Interested in discovering who the highest-paid NFL coach is? You’ll find your answer and plenty more in this breakdown of football coach salaries. However, it should be noted these numbers are not official. Most coach salaries are not revealed to the public, but here’s the best information we have.
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Highest-paid NFL coach in 2023-24
11. Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles, $6-7 million per year
The Philadelphia Eagles hired Nick Sirianni away from the Indianapolis Colts after three seasons coordinating the offense. Sirianni immediately helped lead the Eagles to the playoffs in his first year. In 2022, Sirianni’s Eagles were the last undefeated team in football, and they also made it to the Super Bowl. After losing both coordinators to other head coaching roles, Sirianni is working even harder to earn his paycheck in 2023.
10. Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars, $8.5 million
Convincing Doug Pederson to return to being an NFL head coach likely wasn’t difficult for the Jacksonville Jaguars, boasting Trevor Lawrence as a bargaining chip. But making Pederson one of the top-earning NFL coaches probably didn’t hurt either.
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9. Mike Vrabel, Tennessee Titans, $9.5 million per year
He won three Super Bowls as a linebacker with the New England Patriots, but now Mike Vrabel is trying to win some hardware as a coach with the Tennessee Titans. He’s led the team to three playoff appearances in five seasons but is coming off the first losing record of Vrabel’s NFL career. The 2023 season could be crucial for Vrabel.
8. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers, $10 million per year
As the son of Mike, Kyle Shanahan was literally born into the game of football. Growing up around the sport, he’s now one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL, and he’s paid as such.
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6. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens, $12 million per year
John Harbaugh signed on to be the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach with an expertise in special teams in 2008. Ever since, he’s led just two losing seasons and even won a Super Bowl ring in 2012. Now Harbaugh has an NFL MVP in Lamar Jackson but hasn’t been able to get back to the promised land.
6. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs, $12 million per year
What is Andy Reid’s salary? A lot of people are curious. Reid, or sometimes affectionately called Big Red, has been an NFL head coach for 24 years, but it wasn’t until he got to the Kansas City Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes that he won the big game, becoming a Super Bowl champion in 2019.
He also won AP Coach of the Year in his fourth season with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002. Now, he’s a two-time Super Bowl champ after winning again in 2023. Coach Reid is the most underpaid head coach in the NFL. Now fourth on the all-time wins list, Big Red deserves a Big Raise.
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5. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers, $12.5 million per year
Mike Tomlin had zero previous head coaching experience when hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007. But he quickly led them to a Super Bowl victory in just his second season at the age of 36. While he hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016, Tomlin has become one of the best coaches in football, and his paycheck reflects his skills.
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4. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams, $14 million per year
When hired in 2017, Sean McVay was the youngest head coach in NFL history at 30 years old. The Los Angeles Rams have missed the playoffs just twice ever since. In 2022, he became the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl LVI, earning him a raise.
Now, McVay is reportedly the highest-paid NFL coach. McVay’s even had opportunities to get involved in media, offering him similar pay and much less day-to-day stress, but then he wouldn’t be able to coach the LA Rams, which is a tough gig to turn down.
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3. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks, $15 million per year
Even at 72, Pete Carroll is still going strong in Seattle. He’s earned this spot among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches by having a career .589 winning percentage in addition to a Super Bowl victory in 2013.
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2. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos: $18 million per year
While he may not be the highest-paid head coach, Sean Payton is still a top earner after being acquired from the New Orleans Saints in a blockbuster trade after the 2022 season. In addition to giving up a first-round pick in 2023 and a second-rounder in 2024, Denver inked Payton to a contract that will pay him between $85 million and $100 million over five years.
The last time we saw a commitment this large was when the Raiders handed Jon Gruden a 10-year, $100 million contract in 2018. Denver hopes making Payton the second-highest-paid NFL coach turns out a bit differently.
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, $20 million per year
Unsurprisingly, the greatest coach of all time is the highest-paid NFL head coach. Six Super Bowl rings suggest Belichick’s worth every penny. The question is how successful can coach Belichick be without Tom Brady? The Patriots have played in just one playoff game since the future Hall of Fame QB moved on. Still, Belichick is the highest-paid NFL coach of all time.
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Highest-paid NFL coaches – Honorable mentions
Jon Gruden, Las Vegas Raiders, $10 million
Jon Gruden was living the life in Vegas until he resigned from the league after some foolish emails unsurfaced in 2021. He was just four years into a 10-year, $100 million contract, earning an annual salary that placed him as the third-highest-paid NFL coach.
Frank Reich, Indianapolis Colts, $9 million
Despite not being their first choice to become the franchise’s head coach (Josh McDaniels), the Indianapolis Colts were happy to land on Frank Reich after the former NFL QB helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history. After coaching the Colts to the playoffs in two of his five seasons at the helm, Indianapolis fired Reich after a 3-5-1 start in 2022. He then landed with the Carolina Panthers at an unknown salary but was quickly fired after a 1-10 start.
Matt Rhule, Carolina Panthers, $8.8 million
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper gave Matt Rhule an enticing seven-year, $62 million contract offer he couldn’t refuse. He made it through parts of just three seasons before being fired after an 11-27 start to his career. Rhule has since taken a job coaching the Nebraska Cornhuskers, where he’s earning $5.5 million in 2023.
Who is the lowest-paid NFL coach today?
Several sources indicate Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is currently the NFL’s lowest-paid head coach. Stefanski reportedly makes $3.5 million per season. He is in his fourth season and has taken the Browns to the playoffs once so far.
Here is a list of the lowest-paid NFL head coaches in 2023.
- Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns – $3.5 million
- Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys – $4 million
- Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals – $4.5 million
- Robert Saleh, New York Jets – $5 million
- Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers – $5 million