NFL Analysis
10/29/24
10 min read
Grading Every New Head Coaching Hire Through NFL Week 8
The NFL featured significant turnover across the league this offseason, including a quarter of the franchises replacing their head coaches.
So far, those new coaches are still a work in progress, at least for the most part.
Popular coaches like Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel have taken steps back this year despite their success as head coaches. Meanwhile, multiple teams are anxiously waiting for Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to interview for the NFL head coach position.
This year's group of new head coaches still features some seasoned veterans and some guys in their first year as head coaches. With the season at its midpoint, let's grade each of the new head coaches based on performance rather than expectations.
Grading Every New NFL Head Coach
Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders: A+
There isn't another head coach who is thriving in a new situation like Dan Quinn has with the Washington Commanders.
A new owner, general manager, head coach, and now a rookie quarterback has completely turned around a franchise that looked stuck in the mud just a few years ago. Jayden Daniels looks like the strong frontrunner for the Offensive Rookie of the Year, posting a 104.3 passer rating with 11 total touchdowns and just two interceptions.
The Commanders brought in tons of talent in free agency and the draft, and the coaching staff has quickly gotten the roster to gel and become a legitimate playoff contender. In fact, the Commanders lead the NFC East with a 6-2 record thanks to a game-winning Hail Mary against the Chicago Bears.
The reactions of coaches and players toward Quinn tell you all that you need to know about how the team feels about him.
I feel so stupid for being disappointed with the Dan Quinn hire when it first happened. Man it was the perfect hire he changed the culture. Look at the embrace with Peters and then Terry. Man that was awesome pic.twitter.com/pZ4uUt2glh
— Shane Peacher (@PeachOmania) October 28, 2024
It's a new era in Washington, and Quinn is leading the way.
Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons: B+
The NFC South has been an ugly division during the last few years, but as of right now, Raheem Morris is leading the Atlanta Falcons to a division title.
A former defensive coordinator for the Falcons and Los Angeles Rams, Morris finally got another chance to be a head coach this past offseason. So far, he's led the Falcons to a 5-3 record, most recently with a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kirk Cousins has the Falcons offense looking like a legitimate unit, leaning on established players like Bijan Robinson and Drake London while helping unproven weapons in Darnell Mooney and Kyle Pitts thrive.
Things are going well enough right now, but Morris should be criticized as a defensive-minded coach for his team's defense. The Falcons are the 22nd team in the league by defensive DVOA despite having one of the most exciting secondaries in the league with Jessie Bates III, Justin Simmons, and A.J. Terrell.
If Morris can get the defense going, then the Falcons might turn into one of the darkhorse contenders out of the NFC.
Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers: B
Playing in the same division as the Kansas City Chiefs was always going to make Jim Harbaugh's first year in the NFL an uphill battle. However, the reigning college football national champion head coach has the Los Angeles Chargers finding their identity with a winning record through seven games.
Harbaugh and his staff aren't asking Justin Herbert to do everything this year, and he's doing more with less in 2024. He's only thrown eight touchdowns, but he's also had just one interception, putting him on pace for close to a career-high passer rating at 98.2.
Meanwhile, Harbaugh has helped revive the career of J.K. Dobbins, who had played in just nine games combined in 2022 and 2023. He's on pace for a career year, rushing for 535 yards and four touchdowns through seven games.
jk dobbins the man that u are
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 8, 2024
📺 | @nfloncbs pic.twitter.com/YZGjq4cXYm
The Chargers' defense is carrying them right now despite the offense's signs of promise. They have the eighth-best defense by DVOA, led by another dominant season from future Hall of Fame pass rusher Khalil Mack.
Expectations weren't high for the Chargers in 2024, but Harbaugh has this team trending in the right direction in 2025 and beyond.
Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks: C+
The NFC West is wide open, but the Seattle Seahawks are struggling to take advantage of the situation.
At 4-4, the Seahawks had the outright lead in the division before this past week, but an embarrassing 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills now has them in a three-way tie for the NFC West lead. As if that wasn't frustrating enough, teammates Derick Hall and Jarran Reed were spotted fighting on the sideline during the loss.
Seahawks players upset at each other on the side line #BUFvsSEA pic.twitter.com/ydWmmTn0PT
— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) October 27, 2024
Those aren't the kinds of sideline vibes you want, especially under a first-year head coach like Mike Macdonald. It's even more frustrating because there have been some flashes of brilliance from the Seahawks, including a 34-14 statement win against the Falcons just a week ago.
Injuries have kept this team from reaching its full potential, with key players like DK Metcalf and first-round pick Byron Murphy missing time. The good news is that there's still time for this team to figure itself out, but things aren't trending in the right direction right now.
Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers: C-
Let's be honest. No one was expecting the Carolina Panthers to do much of anything this year.
At 1-7, the Panthers are pretty much on schedule with where experts expected them to be halfway through the year. They're projected to have the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 with a roster that severely lacks legitimate talent.
That's not to say that there haven't been some bright spots, however small as they've been. Rookie WR Xavier Legette is having a promising start to his career with 22 catches for 211 yards and three touchdowns. Jaycee Horn also continues to look like a legitimate future CB1 for the team, allowing a passer rating of just 77.3 according to Pro Football Focus.
Canales' decision to bench Bryce Young may have also helped the former No. 1 overall pick get back on track. Despite playing against a tough Broncos defense on Sunday, Young had a solid outing with 224 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in the loss.
This season was never going to be pretty for the Panthers, so Canales and his staff need to cling to any positive takeaways that they can.
Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots: D+
The New England Patriots never had the talent to be a serious contender in the AFC East this year. That's not why Jerod Mayo gets a poor grade for the year.
Mayo's handling of the Drake Maye situation could be criticized a bit, but there were good reasons for keeping the rookie quarterback on the sideline as long as they did. The Patriots' offensive line is a complete mess, and their best player up front, David Andrews, is already out for the year.
The biggest criticism for Mayo was the way he publicly called out his players after their London loss, calling the team's performance "soft" against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The comments received so much backlash that even Bill Belichick criticized his former player for his remarks.
Bill Belichick on Jerod Mayo calling #Patriots players "soft":
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 21, 2024
"It's a lot of the same players from last year. I'm kinda hurt for those guys because to call them soft, they are not soft. They were the best team in the league last year against the run. I feel bad for the… pic.twitter.com/T7sbq2iLZ3
It's one thing to get blasted by media outlets, but to get called out by your predecessor is another thing entirely.
The Patriots scraped out a win after this backlash against the New York Jets, but a 2-6 record with locker-room drama isn't the start Mayo needed to win the support of the New England fanbase.
Antonio Pierce, Las vegas Raiders: D
Antonio Pierce shouldn't be blamed for the Las Vegas Raiders failing to find a long-term answer at quarterback this offseason. However, he should be blamed for some baffling game-management decisions.
Game management issues popped up again this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to halftime, the Raiders had the ball for a potential two-minute drill to get points going into the locker room. Instead, they ran the ball twice before throwing a third-down incompletion, giving the Chiefs the ball back with enough time to kick a field goal of their own to end the half.
Pierce has made other questionable decisions this season, including using timeouts at the end of the Rams' loss.
On top of his questionable decision making, Pierce called out his own players earlier this year for "making business decisions" before eventually apologizing for the comment.
It's not like the Raiders were expecting to be a playoff team in 2024, but the way Pierce has handled crucial moments throughout the season should have fans questioning if the team made the right hire.
Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans: F
No first-year head coach has had a more disappointing start to their tenure this year than Brian Callahan.
The Tennessee Titans were hopeful that Will Levis could be their long-term answer at quarterback, taking a second-year leap to compliment a promising defense and contend in the AFC South. After all, Callahan was the offensive coordinator for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, and his offensive identity should have helped Levis take a big step in his development.
Instead, Levis has had a year from hell, capped off by a shoulder injury that has kept him out of the last two games. According to NFELO, Levis ranks 37th among quarterbacks in success rate, and 40th out of 43 qualified quarterbacks with -0.24 EPA per dropback.
That's not the same quarterback who shined as a rookie by taking chances, but also stretching the field vertically with big-time throws deep down the field like this one.
Will Levis Keith Lee
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) October 30, 2023
🤝
embarrassing Atlanta pic.twitter.com/Xz5PBhpZli
The offensive struggles are even more disappointing, considering the Titans have a top-10 defense by DVOA this season. General manager Ron Carthon has already thrown in the towel at 1-6, trading away star wideout DeAndre Hopkins and recently acquired LB Ernest Jones IV to kickstart a rebuilding year.
Tennessee will likely hit the rest button by drafting another quarterback in the 2025 draft. However, the failure to turn Levis into any kind of competent quarterback with his physical tools and a promising rookie season should be a big blemish on Callahan's resume as a first-year head coach.
