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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 3, 2014; Canton, OH, USA; New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin before the 2014 Hall of Fame game against the Buffalo Bills at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 3, 2014; Canton, OH, USA; New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin before the 2014 Hall of Fame game against the Buffalo Bills at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

 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?

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