The NFL is filled with talented playmakers who consistently bring highlights week in and out. They fill up our points in fantasy football every week, and even win some of us money. Every football fan loves points, but it’s not entirely the players who make those points possible.

Coaching is a crucial factor in the NFL, and many teams are looking for that leader to get them over the hump. That’s why every offseason, there seems to be a nice young, offense-minded coach that every team is looking to hire, with the last cycle being former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

Some NFL fans are lucky to have an elite playcaller on their sideline. Here are the top 10 offensive play callers in the NFL heading into the 2026 season who will no doubt fill up the box score every Sunday.

1. Sean McVay – Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay remains the gold standard for offensive play-calling in today’s NFL. Since taking over the Rams in 2017, he has shaped the modern NFL offense, with teams hiring assistants from his coaching tree (some are on this list).

McVay’s offenses are defined by precision, disguise and adaptability. His use of motion, condensed formations and perfectly timed play-action passes creates easy reads for quarterbacks while stressing the defense. The special part about McVay is that he’s evolved, shifting his running scheme from a zone scheme to a more downhill, power-based one.

One of his greatest accomplishments has been succeeding with different quarterbacks. Jared Goff reached a Super Bowl under McVay, Matthew Stafford immediately won one after arriving in Los Angeles, and the offense remained productive despite injuries and roster changes over the years.

His ability to adjust during games is second to none. McVay rarely sticks with a failing game plan, and instead will identify defensive tendencies and attack them in real time. Combined with a Super Bowl ring, years of elite offensive production and an unmatched coaching tree, McVay enters 2026 as the NFL’s best offensive playcaller.

2. Andy Reid – Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has remained at the top of the NFL’s hierarchy for over two decades, an incredible feat considering how much the game has changed. His offenses have evolved from Donovan McNabb to Alex Smith and now to Patrick Mahomes, proving he can remain elite beyond a single quarterback.

Reid’s creativity is unmatched in critical situations. His red-zone designs, third-down packages and screen game have become staples across the league, with countless coaches borrowing concepts from his playbook. Every week, Kansas City unveils new wrinkles that force defenses to spend extra time preparing for.

What separates Reid from almost everyone else is his adaptability. As defenses adjust, Reid adjusts even faster. His willingness to constantly innovate has kept Kansas City among the league’s elite despite opponents dedicating entire offenses to stopping his offense.

The championships certainly strengthen his case, but Reid’s place near the top is about far more than rings. His sustained excellence and unmatched offensive creativity have made him one of the greatest playcallers in NFL history.

3. Kyle Shanahan – San Francisco 49ers

Few coaches can manipulate a defense quite like San Francisco’s 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan. His offense is built around making every play feel the same until the last second. The outside zone running game remains the foundation, but Shanahan’s ability to build play-action concepts has made his system nearly impossible to defend when executed properly.

Shanahan’s use of motion, shifts and personnel groupings creates favorable angles in both the run and pass games. Perhaps his greatest strength is the production he can create regardless of the personnel. Running backs, receivers and quarterbacks have all posted career seasons in his offense, showing his scheme creates opportunities.

The only reason he doesn’t top the list is postseason success. While Shanahan has reached multiple Super Bowls, late-game offensive struggles have prevented him from securing multiple championships. Even so, from a pure X’s and O’s standpoint, there are few offensive minds capable of matching his weekly game plans.

4. Sean Payton – Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has spent nearly two decades proving he’s one of the greatest offensive minds the NFL has ever seen. From his record-breaking partnership with Drew Brees in New Orleans to rebuilding Denver’s offense, Payton has found ways to maximize quarterback play.

Payton’s offense thrives on rhythm and precision. Few coaches script opening drives better, and his understanding of defensive tendencies allows him to create favorable matchups. Running backs and tight ends are heavily involved in his offense, making it hard to defend.

Payton also deserves praise for his adaptability. While many veteran coaches refuse to evolve, he’s consistently incorporated modern concepts without abandoning the principles that made his offense successful in the first place. His work developing young quarterbacks has only strengthened his resume.

The championship pedigree, longevity, and ability to consistently field productive offenses make Payton one of the NFL’s premier playcallers, even as a new generation of offensive innovators continues to emerge.

5. Ben Johnson – Chicago Bears

Even before becoming the Chicago Bears head coach, Ben Johnson earned a reputation as one of football’s most innovative playcallers during his time in Detroit. His offenses produced explosive plays through clever formations, creative misdirections and aggressive play-calling in the biggest moments.

Johnson’s greatest strength is unpredictability. Trick plays, tackle eligible designs and fake screens, along with perfectly timed shot plays, have become staples in his offense. It forces defense to prepare for virtually everything. He also does a great job sequencing plays, calling one concept early solely to set up a big play later in the game.

One of his greatest accomplishments was transforming Jared Goff into one of the NFL’s most efficient quarterbacks. Rather than asking Goff to create out of structure, Johnson consistently designed throws that played to his strengths while maximizing Detroit’s talented offensive line and running backs.

Although he still has to prove himself over a longer period as a head coach, Johnson’s play-calling creativity is already among the league’s best.

6. Mike McDaniel – Los Angeles Chargers

No offensive coach has influenced modern football quite like Mike McDaniel over the past few seasons. His offense is built on speed, timing and deception, using motion and creative formations to stretch defenses horizontally before attacking vertically.

McDaniel has mastered the art of creating space for his playmakers. Whether it’s Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle or De’Von Achane, every player consistently is put in favorable situations through unique alignments and well-designed route concepts. Defenders are often forced to communicate on the fly, and one mistake usually results in an explosive play.

His gun game deserves just as much praise. McDaniel’s outside-zone concepts, combined with creative blocking angles and motion, generate chunk gains even against a loaded defensive front.

McDaniel will now handle a new challenge with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he gets to work with Justin Herbert as his quarterback.

7. Kevin O’Connell – Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has quickly established himself as one of football’s brightest offensive minds. His quarterback-friendly system consistently produces easy completions while creating explosive downfield opportunities, regardless of who is taking the snaps.

The best example is 2025, when Minnesota remained one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses despite going through multiple quarterbacks due to injuries. O’Connell adjusted protections, route concepts and game plans to maximize each passer’s strengths rather than asking them to run the same offense.

His use of motion, bunch formations and layered route combinations forces defenses into difficult coverage decisions. He also excels at attacking specific weaknesses, making Minnesota one of the toughest teams to prepare for each week because the offensive approach often changes depending on the opponent.

As a playcaller, O’Connell blends the modern Shanahan-McVay system with enough creativity to make it his own. While he may not have the championship resumes of the coaches ahead of him, his rapid rise has cemented his status among the NFL’s elite.

8. Matt LaFleur – Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has quietly become one of the NFL’s most consistent offensive playcallers. Since arriving in Green Bay, his offenses have remained among the league’s most efficient despite roster changes.

LaFleur’s offense thrives on deception. Heavy pre-snap motion, condensed formations and outside-zone concepts force defenders to hesitate, opening throwing lanes and creating explosive plays. LaFleur also deserves credit for accelerating Jordan Love’s development and for designing an offense that expanded as his young quarterback grew more comfortable.

Few coaches marry the run and pass as seamlessly as LaFleur. Nearly every run concept has a complementary play-action look, making life difficult for linebackers and safeties. His ability to create easy throws while still generating explosive opportunities is one reason Green Bay’s offense ranks among the league’s most efficient.

LaFleur may not receive the same recognition as some of the bigger names ahead of him, but his adaptability and week-to-week game planning have made him one of the NFL’s premier offensive callers.

9. Josh McDaniels – New England Patriots

This hurts to write as a Las Vegas Raiders fan, but there’s no denying New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is one of the game’s best when it comes to calling plays.

McDaniels has always thrived at tailoring his offense to his personnel. Whether it was Tom Brady carving defenses apart through the air, or now Drake Maye doing the same. His system has consistently adapted rather than forcing players into awkward situations.

One of his greatest strengths is sequencing. McDaniels rarely calls plays in isolation and will build entire drives around setting up future play calls. The same formations may have three different looks throughout a game, keeping defenses guessing until the final whistle.

The lack of recent success in Las Vegas hurts his reputation, no doubt, but the play-calling ability is still there. With Maye and a fresh opportunity in New England, McDaniels has a chance to remind the league why he’s been considered as one of football’s greatest minds.

10. Todd Monken – Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Moken completely modernized the Baltimore Ravens offense without taking away what made it special. Rather than forcing Lamar Jackson into a traditional passing scheme, Monken built an offense around his quarterback’s strengths while explaining his responsibilities as a pocket passer. The results have been the most balanced we’ve ever seen from the Ravens’ offense.

Monken deserves credit for his creativity in marrying heavy personnel with spread concepts. Defenses are consistently forced to defend the run while respecting Jackson’s ability to attack every level of the field. His use of motion, play action and layered route combinations creates favorable matchups, especially for tight ends and running backs.

There are coaches with longer resumes ahead of him, but Monken has quickly established himself as one of football’s elite offensive minds.