10 top NFL coaches of all time: Bill Belichick tops the list

In the numbers-filled world of NFL betting, one factor that is often overlooked but has a huge impact on the outcome of a game is the talent of the coaches. These tactical minds not only shape the style of play of the team, but are also the key to predicting success on the field. From the legendary Vince Lombardi to the modern-day Bill Belichick, NFL history has seen the emergence of outstanding managers who have left an indelible mark. In this article, join Kingsoccertips.com to explore the top nfl coaches of all time, analyze the factors that contributed to their success and how this can help you make smart betting decisions.

10 top NFL coaches of all time

Top 10: Curly Lambeau

Curly Lambeau, the first coach in Green Bay Packers history, is a true NFL legend. Not only was he a great coach, he was also a great player, playing fullback/side linebacker for the Packers in his first nine seasons. Lambeau led Green Bay to six NFL championships, an unparalleled feat. In particular, he led the team to three consecutive championships from 1929-1931, a record that few can match. Lambeau’s 1929 Packers squad even went undefeated with a record of 12-0-1, a testament to his tactical genius and ability to inspire. During that time, Lambeau’s Packers went an incredible 34-5-2, becoming the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive championships.

From 1936-1944, Lambeau continued to assert his position by leading the Packers to 5 NFL Finals, winning 3 of them. During his 29 seasons with the Packers, Lambeau compiled an impressive record of 212-106-21. After leaving the Packers in 1949, he continued his coaching career with the Cardinals and Redskins, posting a record of 17-28-1. Although this record cannot compare to what he achieved with the Packers, it still shows that Lambeau was a talented and experienced coach. With these impressive achievements, Curly Lambeau deserves to be considered one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

Top 9: Joe Gibbs

Joe Gibbs is a top NFL coaches of all time, especially with his impressive record with the Washington Redskins. He spent his entire 16-year coaching career there, leading the team to four Super Bowls and winning three from 1982 to 1991. Gibbs is the only coach in NFL history to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks: Joe Theismann, Doug Williams, and Mark Rypien. This is a testament to his tactical adaptability and coaching talent. During his career, Gibbs went 154-94 in the regular season and 17-7 in the postseason, an impressive winning percentage.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Gibbs’ Washington Redskins became a force to be reckoned with in the NFC, an extremely competitive league. No team has appeared in more Super Bowls than the Redskins during this period, with only the San Francisco 49ers coming close. The Redskins also defeated many legendary teams in NFL history, including the 49ers, Chicago Bears, and Denver Broncos. Gibbs, in particular, demonstrated his ability to overcome adversity, winning two championships in seasons affected by NFL strikes. However, the biggest blemish of his career was the loss to the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. Gibbs’ second stint in Washington from 2004 to 2007 was also less successful. However, his early career achievements were enough to earn Joe Gibbs a place as one of the NFL’s greatest coaches.

Top 8: Tom Landry

Tom Landry, one of the top NFL coaches, spent the first 29 seasons of the Dallas Cowboys as their head coach. He ranks fourth on the all-time winningest head coaches list. Under Landry, the Cowboys recorded an incredible 20 consecutive winning seasons and made the playoffs 18 times. After initial failures in the NFC Championship and Super Bowl, Landry led the Cowboys to glory in 1971, defeating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. During the 1970s, the Cowboys made five Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl XII against the Denver Broncos and losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowls X and XIII.

Landry was not only a great coach but also a brilliant tactician. He invented the Flex 4-3 defense, a system that has plagued many offensive teams. He also pioneered the shotgun offense, with Roger Staubach as the quarterback. However, Landry’s 20-16 playoff record and 2-3 Super Bowl record are among the reasons he is not ranked higher on any list of greatest coaches. Still, Tom Landry’s contributions to the NFL are undeniable, and he is still considered one of the greatest coaches of all time.

Top 7: Bill Walsh

Bill Walsh is one of the greatest tactical minds in NFL history. Although he did not reach 100 wins in the regular season, Walsh’s impact on the sport was immense. He was the creator of the West Coast Offense, a revolutionary offensive system that laid the foundation for many modern offensive strategies. Under Walsh, the San Francisco 49ers, with Joe Montana as quarterback, won three Super Bowls in the 1980s, proving the effectiveness of this new offense. More than 30 years after Walsh left the coaching role, many NFL teams still use variations of the West Coast offense.

Walsh’s 1984 49ers are considered one of the greatest teams in NFL history. They were the first team to win 15 games in the regular season and then dominated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. Four years later, Montana executed Walsh’s offense to perfection in the final seconds of Super Bowl XXIII, giving the 49ers the victory. Walsh retired after that Super Bowl victory and went into management. While Walsh’s legacy is undeniable, his lack of consistency and the 49ers’ poor showings in the 1986 and 1987 playoffs keep him from ranking higher on the list of greatest coaches.

Top 6: Chuck Noll

Chuck Noll was the architect of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dominant 1970s dynasty. He transformed a team that often lost games into a formidable force in just three years after arriving in Pittsburgh. After a difficult first season with a 1-13 record, Noll’s Steelers won their first division title in 1972. Two years later, Pittsburgh won the first of four Super Bowls in six years. Noll’s Steelers, with a 4-0 Super Bowl record, are the only team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls. The 1979 Steelers were the last Super Bowl winners to feature only homegrown talent.

Teams built on Noll’s solid foundation became the standard by which future NFL champions were judged. But equally important to Pittsburgh’s success during that period was their stellar recruiting. In 1974, the Steelers drafted four future Hall of Famers: Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster. Donnie Shell, a rookie who was not drafted that season, would also be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Previous drafts also brought in Joe Greene, LC Greenwood, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Blount, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, and many others, helping to create one of the greatest teams of the Super Bowl era. Although still competitive, Noll’s Steelers were unable to maintain the level of success they had in the 1980s. However, Noll’s legacy in Pittsburgh, with its winning spirit and strong team building, remains intact today.

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Top 5: Paul Brown

Paul Brown is a legend in NFL history, not only as a great coach but also as a pioneer. He is the sixth-winningest coach in NFL history, and before coming to the NFL, he had success at the high school and college levels. In 1946, he helped found the Cleveland Browns and quickly turned the team into a powerhouse. The Browns won four straight All-American Football Conference titles before joining the NFL in 1950. Despite facing stronger competition, the Browns continued to dominate, winning the NFL championship in their first season with a 12-2 record. They then won two more consecutive NFL championships in 1954 and 1955, becoming the top team of the decade.

Brown’s time in Cleveland, however, ended on a sour note when he was fired after the 1962 season. He quickly returned to the field as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968, though, leading the team to three playoff appearances from 1970 to 1975. Paul Brown is considered a pioneer in many aspects of football coaching. He is credited with laying the groundwork for how coaches build weekly preparation schedules. He also mentored Bill Walsh, who served as his offensive coordinator at Cincinnati before finding great success in San Francisco. For his contributions, Paul Brown deserves to be considered one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.

Top 4: George Halas

George Halas is an NFL icon, with the third-highest number of wins in league history. He is the only coach to win an NFL championship in four different decades, a testament to his ability to adapt to the changing landscape of professional football. From his first championship in 1921 to his last in 1963, Halas demonstrated his mettle and talent. In total, he won eight NFL championships during his coaching career, with a record of 318-151-31. Halas was also a pioneer, credited as the first coach to conduct daily practices that included film study of opponents. Under his leadership, the Chicago Bears were also the first professional football team to publish a team newspaper and broadcast games on radio.

Despite his impressive accomplishments, Halas does not rank higher on any list of the greatest coaches. One reason was the failure of the 1934 team, the first to go 13-0 in the regular season but lose to the New York Giants in the finals. He also failed to get the Bears to the finals in his later years of coaching, despite having talent like Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers. However, Halas’ contributions to the NFL are undeniable, and he is still considered one of the greatest coaches of all time.

Top 3: Don Shula

Don Shula is an NFL legend who holds the all-time record for regular season wins (328) and total wins (347). During his 33 seasons as a coach, he led his teams to 31 winning seasons. His 1972 Miami Dolphins team is the only team in NFL history to complete a season with a perfect record. After leading the Baltimore Colts to the 1968 Super Bowl, Shula moved to Miami in 1970 and transformed a struggling team into a formidable force. In his first six seasons with the Dolphins, he went 75-19-1, winning three AFC championships and two consecutive Super Bowls. During this period, Miami became the first team in history to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls.

Under Shula’s leadership, the Dolphins continued to dominate the NFL in the 1980s, participating in Super Bowls XVII and XIX. From a team known for its ground-based offense in the 1970s, Shula transitioned to a powerful passing offense in the 1980s, led by legendary quarterback Dan Marino. Shula is also credited with modernizing the NFL’s rules, popularizing the passing offense, and helping make pro football the most popular sport in America. Despite his illustrious career, Shula had a few regrets, such as the Colts’ loss to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III and his failure to win a Super Bowl with Marino.

Top 2: Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi is a legend in NFL history, despite his relatively short coaching career. During his nine seasons as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, Lombardi left a lasting mark on professional football. He is the only coach to win five championships in seven years, and his Packers were the last team to win three consecutive NFL championships, including the first two Super Bowls. Lombardi was known for his ability to motivate his players and was a meticulous tactician. He was always prepared for any eventuality. Lombardi was also a pioneer in the draft, being the first coach to draft an African-American player in the first round.

With a .738 winning percentage in the regular season, Lombardi had an even more impressive record in the playoffs, with 9 wins and just 1 loss. His Packers defeated the likes of Jim Brown’s Cleveland Browns, Tom Landry’s Dallas Cowboys (twice), and Hank Stram’s Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I. Lombardi’s influence on the NFL was so great that the league decided to name the Super Bowl trophy after him after his death in 1970.

Top 1: Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick is a living legend of the NFL, the second-most wins in league history. He is the only coach to win nine conference championships and six Super Bowls. Under Belichick’s leadership, the New England Patriots dominated the NFL for two decades, with 19 consecutive winning seasons, 17 consecutive playoff appearances, and 17 division titles. Belichick was a master at building competitive rosters in the modern era of free agency. From 2001 to 2019, he averaged nearly 12 wins per regular season. His .705 postseason winning percentage is the best among the top 25 coaches in NFL history for regular season wins.

From 2010 to 2018, the Patriots consistently earned the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the AFC and made eight consecutive AFC Finals appearances. They were also the second team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in four years (2001-2004) and went on to win three more Super Bowls in five years (2014-2018), cementing their status as one of the greatest teams of the 21st century. Prior to his time with the Patriots, Belichick also enjoyed success as an assistant coach with the New York Giants and head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Although the Patriots’ recent years have not been as successful as they once were, Belichick’s legacy remains untouched. He deserves to be considered the greatest coach of all time.

In Summary

In this article, we have reviewed the top NFL coaches of all time, who have shaped the history and style of this king sport. From groundbreaking tactics to the ability to inspire players, they are true masters on the field. When participating in NFL betting, remember that not only the players but also the coaches play an important role in deciding the outcome of the game. Thoroughly researching their coaching style, achievements and adaptability will help you have a more comprehensive view and make more accurate betting choices. Take advantage of this knowledge to increase your winning rate and fully enjoy your passion for the NFL.

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