Who is the greatest NFL coach of all time?
The popularity of American football and the NFL is driven mainly by the talent and quality of the players. Behind the glamorous plays and the remarkable wins, there are always brilliant coaches who make it possible for these exceptional players to shine. These are some of the best of them, all strong contenders for the title of the greatest NFL coach of all time.
John Madden
Videogames fans known John Madden all too well from the NFL franchises, but he is first and foremost a legendary coach. The Raiders never had a losing season under his guide and made 8 playoff appearances with him at the helm. Even though Madden chose to retire early, he was able to win 100 matches in his career including the Super Bowl against the Minnesota Vikings in 1976.
Don Shula
Don Shula won just two Super Bowls, while coaching the Baltimore Colts and the Miami Dolphins, but he has the most victories in history. His career spans over 33 years and he won 328 matches, while leading his teams to the playoffs on 19 occasions. Don came out fast and furious and the Dolphins are still the only team in NFL history to have a completely perfect season.
Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi is one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time and he has one of the best performances in playoffs. He never had a losing season and took his teams to six league championships, while also winning two Super Bowls. Widely regarded as a strict coach, he never accepted the prospect of defead and expected excellence from his players.
Earl Lambeau
The Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Cardinals and the Washington Redskins have all benefited from the intelligence and strategy of Earl Lambeau. He won six league championships between 1929 and 1944 and hada total of 27 winning seasons. He was the one to create the Green Bay Packers and the team was glad to celebrate his achievement by naming their stadium in his honor.
Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, in spite of his rough early start. The team gave him the time he needed to showcase his quality and Walsh delivered three championships and seven winning seasons. An expert of drafting, Bill had a keen eye for talent and he knew how to use the immense talent of exceptional players such as Joe Montana.
Chuck Noll
Chuck Noll turned the Pittsburgh Steelers into a force to be reckoned with and won four Superbowl championships in 23 seasons. He made many playoff appearances with the team and that’s mainly because of his uncanny ability to draft the best players. Chuck’s defenses were exceptional and his team always looked like a fortress that very few teams could penetrate.
Paul Brown
The Cleveland Browns were created by Paul Brown and joined the NFL in 1950, when they also won the league championship. For 21 seasons, Brown coached in the NFL and he finished with a winning record in 16 of those seasons. He innovated the game and came up with brilliant strategist, some of them still used today with only slight variations. Paul Brown has also created the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that honored him by naming their stadium after him.