Curious about emphasis of offensive or defensive head coach

Why is it so important for the head coach to be offensive or defensive in background and emphasis? Isn’t that what coordinators are for? I’d want someone who can run the big picture and coordinate overall game planning and leadership. Do they really need to teach basic skills? Isn’t that what position coaches are for? One thing I liked about Tomlin was his ability to connect with players. His real deficit, in my opinion, was his atrociously bad selection and retention of coordinators.

 

It's a leadership building role. As an OC/DC you get to be in charge of position coaches, position groups, and players, to lead and prove your leadership through successful operation and results. It is a strong qualification for a HC.

 

The great thing about having a head coach that is also a wizard with X's and O's is that even if they aren't the OC or the DC, they are able to see what is and isn't working and be able to help make adjustments. It also gives them much better perspective on when a coach isn't working out and it is time for a replacement, or being able to adapt to the most innovative schemes and make the necessary changes to keep up. That is one of the most overlooked aspects of the job IMO.

 

I want a guy who knows the game inside and out on both sides of the ball.

That's why you have coordinators, i think coordinators are like Qbs, if you get a good one you will succeed.

 

Regardless of whether offensive or defensive, he's got to know how to pick coordinators. Steelers favor a CEO type HC so assume they will be hiring both OC & DC.

 

Because it’s sets the tone for the team. It is also the main constant for the immediate future. If we hire a defensive minded coach, like Shula for example, we may go through different OC’s and different systems, but the main constant is going to be Shula’s adaptive Fangio style defense. If we choose Scheelhaase for a different example, then a version of the Shanahan/McVey offense will be the constant while the defensive scheme could change drastically over time. It’s very similar to how we changed schemes quite a bit from Arians to Haley to Fichtner to Canada to Smith, but kinda always had the same defensive scheme since LeBeau retired. Different guys called the plays but it was Tomlin’s system.

It would also tend to change how we fundamentally spend money as a franchise. There’s a reason why we’re generally a higher spender on defense. It’s because the team is more defensively minded under Tomlin. If we were to hire an offensive mind, particularly one on the cutting edge, you’d expect the money to slant towards the offense over time. Sometimes the personnel dictates a deviation if you hit on a ton of offensive guys with a defensive HC. But generally the trend holds true in the long run. Offensive guys will want to build a high power offense and build a defense good enough to win with that offense. Then vice versa for a defensive HC.

It’s been a really long time since our offense has been quality. We’ve had a few scattered average offenses in there, but largely we’ve been bad for the better part of a decade. It’s not surprising to see fans want to change that by bringing in an offensive minded HC.

 

Your view is correct, but a team will most of the time lean one way or the other by which You pick.

 

My emphasis is rooted in the current NFL Paradigm being played out not just in the NFL Playoffs currently but the past three seasons; Offense runs the show. Truth be told, my viewpoint isn't from one side vs another but from the eras itself. If this were anywhere between the 70s to even the early to mid 2010s?! I would choose a Defensive Minded Coach all day every day. However, with these new rules?! Offensive Minded Coaches are currently running the NFL hand over fist.


There are exceptions to this rule; Mike Vrabel, DeMeco Ryans, both of the Harbaugh brothers, Mike MacDonald, etc. These coaches possess special aspects that allow them to navigate through a League heavily tilted toward one side. Aspects such as Leadership, Oration, Charisma, Accountability, Resiliency and Culture Building are what these men all have in common. This is what we would call a CEO Type Coach; both Jim and John fitting this to a tee. However, that alone doesn't equate to success in today's NFL anymore. A Coach like Mike MacDonald or a Mike Vrabel is actually the ideal; both are excellent at schematics as they are in the aforementioned CEO Qualities. Here in lies both of their biggest issue; their success thus far is thanks in part to their Offenses flourishing due in part to their exceptional Offensive Coordinators; more specifically in New England's Case as Drake Maye has transformed from a quality starter to an NFL MVP Level QB in just two short seasons. As for Seattle?! Mike MacDonald is becoming a one of one; an innovative Defensive Mind who both understands and maximize the usage of his own Offense. Even so, such Head Coaches are, once again, exceptions.


Overall, Offense is still the key player in today's NFL. Defense can take you far as well but not all the way anymore; Seattle's or Denver's included. Have to have an Offensive mind with CEO level capabilities. Even if that Head Coach doesn't, he still will be chose over his Defensive Minded counterpart. Sean McDermont recently just got fired for his inability to evolve on his own side of the Football year over year. Mike Tomlin stepped down after seven straight years of being bounced out. Johnathan Gannon had little to show for despite drafting talents such as Paris Johnson Jr., Marvin Harrison Jr, Will Johnson and more. Conversely, not all Offensive Minded Coaches will work out either; Mike McDaniel being the prime example. Even so, coaches like Mike McDaniel will be favored over coaches like McDermont for that is the current way the NFL is.


Long story short?! Offense is king of the NFL. Until that paradigm changes in a dramatic way, expect more of the same.

 

LoL. We might as well let you, you have as much experience picking a HC as our current leaders do. Has either ever done this , anywhere???

 

See you may have more experience.

 

It’s not critical at all. Some people paint it that way, but they’re wrong. The HC needs to be an overall leader of both the team, and the entire coaching/coordinator staff. He has to do so much more than just design X’s and O’s well. People advocating for the latest X’s and O’s whiz kid because he came from a certain successful coach’s system are completely missing the big picture. Sone of those guys do have long term success, but it’s because they are not just X’s and O’s whizzes. It’s because they can also lead an organization at a high level. That capability is what’s necessary first and foremost.

- Steel_Elvis January 2026



I had the same thought so it was just easier to plagiarize @Steel_Elvis

 

We shouldnt want a nerd whiz kid. Thats not a coach. Seen a few of those. We need someone who is a teacher of perfecting the fundamentals, has good coordinators, and gets the team ready EVERY week. And no more buddy coaches.

Still dont think a retread coach is a good idea either (Flores, McCarthy, McDermot) theres a reason they were not successful and were removed from their positions.

 

I think a good OC with a top notch QB and offensive line and a DC with a few good defensive backs would make any head coach look good. And position coaches who can teach. And strength and condition staff that can keep people in the game. I think one aspect of a good head coach is to surround himself with quality underlings and then let them do their job. Having a good GM who can construct a reasonable roster would be an asset, too. It takes a team, and not just players.

 

Titans are interested in Mike Vrabel for HC. But the report I read was over 5 years old.....

 

Case in point; Rams, 9th highest paid offense, and people complaining about Shula and his defense need to keep in mind that it's the 29th highest paid defense in the NFL.

 

New England begs to differ.... 2X!

 

I just want this team to be fundamentally sound. I want the next coach to know time and possession. I want him to know how to use timeouts and not screw up challenge calls. Mike Tomlin was an utter disaster in the fundamentals of football.

Everything else will come together as it should. But those things you can control 100%

 

We're all suffering from the Mike Tomlin effect. A defensive-minded Head Coach who had his hands in the defense AND seemed to mandate a conservative approach on offense to "play not to lose" football.

It doesn't really matter if the HC is defensive-minded or offensive-minded, AS LONG AS he's willing and able to hire an Offensive Coordinator who's good at what he does and is empowered to implement his system.

 

Good OC's get snapped up quick, and then the entire offence changes, unless the head coach is an offensive guy with a large input into the offence.
Look at the Lions. When they lost Ben Johnson, everything changed. They battled it all year, to the point Dan Campbell took over playcalling. How did that work out for them?

Yes, when a DC leaves the same thing applies, but I think it's easier to adapt to a new defensive system than it is to an offensive system.

So I want the offensive X's and O's guru. Of course he also has to be a leader and good communicator, but that's the case for all coaches.

 

Kraft is widely considered the best owner in the NFL so maybe they know those couple coaches who are really better than their record, i dont know if the Rooneys and Khan can do the same.

 

The broader point, don't assume failure because of the HC. There are some organizations that are just plain rotten.