When you think of NFL head coaches, you think of guys who have coached their way either through the college or professional ranks and have a cartoonishly long list of experience.
In the current NFL, though, the typical characteristics of an NFL head coach have changed. While in the past it seemed experience was the most sought-after trait, now franchises are looking for success, whether it has been over a long period of time or not. Overall, head coaches in the league are getting younger and younger.
Here is a look at the youngest NFL head coaches in 2026.
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Youngest NFL head coaches in 2026
NFL head coaches were always thought to be the most experienced coaches in football, so they were consistently on the older side. Now, though, with analytics coming to the forefront of the sport, the age range has drastically shifted. In today's game, younger coaches are getting more opportunities and many of them are running with them and finding success, further pushing the narrative that youth doesn't mean lack of quality.
Below is a look at the youngest NFL head coaches in 2026.
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1. Kellen Moore, New Orleans Saints
- Age: 36
- Experience: 1 year
- Record: 6-11
Kellen Moore garnered a lot of coaching interest after sustained success as the offensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was hired to be the head coach of the Saints ahead of the 2025 season. While the team finished in last place in the NFC South with a 6-11 record, Moore was given a quarterback problem to solve, and it now looks like he has a starting signal caller in Tyler Shough.
Given some solid free agent moves and smart draft choices, New Orleans will likely have the best chance for improvement in 2026 with Moore in his second season.
MORE: Meet Saints QB Tyler Shough's family
2. Mike Macdonald, Seahawks
- Age: 38
- Experience: 2 years
- Record: 24-10
Mike Macdonald was hired by Seattle ahead of the 2024 season, taking over for longtime head coach Pete Carroll. He faced a tough task of making sure the franchise didn't take a step back, but instead made it clear he was the right man for the job. Macdonald led the Seahawks to a 10-7 record in his first season and then improved to 14-3 in his second season. Seattle won the NFC West in 2025 and earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
Seattle's 14 wins in 2025 were the most regular season wins the team had in franchise history.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Seahawks of all time
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3. Ben Johnson, Bears
- Age: 39
- Experience: 1 year
- Record: 11-6
Ben Johnson was considered an offensive guru, serving as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. It was only a matter of time before he got a head coaching gig, but to the dismay of Detroit fans, he was hired by the Chicago Bears. In Johnson's first season, the Lions finished 9-8 in last place in the NFC North. The Bears, meanwhile, went 11-6 and won the division.
In his first season in charge, Johnson helped Chicago to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, and its first division title since 2018.
MORE: Ranking the greatest Bears of all time
4. Sean McVay, Rams
- Age: 39
- Experience: 9 years
- Record: 92-57
Sean McVay was hired by the Rams in 2017 when he was just 31 years old. He was one of the youngest head coaching hires in NFL history. McVay made sure to prove early on that Los Angeles' faith in him was warranted. The Rams finished 11-5 in 2017 and then won the NFC in his second season, before a Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots. The Rams were back in the Super Bowl just three years later and beat the Cincinnati Bengals.
McVay has only had one losing season in his nine-year tenure. Most recently, the Rams finished the 2025 season with a 12-5 regular-season record, in second place in the NFC West.
MORE: How much money has Rams QB Matthew Stafford made in his career?
5. Liam Coen, Jaguars
- Age: 40
- Experience: 1 year
- Record: 13-4
Liam Coen was hired ahead of the 2025 season. He had served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator for the 2024 season, and Jacksonville made the surprise hire, bringing him in as their new head coach.
Coen's tenure in Jacksonville started off slowly as he was mocked by social media for how he said "Duval" in support of the team. He made sure to quickly silence his doubters, leading the Jaguars to a 13-4 record in his first season, including the AFC South division title.
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6. Kevin O'Connell, Vikings
- Age: 40
- Experience: 4 years
- Record: 43-25
Kevin O'Connell was hired ahead of the 2022 season. He led Minnesota to a 13-4 record, but the Vikings were bounced from the playoffs in their first game. O'Connell alternated good seasons with bad, going 7-10, 14-3 and 9-8 over his next three campaigns.
There isn't any question about O'Connell's current job security in Minnesota, but the biggest question is what the franchise will do at quarterback. The Vikings let Sam Darnold walk in free agency after the 2024 season, expecting J.J. McCarthy to be the quarterback of the future. McCarthy had a rough first season in the league, and O'Connell will have to work some quick magic to bounce back in 2026 and beyond.
MORE: Meet J.J. McCarthy's family
7. Shane Steichen, Colts
- Age: 40
- Experience: 3 years
- Record: 25-26
In 2025, the Colts had one of the worst downfalls we have seen in recent memory. Indianapolis went into its Week 11 bye week with an 8-2 record. The Colts lost their final seven games of the season, finishing 8-9 and missing the playoffs. Indianapolis lost starting quarterback Daniel Jones to a torn Achilles injury and couldn't recover.
Shane Steichen was on the hot seat following the epic downturn, but it was announced by the franchise that he would be retained. It was heavily implied, though, that he would be coaching on thin ice in 2026.
8. DeMeco Ryans, Texans
- Age: 41
- Experience: 3 years
- Record: 32-19
DeMeco Ryans was hired as Houston's new head coach ahead of the 2023 season. He was paired with No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud. In his tenure, the Texans have gone 32-19 with a playoff berth in each season.
When Ryans took over, Houston was coming off a 3-13-1 season. He helped them to a 10-7 season, good enough to win the AFC South in both 2023 and 2024. Ryans and the Texans went 12-5 in 2025, his best record so far as the head coach, and it resulted in a wild-card berth with the Jaguars finishing 13-4 and winning the division.
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9. Zac Taylor, Bengals
- Age: 42
- Experience: 7 years
- Record: 52-63-1
Zac Taylor and the Bengals have struggled to play consistently since he took the helm in 2019. Cincinnati went 2-14 in his first season and improved to 4-11 in his second. The Bengals then rattled off four straight winning seasons, including winning the AFC Championship in 2022. After back-to-back 9-8 seasons in 2023 and 2024, Cincinnati struggled to stay healthy in 2025 and finished 6-11.
Taylor was expected to be on the hot seat, and while he was retained for the 2026 season, another subpar year could be his last with the organization.