How many NFL fans believe they’d make a better head coach?

Ever find yourself shouting at the TV from your cozy chair, convinced that the coach of your favorite football team is totally messing up? You’re not alone. A recent survey from sports platform PromoGuy.us reveals that 1 in 4 football fans believe they could do a better job than their favorite team’s head coach. The survey, conducted just before the thrilling NFL season kicks off, asked 3,000 passionate fans from across the country.

Here’s a taste of the findings:

• A whopping 27% of American football fans think they’d make a better coach than the head coach of their favorite team.
• Among all NFL fan bases, supporters of the Carolina Panthers rank the highest: over half (52%) of them believe the team would be better off with them in charge.
• Still riding high on last season’s victory, Kansas City Chiefs fans seem to be the most satisfied with their head coach Andy Reid. Only 4% think they could do better, the lowest percentage of any NFL fan base.

Being a football fan isn’t all sunshine and victories: it’s a journey filled with unexpected defeats and long-awaited triumphs. And through all the ups and downs, you have to trust that the team’s coach is making the right calls to lead them to success. But clearly, a lot of football enthusiasts aren’t so sure, with 27% of them believing they could do a better job themselves - even if they also enjoy the thrill of social casinos on the side.

Most Carolina Panthers fans think they'd be a better coach

So, which fan bases top this list? After a somewhat disappointing last season for the Carolina Panthers, a whopping 52% of their supporters believe they would do a better job than the actual head coach - a role that is currently being held by David Canales. This places Panthers fans at the top of the rankings.

Whether it's because of the team's rocky last season or because fans are just confident in their own skills, 46% of Tennessee Titans supporters believe the team would be better off with them as coach. This is the second highest percentage on the Armchair Quarterback Index. The difference with the third place is actually quite small: that spot goes to the Denver Broncos fans. A strong 44% of them believe they’d be a better coach than the current head coach, Sean Payton.

Kansas City Chiefs supporters satisfied with head coach

The Kansas City Chiefs not only took home the Super Bowl trophy earlier this year, but they can also be crowned the champions of the Armchair Quarterback Index. Just 4% of their fans think the team would do better if they were in charge. That’s the lowest percentage among all NFL teams, showing that the fan base is heading into the new season with lots of confidence in Andy Reid’s leadership—perhaps while also enjoying some fun at sweepstakes casinos.

The Chiefs’ fans are slightly ahead of the Minnesota Vikings’ supporters on the Armchair Quarterback Index. Only 10% of Vikings fans think they could do a better job as head coach than Kevin O’Connell. This is well below the national average and also the second-lowest percentage among all NFL fan bases.

The San Francisco 49ers also find themselves near the bottom of the list when it comes to fans who think they could outshine their own coach. Since 2017, the five-time Super Bowl winners have been under the guidance of Kyle Shanahan, and most fans are confident he's the right leader. Only 13% of 49ers fans believe they could do a better job themselves.

Breakdown by state

Among all the states, Colorado, home to the Denver Broncos, tops the list with 50% of residents believing they could do a better job than the coach of their favorite team, regardless of who that favorite team is. Kentucky and Washington are tied for second place, with 47% sharing this opinion.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Connecticut, where just 8% of NFL fans believe they could be a better coach themselves. This is the lowest percentage nationwide. Minnesota, home of the Minnesota Vikings, along with Utah, ranks second-lowest with 10%.

Methodology

In August 2024, PromoGuy.us conducted an independent survey of 3,000 NFL fans nationwide. The survey was designed to provide a representative sample of all fan bases. Among the respondents, 62% were male, 37% were female, and 1% identified as non-binary. The average age of the participants was 42.1 years.