Where Do NFC Coaches the Jaguars Face in 2025 Rank?

In years past, NFL Head Coaches used to have so much longer leashes. Sure, the men in the headsets back then were still hearing Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" But these days it's more of a matter of Green Day's "Good Riddance" or Rihanna's "Better Have My Money".

In CBS Sports 2025 NFL Head Coach Rankings, the Jacksonville Jaguars do battle with half of the 12 elite-status coaches this season. But what about the coaches at the helm of the five NFC teams on this year's calendar?

In Week 1, it's a battle of the Bucs OCs as the last two design architects in Tampa face off against one another. No. 26 Liam Coen hosts No. 24 Dave Canales and his Carolina Panthers, who went 5-12 in his first year as a head man.

"A five-win debut may not seem like much, but it is when the previous coach made it just 11 games before getting the pink slip. Better yet, Canales had a once-listless Bryce Young throwing with authority by the end of his first season running a rebuild."

8-4 in the postseason and 70-62 overall in nine seasons, San Francisco Head Coach Kyle Shanahan has two NFC Title wins. The No. 3-ranked HC and his 49ers will welcome in Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars to see how they fit in Levi's Stadium.

"Depending on the year, Shanahan's either a schematic genius on the precipice of glory or the dejected face of an injury-ravaged lineup. No other coach, after all, has guided four NFC title-game appearances in five years, while also overseeing four losing seasons. It's pretty simple here: If his toys are sturdy, he can draw up a shootout with the best of them. Robert Saleh's return as a right-hand man on defense should also help, though Shanahan's also got a conservative bent in the biggest moments."

The only Super Bowl winner of this particular group is Sean McVay, the not-yet-40 Head Coach of the L.A. Rams. McVay could be a B.O.A.T. guy, as he already ranks 66th on the all-time wins list and could surpass legendary 49ers HC Bill Walsh and vault into the top 50 this season. The Jaguars will host the Rams in London in Week 7. McVay ranks No. 2 on the CBS ledger.

"If you were starting a brand-new franchise, you'd be hard-pressed to hire anyone else. McVay is battle-tested thanks to six different playoff runs in eight years, two of which ended in the Super Bowl. He's also energetic enough to cultivate long-term growth; look no further than how quickly the Rams' remade young defense found its footing. Give McVay, who remains a near-unmatched motivator, a competent and/or reasonably healthy quarterback, and you're locked in for a solid January fight."

The lowest-ranked of the five NFC opponents is third-year man Jonathan Gannon in Arizona at No. 27. It might be a prove-it year for Gannon. His team and the Jags meet up in the Valley of the Sun in Week 12.

"His fate may be tied to the trajectory of Kyler Murray, who's still scattershot entering Year 7. But Gannon's at least overseen gradual improvement in the win column, and his defense might finally be ready to pop thanks to offseason investments in the front four."

These coaches, at a combined 21 games over .500 (mostly due to McVay), will be a good test for Liam Coen as he looks to guide his club and rise in the rankings himself. And maybe, just maybe, the song in Duval when it comes to Liam Coen may just be Montell Jordan's, "This Is How We Do It".

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