Ranking all 32 coaches going into the 2021 NFL Season: Who is the best in the league?
NFL head coach Bruce Arians and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off a Super Bowl championship season. Tampa Bay entered the 2021 off-season with a massive amount of talent that needed new contracts. With a bit of help from Tom Brady, the Buccaneers could work a miracle to bring back all the pieces from last season.
Heading into the 2021-2022 NFL season, the coaching rankings may look a bit top-heavy with veteran coaches. However, some young head coaches are looking to make a name for themselves this season. With that being noted, here's a look at the rankings for all 32 head coaches.
Who is the top coach heading into the 2021-2022 NFL Season?
Bill Belichick is coming off one of his worst years as the New England Patriots head coach in 2020. His past success speaks for itself, and even with one bad season, Belichick will go down as one of the greatest to ever coach. Let's take a look at the rest of the NFL head coaches and see where they rank.
#1 Andy Reid, HC, Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid has led the Kansas City Chiefs to back-to-back AFC Championships and back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, winning one. He's currently fifth all-time in wins by NFL head coaches. Reid is heading into the 2021-2022 NFL season with a win/loss record of 235-135-1, winning 64% of his games.
#2 Bruce Arians, HC, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bruce Arians landed at number two on the list because of his Super Bowl championship last season. The defending Super Bowl champ is heading into the 2021 NFL season with a win/loss record of 78-49-1, winning 61.3% of his games. Arians also landed one of the best free agents in recent history in Tom Brady.
#3 Bill Belichick, HC, New England Patriots
Bill Belichick is the third-best NFL coach heading into the 2021 season. He's also third in all-time wins as an NFL head coach, trailing George Halas and Don Shula. Belichick has a lot riding on the 2021 season. He will look to bounce back after a disappointing 2020 season.
#4 Mike Tomlin, HC, Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin has had many successful seasons as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since becoming head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tomlin hasn't registered a losing record. The 2021-2022 season will be Tomlin's last season with Ben Roethlisberger, and he'll look to make it count.
#5 Sean Payton, HC, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are entering an unfamiliar atmosphere in 2021. Drew Brees is gone, and Jameis Winston is stepping in as the starting quarterback. Sean Payton will be able to prove that he's one of the best head coaches in the NFL if he can lead Jameis Winston to the playoffs in 2021.
#6 Pete Carroll, HC, Seattle Seahawks
Pete Carroll's work has not gone unnoticed. He has helped create the Seattle Seahawks. Since becoming head coach, Carroll has brought a ton of success to the Seahawks franchise. Since joining forces with Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll has won a Super Bowl and nine winning seasons.
#7 John Harbaugh, HC, Baltimore Ravens
John Harbaugh has done nothing but win since becoming head coach for the Baltimore Ravens. Over the last 13 years, Harbaugh has only registered one losing season. He has done the unthinkable with Lamar Jackson and continues to improve the team as a whole.
#8 Sean McDermott, HC, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are on the right side of the NFL heading into the 2021 NFL season. Sean McDermott has a lot to do with their success. Josh Allen and McDermott helped the Bills' franchise accomplish their best season in roughly 20+ years. They now have their eyes set on the franchise's first Super Bowl championship in 2021.
#9 Kevin Stefanski, HC, Cleveland Browns
Kevin Stefanski did the unthinkable in his first year as the Cleveland Browns head coach. Stefanski led the Browns to the playoffs and a playoff win against their division rivals. The Browns came within one game of the AFC Championship game and will build off their success from last season.
#10 Matt LaFleur, HC, Green Bay Packers
Matt LaFleur may have the most challenging season of his head coaching career approaching in 2021. Aaron Rodgers may sit out, or he may be traded. LaFleur has had a lot of success, but he was also put into an extraordinary situation in Green Bay. It'll be interesting to see if he can improve his rankings during the 2021-2022 NFL season.
Ranking NFL head coaches 11-30
#11 Sean McVay, HC, Los Angeles Rams
#12 Kyle Shanahan, HC, San Francisco 49ers
#13 Mike Vrabel, HC, Tennessee Titans
#14 Ron Rivera, HC, Washington Football Team
#15 Mike Zimmer, HC, Minnesota Vikings
#16 Mike McCarthy, HC, Dallas Cowboys
#17 Jon Gruden, HC, Las Vegas Raiders
#18 Frank Reich, HC, Indianapolis Colts
#19 Matt Nagy, HC, Chicago Bears
#20 Kliff Kingsbury, HC, Arizona Cardinals
#21 Brian Flores, HC, Miami Dolphins
#22 Vic Fangio, HC, Denver Broncos
#23 Joe Judge, HC, New York Giants
#24 Zac Taylor, HC, Cincinnati Bengals
#25 Matt Rhule, HC, Carolina Panthers
#26 Arthur Smith, HC, Atlanta Falcons
#27 Dan Campbell, HC, Detroit Lions
#28 Nick Sirianni, HC, Philadelphia Eagles
#29 Brandon Staley, HC, Los Angeles Chargers
#30 Robert Saleh, HC, New York Jets
#31 Urban Meyer, HC, Jacksonville Jaguars
Urban Meyer is entering one of the most challenging head coaching seasons of his coaching career. Meyer has the weight of the Jaguars franchise on his shoulders. He also holds the importance of being a successful college coach transitioning to the NFL.
#32 David Culley
David Culley may be in the worst situation in football heading into the 2021-2022 NFL season. Culley has been through everything since becoming the Texans' head coach. He will enter the upcoming season without Deshaun Watson, and the Texans are looking like they will be the number one overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.