NFL fans around the world, the 2020 National Football League season is upon us. The Kansas City Chiefs were crowned Super Bowl champions back in February and plenty of NFL betting experts will fancy Andy Reid’s men to repeat this year.
It has been all change in the NFL in recent months, with the likes of Tom Brady and DeAndre Hopkins heading the player departures. But what about the head coach situation in the NFL?
Best NFL Head Coaches 2020:
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Bill Belichick – New England Patriots
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Sean Payton – New Orleans Saints
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Andy Reid – Kansas City Chiefs
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Pete Carroll – Seattle Seahawks
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Doug Pederson – Philadelphia Eagles
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Kyle Shanahan – San Francisco 49ers
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Sean McVay – Los Angeles Rams
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John Harbaugh – Baltimore Ravens
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Bruce Arians – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Mike Tomlin – Pittsburgh Steelers
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Frank Reich – Indianapolis Colts
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Sean McDermott – Buffalo Bills
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Mike Vrabel – Tennessee Titans
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Mike McCarthy – Dallas Cowboys
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Ron Rivera – Washington Football Team
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Mike Zimmer – Minnesota Vikings
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Matt Nagy – Chicago Bears
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Jon Gruden – Las Vegas Raiders
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Brian Flores – Miami Dolphins
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Kliff Kingsbury – Arizona Cardinals
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Matt LaFleur – Green Bay Packers
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Matt Rhule – Carolina Panthers
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Dan Quinn – Atlanta Falcons
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Anthony Lynn – Los Angeles Chargers
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Vic Fangio – Denver Broncos
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Bill O’Brien – Houston Texans
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Adam Gase – New York Jets
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Kevin Stefanski – Cleveland Browns
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Doug Marrone – Jacksonville Jaguars
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Joe Judge – New York Giants
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Matt Patricia – Detroit Lions
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Zac Taylor – Cincinnati Bengals
It will be interesting to see how some of the new head coaches adjust to life in the NFL – though most are joining teams at the start of a rebuild. With that in mind, it would be foolish to expect too much from those sides.
Without further ado, it is time to look at our best NFL head coach rankings. Could we see Super Bowl odds impacted by astute coaching this year?
32) Zac Taylor – Bengals
Perhaps slightly harsh on Taylor, the Bengals head coach looked out of his depth at times in 2019 but NFL odds suggest an improved outlook ahead of this season. He at least deserves another chance to prove his worth.
With first round NFL Draft pick Joe Burrow at quarterback and players returning from injury, the pressure is on Taylor to make Cincinnati competitive in the AFC North.
31) Matt Patricia – Lions
Patricia was an excellent defensive coordinator in New England but it just hasn’t worked out for him since joining the Detroit Lions. Patience is starting to wear thin at Ford Field and you can’t really blame Lions fans after two sub-par years.
Detroit allowed the second most yards per game in the NFL last season while also shipping the sixth highest number of points. The clock is ticking for Patricia ahead of 2020.
30) Joe Judge – Giants
It is difficult to rank Judge based on his influence as a special teams coordinator but he has been tipped by many in the Patriots organisation to enjoy success in the NFL.
However, he is likely to find it difficult in 2020 – this Giants side is hardly blessed with talent and we could see Judge slump to a losing record in his rookie season.
29) Doug Marrone – Jaguars
Marrone is one of the NFL’s worst head coaches when it comes to man management. There have been constant feuds at Jacksonville during his reign and it is hard to envision a drastic turnaround in the 2020 NFL season.
The Jaguars have gone from a 10-6 team to one that has gone 11-21 over the last couple of years. Marrone’s time at the franchise could be coming to an end.
28) Kevin Stefanski – Browns
Again, this is a little harsh seeing as we have little to go off with Stefanski. However, he may find himself out of his depth as an NFL head coach – only time will tell though.
The Browns have plenty of talent on the roster so it really is sink or swim time for Stefanski. If he can get Cleveland to fulfil their potential, the Browns could be set for a big year.
27) Adam Gase – Jets
Labelled by many as an offensive minded coach, it would be fair to claim Gase has failed to live up to the hype in recent years.
Gase’s offense have ranked 31st and 32nd in the last two years and his teams have recorded three losing seasons in a row. He might not be at the Jets for too much longer.
26) Bill O’Brien – Texans
O’Brien is becoming a meme. He has got lucky in recent years with the Texans competing in a week AFC South but he needs to show drastic improvement in the 2020 NFL season.
With just one losing season in six years, 26th may be a tad harsh but O’Brien has had enough opportunities. Houston need to win the division and challenge in the playoffs this year.
25) Vic Fangio – Broncos
Fangio has been labelled a defensive genius over the years but the Broncos fell short on that side of the ball last year. Is he a long term head coach option? Possibly not.
Denver have tried to focus on offense in the NFL Draft in recent years – only time will tell if that decision was brave or foolish but Fangio’s position is certainly rocky ahead of 2020.
24) Anthony Lynn – Chargers
The Chargers were one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL last year, finishing with a 5-11 record. And with Philip Rivers now out of the door, Anthony Lynn is under pressure.
With Derwin James suffering a major injury setback ahead of 2020, Lynn is on the back foot and plenty of punters will be keeping an eye on NFL news as the new season edges closer.
23) Dan Quinn – Falcons
The early stages of Quinn’s career were very promising indeed but the Atlanta head coach has failed to inspire confidence in the last few years.
Known for being the head coach of the team that blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl, Quinn is on the hot seat in 2020. It is last chance saloon for the Falcons head coach.
22) Matt Rhule – Panthers
On paper, Rhule should be a roaring success in the NFL. He has a rebuild job on his hands at Carolina but the Panthers could thrive with his college style playbook.
He led Baylor to 11 wins in 2019 and is experienced enough to have a crack at the NFL. It could go either way for Carolina this year; give Rhule time though – he deserves it.
21) Matt LaFleur – Packers
LaFleur led the Packers to a 13-3 record but it would be foolish to state that their success was all down to him. When you have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, anything is possible.
With rumours suggesting that there is a rift between LaFleur and his quarterback, we could see the Packers tumble in 2020. LaFleur needs another big year to win his critics over.
20) Kliff Kingsbury – Cardinals
Kingsbury has potential. It was a slow start for the Arizona head coach but the Cardinals certainly showed signs of life in the second half of the 2019 NFL campaign.
The NFC West is one of the toughest divisions in football and Kingsbury will earn plaudits for his influence if he can lead Arizona to a .500 season. It won’t be easy but it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.
19) Brian Flores – Dolphins
Flores did well to lead Miami to five wins in 2019 and neutrals will be hoping that the AFC East side can climb the NFL ladder. The Dolphins got stronger and stronger as the year went on.
Flores was praised for his role in Miami’s successful NFL Draft and he could be one of the top climbers in the NFL head coach rankings next year.
18) Jon Gruden – Raiders
Perhaps a little high on this list, Gruden has made some excellent decisions as head coach but he has also made a few mistakes. Ultimately, he is a middle of the road option.
With a career record of 106 wins to 102 defeats, Gruden is hardly consistent and we could see the Raiders wring the changes with expectations high after moving to Las Vegas.
17) Matt Nagy – Bears
Nagy went from hero to zero in the space of a year in 2019. Widely regarded as one of the worst coaches last season, Nagy came under intense scrutiny for his poor play-calling.
He features in the middle of this list but could easily climb into the top 10 rankings if he can open up the playbook and get back to his 2018 form.
16) Mike Zimmer – Vikings
Zimmer is like marmite – you either love him or you hate him. His regular season record is excellent but Minnesota have won just two playoff games in his six years in charge.
That just isn’t good enough and Zimmer has been at fault for a few of their shortcomings. If Zimmer can get his side rolling early on, he could climb our NFL head coach rankings.
15) Ron Rivera – Washington
Rivera has been around in the NFL for years but he has yet to really crack the big time. With just three plus .500 records in nine years, the jury is still out on Rivera.
He has a winning record but has relied on the impact of top defensive players, particularly during his time at Carolina. At Washington, his coaching skills will be put to the test.
14) Mike McCarthy – Cowboys
McCarthy was a top five head coach back in his heyday and some time off may reignite the 56-year-old’s career. You could argue that he was too set in his ways at Green Bay…
Now with the Dallas Cowboys, McCarthy may thrive in the NFC East. He has a 125-77-2 career record as a head coach and can build around Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.
13) Mike Vrabel – Titans
Vrabel has been a pillar of consistency since taking charge of the Titans, winning nine games in each of his first two seasons. In addition, he led Tennessee to a win over the New England Patriots in the playoffs.
He has been bold with decision making, choosing to bench Marcus Mariota mid-season but his choices have paid off so far. Could he be the NFL’s next superstar head coach?
12) Sean McDermott – Bills
You have to be impressed with McDermott’s early impact at the Bills. He has turned Buffalo into genuine contenders in the AFC and there is certainly reason for optimism after a 10-6 campaign in 2019.
With Stefon Diggs added on offense and Daryl Williams on defence, the Bills have trusted McDermott with investing for short term success. Let’s hope for McDermott’s sake that decision pays off.
11) Frank Reich – Colts
Reich hit the ground running in 2018 but injuries and Andrew Luck’s retirement threw the Colts head coach off guard in 2019. However, he looks set to bounce back this year.
Indianapolis are Super Bowl dark horses and Reich’s coaching strategy will be key to their chances. The AFC is there for the taking and Reich could be destined to climb these rankings in the coming years.
10) Mike Tomlin – Steelers
Tomlin has coached in the NFL for 13 years now and has an excellent record, finishing .500 or better in all 13 seasons. And yes, that includes the 2019 campaign with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges at quarterback.
Ben Roethlisberger has helped of course but Tomlin deserves plenty of credit and is worthy of his status as a top 10 NFL head coach.
9) Bruce Arians – Buccaneers
Arians has had to deal with his fair share of mediocre quarterbacks during his career, with the likes of Drew Stanton, Ryan Lindley, Blaine Gabbert and Jameis Winston not quite cutting it at NFL level.
Despite that, Arians has a 65-42 record during his seven seasons as a head coach. With Tom Brady under center, we might be about to see the full range of Arians’ coaching skills.
8) John Harbaugh – Ravens
Harbaugh is a veteran head coach, having spent 12 years in the NFL. In fact, his teams have been incredibly consistent with just one season with a sub .500 record.
With Lamar Jackson at quarterback, Baltimore tick all the right boxes to push for Super Bowl glory. The Ravens are primed and Harbaugh’s schemes can give Baltimore the edge in 2020.
7) Sean McVay – Rams
McVay became the youngest head coach in NFL history back in 2017 but he has established himself as one of the top coaches in the league. With a .688 win percentage, his record backs that up.
While the Rams had their issues in 2019, McVay has a 33-15 record over his first three years in the NFL. It wouldn’t be a huge shock to see LA get back to their best this year.
6) Kyle Shanahan – 49ers
After a slow start to life on the west coast, Shanahan has gone from strength to strength in recent months and he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl for the second time since 1993.
He developed his reputation whilst offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons but is now more than capable of holding his own against the best coaches in the National Football League.
5) Doug Pederson – Eagles
Pederson has just four years of coaching experience but the Eagles boss already has a Super Bowl title to his name. That is incredible, particularly given Carson Wentz’s injury history.
Philadelphia failed to live up to the hype in 2019 though so you could argue Pederson’s spot in the top five is a tad generous. He could prove himself in the 2020 NFL season.
4) Pete Carroll – Seahawks
Carroll has to be mentioned in the best NFL head coach discussion. Seattle’s draft strategy has been hit and miss in recent years but the Seahawks remain competitive – and one of the main reasons is Carroll’s play calling.
Never afraid to make bold decisions, Carroll always puts the team first. If the Seahawks are lucky on the injury front, they could be in the Super Bowl hunt come the playoffs.
3) Andy Reid – Chiefs
Reid is arguably the most underrated head coach in NFL history – he has received criticism over the years but the Chiefs coach finally got his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy earlier this year.
His teams have won 10 or more regular season games in six of the last seven years. Reid is a pillar of consistency and more Super Bowl success could be on the cards.
2) Sean Payton – Saints
Payton is one of the most experienced head coaches in the NFL and he has never finished a season with fewer than seven wins. That in itself is some achievement.
An offensive genius, Payton has built his offense around Drew Brees. If you are looking for a head coach to construct a game-winning drive, Payton is your man.
1) Bill Belichick – Patriots
The greatest NFL head coach of all-time. Belichick is the master of getting the most out of his players and his astute coaching gives the Patriots an edge on their rivals.
With six Super Bowl triumphs since 2012, Belichick has been the driving force behind New England’s success in recent years. Brady has gone but it would be foolish to write Belichick off.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Matt Slocum / AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 1st September 2020
