Trouble: Sean Payton continues to be viciously disregarded in the head coach power rankings.
NFL head coach Sean Payton is consistently being underrated and disrespected in head coach power rankings. This has been exemplified in the recent NFL head coach power rankings done by CBS Sports where Payton was ranked 18th among all 32 head coaches. He was classified in the tier of “Accomplished, with questions,” which is the same tier as Todd Bowles, Brian Daboll, Dan Quinn, and other coaches who Cody Benjamin had ranked ahead of Payton, such as Doug Pederson, Nick Sirianni, and Zach Taylor.
Payton, who is a future Hall of Fame head coach, has been one of the best coaches in the NFL in the past few years. However, despite his achievements, he has only managed to attain one playoff victory in his last four years as a head coach, which might have lowered his ranking. Additionally, Payton had taken the 2022 NFL season off, which might have influenced some journalists’ perception of him.
The ranking by CBS Sports is not the only one that has underrated Payton. The recent ranking by NFL.com had him placed at 13th, which is still low considering his track record. These rankings are puzzling, given that Payton has been able to accomplish great feats with the Denver Broncos in the 2023 season, despite many challenges.
CBS Sports writer Cody Benjamin’s reasoning for Payton’s low ranking centers on the fact that he has become polarizing. Nevertheless, this does not justify his low placement, especially when compared to Jim Harbaugh, who has not coached in the NFL in the last decade, but was ranked 11 spots above Payton. This position makes zero sense, especially when Payton is a proven winner.
Sean Payton is one of the best head coaches in the NFL and has been able to steer the Denver Broncos to success in difficult circumstances. He is an accomplished coach who deserves recognition for his contributions to the sport. The NFL head coach power rankings should reflect his achievements and not be influenced by perceptions that have little or no basis in reality. Thus, Payton should be ranked higher than 18th in these rankings.
