NFL Power Rankings: Who are the best NFL coaches of all-time?
As we near the end of the 2014 NFL season, now seems as good a time as any to think of just who are the best NFL coaches of all-time. In fact, in keeping with the theme of this week, let’s focus on the 30 best NFL coaches of all-time.
Before we get to the names, we want to set the parameters a bit. It’s important to note that no coach was excluded because of the era he coached in. In fact, great effort was made to represent all eras of football.
One or two coaches may have then been left off to make room for a lesser known coach whose credentials made them worthy. At the same time, mostly to avoid recency bias only two active coaches were selected for the list, though six others (John Fox, Sean Payton, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Mike McCarthy and Pete Carroll) were strongly considered.
Additionally, championship pedigree was important but only one aspect of the selection process. Overall winning percentage was given more credence, along with overall playoff winning percentage.
Finally, there were more subjective markers considered, such as the coach’s ability to change cultures or sustained success or especially the success of coaches who worked under him. All of these were key in comparing coaches and coming up with the top 30 NFL coaches of all-time (which would almost assuredly change some if this list were written five years from now).
Next: Who leads off the Top 30?
30. Marty Schottenheimer (1984-2006)
Does Marty Schottenheimer really deserve to be considered among the 30 finest NFL coaches of all-time? He is in over the likes of Mike Ditka, Dick Vermeil and a few other current active coaches who have won Super Bowls, or at least made the Super Bowl, which he has not. So why is he in when those other active coaches are seemingly just as deserving?
First, regular season winning percentage should matter when power ranking NFL coaches. Schottenheimer’s .613 regular season winning percentage is stronger than most coach’s on this list. His number of playoff appearances, 13, puts him in a tie with Bill Belichick for second most playoff appearances for NFL coaches (sorry, Don Shula took that crown).
What Marty did in Cleveland, in getting them to an AFC Championship Game was incredible. As was making the Kansas City Chiefs relevant again. He struggled in his lone season in Washington. Then again he was given just one season. He was given more than that in San Diego, and mostly succeeded. He gave the franchise a confidence and belief it could win in the NFL.
Of course he almost singlehandedly lost the Chargers a playoff game I sat through the rain to watch, against the New York Jets on the first weekend of January. If he had only allowed Drew Brees to throw one pass between second and third down, it is possible the Chargers would have won that game. And who knows after that. Postseason struggles aside, Marty Ball got the job done for three different franchises. Like Moneyball, it just isn’t the right formula for the playoffs.
True fans of Schottenheimer’s will be comforted to know he won a championship in the UFL in 2011, then walked off into the sunset a champion.
Next: How does the rest of the Top 30 go?
29. Guy Chamberlin (1922-1927)
Guy Chamberlin was one of the initial great player-coaches in the sport of football. He led his Arizona Cardinals to four NFL championships in a six-year span from 1922 to 1927. As a player he was consider the premiere End of the 1920s, according to his Hall of Fame page. As such he made the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton based on both his playing and coaching ability.
He is included in this list because managed a career .784 winning percentage, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. His four NFL championships (not Super Bowls of course) is good for fourth best among all the coaches in these power rankings. An outstanding player at the University of Nebraska, Chamberlin goes down as one of the finest of all the two-way, player-coaches in football history.
He is ranked 30th of 30 primarily because his six-year tenure as coach is the shortest of anyone on this list.
Next: He may currently be on the hotseat, but this coach has head an excellent career.
28. Tom Coughlin (1995-Present)
At first glance, it seems odd to place Tom Coughlin among this group,while leaving out someone such as Mike Ditka or Mike Shanahan. There are a few key reasons for his inclusion over those two. Like Shanahan he has won two Super Bowl titles. Ditka only won one. Like Shanahan, he has some longevity; this is his 19th year as a head coach in the league.
He has a career .537 winning percentage despite being nabbed as the first ever coach for an expansion team–the Jacksonville Jaguars. That record also includes some sub-par seasons in New York. But he took that expansion team very quickly to an AFC Championship Game with Mark Brunell at Quarterback and some decent talent, but with literally zero culture to fall back on.
In New York, then, he accomplished more with an average Quarterback than any coach ever has. Two Super Bowl victories with Eli Manning is quite the accomplishment. Defeating the 18-0 Patriots in their magical 2007 season was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of victory that will not be matched ever again, even if it was mostly the result of luck.
Overall Coughlin has recorded a .632 playoff winning percentage in nine playoff seasons. He may be the luckiest coach on this list, but he is deserving.
Next: Which former Denver coach comes in at No. 27?
27. Dan Reeves (1981-2003)
In his 23-year NFL Head Coaching career, Dan Reeves led two different franchises to a combined four Super Bowl appearances. Three of those, of course, came with a Hall of Fame Quarterback working under center. But the final one came with journeyman Scott Chandler at the helm.
He lost all four chances he had to earn the Lombardi Trophy as a Head Coach, but did manage to capture a Super Bowl title as a player with the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V
I. He also managed to take a struggling New York Giants squad to the playoffs in 1993; an accomplishment which earned him the Associated Press Coach of the Year.
He finished his four year tenure in “The Big Apple” in disappointing fashion, just 31-33. For his career, he was not much better than .500, finishing with .535 regular season winning percentage. Still it should be noted that Reeves knew a thing or two about coaching. In addition to taking a Chandler-led Falcons team to the Super Bowl in 1998, turned Jammal Anderson into an actual NFL running back, and through him gave the country “The Dirty Bird” dance.
If nothing else, Reeves should be credited for his longevity and just getting to four Super Bowls. Not many other coaches, especially in the modern era can fathom that.
Next: Cleveland is historically a great NFL franchise. Which coach made the list?
26. Blanton Collier (1963-1970)
Blanton Collier had a relatively short NFL coaching career. But that’s partially because he was so successful as a college coach at the University of Kentucky. He is one of the few coaches in Wildcat football history to finish with a career winning record (41-36-3). Despite the success there, he was actually let go because of complaints from boosters.
But his staffs at Kentucky includes a who’s who of coaches in the early years of the modern football era. On that staff were Howard Schnellenberger, Don Shula, Chuck Knox and Bill Arnsparger, to name only the most notable.
Collier was a Paul Brown coaching disciple, and rejoined Brown when he was fired at Kentucky. He would go on to work as an assistant for Brown’s NFL team, before succeeding him. In eight short seasons, Collier won three division titles and one NFL championship (this was before the Super Bowl era).
He also nurtured a player many consider the best ever to play the game, Jim Brown, an ultra-talented running back from Syracuse. He also tutored one of the great early football Quarterbacks, Otto Graham.
His .691 career winning percentage is one of the most impressive of any coach to grace an NFL sideline.
Next: Which Washington coach comes in at No. 25?
25. George Allen (1965-1977)
George Allen didn’t have a marathon coaching career the way some of the men on this list had. He spent six seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and another six with the Washington Redskins. But in those 12 seasons, he won an incredible .712 percent of his games. He made the playoffs in seven of those 12 seasons. And he won one conference championship, in 1972 with Washington.
He was a two-time Sporting News and AP Coach of Year winner (both in 1967 and 1971).
But more than his on-field accomplishments, Allen was an innovator among coaches. Known as a tremendous motivator and hard working coach, 16 hour days for coaches came into vogue as a result of Allen and his accomplishments. Sadly, it may have also played a major role in the health complications which cost him his life at age 72.
Though noted for his draft strategy, Allen was also known for fielding elderly teams, because as he said, “the future is now”.
His entire body of work gained him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
Next: Which successful Jets coach comes in at No. 24?
24. Weeb Ewbank (1954-1973)
You know how Rex Ryan is a good coach who has no talent to coach, especially on the offensive side of the ball? Okay, that is actually debatable. The point is that Weeb Ewbank once took the New York Jets to a Super Bowl title. He is the only coach in franchise history to accomplish that, all the way back in 1969.
He is among the “cradle of coaches” whose careers began or intersected at the University of Miami of Ohio. To this day he is the only coach to lead teams in separate conferences to NFL championships. He did so at the beginning of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He coached his first nine seasons there. He then moved onto the Jets in 1964. By 1969 he famously led the Jets to a Super Bowl victory over his former franchise.
That was the famous Joe Namath prediction game. Despite huge underdogs, Namath and Ewbank recorded the greatest upset in Pro Football history to that date.
Ewbank only had a .502 winning percentage, by far the lowest of any coach on this list. But his .800 playoff winning percentage and three championships speak for themselves. As a result, he is a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, and arguably one of the 30 greatest football coaches ever.
Next: Any San Diego coaches coming up?
23. Sid Gillman (1955-1974)
If a “Coaching Tree” and schematic innovator are the most important marks for a great coach, perhaps Sid Gillman should be higher on this list. Because he was absolutely both. Among his most well-known disciples are Don Coryell, John Madden and Tom Flores (all whom will show up on this list later). The problem for Gillman and his legacy is that all of his disciples had more success than he did.
In a lot of ways, Gillman was before his time. It is probably why he is under-appreciated here and in general. It’s a sad fate for a coach who lasted in the league for 18 years, coaching the Rams, Chargers and Houston Oilers. His .552 winning percentage is nothing to sneeze at, nor is the fact that he went to the playoffs six times, even winning a championship. His .167 playoff winning percentage, though, is even lower than Marty “Chokensheimer”, whom I also adore as a coach.
It’s a cruel fate for Gillman and his legacy. Make no mistake, though, he could really coach.
Next: Another San Diego coach?
22. Don Coryell (1973-1986)
Don Coryell made San Diego State a thing in football for a little while, before leaving what would become his adopted hometown school for the relative riches of the NFL and the St. Louis Cardinals. At San Diego State he began to develop his offense, based on many of the principles which Sid Gillman passed onto him.
Coryell, though, took the offense and ran with it. There is a reason after all, that the offense is named “Air Coryell” and not “Air Gillman” or “Air Brown” (Paul Brown, who will also appear later on this list, were passing game innovators as well). It’s because Coryell was the mastermind who put all of these new original concepts into one comprehensive scheme.
It is also a coach’s ability to teach which Coryell great. That he could run a complicated scheme (for the time) at the college level only proves he was worth his weight as a coach.
He coached the Cardinals for four years from 1973 to 1977, remarkably leading a then-moribund franchise to three consecutive double-digit win seasons, including two division titles. But Coryell eventually scratched the itch to return home, being hired after the Chargers started the 1978 season 1-4. He led them to a 9-7 record, which was their first winning season in almost a decade.
Coryell led the first team in NFL history to capture a division crown despite attempting more passes than rushes in 1979. 35 years later, it is obvious that Coryell, like his mentor Gillman, was way ahead of his time.
In all, he coached 14 seasons in the league, finishing with a sparkling .572 winning percentage, but only a .333 winning percentage in the playoffs.
Next: Which Pittsburgh Steelers coach comes in next?
21. Bill Cowher (1992-2006)
Maybe better known as Bill “The Scowl(er)” Cowher, the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach has become quite the television analyst. Actually, I have no idea if that’s true, since pre-game shows are dumb. But he was the only mainstay to not get kicked off CBS’ coverage after last season, so he must be alright (Boomer has his hat in too many rings to be considered a mainstay on CBS’ television coverage).
Either way, the former Special Teams Coordinator was hired by the Steelers in 1992 to take over for an absolute legend in the person of Chuck Noll (more on him later). In what has become “The Steeler Way”, Cowher led the Steelers for 15 years to 10 playoff appearances. Often criticized early for his inability to lead his team to victory once in the playoffs, Cowher managed two conference championships and finally got a Super Bowl ring just one season before he decided to hang up his coaching hat.
The Rooney’s approach in regards to maintaining continuity in key levels of the organization is well-documented and has clearly played a role in the franchise’s overall success. Mike Tomlin inherited Cowher’s bunch and too has led Pittsburgh to the promised land twice, bringing home the trophy once. That approach was rewarded by Cowher with his intensity but everlasting devotion to winning.
Ultimately, Cowher’s .623 regular season and .571 playoff winning percentages rank very high on career lists.
Next: Who leads off the Top 20?
20. Curly Lambeau (1921-1953)
There have to be few things in life cooler than having a stadium named after you. I mean sure there’s the Wedding Day, birth of a child list. But in terms of utter uniqueness, there are very few people who can say they have a stadium, arena, or even part of a field or court, named after them.
Curly Lambeau, as the first great coach in Green Bay Packers history, is one man who can make such a claim (or could). And the honor was well deserved. Lambeau coached the Packers for an incredible 33 seasons, starting in 1921 and finally ending in 1953. He is tied for second on this list for seasons coached with the great Don Shula. It wasn’t only the 33 seasons, though.
Lambeau was productive, winning an incredible .631 percent of his contests played, making the playoffs five years (remember playoffs didn’t come about until late in his career), going .600 in those playoff appearances, and most impressively of all capturing six NFL Championships.
He may not be the greatest coach in his own franchise’s history, but he certainly has one of the most famous names in all of football history.
Next: Which four-time conference champion comes in at N0. 19?
19. Marv Levy (1978-1997)
Marv Levy coached a handful of Hall of Fame players in his 19 years as Buffalo Bills Head Coach. Most notable among them was of course Jim Kelly, who has recently dealt with cancer in a very public yet classy and inspirational manner. The older Levy has had known health issues in recent years, but is still kicking.
On the gridiron those members of the Bills organization were solid rocks. If not for the two of them, four consecutive Super Bowl appearances probably would not have been an accomplishment had by the Buffalo Bills. Obviously no one, Levy included, is going to look back and smile incessantly about four straight Super Bowl losses.
But it’s also unlikely anyone from those teams is going to curse their brains out over it. It is still a unique accomplishment, one that may not have come true if not for Kicker Scott Norwood.
For his career Levy managed an impressive .561 win percentage with eight playoff seasons and .579 playoff win percentage. And one should not forget, four Super Bowl appearances means four conference championships.
Next: Which Cowboys coach comes in at No. 18?
18. Jimmy Johnson (1989-1999)
When new Cowboys owner Jerry Springer, err…Jones, hired Jimmy Johnson from the University of Miami he knew he had himself in his words, “a fine football coach”. What he could not have expected is that Johnson would go on to quickly win two Super Bowl titles and still leave Jerry feeling the need to rid himself of Johnson.
There’s little doubt that the organization put itself in the position of having two egomaniacs trying to cooperate with one another. They say everything is bigger in Texas, and apparently that includes egos. But it’s equally curious that a state so big could not handle the two of them, given how incredibly successful they were in such a short period.
After tanking post-Tom Landry, the Cowboys fell on such hard times prior to Jones’s buying the team that it earned the No. 1 Draft pick in 1989 following a 1-15 season. By 1992, Johnson had them winning the Super Bowl. Of course, that No. 1 pick, Troy Aikman, combined with a Miami connection, Michael Irvin, and a fellow Floridian Emmitt Smith, made things a bit easier on Johnson.
But no coach wins without talent. Johnson changed the culture quickly, giving Dallas the expectation to win. And win it did. His .556 winning percentage includes his stint in Miami, so in reality it is actually quite a bit more impressive. His .692 playoff winning percentage and six (of nine) playoff seasons proves that. As do his two big fat Super Bowl rings.
Next: Which one-time 49ers coach is next?
17. George Seifert (1989-2001)
Say what you want about George Seifert. Most of it is probably fair. He didn’t win in Carolina. He won in San Francisco with Bill Walsh’s players and system. Both are true.
A wise man would retort that few, if any, coaches win with expansion franchises, yet he actually (like Tom Coughlin) guided the franchise to an NFC Championship Game. His Quarterback was Kerry Collins. Let that sink in for a second.
And yes he won with Bill Walsh’s players and system. A wise man would reply that he was smart enough to only change things absolutely needed to be changed. He kept what worked and scrapped that which did not. That’s actually really good coaching.
The only legitimate sticking point on his resume is the fact he only stuck around for 11 years, spread across two franchises. But as we’ll see with most of the great coaches to follow, that is more the rule than the exception.
Next: Is there another coach who never won a Super Bowl in the Top 20?
16. Bud Grant (1967-1985)
There isn’t a ton of difference between Bud Grant and Marv Levy. Both won four conference championships, yet failed to win a Super Bowl. Levy coached 17 years, Grant 18. Both are underrated because of the elusiveness of their Super Bowl trophy quest.
But the similarities pretty much end there. Percentage-wise Grant was a superior coach during the regular season, coming in with an exemplary .622 winning percentage. And it should be noted that Grant had most of his success as a result of his defenses, most notably the “Purple People Eaters”.
He also benefited from the play of Johnny Manziel before the kid was born, in the character of Fran Tarkenton. That combination never got it done in the final game of the season, but may have been one of the best teams for any prolonged stretch in NFL history.
Grant deserves all the credit.
Next: Some coaches just get the job done. Who am I referring to?
15. Mike Holmgren (1992-2008)
If George Allen was known for his eternal work ethic, Mike Holmgren is known for challenging what became the status quo. Holmgren prided himself to some extent on getting his work done in a timely manner and getting his coaches out of the building in time to live a semi-normal life, at least relative to other coaches.
It didn’t seem to affect his success too much. In 17 seasons, the Packers and Seahawks coach managed a .592 winning percentage and made the playoffs in 12 of those seasons. And he managed a wonderful .542 playoff winning percentage, good enough to land in three separate Super Bowls (two in Green Bay, one in Seattle). The Super Bowl loss he suffered with the Packers came in what up to that point was one of the more competitive Super Bowls in memory.
It was the John Elway flip game. Holmgren’s other loss (with Seattle) was not quite as memorable a contest, other than that he quite loudly questioned the validity of the officiating after the game.
Next: The next coach I have a slight connection to. Who is that?
14. Hank Stram (1960-1977)
I have some very loose connections to Hank Stram. My uncle used to spend summers at Kansas City Chiefs training camps as a ball boy of sorts, due to his family’s relationship with the Strams. The point is he may be a bit higher on this list because of that single fact than he should. Or maybe he’s ranked right where he should be.
There’s another truth, though. He is one of the best NFL Films quotes. If you haven’t seen “Matriculate the ball down the field” clip you are missing something, not because it’s the most interesting or intense clip but because it is maybe the most famous NFL Films clip ever.
But Stram’s legacy is not limited to nice family stories or his role in helping grow what is now the giant NFL Films. Stram was two-time NFL Championship coach, including winning the fourth Super Bowl ever played. He won two separate Coach of the Year awards, and in 2003 became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, based primarily on his .575 career win percentage, and .625 playoff win percentage.
He finished his career coaching the New Orleans Saints. That didn’t end so well.
Next: Which great Raiders coach is next?
13. Tom Flores (1979-1994)
We’ve reached the place in the power rankings where a coach who has won two Super Bowls comes in at No. 13 overall. That should give an indication of how amazing the list is from here on out. And it should not take away from Flores and his career whatsoever. Succeeding John Madden, Flores continued the Raiders’ “Commitment to Excellence” by winning two more Super Bowls in his 12 seasons at the helm.
To use a biblical analogy, Flores was Joshua to Madden’s Moses. Madden led the troops to the border, while Flores got to lead them into the “promised land”. He is ranked below Madden because his career regular season win percentage was significantly lower, at .527. But his work in the playoffs was outstanding. He registered a career .727 winning percentage in January.
Still in this case, it is fair to note that he merely inherited Madden’s work and did not mess it up. Again, that is harder than it sounds.
Next: How many coaches have a trophy named after them? The next guy does.
12. George Halas (1920-1967)
George Halas had the NFC Championship trophy named after him. It’s probably due in part to the fact that he won six NFL championships in his 40 seasons of coaching. Yes, you read that correctly, 40 years of coaching the Chicago Bears.
There’s a reason the Bears’ facilities bear his name. Halas Hall is a great way to commemorate the longest tenured NFL coach (or at least the longest tenured one with any success). The Bears to this day still wear a “GSH” patch on their uniform sleeves to further honor their since deceased Hall of Fame coach.
Mike Ditka had some great moments as Bears coach, but there is little doubt who the best coach in Bears history is, and no it’s also not Lovie Smith or Marc Trestman, in case you were wondering.
Next: How many football coaches have had crossover success?
11. Joe Gibbs (1981-2007)
Not only is Joe Gibbs a Hall of Fame football coach, but he remains a dedicated Nascar team owner. In fact, that is how he was spending his time when Redskins owner plucked him away for his second stint as head coach for Washington’s NFL franchise in the mid-00s.
Gibbs is a Sid Gillman disciple who stuck with that offense even upon his return to coaching. It didn’t work as well with Jason Campbell calling the shots as it did back when it was Jeff Hostetler slinging the rock, or Joe Theisman before him.
But Gibbs also based his offense on counter trey running game, of which his offensive line coach Joe Bugle was the prominent expert. That offense is mostly outdated now, but for its time was quite genius. The result was in a sparkling 16-year head coaching career, a .621 winning percentage with 10 playoff appearances, a .708 playoff winning percentage, four conference championships and three Super Bowl titles.
Next: Who made the Top 10?
10. Paul Brown (1950-1975)
Paul Brown coached for both the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. In fact, the way it all worked out is quite strange, especially to the modern reader. Despite more success than any coach up to that point, Browns owner Art Modell fired Brown because of a tiff between the two. Brown ended up spending five years playing golf before becoming the third most invested owner in the startup AFL franchise down in Cincinnati, which of course became the Bengals.
As a result, he was also named Head Coach and General Manager, which he stuck in for five seasons. He had success in his time as an Ohio High School coach, but it was as a pro coach where accumulated award after award. Three Coach of the Year awards preceded his eventual Hall of Fame bid in 1967 (before he had even finished his coaching days).
He won seven NFL Championships, which happens to be a record. Overall, he had a .672 career winning percentage.
But the fact is that his legacy is most greatly seen in that he tutored several young coaches who would eventually turn football from a game about power running to a vertical throwing game. Yet somehow he lands just barely inside the Top-10. What a deep list!
Next: How will the rest of the Top 10 stack up?
9. John Madden (1969-1978)
John Madden at Nine! Any teenagers reading this just lost all respect for me. I mean the guy has the most prominent sports video game franchise ever named after him! And he’s only the ninth best NFL coach of all-time? I mean, I’m writing it, and I think it’s wrong.
His .763 regular season winning percentage isn’t helping the argument. Nor is the fact that he made the playoffs in eight of his 10 seasons as a head coach. I’m not getting any breaks in the playoff win percentage column either. He went .563. But he only won one Super Bowl. Nobody left on the list won any fewer than two, save for one, and he’s next.
It’s a hard line to draw, and probably not a fair one. But some line has to be drawn. That, and he only coached 10 years, and Madden fits in nicely at No. 10 overall.
Note: It’s nice that he comes in one spot ahead of his mentor Paul Brown (one of them, Sid Gillman was another). Also: He is probably the greatest color commentator in sports broadcast history, in any sport, though that is definitely up for debate.
Next: Which coaches were better than John Madden?
8. Tony Dungy (1996-2008)
Even as I’m putting this list together, I am questioning my decision of Dungy over Madden. After all, Dungy’s career regular season win percentage, as impressive as it is at .668 is below Madden’s. He’s tied with Madden with one Super Bowl championship, but his overall playoff success is clearly inferior, as he posted a playoff record under .500 for his career.
The logical call seems to be Madden over Dungy. But there is something in Dungy’s corner that numbers do not explain. And it isn’t only my bias that Dungy is one of the finest humans to ever walk the planet, though it would be difficult to argue that as fact.
The fact is that Dungy has a Coaching Tree that rivals some of the greatest coaches to ever live. Like any coaching tree, its branches have varying levels of success. Some members of it were hot names and one time and may have fell a little, or fallen off completely.
Yet the truth is that when you look at Lovie Smith, Mike Tomlin or Herman Edwards you invariably conclude smart, defensive-minded football coach. Again, each has had varying levels of success (Tomlin is the only one of the batch to win a Lombardi Trophy). But all great men and great coaches.
7. Tom Landry (1960-1988)
“The Hat” was quite the menacing figure on the Cowboys’ sideline for the better part of three decades. The hat, the suit, the glare. All of it created a caricature which his own players often found intimidating and difficult to wade. Still, Landry was a football coach more than a personality. He took the Xs and Os seriously.
Though not necessarily known as the greatest tactician in NFL history, because he was not particularly innovative, his tactics were a major reason the Cowboys were successful enough to become “America’s Team”. His no-nonsense approach to team building and roster/depth chart management let his players know where they belonged.
Frankly, it is an attribute that some coaches today would probably do well to embrace. The approach worked. In his 29 years, he held a .607 winning percentage with 18 playoff appearances. In those contests he went .556 and won five conference championships and two Super Bowls.
Next: Who was better than Tom Landry?
6. Chuck Noll (1969-1991)
Lynn Swan recently represented the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Chuck Noll teams in Canton when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The interesting thing about Swann is that his play was somewhat atypical of Noll’s Steelers teams. They were always very physical, smart and hard-working. That’s not to say that Swann was not any of those things.
But the first thing anyone would remember about Swann were his spectacular catches, not his blocking or coach’s tape route-running. In some ways, Noll’s ability to fit in a player like Swann shows how great of a coach he was. While no player would have ever been bigger than the team for Noll, he also understood that a system needs to fit the talent, not the vice-versa. Most coaches today mess that up.
Noll’s incredible stats: 23 seasons, .566 regular season winning percentage, 12 playoff apperances, .667 playoff win percentage and 4 Super Bowl championships. And he mentored Tony Dungy, among others. He had an Okay Coaching Tree.
Next: How can there be five better coaches ?
5. Don Shula (1963-1995)
Don Shula did not begin his career as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, but he certainly made the majority of his legacy that way. Shula had great success early in his career with the Baltimore Colts before transitioning down to South Beach. He of course went undefeated in 1972 with outspoken Mercury Morris, Bob Griese, Larry Csonka and the “No Name” defense.
He was also blessed with one of the finest Quarterbacks in NFL history, Dan Marino, but struggled to make much hay in the postseason throughout the Hall of Fame Quarterback’s career. But it was his attention to detail and his constant nagging and encouragement that made Shula one of the best to ever coach the game. He believed that if a player took a certain number of repetitions in practice, he could make his mistakes then, but Sundays would be easier because he is now playing and not thinking.
Shula no doubt had an impact on the way coaches create practice plans and the way they interact with their players. After all, the results speak for themselves: 33 seasons, .678 winning percentage (regular season), 19 playoff appearances, .528 playoff win percentage, six conference championships and two Super Bowl titles.
Next: How will the top four end up?
4. Vince Lombardi (1959-1969)
It may seem to some like sacrilege to have Vince Lombardi this low. I mean after all, the NFL’s championship trophy is named after him. Lombardi is one of the top coaches ever. Obviously, he is in the top-five. That is no slight. There are two main issues at hand in this selection.
One, Lombardi relied on a fairly simple offensive and defensive system. Compared to today’s schemes, Lombardi’s were child’s play. That’s not to say that if Lombardi were to coach in today’s game that he could not adjust. It is only to say that the two eras do not compare (though in reality he seemed pretty stubborn, so he may be like Paul Johnson and run the triple-option at Georgia Tech).
Still, Lombardi doubled as a great high school coach and then professional football coach. When reaching the highest level, he won a remarkable .738 of his games, making the playoffs six of his 10 professional seasons as a coach with a ridiculous .900 playoff winning percentage, five NFL championships, two of which were Super Bowls.
It is only recent events that have precluded him from the top spot among all football coaches.
Next: What will be the order of the top 3?
3. Bill Belichick (1991-Present)
Everybody’s favorite hoodie man comes in at No. 3 because it would be tough to put him ahead of his mentor, even if his mentor had slightly success in terms of championships and career victory percentage. Because of how current he is, much is known about Bill Belichick.
Heck, the internet went crazy over a tweet from his girlfriend. He is a minor celebrity, which of course is so paradoxical to his public demeanor. When we think of Belichick we think of the hoodie with the beanie and the monotone press conferences.
But we also think of (or at least we should) the most brilliant football mind of our generation. Some smart football analysts have said that Belichick could be the best offensive play-caller in football if he so chose. And his background is on the defensive side of the football.
Unlike with most teams, Belichick’s Patriots change their plan of attack week-to-week. There is a new wrinkle each game. For instance, Sunday night the Patriots featured three tight ends on a high number of snaps against San Diego, which was something they had not done much of up until that game.
We all know the results; Belichick is a .658 winner with now 13 years in the playoffs (as of Sunday) and three Super Bowl titles in five attempts (both losses have famously, or infamously come to Tom Coughlin and the Giants).
Even more, he has produced some highly thought of assistants. Not all of them have had great success away from Mr. Football Genius, but each is an established and respected football mind in and of themselves.
Next: Parcells or Walsh for No. 2?
2. Bill Parcells (1983-2006)
It would have been wrong to place the pupil above the mentor, if for no other reason than Belichick might be getting a call from the always irritated Bill Parcells. The two have similar backgrounds and both were born to coach football, though Belichick was probably more of a purely football nut. But there is little doubt that Belichick uses many of Parcells’ tactics, especially in relation to sideline antics and overall philosophy.
The same could be said of Saints Head Coach Sean Payton. Both are noted Parcells disciples. The list is actually quite extensive. Directly, or indirectly, Tom Coughlin can make a claim. So can Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel and current Raiders interim coach Tony Sparano.
It is an impressive list that goes beyond what is listed here. In 19 seasons, with the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys, Parcells won .570 of his games, led his teams to 10 playoffs apperances, winning .579 percent of those, three conference championships and two Super Bowls.
Next: Finally, who is the best coach of all-time?
1. Bill Walsh (1979-1988)
Probably the most dominant and intriguing team in league history were Bill Walsh’s San Francisco 49ers teams. They were not perfect, at least not at the beginning of his tenure. But after drafting Joe Montana, and developing him fully, Bill Walsh’s system worked wonders.
Of course his offensive system came to be known as the “West Coast Offense”. It is a bit unfair because it was really Paul Brown who initially thought up the offense. But it was Walsh who manifested it and perfected it. Of course, he had the perfect personnel: accurate QB, Running Backs who could catch and Wide Receivers and Tight Ends who were good at catching the ball and then running with it.
It was a system based on reads, which also meant he needed intelligent football players. In that sense, Walsh was a pioneer. Complex systems became the norm, and thus the need for a high football IQ grew exponentially. It also helped that he had a monstrosity of a defense led by All-Pro safety Ronnie Lott.
But it was the offense that really made waves. Almost the entire NFL in the early 2000s could be traced back to Walsh. It may not be as drastic now, but clearly Walsh set the precedent for how to think of an offensive system.
A .609 career winning percentage with seven playoff appearances in 10 seasons and going .714 in those games for three Super Bowl championships will have that effect.