Brendan Meyers, Staff Writer
The 2023-2024 NFL season has officially come to an end, and all 32 teams already have their head coach for next season. Eight teams were on the market for a new head coach, and they all believe they got their guy. I will be grading each signing from A+ to F.
Before we get into the grades, it is hard to fathom how many great coaches just did not land jobs. Bill Belicheck is arguably the greatest coach of all time, winning six Super Bowls. Pete Carroll has won both a Super Bowl and a collegiate National Championship as a coach. Mike Vrabel was a great coach for the Tennessee Titans. He got the one seed in the AFC a few years ago with an average Ryan Tannehill as his quarterback. Lastly, Ben Johnson was the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator this season and completely transformed that offense. I really don’t know how none of these guys got jobs.
To start off, the Atlanta Falcons hired Raheem Morris. Morris was the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator for the last three seasons. In my opinion, he is such a typical Atlanta Falcons hire. He is middle of the pack just like the Falcons have been every year since they went to Super Bowl LI seven years ago. Why wouldn’t you want a defensive guy like Vrabel or Belicheck or Carroll? He can be decent because the Falcons have good talent, but he will never get to a Super Bowl unless he has a top three quarterback to carry him. I grade this a C.
The Carolina Panthers hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales. The Panthers were undoubtedly the worst job available after having the worst record in the NFL and not having the first overall pick to show for it. I still think they could have paid Ben Johnson or some other smart offensive mind enough money to help develop Bryce Young. I think Canales has gotten lucky to have great weapons like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rachaad White to help him. Next year, I believe they will be struggle mightily again on offense and I believe Canales will be gone after two or three years. I give the Panthers an F.
The Las Angeles Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh as their head coach. Harbaugh has won everywhere he’s been. He took the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in the 2012-2013 season. He just won a National Championship with Michigan. He’s a phenomenal coach who always seems to get the best out of his players. I would not be surprised at all if the Chargers turn it around quickly and make the playoffs next season. I give the Chargers an A+.
The Las Vegas Raiders hired Antonio Pierce after he was the interim coach after the Raiders fired Josh McDaniels during the season. Pierce has gotten the locker room behind him and star players Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams have publicly supported resigning Pierce. It’s a good hire for the Raiders, but offensively there are still plenty of questions to be answered. I give the Raiders a B+.
The New England Patriots signed Jerod Mayo who was the team’s linebackers coach since 2019. The Patriots promised Mayo would be Belicheck’s heir in his contract last year. At 37 years old, Mayo is one of the youngest coaches in the league. The Patriots hope he can have similar success to what Demeco Ryans did this season with the Houston Texans. Like Ryans, Mayo is a young, defensive coach who could also have a rookie quarterback starting next season. I think Mike Vrabel would’ve been a better choice given his relationship with the Patriots and success as a coach. I give the Patriots a C+.
The Seattle Seahawks signed former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Macdonald made the Ravens the best defense in the NFL this season without having an elite pass rusher. It’s a great fit with how young the Seahawks are. Macdonald was also Michigan’s defensive coordinator in 2021 with Jim Harbaugh. I give the Seahawks an A.
The Tennessee Titans hired former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. It’s hard to judge how good Callahan really is when he’s been fortunate enough to coach Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford, and Peyton Manning. He did a good job with Jake Browning this season, but most of that can be attributed to head coach Zac Taylor. It will all come down to how well Will Levis really is and how they can get better offensive weapons around him. I give the Titans a C-.
The Washington Commanders hired Dan Quinn as their head coach. Quinn was the defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys this season. The Commanders had the second worst record in the league this season and probably will be drafting a quarterback with the second pick in the draft. I believe they should have gone with an offensive coach to pair with a top rookie quarterback. Ben Johnson made all the sense in the world and I was stunned they did not sign him. Quinn can be solid, but still was not the best defensive coach available. I give the Commanders B-.
Featured Image : Jerod Mayo
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