferson Apart from Ja’Marr Chase
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While he’s never won a Super Bowl as a head coach, Shanahan’s 49ers have been to two of them under his guidance. Four losing seasons hold him back, but only one has come in the past five years. He’s also been quite successful in the playoffs, holding a 9-5 postseason record, plus a regular season win-rate of 55%. With five seasons of double-digit wins on his record, there’s no doubt that Shanahan is one of the NFL’s best coaches today, especially because opponents are always pilfering plays from his scheme.
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While he may not have as much head coaching experience as some of his peers, Vrabel’s track record is just as strong. Last year’s sharp turnaround, 10 more wins than the previous regime, while reaching the Super Bowl, is as impressive as they come. The two-time Coach of the Year winner is heading into his eighth season as head coach, and he’s had just two losing records. Vrabel’s 58.6% regular season win rate could be better, but perhaps he finally has what he needs in New England.
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He may only have six seasons of NFL head coaching experience, but Jim Harbaugh’s results have been impressive. Amazingly, he’s never had a losing season, and he’s had just one year with fewer than 11 wins. He’s also taken his team to the Super Bowl, but that was back in San Francisco in 2012. Harbaugh is still trying to figure out how to get playoff wins with the Los Angeles Chargers, and that’s really the only thing holding him back here.
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Few expected the Green Bay Packers to have immediate success after parting ways with Mike McCarthy and moving forward with LaFleur, but he posted three 13-win seasons in a row. He also has just one losing season across seven years. The one drawback here is that the Packers have gone just 3-6 in the playoffs under the offensive-minded head coach. Still, LaFleur’s 65.4% regular season win rate ranks 16th in NFL history, and Green Bay has the type of roster that should help his postseason record turn around too.
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After 18 seasons in Baltimore, Harbaugh heads to New York for a fresh start. He’ll get to bring his Super Bowl ring with him, but not his MVP QB. Harbaugh’s overall body of work is remarkable. He’s taken his teams to the playoffs 12 times, and has only had three losing seasons. Yet, he hasn’t had more than two playoff wins since the Ravens’ Super Bowl victory at the end of the 2012 season. Harbaugh’s 180 wins rank third-highest among active coaches and 14th in NFL history.
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He may be a bit ‘green’ but coach Macdonald earns a high placement after leading the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win. Still just 39 years old, Macdonald’s 24-10 record across two seasons is incredible. That’s a win rate of 70.6% which is the best among all active coaches. Fifth might be a bit high for someone who only has two seasons under his belt, but the Seahawks’ scheme is among the best in the NFL. In other words, the Seahawks might remain among the best teams in the NFL for a bit, or, they could fall flat in an extremely competitive NFC West division. That’s where Macdonald can earn his ranking, or slide down the list before next year’s edition returns.
Related: 2026 NFL QB Rankings
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Although his Super Bowl win in 2009 came a long time ago, Payton may be on the verge of returning to the championship stage. He managed to win it all in just his fourth season as head coach and has been trying to get back to the top ever since. Ranking 13th in NFL history in wins and 25th in win percentage, Payton has earned a lot of respect. Yet, a 10-10 playoff record stands in the way of Payton climbing this list.
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Known for constantly re-shaping an offensive scheme that’s always getting tapped into by other teams, there’s no question McVay is one of this generation’s greatest coaches. While he’s only been head coach for nine seasons, the Los Angeles Rams have had just one losing record under his guidance. In addition to being a Super Bowl champ, McVay’s 10-6 playoff record is another example of how he often finds a way to outcoach his opponents, even on the biggest stages.
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He may not be the most experienced coach on this list, but in a short time, Nick Sirianni has proven to be among the very best. He’s only been a head coach for five seasons, but he’s never been a loser. Entering the 2026 season, Sirianni has a win-percentage of 69.4%, the fifth-best mark in NFL history. He also has a 6-4 record in the playoffs, which includes a Super Bowl win.
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What did you expect? Coach Reid’s 279 wins rank fourth in NFL history, behind Bill Belichick’s 302, and ahead of Tom Landry’s 250 victories. The three-time Super Bowl winner is undoubtedly headed to the Hall of Fame, and his 64% win-rate is impressive for someone with a whopping 27 seasons of head coaching experience. His 62.2% playoff win-rate nearly matches his regular season record, which just shows no moment is too big for Reid.
Related: Predicting 1 Breakout Candidate for All 32 NFL Teams in 2026
Continue reading...
Every offseason, franchises cycle through different leaders, hoping to find one who can press all the right buttons. If all goes well, the coach eventually leads them to a Super Bowl victory. But sometimes, coaching hires don’t pan out. Since first-year head coaches are all unproven, you won’t find any on this list of the best head coaches in the NFL right now.
Honorable Mentions: Ben Johnson, Dan Campbell, DeMeco Ryans, Liam Coen, Kevin O’Connell
You must be registered for see images attach
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There are so many good leaders in the NFL. Some coaches who may only be assistants right now will go on to become Super Bowl-winning head coaches. While this group didn’t make the list of top 10 NFL head coaches ahead of the 2026 season, a Super Bowl win would certainly earn them a spot. The coaches who just missed the cut are the remaining NFC North trio, Chicago’s Ben Johnson, Detroit’s Dan Campbell, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell. We also have a pair from the AFC South in Houston’s DeMeco Ryans and Jacksonville’s Liam Coen. Each of these coaches have at least one 11-win season under their belts and/or playoff success.
Related: NFL Executive Explains What Sets Justin Jefferson Apart from Ja’Marr Chase
10. Kyle Shanahan
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IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While he’s never won a Super Bowl as a head coach, Shanahan’s 49ers have been to two of them under his guidance. Four losing seasons hold him back, but only one has come in the past five years. He’s also been quite successful in the playoffs, holding a 9-5 postseason record, plus a regular season win-rate of 55%. With five seasons of double-digit wins on his record, there’s no doubt that Shanahan is one of the NFL’s best coaches today, especially because opponents are always pilfering plays from his scheme.
9. Mike Vrabel
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IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While he may not have as much head coaching experience as some of his peers, Vrabel’s track record is just as strong. Last year’s sharp turnaround, 10 more wins than the previous regime, while reaching the Super Bowl, is as impressive as they come. The two-time Coach of the Year winner is heading into his eighth season as head coach, and he’s had just two losing records. Vrabel’s 58.6% regular season win rate could be better, but perhaps he finally has what he needs in New England.
8. Jim Harbaugh
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IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He may only have six seasons of NFL head coaching experience, but Jim Harbaugh’s results have been impressive. Amazingly, he’s never had a losing season, and he’s had just one year with fewer than 11 wins. He’s also taken his team to the Super Bowl, but that was back in San Francisco in 2012. Harbaugh is still trying to figure out how to get playoff wins with the Los Angeles Chargers, and that’s really the only thing holding him back here.
7. Matt LaFleur
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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Few expected the Green Bay Packers to have immediate success after parting ways with Mike McCarthy and moving forward with LaFleur, but he posted three 13-win seasons in a row. He also has just one losing season across seven years. The one drawback here is that the Packers have gone just 3-6 in the playoffs under the offensive-minded head coach. Still, LaFleur’s 65.4% regular season win rate ranks 16th in NFL history, and Green Bay has the type of roster that should help his postseason record turn around too.
6. John Harbaugh
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IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After 18 seasons in Baltimore, Harbaugh heads to New York for a fresh start. He’ll get to bring his Super Bowl ring with him, but not his MVP QB. Harbaugh’s overall body of work is remarkable. He’s taken his teams to the playoffs 12 times, and has only had three losing seasons. Yet, he hasn’t had more than two playoff wins since the Ravens’ Super Bowl victory at the end of the 2012 season. Harbaugh’s 180 wins rank third-highest among active coaches and 14th in NFL history.
5. Mike Macdonald
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IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He may be a bit ‘green’ but coach Macdonald earns a high placement after leading the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win. Still just 39 years old, Macdonald’s 24-10 record across two seasons is incredible. That’s a win rate of 70.6% which is the best among all active coaches. Fifth might be a bit high for someone who only has two seasons under his belt, but the Seahawks’ scheme is among the best in the NFL. In other words, the Seahawks might remain among the best teams in the NFL for a bit, or, they could fall flat in an extremely competitive NFC West division. That’s where Macdonald can earn his ranking, or slide down the list before next year’s edition returns.
Related: 2026 NFL QB Rankings
4. Sean Payton
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IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Although his Super Bowl win in 2009 came a long time ago, Payton may be on the verge of returning to the championship stage. He managed to win it all in just his fourth season as head coach and has been trying to get back to the top ever since. Ranking 13th in NFL history in wins and 25th in win percentage, Payton has earned a lot of respect. Yet, a 10-10 playoff record stands in the way of Payton climbing this list.
3. Sean McVay
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USA TODAY Sports
Known for constantly re-shaping an offensive scheme that’s always getting tapped into by other teams, there’s no question McVay is one of this generation’s greatest coaches. While he’s only been head coach for nine seasons, the Los Angeles Rams have had just one losing record under his guidance. In addition to being a Super Bowl champ, McVay’s 10-6 playoff record is another example of how he often finds a way to outcoach his opponents, even on the biggest stages.
2. Nick Sirianni
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USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
He may not be the most experienced coach on this list, but in a short time, Nick Sirianni has proven to be among the very best. He’s only been a head coach for five seasons, but he’s never been a loser. Entering the 2026 season, Sirianni has a win-percentage of 69.4%, the fifth-best mark in NFL history. He also has a 6-4 record in the playoffs, which includes a Super Bowl win.
1. Andy Reid
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USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
What did you expect? Coach Reid’s 279 wins rank fourth in NFL history, behind Bill Belichick’s 302, and ahead of Tom Landry’s 250 victories. The three-time Super Bowl winner is undoubtedly headed to the Hall of Fame, and his 64% win-rate is impressive for someone with a whopping 27 seasons of head coaching experience. His 62.2% playoff win-rate nearly matches his regular season record, which just shows no moment is too big for Reid.
Related: Predicting 1 Breakout Candidate for All 32 NFL Teams in 2026
Continue reading...
