Poll: Which First-Time Head Coach Will Fare Best In 2024?

The 2024 coaching cycle produced eight hires around the NFL. Raheem Morris (Falcons), Jim Harbaugh (Chargers) and Dan Quinn (Commanders) are each in place as head coaches after previously serving in that role with past teams. The other five are making their coaching debuts this weekend.

Dave Canales ended a lengthy tenure with the Seahawks in 2023 when took over as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. That was his first opportunity as a play-caller at the college or NFL levels, and Tampa Bay did not rank among the league’s elite in terms of passing production. The team was also last in rushing yardage, but overall the Buccaneers outperformed expectations in 2023. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was among the many in-house players who landed a contract keeping him in Tamp Bay this offseason.

That came in no small part from the former No. 1 pick’s career highs in yards (4,044) and touchdown passes (28) under Canales. Expectations will be high for another NFC South title in 2024 for the Bucs, but the opposite will be the case in Carolina as Canales begins his first head coaching gig. The 43-year-old helped stabilize Mayfield’s career in Tampa Bay after doing the same with Geno Smith in Seattle. Canales will now be tasked with overseeing Bryce Young’s development.

Selected first overall last April after the Panthers’ blockbuster trade to acquire the top pick, Young struggled mightily in 2023. The same was true of many other aspects of the organization, of course, and head coach Frank Reich was fired midway through his first season as head coach. General manager Scott Fitterer was dismissed this offseason, with Dan Morgan being promoted as his replacement. He and Canales are at the helm of a long-term rebuild, but at least slight improvement from last year’s 2-15 campaign will be expected in 2024.

Antonio Pierce has slightly more experience than his fellow first-year coaches. The Raiders gave him the interim HC title after Josh McDaniels was fired midway through his second season in Vegas. Owner Mark Davis was in a similar situation when Rich Bisaccia took on interim duties in 2021. Davis allowed Bisaccia to depart, a move he has since expressed regret over.

Instead of repeating that move this year, Davis tapped Pierce for the full-time gig. Many players publicly endorsed the former Pro Bowl linebacker after he guided the team to a 5-4 record down the stretch. Efforts to land a quarterback in the first round of the draft were unsuccessful, so training camp saw incumbent Aidan O’Connell and free agent pickup Gardner Minshew compete for the starting gig. Neither passer impressed, and the veteran will begin the year atop the depth chart based largely on his experience.

The Raiders added Christian Wilkins to a defensive front already featuring Maxx Crosby, and the team’s defense will be leaned on heavily amidst questions in the passing game. Vegas’ rushing output without Josh Jacobs in the backfield will also be worth watching as Pierce looks to lead the Raiders to a postseason return or at least offer a reason for long-term stability on the sidelines.

Jerod Mayo was known to be the Patriots’ heir apparent to Bill Belichick well before the six-time Super Bowl winner parted ways with the organization. Belichick’s departure came about after the third year with Mac Jones in place at quarterback wound up as a disaster. Sweeping changes on offense were made in the offseason, although a number of players brought in during Belichick’s tenure were retained.

That will leave Mayo – who spent his entire eight-year playing career in New England – with several familiar faces on defense in particular (except, notably, Matt Judon). The 38-year-old spent much of his first training camp overseeing a quarterback competition between veteran Jacoby Brissett and rookie Drake Maye. The latter will begin his career on the bench, but as the No. 3 pick in April’s draft and the more productive passer during the preseason he is expected see the field in relatively short order.

The 2024 campaign will be measured in large part by Maye’s development, but the degree to which the Patriots’ offensive line and receiving corps progress will be worth watching as well. Mayo and first-year de facto GM Eliot Wolf‘s roster is not expected to compete in the AFC East, but a step forward from the end of the Belichick era would provide optimism moving forward.

Pete Carroll attempted to remain in place at the helm of the Seahawks in 2024, but the team moved forward with finding his replacement. Mike Macdonald, 36, is the only head coach younger than Mayo and he represents a candidate to enjoy a lengthy tenure in the Emerald City just as Carroll did. Macdonald spent the 2022 and ’23 seasons serving as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, boosting his stock considerably during that time.

Baltimore led the NFL in points allowed, sacks and takeaways last year. That unprecedented feat put him on the head coaching radar despite his age and the fact many younger head coaches tend to have a background on the offensive side of the ball. New OC Ryan Grubb will take charge of Seattle’s offense while Macdonald focuses on orchestrating a defensive rebound. The Seahawks have ranked no better than 22nd in total defense over the past five years.

Seattle finished 9-8 last season, and quarterback Geno Smith is among the core players still in place from Carroll’s final campaign. If Macdonald can guide the team to a better finish on defense, a postseason berth could very well be within reach. The NFC West figures to remain highly competitive, though, so his first year at the helm will feature several challenges if a return to the playoffs is to take place.  

Brian Callahan joined Zac Taylor’s original Bengals staff in 2019 and he worked as offensive coordinator for five years. That gig did not include play-calling responsibilities, but Callahan drew head coaching interest before landing the Titans’ position. Tennessee moved on from Mike Vrabel after a second straight losing season, and Callahan will be tasked with developing quarterback Will Levis in his place.

The 2023 second-rounder made nine starts during his rookie campaign after taking over from Ryan Tannehill. Levis’ ability to progress will be Tennessee’s top storyline as he takes charge of a unit which now features Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd, Tony Pollard and multiple new starters along the offensive line. Callahan’s ability to fit those new elements into the offense and maximize Levis’ potential will determine much of the team’s short- and long-term outlook.

The Titans went 6-11 last year and the AFC South includes three other teams which have young passers; all of them posted better records than Tennessee in 2023. Ran Carthon enters his second season as general manager, and the team’s new regime will be tasked with moving forward with a new core compared to the Vrabel era. Callahan is a central figure in that effort, and Levis’ first full campaign atop the depth chart will be worth watching closely as Callahan handles play-calling duties.

Which staffer do you think will have the best campaign in 2024? Cast your vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section.