Week 12 was quite a week for the NFL’s head coaches as we saw a lot of shake-up in the balance of power around the league.
Let’s take a look around now that the dust has settled and rank them all from worst to best.
Who are the top-ranking head coaches in the NFL after week 12?
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (bye): Doug Pederson (Last Week: #32)
Doug Pederson’s seat is getting warmer by the week. With how bad this season has gone, it is downright shocking that he is still employed in Duval.
31. New York Jets (bye): Jeff Ulbrich (Last Week: #30)
Jeff Ulbrich’s tenure as interim NFL head coach has been a nightmare for everyone involved. I would not expect teams to be lining him up for interviews this offseason.
30. New York Giants: Brian Daboll (Last Week: #26)
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Brian Daboll’s seat just got a little hotter. An NFL playoff head coach in 2022, Daboll now oversees a team on a six-game losing streak that seems to be regressing each week.
29. Las Vegas Raiders: Antonio Pierce (Last Week: #27)
While the Raiders showed heart, Pierce’s squad remains undermanned and outclassed, as evidenced by their seventh straight loss. It begs the question of whether he will still be calling the shots once the 2025 season rolls around.
28. Chicago Bears: Matt Eberflus (Last Week: #31)
Matt Eberflus remains firmly on the hot seat. While his team showed fight in the final minutes, falling to 5-18 in one-possession games speaks volumes about his inability to close out tight contests.
27. New England Patriots: Jerod Mayo (Last Week: #23)
Jerod Mayo’s postgame comments reflected a coach who knows his team is overmatched. The Patriots were outclassed in all phases by Miami this week.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NFL Teams’ Head Coaches From WORST To FIRST After Week 11 Of The 2024 Season
26. Dallas Cowboys: Mike McCarthy (Last Week: #29)
Mike McCarthy has faced his share of criticism this season, but he deserves credit for keeping his team motivated and snagging a nice win over a heavily favored Washington side.
25. Tennessee Titans: Brian Callahan (Last Week: #28)
Still a lot of work to do for Brian Callahan, but the rookie NFL head coach has to feel good etching a tally in the win column this week.
24. Carolina Panthers: Dave Canales (Last Week: #24)
Dave Canales looks like he is starting to get some momentum going in Charlotte. The first-year NFL head coach nearly pulled off the upset of the year this week.
23. Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski (Last Week: #25)
Kevin Stefanski finally gets a moment to exhale. After a season filled with disappointment and criticism, pulling off a win against a division rival, especially in a game with conditions like this, has to feel great.
22. Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen (Last Week: #17)
Shane Steichen has his work cut out for him. The Colts’ inability to execute in the red zone has to be driving him insane.
21. Atlanta Falcons (bye): Raheem Morris (Last Week: #22)
Head Coach Morris has been a marked improvement over former NFL coach Arthur Smith, but there have been some growing pains for him in year one with Atlanta.
20. Cincinnati Bengals (bye): Zac Taylor (Last Week: #18)
Zac Taylor has faced criticism for the Bengals’ slow starts and predictable play-calling. While his leadership isn’t in question, his ability to adapt and make in-game adjustments has left fans frustrated.
19. Washington Commanders: Dan Quinn (Last Week: #16)
Dan Quinn has to be shaking his head with the lack of execution on special teams, as his squad allowed two kick returns for touchdowns and missed an extra point that would’ve forced overtime.
18. Houston Texans: DeMeco Ryans (Last Week: #14)
DeMeco Ryans was left scratching his head on Sunday with the way his team played against the lowly Titans. They are still in the driver’s seat in the AFC South, but a deep playoff run is not looking promising at the moment.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Todd Bowles (Last Week: #20)
Granted, it was against a Giants side that was in complete disarray, but Todd Bowles deserves credit for having his team prepared and focused coming off a bye week.
16. Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel (Last Week: #21)
He faced a lot of heat earlier in the year, but Mike McDaniel continues to push all the right buttons now that his star quarterback is back in action.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Kyle Shanahan (Last Week: #12)
Kyle Shanahan has seen better days. This was one of the most lopsided halves of football in his career, and there are even starting to be rumors that he could be out in San Francisco.
14. New Orleans Saints (bye): Darren Rizzi (Last Week: #15)
Darren Rizzi has done everything that the Saints could’ve wanted him to do as their interim NFL head coach and more. It will be fascinating to see what he brings to the table coming out of the bye week.
13. Seattle Seahawks: Mike Macdonald (Last Week: #19)
Big divisional win for Seattle in Week 12. Mike Macdonald’s ability to adapt and rally his squad continues to impress in his first year at the helm.
12. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon (Last Week: #11)
Jonathan Gannon’s team showed some resilience but failed to execute in key moments. The overturned touchdowns and costly penalties kept them from fully climbing back in this one.
11. Los Angeles Rams: Sean McVay (Last Week: #8)
Sean McVay will want to burn the tape from this one. The Rams struggled to contain Barkley, and the offense sputtered out far too often.
10. Baltimore Ravens: John Harbaugh (Last Week: #9)
John Harbaugh had his hands full this week going up against his younger brother in the latest edition of the Harbaugh Bowl!
9. Philadelphia Eagles: Nick Sirianni (Last Week: #13)
Crazy to say it after the way the media was coming after him down the stretch of last season and early this year, but Nick Sirianni absolutely has this team humming as we move toward the latter stages of the season.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin (Last Week: #2)
Mike Tomlin isn’t going to lose sleep over one loss in the snow, but this one stings, especially considering a couple of questionable in-game decisions that could’ve swayed the result in a close contest.
7. Denver Broncos: Sean Payton (Last Week: #10)
It’s safe to say that in year two, Sean Payton will put his stamp on this team. His ability to make in-game adjustments, particularly against the Raiders’ aggressive defense, was on full display.
6. Minnesota Vikings: Kevin O'Connell (Last Week: #7)
Kevin O’Connell deserves credit for keeping his team composed during a chaotic finish. While the late-game defensive lapses might give him some sleepless nights, he always keeps a cool demeanor on the sideline.
5. Buffalo Bills (bye): Sean McDermott (Last Week: #4)
There were a lot of eyes on Sean McDermott coming into the season, and the NFL head coach deserves credit for keeping the Bills disciplined and focused in a competitive AFC. His game plans have been solid, and his adjustments have often been the difference in close games.
4. Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur (Last Week: #6)
Matt LaFleur has to be pleased with how his team rallied this week, throttling an admittedly undermanned 49ers team 38 to 10.
3. Los Angeles Chargers: Jim Harbaugh (Last Week: #3)
Another week and another impressive showing from Jim Harbaugh, who had a heck of a chess game on Monday Night Football with his older brother.
2. Kansas City Chiefs: Andy Reid (Last Week: #5)
While I’m sure Head Coach Reid would’ve liked his NFL squad to put the game away against the lowly Panthers earlier, he must’ve been pleased with their late-game rally and the win.
1. Detroit Lions: Dan Campbell (Last Week: #1)
Dan Campbell has this Lions team playing fantastic football. They sit at 10-1 and continue to bully the opposition.
Also Read: Grading All 32 NFL Teams’ Head Coaches After Week 11 Games Of The 2024 Season
