Snubbed? Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith not ranked top-10 in NFLBy cover32 StaffJuly 09, 2014 2:05 pm EDT 
Typically speaking, sports fans tend to worry about two things – the past and the future. They’ll debate who was the greatest player of all-time, while also spending hours discussing whether or not a rookie is going to be develop into an All-Pro.Both are fun exercises, things that keep fans engaged and the beer flowing at the local tavern. But they miss out on what is most important – the present.Forget about yesterday. Never mind tomorrow. Let’s talk about today.Who are the best players in the NFL right now? Who can help a team win the Super Bowl this season? Who is writing a legacy with each passing week?Those are the questions the editors at cover32 seek to answer in this series, “Top 10 in 2014.” In the coming weeks, every position – as well as head coach, general manager and other off-field areas – will be graded, evaluated and ranked.The series continues with a position that doesn’t require a uniform, but is of vital importance – head coach. Football is the ultimate game of strategy, meaning there is no sport where the right leader can make as much of a difference, while the wrong one can send things careening off course faster.10. Bruce Arians Arians is working some magic in Arizona Arians led the Colts to the playoffs in 2012 while filling in for Chuck Pagano on an interim basis, which should have told us all that we needed to know about the veteran coach. Then, he guided the Cardinals to a 10-6 mark during his first season in the Valley of the Sun. That’s a solid recent track record. At 61, we’ll see if he can keep the momentum building.
9. Mike McCarthy McCarthy proved his mettle last season Winning a Super Bowl title in Green Bay puts you in elite company, right alongside Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren in Packers lore. Capturing the NFC North title despite not having Aaron Rodgers for nearly half the season earns respect from those who really know the game, which is what McCarthy was able to do in 2013. He’s very underrated and very capable.8. Andy Reid Reid instantly transformed the Chiefs Getting to one NFC title game after another, plus one Super Bowl, in Philadelphia showed that Reid can coach, even if a championship ultimately eluded him during his time with the Eagles. Transforming the Chiefs from 2-14 to a playoff team in his first year in Kansas City showed he’s among the elite head coaches in football. Now, can he keep it going in K.C.?
7. John Harbaugh Harbaugh perennially has the Ravens in the mix Up until this season, when his roster was depleted by retirements, trades and injuries, Harbaugh’s Ravens were a shoo-in to be in the playoff mix. But missing the postseason one time shouldn’t be cause for concern. Baltimore figures to be there again next year, if history is any indication, as that’s what Harbaugh does on an annual basis.6. Mike Tomlin Tomlin knows how to relate to his players When a coach has been to two Super Bowls and won one of them, fans have to be pretty confident that they have the right guy in charge; that’s still the notion in Pittsburgh, even on the heels of last year’s disappointing 8-8 finish. Tomlin’s message is still fresh, as is his rapport with the Steelers star players, so he’s still at the top of his game.
5. Tom Coughlin Coughlin has dodged the NYC landmines Sure, he’s constantly on the hot seat in New York, but that’s mainly due to the unrealistic expectations established by the media in the Big Apple. Coughlin has won two Super Bowl titles in the past seven seasons; that’s nothing to scoff at. And if he ever does get fired by the Giants, it wouldn’t take him five minutes to get another gig if he wanted one.4. Sean Payton Payton makes the Saints relevant Given that the Saints were an absolute train wreck during the season in which Payton was suspended for BountyGate, it’s not hard to figure out why he’s considered one of the most valuable head coaches in the league. When he’s on the sidelines in New Orleans, the Saints are a Super Bowl contender; when he’s not, they are an also-ran.
3. Pete Carroll Carroll is the rah-rah guy in Seattle Under his watch, Seattle has gone from an irrelevant team in the Pacific Northwest to the talk of the league. That’s what happens when you win a Super Bowl with a swarming defense and a second-year quarterback. And given that the majority of his key players are still young, there’s no reason to believe that the league’s ultimate optimist can’t win a few more.2. Jim Harbaugh Harbaugh had an immediate impact on the Niners During his three seasons as an NFL head coach, his 49ers have been to three NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl. That’s pretty hard to beat, especially considering what a dumpster fire San Francisco was when he took over. All that’s missing on his résumé is a title, which Harbaugh has plenty of time to chase, even if it’s not in the Bay Area.
1. Bill Belichick Nobody does it better than Belichick Complain about his knack for building a roster if you’d like, as the Patriots lack of talent in some spots falls squarely on his shoulders, but there’s no questioning Belichick’s ability to get the most out of the players on the field. Last year’s 12-4 finish with an injury-laden team is proof that he can guide almost any collection of players to the playoffs.link