NFL Play-Callers: McVay Leads 2026 Expert Rankings
NFL experts ranked the top 10 offensive play-callers for 2026, led by Sean McVay on 105 points after the Rams’ 2025 surge.
Mehmet Şahinoğlu ·
A group of 12 NFL experts has published a top-10 ranking of the league’s offensive play-callers as teams move toward the 2026 season. Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay was placed first in an assessment that used a weighted points model.
McVay topped the list with 105 points. The panel’s scoring credited the Rams’ 2025 output, citing a league-leading finish in points per game, total yards, and success rate during that campaign.
How the panel scored offensive play-callers
Officials involved in the process said the ranking Officials involved in the process said the ranking was built from a wider voting pool than the final top 10 suggests. The evaluation included 19 separate candidates who received votes across offensive and defensive categories. Within the final order, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan finished second with 100 points. Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson was ranked third with 90 points. Coaching roles and the one non-head coach in the top 10 The list leaned heavily toward head coaches, reflecting how many franchises centralize offensive decision-making at the top of the staff. The panel highlighted that consistent play-calling was closely linked to overall offensive effectiveness in its results.
Los Angeles Rams
Mike McDaniel, identified in the assessment as the Chargers offensive coordinator, was the only person in the top 10 who was not a head coach. He received 54 points, with voters pointing to his specific strengths in designing and developing run-game concepts.
Why play-calling is being measured ahead of 2026
The panel described the ranking as a benchmark for comparing coaching performance. It framed play design, sequencing, and in-game decision-making as strategic levers that can separate teams as the league enters another season.
The results also underscore how strongly recent offensive production can shape reputations in these kinds of evaluations. In this case, the Rams’ 2025 standing at the top of major offensive measures was presented as a central reason McVay finished ahead of the field.
Even with a point-based approach, the assessment leaves some uncertainty about how voters balanced scheme, personnel, and game-management responsibilities across different roles. Still, the panel’s list positions play-calling as a key differentiator in a highly competitive NFL environment heading into 2026.