Howie Roseman earned the No. 1 spot in new NFL general manager rankings after helping build two Super Bowl-winning Eagles teams.
Some NFL debates are worth having, and they’re absolutely entertaining. Who’s the league’s best general manager in 2026 probably isn’t one of those debatable discussions. At least, that’s how things work in the City of Brotherly Love. Howie Roseman’s stock is so high among Philadelphia Eagles fans that it may never come down, and national pundits seem to share their admiration.
NBC Sports’ Patrick Daugherty recently released his NFL general manager rankings. Unsurprisingly, Roseman claimed the top spot. Honestly, anything else would have felt strange.
That isn’t disrespect toward the rest of the field. John Schneider deserves tremendous credit for what he has built with the Seattle Seahawks. He lands second on this ranking, by the way, as he probably should. His resume is impressive and enviable. It features two Super Bowl championships, sustained roster success, and the rare ability to win across different eras. That sounds familiar for a reason.
Howie Roseman continues to set the standard for front offices across the NFL
Roseman and Schneider have done something similar and equally difficult, which perhaps makes their accomplishments even more impressive. Winning one Super Bowl can cement a legacy. Winning two with entirely different foundations changes the conversation, and these two have both won it all with different head coaches and quarterbacks, which proves they have had much to do with their team’s successes.
“Sometimes a fact becomes so obvious, no one bothers saying it out loud. This is where I point out Howie Roseman is already a Hall-of-Famer… If the Nick Foles/Doug Pederson season was the fairy tale, the Jalen Hurts/Nick Sirianni title was the legacy-cementer. Those accomplishments coming just seven years apart feels almost impossible in the NFL, but speak to Roseman’s greatest strength: He never wallows in a mistake for long. It didn’t matter that Carson Wentz was the No. 2 overall pick. It was irrelevant that Pederson won a Super Bowl. They were no longer the right fit for Roseman’s roster, so he moved on to greener pastures.”
Credit Daugherty for that quote, and he’s right in what he is saying. The Eagles‘ general manager doesn’t cling to nostalgia. He doesn’t let sunk costs or bad deals dictate future decisions. When relationships, rosters, or plans stop working, he pivots, and he does so at breakneck speed. Philadelphia consistently drafts well. Roseman finds impact players and uncovers contributors via free agency. He aggressively uses trades when star talent becomes available. He attacks free agency selectively but effectively, whether that means making a splash or finding undervalued contributors. He also understands roster-building in layers.
The Eagles rarely appear to be planning for only the current season. There’s always an eye on the next move, the next transition, the next championship window. That’s why rankings like this feel less like news and more like confirmation. Howie Roseman has reached the point where being named the NFL’s best general manager no longer sparks debate. It simply leads to further discussions about his brilliance.
