A common joke is that the NFL stands for “Not For Long.” Players have relatively short careers, and head coaches have very little job security.
Which coaches have developed a program consistent enough to be perennial contenders? Which teams are still in purgatory, looking for the next big coach to lead their squad? The list of longest-tenured NFL head coaches will give you perspective on just how ephemeral coaching stints can be.
This list has been updated as of Jan. 13, 2025.
Longest-Tenured NFL Head Coaches
- Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
18 years | 2007-Present - John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
17 years | 2008-Present - Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
12 years | 2013-Present - Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
8 years | 2017-Present - Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
8 years | 2017-Present - Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
8 years | 2017-Present - Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers
6 years | 2019-Present - Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
6 years | 2019-Present - Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
5 years | 2020-Present - Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
4 years | 2021-Present - Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles
4 years | 2021-Present - Brian Daboll, New York Giants
3 years | 2022-Present - Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings
3 years | 2022-Present - Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
3 years | 2022-Present - Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3 years | 2022-Present - Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
2 years | 2023-Present - Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts
2 years | 2023-Present - DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
2 years | 2023-Present - Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
2 years | 2023-Present - Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
First year | 2024-Present - Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans
First year | 2024-Present - Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers
First year | 2024-Present - Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
First year | 2024-Present - Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders
First year | 2024-Present - Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks
First year | 2024-Present - Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
Hired after 2024 NFL season - Vacant, Dallas Cowboys
Mike McCarthy’s Contract Ended January 14, 2025 - Vacant, Jacksonville Jaguars
Doug Pederson Fired — hired in 2022, fired on January 07, 2025 - Vacant, Las Vegas Raiders
Antonio Pierce Fired — hired in 2024, fired on January 07, 2025 - Vacant, Chicago Bears
Matt Eberflus Fired — hired in 2022, fired on November 29, 2024 - Vacant, New York Jets
Robert Saleh Fired — hired in 2021, fired on October 8, 2024 - Vacant, New Orleans Saints
Dennis Allen Fired — hired in 2022, fired on November 4, 2024
Who Is the NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coach?
Mike Tomlin wasn’t even old enough to run for President of the United States when the Steelers hired the 34-year-old in 2007. Now, he is the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL, and he has still never had a losing season since becoming an NFL head coach. Tomlin is just the third head coach the Steelers have hired since 1969.
MORE: NFL Head Coach All-Time Wins Leaders
As a point of comparison, the Carolina Panthers have gone through three times as many head coaches in 26 fewer years. The Steelers are big believers in continuity at head coach.
Tomlin unseats the previous record holder, Bill Belichick, whose 24-season tenure with the New England Patriots made him the league’s longest-tenured head coach until he and the organization parted ways on January 11, 2024.
Who Are the Highest-Paid NFL Coaches?
While the NFL Players Association and salary cap websites like Over the Cap and Spotrac keep track of player earnings, it’s often challenging to track down the salaries of NFL head coaches. Still, reporting from outlets like Sportico and Front Office Sports have gauged what the league’s top head coaches are making. Let’s run through the top five highest-paid head coaches in the NFL.
1) Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2024 salary: $20 million
Reid is widely regarded as the best head coach in the NFL, so it makes sense that he’s also the league’s highest-paid coach.
The Chiefs extended Reid in late April, locking him up on a new deal that made him the top-ranked head coach on this list. He’s under contract through the 2029 season.
Since arriving in Kansas City in 2013, Reid has led the franchise to three Super Bowl wins. While many will attribute Reid’s success to superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, he had plenty of success as a head coach in the NFL before Mahomes’ arrival.
Counting regular-season and postseason success, Reid has the fourth-most wins of any head coach in NFL history, and there’s a huge gap between Reid and the next-winningest active head coach (Tomlin).
Reid has the second most playoff wins all-time, behind only former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
The only head coach to win 100 games with two franchises, Reid will be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame when he retires (although the 66-year-old has said that he’s open to coaching into his 70s, so he may not be retiring anytime soon).
2) Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
- 2024 salary: $18 million
The Broncos needed to make a drastic change after their failed Nathaniel Hackett experiment, and shifting to a future Hall of Fame head coach in Payton certainly qualified as drastic. But keeping up with the Chiefs requires an aggressive mindset.
Denver sent a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-rounder to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for Payton’s rights and a 2024 third-round selection.
In February 2023, NBC Sports’ Peter King reported that Payton signed a five-year contract “in the neighborhood” of $18 million annually. Considering the draft capital and money they gave up, the Broncos clearly expect Payton to turn the team into a perennial contender.
The Broncos invested a first-round pick in Oregon QB Bo Nix, named him the starter for the 2024 season, and honored him as the first rookie captain in 57 years. Payton and Nix have a strong working relationship, and the rookie quarterback has exceeded expectations throughout his first season, leading Denver to the playoffs.
The Broncos have their quarterback of the future and an offensive guru to help him realize his full potential, so they are in excellent shape.
3T) Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 2024 salary: $16 million
Tomlin was hired as the Steelers’ head coach on Jan. 27, 2007. He has never had a losing season, holding the NFL record for most consecutive non-losing seasons to begin an NFL coaching career. Tomlin’s worst seasons were in 2012, 2013, and 2019, when his teams finished 8-8.
Tomlin has led the Steelers to 12 playoff appearances, seven division titles, five Divisional Rounds, three AFC Championship Games, and two Super Bowls (including one victory).
KEEP READING: Ranking the Best Head Coaches in NFL History
Tomlin has two Super Bowl championships under his belt: one as an assistant coach and one as a head coach. His title as an assistant came in Super Bowl 37 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive backs coach, while his ring as the Steelers’ head coach came in Super Bowl 43.
On June 10, 2024, the Steelers and Tomlin agreed to terms on a three-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2027 season. According to Front Office Sports, he’s earning $16 million annually.
3T) Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
- 2024 salary: $16 million
Harbaugh is back in the NFL like he never left. After a nearly decade-long stint as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Harbaugh signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the Chargers last offseason.
Upon Harbaugh’s arrival as the Chargers’ head coach, expectations weren’t very high heading into the regular season, with many expecting the team to miss the playoffs. However, Harbaugh led Los Angeles to 11 wins and a playoff berth even after the team offloaded several talented offensive players in the offseason.
The Chargers defense has become arguably the best unit in the league, allowing an NFL-best 17.7 points per game. Harbaugh brought Jesse Minter with him from Michigan and made him the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, which proved to be a phenomenal decision.
Harbaugh’s career winning percentage is second-best among active head coaches and eighth all-time.
