Interested in discovering who the highest-paid NFL coach is? You’ll find your answer and plenty more in this breakdown of football coach salaries. However, it should be noted these numbers are not official. Most coach salaries are not revealed to the public, but here’s the best information we have.
Highest-paid NFL coach in 2025
10. Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills, $8.5 million
Since taking over head coaching duties of the Buffalo Bills in 2017, Sean McDermott has only had a losing season once. Right now, he has a six-year streak with 10 or more wins. If it weren’t for the Kansas City Chiefs, he might have even delivered the first Super Bowl win in Bills history. Perhaps that changes soon.
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9. Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks, $9 million per year
The highest-paid first-time head coach in NFL history, Mike Macdonald couldn’t quite lead the Seattle Seahawks to the playoffs in his first season. However, the 37-year-old did still finish with a respectable 10-7 record. We’ll see where he can take the Seahawks from here.
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8. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens, $12 million per year
John Harbaugh signed on to be the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach with an expertise in special teams in 2008. Ever since, he’s led just two losing seasons and even won a Super Bowl ring in 2012. Now Harbaugh has a three-time NFL MVP in Lamar Jackson but hasn’t been able to get back to the promised land.
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7. Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears, $13 million
Finally taking the leap from high-end NFL offensive coordinator to head coach, Ben Johnson is ready to see if he can repeat his success leading the Chicago Bears, while taking on his former team twice per year. He’ll get to give it a shot while trying to maximize Caleb Williams’ potential.
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6. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers, $14 million per year
As the son of Mike, Kyle Shanahan was literally born into the game of football. Growing up around the sport, he’s now one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL, and he’s paid as such. With two Super Bowl trips already under his belt, Shanahan’s aiming for a Lombardi Trophy next.
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5. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams, $15 million per year
When hired in 2017, Sean McVay was the youngest head coach in NFL history at 30 years old. The Los Angeles Rams have missed the playoffs just twice ever since. In 2022, he became the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl LVI, earning him a raise.
Now, McVay is one of the highest-paid NFL coaches today. McVay’s even had opportunities to get involved in media, offering him similar pay and much less day-to-day stress, but then he wouldn’t be able to coach the LA Rams, which is a tough gig to turn down.
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3. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers, $16 million per year
When hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007, Mike Tomlin had no previous head coaching experience. Yet, he quickly led them to a Super Bowl victory in just his second season at the age of 36. He’s never had a losing season. While he hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016, Tomlin has become one of the best coaches in football, and his paycheck reflects his skills.
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3. Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers: $16 million per year
Who has it better than Jim Harbaugh? Not many. After leading the Michigan Wolverines to the College Football Playoff National Championship, Harbaugh finally found a path back to being an NFL head coach with the Los Angeles Chargers.
With a Super Bowl in sight, can he knock the next item off his bucket list? The Chargers are reportedly making Harbaugh one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL just to find out.
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2. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos: $18 million per year
Suddenly one of the highest-paid head coaches in the NFL today, Sean Payton became a top earner after being acquired from the New Orleans Saints in a blockbuster trade after the 2022 season. In addition to giving up a first-round pick in 2023 and a second-rounder in 2024, Denver inked Payton to a contract that will pay him between $85 million and $100 million over five years.
The last time we saw a commitment this large was when the Raiders handed Jon Gruden a 10-year, $100 million contract in 2018. Denver hopes making Payton the highest-paid NFL coach turns out a bit differently, and it’s looking like a good decision after reaching the postseason in his second season.
1. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs, $20 million per year
What is Andy Reid’s salary? A lot of people are curious. He’s the highest-paid NFL head coach today. Reid, or sometimes affectionately called Big Red, has been an NFL head coach for 26 years, but it wasn’t until he got to the Kansas City Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes that he won the big game, becoming a Super Bowl champion in 2019.
He also won AP Coach of the Year in his fourth season with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002. Now, he’s a three-time Super Bowl champ after winning again in 2024. After being the most underpaid NFL head coach, Big Red finally got a big raise after his latest Super Bowl win, and he’s now fourth on the all-time wins list, earning $25 million per season.
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Highest-paid NFL coaches – Former head coaches
Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, $20 million per year
Unsurprisingly, the greatest coach of all time was the highest-paid NFL head coach in recent memory. Six Super Bowl rings suggest Belichick’s worth every penny. The question is how successful can coach Belichick be without Tom Brady? So far, despite previously being the highest-paid NFL coach of all time, Belichick has been frozen out of the 2024 hiring cycle.
Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks, $15 million per year
Even at 72, Pete Carroll still seems like he could coach for a few more years. While the Seahawks have moved on, Carroll earned a spot among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches by having a career .586 winning percentage in addition to a Super Bowl victory in 2013.
Who is the lowest-paid NFL coach today?
Some sources indicate Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales makes anywhere from $2 million to $5 million per season. If it’s two million, Canales is the NFL’s lowest-paid head coach.
Otherwise, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles would be the NFL’s lowest-paid head coach at a reported $3 million per season. Some might suggest Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is the most underpaid coach in the NFL at $4 million per season.
Here is a list of the lowest-paid NFL head coaches in 2025.
- Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers – $2-5 million
- Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans – $3 million
- Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $3 million
- Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns – $3.5 million
- Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins – $3.5-4.5 million
- Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons – $4 million
- Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions – $4 million
