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: Jeremy Trottier

Tom Landry is widely known for his coaching career in the NFL, and how he was the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys for 29 different seasons, winning 2 Super Bowls with them and winning coach of the year honors.  But there are many facts that the average NFL fan may not know about Landry, making him even more of an intriguing and polarizing figure in football history.  In this article, I will cover 3 facts about Tom Landry that are interesting to know, that the average fan may not know yet. 

Tom Landry played for the New York Yankees”¦kind of

Most fans of the NFL will know Landry had a playing career, and that he was a pretty prolific special teams player at punter, return man, and occasionally halfback.  What they may not know is that he, technically, played for the New York Yankees.  The New York Yankees were two different entities at the time, with the baseball team widely known, but there were also the New York Yankees of the AAFC.  Tom Landry played 1 season with the New York “football” Yankees in 1949 before they folded, and Landry moved to the NFL with the New York Giants.  Even more interesting?  The New York “football” Yankees played in the same stadium as the New York “baseball” Yankees, in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.  So, in all technicalities, Tom Landry played in Yankee Stadium for the New York Yankees.  Kind of. 

Landry not only created one defensive scheme but two

Many NFL head coaches were renowned for their impact on the game based on how many new ideas they created or how many impactful changes they made.  Well, Tom Landry created two different defensive schemes, one of which is used by nearly half the league today.  These are the 4-3 defense, and the flex defense.  The 4-3 is widely utilized today, with the list of teams as of 2022 including:

• Washington Commanders
• New York Jets
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Cleveland Browns
• Buffalo Bills
• Philadelphia Eagles
• New Orleans Saints
• San Francisco 49ers
• Indianapolis Colts
• Carolina Panthers
• Kansas City Chiefs

His impact on the game even today, 34 years after his last season, is immense. 

Landry had a family history of military service

Tom Landry, as some of you will know, chose to interrupt his college tenure to join the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War 2, and trained to be a B-17 co-pilot, serving for the Eighth Air Force division, as part of the 493^rd Squadron.  He served for a tour of 30 separate missions and even survived a crash landing in Belgium when his bomber ran out of fuel during service.  However, he also had a brother, Robert Landry, who served in the Army Air Corps as well prior to Tom.  Robert, unfortunately, passed in service when his plane went down over the Atlantic Ocean, where he was pronounced dead weeks later.  Tom chose to serve in honor of his brother and joined the same branch of service to do so as well. 

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By: Jeremy Trottier

One of the most highly debated topics in all of NFL fandom is what players and positions are undervalued on the field.  In my opinion, I believe the coaching staff of NFL teams is somewhat completely overlooked at times, especially the coordinators of teams.  Today we take a look at the underappreciated, by looking at the top 10 defensive coordinators of all time. 

To clarify any confusion, this is specific to these coaches’ careers at defensive coordinator specifically, so while Bill Belichick may have had a year as a DC, this does not constitute for this list.  It specifically is looking at their career as defensive coordinators or other defensive coaching spots.  So without further ado, let us start at 10.

#10: Tom Landry ”“ DC from 1954-1959

Ok, this may seem like a contradiction to my prior statement, as Tom Landry is heavily revered for his career as a head coach for the Dallas Cowboys, as many forget his tenure that got him a head coaching spot.  Alongside offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi, Landry brought the New York Giants to the NFC Championship game 3 times in 4 seasons, defeating the Chicago Bears in one such game by holding their offense to 7 points, and allowing the offense to run free for the Giants.  Landry is not given enough credit for his 5 seasons in New York, hence why we put him at #10 on this list. 

#9: Chuck Noll ”“ DC & LB coach from 1960-1968

Simply put, one of the most successful coaches of all time.  However, as I mentioned, this is strictly about their impact on defensive coordinating and coaching.  4 Super Bowls are hard to overlook, but his career is so much more than that.  His defensive knowledge pushed him to the 1970s and 1980s all-decade team appearances, obviously the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his accomplishments, and draft knowledge.  Much of his knowledge came from one of the best to ever do it, Sid Gillman, who was an absolutely amazing coach who was capable of developing players at a high rate and coaches at an even higher rate.  Noll stated that he received more NFL exposure in 6 years through Gillman than he would have 12 years anywhere else.  This tree continued through Noll, as he was a high-quality developmental coach and was regarded by defensive tackle Ernie Ladd as the best teacher he ever played under. 

#8: Fritz Shurmur ”“ DC/defensive line coach from 1975-1998

Next up we have one of the bigger names in professional coaching, Fritz Shurmur, who spent a total of 23 years at the NFL level being a defensive coach.  His primary notability as a coach comes from leading the Green Bay Packers defense to a Super Bowl in 1997, aka XXXI.  Shurmur spent 3 seasons with the Detroit Lions in various defensive coaching positions, another 2 seasons with the New England Patriots, 8 seasons with the L.A. Rams, 2 with the Phoenix Cardinals, and then his final 4 with the Packers.  He contributed a ton to the game of football, being seen as an innovator of the game and seen by many peers as a defensive genius.  Widely known for the innovation of the “Big Nickel” defense, where after he had 2 linebackers injured in a game, he had 5 defensive backs drop low enough where they could either rush the passer or drop into coverage.  

#7: Tony Dungy ”“ DC/defensive backs coach from 1980-1995

While Tony Dungy did not necessarily impress heavily as a player, he was a phenomenal defensive mastermind in the game of football.  Spending most of his defensive coaching time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings (with 2 spared years in Kansas City), Dungy is widely revered for his immense success as a head coach, and not his defensive prowess.  But it should be the other way.  Winner of the George Halas Award (NFL personnel who had to overcome the most adversity for success), 2-time Super Bowl Champion (once as a player, once as a coach), 2000s all decade team member, as well as member of two different Rings of Honor (Indianapolis Colts & Tampa Bay Buccaneers).  While most of his notability comes from his head coaching success, he was amazing at developing defensive backs and utilizing them correctly in his scheme.

#6: John Phillip Bengtson ”“ DC from 1951-1967 & 1971

One of the most overlooked personnel in the NFL, John Phillip Bengtson.  Spending a total 17 years as a defensive coordinator, Bengtson was such a phenomenal coordinator that he was chosen to be the successor for legendary head coach Vince Lombardi.  He was also the only coach on the staff to remain all 9 years of Lombardi’s tenure in Green Bay.  Underappreciated because he was not a great head coach, but his defensive coordinating capabilities were highly revered. 

#5: Wade Phillips ”“ DC and DL coach from 1976-1985, 1986-1992, 1995-1997, 2002-2003, 2004-2006, 2011-2013, 2015-2019

The number of years I had to list for this man should simply be enough to explain how much of a legend to the sport he is, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface.  Starting off as a graduates assistant at the University of Houston, he has coached all the way through 2022 in college, highschool, NFL, and next has been named the head coach and GM of the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL.  54 years of coaching in total counting next season, and 25 of which as a defensive coach in the NFL specifically.  He is one of the most prominent figures in football and has coached for some of the best defensive players of all time, including 5 defensive players of the year (Aaron Donald, Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Bryce Paup, and J.J. Watt.)  A Super Bowl winner, specifically the defensive coordinator of the Super Bowl 50 Denver Broncos crushing defense.  Everything you want in a DC.

#4: Bill Arnsparger ”“ DC and DL coach from 1964-1973, 1976-1983, 1992-1994

Arnsparger is primarily known for one thing, that being the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins team that won back-to-back Super Bowls in ’72 and ’73, and then going back to another one in 1982.  The “left hand man” of sorts to sporting legend Don Shula, Bill was a huge part of those Super Bowl runs and would make it to another in 1994 with the San Diego Chargers.  There is a reason he is so high on the list, and it is because he proved his abilities without good players on his roster.  In the 70s his defense was called the no name defense, as the defense had precisely one future Hall of Famer on it, Nick Buoniconti, who was beyond the prime of his career.  Yet the Dolphins went to back-to-back Super Bowls, due to the offense and Bill’s coordinating. 

#3: Leon Bud Carson ”“ DC and DB coach from 1972-1988, 1991-1994, 1997

2-time Super Bowl winning DC, a third appearance, the developer of one of the, if not the best defensive unit in NFL history with the Steel Curtain, and an irreplaceable figure in the NFL landscape, Bud Carson.  In case you don’t remember how amazing the Steel Curtain was, they allowed fewer than 10 points per game in 1976, and essentially was the winning factor in both their 1974 and 1975 Super Bowl victories.  Bud Carson was the developer of this defensive unit, which alone puts him near the top of this list.

#2: Buddy Ryan ”“ DC and DL coach from 1968-1985 & 1993

The list goes on and on and on for Buddy Ryan, with accolades and contributions to the sport.  Bullet points seem like the most applicable way to cover just some of his illustrious career:

• 2 time Super Bowl winner (III & XX)
• Overseer of the Purple People Eaters unit
• Creator of the “46 defense” (8 men in the box, 6 on the line of scrimmage)
• 16 years as a defensive coach, another 5 as a head coach
• Held SB III opponent Baltimore Colts to 7 points
• Creator of the 59 blitz, taco bell blitz, and cheeseburger blitz
• Lost only 1 game in 1985 season with Bears on route to Super Bowl win

Another interesting tidbit to show how much the players loved him, is the Bears heavily pushed for him to be their head coach after departure of Neill Armstrong (the head coach).  While he did not get the position, when the Bears won the Super Bowl, they carried off both head coach Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan, the first time two coaches got carried off the field at the Super Bowl.  Buddy’s contributions to the game are immense, and he has gone down as one of the best defensive coaches ever. 

#1: Monte Kiffin ”“ DC, LB coach, and defensive assistant from 1983-2009 & 2013-2019

Easily one of the most prominent defensive coordinators of all time, as his name is known across the sport by nearly anyone who has watched the sport long term.  Creator of one of the most utilized defensive schemes, Tampa 2, Kiffin was a creator, and that is why he ends up on this list.  32 years as a defensive coach, simply put, is amazing, and the reason he has so little experience as a head coach is even more interesting.  He has openly refused jobs as a head coach every single time, he has only been a head coach once in his career with North Carolina State University for 2 seasons, and never again since then, which adds to his legacy in this case as we are focusing on the defensive coordinator and coaching aspects.  A long-time defensive mind of the NFL, 1x Super Bowl champion (XXXVII) and Tampa Bay ring of honor member. 

Simply put, there is a reason he is at the top of this list, and it is because of how much he was able to contribute to the sport of football. 

The post Who are the top 10 defensive coordinators of all time? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most storied franchises of all time, and with that, they have had some of the best head coaches in NFL history.  Some were great for their success, others for their ability to develop players at an extremely high rate, and others for their impact on the game itself.  In this article, I will cover the top 3 Cowboys head coaches in their history, as well as why I believe they belong on this list. 

#1: Tom Landry: 1960-1988

It is extremely hard to debate Tom Landry being at the top of the list for Dallas Cowboys head coaches.  A 2-time Super Bowl winner, NFL coach of the year, Ring of Honor recipient for Dallas, most career wins by a head coach in Dallas Cowboys history, 20 straight winning seasons, 5 NFC titles, Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, and a 270-178-6 record.  There is essentially nothing Landry could have done more to add to his legacy as a head coach, bringing the Cowboys to 10 NFC Championship Games in a 13-year span is enough, but his legacy and his impact on the game will always be remembered, as one of the first legendary coaches in Cowboys history. 

#2: Jimmy Johnson: 1989-1993

The next legend in Cowboys head coaching history is Jimmy Johnson, who despite a short 5-year tenure, won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Cowboys, won AP coach of the year in 1990, and has been inducted into both the Pro Football and College Football Hall of Fames.  Despite an early struggle in his first season with the team, finishing 1-15, he would progress the team the next two seasons up until 1992 when he brought the Cowboys their first Super Bowl win since 1977.  He will always be remembered as one of 6 NFL head coaches to coach their team to consecutive Super Bowl titles, and one of 3 to win a National Championship and SB as a head coach.   

#3: Barry Switzer: 1994-1997

One of the other 2 head coaches to win a Super Bowl title and a National Championship, we have Barry Switzer.  Despite not being an exceptionally long tenured head coach comparatively to Tom Landry, Switzer was an exceptional facilitator of talent and was able to bring this team another championship, one way or another.  He was also able to bring the Cowboys to the playoffs in 3 of his 4 head coaching years, and only had one losing season with the team.  Overall, he was a very good coach, who was able to gather another ring for the cabinet for Dallas. 

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