Ranking the best NFL head coaching hires
The 2016 NFL season is over, so that means we’ve officially wrapped up every head coaching search. Six teams will enter the 2017 season with new coaches. Most teams fired their old coaches, but one team saw their coach leave in retirement. With a new coach and a fresh start, those teams will make it their goal to return to the playoffs next year. Let’s break down the best (and worst) head coaching hires.
6. Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
If the Bills hired Sean McDermott a year ago, this hire would be a lot higher on the list. However, he is just coming off of a year which saw the Panthers’ defense collapse out of nowhere. Losing Josh Norman hurt a lot, but they still had most of their star players healthy all year. I’m not saying that their collapse is all McDermott’s fault, but the timing of this hiring makes it questionable to say the least.
5. Doug Marrone, Jacksonville Jaguars
Hip hip hooray for mediocrity! The Jaguars made a safe hire with Doug Marrone. However, that’s the problem with this move. Marrone isn’t the type of coach to lead a team to the Super Bowl. Sure, he was impressive in his second season in Buffalo, but he doesn’t have a lot of upside like some of the other coaches on this list. Jacksonville had a chance to hit a home run with their coaching choice, but hit a single instead.
4. Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos
Vance Joseph didn’t put up pretty numbers during his one-year stint as the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins. He did, however, provide a powerful presence in the locker room. He is the perfect leader for any team, let alone the Broncos. Joseph takes over the most talented team on this list, so his expectations will be the highest out of any other head coach on this list. He also has a fantastic offensive coordinator in Mike McCoy; he will compliment the defensive-minded Joseph tremendously. In the increasingly competitive AFC West, he’s going to need to be impressive right off the bat.
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3. Anthony Lynn, Los Angeles Chargers
This hire was a high-risk, high-reward move. Anthony Lynn had only been the offensive coordinator for the Bills for a few months when the Chargers hired him to be their new head coach. He built the Jets into one of the best rushing offenses in the league as their running backs coach. He also helped guide LeSean McCoy and Co. to become the best rushing offense two years in a row. His arrival in Los Angeles means that big things are to come for Melvin Gordon. However, Lynn is still fairly inexperienced at having a high-ranking job. He does have a great surrounding coaching staff, though – Ken Whisenhunt and Gus Bradley are both fantastic coordinators. Time will tell whether this move is a slam dunk or an air-balled free throw.
2. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
I really like this hiring for the Rams. Sean McVay is a young (emphasis on young), bright offensive mind who will look to bring some identity to a team that has been stagnant for many years. He helped groom Kirk Cousins into the franchise-caliber quarterback that he is today. Jared Goff was less than impressive in his rookie season, so he needs a head coach like McVay, who can help groom the young signal-caller. His youth helps him to be able to connect with his players, which is something that is desperately needed in the Rams’ locker room. They have been average at best for 12 years now. McVay, along with one of the best defensive coordinators in the game, Wade Phillips, will do their best to change that.
1. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
This hire could possibly save the 49ers from remaining a dumpster fire. Thanks to Kyle Shanahan, the Atlanta Falcons defied the odds and made it to the Super Bowl. He orchestrated one of the most dominant and entertaining offenses in recent years. Under his wing, Matt Ryan, a seemingly above-average quarterback, became elite. San Francisco doesn’t have nearly as good of weapons as Atlanta, but they do have the second pick in the NFL Draft. That means that Shanahan will get to start completely over with the franchise quarterback of his choosing. He has potential to be a great head coach for a long time. After years of awful mistakes by the 49ers’ front office, they finally did something right.
– Jacob Infante is a National Editor for cover32 and also covers the Chicago Bears. He can be followed on Twitter @jacobinfante24.
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