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https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl...rst-coaches-2019/1jnocuy5khamw11m7fennsalvb/1
NFL coach rankings: Best and worst of league's coaches in 2019
We all know Bill Belichick is the class of NFL coaching. But where do the likes of Jason Garrett, Jon Gruden and Mike Tomlin rank among current head coaches?
Bill Belichick is coming off his sixth Super Bowl championship with the Patriots and looking for a seventh in 2019.
That's impressive when you consider he has as many Super Bowl rings as the rest of the coaches in the NFL combined. Asshole Face, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Doug Pederson, Pete Carroll and Jon Gruden also have Super Bowl rings. This season, six first-time coaches will join the list of NFL coaches hoping to join that exclusive club.
MORE NFL RANKINGS:
Top quarterbacks | Best and worst stadiums
Teams have tried almost every method to stop the Patriots' dynasty. Miami hired another Belichick assistant in Brian Flores. Tampa Bay hired former Arizona coach Bruce Arians, and the Cardinals made an outside-the-box hire with former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury.
As for Belichick? He's on to Pittsburgh in Week 1.
Sporting News ranks the NFL coaches in 2019 from 1-32. At least we know where to start.
NFL coach rankings: Best and worst of league's coaches in 2019
We all know Bill Belichick is the class of NFL coaching. But where do the likes of Jason Garrett, Jon Gruden and Mike Tomlin rank among current head coaches?
Bill Belichick is coming off his sixth Super Bowl championship with the Patriots and looking for a seventh in 2019.
That's impressive when you consider he has as many Super Bowl rings as the rest of the coaches in the NFL combined. Asshole Face, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Doug Pederson, Pete Carroll and Jon Gruden also have Super Bowl rings. This season, six first-time coaches will join the list of NFL coaches hoping to join that exclusive club.
MORE NFL RANKINGS:
Top quarterbacks | Best and worst stadiums
Teams have tried almost every method to stop the Patriots' dynasty. Miami hired another Belichick assistant in Brian Flores. Tampa Bay hired former Arizona coach Bruce Arians, and the Cardinals made an outside-the-box hire with former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury.
As for Belichick? He's on to Pittsburgh in Week 1.
Sporting News ranks the NFL coaches in 2019 from 1-32. At least we know where to start.
- #1
Bill Belichick, Patriots
Last year: 1
Record: 261-123, .680
Playoffs: 31-11, .718
Belichick, 67, needs 39 wins to join Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318) in the 300-win club for the regular season, but when you factor in playoffs, Belichick can reach 300 with eight wins this season. He might catch Shula (347) and Halas (327) there, too. Belichick is trying to lead New England to a fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance. The only team to do that was the Buffalo Bills from 1990-93.
- #2
Sean McVay, Rams
Last year: 12
Record: 24-8, .750
Playoffs: 2-2, .500
McVay already has a coaching tree in the NFL after just two seasons as a head coach. The 33-year-old is at the center of the youth movement in the sport. Los Angeles ranked second in the NFL with 32.9 points per game last season. McVay took his medicine to Belichick in the Super Bowl. Now we'll see what he learned.
- #3
Asshole Face, Saints
Last year: 6
Record: 118-74, .615
Playoffs: 8-6, .571
Payton might have ranked No. 2 had a certain call gone the Saints' way in the NFC championship game. He has re-invented the Saints' offense to fit the final chapters of Drew Brees' career, and New Orleans will stay in contention as long as it remains a top-five scoring offense. Last season was a missed opportunity.
- #4
Andy Reid, Chiefs
Last year: 8
Record: 195-124-1, .611
Playoffs: 12-14, .462
Reid might be the best coach across major sports without a championship. He needs five wins to become just the eighth NFL coach to reach 200, and with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, the Chiefs will be the Super Bowl hunt for the next several years. Reid is still 1-5 conference championship games. Can he change that playoff label?
- #5
Pete Carroll, Seahawks
Last year: 4
Record: 122-85-1, .589
Playoffs: 10-8, .556
Carroll is consistent. The Seahawks have enjoyed seven straight winning seasons, with six coming with double-digits wins and postseason play. With Russell Wilson locked in, the next step is to get back to the NFC championship game, which has eluded Seattle since the ill-fated goal-line play in Super Bowl 49.
- #6
John Harbaugh, Ravens
Last year: 11
Record: 104-72, .591
Playoffs: 10-6, .625
Harbaugh appeared to be on the hot seat going into last season, but he turned to Lamar Jackson at quarterback, a move that led to an AFC North title and playoff berth. Harbaugh is one of seven NFL coaches with both 10 or more career playoff wins and a .625 winning percentage or better in the postseason. He will have to keep proving himself, though, in a tough AFC North.
- #7
Doug Pederson, Eagles
Last year: 2
Record: 29-19, .604
Playoffs: 4-1, .800
Pederson was No. 2 on this list last year after the Eagles' Super Bowl run. He avoided a full-fledged Super Bowl hangover by taking Philadelphia back to the divisional round of the playoffs. Nick Foles is gone, so the Eagles must finally prove they can do it with Carson Wentz.
- #8
Mike Tomlin, Steelers
Last year: 3
Record: 125-66-1, .654
Playoffs: 8-7, .533
This might seem low given Tomlin's track record, but every coach ranked ahead of him (and the first four behind him) made the playoffs last season. Tomlin dealt with Le'Veon Bell's holdout and Antonio Brown's Week 17 disappearing act, and Pittsburgh lost control of the AFC North as a result. Baltimore and Cleveland are not going to let up, either. Maybe Tomlin will re-gain his mojo and put the Steelers back in the playoffs. If not, then this ranking will seem too high going into 2020.
- #9
Anthony Lynn, Chargers
Last year: 19
Record: 21-12, .636
Playoffs: 1-1, .500
We said last year Lynn would move up if the Chargers had a top-10 defense, and Los Angeles ranked eighth in scoring defense last season. That made for back-to-back winning seasons for this franchise, and Lynn has been the biggest influence behind its culture change. The playoff loss in New England last season counts as on-the-job training.
- #10
Frank Reich, Colts
Last year: 25
Record: 10-6, .625
Playoffs: 1-1, .500
Reich was SN's highest ranked first-year coach last season based on the potential of his getting the best out of Andrew Luck and a roster capable of winning the AFC South. Luck returned to his 2014 from, and the Colts knocked off AFC South-champion Houston in the wild-card round. Reich will continue to build on that.
- #11
Matt Nagy, Bears
Last year: 28
Record: 12-4, .750
Playoffs: 0-1, .000
Nagy helped the Bears take control of the NFC North with a more aggressive offense around Mitchell Trubisky and a nasty defense led by Khalil Mack. Nagy's five-year stint as an assistant in Kansas City prepared him for this opportunity, and he took advantage of it. Despite its heartbreaking NFC wild-card loss, Chicago is the team to beat in its division this season.
- #12
Jason Garrett, Cowboys
Last year: 13
Record: 77-59, .566
Playoffs: 2-3, .400
Face it: Garrett is going to be ranked between No. 12 and No. 15 until the end of time. He took Dallas back to the playoffs with the NFC East championship and won a playoff game against Seattle last season, but Garrett is in his 10th season and still has not reached the NFC championship game. He still has Dallas owner Jerry Jones' support, which is all that matters.
- #13
Mike Zimmer, Vikings
Last year: 7
Record: 47-32-1, .594
Playoffs: 1-2, .333
Zimmer was a top-10 coach last year, but Minnesota's struggles to establish an offensive identity around Kirk Cousins and the coach's feuding with former offensive coordinator John DeFilippo led to a down year. Green Bay and Chicago have offensive-minded coaches now. What will Zimmer, forever a Bill Parcells disciple, do to counter that and get the Vikings back in the playoffs?
- #14
Dan Quinn, Falcons
Last year: 9
Record: 36-28, .563
Playoffs: 3-2, .600
The Falcons slipped to 7-9 after back-to-back seasons with double-digit wins, and Quinn now faces the challenge of climbing back up the ladder in a competitive NFC South that just added Bruce Arians to its coaching ranks. The Falcons still have the fifth best record in the NFL on the road since Quinn arrived. They aren't far away from a return to the postseason.
- #15
Bruce Arians, Buccaneers
Last year: N/A
Record: 49-30-1, .619
Playoffs: 1-2, .333
Arians is back after a year away from the NFL, and it's easy to forget he finished below .500 just one time in five seasons with the Cardinals. Arians now must get more out of Jameis Winston in a tough division where the other three coaches have led their teams to Super Bowls in the past. Arians will turn 67 during the season. Belichick and Caroll are the only two coaches who are older.
- #16
Ron Rivera, Panthers
Last year: 10
Record: 71-56-1, .559
Playoffs: 3-4, .429
Rivera is in his ninth season with the Panthers, and he has four playoff appearances and one NFC championship on the plus side. Carolina, however, still has not been able to put together back-to-back winning seasons. Last season was derailed by a seven-game losing streak, and now a return to the playoffs will require a healthy Cam Newton. Rivera still has what it takes to be a top-10 coach, but we need to see more consistency.
- #17
Bill O'Brien, Texans
Last year: 14
Record: 42-38, .525
Playoffs: 1-3, .250
O'Brien is the lowest-ranked coach who made the playoffs last season, and this might seem harsh since that came with an 11-5 record. O'Brien has a franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson, but the playoff meltdown was a reminder that this franchise has yet to take the next step in the postseason. O'Brien must take advantage of his opportunities in a competitive AFC.
- #18
Kyle Shanahan, 49ers
Last year: 20
Record: 10-22, .313
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
This might seem high for Shanahan given the 49ers' back-to-back losing seasons since he was hired. The Jimmy Garoppolo injury, however, played a large role in last year's downfall, and we are willing to bet on Shanahan's play-calling in Year 3. Remember when the 49ers were the "it" team heading into last season? It's time to get that feeling back.
- #19
Mike Vrabel, Titans
Last year: 31
Record: 9-7, .563
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
Vrabel enjoyed a successful first season in Tennessee. He pushed the franchise to the brink of the postseason with the help of a four-game winning streak in December. He should continue to guide the Titans in the right direction, but the division has three playoff-caliber teams. Tennessee finished .500 in division games last year. The Titans are close.
- #20
Freddie Kitchens, Browns
Last year: N/A
Record: 0-0, .000
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
Kitchens was a hit as Cleveland's interim offensive coordinator last season, and the fit with franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield was enough to land him the head coaching job. Kitchens has been embraced by Browns fans starving for success, but he has tempered the offseason hype by saying, "We're not in the prediction business." That no-nonsense approach, combined with an innovative offense, is why we have Kitchens first among the coaches with no previous experience.
- #21
Matt LaFleur, Packers
Last year: N/A
Record: 0-0, .000
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
LaFleur might face the most pressure among first-year coaches just because he will oversee the next chapter of Aaron Rodgers' career. Green Bay slipped over the last few seasons under Mike McCarthy. LaFleur, meanwhile, coached under McVay in Los Angeles in 2017 and with the Titans last season. There is upside here, but LaFleur is the boom-or-bust hire of the latest cycle.
- #22
Jon Gruden, Raiders
Last year: 16
Record: 99-93, .516
Playoffs: 5-4, .556
Gruden is the most difficult coach to rank because he was successful in the past. We also saw him trade Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack before going 4-12 in his first season back in Oakland, and now he has taken on more personnel decisions with general manager Mike Mayock. Gruden is doing it his way, but will that translate to more wins?
- #23
Matt Patricia, Lions
Last year: 32
Record: 6-10, .375
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
Patricia was at the bottom of our rankings last season, and he rises after an up-and-down first year. Detroit beat New England and swept Green Bay, but it also lost five home games and struggled on offense around Matthew Stafford. Patricia added tight end T.J. Hockenson in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and it's clear he's trying to follow the Belichick model. How long will that take to materialize?
- #24
Adam Gase, Jets
Last year: 21
Record: 23-25, .479
Playoffs: 0-1, .000
This offseason has been interesting for Gase. He left Miami after three seasons - which included a playoff appearance in Year 1 before a pair of losing seasons - and took the job in New York. It's an odd fit at the outset, but Gase has Sam Darnold, Le'Veon Bell and a more talented roster than usual with which to work in the Big Apple.
- #25
Sean McDermott, Bills
Last year: 18
Record: 15-17, .469
Playoffs: 0-1, .000
McDermott took the Bills to the playoffs in his first season, but Buffalo regressed in Year 2 with a 6-10 record. The Bills do have a potential franchise quarterback in Josh Allen, and they drafted Ed Oliver in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. This is still a franchise that has just two winning seasons since 2000. McDermott has led the Bills to a 10-6 record at home in his two years.
- #26
Jay Gruden, Redskins
Last year: 22
Record: 35-44-1, .444
Playoffs: 0-1, .000
The Redskins are coming off back-to-back 7-9 seasons, though the trajectory of last year changed after Alex Smith's gruesome leg injury. The good news is first-round quarterback Dwayne Haskins is on board. That might put more pressure on Gruden to prove he is the right coach to grow with the former Ohio State quarterback for the future.
- #27
Doug Marrone, Jaguars
Last year: 15
Record: 31-35, .470
Playoffs: 2-1, .667
This is steep fall for Marrone, who led the Jaguars to the AFC championship game after the 2017 season. Jacksonville slipped to the bottom of the AFC South last year and is now banking on Nick Foles to bring them back into contention in a tight division. Marrone will be the subject of hot-seat talk if there is not a sharp turn back in the right direction.
- #28
Vic Fangio, Broncos
Last year: N/A
Record: 0-0, .000
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
Fangio is a career defensive assistant who has served as coordinator for five different franchises, and this is his first turn as a head coach. He will have to manage the quarterback situation with Joe Flacco and Drew Lock, but the good news is he gets to work with a defense that features Von Miller. Fangio is Denver's fifth coach this decade.
- #29
Pat Shurmur, Giants
Last year: 30
Record: 15-34, .306
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
Shurmur moves up one spot after a 5-11 season, but several big questions remain in New York. Saquon Barkley is a star, but the Giants traded Odell Beckham Jr. and drafted Daniel Jones in the first round. Shurmur faces a lot of pressure to right the ship for the Giants, a franchise once known for long-term stability.
- #30
Brian Flores, Dolphins
Last year: N/A
Record: 0-0, .000
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
Flores is the latest Patriots assistant to land with another AFC East team in an effort to end Belichick's reign, and he inherits a roster that will feature second-year quarterback Josh Rosen. Flores spent 15 years with New England in various roles. He has been waiting for this opportunity, and he gets it as Miami's fifth coach this decade.
- #31
Zac Taylor, Bengals
Last year: N/A
Record: 0-0, .000
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
The Bengals finally moved on from Marvin Lewis and became another team to hire a McVay assistant. Taylor has ties to the city after a one-year stint with the Bearcats in 2016, and he should bring much-needed creativity to a franchise that needs it after falling behind in the AFC North to the Steelers, Ravens and even Browns.
- #32
Kliff Kingsbury, Cardinals
Last year: N/A
Record: 0-0, .000
Playoffs: 0-0, .000
This is the big experiment. Arizona grabbed Kingsbury from the college ranks and took another gamble with Kyler Murray at No. 1 overall in the draft. Offense has changed in the NFL, and Kingsbury is one of the brightest minds on that side of the ball at any level. Can the Cardinals play enough defense? We'll start Kingsbury at the bottom and let him work his way up the rankings.
