Ranking every AFC North head coach before the 2024 NFL season

When it comes to head coaches, the AFC North is stacked. The division boasts two Super Bowl champions and multiple Coach of the Year award winners. Overall, it's arguably the most well-coached division in the entire NFL. Considering the overall caliber of the coaches, ranking them isn't easy, but it's still an entertaining exercise nonetheless.

The 2024 season will provide an opportunity for all of these coaches to impact their legacy -- either positively or negatively. But before that happens, here's how the coaches of the AFC North stack up against each other headint into the season.

4. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns

Hey, someone had to finish fourth in the division, and in this situation, it's Kevin Stefanski. After all,
Stefanski is the only coach in the division who hasn't led his team to a Super Bowl berth. But again, him finishing last on this list isn't as much an indictment on Stefanski as it is an acknowledgement of how good the overall coaching in the division is.

Stefanski has been the head coach in Cleveland for four seasons, heading into his fifth. During his time with the team so far, he has led the team to the playoffs twice and compiled a 37-30 regular season record and a record of 1-2 in the postseason. His playoff win came in 2020, as the Browns bested the Pittsburgh Steelers before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.
In 2023, the Browns were bested by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round after finishing the regular season with a record of 11-6.

Stefanski is well-decorated as he has two Coach of the Year awards to his name (2020, 2023). But, he'll have to lead the Browns to some more playoff success in order to move up on this list.

3. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals

Zac Taylor is entering his sixth season as the head coach in Cincinnati, and the Bengals have enjoyed some serious success during his tenure. They made it to back-to-back AFC Championship games in 2021 and 2022, and they also secured the third Super Bowl berth in franchise history during the '21 season. Even though they ultimately fell short, only two other coaches have been able to lead the Bengals to the big game.

The Bengals missed out on the playoffs in 2023, but they still finished with a winning record (9-8) despite star quarterback Joe Burrow suffering a season-ending wrist injury. The team will obviously be looking to bounce back in 2024 and rejoin the contender conversation.

Taylor has already shown that he is capable of leading Cincinnati deep into the playoffs, and he has the chance to make some major history by becoming the first coach ever to lead the Bengals to a victory in the Super Bowl. Until he does that though, he'll be behind the other two coaches on this list, as they've both already led their respective squads to the ultimate goal.

2. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

It's really tough to pick between the top two coaches on this list, and honestly there's a valid argument to make either way. Fans in Baltimore will say that John Harbaugh is the best coach in the division, while fans in Pittsburgh will point to their guy. For the sake of this list, the guy in Pittsburgh is going to get the nod. He's been coaching his team longer and has more Super Bowl appearances under his belt.

But, Harbaugh has been awesome in Baltimore. He has led the Ravens to 11 playoff appearances and four trips to the AFC Championship game. He also led the team to the second Super Bowl victory in franchise history in 2012. Harbaugh, who was named the NFL's Coach of the Year in 2019, boasts an impressive playoff record of 12-10 with the Ravens.

1. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers

And that brings us to the top of the list. Debatable, sure. But what isn't debatable is Mike Tomlin's excellence and consistency throughout his time as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tomlin is the longest-tenured coach in the entire NFL and with good reason, as the Steelers have been very successful under him.

Tomlin has led the Steelers to two Super Bowl appearances, including a victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII in just his second season. In total, Pittsburgh has made the playoffs 11 times under Tomlin and they've won eight playoff games with him as the coach. The Steelers have also never had a losing record under Tomlin, which is extremely impressive given how long he's been in his role. That type of overall consistency is really rare.

Year after year Tomlin finds a way to put a competitive product out on the field and make the most out of his roster. The 2024 season will likely be no different.