Younger coaches staking their claim in rat race

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Bill Belichick is home. So are Mike Tomlin, Pete Carroll, Sean Payton, John Harbaugh and Mike McCarthy. Eight teams still have a shot at winning the Super Bowl, but Kansas City’s Andy Reid is the only head coach of the eight active leaders who has a shot at winning another ring this season.

Belichick has not won a playoff game since he let Tom Brady leave. Payton didn’t make the postseason in his first season without Drew Brees. Tomlin hasn’t won a playoff game in four years. Carroll has had one playoff win in the past five years. Harbaugh has had one playoff win in the past seven years.

This weekend’s playoff round could mean a change in the NFL coaching hierarchy, with six of the eight remaining head coaches with no more than five years of leadership experience and a combined average age of under 42.

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