Coaching, one of the most overlooked points of team success to this day. A good coach can take a decent team and make it great, the same way a bad coach can take a great team and make it bad. While the head coaches of the world get at least a good amount of recognition, the coordinators and position coaches get little to no recognition otherwise. We have spoken previously about the top 10 defensive coordinators to coach in the NFL, so now, let us go to the other side and speak on who are the best to ever be an offensive coordinator.

It is first worth noting that we will be following the same format as last time in these rankings. This is based specifically on their tenure as an offensive coordinator, not as a head coach or otherwise. So while a coach such as Kyle Shanahan could make this list, it would be due to his time as an OC, not due to his current tenure as a head coach. So without further ado, let us begin with #10:

10. Kevin Gilbride – Offensive Coach for 22 seasons

Many people forget how exceptional of an offensive coach Kevin Gilbride was back in the 80s and 90s. He started off his career as a quarterbacks coach with the Houston Oilers, working with Warren Moon, and in their first season together Moon had 3,600+ passing yards and 23 touchdowns. After that, he would be named the offensive coordinator, and every year under his coaching they would finished top five in scoring.

He would go on to have a couple unsuccessful stints around the league, before landing with the team he is most well known for nowadays in the New York Giants. He started off as their quarterbacks coach from 2004-2006, working with Eli Manning before moving up to the offensive coordinator position. This first season at OC led to the largest moment of his career, where the Giants went 10-6, working their way through the playoffs including against one of the prime Green Bay Packers teams to make it to the Super Bowl. They would go on to win 17-14 against the undefeated New England Patriots, shocking the world and creating one of the biggest upsets in history. Gilbride would coach from 2006-2013 with the Giants as the OC, and four of those seasons the team would score 400+ points, signifying offensive success at least.

9. Greg Roman – Offensive Coach for 25 seasons

This one is a tough addition, but frankly, a deserving one overall. Greg Roman is known for two stints in his career primarily, those being with the San Francisco 49ers as OC from 2011-2014, and with the Baltimore Ravens as an assistant & an OC from 2018-2022. The primary reason Roman is on this list was his ability to truly utilize the tight end and quarterback positions to the best of his abilities.

In San Francisco, he was able to draw quality play out of Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick to bring the team to three straight NFC Championships. Despite this being somewhat common with Kyle Shanahan now, getting success out of Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy, Roman was somewhat of the early version of that, being able to get the best out of his quarterbacks on the field. He employed a multi-TE system that was seen in San Francisco alongside a strong rushing attack, but then even moreso in Baltimore with many tight ends coming in their doors that were used correctly. Mark Andrews, Hayden Hurst, Nick Boyle, and more are included in that group. Roman was also crucial in the development of Lamar Jackson, creating the ability for Lamar to not just be a rusher, but also a quality passer.

8. Mike Martz – Offensive Coach for 13 seasons

The greatest show on turf. It does not get much more influential than that, creating one of the most dynamic and successful offenses in NFL history and scheming it so that all the great players could coexist is something special. This offense scored a whopping 526 points, fourth at the time in NFL history, and truly was a special season.

Rams’ head coach Dick Vermeil had the following to say about Martz, which really emphasizes how crucial he was:

“I can’t think, in my history of coaching, of any assistant who came into an NFL franchise and made the immediate impact that Mike Martz did.”

Vermeil would go on to say, “Kurt Warner came off the street, and he (Martz) made him NFL player of the year…I have great respect for him, and I think he has great respect for me. We took a team to the Super Bowl. Without him we don’t go.”

A head coach stating that if his OC was not on the team, then they would not have gone to the Super Bowl, is the greatest respect you can receive as a coordinator. It is absolutely well deserved for this one season alone. Martz would also go on to OC in Detroit, where he would coach Jon Kitna to his first 4,000 yard season at the age of 34.

7. Dan Henning – Offensive Coach for 22 seasons

Dan Henning is one of the longer tenured coaches in history, as a coordinator/offensive coach for 22 seasons and 32 seasons including his head coaching tenure. His most notable endeavor is with the Carolina Panthers from 2002-2006 however. Henning can be seen as a large part of the reason as to why Jake Delhomme was able to come into his own and succeed to the point where the Panthers would make the Super Bowl in 2003. The Panthers scored 325 points that season, and truly looked to be a quality unit overall.

The most notable moment of his career was his ability to help the Panthers put up 19 points in the fourth quarter of that Super Bowl to be able to keep up with the Patriots. While they did lose that game on a walk-off field goal from Adam Vinatieri, the fact that they were able to keep up with one of the most successful teams in football history was truly impressive nonetheless. He would also lead the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game in 2005, after putting up 23 points against the Giants in the Wild Card Round and 29 points on a stout Chicago Bears defense in the Divisional Round. While they did not ever win the big game with Henning, the success seen during his tenure, and the ability to develop Delhomme into a quality QB, is impressive.

6. Josh McDaniels – Offensive Coach for 16 seasons

Success is success, even if Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are the core pieces known for that success. McDaniels is a hard offensive coordinator to grade, as he was obviously crucial for the six super bowl wins he was a part of. However, he was also overshadowed on offense by the minds of Tom and Bill, who had a ton to do with offensive playcalling as well.

A nice median places Josh at 6th place. Working up from being a personnel assistant to being an offensive coordinator of one of the best offenses the league has seen is absolutely impressive, no doubt. The most obvious display of his talents in my opinion comes from two time periods, one of which was over the course of a season, and the other one singular game. Firstly, the 2008 season, where despite Tom Brady being injured in week 1, and missing all of the remaining season and postseason, McDaniels helped lead the Patriots to an 11-5 record with Matt Cassel. This was a playoff team in every sense except the technicality that got Miami into the playoffs over them, which was better conference record (8-4 to 7-5).

The other experience is the obvious one, 28-3. McDaniels helped lead the greatest playoff comeback we have ever seen, and up until recently the best comeback ever seen in the NFL. The Patriots would go into halftime down 21-63 and even were down 28-9 after three quarters. But then they would pull off the unthinkable, putting up 19 points in the 4th and shutting out Atlanta, going into overtime and scoring the game winning touchdown, ending it 34-28. Josh had a major part in that, and should receive credit for that fact.

5. Bill Walsh – Offensive Coach for 10 seasons

Bill Walsh makes this list for the opposite reasons of Josh McDaniels, those being contributions to the game via scheme building and capabilities to develop an offense around a quarterback with limitations. Bill Walsh, before his successful head coaching stint with the 49ers, was an even more influential offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals. Walsh worked under legendary coordinator/head coach Paul Brown, who we will mention later.

With this, Walsh came into an offense with Cincinnati’s new starting QB Virgil Carter, who was exceptionally mobile and a good short range passer, but did not have the arm strength to move the ball down the field. This led Walsh to create a modified offensive scheme, now known as the West Coast offense, a primary component of his success with the 49ers later. But this scheme relied heavily on short range horizontal passing, rather than long range vertical passing.

This allowed Virgil Carter to lead the league in completion percentage the following season (1971 – 62.2%) which despite being low by today’s standards, was extremely high for the time period. Walsh also helped create the successful scheme for Ken Anderson and Isaac Curtis. Overall, his time as a coordinator specifically was heavily influential for the NFL, as he single handedly changed how a QB could play the game of football forever.

4. Paul Brown – Offensive Coach for 25 seasons

Speaking of Paul Brown, let us delve into his career as well. This is a hard dignification to place on Paul Brown, as coordinators were not necessarily a thing back when he first began coaching in the 1940s. However, I believe it is crucial to place him on a list such as this, even if he is not specifically labeled as a coordinator. His ability to coach an offense, and his influence to the game of football, is unprecedented, and needs to be recognized. With that said, let us make the one exception due to the lack of clarity on actual coaching positions back in the 40s onwards.

Paul Brown was most well known for his 17 year tenure as a coach for the Cleveland Browns, and many different additions to the game of football. He was the first coach to ever hire a full team of assistant coaches, to use game film to scout opponents, and to test players on their playbook knowledge. Paul invented the “draw”, a form of offensive play in which a run is disguised as a pass, which is still used extensively in today’s offenses. He also helped to create the modern face mask, the practice squad, and played a crucial role in breaking the NFL’s color barrier.

The accolades roll in as well, 3x NFL champion, AP NFL coach of the year, Ring of Honor for both the Browns and Bengals, 213-104-9 record as a coach, and various other honors from UPI and Sporting News. While he was not necessarily liked by his players due to his strict nature of coaching, he truly modernized the game of football, and made offense what it is today with the draw.

3. Ted Marchibroda – Offensive Coach for 24 years

Ted Marchibroda is another intriguing one in terms of where his success lies, as he is most well known for his head coaching tenure with the Indianapolis Colts. However, he was an offensive coordinator or positional coach for 24 years outside that, and created some of the most influential offensive developments in league history.

Most of his developments came with the Buffalo Bills, where he would spend 4 seasons with head coach Marv Levy. Marchibroda was crucial in the development of the hurry-up offense, where with QB Jim Kelly, the offense would rush up to the line of scrimmage and minimize the time the defense had to make adjustments. This forced the league to create a rule allowing time for substitutions shortly thereafter.

The exact form the Bills used was called the “K-Gun offense”, which was extremely quick and prided itself in the ability to audible and get the ball out fast. In 3/4 of his seasons with Buffalo, they would make the playoffs, and in the last of them, they would make the Super Bowl, falling to the New York Giants. Despite a lack of direct success in the form of Super Bowls, his contributions to the game are amazing regardless, and were truly huge in how 2-minute drills are handled today.

2. Todd Haley – Offensive Coach for 19 seasons

Todd Haley is no doubt one of the most overlooked coordinators of all time, and was crucial to a few different teams and their success long term. He first off was crucial in the development of Tony Romo, and scheming that offense around their receivers who at the time were Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn. Haley was critical to the success of that Cowboys offense at the time, from 2004-2006.

His next tenure was his most notable however. He would join the coaching staff of Ken Whisenhunt, and would be part of the offensive staff that led the Cardinals to be near the top of the league in quite a few offensive categories. They were 4th in points for (427), 4th in yards (5,852), 6th in first downs (328), 1st in passes completed (418), 3rd in completion percentage (66.3%), 3rd in quarterback rating (96.1), and 3rd in receiving touchdowns (31). This was one of the more dominant passing offenses of all time, and that mainly came because Haley was able to get Kurt Warner back into form and resurrect his career in a sense.

Despite never winning a Super Bowl, he was a part of the 2008 Cardinals that nearly knocked off one of the most dominant renditions of the Pittsburgh Steelers we had ever seen, and scored 23 points against them in the game. He would go on to coach a couple other quality offenses, most notably the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2012-2017.

1. Norv Turner – Offensive Coach for 20 seasons

Number one is one of the most influential offensive figures in football to date, learning from one of the greatest to do it, that being Jimmy Johnson. Norv was the offensive coordinator to both of Dallas’ back to back ’92-’93 Super Bowls, and was enormous in the ability to win those. Norv was a large reason as to why Troy Aikman developed into who he became, as he was able to scheme the offense to the strengths of Aikman’s game, and make the Cowboys truly dominant on that side of the ball.

In terms of development, he was also a great developmental factor in the game of all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith. Smith would lead the league all three of the seasons Norv Turner was with Dallas, this was the first time the team with the leading rusher had ever won the Super Bowl. It happened twice under Norv. On top of that, when Emmitt ran for 100+ yards while Norv was on the team, the Cowboys were 21-1 in the regular season and 5-0 in the playoffs.

The third part of the offense was Michael Irvin, who never finished below 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards while Turner was on the staff.

When he came into Dallas, the Cowboys had the worst offense in terms of total yards (255.1 YPG) and points per game (15.2 PPG). By the end of his first season, 1991, the Cowboys were 9th in total yards per game (318.8 YPG) and scoring (21.4 PPG). They would then go up even further in 1992, as signified by their success, with 350.9 yards per game and 23.5 PPG (4th in both).

During his Dallas tenure alone, he saw 2 division title wins, 2 NFC Championships, 3 rushing titles, 1 MVP, and 2 Super Bowl victories, in three seasons.

Norv had influence, success, capability, and longevity, going on to coordinate for the Chargers, Dolphins, 49ers, Browns, Vikings, and Panthers in the remainder of his career. But Dallas will always be something enormously special, and he was able to combine all the components you look for in a coordinator to be the best on this list.

The post Top 10 Offensive Coordinators of All Time appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

10. John Madden: More Than a Game

John Madden, the legendary icon had arguably the largest impact on the NFL than any coach in history. Not only did he boast a stout .759 winning percentage he also was a legend in the broadcast booth. On top of his accolades, many in today’s world recognize him as the face of the most popular football video game. Make no mistake, John Madden’s impact has him worthy of making this list.

• Career Winning Percentage: .759

9. Bill Parcells: The Big Tuna’s Impact 

Bill Parcells, known as “The Big Tuna,” left a long-lasting impact on multiple franchises during his coaching career. With two Super Bowl victories and a reputation for turning struggling teams into contenders, Parcells’ emphasis on building a strong foundation and maximizing player potential solidified his status as a coaching legend. 

• Career Winning Percentage: .569

8. Joe Gibbs: Three Super Bowl Triumphs 

Joe Gibbs, the esteemed head coach of the Washington Redskins, guided his team to three Super Bowl victories. Gibbs had the ability to adapt to different personnel while he emphasized strong team unity. There was no one more loyal to his franchise than Gibbs. He went on to coach the team for a second stint from 2004-2007.

• Career Winning Percentage: .621

7. Tom Landry: The Mastermind of the Flex Defense 

Tom Landry, the legendary coach of the Dallas Cowboys, revolutionized defensive strategy with the introduction of the Flex Defense. He also created the 4-3 defense which has become a standard in today’s NFL. Landry’s innovative formations and calm demeanor on the sidelines made him one of the most respected figures in the game. 

• Career Winning Percentage: .607

6. Paul Brown: The Innovator

Paul Brown, an unparalleled innovator, left his mark on football as both a coach and an executive. Brown was the first Head Coach in history to study game film and test his players on the playbook. Brown’s groundbreaking contributions to the passing game, unwavering attention to detail, and emphasis on fundamentals paved the way for future generations of coaches.

• Career Winning Percentage: .672

5. Chuck Noll: The Builder of Dynasties 

Chuck Noll, the legendary coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, crafted a dynasty that dominated the NFL throughout the 1970s. Garnering four Super Bowl victories, Noll instilled a culture of resilience and discipline, while building one of the best dynasties in football history. Noll built his teams through the draft and insisted on developing his players. A system the Steelers continue to utilize to this day.

• Career Winning Percentage: .566

4. Bill Walsh: Architect of the West Coast Offense 

Bill Walsh, a true visionary, transformed the landscape of offensive football. As the mastermind behind the San Francisco 49ers, Walsh orchestrated three Super Bowl victories and popularized the West Coast Offense. This system is still used today by many NFL teams with great success.

• Career Winning Percentage: .609

3. Don Shula: The Epitome of Consistency 

Don Shula’s extraordinary career spanned over three decades while he left his imprint on the NFL. As the winningest coach in league history (328), Shula’s unwavering dedication to preparation and consistency propelled the Miami Dolphins to unprecedented success. The Dolphins are of course still the only team to complete a perfect season. 

• Career Winning Percentage: .677

2. Bill Belichick: The Maestro of Strategy 

Bill Belichick, the great mastermind behind the New England Patriots dynasty, is widely regarded as the greatest strategic genius in NFL history. Already the winner of a record six Super Bowl victories, Belichick’s meticulous game planning and attention to detail have solidified his status amongst the greats. Now the only question left on his illustrious resume is if he can win one without Tom Brady. 

• Career Winning Percentage: .662

1. Vince Lombardi: The Epitome of Excellence 

Vince Lombardi, the iconic coach of the Green Bay Packers, epitomized the essence of excellence in the NFL. He went on to capture five NFL Championships, including the first two Super Bowls. Lombardi’s unwavering commitment to discipline and work ethic laid the groundwork for future generations of coaches. Lombardi never had a losing season in his 10-year career. The Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor and rightfully so. Lombardi is still the greatest NFL Head Coach we have ever seen.

• Career Winning Percentage: .738

Looking for more all-time great lists? Check out our top 10 tight ends of all time feature.

The post Top 10 NFL Coaches of All Time appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Brock Wills

Though the Cleveland Browns have had a lack of real success in recent years, the team has a rich historical standing in the annals of pro football. The history of the Browns dates back to 1946 when they were inaugural members of the All-America Football Conference. The AAFC lasted just four seasons before folding on account of the far more popular National Football League, but the Browns thoroughly dominated those four seasons, led by all-time great quarterback Otto Graham and franchise co-founder and head coach Paul Brown.

But the Browns’ history has other notable coaches as well.

5. Nick Skorich

Nick Skorich was the head coach of the Browns from 1971 to 1974. The team made the playoffs twice during his tenure, in ’71 and ’72, winning the AFC Central Division in ’71 and earning a Wild Card berth in ”˜72. Though the team didn’t win a playoff game during his tenure, they experienced just one losing season in that same time. The ’71 and ’72 seasons featured a heavy offensive dose of Hall of Fame running back Leroy Kelly.

After his coaching career, Skorich was a supervisor of officials for the NFL, developing a number of umpire mechanics that lasted in the rulebook a long time, until league-wide changes hit in 2010.

4. Sam Rutigliano

Sam Rutigliano was the head coach of the Browns from 1978 to his replacement mid-season in 1984. The team had its first 11-win season in 15 years in 1980, on their way to an AFC Central Division title and an MVP season for quarterback Brian Sipe. The teams under his tenure were scrappy, even though they were never on top of league-wide rankings. Their defenses in particular never finished above 17^th in net yards gained per pass attempt by opposition (excluding ’84 when he only coached eight games).

Rutigliano was named United Press International coach of the year twice, an award discontinued in 1996.

3. Marty Schottenheimer

Marty Schottenheimer was the head coach of the Browns after taking over for Sam Rutigliano mid-season in 1984 through 1988. During the time, the team won the AFC Central Division three straight seasons (’85-87) and made it to the AFC Championship game in back-to-back seasons (’86 and ’87). The ’84 season, in which he coached just eight games, was the only season the team didn’t make the playoffs during his tenure.

Schottenheimer’s tenure with the Browns was just half as long as his Chiefs tenure, but he was easily the best coach the franchise had since its early glory days.

2. Blanton Collier

Blanton Collier was the head coach of the Browns from 1963-1970. His team won the NFL Championship in ”˜64 over the Baltimore Colts, and made it to the championship game again in ’65, losing to the Green Bay Packers. He coached franchise icons Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly in his tenure. His most significant contribution to the franchise was bringing it back to prominence after the Paul Brown era fizzled out over the last few seasons prior to his hiring.

Collier is also renowned for his mild-mannered nature, kindness, and top-notch sportsmanship.

1. Paul Brown

Paul Brown is far and away the greatest coach in Browns history. He’s also one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. His teams went to the AAFC/NFL Championship game in ten consecutive seasons, winning seven of them. He would take one more team to the NFL Championship game in 1957, losing to the Detroit Lions. His tenure lasted from the franchise’s inception in 1946 through 1962.

Brown’s teams featured legendary NFL players Otto Graham, Marion Motley, and Mac Speedie, among others. He’s the very foundation of the franchise, having co-founded it. Later on, he also had a hand in establishing the Cincinnati Bengals.

The post Top 5 Browns head coaches of all time appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

Paul Brown is an extremely important figure in the history of football. He was a very successful coach, a team founder, and an executive. His innovations helped shape the standards about how to approach the sport. Several of his contributions are still present in the modern game and the NFL would not be what it is today if it weren’t for Brown. He is in the NFL Hall of Fame as well as the Ring of Honor for two different teams. Let’s take a look back at the legendary career of Paul Brown.

Founder and Owner

The Cleveland Browns are actually named after Paul Brown. That is because he was a co-founder of the team, part-owner, and also their first head coach. The Browns joined the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946 before eventually joining the National Football League (NFL) in 1950. The team was extremely successful in the four-year run in the AAFC, winning the championship all four years.

More than twenty years after helping to found the Browns, he assisted in forming the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968. He coached the team from 1968 to 1975 and then was an executive until he passed away in 1991. His importance to both the Browns and the Bengals will never be forgotten. Deservedly so, he is in the Ring of Honor for both organizations.

Coaching Accomplishments

As a coach, Paul Brown was a winner. He absolutely dominated the AAFL in all four years that he coached the Browns. He won the championship in all four seasons and even went undefeated in the 1948 season. The 1972 Miami Dolphins are still the only other team to ever accomplish an undefeated season. The Browns dominated the AAFL so much so that the league folded after the 1949 season. This is when the Browns joined the NFL to see if they could continue their winning ways.

They did exactly that in their NFL debut when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, who were actually the defending champions at the time. The Browns would go on to win the NFL Championship in 1950 which was their very first year in the league. They would follow that up with two more championships a few years later in 1954 and 1955. Brown put together an excellent coaching career in the NFL and won more than 66 percent of his games.

Coaching Tree

Five assistants that coached under Brown went on to have a ton of success as head coaches. Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, Don Shula, Weeb Ewbank, and Blanton Collier combined for a total of 13 championships as head coaches including 10 Super Bowl victories. Walsh and Shula are widely considered two of the greatest coaches of all time and some would even rank them at the very top of that list. The impact of Brown on his assistants is very clear due to their overall combined success.

Innovations

Many of the concepts that Paul Brown came up with were revolutionary at the time and are still used today in the modern NFL. He was the first-ever head coach to hire a full-time staff of assistant coaches. He started the concept of using previous game films to study upcoming opponents as well as using a practice squad. He was also the first coach to test players on the roster about their playbook memorization. He invented the draw play concept and designed the modern face masks for helmets. All of these contributions are still present in the game today. Most importantly, he played a major role in breaking the color barrier in the NFL. His impact will never be forgotten in football history.

The post Reflection on Paul Brown: the first Cleveland Brown appeared first on Pro Football Mania.