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NFC North Head Coach Rankings for 2026

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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell talking with Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski
Aug 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell meets with Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski before the game at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

We have four more men to put in order after having spent the last month ranking all the position groups in the NFC North division. More specifically, it’s the men in charge: the NFC North head coaches.

NFC North Head Coach Rankings for 2026

— Check back on the position rankings through the following links QBRBWRTEOLiDLEDGELBCB, S —

In keeping with everything else in the division there is very little to choose between the four head coaches. All four have an NFC North division title to their name, and all four will be hungry for more post-season success, which is what will eventually separate these coaches.

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1. Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears)

NFL: Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears
Aug 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson on the field before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

It might be early to make this claim but any doubts that he could take his success from offensive coordinator to the head coach role were quickly put to bed. Ben Johnson led the Bears to an 11-win season that secured the division title (first since 2018) and then a playoff win (first since 2010) over the Packers. Chicago would eventually fall in the divisional round to a narrow 20-17 loss to the LA Rams in overtime.

Following up a great first season could be an issue especially with the Bears having a very tough schedule on paper, but Johnson has proven he can adapt his offense in the past. If Johnson can keep the good times rolling in Chicago in his second year, he will quickly thrust his name into the conversation about the best coaches in the league.

2. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings)

Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell against the Dallas Cowboys in 2025
Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.

He has his flaws but dragging his team to nine wins last season should be seen as impressive as the 13 and 14-win seasons of 2022 and 2024.

Kevin O’Connell has a new QB to work with in 2026 in Kyler Murray. O’Connell has had lots of success with many different QBs but the fact that there have been so many is also the problem. The Vikings are in desperate need of stability at the QB position to allow the 2024 Coach of the Year to get the best out of his offense.

The biggest question mark hanging over the Vikings’ head coach is his poor playoff record. Two visits to the playoffs following dominant regular seasons have yielded zero playoff wins. That needs to change.

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3. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers)

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Nov 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur shake hands at midfield prior to a game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

Matt LaFleur had a great start to life as Green Bay’s head coach, winning the division three times and making the NFC Championship Game twice.

Since then, with the departure of future Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers – who had back-to-back MVP seasons in that run – LaFleur has kept the Packers competitive only missing out on the playoffs once in the last four seasons, but also only winning one playoff game. The Packers have been set up to win it throughout LaFleur’s tenure and if anything they’ve been getting further away.

This feels like a pivotal season for his future with the Packers and how he is viewed as a head coach.

4. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions)

Coach wearing blue cap and black shirt holds play sheet on sideline.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell watches a play against Seattle Seahawks during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Some people might have him at the top of this list but I’m not a huge Dan Campbell fan.

Don’t get me wrong; his “us against the world” shtick that took a Lions franchise that had been suffering for decades to back-to-back division titles was impressive. I always had questions over what would happen after the success when you can’t rely on the poor downtrodden Lions’ motivation anymore and what would happen when he lost his coordinators – with both Johnson and Aaron Glenn both leaving last season.

What happened is Campbell took one of the most talented rosters in the NFL from first to worst and finished bottom of the division. The Lions did manage a winning season but 2026 is a big test of Campbell’s credentials. A return to the playoffs and we can put last year down to a hiccup, another disappointing season and it will look even more like Johnson was the brains behind Detroit’s success all along.

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Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

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Sports

Judo gold rush, Neeraj Chopra claims silver, Tejaswin Shankar scripts decathlon history

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Team India enjoyed a landmark ninth day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday, July 31. Highlighted by a historic double gold sweep on the judo mat, a podium finish in the men’s javelin throw, and a groundbreaking medal in athletics, the Indian contingent added significantly to its collection as the Games hit their climax. Team India’s medal tally stands at 23 won medals after day 9, along with 10 guaranteed medals locked in for upcoming finals.

Here is a full breakdown of how Team India performed across venues on Day 9.


Judo: Twin Commonwealth Games golds and silver mark red-letter day for Indian combat sports

Judo - Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games: Day 8 - Source: GettyJudo - Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games: Day 8 - Source: Getty
Judo – Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games: Day 8 – Source: Getty

India’s judokas produced a standout performance at the venue, delivering one of the finest single-day displays in the country’s Commonwealth Games history.

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Asmita Dey scripts Golden Score drama

In the women’s 48kg final, young judoka Asmita Dey displayed remarkable resilience against Canada’s Heidi Quach. After a tight bout during regulation time, the contest moved into Golden Score overtime, where Asmita executed a decisive throw to score a Yuko and secure India’s first judo gold medal in Glasgow.

Harsh Singh doubles the gold tally

Minutes later in the men’s 60kg final, Harsh Singh completed a flawless tournament run. Taking on Australia’s Joshua Katz, Harsh remained composed before scoring a crucial point in the closing moments to bag India’s second judo gold medal of the day.

Yamini Maurya earns silver

In the women’s 57kg final, Yamini Maurya added to India’s combat medal count with a hard-fought silver medal. Yamini reached the final following an emphatic 98-second Ippon victory in her semi-final bout before falling short against England’s Acelya Toprak.


Track & field: Javelin double podium and historic decathlon medal at Commonwealth Games

Neeraj Chopra takes silver; Yash Vir Singh claims bronze

The marquee event of the evening took place at the stadium in the men’s javelin throw final. Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra registered a season-best effort of 85.83m to claim the silver medal. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage captured gold with a massive 89.75m throw.

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Joining Chopra on the podium was teammate Yash Vir Singh, who launched a personal best throw of 85.41m on his final attempt to snatch the bronze medal and secure a 2-3 finish for India.

Tejaswin Shankar scripts decathlon history

Multi-event athlete Tejaswin Shankar turned in a heroic two-day performance across ten grueling disciplines to claim the bronze medal in the men’s decathlon with a total of 7,976 points. Shankar’s podium finish marks India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the decathlon.


Boxing: Unbeaten semi-final sweep sends ten Indians into finals of Commonwealth Games 2026

India’s boxing squad put together a dominant session, winning all scheduled semi-final bouts to guarantee ten spots in the gold medal clashes:

  • Women’s 54kg: Preeti Pawar defeated Zambia’s Catherine Mwape via a unanimous 5-0 decision.
  • Men’s 80kg: Ankush Panghal controlled his bout against Canada’s Joshua Ofori to advance.
  • Women’s 57kg: Jaismine Lamboria notched a Referee Stops Contest (RSC) victory over Lesotho’s Rapelanf Maselela.
  • Women’s 70kg: Arundhati Chaudhary comfortably defeated Rosie Eccles of Wales.
  • Men’s 55kg: Jadumani Singh outpointed Namibia’s Philip Haoseb via unanimous decision.
  • Women’s 51kg & 60kg: Sakshi Chaudhary and Priya Ghanghas sealed victories over their respective semi-final opponents.
  • Heavyweight bouts: Lovlina Borgohain, Sachin Siwach, and Narender Berwal closed out the day with semi-final wins.

Lawn bowls and track cycling at Commonwealth Games

Here is the performance of Indian athletes at lawn bowls and track racing on day 9:

  • Lawn bowls: The men’s pairs duo of Navneet Singh and Dinesh Kumar extended their unbeaten run by defeating the Falkland Islands 2-0 in sectional play to move into the knockout rounds. In women’s singles, Nayanmoni Saikia posted a convincing 2-0 win over Zambia’s Mildred Mkandawire.
  • Track cycling: Harshveer Sekhon and Dinesh Kumar competed in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit qualification rounds but missed out on advancing to the final heat.