The top coaches in the modern NFL are a combination of two things: Shrewd schemers and master motivators. The best of the best turn that a 1-2 punch to meet the bottom line requirement for the job: Winning a lot of games.
Getting a team to consistently compete for playoff spots and get into the Super Bowl mix isn't easy, but the most talented men who lead on the sidelines often make it look that way at times.
Among the active coaches, there are plenty of young hotshots, including the one who just won a ring. Then there are the old reliables, still getting the most out of their roster after all these years.
Including the new hires, here's Sporting News' ranking of all the NFL head coaches for the upcoming season, from the Rams' best to the Panthers' worst:
MORE NFL RANKINGS: QBs | RBs | WRs | Defense
NFL head coach rankings 2022
1. Sean McVay, Rams (age: 36)
McVay is known for being an offensive genius, but what stands out now from one Super Bowl ring in two trips is his ability to remember everything and his understanding what it takes to have a the ultimate modern winning team. He combines old-school pedigree well with new-school innovation.
Record with current team: 55-26 in regular season (.679), 7-3 in playoffs
2. Andy Reid, Chiefs (age: 64)
Reid has consistently put the Chiefs on the Super Bowl short list while tied to Patrick Mahomes. His extensive offensive background has served him well in a more wide-open passing league and his experience shows as a beloved, venerable leader.
Record with current team: 103-42 in regular season (.710), 9-7 in playoffs
3. Bill Belichick, Patriots (age: 70)
Belichick has made his unparalleled case as the GOAT and it's not totally shut yet as he has started a solid new chapter post Tom Brady with Mac Jones. His defensive acumen, organization and motivational tactics are legendary. Only Belichick has the power to operate well without designated coordinators.
Record with current team: 254-99 in regular season (.720), 30-12 in playoffs
MORE: Bill Belichick's coaching tree failures
4. Kyle Shanahan, 49ers (age: 42)
It might surprise some that Shanahan has a losing record in San Francisco since he was hired in 2017, but that includes some early rebuilding days to get the team to go his way and one lost injury-riddled season. He has an excellent, diverse offensive system that is spreading throughout the league with his former associates getting big jobs. Shanahan gets the most out of his team with the right personnel support while in sync with GM John Lynch.
Record with current team: 39-42 in regular season (.481), 4-2 in playoffs
5. Matt LaFleur, Packers (age: 42)
LaFleur has crushed it in three consistent 13-win seasons as his RPO offense has been terrific in turning Aaron Rodgers into a repeat MVP, with plenty of pop from a versatile rushing attack. LaFleur is savvy and smart beyond his years, a la good friend Shanahan. The only thing missing early is a playoff run that ends in the Super Bowl.
Record with current team: 39-10 in regular season (.796), 2-3 in playoffs
6. John Harbaugh, Ravens (age: 59)
Harbaugh has the Super Bowl ring and four division titles in the tough AFC North to prove that nice guys can finish first often. He brings positive energy with a coaching staff that adjusts well to offensive personnel (see Lamar Jackson) and maintains a strong defensive foundation.
Record with current team: 137-88 in regular season (.609), 11-8 in playoffs
7. Mike Tomlin, Steelers (age: 50)
Tomlin has the ring to match his friendly division rival Harbaugh and his calling card is never having a team finish with a losing record. He also has had a reliable defensive system with the right players to thrive in it. He should get back on track soon with a big offensive transition post Ben Roethlisberger.
Record with current team: 154-85-2 in regular season (.643), 8-9 in playoffs
NFL POWER RANKINGS: Bills look Super Bowl-serious at top; 49ers, Broncos, Eagles on the rise
8. Sean McDermott, Bills (age: 48)
McDermott is leading the newest AFC powerhouse and current Super Bowl favorite in Buffalo. His defensive-minded influence is strong at every level flanked by Leslie Frazier, but it's been most impressive how he is fine with the Bills being an offensive-forward team to unleash the talents of Josh Allen.
Record with current team: 49-32 in regular season (.605), 3-4 in playoffs
9. Zac Taylor, Bengals (age: 39)
Taylor was under fire a bit early, but once he got his franchise passer in Joe Burrow, his team invested well in the necessary personnel resources offensively and defensively, Taylor has taken full advantage of what Sporting News reigning executive of the Year Duke Tobin has given him. The one-time McVay assistant got quickly into the groove that led to him facing his former colleague in the Super Bowl.
Record with current team: 16-32 in regular season (.337), 3-1 in playoffs
10. Mike Vrabel, Titans (age: 46)
Vrabel has been the premier Belichick disciple with his crafty motivation and good situational coaching. The defense has personnel that matches his philosophy, but he's let the offense set the table playing off an old-school prolific power running game with Derrick Henry.
Record with current team: 41-24 in regular season (.631), 2-3 in playoffs
11. Pete Carroll, Seahawks (age: 70)
Carroll also has his Super Bowl ring and made the most of a decade with Russell Wilson at quarterback, starting with a defensive-minded and power running "boom". As he nears the end of his career post Wilson, he is trying to restore the latter mentality with a team in full rebuild without a QB answer.
Record with current team: 119-73-1 in regular season (.619), 10-8 in playoffs.
12. Frank Reich, Colts (age: 60)
Reich's team was disappointing last season as the post Andrew Luck QB carousel wasn't a hit with Carson Wentz. Reich is back in his offensive-minded comfort zone with an accomplished pocket passer, Matt Ryan, to complement his worthy run-heavy attack with Jonathan Taylor. He's lost his two coordinators of late but there's a strong well-rounded staff in place to believe Indianapolis will return to the playoffs as AFC South champions.
Record with current team: 37-28 in regular season (.569), 1-2 in playoffs
13. Brandon Staley, Chargers (age: 39)
Staley leads another AFC team with unfinished playoff business and is the other rising star from the growing McVay coaching tree. The defensive-minded leader got big boons with Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson and will keep letting elite young QB Justin Herbert let it loose offensively.
Record with current team: 9-8 in regular season (.529)
14. Mike McCarthy, Cowboys (age: 58)
McCarthy has brought the big winning experience and stability to Dallas to oversee the two real stars of his coaching staff, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. He's a different coach from the one who won a Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. more open to innovative concepts. The positive results now need to be met with playoff success.
Record with current team: 18-15 in regular season (.545), 0-1 in playoffs
15. Kliff Kingsbury, Cardinals (age: 43)
Kingsbury matches offensive wits well with Shanahan and McVay in the NFC West and his spread concepts have been embraced to get the most out of Kyler Murray and his supporting offensive skill personnel. The overall results have been mixed, however, and it's important the team leans toward getting more from its younger contributors.
Record with current team: 24-24-1 in regular season (.500), 0-1 in playoffs
16. Kevin Stefanski, Browns (age: 40)
Stefanski made a splash getting the Browns to the playoffs and earning a postseason win in his first season coming over as the former Vikings offensive coordinator. He's also smart and organized, but after an injury-riddled 2021 flop, he now needs to massage the messy QB transition from Baker Mayfield to Deshaun Watson. The running game and defense remain solid foundations, but raising the pop in a new-looking passing game soon will be key to returning to AFC contention.
Record with current team: 19-14 in regular season (.576), 1-1 in playoffs
17. Todd Bowles, Buccaneers (age: 58)
Bowles' second shot to follow his short Jets stint has been long overdue. He gets that opportunity in the ideal situation, succeeding Bruce Arians and inheriting Tom Brady at QB for at least one more season. His defensive leadership was key to winning a Super Bowl and he can redeem his head-coaching resume by getting back there with the NFC favorites.
Record with previous team: 26-41 in regular season (.388)
18. Nick Sirianni, Eagles (age: 41)
The offensive-minded former Reich assistant had a bit of an identity crisis during his first season in Philadelphia, leaning toward run-heavy with Jalen Hurts after some early passing promise. There should be better flow throwing with A.J. Brown as the top wide receiver. Defensively, it was wise to trust Jonathan Gannon to work to get all levels back up to speed.
Record with current team: 9-8 in regular season (.529), 0-1 in playoffs
19. Ron Rivera, Commanders (age: 60)
Rivera had the difficult initial task of cleaning up the franchise image, now helped there by Jason Wright. He's brought respected leadership in carrying over his philosophies from Carolina, but his defensive-mindedness needs to take more effect with a healthy Chase Young. He also will be tied to whether Wentz can be an answer as the latest unpredictable QB to which he's attached.
Record with current team: 14-19 in regular season (.424), 0-1 in playoffs
20. Kevin O’Connell, Vikings (age: 37)
O'Connell is the most intriguing of the new 2022 hires because his youthful offensive energy comes straight from helping McVay's Rams beat Taylor's Bengals. The sky's the limit to what he can do with Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson as his primary weapons. O'Connell is the needed fresh face after Minnesota got stale under defense-leaning Mike Zimmer.
Record with current team: 0-0
21. Doug Pederson, Jaguars (age: 54)
Pederson, after taking a season off, will try to pull a McCarthy and reinvent himself a little after winning a Super Bowl in Philadelphia. His first goal is offer some competency in leadership and organization to compensate for the team lacking that under Urban Meyer. The second is to use his offensive savvy to get franchise QB Trevor Lawrence on the right pro career track. Don't be surprised if the the rebuild is expedited and everything clicks in Year 2, following some of his Eagles blueprint.
Record with previous team: 42-37-1 in regular season (.531), 4-2 in playoffs
22. Robert Saleh, Jets (age: 43)
Saleh, like his former associate Shanahan, was put in a position to be patient as GM Joe Dougas needed time to restock the Jets' personnel with the right players to work in Saleh's defense and Mike LaFleur's 49ers-based offense. Two offseasons of drafting and free agency have led to some underrated promise and the key improvement will be seen this season.
Record with current team: 4-13 in regular season (.235)
23. Mike McDaniel, Dolphins (age: 39)
McDaniel joins Saleh and LaFleur as another former accomplished Shanahan assistant in the AFC East. The Yale graduate is turning the job description upside down as the young rookie hire following the messy breakup from Brian Flores. McDaniel's football smarts and offensive knowledge in particular has created plenty of optimism, along with personnel upgrades around Tua Tagovailoa.
Record with current team: 0-0
24. Arthur Smith, Falcons (age: 40)
Smith had a tall order at first trying to settle a team's offense while facing needed overall changes. He made the most of it adjusting to curveballs and made a good decision to trust Dean Pees' defensive scheming. Now Smith is dealing with major transition on his side of the ball minus Matt Ryan and Calvin Ridley. Here's some hope that with steady personnel help, Smith can get enough time to be the NFC's version of Taylor.
Record with current team: 7-10 in regular season (.412)
25. Dan Campbell, Lions (age: 46)
Campbell is gung-ho and rah-rah and all the other cliches tied to former pumped-up players trying to inspire and motivate as coaches. That seems to fit with the school of "Hard Knocks" in Year 2. But with a sneaky talented roster, especially offensively, there needs to be some overachieving results to match the tough talk.
Record with current team: 3-13-1 in regular season (.206)
26. Dennis Allen, Saints (age: 49)
Allen didn't fare well when he coached the Raiders, but he's had plenty of time in between gigs. He'a aced it for a long time as the defensive coordinator in New Orelans under Sean Payton and that influence and experience in the same organization will serve him better this time. A good overall staff remains after Payton, too.
Record with previous team: 8-28 (.222)
27. Brian Daboll, Giants (age: 47)
Daboll, when it comes to mentors, has everyone beat with both Belichick and Nick Saban as some of his key references. He earned his starting job, however, by his bang-up job working with McDermott, Allen and the Bills. He made good choices with Mike Kafka and Wink Martindale as the coordinators. Now the trick is making it work with Daniel Jones.
Record with current team: 0-0
28. Matt Eberflus, Bears (age: 53)
Eberflus hopes he can channel Sirianni's rookie success after getting a good opportunity to vacate his strong defensive coordinator gig under Reich. There's a rebuild ahead on his side of the ball while he can entrust Luke Gentry's Packers-like offense to get Justin Fields on track as a franchise passer.
Record with current team: 0-0
29. Nathaniel Hackett, Broncos (age: 42)
The Packers' offense is spreading to Denver, too, with Hackett and coordinator Justin Outten. The Broncos will take a defensive hit without Vic Fangio, but they hope they can compensate with Russell Wilson leading a more dynamic passing game to play
Record with current team: 0-0
30. Josh McDaniels, Raiders (age: 46)
McDaniels brings a ton of offensive optimism to Las Vegas while Derek Carr also gets reunited with a top wide receiver, Davante Adams. But it's difficult to shake his questionable long-ago stint with the Broncos and that near-hire mess with the Colts. There's a lot for him to prove in charge of an entire team again after a long layoff, given the ugly feelings tied to the end of the second Jon Gruden era.
Record with previous team: 11-17 in regular season (.393)
31. Lovie Smith, Texans (age: 64)
Smith had a strange path to getting a second coaching shot after once taking the Bears to the Super Bowl, including an odd college stop at Illinois. Houston wasn't long for David Culley, but liked Smith's defensive work enough with a rebuilding unit to promote him based on positive experience. He's a good guy, so here's hoping for better than expected results with a challenging organization.
Record with previous team: 89-87 in regular season (.506), 3-3 in playoffs
32. Matt Rhule, Panthers (age: 47)
There's a reason he's on everyone's hot list to be first coached fired in 2022. He got a stay of execution based on a change at quarterback and offensive philosophy. But he has some archaic thoughts on how a modern team should operate to be successful with no real plan. And don't get us started on that whole goal line and end zone thing. This is also not surprising given he works for David Tepper.
Record with current team: 10-23 in regular season (.303)
