Grading All 10 NFL Head Coaching Hires
There were quite a lot of job openings in the NFL this offseason. 10 head coaches were fired and have now been replaced by various candidates from across the sport. Some teams nailed it, while others might end up regretting their choices.
Grading the 10 new NFL head coaches
John Harbaugh, New York Giants: B-
John Harbaugh makes sense from a stability standpoint. The Giants want stability for the new Jaxson Dart era, and there was no better candidate than Harbaugh there. However, if he couldn't get it done with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens' offense, he's going to have a tough time with the Giants.
Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans: A
This grade is largely contingent on the Titans also landing Brian Daboll to coordinate the offense. Robert Saleh is one of the best defensive minds in the game, and having Daboll to run the offense means that side of the ball won't be slacking. Overall, the Titans nailed it, though Saleh did have a tough run with his first NFL head coaching gig.
Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers: F
This is the worst coaching hire of this cycle. Mike Tomlin is a better version of Mike McCarthy, so moving from Tomlin to McCarthy can only make the Steelers worse, and not the kind of worse that helps the franchise grow. They went from mediocrity to mediocrity when they had a chance to start fresh and build something.
Mike LaFleur, Arizona Cardinals: C+
The Cardinals quickly ran out of head coaching candidates in part because it's not an ideal job. They're in the hardest division in the NFL and have very little going for them. Mike LaFleur does come from the Sean McVay tree, which helps, but that's always been a McVay offense, not a LaFleur offense.
Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons: A-
Kevin Stefanski had a really hard time without a QB in Cleveland, but he's a two-time Coach of the Year. In that regard, the Falcons really nailed it. However, he still doesn't have a good QB situation, and hiring retreads is always a risk. Still, Stefanski probably shouldn't have even been available in the first place.
Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins: C+
The Miami Dolphins, similarly to the Cardinals, were not an ideal landing spot. They also went out and got a defensive coordinator whose team lost every single game after Micah Parsons' injury, so that's not ideal. Still, Hafley is a good defensive coordinator that deserved a shot.
Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens: A+
Jesse Minter to the Ravens is the best hire of the cycle. He's going to fix the Ravens' defense, and he represents a younger, more exciting option than Harbaugh. They need to nail the OC hire to help the offense, but that side of the ball should take care of itself and give the Ravens two elite units.
Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills: D+
There are rumors that Joe Brady doesn't call run plays for the Bills, and that has been their strongsuit during his tenure. His promotion comes amid a rash of poor decisions for the NFL franchise, too, so it's hard to feel terribly positive about any of this. Brady is young, but he's also stale for the organization and somewhat uninspiring.
Todd Monken, Cleveland Browns: C-
At times, Todd Monken has run really strong NFL offenses, but he's going to have his hands tied behind his back with Cleveland's QB situation. Nothing about those offenses, though, suggested he was on the cutting edge of scheme, which is why he was a totally surprising NFL hire.
Klint Kubiak, Las Vegas Raiders: C
The Seattle Seahawks are in the Super Bowl in Klint Kubiak's first year, so it makes sense why he's a candidate. However, he's not an offensive guru, and his playcalling is not exactly revolutionary. He does do well with the run game and will work wonders with Ashton Jeanty, but the Raiders have little else on offense, and he's not going to have a QB that's archetypally like Sam Darnold.
