With the 2026 preseason in full effect, it’s time to take a look at the NFL coaching landscape for 2026. Many coaches, such as Sean McVay, have been mainstays in the top-10 rankings, but every year, coaches either continue to push their stock up or down. Here is a ranking of the top 10 NFL head coaches for the 2026 season.
Ranking the Top 10 NFL Coaches For 2026
10. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers
LaFleur has a career regular-season winning percentage of 76-40-1 in seven years coaching the Packers. He has led Green Bay to the playoffs every year except for one and has consistently coached the Packers to be one of the best offenses in the NFL. Despite injuries to his starting quarterback, LaFleur has also found ways to field productive offenses with backup quarterbacks.
9. Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
Despite a down season in Detroit last year, Campbell has completely transformed the Lions franchise and consistently made Detroit one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the NFL over the last couple of seasons. In 2026, Campbell has a chance to bounce back with his team to make the Lions contenders in the NFC again. Campbell revamped his coaching staff in hopes in pays dividends for the Lions in 2026.
8. DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
Ryans has consistently coached up one of the top-two defenses in the NFL with the Texans. The Texans’ defense has consistently made things difficult for just about every offense they’ve faced in the NFL. In all three seasons he has been the coach for the Texans, they have made the playoffs and have won at least one playoff game.
7. Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
In just one season, Vrabel was able to turn around a Patriots team that had the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft into a Super Bowl contender. Vrabel has always been one of the best situational coaches in the NFL, always finding ways within the NFL rules to give his team an advantage. Despite a lackluster Super Bowl performance, Vrabel has shown he is one of the top coaches in the NFL. He was also the 2025 NFL Coach of the Year.
6. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
The Super Bowl champion coach, in his time with the New Orleans Saints, has carried his winning ways over to Denver. Last season, Denver went 14-3 and was the top seed in the AFC. Payton continues to demonstrate that even though he is one of the older coaches in the league, he is still one of the best in the NFL.
5. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Reid had definitely been the best coach in the NFL for the last couple of seasons until the 2025 season. The Chiefs’ offense struggled mightily before Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and was lost for the season. The Chiefs’ offense had been on a downward trajectory over the past couple of seasons; however, they were able to win despite it. Reid is still one of the top coaches in the NFL; he just takes a couple of steps back.
4. Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
In just one year as a head coach, Johnson has shown he was well worth the hype he garnered before becoming one. Johnson had his pick of whatever job he wanted before choosing the Bears for the work he had done in Detroit with the Lions’ high-powered offenses. In his first season, the Bears won the NFC North and won a playoff game over their long-time rival, the Packers.
3. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Shanahan’s resume speaks for itself since being hired to be the head coach of the 49ers in 2017. He has led SF to two Super Bowl appearances and three NFC Championship Game appearances. In 2025, the 49ers were decimated by injuries, losing their starting quarterback for a chunk of the season and All-Pro players like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa. Despite the injuries, Shanahan coached the 49ers to a 12-5 record and one playoff win. He continues to have one of the top offenses in the NFL year in and year out despite injuries.
2. Mike MacDonald, Seattle Seahawks
In just two seasons as the Seahawks’ head coach, Macdonald has led Seattle to 10-7 and 14-3 records. In his second season last year, the Seahawks were the top seed in the NFC and won the Super Bowl in dominating fashion. In just a short amount of time, Macdonald has made a case that they could be the best coach currently in the NFL going into 2026.
1. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
McVay is the prototype for what a head coach should be in the modern NFL. McVay is innovative, motivating, and driven. At the young age of 40, McVay has been to two Super Bowls, winning one, and has consistently coached the Rams to one of the NFL’s top offenses. Also, despite constant coaching turnover, McVay has continued to find a way to keep his teams competitive. A big part of why the Rams are heavy Super Bowl favorites for 2026 is because of McVay.
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