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10 Highest Paid NFL Coaches in 2023

highest paid NFL coaches

The highest paid NFL coaches earn good coin and their salary has no impact on a team’s salary cap. And before you read on, you can grab yourself a deal on official NFL team apparel right here. 

Highest Paid NFL Coaches

Why teams are willing to pay such high salaries for certain coaches is simple – win-loss record and how many championships they’ve won. Let’s take a look at the top ten NFL coaching salaries in 2023.

10. Mike Vrabel – Tennessee Titans ($9.5 million)

Titans coach Mike Vrabel enters the top 10 list of highest paid NFL coaches in 2023 despite a regressive 2022 season as the Titans fell flat in the AFC South with a 7-10 record. Since taking over in 2018 however, he’s taken Tennessee from strength to strength.

Vrabel has turned around the fortunes of the Titans in recent history and has led the team to three playoffs and two division championships. He’ll be relying heavily on Ryan Tannehill and behemoth Derrick Henry to get them to a fourth playoff under Vrabel.

9. Josh McDaniels – Las Vegas Raiders ($10 million)

Across two stints Josh McDaniels won six Super Bowls across various coaching roles while at the New England Patriots. His first head coach role at the Broncos in 2009 started with six straight wins. In his second season he was sacked after starting with a 3-9 record.

Following a successful second stint in New England the Raiders hired McDaniels in early 2022. Despite a 6-11 record in 2022 and an inability for the Raiders to hold on to leads and close out games, he is one of the highest paid NFL coaches earning $10 million a season.

8. Kyle Shanahan – San Francisco 49ers ($10 million)

In his first five seasons at the 49ers Shanahan had three losing seasons with a combined record of 16-32. With a full strength roster Shanahan led the 49ers to a 23-10 record and an NFC Championship in 2019.

In 2021 the 49ers returned to the playoffs before falling to eventual Super Bowl Champions the LA Rams in the NFC Championship game.

The 49ers had a phenomenal 2022 season with a 13-4 record but lost in the Divisional Playoffs to the Cowboys 19-12. Shanahan has good depth with both Trey Lance and Brock Purdy to work with at quarterback in 2023. 

7. John Harbaugh – Baltimore Ravens ($12 million)

John Harbaugh has dropped down the list of highest paid NFL coaches from fifth place last year to seventh with a salary of $12 million. He’s led the Ravens to 10 or more wins in a season nine times since taking over the team in 2008. 

The Ravens have been to the playoffs ten times so far under Harbaugh, winning Super Bowl LXVII in 2013 against the 49ers who were coached by his brother Jim.

Baltimore have only made the playoffs four times in the last eight seasons heading into 2023 and they’ll be looking to improve on the Wild Card playoff lost to the Bengals in 2022.

6. Andy Reid – Kansas City Chiefs ($12 million)

Reid is in his 25th NFL season as head coach and he spent his first 14 seasons with the Eagles. He’s won at least 10 games in a season 17 times and has four conference championships. Reid had a record of 130-93-1 with the Eagles and heading into the 2023 season holds a 117-45 record with the Chiefs.  

With Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, Reid has made the most of his opportunity winning three AFC titles in five years and adding Super Bowl LVII to his LIV championship. Reid ranks fifth all-time for NFL coaching wins behind Don Shula, George Halas, Bill Belichick, and Tom Landry.

5. Mike Tomlin – Pittsburgh Steelers ($12.5 million)

Tomlin has been the head coach of the Steelers for 16 years compiling an overall regular season record of 163-93-2 as we head into the 2023 season. As an assistant coach he won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

As Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Tomlin has never had a losing season and has guided the team to the playoffs ten times. He’s also won two AFC Championships and Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers. 

In recent times the Steelers have been on a bit of a lull over the past five seasons, making the playoffs only three times and have failed to win a playoff game. Despite this fact, Tomlin remains one of the top head coaches in the NFL and he’ll be looking to improve on Pittsburgh’s 9-8 record in 2022.

4. Sean McVay – Los Angeles Rams ($14 million)

In his first five seasons as coach of the Rams, Sean McVay never had a losing record. Before the 2022 season he had four seasons with at least ten wins, two NFC Championships and a Super Bowl title. McVay once thought about retirement, or at least threatened to do so, and it paid off. 

Super Bowl LVI victory earned McVay a new contract and in 2022 he was the highest paid NFL coach earning $14 million a year. He became the youngest head coach in modern NFL history when the Rams hired him in 2017 at the age of 30. McVay and the Rams will be looking for a better season than their 5-12 finish in 2022. 

3. Pete Carroll – Seattle Seahawks ($15 million)

The 2023 NFL season is Pete Carroll’s 18th season as an NFL head coach. He started his career coaching the Jets for a season followed by three seasons in New England. Carroll’s work with the Seahawks is what has propelled him to become one of the best NFL head coaches. 

Since taking over the Seahawks in 2010 Carroll has led the team to ten postseason appearances and two Super Bowl appearances. Caroll led Seattle to a victory over the Denver Broncos to claim Super Bowl XLVIII and he’ll be looking for another big year from Geno Smith.  

2. Sean Payton – Denver Broncos ($18 million)

Sean Payton is the second highest paid NFL coach after arriving in Denver in early 2023. The former New Orleans Saints head coach has Super Bowl XLIV victory on his resume and is one of the most highly respected coaches in the league.

Payton has always thrived on being an offensive coach and formed a great partnership with Drew Brees, one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Broncos fans will hope he can get the same out of Russell Wilson.

The Broncos paid up big for Payton. Because he was still under contract with the Saints, the Broncos agreed to trade a 2023 first round pick and a 2024 second round pick, in exchange for Payton and a 2024 third round pick.

1. Bill Belichick – New England Patriots ($20 million)

Belichick is the GOAT among NFL coaches with six Super Bowl titles. He has won AP Coach of the Year three times and is first all-time in wins by a coach. He’ll be remembered most for the Tom Brady–Bill Belichick era which was the Patriots dynasty lasting from 2001 to 2019. 

He’ll begin his 23rd year as a head coach in the NFL for the 2023 season following coaching roles in Baltimore, Detroit, New York and Cleveland. In addition to being a phenomenal coach he’s been given the freedom to make decisions on signings, draft picks, trades, and free agency.

Belichick is the highest paid NFL coach and he’ll be out to prove that he’s worth the money by working his magic on Mac Jones. 

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