Reid Em and Weep? Picking the Top Ten Coaches in the NFL

Summary of Reid Em and Weep? Picking the Top Ten Coaches in the NFL

by ESPN, Omaha Productions, Mina Kimes

1h 14m•May 13, 2026
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Overview of Reid Em and Weep? Picking the Top Ten Coaches in the NFL

Mina Kimes and Sheil Kapadia do their annual NFL coaching and GM rankings, using a “right now” power-ranking lens rather than legacy or pure résumé. The episode centers on how much to value proven track record versus current schematic brilliance, and it ends up being a debate about adaptability, quarterback dependence, and which leaders are actually driving team success versus benefiting from great rosters or star QBs.

Main Themes and Takeaways

  • The top tier of coaches felt clear: both hosts agreed on the same top three coaches, though they differed on the exact order after that.
  • Adaptability mattered more than legacy: both hosts repeatedly praised coaches who can evolve within a season, not just over years.
  • Quarterback context is unavoidable: several coaches and GMs were hard to separate from the QBs they have or the QBs they helped develop.
  • Game management is still a major separator: both hosts criticized conservative decision-making from several otherwise elite coaches.
  • GM evaluation was especially tricky: they both noted that many front-office leaders are hard to judge because of how much credit gets tied to coaches and quarterbacks.

Top 10 NFL Coaches

Mina Kimes’ ranking

  1. Sean McVay
  2. Mike Macdonald
  3. Kyle Shanahan
  4. Andy Reid
  5. Mike Vrabel
  6. Sean Payton
  7. Ben Johnson
  8. Matt LaFleur
  9. DeMeco Ryans
  10. Kevin O’Connell

Just missed: Dan Campbell

Sheil Kapadia’s ranking

  1. Sean McVay
  2. Mike Macdonald
  3. Kyle Shanahan
  4. Ben Johnson
  5. Jim Harbaugh
  6. Sean Payton
  7. Andy Reid
  8. Matt LaFleur
  9. DeMeco Ryans
  10. Kevin O’Connell

Just missed: Dan Campbell, Liam Coen, Shane Steichen

Why the top three stood out

  • Sean McVay: the strongest case for No. 1 because of his constant offensive evolution, excellent in-game adjustments, and long track record of winning at a high level.
  • Mike Macdonald: viewed as an elite defensive mind with an early “Hall of Fame trajectory” if his Seahawks success continues.
  • Kyle Shanahan: lauded as the best pure offensive schemer, especially given how well his teams perform despite devastating injury luck.

Biggest coach debates

  • Ben Johnson: Sheil had him as high as No. 4 because of his immediate impact in Chicago and his aggressive decision-making; Mina had him lower due to the smaller head-coaching sample.
  • Jim Harbaugh: Sheil valued his program-building and winning résumé; Mina left him off entirely because of his conservative tendencies and “what exactly do you do here?” concerns.
  • Mike Vrabel: Mina included him because she still trusts his coaching ability and thought his first year back in New England showed he still has it; Sheil left him off due to uncertainty and off-field distractions.
  • Andy Reid: Mina was more optimistic, while Sheil worried the Chiefs’ offense has become stale and that Reid may be losing a step.
  • Matt LaFleur: both acknowledged his strong regular-season success, but his playoff management and decision-making remain a concern.
  • DeMeco Ryans: both liked him as a leader and defensive identity-builder, even though Houston’s offense remains the question mark.
  • Kevin O’Connell: both gave him credit for winning with multiple quarterbacks and for working well with Brian Flores on defense.

Top 5 NFL GMs

Mina Kimes’ ranking

  1. Howie Roseman
  2. John Schneider
  3. Les Snead
  4. Jason Licht
  5. Nick Caserio

Sheil Kapadia’s ranking

  1. Howie Roseman
  2. John Schneider
  3. Eric DeCosta
  4. Les Snead
  5. Jason Licht

Why Howie Roseman was the clear No. 1

  • He is the constant behind the Eagles’ success across multiple coaches and quarterbacks.
  • He’s one of the league’s most aggressive and effective traders.
  • His roster-building has become more collaborative and modern, integrating coaching, analytics, scouting, and sports science.

Other GM takeaways

  • John Schneider: praised for his comeback after a rough stretch of drafts, plus the ability to reset at quarterback and hire Mike Macdonald.
  • Eric DeCosta: valued for keeping the Ravens strong while building around Lamar Jackson and hitting on a lot of draft picks.
  • Les Snead: credited for maximizing the Rams’ roster despite years of low draft capital and for continuing to find impact players.
  • Jason Licht: recognized for keeping Tampa Bay competitive through the post-Brady transition and for finding value in the draft and free agency.
  • Nick Caserio: Mina liked how he helped build Houston’s roster through aggressive moves and strong drafting, though the offensive line remains a major blemish.

Notable Points of Agreement and Disagreement

Where they agreed

  • McVay, Macdonald, and Shanahan are the top three coaches.
  • Howie Roseman and John Schneider are the top two GMs.
  • Dan Campbell just missed both lists.

Where they diverged

  • Mina was higher on Mike Vrabel and more cautious on Ben Johnson.
  • Sheil was much higher on Ben Johnson and included Jim Harbaugh in his top five coaches.
  • Sheil had Eric DeCosta in his GM top five; Mina replaced him with Nick Caserio.

Bottom Line

The episode is less about simple rankings and more about how to evaluate leadership in the NFL. The hosts repeatedly return to the same idea: the best coaches and GMs are the ones who can adapt, identify what actually matters, and keep winning even when the roster, quarterback, or situation changes.