Some say the quarterback is the most important person in a football team, but there is one man on the sidelines who puts the team together. Without a good coach, many of the great teams in the history of the NFL would never have made it, despite the players at their disposal. These are the greatest NFL coaches of all time.
John Madden
If you’re a fan of video games, then you’ll be familiar with John Madden, but there is more to this man than gaming and announcing. When he took control of the Oakland Raiders in 1969, few could have known he’d still be with the team almost a decade later.
Madden imprinted his name on the history of the NFL after taking the Raiders to the Super Bowl in 1977. The Raiders secured an easy victory over the Vikings that year and Madden made himself a legend. Not only did Madden become a hero in Oakland, but his winning record of .759 is the best in the modern era of football.
Bill Belichick
A coach that’s won five Super Bowls has to be considered one of the best. Bill Belichick has already taken the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl eight times. He has won 15 divisional titles, has secured victory in over 250 NFL games, and has overlooked the Patriots winning their divisional title ten years in a row. If he wins one more Super Bowl, he will need two hands to display his championship rings!
Vince Lombardi
If the Super Bowl had been introduced earlier, few would doubt that Lombardi would have won at least five in total. While in charge of the Green Bay Packers Lombardi had a hugely impressive .754 win ratio, and in the postseason that improved to a .900. When teams win the Super Bowl, they lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy as the NFL named it after him. Lombardi is a legend both for the Packers and for football. He is the standard by which all coaches should hold themselves, and if a coach is even half as good as Lombardi, their teams have a great chance at glory.
Don Shula
There is no other coach in the history of the NFL to have won more games than Don Shula. Before he became a legend with the Miami Dolphins, Shula coached the Baltimore Colts, and his combined records earned him 328 victories. During the ‘70s, Shula led the Dolphins to three Super Bowls, winning the ring twice.
He has featured in the season finale a total of six times and was responsible for the Dolphins only Super Bowls and AFC Championships. Before and after Shula the Dolphins have struggled for success on the field.
Every time these coaches picked a team to step out on the field, they were never let down by their players. They not only had the tactical skills to bring home the Super Bowl, but they could also inspire their players to lift their game when they needed it most.
