head coaches in the NFC North
By: Jake Rajala
There are a plethora of quality head coaches in the NFL. Some of the best head coaches reside in the NFC North. The question is: where do they stand? Well, I’m going to do my best (which will be questionable) to rank the NFC North head coaches.
4. Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson is widely known as a new head coach. He was just thrown in the water. He proved to be an elite play-caller, as his Detroit Lions offense was a juggernaut last season. The Lions ranked first in PPG and second in YPG! It’s lesser known how Johnson can manage a team and call plays with a lesser talented offense, though. At least he has a much younger QB than Jared Goff that he can coach for more than a decade.
3. Kevin O’Connell
Kevin O’Connell had his best season in 2024, to say the least. Sam Darnold ocassionaly looked like the best QB on the planet. Darnold unleashed 35 passing touchdowns. The best player wasn’t their QB, rather it was Justin Jefferson. Jefferson recorded 1,533 yards, which was second in the league. All eyes will be on J.J. McCarthy, as he needs to prove that he can take the Vikings a step further than last season.
2. Matt LaFleur
The Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has been a pillar of consistency. He has three seasons of 13 wins! He hit a bit of a road block in 2022 (where he went 8-9). He then went 9-8 in the season afterward. He somewhat picked himself up and won 11 games last season, which was third in the division. I believe that Jordan Love and LaFleur are too good of a combo to not be a Super Bowl contender in most seasons.
1. Dan Campbell
Dan Campbell reached very impressive heights last season. His Lions squad went 12-5 in 2023 and then 15-2 last season! They could taste an unbeaten season, but that couldn’t quite come to fruition. The Lions locked up the first seed. Unfortunately, they were worn out and injured, which led to them having a blow-out loss against the Washington Commanders.
The NFC North has three head coaches that could reach the Hall of Fame if they keep on their current track. It may sound too early to say that, but they have proven to be elite over a few years, or dominant with little talent, which makes it more impressive.
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