5 greatest NFL head coaches to never win the Super Bowl
By Matt Graves
Greatest coaches to never win a Super Bowl: Paul Brown
Cleveland Browns (1946-1962)
Cincinnati Bengals (1968-1975)
Regular-season record: 213-104-9 (.672)
Postseason record: 9-8 (.529)
Let’s be clear: Paul Brown won titles, just never the Super Bowl.
Years of coaching Ohio high school and college football, Paul Brown was hired to coach the Cleveland Browns in 1946. The team that bears his last name would win all four of the league’s championships.
After the AAFC’s cease of operations, the Browns joined the NFL in 1950. Brown would guide Cleveland to three NFL titles while inventing the facemask and hired the first complete coaching staff. Due to a power struggle with new owner Art Modell, Brown was relieved of coaching duties after the 1962 season.
Brown waited a few years until a new coaching opportunity arrived. When the AFL was formed, the Cincinnati Bengals came calling for Brown, who returned to the sidelines in 1968.
Browns Bengals made the postseason three times under his tenure, losing their opening games. He would retire from coaching in 1975 and named Bill “Tiger” Johnson as head coach over his offensive coordinator, Bill Walsh.
Walsh would get the last laugh. However, His West Coast offense was too dominant for the Bengals. They would lose both of their Super Bowl appearances to the 49ers, while Brown was team president.
As part of the NFL’s 100th season, Brown was named one of the 10 greatest coaches in NFL history.