Whether a coach wins a Super Bowl, creates a winning regular season, or bounces back from a horrible season, the NFL has witnessed many such coaches grace the sport. These coaches have marked their era with incredible feats.
NFL coaches play an important role in the success of their teams. They are responsible for many tasks such as developing suitable playbooks against their opponents, managing timeouts and game clocks, and evaluating players' talents.
Without a proper coaching staff, a franchise will start to see problems in various sectors. Team chemistry and good play calls will be affected the most.
A variety of factors mark an NFL coach's success. Their winning percentage, playoff record, on-and-off-field leadership, and long-term influence are some of the crucial ones.
Let us delve into the top 25 coaches in NFL history who have delivered impressive results for the franchises under their leadership.
Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, and LIII)
9 Super Bowl appearances
3-time Coach of the Year
17 division titles
31-13 in playoffs
21-game winning streak
Coach with 16-0 regular season
NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
A dynasty builder for the New England Patriots from the early 2000s to the late 2010s, Bill Belichick is one of the most successful coaches in NFL history.
He has the most playoff wins and was selected in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. He ranks third in regular season wins, behind legends George Halas and Vince Lombardi.
Known for being a legendary film watcher and preparation guru, Belichick established many innovative defensive strategies that are still used today.
Lombardi was highly successful and best known for making the Green Bay Packers dynasty during the 1960s. His coaching style featured strict discipline, a relentless focus on fundamentals, and a strong work ethic.
His 89-29-4 regular-season record was a game-changer for the Packers. Before his head coaching duty, the Packers had losing seasons for 9 years.
In 1970, Lombardi became a Hall of Famer and the Super Bowl was named after him to honor his career and beautiful success.
Miami Dolphins legend Don Shula holds the NFL record for the most wins as a Head Coach, i.e. 347. Under his leadership, the 1972 Dolphins created a perfect season.
9 of Shula's assistant coaches and four of his executives went on to become head coaches and general managers in the NFL or NCAA as well. This reflects his influence and ability to develop coaching talent.
With an impressive .676 winning percentage, the Hall of Fame inducted him in 1997. 19 players that he coached went on to become Hall of Famers.
A 49ers legend who served for 10 years, Bill Walsh cemented his powerful legacy with a 92-59-1 regular season record that had a .609 winning percentage.
His leadership style led to the development of great QBs like Joe Montana. He also famously planned the first 10–15 offensive plays before the start of each match.
Also known as "Papa Bear", Halas was a titan of American football and left an incredible mark on the NFL as a player and coach.
He is known for developing the "T-formation" and the "man-in-motion," that impacted the evolution of the game.
With a 318–148–31 regular season record (.671), Halas made winning seasons one after another. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963.
The oldest head coach in the NFL, Papa Bear's commitment to the League saw him coach for 46 years. He has been through various eras and contributed to making the Bears one of the storied franchises of all time.
Paul Brown received the honor of becoming the first coach of the newly founded Cleveland franchise in 1946. The team is also named after him.
He is also credited with the development of the practice squad, the modern face mask, and the draw play.
With the Browns, Paul won three NFL Championship. Later, he joined the AFL through bidding for the Cincinnati franchise. In his coaching career, he had a .667 winning percentage with an impressive 213–104–9 regular season record.
In 1968, Brown spearheaded the Cincinnati Bengals as its Owner and President.
Joe Gibbs, aka "Hogs' Godfather," led the Redskins to three Super Bowls, creating a dynasty with a punishing run game and a family-first culture.
His decade-long reign boasted an overall 171–101 regular season record with a .683 winning percentage. His incredible feats are etched in history as one of the NFL's greatest coaching stints.
Gibbs was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996. He was also one of the first people to advocate for African-American QBs.
Chuck Noll, the mastermind behind the Steel Curtain, transformed the Steelers from a trophyless team to a powerful dynasty.
In 23 seasons, Noll's steely focus forged 4 Super Bowl rings, 9 division titles, and a 209-148-1 record. He managed to take the Steelers on 15 winning seasons and 12 playoff fixtures.
Noll, aka the "quiet coach", built a franchise of rugged, relentless athletes who dominated the 1970s, forever marking his legacy in the Pittsburgh football lore.
Aka Big Tuna, Bill Parcells retained two Super Bowl titles and revitalized four NFL franchises in a 19-season coaching legacy.
His longest tenure came for the Giants, where he built a led the Giants to two Lombardi Trophies with his signature tough-nosed defense. He only had two losing seasons for the Giants.
By hiring Bill Belichick, Parcells laid the foundation for New England's future dominance. Likewise, he took the NY Jets to the playoffs in his first coaching year.
In just 10 seasons with the Oakland Raiders, Madden amassed a 103-32-7 record. His incredible .759 winning percentage is the best record out of any other coaches in the modern era.
The Raiders were an unstoppable force under his leadership, and they were known for their aggressive defense and innovative "West Coast Offense." Madden led them to 7 AFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl XI victory in 1977.
His influence is still felt in the League, with the presence of the best-selling football game named after him.
Vince Lombardi and the Frozen Tundra instantly conjure images of the Packers' gridiron glory. But before Lombardi, there was Curly Lambeau.
Lambeau was not just a coach; he was the Packers. He co-founded the team in 1919, strapped on his cleats as their star player, then wore the coach's cap for an astounding 31 seasons.
Building a dynasty in a small Wisconsin town with 6 NFL Championships is his powerful legacy.
He also revolutionized the game by pioneering the forward pass and the Tight End position.
Reid's coaching career of 25 seasons features 2 Super Bowls (both with the Chiefs). He has a reputation for being one of the NFL's greatest offensive minds.
Starting with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, Reid created a perennial playoff contender, leading them to 5 NFC Championship games.
Reid landed in Kansas City in 2013, where he unearthed Patrick Mahomes, and transformed him into an MVP-level athlete.
Taking the helm in 1992, Cowher inherited a team in flux after the Steelers legend Chuck Noll. Cowher, being a fierce coach, reignited the Steel Curtain spirit.
His 15-year career was a rollercoaster of intensity. Bill led the Steelers franchise to eight division titles and two Super Bowl appearances.
His 149–90–1 regular season is one of the greatest for any NFL coach. He became a Hall of Famer in 2020.
Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has steered the Pittsburgh franchise through 17 seasons with unwavering grit.
Tomlin became the youngest Super Bowl-winning coach ever, at the age of 36. He led the Steelers to victory against the Arizona Cardinals.
Although the team hasn't returned to the Lombardi Trophy games since, Mike boasts an incredible record, i.e. 170-99 record, and a remarkable streak of no losing seasons.
4 Super Bowl appearances (XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
6 division titles
11-8 in playoffs
Marv Levy, the "grandfather of Buffalo Bills football," established the Bills as a powerful playoff contender from 1986-1997. The feat of reaching four consecutive Super Bowl appearances cemented his legacy.
The Bills coach's innovative "no-huddle" offense and infectious optimism transformed a struggling Bills team into an AFC powerhouse.
With his success in the Bills with a 110-65 record, Levy became a Buffalo success and received the Hall of Fame honors in 2001.
Mike Shanahan's 20-year NFL coaching career in the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins left a trail of unstoppable rushing attacks. He is a top mind behind the "Zone Run" scheme, that revolutionized the running game.
He guided the Broncos to become a powerhouse franchise from 1995 to 2008. Mike's offensive philosophy lives on through his coaching executives, boasting stars like Sean McVay (LA Rams) and Kyle Shanahan (49ers).
Dick Vermeil took over many struggling franchises like the St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, and Kansas City Chiefs. Within three years, he had these teams bathed in playoff contentions.
His offensive frameworks and strong foundation led the Rams to SB XXXIV victory.
Marty Schottenheimer, a gridiron general for 21 seasons, created football empires but could never claim the Super Bowl crown.
He accumulated 205 wins across four teams, a feat for a championless coach. His "Martyball" mantra, a defensive philosophy, churned out multiple division titles and 13 playoff appearances.
George Allen, aka "The Great One," was an NFL paradox. He never achieved a Lombardi Trophy, yet he was one of the winningest coaches ever.
His head coaching seasons lasted 12 years, and he amassed a 116-47-5 record (he never had a losing record). He established dominant defenses and prioritized the run game.
