ESPN's Greatest Coaches in NFL history

[sb1]

Greatest Coaches In NFL History - NFL Topics - ESPN

They came out with this list last May.

1. Lombardi
2. Walsh
3. Shula
4. Halas
5. Noll
6. Brown
7. Belichick
8. Landry
9. Gibbs
10. Lambeau

Would be interesting to see how far BB moves up this list if at all, if the Pats can somehow win the next two games given the roster that he's had to work with.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

Him and Brady will probably jump to the #1 position with 21 & 20 playoff wins, 4 SB wins and a record high, 6 SB appearances.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Him and Brady will probably jump to the #1 position with 21 & 20 playoff wins, 4 SB wins and a record high, 6 SB appearances. ...

... in the salary cap era.

 

[Fencer]

BB will never be a unanimous #1. The Guys Who Came Earlier had the chance to innovate more, so there will always be cases for Halas, Brown, Lombardi and/or Walsh to be ranked ahead of him.

But putting Shula or Noll ahead of him is just wrong, and I hope that that error gets remedied at some point.

 

[mtbykr]

This is ESPN, by time he retires Manning will be the greatest coach of all time because he's really a coach on the field.

 

[PatsFan24]

It's kind of silly to make these lists when it combines retired and active coaches. It can't be completely fair because of the generation gaps, but at least wait until the coaches have all retired before putting a list together. That way you can compare a full career of work. I think it's flawed to rate a coach's career that is in progress against one that is completed. Same with players.

 

[Kdo5]

I won't lie. I am 23 years old. I know of Parcells, Carroll, and Belicick as Pats head coaches. I'm not going to pretend that I know how Lombardi, Walsh, or Schula coached. I know that in the span of my life there is no better coach than Belichick in what I have to believe is a more difficult era to coach in. I am enjoying every single second of his tenure here.

 

[Fencer]

Further confusing BB's ranking is that he earns a big chunk of reputation for his accomplishments as DC -- 2/5 of his rings, his most influential scheme innovations, and a game plan that's in the HOF.

Walsh did a lot of his innovating as a coordinator too, but I don't think he actually won very much while he was doing it.

 

[UK_Pat37]

It's kind of silly to make these lists when it combines retired and active coaches. It can't be completely fair because of the generation gaps, but at least wait until the coaches have all retired before putting a list together. That way you can compare a full career of work. I think it's flawed to rate a coach's career that is in progress against one that is completed. Same with players.

This.

To be honest, I think being a HC of a football team is harder now than it was then.

Fencer, we look at the past guys as great innovators of the NFL, but it is a constant changing cycle and in twenty years, we will talk about HCs from this era in the same light.

When it comes to players, I hate comparing eras. Passing was harder back then. Marino's passing records were more of an achievement for me. Now the game makes it easier to pass than it has ever been.

Montana is the current GOAT but Brady has many of his records and another ring would really open up the debate.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Greatest Coaches In NFL History - NFL Topics - ESPN

They came out with this list last May.

1. Lombardi
2. Walsh
3. Shula
4. Halas
5. Noll
6. Brown
7. Belichick
8. Landry
9. Gibbs
10. Lambeau

Would be interesting to see how far BB moves up this list if at all, if the Pats can somehow win the next two games given the roster that he's had to work with.

That's impressive company in which Belichick clearly deserves his place. We can all quibble about the order, but I probably wouldn't take anybody off the list (though Joe Gibbs did tarnish his star with his "second act").

Here's an idea. Let's just agree that, in this case, the right order is alphabetical. :singing:

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Winning multiple championships in a league with 8 teams always seemed a bit overhyped. Statistically somebody will repeat every 9 years at worst.

We're 20 years into free agency with only one dynasty after having having 4 in the previous 35 years. Wouldn't be surprised if we don't see another for the next 20 years.

 

[1960Pats]

Winning multiple championships in a league with 8 teams always seemed a bit overhyped. Statistically somebody will repeat every 9 years at worst.

We're 20 years into free agency with only one dynasty after having having 4 in the previous 35 years. Wouldn't be surprised if we don't see another for the next 20 years.

Wouldn't that be something? Who could have ever guessed that the New England Patriots would end up being that team? Amazing.

I think longevity will hurt Belichick in those rankings. He'd have to be a HC for another 10+ years to catch up to Shukla.

To me, the true test of a coaches worth, and a player's too for that matter, is how well does he perform in crunch time, the playoffs. If a HC's career record is 60% wins in the regular season and 75% in the playoffs, that's far better than 75% wins in the regular season and 60% in the playoffs. Using that standard, coaches like Noll and Belichick would rank higher than those like Shula and Paul Brown.

 

[GaryfromTO]

That had to rate Shula high or else his mafia buddies would have put out a hit on them.