Who is the NFL's best head coach?

Andrea Kremer

Mike Shanahan He has to rebound from the past two mediocre seasons. But with a pair of Super Bowl rings, total control of the Broncos franchise and his offensive intellect, he must still be considered at the top of his game.

Mark Malone

Jon Gruden By picking one, I have to exclude a handful of others I think are worthy of that title. But I'm making my choice based on the events of the offseason. Gruden must be a pretty good head coach if the Bucs had to give up four draft choices and $8 million to get him. He took the Raiders' franchise, one that had been struggling and had discipline problems, to the precipice of winning a Super Bowl the last few years. I think he will have that kind of impact in Tampa Bay. He is a workaholic; he demands discipline; and he is highly motivated. At the same time, he is a creative offensive mind. Gruden is a unique blend.

Merril Hoge

Jeff Fisher The players love him and love to play for him. But he's not a players' coach in that he will not let them run him over. There are rules and standards that must be followed and kept. And the players had better keep them or they will be gone. They had better perform, or they will be called into the office. Fisher treats the players with respect and like men. Ultimately, that's what the players want and love. And they respond on the field.

Mark Schlereth

Jon Gruden I don't know if you can put the "best" label on one guy. There are several good candidates. But Gruden may be the one. He is as passionate as any coach in the league, and the players feel that passion. He brings a great sense of chemistry to the teams he coaches, including now in Tampa. He had a lot of success with the Raiders, and it could be attributed to his passion and the relationships he developed with his players.

Sean Salisbury

Bill Cowher He has overcome a lot of changes and kept the Steelers winning. That's the sign of a good head coach. Still, the question is hard to answer unless you have played for the coach. I couldn't go wrong picking Gruden, Shanahan, Mike Martz or Steve Mariucci either.