The NFL had one of the busiest head-coaching hiring cycles ever in the 2026 offseason. When all 10 teams named their new leaders by early February, Sporting News ranked them based on initial reactions.
Now it’s time to see what we got right and wrong, now that we’ve gone past the midway point of the regular season and can attach early, significant win-loss records to the first-year coaches. For a few teams, experience and past success have translated to great results. For other teams, they are still waiting for signs of a potential turnaround.
The good news is, there’s no change at the top, as the winningest coach on the market has proved why he was a hire to love. Behind him, get ready for a big shakeup from first impressions.
MORE: SN’s latest NFL power rankings for Week 10
Re-ranking the NFL’s 10 new head coaches for 2026
1. John Harbaugh, Giants (early offseason ranking: 1)
The Giants are 5-2-1 going into Week 10, with a surprise two-game lead in the surprisingly weak NFC East. Despite losing quarterback Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, New York has lost only once in the past six games.
Although there have been several breaks in their first-half plus schedule and results aren’t always pretty, the Giants are still exceeding expectations with a great chance of making the playoffs. Harbaugh’s culture change that incldues much personnel control has been a hit early and will have more promise when Dart is healthy next season.
2. Joe Brady, Bills (6)
Brady turned only 37 in September, but the youngest coach in the NFL has Buffalo in first place in the AFC East at 7-1, also the best record in the conference. That is the best eight-game start for the Bills since 1993, the season in which they got to Super Bowl 28 vs. the Cowboys under coach Marv Levy.
The reason Brady was promoted from offensive coordinator to replace Sean McDermott was to maintain the strong connection with quarterback Josh Allen. That has led to the best play of his career as he enters his prime. The defensive shakup has been a little bumpy, but now coordinador Jim Leonhard just got a missing piece in safety Amani Hooker at the trade deadline. Brady has been a natural fit taking over and it can pay off with Allen going to his first Super Bowl.
MORE: Deadline winners and losers | Trade grades
3. Klint Kubiak, Raiders (2)
Kubiak has the Raiders at 4-5 after nine games. Although they won’t be making the playoffs like the Bills and possibly the Giants, he’s accomplished the mission of changing the mind-set and giving the offense a lot more punch. His decision to stick with Kirk Cousins paid off, as the team could flip him to the Vikings for a third-round draft pick. At the same time No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza was groomed well behind the scenes and still will see significant starting action.
The running game and run defense couldn’t be fix quickly, but there’s just more positive vibes and energy leading the team to play with more intensity in all three phases. Once GM John Spytek has another offseason or two, the Raiders can be in position to win a lot more for Kubiak.
4. Mike McCarthy, Steelers (5)
McCarthy was hired after a year off from being let go by the Cowboys. The biggest calling card the 63-year-old one-time Super Bowl winner had was his previous strong connection with Aaron Rodgers. The results have been positive with Rodgers in a very familiar offense leading the way to an AFC North-leading 6-2 record after eight games.
After 19 seasons under Mike Tomlin in which the Steelers never had a losing record, including winning the division at 10-7 just last season, McCarthy had a tough headset to fill. Beyond the work with Rodgers, the Steelers are ironically getting the running game-defense 1-2 punch that Tomlin liked most as his winning formula.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
5. Todd Monken, Browns (10)
Monken took the toughest job among the 10 openings but has faced the challenge well as a as a 60-year first-time head coach. The Browns being above .500 at 5-4 this late into the season is a mild shocker. There are signs of his offensive influence in getting clutch play from two quarterbacks with a rebooting younger supporting cast. He’s laying the ground work to do better work with a true, highly drafted franchise QB.
Cleveland has relied plenty on some improbable comebacks to get where it is, but that “luck’ is more the residue of some improved design and personnel.
MORE: Browns make a decision on starter for Week 10
6. Kevin Stefanski, Falcons (3)
Monken just edges his Browns’ predecessor. Stefanski has gone a disappointing 3-6 so far, landing Atlanta in last place in the NFC South, the NFL’s worst division. The Falcons have scored some huge wins over the Packers and 49ers, and also beat the Saints. Those spikes in the middle of the first half have been matched by real clunkers, including a 16-0 loss to the Buccaneers and a 34-17 loss to the Bengals the past two weeks.
Atlanta has seen a positive trajectory with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. since he came back from his torn ACL, only to see a few recent shaky games. The inconsistency on offense and defense is maddening. Stefanski can still succeed with the Falcons, but he has to start showing it by next year.
7. Mike LaFleur, Cardinals (7)
LaFleur is difficult to evaluate with his first head-coaching gig at age 39. There have been some good moments in the 3-6 start, including the two thrilling road wins against the Rams and Cowboys. But there have been some key injuries along the way to young players, including left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love.
Now the team has lost top wide receiver Michael Wilson to a scary neck injury and don’t have fallback depth with Marvin Harrison Jr. traded to the Texans. In a similar way, with Gardner Minshew getting hurt in his first start for the team and Jacoby Brissett traded to the Ravens, LaFleur has needed to flip to starting rookie third-rounder Carson Beck at QB. There’s been some gritty, competitive play in Arizona, but there’s no doubt LaFleur has been hurt by not having enough good Cards in the deck.
MORE: Post-trade deadline NFL Mock Draft
8. Jeff Hafley, Dolphins (9)
Hafley, the former Packers defensive coordinator and Boston College head coach, has gotten Miami’s defense to hang in there in several games despite some talent deficiency. The Dolphins still rank No. 23 in scoring defense (25 points allowed per game), but they are also No. 13 in total defense (326.1 yards allowed per game).
The problem, to no one surprise, has been an offense where new starting QB Malik Willis has tried to make it work with a young, very limited receiving corps. The issue on that side got a lot bigger when top weapon De’Von Achane went down with a torn ACL in Week 3. To the Dolphins’ credit, they recovered well in the running game with Ollie Gordon II, but not having Achane further hampered their passing game.
Now Hafley must come to terms with Willis missing a good chunk of time with a groin injury, leaving his offense more in a bind with second-year QB Kyle McCord needing to start in Week 10 and beyond. It’s difficult not to give Hafley half of a pass for his rookie year.
9. Jesse Minter, Ravens (4)
Minter has been rather disappointing so far with the Ravens’ 4-5 start. Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley going down at quarterback not withstanding, Baltimore has had other issues, mainly tied to the defense. The Ravens are tied with the woeful Cowboys at No. 25 in scoring defense (26.2 points allowed per game) and are No. 15 in total defense (329.7 yards allowed per game). They also are struggling mightily with pressure and coverage.
There’s no doubt the offense has sputtered of late with Derrick Henry and the running game being contained. Jacoby Brissett can do only so much to make the Ravens’ respectable there. But not having Jackson is magnified by the offense incapable of scoring enough to surpass what the defense gives up.
MORE: Meet the Harbaugh Guys – coaches and players who served both brothers
10. Robert Saleh, Titans (8)
Saleh, the former Jets head coach and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, the former Giants head coach, have not had many highlights yet leading a 1-7 team. Second-year QB Cam Ward has taken more lumps, learning a new scheme with several new players being broken in around him. Tony Pollard and the running game has been the bright spot and there’s hope the light will go on more for Ward after the Week 9 bye.
The defense, however, has come apart for Saleh and now must play without its two best playmakers, tackle Jeffery Simmons (traded to the Bears) and Hooker (traded to the Bills). The Titans need to give Saleh a break, given GM Mike Borgonzi has pushed the team further into rebuilding. The real expectations, to be fair, will start for Saleh leading a multiple-win turnaround in Year 3.
