New NFL Coaches Achieve Promising Start in Season Openers

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 20, 2026

Six of the ten new NFL head coaches won their debut games this weekend, including John Harbaugh with the New York Giants and Mike McCarthy with the Pittsburgh Steelers. These early victories set a promising tone for their first seasons and increase anticipation for how these teams will perform moving forward.

A group of 10 new head coaches in the National Football League made a strong impression in their season openers over the weekend, with six securing victories in their first games.

John Harbaugh led the New York Giants to a win in his debut as head coach. Alongside Harbaugh’s success, Mike McCarthy’s Pittsburgh Steelers defeated Kevin Stefanski’s Atlanta Falcons, and Klint Kubiak’s Las Vegas Raiders overcame Jeff Hafley’s Miami Dolphins in matchups featuring head coaching newcomers.

Other first-game winners included Mike LaFleur of the Arizona Cardinals, who bested the Los Angeles Chargers; Jesse Minter’s Baltimore Ravens, who emerged victorious against the Indianapolis Colts; and Joe Brady’s Buffalo Bills, who defeated the Houston Texans.

Among the new coaches who entered the season with defeats were Robert Saleh of the Tennessee Titans, who lost to the New York Jets, and Todd Monken of the Cleveland Browns, who was beaten by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This weekend’s results highlight a positive start for several coaches undertaking new leadership roles this season, setting the stage for closely watched campaigns as the NFL progresses.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.