While you may believe that a specific NFL coach is better than the other for some reason, we decided to create you this list of the best NFL coaches of all times based on different factors.
The reality is that everyone is entitled to their personal opinion. However, to build this list, we based ou decision on the following factors:
- Super Bowls and NFL Championships: There’s no question this factor should be included.
- Conference Titles and Playoff Appearances: While a coach may have won a Super Bowl, a coach who has won several playoff games within a limited period of time should definitely be mentioned.
- Career winning percentage: Not all coaches get to playoff games, win them, and win the Super Bowl. It all depends on the team they are coaching. However, there are some pretty great coaches who managed to show they are in charge of what happens in the field.
- Impact and Innovation: With or without awards, medals, or championships, some coaches are known for the impact and innovation they brought to their teams.
The Best NFL Coaches Of All Times
#1: Bill Belichick – New England Patriots:
- 5 Super Bowl wins
- 7 AFC championships
There’s no question that Bill Belichick deserves to be at the top of this list of the best NFL coaches of all times. He is the kind of coach who can look at other teams and explore their inefficiencies and who can definitely set expectations and goals to his players without screaming.
Known as a master of defensive tactics, Bill Belichick wasn’t always successful. In fact, he started in the Browns but his communication missed. Showing that he could learn from his mistakes, as soon as he became the New England coach, he made hard decisions to achieve his place.
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#2: Vince Lombardi – Green Bay Packers:
- 2 Super Bowl wins
- 3 NFL championships
Vince Lombardi is another name that all NFL fans have heard about. After all, his main philosophy rested in treating his players as his own kids.
Known for sentences or expressions such as “The will to win is the only thing”, this can show up a lot of his personality. And while Vince Lombardi won, it also spread the word about winning well.
#3: Paul Brown – Cleveland Browns:
- 3 NFL championships
- 4 AAFC championships
In case you never heard Paul Brown’s name, then you probably already heard about the playbook. After all, this is almost the same thing as inventing the wheel in football. And Paul Brown managed to do it when he was still a high school coach.
Known as one of the most innovative NFL coaches, Paul Brown marked a generation with his creativity and talent. One of the things that you may not know is that his Browns dominated the AAFC so thoroughly that he broke the league before arriving in the NFL and promptly upsetting the league’s balance of power.
#4: Bill Walsh – San Francisco 49ers:
- 3 Super Bowl wins
Bill Walsh is definitely a name to keep in mind when you are thinking about the NFL. After all, he managed to create a culture of leadership, mutual respect, and accountability. And this ended up making the difference in the way his team played.
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#5: Don Shula – Colts-Dolphins:
- 2 Super Bowl winds
- 6 Conference championships
The truth is that for many NFL fans, Don Shula should be listed above. Maybe if he had won the Super Bowl with the Colts he could have managed to get there. However, the 5th place on the best NFL coaches of all times list is truly remarkable.
Just to give you an idea about Don Shula, he coached the undefeated 1972 Dolphins, he coached some of the greatest quarterbacks in history: Unitas, Bob Griese, Dan Marino.
Don Shula won more games than any other NFL coach. At the rate of 12 wins per year, Bill Belichick won’t catch him until 2024. But Shula needed just another win or two to climb to the top of this list.