Who are the highest-paid head coaches in the NFL?

Paid the big bucks
15: Matt LaFleur - $5 million
14: Robert Saleh - $5 million
13: Kevin O'Connell - $6 million
12: Mike McCarthy - $6 million
11: Nick Sirianni - $6 million
10: Zac Taylor - $6 million
9: Sean McDermott - $8 million
8: Doug Pederson - $8.5 million
7: Kyle Shanahan - $10 million
6: John Harbaugh - $12 million
5: Andy Reid - $12 million
4: Mike Tomlin - $12.5 million
3: Sean McVay - $14 million
2: Jim Harbaugh - $16 Million
1: Sean Payton - $18 million
Paid the big bucks

Coaching in the NFL is one of the most stressful jobs in sports, and, as such, it pays well too. Let’s take a look at the top 15 highest-paid coaches in the NFL. All figures are from One37PM unless otherwise stated.

15: Matt LaFleur - $5 million

The Packers’ head coach has a remarkable record since taking over the job in 2019. With multiple NFC Championship games under his belt already, he is now ready to get over the hump with Jordan Love at the helm.

14: Robert Saleh - $5 million

Saleh has turned the Jets’ defense into a formidable unit, finishing third in the DVOA rankings last year, per FTN Fantasy. 2024 could be a make-or-break season for Saleh as his loaded Jets side waits to see if Aaron Rodgers can return to form.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

13: Kevin O'Connell - $6 million

The former Rams offensive coordinator has started well during his time in Minnesota, despite injuries last season he was still able to rally his offense to the number 23 spot on the FTN Fantasy DVOA rankings, not bad considering who was playing QB at times.

12: Mike McCarthy - $6 million

Great regular seasons and terrible post-season collapses. That’s been the story of McCarthy’s Dallas teams during his tenure. He and Jerry Jones will be hoping he gets over the hump in the upcoming season, otherwise some tough decisions will need to be made.

11: Nick Sirianni - $6 million

To say Sirianni is on a short leash going into 2024 is an understatement. With Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Jeremy Fowler reporting Philly was interested in hiring Bill Belichick in the offseason, Sirianni will need a constant ice pack to ease the pain from his hot seat.

10: Zac Taylor - $6 million

Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Focus ranks Taylor as the 12th best head coach in football, which may not be enough for the Bengals who are struggling to hold on to their top-tier talent. The Bengals are another team in need of a deep playoff run in 2024.

9: Sean McDermott - $8 million

Sean McDermott’s tenure in Buffalo has been nothing short of a success, despite the lack of Super Bowl trophies. The Bills are supremely competitive each season, they just run into the rampaging Chiefs or Bengals come playoff time and fall apart.

8: Doug Pederson - $8.5 million

For Eagles fans, Pederson will remain one of the great head coaches of his era, for Jags fans, he’s not done much to inspire confidence. Despite Trevor Lawrence and Calvin Ridley’s connection last season, the Jags still finished 18th in offensive DVOA per FTN Fantasy, which is just not good enough to win consistently in the NFL.

7: Kyle Shanahan - $10 million

So close and yet so far has been the story of Shanahan’s coaching career. Multiple Super Bowl loses, and even more defeats in NFC Championship games, have tarnished an almost exemplary record. Still, $10 million a year isn’t terrible compensation…

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

6: John Harbaugh - $12 million

Harbaugh is set to enter his 16th season as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, an incredible record considering he had no prior head coaching experience. A Super Bowl ring certainly helped extend his tenure, but with Lamar Jackson locked in for the long term, Harbaugh and the Ravens are set to be perennial contenders.

5: Andy Reid - $12 million

For Chiefs fans, Andy Reid is a priceless commodity. He and Patrick Mahomes (and a few others) have turned the Chiefs into a buzzsaw, winning back-to-back Super Bowls in 2022 and 2023. It would come as no surprise if they completed the three-peat in 2024.

4: Mike Tomlin - $12.5 million

Tomlin’s record is a ridiculous one. After 16 years at the Steelers, he has never finished below .500 once. Even last season, with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph under center, Tomlin led his side to the number nine spot in FTN’s overall DVOA ranking.

3: Sean McVay - $14 million

Sean McVay and the Rams went all in to win the Super Bowl a few seasons back and were ultimately successful. Many, including us, thought last season would be a bottoming-out year before rebuilding, instead, they reached the playoffs on the back of Matthew Stafford’s incredible play, plus Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, and the now-retired Aaron Donald.

2: Jim Harbaugh - $16 Million

The Chargers rolled out the red carpet (and the Brink’s truck) for Jim Harbaugh, making him the second-highest-paid coach in the NFL following his successful spell at Michigan. Can Harbaugh rediscover his NFL coaching form?

1: Sean Payton - $18 million

Payton returned to coaching last season with much fanfare, but things didn’t quite go to plan, with his Broncos team finishing 24th in overall DVOA per FTN. Payton led the charge to draft Bo Nix early in the 2024 draft, how he plays will go a long way to determining Payton’s future in the job.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

More for you