NFL coaching changes and salaries of the highest paid coaches in football
Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid was rewarded for his success in Kansas City while NFL’s new batch of coaches are looking to make their mark in the league
What makes a good head coach in the NFL? That’s the (multi) million dollar question which a number of teams are looking to find the answer to. Get a competent one and they can change the fortunes of a franchise. A dud, on the other hand, can mean millions of dollars down the drain.
Just as players have complicated clauses and bonuses written into their contracts, so do coaches. The main difference is that NFL coaches always have guaranteed contracts. If the team is doing well, the contract could be extended. If the team is doing badly, the coach can be dropped at any time. But the team is still on the hook for his money.
Since the coaching staff are not party to the collective bargaining agreement between teams and players, their salary has no bearing on the salary cap. Great news for those franchises with deep pockets, less so for small-market teams.
What coaches were hired and fired since last season?
2024 NFL fired coaches
- Chicago Bears fired Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29
- Dallas Cowboys fired Mike McCarthy on Jan. 13
- Jacksonville Jaguars fired Doug Pederson on Jan. 6
- Las Vegas Raiders fired Antonio Pierce on Jan. 7
- New England Patriots fired Jerod Mayo on Jan. 5
- New Orleans Saints fired Dennis Allen on Nov. 4
- New York Jets fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8
2025 NFL hired coaches
- Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson (former Lions defensive coordinator) as head coach on Jan. 21
- Dallas Cowboys hired Brian Schottenheimer (former Cowboys offensive coordinator) as head coach on Jan. 24
- Jacksonville Jaguars hired Liam Coen (former Buccaneers offensive coordinator)as head coach on Jan. 24
- Las Vegas Raiders hired Pete Carroll (former Seahawks head coach) as head coach on Jan. 24
- New England Patriots hired Mike Vrabel (former Titans head coach) as head coach on Jan. 12
- New Orleans Saints hired Kellen Moore (former Eagles offensive coordinator) as head coach on Jan. 28
- New York Jets hired Darren Mougey (former Broncos assistant General Manager) as head coach on Jan. 25
Bear down: Chicago is finalizing a deal to hire Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as its next head coach, sources tell ESPN. Bears are getting their man. pic.twitter.com/UwlLk3wNJZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2025
Is the highest-paid coach the most successful coach?
Every contract is individual to the coach and the organization, so generalizing isn’t easy. Stock options may be included, as could performance bonuses. Not every franchise publishes financial details of the front office or coaching staff, so a few coaches could fall anywhere along the pay spectrum. But the one thing that (we think that) we know is that the highest-paid coach in the NFL at present is also the most successful in the NFL.
Andy Reid, who coached the Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Kansas City Chiefs, previously faced criticism for his poor record in championship games (he lost four during his time in Philly). However, he has since won three of the last five Super Bowls with Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback.
In April 2024, Reid secured a reported five-year, $100 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid coach in the NFL and North American sports leagues. The 66-year-old is also the only NFL coach to reach 100 wins with two different franchises and has led his teams to the playoffs 20 times in 26 seasons.
As a result, Reid has taken over top spot on the list from the new University of Maryland coach and former New England Patriots HC Bill Belichick, who led this list in 2023 with a salary of $20 million.
Sean McVay now has the most regular season wins (76) for a head coach in Rams franchise history 👏 pic.twitter.com/PrCDWU4TFn
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 2, 2024
Top 10 highest-paid NFL coaches
The salaries below include coaches who have been employed during the 2024-25 season. According to Sportico, 10 current coaches earn at least $9 million per year (base pay), “based on conversations with a half-dozen people familiar with NFL coaching contracts.”
| COACH | TEAM | ANNUAL SALARY |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Andy Reid | Kansas City Chiefs | $20 million |
| 2. Sean Payton | Denver Broncos | $18 million |
| 3. Mike Tomlin | Pittsburgh Steelers | $16 million |
| 3. Jim Harbaugh | Los Angeles Chargers | $16 million |
| 5. Sean McVay | Los Angeles Rams | $15 million |
| 6. Kyle Shanahan | San Francisco 49ers | $14 million |
| 7. John Hargbaugh | Baltimore Ravens | $12 million |
| 8. Dan Campbell | Detroit Lions | $11 million |
| 8. Sean McDermott | Buffalo Bills | $11 million |
| 10. Mike Macdonald | Seattle Seahawks | $9 million |
Which head coach will be on the hot seat if they have another disappointing season in 2025?
— OTL (@OTLFFootball) March 25, 2025
- Mike Tomlin
- Kyle Shanahan
- Zac Taylor
- Mike McDaniel pic.twitter.com/rXDr6lVXmr
Who are the lowest-paid NFL coaches?
Once again, while these figures have not been officially published, sources close to NFL teams claim these coaches are the lowest paid in the league.
| COACH | TEAM | SALARY |
|---|---|---|
| Matt LaFleur | Green Bay Packers | $5 million |
| Zac Taylor | Cincinnati Bengals | $4.5 million |
| Kevin Stefanski | Cleveland Browns | $3.5 million |
The Cleveland Browns’ Kevin Stefanski, who is in his fifth season with the franchise, rounds off the list with an annual salary of “just” $3.5 million, less than five times the amount Reid picks up per season.
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