NFL Power Rankings: Head Coach Hot Seat Index

May 13, 2026

NFL Power Rankings: Head Coach Hot Seat Index. Read the NFL Power Rankings: Head Coach Hot Seat Index featuring Dan Campbell, Mike Vrabel, Sean McVay and more.

The 2026 NFL Draft is officially behind us, which means the next major milestone fans will be awaiting is the start of training camp in the summer. With most of the rosters nearly finalized, it's time to power rank the head coaches in terms of their job security.

Which coaches may have been given a short leash in the early going of the 2026 campaign?

Let's dive in!

No. 32 - Andy Reid, KC

Even though Kansas City was able to qualify for the 2025-26 NFL postseason, Andy Reid remains at the bottom of our list. The Future Hall of Famer will have this job until he decides to retire. With the Chiefs, Reid has won three Super Bowls and reached the Big Game five times.

Overall, Reid has posted a 149-64 record over 13 seasons with the Chiefs, with the 2025 season being his only "losing" season as head coach. Expect the Chiefs to rebound in a big way in 2026 with a healthy Patrick Mahomes and an improved run game, led by reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker II.

No. 31 - Mike Macdonald, SEA

Sitting just below Reid is Mike Macdonald, one of the youngest coaches on our list in terms of experience. Macdonald took home his first Lombardi Trophy as a head coach in 2025 and looks like one of the greatest budding minds. In 2025, Macdonald led the Seahawks to the top seed in the NFC and an overall 14-3 record.

He took over the head coaching job in 2024 and posted a 10-7 record. His defense was elite this past season, allowing the fewest points in the sport, while the offense scored the third-most points in the game. The Seahawks are expected to remain a serious contender in the NFC for years to come.

No. 30 - Sean McVay, LAR

Sean McVay will also sit near the top of this list despite the alignment height sort in the postseason again. As the Rams' head coach, McVay has not only brought this team a Lombardi Trophy during the 2021 season but has also led them to countless winning seasons and lengthy playoff runs. In 2025, McVay's squad would post a 12-5 record but see their season cut short by the Seahawks in the NFC title game.

Overall, McVay has posted a stellar 92-57 record as a head coach, with a solid 10-6 postseason record. With McVay at the helm, the Rams will always be in Super Bowl contention.

No. 29 - Sean Payton, DEN

Even though the top-seeded Broncos fell short in the AFC title game to the New England Patriots, Sean Payton is far from being on the hot seat in Denver. During the 2025 campaign, the Broncos were one of the top teams in the regular season and nearly punched their ticket to the Super Bowl without their starting QB, Bo Nix.

After a modest 8-9 record in his first campaign with the Broncos, Payton has won double-digit games in back-to-back seasons with a career-best 14 wins last fall. The Broncos enter 2026 as top Super Bowl contenders.

No. 28 -  Ben Johnson, CHI

Ben Johnson spearheaded one of the most impressive turnarounds in 2025, and appears to be the long-term solution in Chicago to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the city. After a disappointing debut season for Caleb Williams in 2024, Johnson not only improved the team's offense significantly but also led them to an 11-6 record and an NFC North title.

They began their postseason run with an impressive victory over the Green Bay Packers in a thrilling fashion, but ultimately fell short to the Los Angeles Rams on their home field in the Divisional Round. Despite the loss, Johnson appears to be in minimal danger of losing his job for the foreseeable future.

All the replays on the Caleb Williams touchdown pass to Cole Kmet. pic.twitter.com/5kUp4y155E

— ✶Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️✶ (@_MarcusD3_) January 19, 2026

No. 27 - Mike Vrabel, NE

Mike Vrabel took a break from coaching during the 2024 season but quickly re-established himself as one of the best in sports with the Patriots in 2025. After a strong run with the Titans, Vrabel was tasked with rebuilding a young Patriots team built around former top pick Drake Maye.

In 2025, Vrabel's quad smashed all expectations, winning 14 games and running away with the AFC East title. They would march through the postseason, but fall short in the Super Bowl to the Seattle Seahawks.

No. 26 - Liam Coen, JAX

Like Johnson, Coen smashed all expectations in his debut season as a head skipper. With the Jaguars, Coen not only brought this team back to the postseason but also led them to an AFC South title in 2025. In 2025, Coen's Jaguars would win 13 games and would emerge as one of the game's top offensive units.

With Coen leading the charge, quarterback Trevor Lawrence put together his long-awaited breakout season as the Jaguars would score the sixth-most points in the league and tally the 11th-most yards in the game. However, their postseason run would end with a tough home loss to the Buffalo Bills.

No. 25 - Jim Harbaugh, LAC

Jim Harbaugh's seat is slowly getting warm after another disappointing showing in the postseason, but he remains near the bottom of our list. Harbaugh took over head coaching duties for the Chargers in 2024 after winning a National Championship with Michigan. In 2024, Harbaugh led them to an 11-win season but fell short in the Wild Card round.

In 2025, Harbaugh's team once again won 11 games and fell short in the Wild Card round, this time to the eventual AFC Champion New England Patriots. While Harbaugh continues to bring this team to the playoffs, he will need to get the job done in January to ensure he stays away from the hot seat.

No. 24 - Demeco Ryans, HOU

Like Harbaugh, Demeco Ryans' job is "safe" for the time being, but another disappointing showing in the postseason could move him towards the top half of our list. In 2025, Ryans and the Texans would once again win double-digit games (12), which would set a personal best for Ryans as a head coach.

Their defense did most of the heavy lifting, allowing the second-fewest points in the sport. However, after taking down the Steelers in the opening round, they fell to the Patriots in the Division Round. Through three seasons in Houston, Ryans has held a strong 32-19 regular-season record but a modest 3-3 postseason record.

No. 23 - Kyle Shanahan, SF

Sitting in the next spot on our list is Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers. While Shanahan continues to bring this team to the playoffs, his postseason track record has kept his seat warm heading into the 2026 campaign. Through nine seasons as head coach in San Francisco, Shanahan has posted an 82-67 record with four double-digit win seasons in four of his last five campaigns.

However, in the playoffs, Shanahan has held a 9-5 record with two of his losses coming in the Super Bowl. While Shanahan does not appear to be in any serious danger of moving up our list, another tough postseason exit could push the ownership's hand.

No. 22 - Dan Campbell, DET

Like Ryan's and Harbaugh's, Dan Campbell's tenure has been marked by great regular-season success, turning around a dysfunctional Detroit Lions team into a Super Bowl contender. However, this team has fallen short in the postseason and is coming off a season in which they missed the playoffs entirely.

In 2025, Campbell's team won just nine games, which put them just out of the Wild Card race. However, over his last two seasons, he posted an overall 27-7 record and a modest 2-2 playoff record. In 2024, Campbell's team held the No. 1 seed in the NFC but fell short in the Divisional Round.

No. 21 - Matt LaFleur, GB

The Packers inked Matt LaFleur to a contract extension earlier in January, but the head coach still enters 2026 just outside the top 10 of our list. LaFleur is coming off another early postseason exit with the Packers and has yet to win a playoff game since the 2023 campaign, which puts him just above this previous tier on our list.

Since the 2022 season, LaFleur's Packers have posted just one double-digit victory regular-season effort, and during this stretch, they have won just one playoff game while losing three. The Packers are built to win and may need to get the job done in the 2026 playoffs in order for LaFleur to keep his job.

No. 20 - Dave Canales, CAR

While Dave Canales' Panthers won the NFC South on a tiebreaker during the 2025 campaign, he still has yet to surpass his expectations, which keeps him in the middle of our list. Over two seasons in Carolina, Canales has posted a 13-21 record, which is hardly indicative of much success.

In Year 1, he won just five games, and slightly raised his total to eight wins in 2025. Their offense has been a bottom-10 unit in back-to-back seasons (in terms of total points scored), while their defense was the worst in the sport in 2024 and finished just above the average mark in 2026.

No. 19 - Kellen Moore, NO

Sitting in the final spot of this lengthy tier is Kellen Moore of the Saints. Moore made his head coaching debut at the start of the 2025 campaign with the Saints and endured some growing pains, but showed steady growth over the course of the campaign. He would end the season with a 6-11 record, but his offense took a massive step forward in the second half.

While he should still be given some leeway with a young rebuilding team during the 2026 season, another losing record will likely push him up our list in the 2027 campaign.

No. 18 - John Harbaugh, NYG

Among the newly hired coaches, John Harbaugh appears to have the "coldest" seat, at least for the foreseeable future. Harbaugh spent 18 seasons as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens and posted an overall regular-season record of 180-113, with a modest 13-11 postseason record. He led them to a Super Bowl victory in 2012 but recently often fell short of expectations, leading to his departure.

With the Giants, Harbaugh is set to lead them out of their rebuild with a young QB, Jaxson Dart, in place, and several budding stars like Malik Nabers, Arvell Reese, and Cam Skattebo on the roster.

No. 17 - Klint Kubiak, LV

Like Harbaugh, Klint Kubiak has a very safe cushion serving as the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. After leading the Seattle offense in 2025 to a Super Bowl, Kubiak inked a contract with the Raiders to land his first job as an NFL head coach. After a modest OC debut in Seattle in 2024, Kubiak led them to scoring the third-most points in the sport in 2025 and one of the game's premier rushing attacks.

While the Raiders are far from competitive, the management is expected to give Kubiak a long leash as he builds the foundation of his roster. Kubiak is not expected to be in any danger, even if the Raiders have a disappointing season in 2026.

No. 16 - Kevin Stefanski, ATL

Kevin Stefanski was relieved of duties in Cleveland following a disappointing 2025 season but quickly found a new home in Atlanta. With the Browns, Stefanski was named AP Coach of the Year twice and finished with an overall 45-56 record. While he rarely had the most talented roster, Stefanski consistently brought them into the playoff hunt and led them to two double-digit seasons.

While the Falcons have playoff aspirations despite their talented roster, Stefanski will likely be given a lighter leash than the other newly hired names just below him on the list, given his extensive experience as a successful NFL head coach.

No. 15 - Jeff Hafley, MIA

Hafley enjoyed two impressive seasons as Green Bay's defensive coordinator, which earned him an opportunity to be the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. With the Packers, Hafley led a top-11 defense in points allowed in each of his two seasons, and in 2024, they allowed the sixth-fewest points and the fewest yards.

While his lack of head-coaching experience could put him at risk of an early exit, Hafley's current roster in Miami is far from entering a competitive window, which should offer him ample opportunities to work out any struggles and build his own culture.

No. 14 - Mike LaFleur, ARI

Sitting in a similar position to Hafley is Mike LaFleur of the Arizona Cardinals. LaFleur served as the OC of the Los Angeles Rams for three seasons before landing his first coaching gig for the rebuilding Arizona Cardinals. Likely the Dolphins, the Cardinals are in a strict rebuilding phase, which should provide LaFleur with opportunities to work out any early struggles in his head-coaching career.

With the Rams, LaFleur has headed one of the game's top offensive units, finishing as a top-10 unit in terms of points scored and yards earned in two of his three seasons.

No. 13 - Todd Monken, CLE

The next head coach on our list is Todd Monken of the Browns. Monklen spent three seasons as the OC in Baltimore under John Harbaugh before being hired as the Browns' head coach, replacing Kevin Stefanski. With the Ravens, Monken was very successful, helping Lamar Jackson win multiple MVPs.

While the team took a step back in 2025, which likely led to his departure, Monken's offense finished as a top-4 unit in points in 2023 and 2024 and a top-6 unit in yards in both seasons.

No. 12 - Robert Saleh, TEN

Robert Saleh previously held a coaching gig with the New York Jets and will get his second opportunity taking over the Tennessee Titans. With the Jets, Saleh had limited success, posting a 20-36 record over three and a half seasons. He was relieved midway through the 2024 campaign.

In 2025, Saleh returned to San Francisco as the team's defensive coordinator before landing a new job with the Titans. Given that Saleh has had an opportunity to serve as a head coach in this league, the Titans may not be as patient with him as with some of the other new hires, which is why he sits lower on our list.

No. 11 - Joe Brady, BUF

Rounding out the final three "new" hires will be Joe Brady of the Bills. While these next three names will also start with a clean slate, they have much higher expectations compared to their previously noted coaches. Brady will be taking over as head coaching duties on a Buffalo team that has yet to put it together in the postseason.

Brady has served as their OC for the past three seasons and has led a top-6 scoring unit in each. While the Buffalo offense projects to be elite once again, Brady's job security will be dependent on his postseason record, as was Sean McDermott's.

No. 10 - Jesse Minter, BAL

Jesse Minter will have big shoes to fill in Baltimore. He will replace longtime head coach John Harbaugh on a team still in its Super Bowl contention window. Minter has served as the defensive coordinator in Los Angeles under John's brother, Jim Harbaugh, and enjoyed great success.

In 2024, his unit allowed the fewest points in the sport, and in 2025, they remained elite, allowing the ninth-fewest. Like Brady above, Minter's job security will be entirely dependent on Baltimore's postseason success. If they can enjoy a lengthy postseason run in 2026, he should be much higher on this list in a year from now.

No. 9 - Mike McCarthy, PIT

Among the newly-hired coaches, Mike McCarthy enters the 2026 campaign with the "hottest" seat in this group. McCarthy is set to take over a team that is looking to extend their contention window, despite having a clear long-term answer at the QB position. McCarthy has not been a head coach since the 2024 season with the Cowboys.

During his three-year tenure in Dallas, McCarthy posted a successful regular-season record (49-35) but a modest 1-3 postseason record. While McCarthy is likely to keep their contending window open, if he cannot get the job done in the playoffs, he may have an early exit out of the Steel City.

No. 8 - Nick Sirianni, PHI

While it did not appear Nick Sirianni would ever come close to the hot seat after winning the Super Bowl during the 2024 season, the Eagles had a disastrous showing in 2025, in reference to previous expectations that had pushed Sirianni to the top-10 of our list. In 2025, Sirianni's Eagles won 11 games but took a tough first-round exit in the postseason on their home field against the 49ers.

Sirianni enters the 2026 campaign with a strong 59-26 regular-season record, but the team has begun to show major cracks, especially in the second half of the 2025 season. Sirianni's job is not in serious danger, but another modest regular season and an early exit could prompt ownership to consider a different approach to keep the team's Super Bowl window open.

No. 7 - Kevin O'Connell, MIN

The 2024 AP Coach of the Year had a disappointing showing in 2025 and has now officially entered the "hot" seat territory. In 2025, with his hand-picked quarterback J.J. McCarthy leading the charge, the Vikings would fall short of the postseason and struggle to find much consistency during the regular season.

Since taking over head-coaching duties in Minnesota back in 2023, O'Connell has led them to two playoff appearances but has dropped both games. In the regular season, he now holds a strong 43-25 record, but his minimal success in big games will keep his seat warm heading into the 2026 campaign.

No. 6 - Brian Schottenheimer, DAL

Brian Schottenheimer was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach ahead of the 2025 campaign. While Schottenheimer did not have a bad debut campaign, the Cowboys have their sights set on winning a championship, and falling short of the playoffs will put him on the hot seat.

In 2025, Schottenheimer's Cowboys won seven games while losing nine (with one tie). On offense, they were among the best in the sport, scoring the seventh-most points in the league. However, Schottenheimer will need to improve the defense in training camp, as they were a major weakness, allowing the most points in the sport.

George Pickens with a HUGE catch and run for the TD!
Too strong. Too fast. Too easy 💪🔥#Steelers #NFL #GeorgePickens pic.twitter.com/FzQQA5jeyu

— Aggregate (@AggregateSports) October 12, 2025

No. 5 - Shane Steichen, IND

Shane Steichen appeared to be an early-season favorite for Coach of the Year, but following Daniel Jones' season-ending injury, Steichen's squad took a massive step back in the second half and ultimately finished just shy of the AFC playoff picture. They would finish the 2025 season with an 8-9 record.

This was Steichen's second straight 8-9 season, and he has now posted a modest 25-26 record through three seasons as the head coach in Indianapolis. Steichen will need not only to have a winning season in 2026, but also to reach his first postseason to keep his seat from the bottom of our list.

No. 4 - Dan Quinn, WSH

While Dan Quinn enjoyed a near-perfect debut campaign in Washington during the 2024 season, he not only led the Commanders back to the playoffs but also brought them to two road playoff victories and nearly back to the Super Bowl.

However, in 2025, the Commanders took a massive step back, winning only five of their 17 games. While it may not appear that Quinn is on the "hot" seat, another losing season with a budding superstar under center could put him in serious danger of losing head coaching duties ahead of the 2027 season.

No. 3 - Todd Bowles, TB

Todd Bowles was nearly removed from his duties after missing out on the postseason in 2025, but he will remain the head skipper in Tampa by heading into the 2026 campaign. While Bowles won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers as a defensive coordinator, this success has yet to translate to the head-coaching job since replacing Bruce Arians.

Over four seasons as head coach in Tampa Bay, Bowles has posted a 35-33 record, including a disappointing 1-3 postseason record. Bowles will need to enjoy not only a successful regular season but a lengthy playoff run to hold his job following the 2026 campaign.

No. 2 - Zac Taylor, CIN

Sitting just outside of the bottom spot on our list is Zac Taylor of the Bengals. Since bringing Cincinnati to the Super Bowl, Taylor's Bengals have fallen well short of expectations, and his job was in serious question after missing the postseason at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign.

Following a 12-win season in 2022, the Bengals have posted a 24-27 record with no playoff appearances. While their offense has been elite when Joe Burrow is on the field, their defense has been a major weakness and has kept them from returning to the playoffs in the tough AFC North division.

No. 1 - Aaron Glenn, NYJ

Despite being New York's head coach for just one season, Aaron Glenn will hold the top spot on our list and will head into training camp on the "hottest" seat in the league. During his debut season in New York, Glenn's team would win just three games while dropping its other 14 contests.

On offense, they would score the fourth-fewest points while allowing the second-most on defense. While the team is young, Glenn will need to begin the turnaround in 2026, or he will likely be relieved of his duties as the Jets look to draft their next franchise quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft.

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