AFC West: ranking head coaches
By: Jake Rajala
The AFC West isn’t only loaded with talent from its players. They carry elite faces at the head coaching spot. With that simply said, I’m going to rank the head coaches in the AFC West.
4. Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll is like the energizer bunny. He will rip his shirt off at draft picks and he will jump up and down sidelines with ease. Carroll wasn’t quite the same after Russell Wilson and the Legion of Boom left. In 2021, he went 7-10. He then went 9-8 in 2022 and 2023. He had Geno Smith in his remaining days, but he’s not quite a Pro Bowl QB. Pete does have Ashton Jeanty, who is very similar to Marshawn Lynch.
3. Sean Payton
Sean Payton is the ultimate QB whisperer. He led Teddy Bridgewater to a 5-0 record. He also had Jameis Winston start and lead the team to a 5-2 record! However, that doesn’t give him a pass for many 7-9 seasons. He also struggled to win in the playoffs, despite the unfair referee calls.
2. Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh doesn’t have a long NFL resume, but he’s been quite dominant at the pro level. He led his team to the Super Bowl in his second NFL season! He also won a National Championship for Michigan in 2023. Last season, he went 11-6 in his first season in the AFC West!
1. Andy Reid
Big Red could go down as the greatest head coach ever if he stays in the league for several more seasons. It’s a tad unfair he gets to coach Patrick Mahomes, who may be the only QB better than Tom Brady. Reid also made the Chiefs a playoff contender with Alex Smith, so it’s not completely true that Mahomes “carries” the team.
The AFC West has arguably the best group of head coaches in the league. All four head coaches have battle scars. Three of the four have won Super Bowls. One of them has won a National Championship. I believe all four have a chance to win the division and win a Lombardi trophy in the future, even if Mahomes is on the field.
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