Top Ten Greatest NFL Coaches of All Time

There is great debate as to whether football games are won or loss by the players or the coaches. I would say that it is often a little bit of both. You need great players to win games but you also need great coaches to manage the team. It is said that players play for the coach because at the end of the day it is he or she who makes the decision on who to play. The coaches instill the teams' morale and make the final decisions on who plays when and where. They also manage the tactical flow of the game like field generals.

Once again for this category I am going to include several honorable mentions before I get into the top ten. I have compiled this list based on winning percentage, championships, and their overall iconic character. Many of these names made their impact long before I began following the sport of football. I believe these names stand out above the rest as the greatest coaches of all time.


Honorable Mention



Hank Stram

• Career: Kansas City Chiefs (1960-1974) New Orleans Saints (1976-1977)
• Overall Record: 136-100-10
• Winning Percentage: .573 (24th all time)
• Games Coached: 246
• Super Bowl Record: 1-1 (Won in 1970)
• Playoff Record: 5-3
• NFL Coach of the Year: (1968) 
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2003
• Legacy: When I hear the name Hank Stram I immediately think of that classic NFL films footage of him wearing his suit coaching the Kansas City Chiefs. From that footage it appeared he had a fast talking witty style about him that made for a very effective resume. He is famous for leading the Kansas City Chiefs to winning the 4th ever Super Bowl in 1968, however he has also led the Chiefs to 2 other AFL Championships prior to the merge. He had a impressive win record and is one of the most iconic football coaches in history. 

Marv Levy

• Career: Kansas City Chiefs (1978-1982) Buffalo Bills (1986-1997)
• Overall Record: 154-120
• Winning Percentage: .562 (20th all time)
• Games Coached: 274
• Super Bowl Record: 0-4
• Playoff Record: 11-8
• NFL Coach of the Year: 2 (1988, 1993) 
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2001
• Legacy: When I think of Marv Levy I immediately think of his 4 consecutive Super Bowl appearances of which he lost with the Buffalo Bills, which is a hard legacy for anyone to handle. However his all time winning record and games coached are quite impressive. Although he never won a championship his winning record should be celebrated among the greats. 

Bud Grant

• Career: Minnesota Vikings (1967-1983, 1985)
• Overall Record: 168-108-5
• Winning Percentage: .607 (18th all time)
• Games Coached: 281
• Super Bowl Record: 0-4
• Playoff Record: 10-12
• NFL Coach of the Year: 1 (1969) 
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1994
• Legacy: Here's a coach I honestly wasn't too familiar with until I did my research. His resume is quite similar to Marv Levy, having coached a very successful Minnesota Vikings for nearly twenty years and 4 Super Bowl appearances that all ended in losses. Once again it's a hard legacy however it's the winning record, percentage, and leadership quality that puts Bud on this list as one of the all time greats. 

Steve Owen

• Career: New York Giants (1931-1953)
• Overall Record: 153-108-17
• Winning Percentage: .581 (21st all time)
• Games Coached: 278
• NFL Championships: 3 (1927, 1934, 1938)
• Playoff Record: 10-2
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1966
• Legacy: He is one of the old time legendary coaches on this list, long before the days of the NFL merger. Back in the 1930s when football was still in the shadow of baseball, Steve Owen was winning championships with the New York Giants. He was best remembered for his defensive tactics, tobacco chewing, and gravelly voice. After nearly 100 years since he began coaching, his all time winning record to this day is very impressive. 

Curly Lambeau

• Career: Green Bay Packers (1921-1949) Chicago Cardinals (1950-1951) Washington Redskins (1952-1953)
• Overall Record: 229-134-22
• Winning Percentage: .623 (5th all time)
• Games Coached: 385   
• NFL Championships: 6 (1929-1931, 1936, 1939, 1944) 
• Playoff Record: 3-2 
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1963
• Legacy: He was one of the first legendary Green Bay Packers coaches from the old days of football. Throughout the 1920s, 30s, and 40s Curly turned the Packers into the winning team from the North. After 6 NFL Championships during his career he established the small city of Green Bay as "title town". A reputation that would only continue to grow with many other Green Bay legends, coaches, and players. However Curly was one of the first legends to pave the way for this historical football team. His name was immortalized when the Packers organization changed the name of their home stadium after him in 1965.

Top Ten

10. Joe Gibbs

• Career: Washington Redskins (1981-1992, 2004-2007)
• Overall Record: 171-101
• Winning Percentage: .629 (17th all time)
• Games Coached: 271
• Super Bowl Record: 3-1 (Won in 1983, 1988, 1992)
• Playoff Record: 17-7
• NFL Coach of the Year: 2 (1982, 1983)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1996
• Legacy: During his time coaching in the 1980s he established the Washington Redskins as a dynasty. For 12 seasons he lead them to 8 playoff appearances, 4 NFC titles, and 3 Super Bowl Championships. He returned to the Redskins for four more seasons in the 2000s, however could not repeat that success. He is highly regarded for his winning record and his work ethic. He is also glorified for turning a team of mediocre players into a championship caliber team. Gibbs is a prime example of how great coaching can win over great players sometimes. 

9. Bill Parcells

• Career: New York Giants (1983-1990) New England Patriots (1993-1996) New York Jets (1997-1999) Dallas Cowboys (2003-2006)
• Overall Record: 183-138-1
• Winning Percentage: .570 (11th all time)
• Games Coached: 322
• Super Bowl Record: 2-1 (Won in 1987, 1991)
• Playoff Record: 11-8
• NFL Coach of the Year: 2 (1986, 1994)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2013
• Legacy: He was in his prime as the best most sought after coach in the league when I began tuning into the NFL in the 1990s. It was his time with the New York Giants that brought him his most acclaim as he lead them to 3 super bowl appearances and 2 championships. He was a defensive minded coach having managed the infamous "Big Blue Wrecking Crew". He also was the mentor of an even greater current coach in Bill Bellichick. His all time winning record with 4 different teams as well as experience in executive management makes him one of the all time NFL legends. 

8. George Halas

• Career: Chicago Bears (1920-1942, 1946-1955, 1958-1967)
• Overall Record: 324-151-31
• Winning Percentage: .671 (2nd all time)
• Games Coached: 506
• NFL Championships: 6 (1921, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1946, 1963)
• Playoff Record: 6-3
• NFL Coach of the Year: 2 (1963, 1965)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1963
• Legacy: He is yet another old time football legend who made his mark long before the merging of the NFL. He was actually a business man and an athlete who played a big role in the establishment of the Chicago Bears. In 1920 he took over the Chicago Stanleys, which would later become the Chicago Bears in 1922. He was the owner, head coach, and played wide end receiver for the team until 1929. After which he was solely the head coach and owner of the team. During his long tenure with the Bears he lead them to 6 championships. By the 1940s he helped establish the Bears as a defensive team referred to as the "Monsters of the Midway". His career winning record and resume are extremely impressive giving him the fitting title of "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything". 

7. Bill Walsh

• Career: San Francisco 49ers (1979-1988)
• Overall Record: 102-63-1
• Winning Percentage: .617 (45th all time)
• Games Coached: 166
• Super Bowl Record: 3-0 (Won in 1982, 1985, 1989)
• Playoff Record: 10-4
• NFL Coach of the Year: 2 (1981, 1984)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1993
• Legacy: He helped establish the San Francisco 49ers as a dynasty in the 1980s by winning 3 Super Bowls with the team. His claim to fame was ushering in the West Coast Offense, which put more emphasis on the passing game over the running game. Thanks to his superstar quarterback Joe Montana, superstar receiver Jerry Rice, and a strong defense, this philosophy resulted in many wins for his team. Walsh was often referred to as "Genius" by players, fans, and commentators for his aggressive and inventive play calling. His tenure with the 49ers was only for 10 seasons however in that time he established a winning legacy that is among the greats. His coaching tree is also one of the most impressive in the NFL, giving way too many head coaches who worked under him. This includes several Superbowl champions such Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan, Brian Billick, Mike McCarthy, Tony Dungy, and Mike Tomlin all who came from the Bill Walsh Coaching Tree. 

6. Paul Brown

• Career: Cleveland Browns (1950-1962) Cincinnati Bengals (1968-1975)
• Overall Record: 175-108-6
• Winning Percentage: .616 (15th all time)
• Games Coached: 289 
• NFL Championships: 7 (1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1955)
• Playoff Record: 9-8
• NFL Coach of the Year: 3 (1957, 1969, 1970)  
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1967
• Legacy: He is yet another old time football legend, having founded a team in the Cleveland Browns in 1946 yet also managed them to be a winning team throughout the 1950s. Under Paul Brown's coaching, the team won 3 NFL Championships. However in the 60s he had some ownership disputes and went on to found and coach another team in the Cincinnati Bengals. He coached the Bengals for 8 seasons, and although never won a championship with them he left a strong legacy there. Of which the Bengals later named their stadium after him. Having founded and coached two NFL teams with an impressive all time winning record, Paul Brown is without question among the football coach legends having won the most championships than any other. 

5. Chuck Noll

• Career: Pittsburgh Steelers (1969-1991)
  
• Overall Record: 209-156-1
• Winning Percentage: .572 (6th all time)
• Games Coached: 366
• Super Bowl Record: 4-0 (Won in 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980)
• Playoff Record: 16-8
• NFL Coach of the Year: 1 (1972) 
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1993
• Legacy: Having played with the successful Cleveland Browns in the 1950s helping them win 2 championships Chuck Noll took on the ultimate challenge when he accepted a job as head coach in 1969 for the ever struggling Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh how things have changed today in the AFC North, much thanks to the work of Chuck Noll. During his tenure as head coach he was able to completely transform the Steelers into a defensive power house that went on to win 4 Super Bowls during the 1970s. He completely restructured the format of drafting, coaching, and managing at the professional level and set a bar that stands today. His overall winning record and amount of championships sits high among the greatest coaches of all time. 

4. Tom Landry

• Career: Dallas Cowboys (1960-1988)
• Overall Record: 270-178-6
• Winning Percentage: .601 (4th all time)
• Games Coached: 454
• Super Bowl Record: 2-3 (Won in 1972, 1978)
• Playoff Record: 20-16
• NFL Coach of the Year: 1 (1975)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1990
• Legacy: He was a player turned coach, known for his iconic fedora hat, and his original technique that gave him the nickname "The Great Innovator". He helped establish the Dallas Cowboys as a dynasty in the 1970s through his innovative defensive structure. For 29 seasons he turned the Cowboys into a medicore team to the most feared teams in the league infamous for their "Doomsday Defense". He lead his Dallas Cowboys to 20 playoff wins, including 2 Super Bowl Championships. His most notable accomplishment is his 20 consecutive winning seasons. During Landry's successful tenure the Dallas Cowboys became labeled as "America's Team" since they were exciting to watch and prominently featured on prime time television. He was the iconic force behind one of the today's most iconic football teams. 

3. Don Shula

• Career: Baltimore Colts (1963-1969) Miami Dolphins (1970-1995)
• Overall Record: 347-173-6
• Winning Percentage: .665 (1st all time)
• Games Coached: 526
• Super Bowl Record: 2-4 (Won in 1973, 1974)
• Playoff Record: 19-17
• NFL Coach of the Year: 4 (1964, 1967, 1968, 1972) 
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1997
• Legacy: The first thing that comes to mind with Don Shula is the 1972 Miami Dolphins perfect season, the only undefeated team in the Super Bowl era. To this day this is an incredible difficult record, almost surpassed by the New England Patriots, however they lost in the 2008 Super Bowl to the Giants. Don Shula's long tenure with the Miami Dolphins and his incredible winning percentage which is presently at the top of the list, makes him a strong case for one of the greatest football coaches of all time. He made it to the Super Bowl 6 times, once with the Baltimore Colts, and 5 times with the Miami Dolphins having won it twice. In the mid 1980s he drafted and mentored legendary quarterback Dan Marino, however fell short of winning a super bowl with him. Nonetheless he has the highest win percentage and overall wins in NFL history. 

2. Bill Bellichick

• Career: Cleveland Browns (1991-1995) New England Patriots (2000-present)
• Overall Record: 283-131
• Winning Percentage: .684 (3rd all time)
• Games Coached: 414
• Super Bowl Record: 5-3 (Won in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017)
• Playoff Record: 28-11
• NFL Coach of the Year: 3 (2003, 2007, 2010)
• Legacy: He is without question the greatest coach of our modern era, having completely transformed the New England Patriots into a dynasty. As an NFL fan since the 90s, I have witnessed the rise of Bellichick, Tom Brady, and the New England Patriots as the new super team of our generation. Granted I personally do not care much for this team that is often associated with scandalous cheating and other controversies, however cannot deny their successful achievements. Year after year after year for maybe the last 20 years now it seems the Patriots are always the best team in the league. They have made it to the Super Bowl 8 times now in the past 18 years, having won it 5 times, and lost it 3 times. Bellichick is the all time leader in playoff wins, and sits 3rd on the list with most wins by a NFL coach. He has won more Super Bowls than any other coach, and is tied with total championships with Lombardi at 5. (Only George Halas, Paul Brown, and Curly Lambeau have more). Like him or hate him, Bellichicks legacy is still ongoing and it is quite likely that he will break all records by the time he retires from coaching. 

1. Vince Lombardi

• Career: Green Bay Packers (1959-1967) Washington Redskins (1969)
• Overall Record: 105-35-6
• Winning Percentage: .740 (43rd all time)
• Games Coached: 146
• Super Bowl Record: 2-0 (Won in 1967, 1968)
• NFL Championships: 5 (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967) 
• Playoff Record: 9-1
• NFL Coach of the Year: 2 (1959, 1961)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1971
• Legacy: His name is synonymous with winning and great coaching, a true football legend. The Super Bowl trophy was named after him in 1970, honoring his death that year and his contributions to the game. He only coached in the NFL for 10 seasons, however all of which were winning seasons. He was the iconic head of the Green Bay Packers throughout the 1960s, leading them to 3 NFL championships, and winning the 2 first Super Bowl championships. He was a very charismatic coach instilling a work ethic and winning attitude unlike any before him. He was also the general manager of the Packers during his years as head coach. Following his 9 seasons with the Packers he stepped down and coached the Redskins for a year until he became ill from cancer and died at the age of 57. However it was his character, charisma, and overall winning mentality that makes him one of the greatest football coaches and leaders in NFL history.