Ranking AFC North head coaches before 2024 free agency

1. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers

The top spot here is reserved for the longest-tenured head coach in the entire NFL. Mike Tomlin took over as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007, and he had some serious success since. He led the Steelers to a victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII in just his second season.

He had Pittsburgh back in the Super Bowl two years later, though this time they were bested by the Green Bay Packers. The Steelers haven't been back to the Super Bowl since, but they have made the playoffs eight times, and they've been a competitive team every single season under Tomlin, regardless of talent level on either side of the ball.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic when it comes to Tomlin is the fact that the Steelers have never had a losing season under his stewardship. That's nearly two decades straight of playing .500 football or better without a single down year. That type of consistency is extremely rare in the NFL.

Year in and year out, Tomlin manages to put out a competitive product in Pittsburgh. He is extremely well-respected by his peers and players in the league, and he's the best head coach in the AFC North.