RANKING THE 2023 NFL HEAD COACHING CLASS

BY ADAM GREENE

We had a downright modest head coaching carousel this offseason, likely because we had so much turnover in 2022. Last year, 10 new head coaches joined the ranks and two of them (Nathaniel Hackett of the Denver Broncos and Lovie Smith of the Houston Texans) never made it past their first season.

Any time you rank people, there’s always going to be someone at the bottom. In this case, it shouldn’t be an insult to our fifth ranked new head coach. It’s just a statement on the strength of the overall group that was hired this offseason. Obviously, the proof will come from what happens on the field, but on its face, these all look like solid hires.

5. JONATHAN GANNON, ARIZONA CARDINALS

Age: 40

Former job: Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator

Super Bowl LVIII odds: +10000

Gannon being at the bottom of this list might look like a slight, but it’s not because he hasn’t earned the job. It’s more about how strong all the hires were this year. Somebody had to be No. 5 and Gannon gets to be the guy. When he takes the field with the Cardinals, he can control exactly where he ends up on rankings.

Was he the right guy for the Cardinals? Honestly, it’s all about who he brings in at offensive coordinator. He needs to maximize what Kyler Murray can do while at the same time protect the guy from himself. There’s a reason that Murray has not finished every NFL game over the last three seasons. His size doesn’t affect the way he plays the game, but it does affect the way he absorbs punishment. If the offense doesn’t do more to keep Murray from taking hits, it’s never going to get off the ground.

The worst slight on Gannon, coming into this job, is the Eagles’ defensive performance in the second half of the Super Bowl. I mean, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid were on the other side. I don’t see how you can fault Gannon, though he does take the blame. Which, honestly, is exactly what a head coach should do.

One reason this job was hard to fill and went down to the wire is Murray, and the reluctance of a potential head coach to be “married” to him at QB. How can Gannon protect himself if Murray flops? It’s as simple as Gannon’s job with the Eagles, he’s got to get Arizona ranked among the top defenses in the league. And, then, it’ll be tough for the Cards brass to blame him if Murray swirls down the toilet.

4. SHANE STEICHEN, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Age: 37

Former job: Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator

Super Bowl LVIII Odds: +10000

Steichen was high on pretty much every potential head coaching list for a reason. The Eagles were the No. 2 offense in the league, behind on the Super Bowl LVII winning Kansas City Chiefs. And Steichen invented a third/fourth and one call with Jalen Hurts and his team, that was completely unstoppable. Whatever he came up with there should be stolen by every team in the league. Even if you have to keep a quarterback on the roster at No. 2 or No. 3 on the depth chart who can run it. Joshua Dobbs might be in the NFL for 20 years if teams implement such a plan.

Anyway, Steichen gets the No. 4 spot over his fellow Eagles coach simply because his unit fared better in the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator, Stephen Spagnuolo, is no slouch and now has three Super Bowl rings because of his prowess as a DC. As a head coach, he was a disaster. As a defensive coordinator, he’s one of the best that’s ever walked the Earth.

Steichen’s Eagles scored 29.1 points per game and actually performed better, averaging 30 points per game, on the road.

The glaring issue in Indianapolis is obvious the absence of a quarterback. Steichen comes in with what might be the best free agent market of QBs in recent history, but I’m guessing owner Jim Irsay is all in on capitalizing on some high draft position to grab that “franchise quarterback of the future.”

With a rookie QB, Steichen will get some time, but by year three he better make the playoffs or he’ll be back in an OC office.

3. DEMECO RYANS, HOUSTON TEXANS

Age: 38

Former job: San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator

Super Bowl LVIII Odds: +15000

To no one’s surprise the 2022 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year managed to land a head coaching job. Ryans might be one of the best former players turned head coaches in the league’s history (a player of his caliber doesn’t usually get into coaching this deep). Ryans, as a linebacker, played in the NFL for 10 seasons, was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006, was a first team All Pro selection in 2007 and was a two time Pro Bowler in 2007 and 2009.

Ryans, who has worked for the 49ers since 2017, took over a top NFL defense in 2021 after former Niners DC Robert Saleh was hired by the New York Jets. All Ryans did is make San Fran even better. In 2022, the 49ers were No. 1 in pass defense and No. 1 in rush defense, which (and I’m no mathematician) means they were the best defense in the league.

So why, after two ridiculous flub hires, did the Texans actually (seemingly) hit the bullseye with Ryans? Because back in October, 2022 they fired executive vice president Jack Easterby and, suddenly, all became right with the world.

With football’s answer to Jonestown finally shut down, Houston becomes a welcoming job, one that someone like Ryans would find a compelling challenge. Mainly, thanks to a wide open salary cap and a huge haul of NFL picks.

While the Texans have been “one and done” with two consecutive head coaches, Ryans should be safe for a while. His first real challenge is finding a quarterback, but luckily enough at pick No. 2 in April’s NFL Draft, he should be able to take whichever one he wants.

2. FRANK REICH, CAROLINA PANTHERS

Age: 61

Former Job: Indianapolis Colts Head Coach

Head coaching record: 41-35-1

Super Bowl LVIII Odds: +6600

The downfall of Frank Reich in Indianapolis will deserve its own documentary treatment some day. How much blame he deserves for the Colts’ collapse over the last two seasons is probably up for debate, but even coming into 2022, Reich didn’t seem in danger. Indianapolis was a win away from making it back to the playoffs with Carson Wentz in 2021.

Ultimately, it was the Colts’ inability to find any serious answer at quarterback after Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement that sent Reich out the airlock. Reich was fine with Philip Rivers, but he too hung up his spurs. They gave Wentz a go and that didn’t work and, much to my surprise, couldn’t get anything out of the desiccated remains of Matt Ryan last year.

With the Panthers, Reich is in a similar predicament, but he at least has more time to figure it out. They have the ninth pick in the upcoming draft and, unless they’re in love with Kentucky’s Will Levis, Carolina will need to trade up if they want to grab CJ Stroud or Bryce Young.

There are plenty of options in the free agent market and, honestly, I feel as if the Green Bay Packers would listen to a trade for Aaron Rodgers, even from a fellow NFC team. But would that put Reich in the same mess that ended his Indy tenure? It’s not like the Panthers are just a player away.

1. SEAN PAYTON, DENVER BRONCOS

Age: 59

Former Job: New Orleans Saints Head Coach, NBC Sunday Night Football Analyst

Head coaching record: 161-97, Super Bowl XLIV Champion

Super Bowl LVIII Odds: +3300

The crown jewel of the 2023 head coach hiring cycle was nabbed by the Broncos when Sean Payton, former Super Bowl winning coach of the New Orleans Saints, decided to jump from the NBC desk and back onto the sidelines.

Payton took interviews with everyone and really checked out all the open situations. From the outside, it always looked like Denver had the inside track simply because the Walton family owned the team and could write whatever check Payton needed to move to the Mile High City.

Not only is Payton a proven commodity, he’s long been one of the best head coaches in the league. In his 15 years with the Saints, the team had four losing seasons, but never worse than 7-9. They topped 13 wins four times.

The only real wrinkle that could have stopped Payton from going to the Broncos was Sean McVay. As rumors about his “retirement” swirled, the Los Angeles Rams would have absolutely been the ideal landing spot for Payton and, I’m sure, his preferred destination if given the choice. But, of course, McVay ended that speculation and now Payton will get the chance to “fix” Russell Wilson.

He’s already come in and laid down the law on Wilson’s weirdness and his “private” coaches. “Mr. Unlimited” hasn’t made any kind of public fuss which is a good sign that DangeRuss has decided to move back into reality.

The Broncos have plenty of pieces and can turn around in a hurry. Can they be a Super Bowl contender in 2023? That’s doubtful, but they can certainly get to 9-10 wins with Payton in charge and become relevant again for the first time since 2015.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

Connect with us our socials on Twitter and Instagram for the latest sports news, viral moments, betting odds and the occasional memes.