After leading the Kansas City Chiefs to their third Super Bowl win and fourth Super Bowl appearance in just the past five years, head coach Andy Reid got a much-deserved salary bump on a deal that runs through 2029.
So where does this new deal rank Reid among his peers in the NFL?
Here are the five highest-paid coaches in the league (numbers via ONE37PM):
5. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers – $12.5 million
17 straight years without a losing season to start a career, two AFC Championship wins and a Super Bowl title certainly make Tomlin worthy of an eight-digit salary, even if fans are getting tired of their team struggling to put up points on Sundays.
That said, it’s increasingly feeling as though Tomlin’s first losing season with the Steelers will be his last.
4. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams – $14 million
At 38 years of age, the Rams head coach is closer in age to when most NFL coaches begin their head coaching careers than the end of it. That’s what makes the almost annual rumors of his imminent retirement all the more fascinating.
In just under a decade with the Rams, McVay has won over 60-percent of his games and led his teams to two NFC titles – including a Super Bowl win in 2021.
McVay also has a fairly extensive coaching tree, which already features five assistants that are current or former NFL head coaches.
3. Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers – $16 million
After nearly a decade away from the NFL, Jim Harbaugh returns in 2024 on the heels of an historic national title win with his alma mater Michigan and with the services of a great talent at quarterback in Justin Herbert. The last time he was in the NFL, he led the 49ers to three straight NFC Championship Games in his first three years. The Chargers would love that kind of sustained success.
We saw what kind of magic Harbaugh could pull with two solid but hardly special quarterbacks in Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick. The Chargers front office is eager to see what he does after taking a true talent like Herbert under his wing.
2. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos – $18 million
It’s been a decade-and-a-half since Payton won it all with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. But not too long ago Payton was coming off four straight division titles and 49 wins in a four-year span.
After coming out of a brief retirement to coach the Broncos in 2023, Payton’s first year in Denver was a mixed bag that was marred by awful quarterback play and countless injuries. He’s in it for the long haul, but 2024 might be his toughest challenge yet.
1. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs – $18+ million
We don’t know the exactly dollar figure for the three-time Super Bowl champion’s new salary, but every reporter and insider has confirmed that Reid’s new deal is the highest-paid in the NFL today. Deservedly so.
His 11 straight winning seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs give him the longest active streak in the NFL, as does his eight straight AFC West titles. He also cemented his bust in the Hall of Fame through his last two Super Bowl wins, including the rare back-to-back titles this past year.