Liam Coen, Shane Steichen climb in 2026 peak 10 offensive play caller scores

It become Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay and then all other folks else for a in reality very very long time when it got here to the NFL’s peak offensive play callers. Ben Johnson took a step into that elite tier in conjunction with his wildly successful tenure because the Lions’ offensive coordinator, then solidified his location ultimate season after turning the Bears into surely most likely essentially the most NFL’s maximum explosive offenses. After Johnson, the scores grow to be worthy further debatable.

To go looking out out the league’s maximum eye-catching offensive play callers and what makes them so not simple to place in combination for and play in opposition to, I talked to their nemeses: 8 defensive play callers and defensive assistant coaches from everywhere the league. Who higher to infamous and analyze them than the coaches who exhaust days and nights scheming to finish them? Anonymously, each defensive trainer ranked their peak 10 play callers inside the league. I compiled their scores to arrange the advise and added their research.

1. Kyle Shanahan, 49ers

Perfect rating: 1
Lowest rating: 4
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: 1

Shanahan remains essentially the most respected play caller inside the league. Ultimate season cemented his location because the 49ers performed 6th in sides in step with power and Second in offense DVOA, FTN’s potency metric that accounts for energy of agenda, regardless of coping with further than one injuries to key avid players, in conjunction with quarterback Brock Purdy missing 8 video games. Shanahan schemed up further than one 100-yard video games for Kendrick Bourne, or even journeyman Demarcus Robinson had 111 yards inside the playoffs in opposition to the Eagles — neither receiver had a 100-yard sport since 2022.

“He’s essentially the most eye-catching inside the endeavor as a result of he can adapt higher than anyone. It doesn’t subject who’s lining up, whether or not or not you were given Jauan Jennings — experience, he’s a moral participant, on the other hand he shouldn’t be your maximum eye-catching wideout,” an AFC defensive trainer mentioned. “Shanahan’s finding techniques to earn guys open and safe video games and not using a (George) Kittle, no Jauan (Jennings), no Purdy. He does a unparalleled task.”

Shanahan gets credit score rating everywhere the league for beginning the put-much much less soccer development and utterly weaponizing Christian McCaffrey’s receiving ability. His machine moreover makes issues very gloomy-and-white for his quarterbacks.

“It’s eye-catching with the 49ers as a result of they don’t in reality compile the remaining at the line,” an NFC defensive coordinator mentioned. “Shanahan gorgeous calls two performs and your entire quarterback does is ‘can’ the title. They don’t adjust any protections, on the other hand he has considerable answers during the play invent.”

Defensive coaches take into accounts Shanahan is spirited as a result of he moreover understands the techniques that defensive avid players spend and their specific particular person weaknesses, and he’s aware of exactly the way to indicate them.

2. Sean McVay, Rams

Perfect rating: 1
Lowest rating: 6
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: 2

McVay has had quarterback Matthew Stafford since 2021, and he’s maximized that continuity. The Rams performed first in lots of metrics, in conjunction with sides in step with power (2.78) in DVOA. They had been moreover surely one in every of two offenses to achieve larger than 24 sides in opposition to the Seahawks protection ultimate season, and so they did it two times.

“I esteem the actual fact of the way he is actively having an eye fixed to go reverse the characteristics inside the league,” an AFC defensive coordinator mentioned. “He’s been adaptable — personnel-shimmering, formation-shimmering and schematically as a result of their zone bolt sport once they first had good fortune become masses various than what this can be a good distance now.”

McVay’s consistent evolution is a unparalleled theme defensive coaches lauded. On narrative of Puka Nacua’s harm, he began the 13 staff (one attend, 3 tight ends, one receiver) development that may sweep the league subsequent season by way of necessity. McVay’s three-tight finish seems to be like forced defenses into taking part in misguided protection (4 or fewer defensive backs), which made them further predictable. Then he would title his 11 staff (one attend, one tight finish, 3 receivers) go ideas to create mismatches in opposition to linebackers.

“He has a in reality moral in reality really feel for the influx mechanics of the way the sport goes and not basically arising with something new that you simply haven’t considered ahead of, on the other hand it utterly will likely be a different formation or gorgeous getting you in plan in a different ability and forcing you to collect some issues that you simply don’t are making an attempt to collect,” an NFC defensive coordinator mentioned.

McVay is further systematic in his ability than play callers who tailor their sport plans further week to week. He isn’t reinventing the wheel with flashy play designs. McVay runs his core ideas, on the other hand his machine has answers for regardless of defenses throw at him. His genius lies in his ability to power defenses into the calls that he needs them to be in.

“He’s making an attempt to originate it in order that there’s a lot much less variables the protection can compile,” an AFC defensive coordinator defined. “He’s bearing in mind, ‘What’s the staff or formations that I will be able to earn to be had inside the marketplace the place I earn a lot much less defensive calls? So we don’t decide on to go over the 20 calls this man has. I do know they’re going to collect those 3 issues in opposition to me, and I include some stuff that I’m going to be doing in opposition to it, and instruct, we’re going to be gorgeous.’”

Definitely most likely essentially the most neatest and maximum proficient throwers below coronary heart for him in Stafford, the Rams don’t want flashy play designs to be essentially the most eye-catching offense in soccer.

3. Ben Johnson, Bears

Perfect rating: 1
Lowest rating: 4
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: 3

Johnson were given a couple of first-location votes — that’s how fleet he’s garnered recognize inside the league. He’s heralded for his unrelenting hunt for explosive performs. He’ll plan up considerable performs for later, title shot performs on Second-and-quick and pepper in successfully-timed trick performs which may be impossible to place in combination for. Johnson’s competitive mindset and his ability to sit up straight for defenses helped the Bears grow to be surely most likely essentially the most league’s maximum explosive offenses. In 2024, the Bears ranked twenty eighth in explosive performs fee. They jumped as so much as 6th in Johnson’s first season in Chicago.

The trick performs are hell to take on for defensive coordinators, on the other hand it utterly’s the counter to the protection’s counterpunches Johnson has in his earn which may be in reality unsafe.

“He anticipates what your counterpunch will likely be or what your supplement to at least one factor will likely be and then exploits that schematically. He thinks by way of what’s going to be the following factor you compile to create off this (title),” an NFC defensive trainer mentioned. “And then as soon as he further or a lot much less gets you into that subsequent step or the following factor you’re construction off of, he already has answers for that.”

Cherish Shanahan, Johnson provides his quarterbacks explosive answers at the line of scrimmage inside the invent of “can” calls. He does a sublime task of pairing two calls in combination that solution what the protection may level to. His ability to predict how defenses will sport trust in opposition to him makes him unpredictable.

One defensive coordinator mentioned he struggled all week making an attempt to determine Johnson’s characteristics, something he says he generally can compile. He mentioned he changed his ability making an attempt to sit up straight for Johnson’s counters.

The defensive coordinator nice that in opposition to Johnson, he referred to as the similar coverage lots of instances in a row, which is something he by no means did, as a result of he perception Johnson wouldn’t interrogate it. His tactic ended in a takeaway, on the other hand Johnson’s offense aloof came upon techniques to achieve. He moreover nice that he had a not simple purple zone cover that he can generally rely on to trick maximum play callers and quarterbacks, on the other hand Johnson had an incredible title for it.

“Ben’s needed to include some revel in at the defensive side of the ball,” the coordinator mentioned. “He knew, ‘OK, what would give this title problems?’ And he did. I perception that become moral.”

If Caleb Williams and the more youthful Bears offense care for finish however every other step of their style of their Second 12 months below Johnson, don’t be surprised to stare him at the tip of this tick list subsequent season.

4. Matt LaFleur, Packers

Perfect rating: 3
Lowest rating: 9
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: 6

The Packers include maximum eye-catching performed outdoors of the end 10 in offensive DVOA as soon as since LaFleur become hired in 2019. He had the succor of training peak Aaron Rodgers early in his Packers tenure, on the other hand even because the workforce transitioned to Jordan Like and treated major injuries to key avid players, the Packers include constantly been surely most likely essentially the most NFL’s maximum eye-catching offenses.

Like lost sight of two video games ultimate season and become knocked out of one sport early; the Packers out of place tight finish Tucker Kraft for the season in Week 9, and receiver Christian Watson began the season at the PUP tick list. Inexperienced Bay aloof performed 6th in offensive DVOA and 8th in sides in step with power (2.36).

“I deem he does a moral task of tailoring their sport trust,” an AFC defensive coordinator defined. “It’s a considerable testomony to his play-calling talents with what he become able to collect when Jordan Like become out and Malik Willis is in and further or a lot much less tailoring the offense to the various skill units that each of them had. , as a result of they had been doing a little various issues inside the bolt sport when Malik Willis become in as opposed to Jordan Like. Or even most likely essentially the most really extensive pistol, , bolt sport become various than further or a lot much less the under-heart bolt sport.”

LaFleur has advanced his machine after coming from the McVay tree. He advanced surely most likely essentially the most a very powerful eye-catching shotgun bolt video games that doesn’t contain the quarterback as a runner by way of blending in Wing T ideas, and he’s surely most likely essentially the most first coaches to call fleet sport to at least one side on the other hand include crossers coming from the other. His maximum eye-catching characteristic is how he tailors ideas to play to the strengths of whoever he has at the box, and inside the ultimate couple of seasons, lots of avid players had been inside and out of the lineup for whom he’s needed to invent performs.

“You don’t include a Mike Evans,” a defensive trainer mentioned. “He’s to be had inside the marketplace using jet movement and scheming guys open with Jordan Like, who’s been expanding during the general 3 years.”

LaFleur deftly tailors his go ideas to the various skill units of his receivers. Watson emerged as a constant deep ball threat, on the other hand the Packers aloof haven’t had a bona fide No. 1 receiver since they traded Davante Adams in 2022. LaFleur has came upon techniques to play to the strengths of moral receivers with various skill units.

5. Liam Coen, Jaguars

Perfect rating: 3
Lowest rating: 9
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: 9

Cherish Johnson with Jared Goff and Williams, Coen helped care for finish a light quarterback’s sport to the following degree (Baker Mayfield) as offensive coordinator at one finish and then helped carry however every other more youthful quarterback’s sport as a head trainer at however every other. The Jaguars offense began the season slowly as Trevor Lawrence and the remainder of the unit had been having expanding problem studying Coen’s machine, on the other hand came upon their rhythm after Week 8 — they averaged 20.86 sides in step with sport ahead of Week 8 on the other hand 32.8 sides after, rating Second inside the league at the attend of maximum eye-catching the Rams in that span.

Defensive coaches nice Coen’s ability to finish a step faster than them and their adjustments and timing when to go for shot performs.

“I deem he has moral timing and I deem he would experience to earn to (certain calls) further,” an AFC defensive coordinator mentioned. “I deem Trevor possibly limits them a tiny bit larger than what Baker did.”

Coen’s offense in his first season with Mayfield become further expansive than in his first season with Lawrence, on the other hand there have been different obstacles. The Buccaneers had surely most likely essentially the most a very powerful eye-catching offensive traces in 2024, which allowed them to collect further inside the bolt sport.

“In Tampa, most likely essentially the most really extensive bolt sport stuff they would been doing that 12 months become experience, that become ceaselessly something I become making an attempt to have a learn about,” the coordinator mentioned. “I perception most likely essentially the most really extensive 21 pony paperwork (two operating backs at the box) of seems to be like and most likely essentially the most really extensive different stuff they had been doing with experience two-attend units become slightly wintry to stare inside the league. There become some nuance to it that further or a lot much less made it a tiny various than what anyone else become doing.”

Although the Jaguars offense produced at an elite degree inside the Second part of the season, it ranked twenty 5th in rushing good fortune fee in that span. If Lawrence can take on further offense and Coen can earn the Jaguars bolt sport going, they have a bet to be surely most likely essentially the most league’s maximum eye-catching offenses.

6. Andy Reid, Chiefs

Perfect rating: 3
Lowest rating: 10
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: 4

Some coaches aloof installed ideas Reid surely most likely essentially the most NFL’s maximum eye-catching, and the sentiment is that Reid belongs in this tick list out of recognize, on the other hand his machine wants an improve. The Chiefs performed twelfth in offensive DVOA ultimate season after completing 8th two years in a row ahead of that. The Chiefs’ offensive skill has deteriorated each season since buying and selling Tyreek Hill, on the other hand they aloof include the league’s maximum eye-catching quarterback in Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes and Reid’s early good fortune resulted within the defensive meta of teams taking part in two-deep coverages to limit explosives inside the passing sport, on the other hand Reid hasn’t adjusted considerable to care for finish just right factor on the subject of the light bins they’re seeing.

“A couple of years in the past for glaring, he become peak 5 to me. Throughout the previous, experience, 12 months or two, I deem it’s cooled down critically, to be moral with you,” an NFC defensive coordinator mentioned. ” … I gorgeous deem that it were given a tiny predictable as a result of they would that carousel of staff there too. He’s undoubtedly at the edge of it, out of recognize, on the other hand I don’t basically include the similar ‘I’m staying up all night time time’ in reality really feel with him.”

The Chiefs include made over their offensive line and signed operating attend Kenneth Walker, so there’s a bet that Reid goes to change his ability and bolt the ball further. Additionally, defensive coaches take into accounts that bringing attend offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will upload a side of toughness that they’ve been missing. A defensive trainer perception it become silly to write off Reid or take into accounts that you simply moreover mght can include him found out.

“I’m apprehensive to stare him evolve this 12 months,” a head trainer mentioned. “I deem it’s coming. I deem he’s aware of it wants to conform a tiny bit, and I’m gorgeous atypical to stare what his taste is that this 12 months.”

7. Shane Steichen, Colts

Perfect rating: 4
Lowest rating: 9
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: 10

Some had been surprised that Steichen made the tick list ultimate offseason as a result of he become taking heat for the ability the Anthony Richardson saga opened up, on the other hand Steichen justified his location during the season. The Colts and Daniel Jones surprised the league, completing 5th in offensive DVOA. They publish historical potency numbers early inside the season ahead of cooling off, with Jones tearing an Achilles tendon in Week 14.

“He’s spirited when put next with the McVay, Shanahan guys. He does a mix of under-heart, on the other hand he makes spend of an RPO operating sport out of the gun relatively larger than different folks,” a head trainer mentioned. “They compile a in reality moral task of finding explosive performs that include spoil you inside the previous. I don’t are making an attempt to call him a copycat man, on the other hand they salvage explosives that include showed up in opposition to you in the past.”

In location of performs that create off each different, there could also be a lift-earn nature to Steichen’s machine. He’ll stare at ideas that went for explosives from the previous in opposition to defenses he’s coping with that week and upload them into his sport trust in conjunction with his have twist.

Steichen has had good fortune with further than one quarterbacks, in conjunction with Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. His paintings with Jones, whom maximum coaches did not interrogate to play efficiently, has earned him somewhat a couple of recognize.

8. Josh McDaniels, Patriots

Perfect rating: 1
Lowest rating: unranked
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: unranked

McDaniels took a 12 months off after being fired by way of the Raiders, so he wasn’t ranked ultimate season, on the other hand he got here attend proper and helped Second-year quarterback Drake Maye ascend to an MVP degree. McDaniels were given one first-location vote from a trainer who felt his lengthy tenure of good fortune with various quarterbacks and championship pedigree want to be thought to be. McDaniels become moreover left off 4 top-10 lists.

“I in reality really feel experience Josh, and it’s the (Bill) Belichick impact, he calls the sport to safe the sport,” a head trainer mentioned. “He doesn’t basically title the sport to include essentially the most eye-catching offense. I give him somewhat a couple of credit score rating for that.”

Coaches universally agreed with that perception of McDaniels calling video games to safe them. He understands situational soccer, and that’s not ceaselessly the case with some elite play callers.

“He has the endurance and the diligence to care for attacking your weaknesses until you earn it corrected,” an AFC defensive coordinator mentioned. “And he’s able to collect it with whoever he’s had: Tom Brady, Mac Jones and Maye now.”

A defensive coordinator moreover nice that Shanahan and McVay include somewhat easy third-and-long dropback ideas to place in combination for, while McDaniels’ dropback menu is so much further complete and tougher to shield. Coaches lauded McDaniels for calling performs to earn Maye easy completions with a mix of successfully-timed shot performs. The Patriots had essentially the most eye-catching fee of explosive performs ultimate season (13.6 p.c) regardless of a scarcity of receiving skill.

The Patriots’ safety become schematically dismantled by way of the Seahawks’ blitzes inside the Mammoth Bowl, so we’ll see if McDaniels can revamp the security plan or chance copycats using similar techniques in opposition to him. The Patriots include your entire elements to originate enhancements on offense with Maye coming into his Second 12 months of a fancy machine and the additions of receivers Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown.

9. Klint Kubiak, Raiders

Perfect rating: 5
Lowest rating: 10
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: unranked

The Seahawks offense become surely most likely essentially the most greatest surprises of ultimate season. They performed tenth in offensive DVOA and 8th in explosive play fee (12.1 p.c). Coaches mentioned Kubiak isn’t a one-year marvel. He’s had moral offenses in Minnesota and had the Saints offense rolling ahead of they had been hit exhausting with the wear computer virus in 2024.

Kubiak uses a natural outside-zone offense with the overall staple ideas on repeat. He’s not reinventing the wheel every week, on the other hand is aware of exactly the way to adjust and what to call in opposition to regardless of plan he faces. He had somewhat a couple of good fortune ultimate season getting defenses into their misguided with heavy staff and throwing deep photos.

“His play-action photos are to not likely objectives; it’s not ceaselessly the receivers, it’s the tight ends, it could possibly in step with likelihood smartly even be a attend,” an AFC defensive coordinator mentioned. “And then I deem he’s unaffected by way of what others may want of their minds of being a successful sport. He’s going to play the ability they want him to play to safe. So it’s factual workforce ball.”

The Seahawks didn’t include somewhat a couple of pass-catching skill ultimate season, on the other hand Kubiak’s plan maximized it and unlocked Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Some coaches believed that even if Smith-Njigba is a sublime receiver, they didn’t interrogate him to be the league’s most efficient one ultimate season.

“Anytime you’re able to earn a receiver experience Smith-Njigba, who’s very talented, on the other hand anytime you’re able to earn him as many touches as you compile, which signifies that any individual’s doing a hell of a task designing performs,” a defensive trainer mentioned.

Kubiak did all he may to originate it exhausting for defenses to double Smith-Njigba, in conjunction with lining him up inside the backfield and then drawing up counter punches for when teams overplayed him there. Kubiak will decide directly to starting over again with the Raiders. If he can earn the offense taking part in at a over the top degree, he’ll originate a substantial jump in this tick list as Coen did.

10. Mike McDaniel, Chargers

Perfect rating: 5
Lowest rating: unranked
Ultimate 12 months’s rating: unranked

McDaniel is polarizing. Many agree he will be essentially the most ingenious play dressmaker inside the league, on the other hand it utterly’s a separate skill than play calling. He become ranked as over the top as No. 5 whilst being left off some lists. Some felt he become runt by way of his quarterback in Miami and needed to chop down his pass-principle menu enormously. That gained’t be a recount with Justin Herbert, who has elite arm skill.

“Mike McDaniel’s bolt sport is incredible. He does such a moral task with motions and doing things you wouldn’t interrogate after certain motions,” a defensive trainer mentioned. “They will originate you observed they are operating something with the operating attend’s first two steps to earn your linebackers to key issues, on the other hand it utterly may in finding your self as a different bolt precept. It’s in reality exhausting at the eyes. It’s going to stare incredible with (Omarion) Hampton.”

McDaniel is a trendsetter. After arranged workforce actions, John Harbaugh talked concerning the Giants would enforce McDaniel’s ideas into their offense. Ben Johnson mentioned he become going to exhaust his rupture ahead of training camp studying McDaniel’s offense after hiring McDaniel’s former operating backs trainer, Eric Studesville. Evaluations range on how McDaniel calls the sport and the level of physicality in his offense, on the other hand coaches agree that he’s a factual ingenious and are very atypical to stare what he does with Herbert.

Honorable mentions: Denver’s Sean Payton, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell, Detroit’s Drew Petzing, Dallas’ Brian Schottenheimer, Cleveland’s Todd Monken, Buffalo’s Joe Brady.