USA today ranks NFL Head Coaches (1 Viewer)

[blackadder]

So name me 10 coaches who created a dynasty for 14+ years. Look at what he has accomplished over all those years. Maybe you just value other things in a HC more.

I really love what SP has done for the Saints since 06, but he is also somewhat responsible for the defensive woes of the last few years. Top 5 sounds about right at this stage

or top 10.

His defenses have been as bad as his offenses have been good, so there's some offset...

 

[Ti Rider]

Zimmer and Arians have zero Super Bowl wins.

 

[IceHot]

I know i'm piling on here,but this isn't the easiest era to win in. Coaches in previous eras didn't have to worry about losing their best
players in FA. There is no way in todays era you could keep a team like the 1970's Steelers together. Their talent level on the
defensive side of the ball alone would exceed the cap.

I dont think anyone is piling on me they are just stating their opinion as I am stating mine.

Also I am not discounting Bill Belichik. He is one of only 3 active player/coaches I will use the word Hall of Fame with (which is something I like to avoid with active players/coaches as I know how difficult the process is).

I agree that post-Plan B Free Agency is a different animal but how much credit goes to the coach and how much goes to the GM? Its an interesting question I wonder about?

Nonetheless Halas, Chamberlin, and Lambeau had to contend with free enterprise as well. Halas acquired Red Grange by giving him part of the "gate". The Galloping Ghost later left after a dispute to play for the Yankees (the football Yankees).

Paul Brown had to compete against 2 entire leagues for players as he formed the core of his football team while in the AAFC. Paul Brown also has to be given credit for signing players like Motley and Bad Bill Willis when everyone else around him was stuck in an era of stupidity.

Paul Brown developed more Hall of Famers than I can name and I can name a lot. I think he would have done so in any era. In fact did you know Chuck Noll (who I left off my Top 10) was the starting OG on one of Paul Browns championship teams?

I also find it hard to take away credit from Shulas championship Dolphins roster as with the exception of Griese, Warfield and Buoniconti (the later 2 acquired from other teams) most of the players were relative unknowns. And even then some players bolted for the World Football League shortly after the championship runs (of course they returned after that flopped by some to other teams such as the Giants).

Blanton Collier had perhaps the best RB in NFL history retire early at the end of the 65 season, but he drafted well. Following the same 63 season that Jim Brown blew up the rushing record with 1800+ yards he had his replacement ready with another HoF RB he drafted in the 64 Draft (an argument I often make when discussing the merits of BPA drafting). He won the championship in 64 with Jim Brown, LeRoy Kelly, Paul Warfield, Gene Hickerson, Dick Schafrath, and 41-year old kicker Groza. Outside of that I wouldnt call the team star studded.

Paul Warfield played for the Browns until Art Modell decided to start a new Browns legacy in 1970 by trading Warfield for a draft pick so he could start drafting QBs for NEED. Good job with Mike Phipps. Oddly enough 1970 was Blantons last season as a coach.

Another cool piece a trivia since we are talking history: Did you know that before Don Shula was a coach he played DB in an NFL game against Clay Matthews (III) Grandfather?

 

[FatCitySaint]

Easily in no particular order:

1. Paul Brown because he won 7 Championships not just 4. And innovated a multitude of things still used in the NFL including the radio helmet. Consider this CLEVELAND once DOMINATED the NFL.

2. George Halas 6 championships but also had to run the whole team in an era when the NFL was struggling to succeed. He maintained a .682 win percentage in 40 years of coaching.

3. Curly Lambeau also 6 Championships a big reason the forward pass works so well in the NFL

4. Vince Lombardi 5 Championship titles and has his name on the trophy for a reason.

5. Guy Chamberlin 4 Titles same as Belichick but he did his in only 6 seasons. He has the greatest win percentage in the NFL with .784. There is a reason the Hall of Fame is in Canton. And in case you are counting he actually had the first 2 undefeated seasons in NFL history.

6. John Madden only won 1 championship but holds a .759 win percentage right behind Chamberlin but with significantly more games.

7. Don Shula has sustained a .677 win percentage in 33 years of coaching has taken 2 separate organizations to the Superbowl and actually completed the perfect season and then followed that up with a back to back superbowl.

8 through 10 are debatable but it is after all my opinion not yours

8. Blanton Collier a short career with only 8 seasons. But he never finished less than 2nd in his Division. NEVER and with the Browns. The last time the Browns won a title was with Collier they havent been relevant since. He had a .691 win percentage.

9. Bill Walsh one of the West Coast Offense pioneers. 6 Division titles and 3 Super Bowls. Perhaps bias, but I prefer Walsh over Belichick.

10. Tom Landry again bias for that era of football (obviously no bias for the Cowboys). 18 playoff seasons. One of the great defensive minds of football. IMO he is the reason too much of America fawns over the Cowboys. Sure Jimmy Johnson won the Superbowl but Landry built that cult and coaches have been clinging on ever since.

Reasonable Arguments Can Also be made for:
Bill Belichick - I certainly wont fault anyone for including Bill in their top 10, he just isnt in mine.

Chuck Noll
George Allen
Jim Lee Howell
Steve Owen
Ray Flaherty
and Greasy Neale

EDIT: Joe Gibbs probably has a place in here somewhere as well.

Like his choices or not, admit it, most of you didn't think he would come up with an answer half this good lol. Good post.

 

[IceHot]

...and saying Landry had anything to do with Johnson/Jones Super Bowls is laughable.

I think you may have missed my point. I was suggesting that the annoying Cowboy FANS are more a product of what Landry established than what Johnson/Jones continued (re-established). The excruciating and annoying "Americas Team" appellation comes from an NFL Films spot with Landry (not Johnson) as coach.

 

[Saintshizzle]

Like his choices or not, admit it, most of you didn't think he would come up with an answer half this good lol. Good post.

I was impressed. When I saw he dug and got Brown and Halas etc., I knew he swung for the fences. He may have lost this one on a decision, but he took it the distance for sure.

 

[IceHot]

Please....saying he sucked with the Browns when those were only a few of his seasons? He won a playoff game with the Browns (EDIT AGAINST PARCELLS). He "sucked" when they were moving.

My bad, I was using the Brad Childress 39 wins in 5 season suckage line as a point of reference.

 

[Day1]

Greasy Neale!

 

[tak]

As soon as Bellichick retires, his name will be mentioned with that of Walsh, Landry, Shula, Noll, and Vermeil. Payton could join that group some day, but he better get winning.

Yeh but none of those other names will carry the stigma that Bellichicks' has. The way that he and Brady won will always be questioned whether people think it's justified or not.

 

[bobad]

I think it's apples and oranges when you go back more than 50 years. It's hard to compare Payton and Bellichick to coaches preceding Shula, Landry, and Noll.

 

[SaintsJunkie]

4000?? do they mean 5000, because they are always very close to or over 5k even with drew out a game

 

[bobad]

Yeh but none of those other names will carry the stigma that Bellichicks' has. The way that he and Brady won will always be questioned whether people think it's justified or not.

Stigma? For a camera? For deflating the ball? Both have less affect on the outcome of a game than a hard illegal hit on a QB. They should be treated as such.

There are 2 kinds of coaches. Those who have cheated and got caught, and those who have cheated and not got caught.

The officials have a job to do, and they are tested by every single coach to see what they can get away with.

The game is deadly competitive. The end justifies the means. 2 extra wins can mean playoffs and/or an extra million on the next contract.

 

[HobBeh]

All the pride shown here about our one win over Belichiks 10-6 2009 team...yes I loved it too


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[HobBeh]

I think you may have missed my point. I was suggesting that the annoying Cowboy FANS are more a product of what Landry established than what Johnson/Jones continued (re-established). The excruciating and annoying "Americas Team" appellation comes from an NFL Films spot with Landry (not Johnson) as coach.

Ok I misread what you meant but It doesnt change the rest of my reply


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[HobBeh]

I was impressed. When I saw he dug and got Brown and Halas etc., I knew he swung for the fences. He may have lost this one on a decision, but he took it the distance for sure.

No doubt an impressive list keeping NFL history in mind.