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The NFL Draft Bible takes an early look at the top coaches in the National Football League.
1. Bill Belichick (NE): He may not be the most personable or quotable personality out there, but with three Super Bowls on his resume, he flat-out gets the job done. The versatile genius is a master strategist and talent evaluator. His 104 wins over a nine-year period with the Patriots is an incredible feat that every head coach hopes to come close to.
2. Tom Coughlin (NYG): The old grouch has softened his image a bit in recent years. What hasn’t changed is his top-notch game-planning skills and hands-on approach with certain players when the situation calls for it (think Tiki Barber’s fumbling woes prior to Coughlin’s hiring). The curmudgeonly coach turned around a moribund Boston College program in the early 1990s and took an expansion Jacksonville Jaguar squad to the AFC Championship twice before winning a Super Bowl with the Giants last year.
3. Jeff Fisher (TEN): The NFL’s longest tenured head coach didn’t get there by holding onto any damning photos of team owner Bud Adams. The former defensive back specializes in minimizing distractions and creating an environment that makes his players excited about playing for him. Not every coach can take a 35-year-old quarterback, who hadn’t started in three seasons, and ride him to the playoffs despite having middle-of-the road talent. Also, let’s not forget that Fisher was just one yard away from a Super Bowl trophy at the start of the decade.
4. John Fox (CAR): A well-organized leader with a plan, Fox has built a dominant offensive line and has a nice mix of skill position players to allow Carolina to be a contender for years to come. On defense, he’s developed Jon Beason as the leader of the unit that plays well versus the run and pass. Finding a new quarterback to groom behind Jake Delhomme may determine whether Fox wins a Super Bowl within the next few years.
5. Ken Whisenhunt (AZ): Went a long way in 2008 toward extinguishing Arizona’s losing mentality by cracking the whip prior to the start of the post-season. Has yet to establish a dominant running attack, but the Cardinals' steady progress makes you believe that Whiz will eventually have that issue solved.
6. Andy Reid (PHI): The corpulent one has led the Birds into the post-season in eight of his 10 years as head coach, while also appearing in three NFC Championships and a Super Bowl. The way this West Coast offense disciple stubbornly refuses to employ a power running game has been his downfall.
A big reason for Reid’s success is the importance he places on shoring up the trenches, along with the presence of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who’s been a godsend for the Eagle organization.
7. Mike Tomlin (PITT): The 36-year-old phenom really came of age in his second year at the helm by softening his my-way-or-the-highway attitude, and further opening the lines of communication with his players. Tomlin has proved himself to be a master motivator, but needs to sharpen his in-game decision making. There’s little doubt that this young leader will continue to flourish in a Steeler organization rich in experience and know-how among its assistant coaches and executive staff.
8. Tony Sparano (MIA): Connecticut’s Italian Stallion has gotten his players to buy into his “lunch-bucket” mentality. The Dolphins, under Sparano, have become a tougher and more resilient team. The first-year coach was excellent at devising weekly game plans despite his modest talent on offense. Do you think the Cowboys are regretting keeping Jason Garrett over Sparano?
9. Lovell “Lovie” Smith (CHI): As a product of the popular Cover-2 philosophy, Smith has been a good fit in a city accustomed to having stingy and intimidating defenses. Chicago’s secondary, however, was porous to say the least in 2008, and Smith has promised to be more involved in the defensive play calling. The 50-year-old coach is normally very laid back, but knows how to turn up the heat when necessary.
10. Jack Del Rio (JAX): Del Rio’s blood-and–guts approach to coaching has served him well...until last year when everything just fell apart in Jacksonville. The former linebacker will be on a short leash in 2009, as he’ll be expected to revive his defense and special teams after an uncharacteristically poor year. Additionally, he must see to it that his offensive line also picks up its play. There were times last season when the Jags seemed to quit on their head coach. Del Rio is very much under the gun.
11. Mike McCarthy (GB): McCarthy has always been a very competent offensive coach who’s well-versed in the West Coast offense. His offenses are typically well-balanced, featuring an effective short-passing attack combined with a zone-blocking scheme in the run game. McCarthy fell victim to numerous injuries on defense, which explains the hiring of Dom Capers, who’ll try to implement a new 3-4 system.
12. John Harbaugh (BAL): Jim’s big brother didn’t waste any time in injecting new life into the Ravens, and went on to ride a small-school rookie quarterback into the playoffs. In addition to being a more-than-capable motivator, Harbaugh has proved to a tremendous in-game coach when it comes to time management and calling challenges.
13. Mike Smith (ATL): The once-anonymous head coach gets high grades in teaching, communicating and putting in the hard work necessary to get the most of his players. After an improbable 11-5 season, Smith will have the challenge of taking his squad to the playoffs again without the services of some key defensive players, who are no longer with the Falcons.
14. Brad Childress (MIN): Unlike his former mentor, Andy Reid, Childress has built a physical offense that dominates the line of scrimmage. The problem with him is that he crumbles like a Triscuit at the end of close games, which he typically manages to lose. If Sage Rosenfels turns out to be even slightly better than Tarvaris Jackson or Gus Frerotte, Childress will have no excuse for not leading Minnesota far into the playoffs.
15. Sean Payton (NO): Has there been a bigger underachieving team in the last two years than the New Orleans Saints? After a memorable 10-win season in 2006, the Saints have failed to reach the playoffs twice since then due in large part to a punchless defense that finished in the bottom half in sacks, as well as defending the run and pass. While it’s recognized that Payton is an offensive coach, he must solve the problems on the other side of the ball if he hopes to keep his job. When it comes to calling plays, there are few as innovative as the one-time scab quarterback, but his blind loyalty to Deuce McAllister was maddening during much of last season, as was his tendency to abandon the run too quickly.
16. Gary Kubiak (HOU): Known in NFL circles as a sound and innovative offensive coach, this Mike Shanahan clone has done well by turning Houston’s attack into one that can be explosive both in the running and passing games. However, as a head coach, you’re also responsible for what happens on the other side of the pigskin, and that’s where Kubiak has fallen short. Outside of Mario Williams, and possibly a healthy Dunta Robinson, the Texans lack the types of playmakers they’ll need to compete with the elite teams in their conference. Kubiak is looking for marked improvements by hiring Frank Bush to replace Richard Smith as defensive coordinator.
17. Rex Ryan (NYJ): Ryan made his bones in Baltimore as the orchestrator of one of the top-ranked and more intimidating defenses. Buddy’s boy is bringing that same “take-no-prisoners” spirit to a Jets team that faded terribly last season. There’s little doubt that Ryan will turn Gang Green’s defensive corps into more of a playmaking unit—the long-time coordinator is an inspirational figure that gets his players to work hard for him. The questions are on offense, where the new coach has his hands full in trying to develop a starting quarterback from the young, inexperienced lot he currently has on his roster.
18. Mike Singletary (SF): Ryan and Singletary share a passion that they capably transmit to their players. To his credit, the Hall-of-Famer came in and instilled some much-needed discipline to his 49ers team after taking over for Mike Nolan, who was dismissed halfway through the year. While Singletary has the demeanor to lead a football team, his lack of experience as a defensive coordinator is cause for concern. Additionally, his decision to hire Jimmy Raye to coordinate the offensive side of the ball is a shaky one at best. Raye has been a part of quite a few offensively-challenged squads through the years. His teams have compiled a 77-126 record, while averaging about 18 points per game.
19. Steve Spagnuolo (STL): As a first-time head coach, Spagnuolo will hope to bring a newfound swagger to the Rams by building an aggressive, blitz-happy defense. Spags has the results to back him up, and his players will respect him because of that track record. But past accomplishments will only take you so far in the NFL.
20. Dick Juaron (BUF): Much like Gary Kubiak in Houston, Juaron also needs more playmakers on his defense, but while the former Bronco is an offensive strategist, Juaron’s expertise lies in coaching defenses. The one-time defensive back believes in employing a conservative 4-3 scheme, which doesn’t involve a lot of different looks or a whole lot of blitzing. The Bills were among the league's bottom feeders in sacks and interceptions. It’s time for Juaron to show results or he’ll soon be out of work. His offense finds itself in the same predicament, but things may be changing with T.O. in town.
21. Jim Mora, Jr. (SEA): The hiring of Mora was a rather dubious choice due to his failings last year as Seattle’s secondary coach. For those in need of a refresher, the Seahawks’ defensive backfield gave up the most yards and passes over 20 yards in the league. To be fair though, Mora did enjoy some playoff success in Atlanta, but ultimately wore out his welcome when he began speaking publicly abut coaching elsewhere. Seattle fans hope that he’s finally matured at the age of 47.
22. Norv Turner (SD): Norval can thank his lucky stars for Denver’s collapse, which enabled his 8-8 Chargers to qualify for the tournament. The journeyman is nothing but an assistant coach with a fancy title. He specializes in play calling, but doesn’t even do that right half the time, often mishandling his talent. Some might look at the Chargers' 2008 season as a success—don’t believe the hype. Considering the level of San Diego’s talent, there’s no way this team should be struggling through the regular season. No one disputes his ability to develop quarterbacks, but his on-field decisions and game planning is often uninspired and unacceptable.
23. Todd Haley (KC): If Haley can carry over his aggressive, pedal-to-the-metal approach to Kansas City, it won’t take him long to turn the Chiefs into a viable contender in the AFC West. The young coach isn’t on a three-year rebuilding program, he wants to win now, which explains why he brought the high-priced Matt Cassel to be his field general. So far, Haley has done a nice job of assembling a solid core of assistant coaches that will help him get to where he wants to go.
24. Josh McDaniels (DEN): McDaniels gets high grades for developing backup quarterback Matt Cassel last season, as well as being a key component behind New England’s 16-0 squad that put up an NFL-record 589 points in 2007. As the Broncos' head man, the soon-to-be 33-year-old will try to spread the wealth on offense by employing three-and-four receiver sets, while also throwing a few curveballs with deep passes on third and short and draw plays in passing situations. McDaniels has the personnel to prosper on offense. His defense, however, is undergoing a massive turnover as a result of the unit’s dismal showing in 2008.
25. Jim Schwartz (DET): The former Titans' assistant is a proponent of an aggressive, swarming defense. Unfortunately, Detroit has so many holes on both sides of the ball that it may take two or three years for Schwartz to actually win with this team. The cerebral Schwartz is a stats freak that uses his findings to his advantage. The key now is seeing how well he delegates responsibilities.
26. Jim Caldwell (IND): The veteran coach will do his best to stand back and not shake the apple cart. Offensive coordinator Tom Moore and Peyton Manning will have a greater influence on how the game plan is executed. Caldwell, a.k.a. Tony Dungy-lite, doesn’t have a sparkling record as a college head coach with a 26-63 record.
27. Jim Zorn (WASH): The third consecutive Jim in the list had no coordinating experience to speak of going into last season and, at times, it showed. The former Seahawk signal caller became too predictable in his play calling down the stretch. The well-known quarterback guru must finally turn Jason Campbell into a legitimate starter.
28. Eric Mangini (CLE): A great communicator he is not. Mangini’s problems in making his players comprehend his schemes was evident toward the end of the 2008 season, as the Jets totally collapsed over the last five games. The tight-lipped coach also comes up small when it comes to motivating his troops. Man-Genius might have been better served by taking an assistant coach’s job to better prepare him for a future head coaching job down the road.
29. Raheem Morris (TB): He’s young, energetic and confident. That’s just about all we know about the latest NFL coaching hire, who’s under the age of 40. The Tampa Bay front office also likes him because he’s the type of leader who commands respect. If you think Morris sounds a lot like Mike Tomlin, you’re not alone. It’s a risky hire, but we shouldn’t be surprised if he ends being a decent coach.
30. Tom Cable (OAK): Cable is in over his head, but he doesn’t seem to recognize his lack of expertise in calling plays. In fact, Cable will continue being responsible for that part of the game next season, along with passing-game coordinator Ted Tollner. Oakland’s poorly-executed fake field goal versus Kansas City late in the year is one of many reasons why the one-time offensive lineman should quit impersonating an offensive coordinator. Cable boasts an 11-35 record as the head coach of the University of Idaho along with two victories over Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden, which probably sealed the deal for Al Davis when giving him the full-time head coaching duties.
31. Wade Phillips (DAL): The antithesis of a leader. That’s Phillips in a nutshell. Despite having tremendous talent, the roly-poly journeyman’s Cowboys have lacked discipline, both on and off the field, as evidenced by numerous bonehead mistakes that have cost Dallas victories. His teams never perform under pressure and continually end up allowing big plays to the opposition.
32. Marvin Lewis (CIN): There’s no debating that Lewis has been the victim of bad management that fails to pour the adequate amount of resources it takes into acquiring and developing player personnel. The former Ravens defensive coordinator, however, must take his medicine for failing to instill discipline to an offense that continually underachieves, points fingers and shows signs of not being on the same page. After eight years at the helm of Cincinnati, Lewis has failed to build a defense that even remotely resembles some of the units he coached in Baltimore. The hiring of Mike Zimmer as his defensive coordinator was a step in right direction, but that alone doesn’t justify the fact that Lewis still has a job in the Queen City.
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