Bill Belichick is ranked as the best coach in the NFL, according to a poll of 30 league insiders.

Pete Carroll and Sean Payton are ranked second and third and are also in their first tier.

"The most important thing to me is the ability to control the offense, the defense and the special teams," a GM said in describing the ideal coach. "You can change and you can coach multiple things and you have the ability to teach almost every position group. Then you can lose any coach you want and replace from within because the head coach is the talent. Belichick is the ultimate model of that."

Belichick commmanded a 1 vote on 28 of 30 ballots.

In Tier 2 are Andy Reid at No. 4, Tom Coughlin at No. 5, Mike McCarthy and Mike Tomlin at No. 6, Jim Harbaugh at No. 8, John Harbaugh at No. 9, John Fox at No. 10 , Jeff Fisher at No. 11, Chip Kelly at No. 12, Bruce Arians at No. 13, Lovie Smith at No. 14 and Mavin Lewis at No. 15.

Tier 3 is led by Chuck Pagano At No. 16, followed by Rex Ryan (17), Mike Smith (18), Gus Bradley (19), Ken Whisenhunt (20), Mike McCoy (20), Marc Trestman (22) and Ron Rivera (23).

Tier 4 features Mike Zimmer (24), Jay Gruden (25), Bill O'Brien (26), Jim Caldwell (27), Doug Marrone (28), Joe Philbin (29), Jason Garrett (30), Mike Pettine (31) and Bruce Allen (32).

The Seattle Seahawks and Pete Carroll have received six-figure fines for violating no-contact practice rules during a supposedly non-contact minicamp practice.

The NFLPA started the investigation after reports emerged of a fight involving Richard Sherman and Bryan Walters.

Inspection of the footage resulted in the union concluding that the practice was “way too aggressive,” per the source.

“Coaches were coaching contact,” the source said. 

The Seattle Seahawks and Pete Carroll have received six-figure fines for violating no-contact practice rules during a supposedly non-contact minicamp practice.

The NFLPA started the investigation after reports emerged of a fight involving Richard Sherman and Bryan Walters.

Inspection of the footage resulted in the union concluding that the practice was “way too aggressive,” per the source.

“Coaches were coaching contact,” the source said. 

Marshawn Lynch has been cleared of any involvement in an assault and property damage in a suburb of Seattle.

"The Bellevue Police Department has determined that Marshawn Lynch was not involved in this incident in any way," the department said in a statement. "The case remains an open and active investigation. We appreciate the cooperation we have received from Mr. Lynch and the Seahawks organization during this investigation."

The Bellevue PD had said Monday that Lynch was under investigation following an assault and property damage claim by an unnamed female.

The Seahawks called the accusation "bogus" in a one-sentence statement Tuesday.

Marshawn Lynch is hitting his stride after being an early holdout of training camp for the Seattle Seahawks.

“He’s getting a lot closer," Pete Carroll said Sunday. “He had a very good practice [Sunday]. We’re just trying to do it properly. I really liked the way he got after it today.

“He got stuff in all phases of the practice. He caught some balls well, blocked well and ran the ball real nice. So a really good first day. This is the first week he has a chance to really compete. He brought a great attitude [Sunday]."

Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson have taken verbal shots at each other on Twitter, but it is all in good fun.

"It's all fun," Sherman said Monday on 710 ESPN Seattle. "We're just trying to see who's the most clever. We're friends. We've known each other since the [NFL] combine [in 2011]. We've worked out together and he's a great dude."

Sherman's situation with Michael Crabtree is far more real.

"Much, much different," Sherman said.

Sherman was asked Monday whether he would have handled the postgame interview differently had Crabtree shaken his hand.

"That's probably true," Sherman said. "The animosity would still be there, but I probably wouldn't have gone off on him like that. But he didn't [shake my hand]."

Marshawn Lynch ended his eight-day holdout on Thursday to report to Seattle Seahawks' training camp.

The Seahawks agreed to bump Lynch's base salary to $6 million instead of the $5 million he was scheduled to make this season, a source confirmed to ESPN. The $1 million addition is a combination of the $500,000 in pregame roster bonuses and $500,000 in incentives if he rushed for 1,500 yards. The Seahawks also are taking $500,000 that Lynch was slated to get paid in 2015 and giving it to him now. Lynch will now make $6.5 million this season.

In addition, Lynch will not be fined by the Seahawks for his holdout, a source told ESPN. The running back had accumulated nearly $500,000 in team fines for his absence through Thursday.