All eight head coaching positions for the 2024 NFL season have been filled, with the Washington Commanders making the final hire. Now is the perfect time to rank each of the new hires. The Seattle Seahawks have hired Mike Macdonald, the youngest head coach in the NFL, and he is ranked number one. Macdonald’s defensive coaching style is highly regarded, with his emphasis on split-field coverages, well-timed simulated pressures, and good tackling. His ability to effectively communicate with his players and call plays in the right moments has been proven successful, as evidenced by the improvement of several players under his tutelage. While there is more to being a head coach than just defensive strategy, Macdonald has passed every test with flying colors and the Seahawks are in good hands. Jim Harbaugh has taken the head coaching job for the Los Angeles Chargers, and there is speculation that he may approach the roster differently.
2. Jim Harbaugh has a proven track record of winning football games at every level he has coached, from FCS to FBS to NFL. He has established a clear identity for his teams, focusing on a run-heavy offense, play-action passing game, and physical defensive football. He has a talent for adapting old-school football philosophies to modern game strategies, as seen in his use of the pistol run game with Colin Kaepernick and simulated pressures with Macdonald and Jesse Minter. Harbaugh has a history of building strong coaching staffs, including Greg Roman, David Shaw, Pep Hamilton, and Vic Fangio, who have all had success under his leadership. He has a talented quarterback in Justin Herbert, who has the potential to be Harbaugh’s best quarterback yet. With Harbaugh at the helm, the Los Angeles Chargers have the potential to contend for division titles against the Kansas City Chiefs.
3. Raheem Morris is a highly respected coach with over 20 years of NFL coaching experience. He has received glowing endorsements from coaches and players alike, and his positive personality makes him a desirable person to be around. Morris has worn many hats in his coaching career, primarily serving as a defensive backs coach and defensive play caller, but he also has experience on the offensive side of the ball and as a head coach. While his tenure as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not go as planned, Morris gained valuable experience in managing a locker room and building a coaching staff. In his recent role as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, Morris demonstrated his ability to adapt and create new strategies, making the most of a depleted defensive roster. Morris has the experience and qualifications to lead the Atlanta Falcons to success.
Dave Canales, a coach for the Carolina Panthers, seems to fall into the category of being a teacher. His past two years as a coach have demonstrated this, as he helped transform the careers of quarterbacks Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield. Canales’ ability to communicate and teach effectively has led to increased confidence and success for these players. This skill set is exactly what the struggling Carolina Panthers need to help their first-overall pick from last year, Bryce Young, improve. Canales’ success in turning around downtrodden quarterbacks makes him a valuable addition to the Panthers coaching staff.
The hiring of Jerod Mayo by the New England Patriots can be criticized for various reasons, but I’m not concerned about his lack of experience as an NFL coach or the “Bill Belichick tree” label. Belichick has praised Mayo’s intelligence and demeanor as a player and coach, and Mayo has proven himself as a quality coach, especially with the Patriots linebackers. Under his guidance, players like Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai have shown significant improvement and confidence. While there’s a possibility that Mayo may fail as a Belichick disciple or due to his inexperience, I’m excited to see him take on the head coaching role as he possesses many desirable qualities. Additionally, being raised in the Belichick environment should not discount his potential success. In other news, Brian Callahan, the new head coach of the Tennessee Titans, addressed the media after being introduced by Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
6. The Tennessee Titans made a relatively quiet hire in bringing on Brian Callahan. Despite some buzz surrounding him, he was not considered a top candidate. However, the Titans seemed confident in their decision to hire him early on. Callahan has worked as an offensive coach for various teams and served as the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive coordinator for the past four years. It’s difficult to gauge his impact on the Bengals’ offense, as he worked under an offensive head coach and had QB Joe Burrow, who has his own preferred offensive scheme. Despite this, Callahan’s offenses showed impressive growth in the past two seasons, with the Bengals adapting to different approaches. Callahan is also bringing his father, Bill Callahan, a well-respected offensive line coach, to coach the Titans’ offensive line. While not the most inspired hire, there is reason to believe Callahan can turn the Titans around.
7. The Washington Commanders’ hiring of Dan Quinn is not the most exciting retread. While Quinn’s tenure in Atlanta was not as bad as it felt at the time, he did deserve credit for hiring good offensive coordinators. His defenses also tended to improve over the course of the season, but the concern lies in his rush-four, single-high philosophy. However, Quinn has shown growth as a play-caller with the Dallas Cowboys, incorporating more interesting blitz packages and embracing Cover 2 as a changeup to his typical one-high coverages.
Although Quinn’s defensive philosophy is largely a rush-four, single-high approach, it requires skilled players who can execute, particularly at cornerback and off the edge. However, the Commanders’ roster is ill-suited for this style of play, having traded away two Pro Bowl-caliber pass rushers and lacking strong cornerbacks. Despite Quinn’s ability to connect with players and assemble solid staffs, the team’s roster does not align with his defensive philosophy, causing concern.
Antonio Pierce’s potential as a head coach is difficult to assess due to his limited coaching experience and lack of offensive or defensive play-calling responsibilities. While he is praised for his ability to connect with players and led the Raiders to a better record as interim coach, his lack of experience may hinder his ability to build a strong coaching staff. Although players advocate for Pierce, his resume is sparse, leaving some uncertainty about his future success.
