Wild Card Weekend isn’t just a test for players—it’s a proving ground for head coaches. The stakes are high, the decisions are magnified, and every move on the sideline is under the microscope. Whether it’s a gutsy fourth-down call, a perfectly timed timeout, or an inspiring halftime adjustment, this is where NFL coaches earn their paychecks—or their critics.
This year’s slate gave us the full spectrum. Some coaches rose to the occasion, masterminding game plans that shut down opponents and put their teams on the path to victory. Others, well… let’s just say their fan bases are probably still yelling at the TV.
Now that the dust has settled let’s rank every NFL playoff team’s head coach.
Who are the top-ranked NFL coaches after Wildcard Weekend?
14. Los Angeles Chargers: Jim Harbaugh
For all the fanfare surrounding Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL, his first playoff game as the Chargers’ head coach was a disaster. The 32-12 loss to Houston wasn’t just a defeat—it was a complete meltdown.
The Chargers looked completely unprepared, particularly on offense, where Justin Herbert’s four interceptions halted any slight bit of progress they started to make. Houston’s defense was clearly ready for what Harbaugh and his staff had drawn up, and yet there was no counterpunch, and the offense left much to be desired out there, too.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin
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The tables have now turned twice for Mike Tomlin, and the second go-around has been painful.
Everyone was singing his praises for the job he did getting Pittsburgh out of the gates hot this year and the work he did with both Justin Fields and then Russell Wilson in the middle of the season. But the Steelers faded fast down the stretch of the season, and Wild Card Weekend was just a continuation of that as he and his squad were outclassed.
12. Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur
You have to give LaFleur credit for keeping this team afloat during the regular season, especially with a roster that seemed to lose a key player every other week. But Sunday night was a glaring reminder of how far Green Bay is from the top of the NFC food chain.
His offense was out of sync, and the defense—which looked promising at times this year—was a step behind Philly’s physicality. It’s not the kind of show you want in the NFL playoffs, especially for a coach who’s been under the microscope since Aaron Rodgers skipped town.
11. Denver Broncos: Sean Payton
Everything was looking peachy for Sean Payton off the rip on Sunday as Bo Nix led the team down the field to an early touchdown. But apparently, that was as far as Payton’s game plan went.
Denver’s offense stalled out entirely, and Buffalo proceeded to blow the doors off the Broncos, jettisoning them from postseason action.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Todd Bowles
Todd Bowles had one job: get the Buccaneers ready to win in the playoffs. Instead, his team looked underprepared, undisciplined, and incapable of handling the big moments in a 23-20 Wild Card loss to the Commanders.
There were far too many penalties and boneheaded plays at critical times for a team with this many NFL veterans and an experienced head coach leading the way.
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9. Minnesota Vikings: Kevin O'Connell
O’Connell deserves credit for the progress Minnesota has made under his watch and the way that he rebuilt Kirk Cousins first and now Sam Darnold, but the playoffs are where reputations are built. For now, his will be defined by his team’s failure to rise to the occasion when it mattered most.
If the Vikings are going to take the next step, O’Connell will need to prove he can prepare his team to succeed in the high-pressure moments that define a season.
8. Washington Commanders: Dan Quinn
Dan Quinn knew the task ahead when he took the job in Washington: rebuild a fractured franchise, restore its credibility, and, most importantly, win. Less than a year later, he’s already checked off all three. The Commanders’ 23-20 Wild Card win over the Buccaneers wasn’t just a victory… it was a statement that things are different in the Nation’s capital now.
Quinn’s impact on this team goes far beyond the X’s and O’s. After taking over for a franchise that had been mired in dysfunction for years, he quickly established a culture of accountability, toughness, and confidence.
7. Philadelphia Eagles: Nick Sirianni
Nick Sirianni continues to find ways to silence the doubters. After enduring a storm of criticism at the start of the 2024 NFL season, the Eagles head coach has guided his team to the divisional round with a 22-10 Wild Card win over the Packers—a performance that showcased just how far this team has come under his leadership, even if his style is at times unconventional.
6. Los Angeles Rams: Sean McVay
McVay’s fingerprints were all over this game. From the opening drive, his game plan was flawless. The Rams came out aggressive, marching down the field for an early touchdown that set the tone for the rest of the night.
Offensively, McVay leaned on one of those eternally dangerous Matthew Stafford hot streaks and mixed in enough run-game wrinkles to keep Minnesota’s defense off balance. On the defensive side, his team was relentless, tying an NFL playoff record with nine sacks and completely shutting down the Vikings’ offense.
5. Houston Texans: DeMeco Ryans
Against Los Angeles, Ryans’s defense was nothing short of dominant. The Texans forced four interceptions—two from All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley—and sacked Justin Herbert four times, keeping the star quarterback off-balance all game long.
Ryans has always been a leader, but now he’s proving he can do it at the highest level, taking a Texans team that few expected to win this contest and turning them into a playoff force.
4. Buffalo Bills: Sean McDermott
Sean McDermott exorcised a lot of his NFL postseason demons this week with the way that he coached circles around Sean Payton.
His Bills came out ready to play and looked like legitimate contenders. It will be fascinating to see what he schemes up next week when he and his team face the Baltimore Ravens.
3. Baltimore Ravens: John Harbaugh
Credit to John Harbaugh for rolling out a masterful game plan against their hated divisional rivals. At long last, the Ravens stuck to the run in the playoffs, and it paid off in spades, as they racked up 299 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, wearing down the Steelers’ defense and controlling the game all the way through!
2. Kansas City Chiefs: Andy Reid
Andy Reid just keeps proving why he’s one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. Once again, Reid guided the Chiefs to the No. 1 seed in the AFC, earning a well-deserved bye week while the rest of the conference battled it out on Wild Card Weekend.
1. Detroit Lions: Dan Campbell
If there’s one person who embodies the new era of Detroit Lions football, it’s Dan Campbell. The coach has taken a franchise that was the butt of NFL jokes and turned it into a team no one wants to face.
Wild Card Weekend was a well-deserved bye for Campbell, who will have extra time to get his squad ready to make another run at the Super Bowl.
Also Read: Final Grades For All 32 NFL Teams’ Head Coaches After The Final Week Of The 2024 Season
