People forget that Marrone went 9-7 in 2014 before he left the team by his own volition -- a decision he now admits was misguided. It’s somewhat shocking that Rivera was on the verge of being thrown to the wolves following a six-win 2016 campaign. After a questionable 0-4 start to his first season as a head coach, Lynn led Los Angeles to nine wins in its final 12 games to nearly earn a playoff spot. His ability to get the most out of young talent can’t be overstated. Considered one of the best offensive minds in the league, he put up a 9-23 record as Cleveland’s head man in 2011 and 2012. The key to Tomlin's success is not X's-and-O's handiwork -- it's getting his players to play for him. Could Matt Patricia get similar results in Detroit, or Steve Wilks in Arizona? NFL 2018: Ranking the NFL head coaches - No. Don't forget Carroll's two postseason appearances as the Patriots' front man in 1997 and '98, or is fine work as the 49ers' defensive coordinator. The Cardinals have to find a quarterback, a replacement for Larry Fitzgerald if he retires, and five new starting offensive linemen. In fact, New England ranked in the top five of total defense in each of the past two seasons — both resulting in AFC championships. There aren't many head coaches in NFL history who've won big with a certifiable backup, so let's not be too hard on McCarthy. Fun fact. (Yes, I'm projecting a bit.). Some will question Tomlin’s in-game coaching strategy. Patricia had been the Patriots’ defensive coordinator since 2012, winning two Super Bowls and appearing in three. It seemed that Lewis’ long tenure as the Bengals’ head coach would come to a conclusion following a disastrous 2017 campaign. Don't forget coaching linebackers and running the defense in Houston. Head coaches are THE face of the product, attached to successes and pitfalls in a way that perhaps only real front men can understand. Payton was on the verge of another NFC Championship Game this past January ... before his Saints were hit by a Lake Minnetonka miracle. Front men. Some folks think that was a miracle in and of itself. Fun Fact: Carroll does not enjoy having teams run the score up on him at the collegiate level. (AP), One-hit wonder or here for the long haul? That's right, the Texans' J.J. Watt will face a Steelers team that has both T.J. and Derek Watt on the roster. The accolades that Belichick has earned since he was cast off by the Cleveland Browns back in 1995 are almost unlimited. After the Josh McDaniels fiasco, when the Colts announced a welcome-to-Indy news conference for their new head coach only to see him back out of the job, the franchise turned to Reich. Reid has won consistently and has a large body of work, with the only true blemish on his record being the lack of a Super Bowl ring. Long considered a head coaching candidate since his time as Andy Reid’s offensive coordinator in Kansas City, Pederson has not disappointed in two seasons with the Eagles. This is his 16th season with the Bengals, second only to Bill Belichick in terms of tenure, and after some question as to whether he’d return, Lewis got a two-year contract extension for the new year. Though, that was a brilliant season under Andy Reid. Talented pieces like T.Y. A pedestrian 15-17 record in two seasons as the Bills’ head coach earlier this decade had many people concluding Marrone’s best role was either as a college head coach or a coordinator at the NFL level.