Ranking all 14 head coaches in the NFL’s powerful playoff field

There are those who believe that defenses still win championships in the NFL. Others are sure it’s impossible without a true franchise quarterback at the helm. And others will say it all comes down to the trenches and mastering both lines of scrimmage.

But sometimes playoff success depends more on the man at the top.

With most games reaching the fourth quarter and no easy teams on the schedule, a strong head coach is needed to overcome the postseason challenge. Teams need a leader who can motivate their players, stay calm under pressure, push all the right buttons and make the right decisions. They need a coach who is not afraid of risk, but knows when not to take it.

And they need a coach who will make the right decision in the right place with the game on the line.

So who are the best of those coaches in the current playoff field? It’s a tough decision, because this year’s group of 14 includes some of the best coaches in the sport. It includes eight who have already led a team to a Super Bowl, five who have won it and one who has won an NCAA championship.

But based on a combination of their championship history, their recent success and what they’ve done with their teams this season, here’s our ranking of the 14 head coaches in the 2024-05 postseason:

1.Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs

Big Red is a no-brainer for the top spot on this list, considering his track record. He has won three Super Bowls in the last five years, has been to four and has led the Chiefs to six straight AFC Championship games. And by the way, he also once led the Eagles to five games in the NFC Championship. The man knows how to win when necessary, as indicated by his 26-16 playoff record. In 19 trips to the playoffs, his teams won at least one game 14 times. He is also an offensive genius. He’s had time management issues in the playoffs in the past, but that was more of a Philly thing.

2. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos

Any notion that his success in New Orleans owed more to Drew Brees than him was erased by the quick way he turned around the disaster in Denver. He has always been known as a strong offensive mind and a Bill Parcells-style culture builder. But he reminded everyone that he is a great coach on game day with the way he guided the Broncos this season. He kept his rookie quarterback, Bo Nix, pretty much out of trouble so they could keep winning until he developed more. And once he did, Payton made him the focus of his offense. The Broncos might be the least talented team in this field, but Payton’s presence makes them a danger.

3. Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers

There’s a reason the NFL was waiting for him to turn pro again. The younger of the two Harbaugh brothers has been a winner everywhere he has been. And it’s not just that he turned the Chargers around in one year. Don’t forget what he did in San Francisco, leading the 49ers to three straight NFC championships and a Super Bowl with Alex Smith and then Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. He knows how to make the most of his talent and keep his teams in games, perhaps more than any coach in the league. And he has done it wherever he has been.

4. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams

The fact that all these years later teams are still searching for the “next Sean McVay” should tell you everything about this Rams gem. He has been to two Super Bowls (winning one) and six postseasons in his eight years. And this year, after losing Hall of Fame manager Aaron Donald to retirement and dealing with a slew of injuries on offense, he led them to 10 wins, including a 5-1 run down the stretch. No coach wants to match his wits at the end of a game, and no one’s offense is harder for defensive coordinators to understand.

5. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers

If you listed the best coaches of the last two decades, he would be in the group right behind Andy Reid and Bill Belichick on that list. No one has been consistently better, with no losing seasons and 12 trips to the playoffs in his 18 years. He gets the most out of his players and is a brilliant game-day coach who led a Kenny Pickett-coached team to the playoffs last season and coaxed 10 wins from the Justin Fields-Russell Wilson combo this year. The only problem is that it’s been 14 years since their last trip to the Super Bowl and they haven’t had much recent playoff success. They have been tied in six of their last eight trips and haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. This year’s late collapse doesn’t help their seeding either.

6. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

He beat his brother in Super Bowl XLVII, but he’s lower on this list because his record has been spotty since then. He has earned his Ravens 10 wins in six of the last seven seasons, but they have recorded a victory in three of their last five trips to the postseason. They won twice last year, but losing a very winnable AFC Championship Game to the Chiefs didn’t bode well. He abandoned his powerful running game in that game early, which was costly. However, it was a rare misstep for a very good coach who finds himself in an open championship window with quarterback Lamar Jackson on his team.

7. Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions

The resume is short, but the legend grows. He is a master motivator, who has made everyone believe in that franchise left for dead from the moment he arrived. And the fact that he turned them into a powerhouse in three years is nothing short of a miracle. He is also brilliant at preparing players, as evidenced by how they continued to win despite a spate of injuries this season. He may be a little too gamble with his decisions at times, but his no-regrets, go-for-all mantra has paid off. He’d probably be higher on this list, but it’s hard to forget that his team led the NFC Championship Game 24-7 at halftime last season, and then blew it all.

8. Nick Syrianni, Philadelphia Eagles

He doesn’t get as much respect as he should for a coach with a 48-20 record, four trips to the playoffs and one Super Bowl in four seasons. That’s probably because many feel the Eagles have so much talent that anyone could coach them. Additionally, Sirianni has an acquired taste that ruffles many outside feathers by acting like a grown fan on the sidelines. But his players love him and managing a team with so many stars is not always easy. He listens to them, accepts their suggestions and manages their egos perfectly. And he has embodied the team’s identity: confidence, toughness and refusal to be intimidated.

9. Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders

He has done an absolutely brilliant job in his first year in Washington molding what is essentially a completely new team. Getting them on board with a rookie quarterback was easy because Jayden Daniels is so good, but he (and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury) were careful to never give him more than he could handle. Quinn is good at this. Don’t forget, he once led the Falcons to the Super Bowl (and would be MUCH higher on this list if they hadn’t blown that 28-3 third-quarter lead to the Patriots). He’s obviously an excellent defensive coach, but outside of that super example, his game day management is pretty good too. So is your ability to get all your players to buy.

10. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers

He might be the most underrated coach in the NFL because too often it is assumed that it was easy to win with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and then Jordan Love. No one doubts his ability to call and plan an offense and his game day moves are also generally good. They have also been to the playoffs in five of their six seasons, have been to two conference championships and have been eliminated just once. That said, you had Rodgers when the quarterback won back-to-back MVPs and probably should have gotten a trip to the Super Bowl. But LaFleur always manages to keep them at least in the hunt.

11. Sean McDermott, buffalo bills

He probably deserves a higher spot, though keep in mind that eight of the 10 people above him have been to the Super Bowl, and plenty of NFL people think the Bills should have been there at least once in the last four years. Of course, they’ve run into a similar obstacle to Michael Jordan’s on the Kansas City Chiefs. But his coaching decisions and game management have created problems in some of those postseason losses. In their defense, they have won at least one playoff game in each of the last four years. Unfortunately for him, with a quarterback like Josh Allen, he will inevitably be judged on whether or not he can lead the Bills to a Super Bowl.

12. DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans

The 40-year-old inherited a terrible Texans franchise two years ago and won 10 games and made the playoffs in both of his seasons. They even won a playoff game last year before bowing out in the divisional round. It’s been a struggle this year, but it’s worth noting that his team still pushed the Lions and Chiefs to the limit in the second half. He is a strong defensive tactician and knows how to put his players in position to achieve success. He could quickly move up this list in the coming years with a few more postseason wins.

13. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

He has always been known as a brilliant defensive mind, but there have been constant doubts about his abilities as a head coach. Of course, much of that remains from his five years with the Jets, a franchise that has become known for ending coaches’ careers. And he’s leading the Bucs to the playoffs for the third straight year. But so far all he has to show for it is one win, last year against a collapsing Eagles team. And this year, with an offense going, the Bucs were hanging on to the playoffs by a hair’s breadth at the end. He hasn’t inspired much confidence when games come down to decisions made by him.

14. Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings

Too low? Sure, it’s hard to argue with their regular season results. They won 13 games with Kirk Cousins ​​at quarterback two years ago and 14 with Sam Darnold at quarterback this year. So he’s well-earned his reputation as a quarterback whisperer and offensive genius, and there’s a reason he’s so respected as a head coach. However, his big-game acumen is still unknown. His team was terrible in its only postseason game: a loss to the Giants in 2022. And he made several questionable decisions and play-calling in his big game Sunday night in Detroit with the NFC’s top spot on the line. He is well regarded and many teams would love to have him on their side. But he’ll need to show more in big games to compete with the big names on this list.

Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New Yorkand before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.