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The Best NFL Coaches of All Time 

Ranker Community
Originally by Ranker Community
Updated October 23, 2019 29.3k votes 3.5k voters 33.4k views 62 items

List Rules Only NFL coaches. College football coaches don't count unless they've coached in the NFL

The best NFL coaches of all time are hands down the best men ever to lead their respective National Football League teams into battle. There are reasons why these men have teams, stadiums, video game franchises and that little thing given away annually to the Super Bowl champion named after them. These are the best NFL coaches to have ever lived, period.

Regardless of which NFL team you root for, there is little doubt that the vast majority of football fans would agree that Vince Lombardi is the greatest football coach in the history of mankind. As a forefather to the NFL, Lombardi coached the Green Bay Packers in the 1960s, leading them to five championships in a seven-year span including wins in the first two Super Bowls ever. His inspirational words are still widely used today as is his name which graces the title of the Lombardi Trophy, awarded to the annual champion of the National Football League.

But there are many more legendary NFL coaches of past and present that also deserve a place on this list for their brilliance, inspiration and undeniable success on the field. Coaches like Tom Landry, Don Shula, George Halas, Paul Brown and Chuck Noll were the leaders in the league a few decades ago while the best current NFL coaches like Bill Belichick, Mike Tomlin and Mike Shanahan continue to improve upon their already legendary status in NFL history.

How do you define which NFL coach is the best of all time? Is it from their championships and wins or do you look at their entire career to compare one body of work to another? However you do it, vote, add to or re-rank this list of the best NFL coaches of all time.
list ordered by
1
Bill Belichick is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Age: 67

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America

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2
Vince Lombardi is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Dec. at 57 (1913-1970)

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States of America

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3
Bill Walsh is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Dec. at 76 (1931-2007)

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States of America

Teams: San Jose State Spartans football
4
Don Shula is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Age: 89

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Grand River, Ohio, USA

Teams: Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts
5
Tom Landry is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Dec. at 76 (1924-2000)

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Mission, Texas

Teams: New York Giants, Texas Longhorns football, New York Yankees

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6
Chuck Noll is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Chuck Noll Dec. at 82 (1932-2014)

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America

Teams: Cleveland Browns

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7
John Madden is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
carlybobarly added Age: 83

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Austin, Minnesota, United States of America

Teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Oregon Ducks football, Cal Poly Mustangs football

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8
Joe Gibbs is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Age: 79

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Mocksville, North Carolina, United States of America

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9
Paul Brown is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Dec. at 83 (1908-1991)

Birthplace: Norwalk, Ohio

Teams: Miami RedHawks football

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10
George Halas is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Dec. at 88 (1895-1983)

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States of America

Teams: New York Yankees

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11
Bill Parcells is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Bill Parcells Age: 78

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Englewood, New Jersey
12
Jimmy Johnson is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Age: 76

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Port Arthur, Texas, United States of America

Teams: Arkansas Razorbacks football
13
Bill Cowher is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
JohnWarner added Age: 62

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Crafton, Pennsylvania, United States of America

Teams: Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, NC State Wolfpack football
14
Tony Dungy is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Age: 64

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Jackson, Michigan, USA

Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Golden Gophers football

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15
Andy Reid is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
JohnWarner added Age: 61

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California

Teams: BYU Cougars football

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16
Curly Lambeau is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Dec. at 67 (1898-1965)

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Green Bay, Wisconsin
17
Marv Levy is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Marv Levy Age: 94

Nationality: Canada, United States of America

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
18
Bud Grant is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Age: 92

Nationality: Canada, United States of America

Birthplace: Superior, Wisconsin, United States of America

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia Eagles, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
19
Dick Vermeil is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Dick Vermeil Age: 83

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Calistoga, California, United States of America

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20
Don Coryell is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Dec. at 86 (1924-2010)

Birthplace: Seattle, Washington
21
Hank Stram is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Hank Stram Dec. at 82 (1923-2005)

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States of America

Teams: New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs
22
Tom Coughlin is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Age: 73

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Waterloo, New York

Teams: Syracuse Orange football

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23
Marty Schottenheimer is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
Age: 76

Nationality: United States of America, Germany

Birthplace: McDonald, Pennsylvania

Teams: New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Boston Patriots
24
George Allen is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
wiabux added Dec. at 72 (1918-1990)

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: Virginia

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25
Mike Holmgren is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best NFL Coaches of All Time
JohnWarner added Age: 71

Nationality: United States of America

Birthplace: California, United States of America

Teams: USC Trojans football