The Athletic RZ - Coach Tier List: Tier 3
by kohkaynerain | 3 years ago | 0 Comments
With the start of the Season 70 regular season right around the corner, the league will prepare for narratives to begin, stories to be told and champions to be made. This summer, 23 of 32 Redzone coaches participated in an anonymous poll, ranking themselves and their peers within 3 tiers. Based on these submissions, we here at The RZ Athletic have compiled the definitive Redzone Coaches Tier List. Let the takes begin.
32. Beat (Replaced by Tiko) - T1 (1 vote), T3 (22 votes)
31. Silk (Replaced by Biggs) - T2 (7 votes), T3 (16 votes)
30. Prewitt (Replaced by Terrance Howard) - T2 (11 votes), T3 (12 votes)
29. Robomonkey (New York Jets) - T1 (1 vote), T3 (22 votes)
Robomonkey (actual name TBD) is relatively new to the league and arguably still needs some time to prove himself and his place in Redzone. Entering season 70, he is leading one of the worst possible teams, which could be equally beneficial or a burden. With rookie QB Zach Wilson under center, he will have a clean slate to help define where he belongs in RZ.
28. Glenn (Green Bay Packers) - T1 (1 vote), T3 (22 votes)
Coach Glenn, unlike Robot Gorilla, has been around Redzone for some time. While he’s had his share of upsets and put together a few solid seasons, almost 96% of those who participated in the poll ranked him as a tier 3 coach. Unfortunately for Glenn, he shares a division with established coaches Astin and JP. If Glenn wants to set a tone, he will need to do so early as GB has the best roster in the division out the gate…but that can only last so long.
27. Longville (Cleveland Browns) - T2 (2 votes), T3 (21 votes)
91% of coaches believe that Longville is tier 3, and I don’t foresee that changing anytime soon. Returning to the Browns for this cycle, Longville will look to improve on what was a lackluster run previously. Though this isn’t a prediction article, I don’t believe Longville and the Browns have any chance of finishing above 4th place in the AFC North. All in all, one of my least favorite coach/team pairings of the cycle.
26. Theo (Pittsburgh Steelers) - T2 (2 votes), T3 (21 votes)
Coach Theo finished with the same voting split as Longville, but based on projections, should have a more prospective cycle. After spending time in Green Bay, Theo will look to lead the Steelers back into the AFC playoff picture. With a solid defense, young skill players on offense, I think that in normal circumstances this team would be a QB away from contention. We’ll see if he’s able to compete in a top heavy AFC North.
25. Nick (Denver Broncos) - T2 (3 votes), T3 (20 votes)
Nick is returning to Redzone after an extended hiatus and will look to get a fresh start with the Broncos. Nick finished with three tier 2 votes, and one has to wonder if those are from veteran coaches who remember Nick’s potential or newer coaches who appreciate his ability to turn a forum into xvideos on a whim.
24. KFox (Los Angeles Chargers) - T2 (4 votes), T3 (19 votes)
Staying in the AFC West, KFox finished with 4 tier 2 votes and 19 tier 3 votes. Although he hasn’t accomplished much in his career thus far, he has shown flashes of potential. With a talented Chargers team under his command, this will be an interesting cycle to see what he can do.
23. RFox (Buffalo Bills) - T2 (5 votes), T3 (18 votes)
RFox is in an interesting situation coming into season 70. Leading the Buffalo Bills, he has easily the best roster in the AFC East. What is unknown is how they will fare against the likes of Coaches Spittah and Kad. If they are able to pull out a few 2nd place finishes, we may be having a different conversation about RFox next summer.
22. Andy (Tennessee Titans) - T2 (8 votes), T3 (15 votes)
Andy begins the run of what I consider ‘on the cusp’ coaches, meaning with a solid cycle or two, these coaches should be considered for a move up into tier 2. Last cycle, Andy was able to put together a few solid seasons late, in a division dominated by King John and the Steelers. With a playoff appearance under his belt, I believe that he is capable of continuing that success especially in a very winnable AFC South.
21. Beech (Detroit Lions) - T1 (1 vote), T2 (7 votes), T3 (15 votes)
After winning a Super Bowl two cycles ago with Tom Brady and the Patriots, Coach Beech has gone back to basically being MIA. We know that he has the capability to put together a strong run, but one thing that he needs to improve is his team building skills. With Detroit, he is honestly behind the 8 ball. Hopefully he has a plan to build and compete within the NFC.
20. Monty (New York Giants) - T2 (9 votes), T3 (14 votes)
Monty has landed himself as a top 20 coach in Redzone, which is genuinely impressive. A respectable 39% of coaches voted him as tier 2, and I can see that number increasing if he can put together a few productive seasons. Whether or not that will happen is largely dependent on how he fares in the NFC East, a division with some of the more talented coaches in Redzone.
19. Spence (Arizona Cardinals) - T1 (1 vote), T2 (9 votes), T3 (13 votes)
This is a make or break cycle for Spencer. After plateauing with the Saints last cycle, Spence has moved on to greener pastures accepting a position with the Cardinals. Though he’s put up some decent seasons, Spence has yet to finish a campaign better than 8-8 (to my knowledge). Familiarity with Coach Kelly should help in some division matchups, but Spence will need to be on 10 all cycle in order to maintain success.
18. Jim (Jacksonville Jaguars) - T2 (12 votes), T3 (11 votes)
Coach Jim is my most likely coach to make a jump in tiers this cycle, and it can happen much sooner than later. With votes almost split down the middle, Jim is right on the edge and his team building abilities should be able to get him over the hump. He has command of a Jaguars team that will be built around first overall pick Trevor Lawrence, and if the right pieces are put in place, this team and coach can be favorites in their division.