Ken Dorsey, Bills Offensive Coordinator (Age: 42)
Ken Dorsey is in his second season coordinating the Bills’ offense after taking over for the departed Brian Daboll, and Buffalo has maintained its characteristic dominance, finishing with the 2nd-ranked total offense in 2022 and on track to finish with a top-5 total offense in 2023. Prior to his promotion to coordinator, Dorsey spent three seasons as Josh Allen’s quarterbacks coach, playing a major role in Allen’s development from an inconsistent starter to a dominant force in the league. Before joining the Bills, Dorsey was Cam Newton’s quarterbacks coach in Carolina for five seasons, including his MVP 2015 season, and he played for five seasons as a backup quarterback.
Jim Harbaugh, University of Michigan Head Coach (Age: 60)
Jim Harbaugh is in his ninth season as head coach at Michigan, and it might be his best, as the Wolverines are currently 9-0 and have averaged over 40 points per game on offense. Harbaugh has turned Michigan from a middling team in the Big Ten to a national powerhouse, producing star NFL talent such as Rashan Gary and Aidan Hutchinson as well as starting NFL offensive linemen including Michael Onwenu and Graham Glasgow. Prior to becoming a head coach at Michigan, Harbaugh coached the 49ers for four years to a 44-19-1 record with a Super Bowl run, and he engineered a successful turnaround as Stanford’s head coach from 2007 to 2010. Harbaugh played quarterback for 14 seasons in the NFL, and his brother John Harbaugh is currently in his sixteenth season as head coach of the Ravens.
Ben Johnson, Lions Offensive Coordinator (Age: 37)
Ben Johnson is in his second season as the Lions’ offensive coordinator and the turnaround has been swift, as the Lions went from a bottom-tier offense and a 3-13-1 record the year before Johnson took over to a top-5 total offense in 2022 and a similarly-impressive performance in 2023. Quarterback Jared Goff is performing at the most efficient clip of his career after being cast aside with the Rams, and players like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell have emerged as two of the top players under 25 at their positions. Prior to taking over as offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson served as TJ Hockenson’s position coach for two seasons, and he played backup quarterback for the UNC Tar Heels for four seasons while earning his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science.
Dan Quinn, Cowboys Defensive Coordinator (Age: 53)
Dan Quinn is in his third season coordinating the Cowboys’ defense, and that unit has improved every season under his watch. The Cowboys are on track to finish with the 3rd-ranked total defense in 2023, and under Quinn’s watch, Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs have emerged as two of the most dominant young defenders in the NFL. Prior to joining the Cowboys, Dan Quinn was the head coach of the Falcons for five seasons, finishing with a 43-42 record and a Super Bowl appearance. Before Atlanta, Quinn coordinated the Seahawks’ to back-to-back top-ranked total defensive outputs in 2013 and 2014 under head coach Pete Carroll, and he played four seasons at Division III Salisbury State as a defensive lineman.
Jim Schwartz, Browns Defensive Coordinator (Age: 57)
Jim Schwartz is in his first season as the Browns’ defensive coordinator, and his performance so far has been stellar, as the unit went from around league average in 2022 to a team capable of stifling powerhouse offenses like San Francisco and Cincinnati’s in 2023. Overall, the Browns are on track to finish with the top-ranked total defense in 2023, with career years from Myles Garrett and Martin Emerson. Prior to joining the Browns, Schwartz coordinated the Super Bowl-winning 2017 Philadelphia Eagles’ defense, and he served as the Lions’ head coach from 2009 to 2013, bringing them out of the depths of their infamous 0-16 season in 2008 and to relevancy with a 29-51 total record.
Frank Smith, Dolphins Offensive Coordinator (Age: 42)
Frank Smith is in his second season as an offensive coordinator under Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins have transformed into an AFC powerhouse, as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the unquestioned top receiving duo in the NFL and Tua Tagovailoa is in the running to win MVP this season. Overall, the Dolphins are on track to finish with the top-ranked total offense in 2023 on Smith’s watch after finishing in the bottom-10 just two years ago in 2021. Prior to joining the Dolphins, Frank Smith served as Rashawn Slater’s offensive line coach in 2021, and he was the tight end coach for the Raiders from 2018 to 2020, overseeing a Pro Bowl season from Jared Cook and taking part in the development of Darren Waller.
Bobby Slowik, Texans Offensive Coordinator (Age: 36)
Bobby Slowik is in his first season coordinating the Texans’ offense, and the offense is drastically outperforming expectations. The Texans currently have a 4-4 record, and quarterback CJ Stroud is the runaway betting favorite to win offensive rookie of the year. Prior to joining the Texans, Bobby Slowik spent four seasons on Kyle Shanahan’s offensive staff, helping in the development of skill-position talent like George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Brock Purdy and was seen as Kyle Shanahan’s top offensive assistant following Mike McDaniel’s departure. Before San Francisco, Slowik spent two years as an analyst at PFF, and he played wide receiver for the Michigan Tech Huskies for three seasons.
Jeff Ulbrich, Jets Defensive Coordinator (Age: 46)
Jeff Ulbrich is in his third season as a defensive coordinator under Robert Saleh and the Jets have made an incredible transformation under his watch, going from the worst-ranked total defense in the league in 2021 to the fourth-ranked total defense in 2022 and a unit capable of going toe-to-toe with Buffalo, Kansas City, and Philadelphia in 2023. Jeff Ulbrich has been instrumental in the development of Deion Jones and Quincy Williams, two modern-style linebackers drafted in the middle rounds, into top players at their position. Jeff Ulbrich started his coaching career with the Seahawks in 2010 under Pete Carroll, and he played ten seasons in the NFL as a linebacker for the 49ers.
Honorable Mentions: Eagles OC Brian Johnson, Ravens OC Todd Monken, Bengals DC Lou Anarumo, Ravens DC Mike MacDonald