Their stars may steal the spotlight on the field, their quarterbacks may be given all the credit and their team owners may have the most money and bragging rights.
But no person can single-handedly determine the fate of a football franchise like an NFL head coach.
After all, would there have been a Tom Brady without Bill Belichick? A Patrick Mahomes without Andy Reid? A Terry Bradshaw without Chuck Noll?
Coaches have the power to make or break a team, mold a player’s entire career, and determine the ultimate trajectory of a Super Bowl contender.
Being in the hot seat is no easy task, and their sideline decisions can be heroic or inspire widespread hatred from fans.
Whether it’s one wrong call, a slew of injuries, or petty behavior, the NFL’s top trainers can have supporters turn on them in an instant.
So, what does America really think about the leaders of the league? Who’s Super Bowl material? And who deserves to be cut?
DailyMail+ today unveils its Power List of America’s favorite NFL head coaches, which features 10 of the best and most divisive in the league right now.
DailyMail+ unveils its Power List of America’s favorite NFL head coaches, which features 10 of the best and most divisive in the league right now
Based on exclusive polling, our Power List captures public sentiment around likeability, trustworthiness, perceived bias and knowledge. And there’s one clear winner.
America has crowned Andy Reid as the best-loved coach in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs boss unsurprisingly beating out his league rivals with ease.
Our DailyMail+ Power List voters left no debate that they hold the 67-year-old California native in the highest regard.
Reid, who calls the shots for Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, ranked top as the most knowledgeable, likeable and truthful.
Having spent 26 years working his way into fans’ hearts, Reid also emerged as voters’ favorite choice to kick back and relax with.
After 13 years of having to keep Kelce in check, the California native who is the NFL’s highest-paid coach with a salary of $20million, was still viewed as the third most fun NFL coach.
The footballing stalwart’s only major downfall is the doubt over his neutrality. Reid finished ahead of only Nick Sirianni – his Super Bowl rival – in voters’ ranking of the least biased NFL chief.
See full Power List NFL head coaches rankings in our interactive tool
But it is no surprise that Reid has earned the admiration and respect of the nation. He has established himself as one of the most revered coaches in the NFL.
A source told the Daily Mail that Chiefs stars like Mahomes and Kelce couldn’t imagine playing for anyone else, and fans respect the legacy he has built.
‘Andy Reid to both his fans and to his players is one of a person who has a father figure status and is almost like he is a Santa Claus type figure to them,’ the source said.
‘That hasn’t actually translated to his real kids but winning keeps negativity away from that narrative.
‘Anyways, for Travis, Patrick and everyone that plays for Andy, that loves and respects him, it is all based on how he gives them the chance to win, and that is so important for Travis, Patrick and the Chiefs because behind closed doors they all bounce off each other to continue to win.
‘The influence that Andy brings is not taken for granted, and fans and Travis, Patrick and his team eat it all up. It bleeds over as he can work with so many personalities, and it just works out.
‘There is a wonderful feeling that comes from Andy, as he is able to show off his best self on the football field and it is obviously noted from his top players and NFL fans alike.’
Reid has built a dynasty in Kansas City, guiding the Chiefs to five appearances in the big game in the past six years.
And, despite heartbreak in last season’s finale with the Philadelphia Eagles, the architect of Kansas City’s success shows no sign of slowing down.
While Sirianni and the Eagles may have bested Reid’s Chiefs in February’s Super Bowl, when it comes to our Power List, there is no competition.
The Eagles head coach is the most disliked in the league.
The 44-year-old sits rock bottom in our Power List, ranking dead last in four of the seven categories – likability, bias, fun, and truthfulness.
His one saving grace is that he managed an eighth-place finish in knowledgeability, edging out the Giants’ Brian Daboll and Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel.
Click below to see how NFL head coaches ranked in each category
The results are little consolation considering Sirianni led the Eagles to Super Bowl glory five months ago.
To add insult to injury, it appears no fan would have wanted to join Sirianni’s Super Bowl celebrations either. Voters ranked him the second-least likely coach they would want to spend time with.
Sirianni has long been a polarizing figure in the NFL, renowned for his petty taunting of rival fans. He has even been known to turn on his own fans.
His team and its notorious fanbase won’t do much to help his popularity.
Philadelphia fans are no strangers to ruffling some feathers, with their hostile atmosphere, boisterous fights and lamp post-climbing antics
Languishing alongside Sirianni at the bottom of the list is Daboll, whose New York Giants crashed to a 3-14 record last season.
Fueled by yet another catastrophic season in 2024, the 50-year-old – who is in the middle of a five-year-contract worth between $25 and $30 million – was deemed to be the least knowledgeable of the bunch.
His former NFL Coach of the Year award also didn’t ring true when it came to his popularity among fans, as he was named the second-least likable.
Andy Reid, pictured with Travis Kelce (left), eased to the top of our DailyMail+ Power List
Reigning Super Bowl-winning coach Nick Sirianni (left) shockingly came in dead last
Miami Dolphins coach McDaniel, with his quirky dress sense and witty retorts to reporters, was revealed to be the coach fans least wanted to spend time with, seeing him finish second-to-last overall.
The 42-year-old has endured a rollercoaster tenure in the 305, with fans often questioning his decision making, especially when it comes to the safety of his players.
Miami’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has suffered three known concussions during his five seasons in the NFL, with his latest coming last September.
Yet, McDaniel has refused to acknowledge the possibility of the signal caller’s retirement, despite calls for Tagovailoa to hang up his cleats for the sake of his life.
The Dolphins are also viewed by some as struggling with disciplinary issues. Wantaway star Tyreek Hill created a tumultuous locker room atmosphere with his explosive trade comments at the end of last season after he appeared to remove himself from Miami’s Week 18 finale.
Meanwhile, back at the top of the leaderboard, Pete Carroll, like Reid, proves veteran experience goes a long way among NFL fans.
The 73-year-old may be entering his first year at the helm of Tom Brady’s Las Vegas Raiders but he already has a wealth of success under his belt.
Mike McDaniel’s (L) quarterback in Miami, Tua Tagovailoa (R), has suffered three concussions
Brian Daboll, whose Giants finished 3-14 last season, was deemed the least knowledgeable
Carroll, who got his first head coaching job back in 1994 with the New York Jets, is a Super Bowl champion having led the Seattle Seahawks to victory in 2014.
His successful tenures across the league, which also stretch to the New England Patriots, have earned the trust of NFL fans, seeing him earn second-place votes in approval and likability rankings.
But his most shining characteristic is his neutrality. Perhaps thanks to his many stints at multiple teams, fans view Carroll as the least biased of the selection.
Yet, the veteran coach had to settle for third-place overall, as Sean McDermott, who is in his first head-coaching post, pipped him to second.
The 51-year-old Buffalo Bills boss found himself at the center of a storm in 2023 when it emerged that he had credited 9/11 hijackers to stress the importance of communication in a team meeting.
Yet, NFL fans must have a short memory as almost two years on McDermott surprisingly swoops up the top approval rating among the pack, while also being deemed the second-most fun and neutral.
However, his lack of Super Bowl experience appears to be his one stumbling block. McDermott has led the Bills to two AFC Championship games but has failed to go all the way to the big game, falling short against bitter rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, each time.
Our Power List fuels the Harbaugh sibling rivalry with just one place separating the NFL’s brotherly duo. John, 62, earns the bragging rights over his younger brother, coming in at sixth ahead of Jim, 61, at seventh in our overall rankings.
John, who has coached the Baltimore Ravens since 2008, was deemed the third-most knowledgeable coach, while Jim could only manage a seventh-place finish in the same category.
However, Jim’s scoring could be clouded by his stint away from the NFL when the now Los Angeles Chargers coach fronted up Michigan, leading the Wolverines to a College Football Playoffs National Championship in 2024.
He coached Michigan for almost a decade before taking charge of the Chargers last year – leaving a cheating scandal in his wake.
Yet, the Michigan sign-stealing controversy, which is said to have occurred during Jim’s tenure, doesn’t appear to have impacted NFL fans’ faith in the 61-year-old. He was ranked the sixth most-truthful coach – one place ahead of his brother.
Our Power List fueled the Harbaugh sibling rivalry with John (L) finishing above Jim (R)
Dan Campbell, who is responsible for the rejuvenation of the Detroit Lions having led the underdogs to one step away from the Super Bowl in the 2023 season, has earned fourth place on our Power List, finishing in the top five in all but one category.
The 49-year-old is also believed to be the most fun coach, according to voters, after having restored hope in Motor City.
Mike Tomlin, whose new signal caller Aaron Rodgers came in dead last in the DailyMail+ Quarterback Power List, rounds out of the pack with an admirable fifth-place finish.
The Steelers coach, unlike his quarterback, doesn’t rock the boat, proving to be held in high esteem for his likability and knowledge.
Last month we launched the DailyMail+ Power List by revealing the best-loved (and most loathed) morning-show hosts and news media stars.
Last week, we ranked the sports analysts who divide the opinion of millions of fans across the country and revealed the most popular power player in Donald Trump’s inner circle.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll bring you our power list rankings for more figures in the world of media, US politics, fashion and sport.
