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Six
CBS Sports NFL reporters voted on the greatest coaches in league history,
producing a list packed with legends, dynasties and one notable Hall of Fame
snub
By
July 13, 2026
1. Bill Belichick
With Brady and Belichick leading the way, the Patriots enjoyed an unparalleled run of success from 2001-18. Getty ImagesThe most successful coach of the 21st century, Belichick, has two more Super Bowl wins than the next-closest coach. He is second all-time in career wins (333) and third all-time in regular-season wins (302).
Belichick mastered the NFL's cap salary era like no one else. His secret sauce was acquiring veterans from other teams who found the fountain of youth in New England, players like Rodney Harrison, Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Darrelle Revis, among others.
Of course, a large part of Belichick's legacy is tied to Tom Brady, which some have used against him. Brady, though, has gone out of his way to detail how important Belichick was in his development. It was Belichick, after all, that made the then-controversial decision to stick with Brady as his starting quarterback after Drew Bledsoe had been cleared to return to action during the Patriots' first Super Bowl season.
Belichick built New England's first dynasty on the strength of a tough, underrated defense, solid running games, and Brady doing whatever it took to win on a weekly basis. The Patriots' second dynasty was predicated on Brady, who by that point had earned the unofficial title of the greatest player of all time. Belichick complemented Brady during that span by having a heavy hand on a defense that made the game-winning interception in Super Bowl XLIX and held the Rams to just three points in Super Bowl LIII.
Speaking of defense, the Patriots' dynasty started with an historic upset over the Rams, spearheaded by New England's defense. The defense's performance that night was reminiscent of the Giants' defense during New York's upset win over the Bills in Super Bowl XXV, a defense led by Belichick, whose game plan for that game resides in the Hall of Fame.
In addition to being arguably the greatest head coach of all-time, Belichick is also one of the best defensive coordinators in history. He won two Super Bowls in that capacity in New York while working under Bill Parcells.
In all, Belichick won eight Super Bowls while taking part in 12 Super Bowls. His impact on pro football's biggest stage is second to none.
Ranking the greatest NFL coaches of all time: Bill Belichick, Vince Lombardi battle for No. 1 spot
Six CBS Sports NFL
reporters voted on the greatest coaches in league history, producing a list
packed with legends, dynasties and one notable Hall of Fame snub
By
July 13, 2026
CBS Sports Design
Throughout the NFL's 107-year history, iconic coaches have graced the
gridiron, leaving a lasting imprint on what has become America's most popular
sport. The NFL has had many notable coaches over the years, but some have left
an impact that continues to resonate in 2026 and beyond.
With that in
mind, we found a way to determine the 20 greatest coaches in NFL history. In
order to find the answer, six CBS Sports NFL reporters voted to create a
cumulative list of the greatest coaches of all time. While some opinions
differed, the final result was a comprehensive and interesting account of
coaches who made significant impacts on the game during their time on the
sidelines.
The list
comprises coaches from every era and every decade, from the league's inaugural
season through the 2025 season. The list includes many of the usual suspects,
but it also has a few surprises, specifically the inclusion of two coaches who
have yet to earn a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
20. Tony Dungy
Dungy was a trailblazer in more ways than
one. Getty Images
A little-known fact about Tony Dungy, he led the Steelers in
interceptions during Pittsburgh's 1978 championship season. After a short NFL
playing career, Dungy rejoined the Steelers as a coach and was tabbed as Chuck
Noll's defensive coordinator before the 1984 season. That year, Pittsburgh
shocked the Denver
Broncos in the playoffs and advanced to the AFC title game for
the final time during Noll's Hall of Fame career.
Dungy later
spent time on Marty Schottenheimer's staff in Kansas City, where he also worked
alongside future Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher. He then spent four years as
Dennis Green's defensive coordinator in Minnesota before receiving his first
head-coaching opportunity with Tampa Bay.
In Tampa, Dungy
quickly turned around a franchise that had endured 13 consecutive losing
seasons. During his second season, Dungy led the Buccaneers to
their second playoff win in franchise history and first since 1979. Two years
later, in the NFC Championship Game, the Buccaneers held a 6-5 lead late before
the Rams escaped
with a five-point win.
Dungy was
fired, however, following two seasons that ended in quick playoff exits. He was
quickly hired by the Colts,
where he was tasked with helping Indianapolis get past its own playoff
shortcomings. The Colts continued to come up short in the playoffs from 2002-05
(with the Patriots defeating
them twice), but they finally broke through in 2006, defeating the Patriots in
a thrilling AFC title game before beating the Bears in Super
Bowl XLI.
Dungy is
synonymous with the Tampa 2 defense, which helped the Buccaneers win a Super
Bowl a year following Dungy's departure. Dungy is also known for his
soft-spoken demeanor, which is uncommon among NFL coaches. Despite his
unwillingness to yell, Dungy still got his message across to his players, who
carried him off the field after he became the first Black head coach to win the
Super Bowl.
19. Bud Grant
Grant led the Vikings to four Super Bowls over
an eight-year span. Getty Images
An accomplished athlete, Grant played in both the NFL and
the NBA and
won a title with the Lakers in 1950. After a short stint with the Eagles,
Grant left over salary dissatisfaction and signed with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue
Bombers. Grant is believed to be the first professional athlete to play out his
contract before joining a new team that offered him more money. He led his
respective conference in receptions and receiving yards multiple times and
holds the professional football record with five interceptions in a playoff
game.
At age 29,
Grant became the youngest coach in CFL history when he took over the Blue
Bombers. In 10 seasons, he led Winnipeg to the Grey Cup six times, winning the
championship in 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962. Grant was initially approached about
coaching the Vikings in
1961, but he didn't accept the job until 1967.
In 1969, Grant
led the Vikings to their first NFL title. In Super Bowl IV, however, Minnesota
lost to the Chiefs,
which was the final game between the AFL and the NFL. The Vikings went back to
the Super Bowl three times between 1973-76, but they lost each game by a
combined score of 72-27. Fran Tarkenton, the Vikings' Hall of Fame
quarterback, attributes the Vikings' Super Bowl struggles to the team
not practicing during the first week between the NFC title game and the Super
Bowl.
While his
team's Super Bowl preparation was suspect, Grant helped create a massive
home-field advantage for the Vikings (who at the time did not play their home
games in a dome) by practicing outdoors in winter to acclimate to the cold. The
Vikings did, however, suffer a gut-wrenching loss at home in the 1975 playoffs
after falling victim to Roger Staubach's Hail Mary pass to Drew Pearson.
During his
28-year coaching career, Grant won a whopping 260 regular-season games and 26
playoff games. He is the first coach to lead one team to four Super
Bowls.
18. Weeb Ewbank
Ewbank (pictured with Joe Namth) won two of
the most iconic games in pro football history. Getty Images
Ewbank is synonymous with two of the most important games in the
NFL's first 50 seasons.
He was the
winning coach in the Colts' 23-17 victory over the Giants in the 1958 Championship Game, still regarded as
the greatest football game ever played. The game, which was the first in NFL
history to be decided in overtime, is credited with helping pro football
eventually surpass baseball as America's main pastime.
In 1959, Ewbank
led the Colts to a successful defense of their title. Ewbank presided over an
offense that featured several Hall of Famers, including quarterback Johnny
Unitas (who is considered the best quarterback of the NFL's first
half-century), wideout Raymond Berry and running back Lenny Moore.
The Colts
eventually fired Ewbank following three non-playoff seasons. He quickly
resurfaced with the Jets,
an AFL team that had yet to have a winning season. The Jets continued to
struggle until 1967, when Joe Namath (who chose to play in the AFL over the NFL
after being drafted by both leagues in 1965) became the first quarterback in
either league to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season.
In 1968, the
Jets surprised just about everyone when they dethroned the defending AFL
champion Raiders for
the right to play the NFL champion Colts -- Ewbank's former team -- in Super
Bowl III. An 18.5-point underdog, the Jets recorded a shocking, 16-7 win on the
strength of five forced turnovers, a bruising running game and the stellar play
of Namath, who was named the game's MVP. Ewbank remains the Jets'
all-time leader with 71 wins.
17. Hank Stram
Stram's Chiefs won the final game before the
AFL-NFL merger Getty Images
A true showman, Stram was the first football coach to wear a
microphone, which led to his
iconic soundbites during the Chiefs' victory over the Vikings
in Super Bowl IV, the final game played before the AFL-NFL merger.
Kansas City's
win marked the second consecutive Super Bowl victory by an AFL team. A big
underdog, the Chiefs dominated the NFL champion Vikings, 23-7. The game
showcased several of Stram's innovations, including his moving pocket and
triple-stacked defense.
The Chiefs'
first coach, Stram, led Kansas City to its first championship in 1962, its
third year of existence. The Chiefs won a second AFL title in 1966 and earned
the right to face Vince Lombardi's Packers in
the first Super Bowl. The Chiefs were in the game until an early-second-half
interception opened the floodgates, and the Packers eventually cruised to a
35-10 win.
Stram enjoyed a
prolific partnership with quarterback Len Dawson, who led the AFL in touchdown
passes four times and in completion percentage seven times over an eight-year
span. Stram also presided over a defense that featured six future Hall of
Famers.
Kansas City's
run essentially came to an end on Christmas Day, 1971, when Stram's squad fell
to the Dolphins in
the longest game in NFL history. The Chiefs missed the playoffs the following
two seasons, and Stram ended his coaching career with a forgettable two-year
stint with the Saints.
16. Mike Shanahan
Shanahan helped Elway retire as a two-time
Super Bowl champion. Getty Images
Shanahan isn't currently in the Hall of Fame, although his
career is certainly worthy of enshrinement.
From 1994-98,
Shanahan won three Super Bowls, including one as the 49ers' offensive coordinator and two more as Broncos coach.
Under Shanahan's tutelage, Steve Young had one of the best seasons in NFL
history, including winning league and Super Bowl MVP honors and throwing the
most touchdown passes (6) in Super Bowl history.
In Denver,
Shanahan helped John Elway cap off his career with back-to-back Super Bowl
titles. Shanahan helped surround Elway with a talented supporting cast that
included Terrell Davis, a former sixth-round pick who won league and Super Bowl
MVP honors while playing in Shanahan's offense. Davis was the first of several
running backs that flourished in Shanahan's zone blocking scheme.
In 1997,
Shanahan led the Broncos to an unexpected Super Bowl win over the defending
champion Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. By virtue of their win, the Broncos
became the first AFC team to win the Super Bowl in 14 years. They also became
the second wild card team (and the first since 1980) to win the Super
Bowl.
Denver
successfully defended its title a year later. After a 13-0 start, the Broncos
steamrolled through the playoffs while outscoring their opponents 95-32. In
Super Bowl XXXIII, with the Falcons focused
on stopping Davis, Shanahan used Davis as a decoy and put the spotlight back on
Elway, who delivered an MVP performance in what was his final NFL game.
Shanahan and
the Broncos were unable to recapture their championship pedigree following
Elway's retirement, although they made another Super Bowl run in 2005. Shanahan
then produced just one winning season during a four-year run in Washington. His
lack of success after Denver's Super Bowls is likely why he isn't in the Hall
of Fame.
Shanahan's
coaching tree, however, might help him eventually earn Hall of Fame induction.
His coaching tree includes Gary Kubiak, his son (current 49ers coach Kyle
Shanahan) and names like Sean McVay, Matt and Mike LaFleur, Mike McDaniel,
Robert Saleh and Kevin Stefanski.
15. Guy Chamberlain
Chamberlain (second left) is flanked by
several other NFL trailblazers at the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the
1960s.
Chamberlain's legacy is being the most successful player/coach
in NFL history. His decorated nine-year playing career coincided with his
legendary six-year coaching career. In all, Chamberlain won six championships,
including four NFL titles.
In 1919 (the
year before the NFL was founded), Chamberlain teamed with Jim Thorpe to help
the Canton Bulldogs post a 9-0-1 record. In 1921, Chamberlain won his first NFL
title while playing for George Halas, who coached the Chicago Staleys.
In 1922,
Chamberlain became a player/coach for the Canton Bulldogs. During his three
years with the team, the Bulldogs won three consecutive NFL titles while
becoming the NFL's first dynasty. In 1926, Chamberlain coached the Frankford
Yellow Jackets to an NFL title while also playing in all 17 of the team's
games.
The only coach
to win titles with three different teams, Chamberlain's .759 winning percentage
is the highest in NFL history among coaches with at least 50 games
coached.
14. Jimmy Johnson
Johnson congratulates Emmitt Smith (one of the
players the Cowboys got from the Herschel Walker trade) near the end of Smith's
MVP performance in Super Bowl XXVIII. Getty Images
Few coaches have been as impactful in the NFL's modern era as
Johnson, who, in just three years, took the Cowboys from
1-15 to Super Bowl champions. Johnson accomplished that by cutting older
veterans and replacing them with young talent.
Johnson sped up
the Cowboys' rebuild (while sending shockwaves through the NFL) when he traded
his best player -- halfback Herschel Walker -- to the Vikings for several
players and a bounty of draft picks. While the trade was ridiculed at the time,
it ultimately served as the launching pad for one of the greatest teams in NFL
history.
Using picks
from the trade, the Cowboys acquired several future cornerstones of their
dynasty, including Emmitt Smith. The Walker trade was one of 51 moves the
Cowboys made during an era when trades were not common. Johnson further
revolutionized trading with the creation of the draft value chart, a tool still
used by NFL
teams.
A college
psychology major, Johnson found unique ways to motivate his players: he used
positive encouragement for some and fear tactics for others. Johnson was a
proponent of the self-fulfilling prophecy.
"Our
approach was completely different [than other coaches]," Johnson recalled before his 2021 Hall of Fame induction. "Our approach
was, 'Hey guys, we're gonna kick their ass because we're better than they
are.'"
From 1992-93,
no team was better than Johnson's Cowboys. Dallas won back-to-back titles on
the strength of The Triplets: Smith, quarterback Troy Aikman and receiver
Michael Irvin. The Cowboys' opportunistic defense featured Charles Haley, a
Hall of Fame pass rusher acquired via trade from the 49ers, the team Dallas
defeated in consecutive NFL title games.
Speaking of the
49ers, it was Johnson's peerless attention to detail that played a key role in
the Cowboys' 30-20 win over San Francisco in the 1992 NFC title game. Prior to
the game, Johnson walked the field, noting which areas were most impacted by
rain, and instructed his players to wear cleats that would handle the muddy
track.
Johnson's
counterpart, George Seifert, somewhat mocked Johnson in the media by stating
that he had better things to do than scope out the field. Seifert likely
regretted his comments after watching several of his defensive backs slip and
fall while trying to catch Alvin Harper on a 70-yard catch-and-run that set up
the game-winning score. Harper's route went directly through a part of the
field affected by the weather, by design.
A year later,
days before the Cowboys face the Bills in the Super Bowl, Johnson happened to
be watching TV when a local Atlanta station was airing a preview of the big
game. Johnson noticed, when the TV showed footage of a recent Bills' practice,
that Buffalo was practicing the shovel pass, something they hadn't done all
year. Dallas shut down the play several times before James Washington returned
a Thurman Thomas fumble (after the play was foiled once more) for a score that
turned the game on its head.
A power
struggle with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones led to Johnson leaving the Cowboys
shortly after that game. Johnson later had success with the Dolphins, and the
Cowboys won another Super Bowl a year after his departure. But neither side was
as good without the other.
13. Bill Parcells
Parcells and Bill Belichick (pictured right in
red jacket) created a perfect game plan for Super Bowl XXV. Getty Images
If you need a coach to jumpstart your franchise, Bill Parcells
is your guy. Four times during his Hall of Fame career, Parcells turned a
struggling team into a contender in short order. His biggest success came with
the Giants, whom he led to titles in 1986 and 1990.
Upon graduating
from college, Parcells climbed the coaching ranks until he temporarily stepped
away from football. During that time, Parcells -- who lived in Colorado --
attended Broncos games as a fan before he decided to get back into coaching.
During his first job back in football (as the Patriots' linebackers coach),
Parcells was given the nickname "Big Tuna," which stayed with him for
the remainder of his coaching career.
The Giants
elevated Parcells from defensive coordinator to head coach in 1983. But after a
losing first season, rumors spread that Parcells would likely be fired if the
Giants had another bad season in 1984. The Giants, however, responded by
advancing to the NFC divisional round.
In 1986,
Parcells guided the Giants to the franchise's first championship in 30 years.
The game shifted on the Giants' successful fake punt early in the second half
that helped turn New York's 10-9 halftime deficit into a 39-20 win. Parcells
and the Giants received an historic performance by quarterback Phil Simms,
whose 88% completion percentage that day remains a Super Bowl single-game
record.
Four years
later, despite losing starting quarterback Phil Sims to a season-ending injury
in Week 15, the Giants won another Super Bowl following shocking upset wins
over the 49ers (who had won the previous two Super Bowls) in the NFC title game
and the Bills in
Super Bowl XXV.
The 20-19 win
over the Bills was the byproduct of the Giants' game plan to control the clock
in order to keep Buffalo's high-scoring offense off the field. The Bills
accomplished this by converting a series of third downs on offense and
employing a three-man front on defense that made it difficult for Buffalo's
offense to get many big plays downfield.
In 1996,
Parcells became the second coach (and first in 25 years) to lead a second team
to the Super Bowl, but his Patriots came up short against the heavily favored
Packers. Two years later, Parcells took a Jets team that had gone 1-15 in 1996
to the AFC title game. His coaching career ended with a relatively successful
four-year run with the Cowboys.
12. John Madden
Madden and the Raiders finally reached the
mountaintop in 1976. Getty Images
All the Raiders did under Madden was win games. His .759 winning
percentage is the highest in NFL history among coaches with at least seven
seasons.
During his
decade in Oakland, Madden guided the Raiders to seven appearances in the
conference championship game. After continuously coming up short, the Raiders
finally broke through in 1976, winning the franchise's first Super Bowl while
compiling a 16-1 record. A former offensive lineman, Madden presided over a
dominant offensive line that paved the way for the Raiders to run for 266 yards
against the Vikings in Super Bowl XI.
Madden was a
true original, from his unique sideline look (he wore a press pass throughout
his coaching career) to the way he ran the Raiders. While the Raiders were
looked at as renegades, each player revered their coach.
Madden was at
the center of some of pro football's most legendary moments, including
the "Immaculate
Reception," the "Sea
of Hands," the "Holy
Roller" and the "Ghost to the Post." One of his most
memorable moments, however, occurred in a "meaningless" game late in
the 1976 season.
With a loss to
the Bengals,
the Steelers -- the team that had knocked them out of the playoffs three of the
previous four years -- would have been eliminated from postseason contention.
Madden, however, never once considered not trying to win the game, despite the
possible ramifications.
The Raiders
defeated the Bengals (knocking them out of playoff contention), then dethroned
the Steelers in the AFC title game, a win that meant almost as much to the
Raiders as their Super Bowl XI win over the Vikings.
"That
Monday night game was the most proud game that I ever coached in my
life," Madden later said of the Raiders' win over the Bengals.
"I don't know any other way to play, and thank goodness my players didn't
either."
11. Curly Lambeau
Lambeau was the architect behind the Packers' first dynasty. Getty Images
Lambeau was a player/coach when the Packers won their first NFL
title. He then coached the Packers to two more championships, making Green Bay
the first team to win three consecutive titles.
The Packers won
three more titles under Lambeau, who was the first NFL coach to win six
championships. But after winning six titles during Lambeau's first 15 seasons
as coach, the Packers went just 40-61-2 during his final nine seasons on the
sideline, which included two seasons apiece with the Cardinals and
Washington.
Lambeau was
ahead of his time, especially when it came to the passing game. The Packers'
last three titles under his watch were heavily influenced by receiver Don
Hutson, who set several receiving records that wouldn't be broken for
decades.
10. Tom Landry
The usually stoic Landry flashed a smile
following Dallas' second Super Bowl title. Getty Images
The architect of "America's Team," Landry, remains one
of the most iconic figures in NFL history. The Cowboys' first coach, Landry,
held the position for 29 years. During that span, Dallas won two Super Bowls,
five NFC titles and posted 20 consecutive winning seasons.
After a winless
inaugural season, Landry's Cowboys endured four more losing seasons before
finally breaking through in 1966, when Dallas nearly upset Vince Lombardi's
Packers in the NFL Championship Game. The Cowboys had the Packers on the ropes
again in the following year's championship game, but lost in heartbreaking
fashion, while Green Bay went on to win the first two Super Bowls.
The Cowboys
reinforced their "next year's champions" punchline three years later
when they became the first team to lose a Super Bowl on a last-minute field
goal. The following year, however, Landry helped change the franchise's
fortunes by naming Roger Staubach the starting quarterback over Craig Morton. With
Staubach under center, the Cowboys didn't lose a single game in 1971 en route
to winning the franchise's first Super Bowl.
Dallas' success
was a byproduct of the Cowboys' innovative scouting department and Landry's
innovative mind that often put his players in advantageous situations. While
his offense was among the first to use the shotgun consistently, Landry's real
coaching legacy is the creation of the 4-3 "flex" defense that
wreaked havoc on opposing offenses.
The Cowboys won
two Super Bowls under Landry, but it could have been many more if not for some
close losses in championship games. Along with their losses to the Packers, the
Cowboys lost three Super Bowls by 11 combined points. They also lost three consecutive
NFC title games in the early 1980s before their championship window
closed.
The Cowboys
often made uncharacteristic mistakes that cost them those games. One issue
could have been that Landry's players were too robotic and weren't given enough
freedom to play outside the system when it mattered most. Staubach, for
example, was never given the freedom to call his own plays, a luxury that
several of his peers enjoyed.
9. Joe Gibbs
Joe Theismann was the first of three
quarterbacks that won a Super Bowl with Joe Gibbs. Getty Images
Gibbs is mostly known for winning three Super Bowls with three
different quarterbacks. But what was almost as impressive was Gibbs winning two
Super Bowls during strike-shortened seasons. In 1987, he famously went 3-0 with
replacement players en route to Washington's second Super Bowl title. In that
Super Bowl, Washington scored 35 points in the second quarter, a Super Bowl
record that likely won't ever be broken.
Gibbs won three
Super Bowls during an era that included several other dynastic teams. He won
them using different styles; Washington's first Super Bowl was won on the
strength of running back John Riggins and "The Hogs," while an aerial
passing attack helped Washington win its third Super Bowl.
Gibbs' legacy
also includes winning a Super Bowl with Doug Williams, who became the first
Black quarterback to do so, following Washington's demolition of Denver in
Super Bowl XXII. Gibbs was a legendary workaholic who routinely ended meetings
upon hearing the garbage man outside the team's facility in the early morning
hours.
Prior to
coaching in Washington, Gibbs had two different stints working under Don
Coryell, whose innovative passing attack ultimately led to his Hall of Fame
induction in 2023. During the 1979 and '80 seasons, Gibbs served as the Chargers' offensive coordinator under Coryell. Under Gibbs'
watch, Dan Fouts set the single-season passing record both seasons.
In 2004, after
12 years away from football, Gibbs returned for a second stint in Washington.
And while this run wasn't as successful as his first, Gibbs nonetheless led
Washington to a pair of playoff appearances and the franchise's first playoff
win since 1992.
Gibbs' biggest
career blemish is unquestionably Super Bowl XVIII, when Washington's quest for
back-to-back titles came to a crashing halt. The Raiders' 38-9 win that day
remains one of the most surprising outcomes in Super Bowl history.
8. Andy Reid
Mahomes and Reid have become one of the most
successful QB-HC duos in NFL history. Getty Images
Reid's career has been nothing short of amazing. After winning a
Super Bowl in Green Bay while serving on Mike Holmgren's coaching staff, Reid
has enjoyed a 27-year head coaching career that includes being one of just five
coaches in history with three Super Bowl wins.
Prior to his
success in Kansas City, Reid had a borderline Hall of Fame coaching career in
Philadelphia. During his 14 years with the Eagles, Reid's teams won 140 games,
six division titles, and an NFC title in 2004. The Eagles played in five NFC
title games under Reid (including four straight from 2001-04) but went just
1-4.
Reid has been
even better since joining the Chiefs. During his first 13 years in Kansas City,
the Chiefs won a whopping 70% of their regular-season games and 69.2% of their
postseason games. Reid and the Chiefs' success have largely been a byproduct of
Reid's brilliant offensive mind and Patrick
Mahomes' mastery of the quarterback position. It also doesn't hurt
to have one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, Travis Kelce, and one of this era's preeminent defensive
tackles, Chris
Jones, either.
Reid's Chiefs
took the baton from the Patriots while becoming the NFL's latest dynasty. The
Chiefs have won three Super Bowls since 2019 and in 2023 became the first team
to successfully defend their title since the 2004 Patriots. In 2024, the Chiefs
became the first back-to-back champions to get back to the Super Bowl, but
their bid for a three-peat came crashing down against Reid's former team, the
Eagles, whom Kansas City had defeated in the big game two years earlier.
Reid's Chiefs
suffered two lopsided losses in the Super Bowl; Tom Brady and the Buccaneers
waxed Kansas City in Super Bowl XLV. Reid is regarded as a largely offensive
coach, and he has a checkered history of employing players with off-the-field
issues. Those reasons likely kept him out of the top five.
7. Chuck Noll
Bradshaw and Noll were unflappable in Super
Bowls, going 4-0 in the big game. Getty Images
At 37, and with no prior head coaching experience, Noll took on
the daunting task of turning around a Steelers franchise that had not won a
playoff game during its first 36 years of existence. A decade after taking the
job, Noll had turned the Steelers from laughingstock into NFL royalty.
How did Noll do
it? By drafting talented players and molding them in the "Steeler
way."
Noll, legendary
scout Bill Nunn and personnel director Art Rooney Jr. spearheaded the creation
of arguably the most talented roster in NFL history, a roster that would
feature 10 future Hall of Famers and several other players worthy of
enshrinement. Those players would help the Steelers win four Super Bowls over a
six-year span, making them the dominant team of the 1970s.
Noll, a
former Browns offensive
lineman who funneled Paul Brown's plays from the sideline to the huddle, was
more teacher than coach. He was a master at teaching the fundamentals while
asking players to go through their thought process on given plays. While
machinelike in execution, the Steelers were not robotic. Noll, unlike some of
his peers, allotted his players the freedom to play to their talents. He gave
Terry Bradshaw, for example, the freedom to call plays from the huddle.
Noll also
trusted his players in critical moments, like late in Super Bowl X. The
Steelers were beating the Cowboys, 21-17, and facing a fourth-and-9 on the
Dallas 41 with 1:28 left. After watching his special teams struggle all day,
Noll decided to go for it instead of sending his punting unit on the field. The
Steelers gained just two yards on fourth down, which gave the Cowboys good
field position and enough time to score.
While virtually
every coach would have punted in that situation, Noll trusted his defense to
hold off the Cowboys' offense, which is what they did. The game ended with an
interception in the end zone, as the Steelers joined the Packers and Dolphins
as the only teams at that point to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
Four years
later, the Steelers were trailing the Rams early in the fourth quarter of Super
Bowl XIV. Terry Bradshaw had already thrown three interceptions, but Noll
instructed him to throw deep to John Stallworth on a third-and-8 play from
Pittsburgh's own 27-yard line. Bradshaw hit Stallworth for a
73-yard touchdown that proved to be the game-winning
score.
While he was
never one for big speeches, Noll essentially jump-started the Steelers' dynasty
when he addressed his team before the 1974 AFC Championship Game. Noll informed
his players of John Madden's recent quotes in which he declared the Raiders and
Dolphins the NFL's best teams. Noll essentially said that Madden was wrong,
that the NFL's best team was sitting right in front of him. Inspired, the
Steelers overwhelmed the Raiders and punched their first Super Bowl ticket. The
rest is history.
After the
fourth Super Bowl win, Noll made the mistake of hanging onto too many aging
veterans, which led to some lean years. Noll's biggest mistake was not
selecting Dan Marino in the 1983 draft. That decision came back to haunt
Pittsburgh in the 1984 AFC title game, as Marino threw for 421 yards and four
touchdowns in Miami's shootout win.
The only coach
to win four Super Bowls without a loss, Noll is also the only coach to win
back-to-back Super Bowls twice. His playoff record included a Super Bowl win
over Grant's Vikings, a 3-2 mark against Madden's Raiders, and a 2-0 record
against Landry's Cowboys in the Super Bowl.
6. George Halas
Future Bears coach Mike Ditka helped Halas win
his sixth and final title in 1963. Getty Images
The Bears' founder and longtime owner, Halas also played for the
Bears and was a player/coach when the franchise captured its first NFL title in
1921. His impact on the NFL is reflected in the NFC championship trophy bearing
his name. His initials have appeared on the left sleeve of the Bears' jersey
since 1984, one year after his passing.
After a brief
exit from coaching, Halas returned to the sideline in 1933 and delivered a
40-year run as Chicago's coach. Over that span, the Bears won five more
championships as Halas became the winningest coach in league history. His
record would stand until 1993, when he was surpassed by Don Shula. His 318
regular-season wins remain the second-highest total in league history.
While he was a
giant in Chicago, Halas also oversaw major influences on the NFL. During its
inaugural seasons, the NFL was regarded as a league for less heralded players.
That changed, however, when Halas convinced former Illinois star Red Grange to
sign with the Bears. The league's popularity increased shortly
thereafter.
Halas was also
an innovator. His implementation of the T-formation helped the Bears record a
73-0 win over Washington in the 1940 NFL Championship Game (that remains the
biggest margin of victory in NFL title game history). His offense came to life
under Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman, who helped lead Chicago to four
championships during the 1940s.
In 1963, at the
age of 68, Halas won another NFL title. But despite drafting future Hall of
Famers Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus in 1965, the Bears endured losing seasons
during Halas' final two seasons on the sideline. In fact, three of Halas' six
losing seasons took place during his final four seasons.
A pioneer on
and off the field, Halas was the first coach to implement daily practice, have
assistant coaches stationed in the press box during games, and place a tarp on
the field. Under Halas, the Bears became the first team to publish a newspaper
and broadcast games on the radio.
One of Halas'
last great moments with the Bears took place in 1982, a year before his death.
After deciding to fire the team's coach, Halas received a letter from Alan
Page, on behalf of the Chicago Bears' defense, asking him to retain defensive
coordinator Buddy Ryan. Halas did, and in 1985, Ryan was carried off the field
after his defense dominated the Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
5. Don Shula
During the 1972-73 seasons, Shula's Dolphins
won 32 of the 34 games they played in, with the '72 team going a perfect
17-0. Getty Images
Shula's career included the highest of highs and the lowest of
lows. His highlights include the most wins in NFL history (347), back-to-back
Super Bowl titles, and coaching the only undefeated team in league history (the
1972 Dolphins). Shula was also the first coach to lead multiple franchises (the
Colts and Dolphins) to the Super Bowl. The Dolphins also became the first team
to play in three consecutive Super Bowls under his watch. Shula's six Super
Bowl appearances stood as the record until Bill Belichick broke his mark in
2016.
Shula was also
on the losing side of the biggest upset in NFL history when the Jets -- an
18.5-point underdog -- shocked the Colts in Super Bowl III. Three years later,
Shula coached the first team that failed to score a touchdown in a Super Bowl
in a 24-3 loss to Dallas. Shula's teams lost twice as many Super Bowls (four)
as they won (two).
Shula also ran
into some bad luck in the form of the World Football League, which announced
after Miami's second straight Super Bowl win that they would be signing three of the Dolphins' best players (Larry Csonka, Paul
Warfield and Jim Kiick) ahead of the 1975 season. The '74 Dolphins then saw
their quest for a three-peat end in dramatic fashion in Oakland.
Shula's legacy
also includes his incredible longevity, spanning 33 seasons over four decades.
Shula changed with the times. The 1972 Dolphins featured two 1,000-yard rushers
(a first) and a quarterback who threw a combined 18 passes in Super Bowls VII
and VIII. A dozen years later, the Dolphins made it back to the Super Bowl on
the strength of Dan Marino's historic 1984 season that saw him set the then-NFL
record for passing yards (5,084) and touchdown passes (48).
A less public
aspect of Shula's legacy was his ability to endear himself to his players
despite his unyielding drive for perfection, which often pushed them to the
brink of exhaustion. The players' admiration for Shula was on display each year
during the Dolphins' celebration the last time the league's final unbeaten team
suffered its first loss.
4. Paul Brown
Otto Graham and Paul Brown led the Browns to
seven titles over a 10-year span. Getty Images
After legendary runs at the high school level and at Ohio State
(he led the Buckeyes to their first national title in 1942), Brown delivered an
iconic run with the Browns that included seven championships over a 10-year
span. Brown had a prolific partnership with quarterback Otto Graham, who led
the Browns to a championship game appearance in each of his 10 seasons in
Cleveland.
Founded in
1946, the Browns won four straight championships in the All-American Football
Conference before joining the NFL in 1950. The jump to the NFL didn't slow down
Brown's team, as Cleveland captured NFL titles in 1950, 1954 and 1955. The
Browns played for the championship in 1951, 1952 and 1953.
Arguably the
most innovative coach in NFL history, Brown is credited with creating practice
squads, the draw play and the modern facemask. The first coach to hire a staff
of full-time assistants, Brown is also the first coach to use game film to
scout the opposition. Brown is also credited with helping break pro football's
color barrier.
Brown's personality
(specifically, his hands-on approach, which included not allowing his
quarterbacks to audible at the line of scrimmage) didn't mesh with everyone,
especially Art Modell, who relieved Brown of his duties less than two years
after taking ownership of the Browns. Oddly, though, Brown remained on Modell's
payroll for the next five years as vice president. The job title, however,
didn't carry much -- if any -- weight. Brown didn't attend a single Browns game
over that span and instead spent the majority of his free time on the golf
course. The joke at the time was that only Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer made
more money playing golf than Brown did annually.
Brown
eventually enjoyed a successful second act in Cincinnati. A member of the
team's original ownership group, Brown named the team the Bengals and served as
the team's first general manager and coach. Cincinnati's inaugural team also
included Bill Walsh, who served as the team's assistant coach. The duo helped
the Bengals win two division titles during the 1970s, but when Brown stepped
down as coach, he not only didn't endorse Brown as his successor, but also
allegedly didn't endorse him for any other coaching vacancies. That sequence of
events later came back to haunt both Brown and the Bengals.
3. Bill Walsh
Joe Montana's mastery of Bill Walsh's
"West Coast Offense" built a dynasty while revolutionizing pro
football. Getty Images
Walsh often used boxing metaphors during team speeches, which is
fitting given his career arc. While he was knocked down several times, Walsh
always got back up.
Walsh didn't
get his first NFL job until he was 35, after spending a year coaching in a
semi-pro league in California. He did wonders for the Bengals but was left
packing after Paul Brown chose someone else to be his successor. Walsh finally
became an NFL head coach four years later at age 48, but the 49ers won just six
games during his first two seasons.
Things finally
started to break Walsh's way in 1981, when the 49ers had a magical season that
ended with a Super Bowl win over the Bengals, Walsh's former team. Walsh's
innovative "West Coast" offense ran circles around the Bengals'
defense throughout the first half of the 49ers' eventual 26-21 win.
Three years
later, Walsh's team recorded one of the best seasons in league history. San
Francisco capped off an 18-1 season with a 38-16 drubbing of Dan Marino's
Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. While everyone before the game was fixated on
Miami's offense, it was Walsh's offense that stole the show with 537 total
yards. His quarterback, Joe Montana, had one of the finest games in Super Bowl
history, scoring four total touchdowns and setting then-Super Bowl records for
passing yards (331) and rushing yards by a quarterback (59).
Four years
later, the 49ers won their third title of the decade after Montana led a
92-yard, game-winning drive over the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII. That game
proved to be Walsh's final game as an NFL head coach.
Walsh
rightfully earns praise as an offensive genius, but his motivational tactics
also proved vital to his coaching success. In an effort to keep his team loose,
Walsh dressed as a bellman when his players arrived at the hotel before their
first Super Bowl. Prior to their Super Bowl win over the Dolphins, Walsh
casually lay down in the middle of the 49ers' locker room floor, talking about
how great the Dolphins were before asking his players a question.
"He turned
to me and he looked at me and just said, 'God, don't you want to break the wall
and go kick their ass right now?'" defensive back Dwight Hicks recalled
years later.
Walsh often
played the "us against the world" card with his team while
reinforcing outside narratives that the 49ers were a finesse team that couldn't
match up to the physicality of the NFC's other elite teams. Walsh, in an effort
to combat those narratives, told his team to beat the opposition "to the
punch" while landing the first blow. This was Walsh's exact message to his
team prior to their 28-3 win over the Bears in freezing Chicago in the 1988 NFC
title game. Walsh seemed to always know which buttons to push.
Ironically,
Walsh inadvertently motivated the 49ers in retirement. The 1989 49ers, eager to
show that they could still win despite Walsh's retirement, successfully
defended their title by decimating the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV, with their
former coach looking on from the owner's suite.
2. Vince Lombardi
Lombardi remains the last coach to win three
straight NFL titles. Getty Images
While he narrowly edged out the competition in this vote,
Lombardi's status as the most iconic coach in NFL history remains unrivaled.
Lombardi's name, after all, is the one that is on pro football's biggest prize,
and for good reason.
The winning
coach of the first two Super Bowls, Lombardi is the last coach to lead his team
to three consecutive NFL titles, doing so from 1965-67. The Packers defeated
Jim Brown and the rest of the defending champion Browns in the 1965 title game
before defeating Tom Landry's Cowboys in a pair of thrilling championships.
After beating Dallas, the Packers then defeated the AFL's best teams (the
Chiefs and Raiders) in the first two Super Bowls by a combined score of
68-24.
Lombardi, who
never had a losing season, won 73.8% of his regular-season games. He went 9-1
in the postseason, with the only loss coming against the Eagles in the 1960 NFL
title game. Green Bay then won five championships over the next seven seasons.
The genesis of
Green Bay's success was the devastating "Packers Sweep," featuring
running backs Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor and guards Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy
Thurston. Lombardi had originally run that play for Hall of Fame halfback Frank
Gifford during his years as the Giants' offensive coordinator.
Lombardi also
constructed a dominant defense that featured six future Hall of Famers. The
unit came up with several critical stops during Green Bay's dynasty, including
Dave Robinson's pressure on Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith, which led to a
game-winning interception in the closing moments of the 1966 NFL title
game.
Winning aside,
Lombardi's legacy also includes his anti-discrimination philosophy. Lombardi
was one of the first coaches to draft players from historically black colleges
and universities, a practice that was later adopted by the Steelers during
their dynasty. During his first training camp, Lombardi issued a no-tolerance
policy towards racism. The Packers became the first team to refuse to assign
hotel rooms to players based on race.
Like Shula,
Lombardi was beloved by his players despite his demanding coaching nature. That
was evident during his final game with the Packers (Super Bowl II), when Kramer
told his teammates at halftime to play the final 30 minutes "for the old
man." After the game (a 33-14 Packers win), Kramer was among the Packers
who made Lombardi the first coach to be carried off the field following a Super
Bowl win.
1.
Bill Belichick
With Brady and Belichick leading the way, the
Patriots enjoyed an unparalleled run of success from 2001-18. Getty Images
The most successful coach of the 21st century, Belichick, has
two more Super Bowl wins than the next-closest coach. He is second all-time in
career wins (333) and third all-time in regular-season wins (302).
Belichick
mastered the NFL's cap salary era like no one else. His secret sauce was
acquiring veterans from other teams who found the fountain of youth in New
England, players like Rodney Harrison, Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, Wes
Welker and Darrelle
Revis, among others.
Of course, a
large part of Belichick's legacy is tied to Tom Brady, which some have used
against him. Brady, though, has gone out of his way to detail how important
Belichick was in his development. It was Belichick, after all, that made the
then-controversial decision to stick with Brady as his starting quarterback
after Drew Bledsoe had been cleared to return to action during the Patriots'
first Super Bowl season.
Belichick built
New England's first dynasty on the strength of a tough, underrated defense,
solid running games, and Brady doing whatever it took to win on a weekly basis.
The Patriots' second dynasty was predicated on Brady, who by that point had
earned the unofficial title of the greatest player of all time. Belichick
complemented Brady during that span by having a heavy hand on a defense that
made the game-winning interception in Super Bowl XLIX and held the Rams to just
three points in Super Bowl LIII.
Speaking of
defense, the Patriots' dynasty started with an historic upset over the Rams,
spearheaded by New England's defense. The defense's performance that night was
reminiscent of the Giants' defense during New York's upset win over the Bills
in Super Bowl XXV, a defense led by Belichick, whose game plan for that game
resides in the Hall of Fame.
In addition to being arguably the greatest head coach of
all-time, Belichick is also one of the best defensive coordinators in history. He won two Super Bowls in
that capacity in New York while working under Bill Parcells.
In all, Belichick won eight Super Bowls while taking part
in 12 Super Bowls. His impact on pro football's biggest stage is second to
none.
The only things
that cast doubt on Belichick's status as the greatest coach of all time are his
role in Spygate, his lack of success without Brady and the puzzling decision to
bench one of his best defenders (Malcolm Butler) during an eventual Super Bowl loss to the
Eagles. Spygate is reportedly the reason why he wasn't inducted into the Hall
of Fame during his first year of eligibility.
And here are
the full ballots for our voters, including the ins and outs of the voting
process.
|
John Breech |
Carter Bahns |
Jordan Dajani |
Zach Pereles |
Garrett Podell |
Bryan DeArdo |
|
|
1. |
Bill Belichick |
Vince
Lombardi |
Bill Belichick |
Bill Belichick |
Bill Belichick |
Vince Lombardi |
|
2. |
Vince Lombardi |
Paul
Brown |
Vince
Lombardi |
Paul
Brown |
Vince
Lombardi |
Bill Belichick |
|
3. |
Don Shula |
Bill
Walsh |
Don
Shula |
Andy
Reid |
Bill
Walsh |
Don Shula |
|
4. |
Paul Brown |
George
Halas |
Bill
Walsh |
George
Halas |
George
Halas |
Chuck Noll |
|
5. |
Bill Walsh |
Bill Belichick |
Paul
Brown |
Vince
Lombardi |
Chuck
Noll |
Bill Walsh |
|
6. |
George Halas |
Don
Shula |
George
Halas |
Curly
Lambeau |
Andy
Reid |
George Halas |
|
7. |
Joe Gibbs |
Joe
Gibbs |
Chuck
Noll |
Joe
Gibbs |
Don
Shula |
Paul Brown |
|
8. |
Chuck Noll |
Chuck
Noll |
Tom
Landry |
Bill
Walsh |
Tom
Landry |
Tom Landry |
|
9. |
Tom Landry |
Andy
Reid |
Joe
Gibbs |
Chuck
Noll |
Paul
Brown |
Joe Gibbs |
|
10. |
Andy Reid |
Tom
Landry |
Andy
Reid |
John
Madden |
Curly
Lambeau |
Andy Reid |
|
11. |
Curly Lambeau |
Curly Lambeau |
John Madden |
Don Shula |
Joe Gibbs |
Curly Lambeau |
|
12. |
John Madden |
John Madden |
Curly Lambeau |
Guy Chamberlain |
Guy Chamberlain |
John Madden |
|
13. |
Bill Parcells |
Bill Parcells |
Hank Stram |
Tom Landry |
Mike Shanahan |
Bill Parcells |
|
14. |
Jimmy Johnson |
Mike Shanahan |
Bill Parcells |
Mike Shanahan |
Bill Parcells |
Jimmy Johnson |
|
15. |
Guy Chamberlain |
Hank Stram |
Jimmy Johnson |
Bill Parcells |
Jimmy Johnson |
Hank Stram |
|
16. |
Marty Schottenheimer |
Sid Gillman |
Tony Dungy |
George Seifert |
George Seifert |
Weeb Ewbank |
|
17. |
Bud Grant |
Weeb Ewbank |
Bill Cowher |
Jimmy Johnson |
Tom Flores |
Tony Dungy |
|
18. |
Marv Levy |
Steve Owen |
Bud Grant |
Tom Flores |
Steve Owen |
Bud Grant |
|
19. |
Tom Coughlin |
Tom Coughlin |
Don Coryell |
Ray Flaherty |
Hank Stram |
Marv Levy |
|
20. |
Mike Tomlin |
Guy Chamberlain |
Tom Flores |
Weeb Ewbank |
Tom Coughlin |
Mike Shanahan |
