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NFL Power Rankings: 30 Best Coaches of All-Time

By Will Osgood

Jan 31, 2014; New York, NY, USA; General view of the Vince Lombardi Trophy prior to a press conference at Rose Theater in advance of Super Bowl XLVIII. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2014; New York, NY, USA; General view of the Vince Lombardi Trophy prior to a press conference at Rose Theater in advance of Super Bowl XLVIII. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 2, 2014; Canton, OH, USA; Former NFL coach Tony Dungy during the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 2, 2014; Canton, OH, USA; Former NFL coach Tony Dungy during the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

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.

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