Earlier this season I ranked the worst head coaches in the NFL. Hue Jackson has since been fired, and hopefully Todd Bowles is next. In Part II of my coach rankings, we actually found a little hope. Young masterminds Matt Nagy and Kyle Shanahan led the way with creative playcalling and maximization of player skillsets.
Now it's time for the big boys. The best of the best. Let's get right into it...
10. Doug Marrone, Jaguars: Things have taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks, but you have to appreciate what Marrone did with an overachieving team last season. Preceding Marrone, Gus Bradley, Mike Mularkey and Mel Tucker couldn't do anything positive with the Jaguars. I'm telling you...it's really freakin' hard to win with Blake Bortles taking your snaps.
And yet, Marrone did that last season. His Jags were just a few plays away from upsetting the all-powerful Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Marrone analyzed his personnel heading into the season, and he knew they'd have to be a "ground-and-pound" team. Last year's Jags were not all that dissimilar from the Mark Sanchez Jets. Marrone squeezes every possible ounce out of his personnel.
9. Mike Zimmer, Vikings: A steady force with more technical knowledge on the defensive side of the ball. It hasn't been as smooth this season, but the Vikings are still one of the better teams in the NFC. Clearly behind the Saints and Rams, though.
8. Ron Rivera, Panthers: "Riverboat" Ron, baby! This guy knows how to motivate his players. He never shows anything but the utmost confidence in his guys, and they have responded with four playoff appearances in the past five seasons. Cam Newton and Christian McCaffrey are rollin' right now, too. Riverboat is a reliable leader on the sidelines.
7. Pete Carroll, Seahawks: I wouldn't exactly call him an X's and O's guy, but his Seahawks have been steady for many years now. Carroll is like Rivera, just a bit more animated and energetic. Both guys are classic, old-school football coaches. You can't win if your players don't get behind you.
6. Doug Pederson, Eagles: Maybe I'm a liiiiiittle biased here? I mean, how awesome was that "Philly Special" in the Eagles' dramatic Super Bowl victory over the Evil Empire? That play spoke volumes about Pederson as a head coach and leader of men. He showed total trust in Nick Foles, who -- let's be honest -- is really just a back-up quarterback. But Foles knows his way around an NFL field. Pederson knew that. It's a player/coach decision that changed the history of football. I expect Pederson's Eagles to fly past Jay Gruden's Redskins before season's end.
5. Sean Payton, Saints: After a three-year run of 7-9 seasons, Payton and Hall of Famer Drew Brees have righted the ship, to the tune of 18 wins and just six losses in their last 24 regular-season games. They are back atop the NFC mountain. The message was clear to the Rams this weekend: this ain't your conference yet, kids.
4. John Harbaugh, Ravens: I just feel like the Ravens' front office never does enough. Or maybe Joe Flacco is just one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the league. It's probably a little bit of both. But Harbaugh maximizes production on both ends of the field, and he's a head football coach you can rely on. He's passionate, sharp and proven. Hopefully his brother will come coach my Jets.
3. Sean McVay, Rams: Anyone else watch that episode of Real Sports during the NFL offseason? McVay is a f***king beast! Awake before anyone else in the world, driving to the Rams' complex to study film like an addicted maniac. And that's what it takes. That's the type of head coach who single-handedly takes his team to the next level. If you want to make an argument that he's the best football coach in the world, I won't argue with you.
2. Andy Reid, Chiefs: Did we really expect him to win Super Bowls with Alex Smith? Playoff games...maybe. But Super Bowls? Nah. Reid maximizes what he has, every single season. It's clear that he's cultivated a fantastic working relationship with young superstar Pat Mahomes. Reid's Chiefs are smartly built, with explosive playmakers like Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt, Travis Kelce and Sammy Watkins surrounding Mahomes. Seems like Reid's boys are headed full steam ahead for...
1. Bill Belichick, Patriots: A Patriots-Chiefs AFC Championship Game seems likely, no? I mean, what else is there to say about Belichick at this point. He's the greatest football coach of all time. McVay is young, energetic, passionate and smart, but he's not Bill Belichick. That takes time. That takes Super Bowl titles. Maybe one day the kid will get there -- but until then, heavy lies Belichick's crown.
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