The Best Green Bay Packers Coaches of All Time

Ranker NFL
Updated September 24, 2021 5.4K votes 1.2K voters 44.4K views
Over 1.2K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Green Bay Packers Coaches of All Time

Throughout their time as a football franchise, the Green Bay Packers have had a variety of coaches, but who is the best Green Bay Packers head coach of all time? We want you to help us answer that question by voting for your favorite Green Bay Packers coaches, keeping stats like Super Bowl wins and playoff runs in mind.

How do you talk about the greatest Packers head coaches without mentioning the legendary Curly Lambeau? He coached the team to 6 NFL Championships from 1929-1944, and eventually had the Packers stadium named after him. Lambeau was the Packers first coach, and was eventually inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

Another Green Bay legend is Vince Lombardi, who won multiple championships with the team in the 60s. Modern era coaches to win a Super Bowl with Green bay are Mike Holmgren (1996) and Mike McCarthy (2010).

If the Green Bay Packers had a best of all time team, who would coach it? Would you put Lambeau over Lombardi? Vote for your favorites below, even if the coach never won a championship with the Green Bay Packers.

Ranked by
  • Vince Lombardi
    1

    Packers career: 1959-1967

    Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American football player, coach, and executive in the National Football League (NFL). He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight and five total NFL Championships in seven years, in addition to winning the first two Super Bowls at the conclusion of the 1966 and 1967 NFL seasons. Lombardi began his coaching career as an assistant and later as a head coach at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, New Jersey. He was an assistant coach at Fordham, at the United States Military Academy, and with the New York Giants before becoming a head coach for the Green Bay Packers from 1959 to 1967 and the Washington Redskins in 1969. He never had a losing season as a head coach in the NFL, compiling a regular season winning percentage of 72.8% (96–34–6), and 90% (9–1) in the postseason for an overall record of 105 wins, 35 losses, and 6 ties in the NFL.Although Lombardi was noted for his gruff demeanor and "iron discipline", he was far ahead of his time in creating a supportive environment for gay players, and he emphatically challenged existing Jim Crow Laws, and provided leadership to break the color barrier in football. He once said that he "... viewed his players as neither black nor white, but Packer green". Lombardi is considered by many to be the greatest coach in football history, and he is recognized as one of the greatest coaches and leaders in the history of all American sports. The year after his sudden death from cancer in 1970, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the NFL Super Bowl trophy was named in his honor.
  • Curly Lambeau
    2

    Curly Lambeau

    352 votes

    Packers career: 1921-1949

    Earl Louis "Curly" Lambeau (April 9, 1898 – June 1, 1965) was a professional American football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). Lambeau, along with his friend and fellow Green Bay, Wisconsin native George Whitney Calhoun, founded the Green Bay Packers in 1919. From 1919 to 1929, Lambeau served as a player-coach and maintained de facto control on the day-to-day operations of the team. As a player, Lambeau lined up as a halfback, which in the early years of the NFL was the premier position. He was the team's primary runner and passer, accounting for 35 touchdowns (eight as a rusher, three as a receiver, and 24 as a passer) in 77 games. He won his only NFL championship as a player in 1929. From 1919 to 1949, Lambeau was the head coach and general manager of the Packers. He led his team to over 200 wins and six NFL championships, including three straight from 1929 to 1931. He shares the distinction with rival George Halas of the Chicago Bears and later, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots of coaching his team to the most NFL championships. Lambeau also coached eight players who went on to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With players such as quarterback Arnie Herber and split end Don Hutson, his teams revolutionized the use of the passing game in football. After a falling out with the Packers Board of Directors, Lambeau left the Packers to coach the Chicago Cardinals for two seasons and then Washington Redskins for two more. He retired from the NFL in 1953. For his accomplishments, Lambeau has been widely recognized and honored. He was named to the NFL 1920s All-Decade Team as one of the top halfbacks in the league's first decade of existence. He was an inaugural inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1970 in recognition for his role as founder, player, and coach of the Packers. Shortly after his death in 1965, the Packers home stadium, which is still in use today, was renamed to Lambeau Field in his honor.
  • Mike Holmgren
    3

    Mike Holmgren

    401 votes

    Packers career: 1992-1998

    Michael George Holmgren (born June 15, 1948) is a former American football coach and executive. He began his NFL career as a quarterbacks' coach and later as an offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers, where they won Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, where he won Super Bowl XXXI, and of the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008. His last role in the NFL was as team president of the Cleveland Browns from 2010 to 2012. Prior to his career in the NFL, Holmgren coached football at the high school and collegiate levels. Holmgren is noted for his role in molding quarterbacks such as Steve Young, Brett Favre, and Matt Hasselbeck during his tenures in San Francisco, Green Bay, and Seattle, respectively. Joe Montana won his two MVP awards under the direction of Holmgren in 1989 and 1990. Under Holmgren's leadership and play-calling the Green Bay Packers were consistent winners and never had a losing season. He was considered one of the best coaches in the NFL by many fellow coaches and players. He led the Packers to their 12th league championship in Super Bowl XXXI, a 35-21 win over the New England Patriots, and also reached Super Bowl XXXII, losing to the Denver Broncos. Under Holmgren the Seahawks also became a frequent playoff team, including five division titles and the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XL. As president of the Cleveland Browns, Holmgren failed to improve the team, which had a record of 5–11 the season before his arrival, and 14–34 in his tenure. Despite Holmgren's reputation as a quarterback guru, the Browns fielded three different opening-day starters in his three years with the team. In the face of much criticism in the media, he was released by the Browns in November 2012.
  • Matt LaFleur
    4

    Matt LaFleur

    105 votes

    Packers career: 2019-present

    Matthew Patrick LaFleur (born November 14, 1979) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He has spent time as quarterbacks coach of the Washington Redskins and the Atlanta Falcons and as offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans.
  • Mike McCarthy
    5

    Mike McCarthy

    434 votes

    Packers career: 2006-2018

    Michael John McCarthy (born November 10, 1963) is an American football coach for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) from 2006 to 2018, leading them to a win in Super Bowl XLV over his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was previously the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints.
  • Bart Starr
    6

    Bart Starr

    304 votes

    Packers career: 1975-1983

    Bryan Bartlett Starr (January 9, 1934 – May 26, 2019) was a professional American football quarterback and coach. Starr played college football at the University of Alabama, and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 17th round of the 1956 NFL draft, where he played for them until 1971. Starr was the only quarterback in NFL history to lead a team to three consecutive league championships (1965–1967). Starr led his team to victories in the first two Super Bowls: I and II. As the Packers' head coach, he was less successful, compiling a 52–76–3 (.408) record from 1975 through 1983. Starr was named the Most Valuable Player of the first two Super Bowls and during his career earned four Pro Bowl selections. He won the league MVP award in 1966. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Packers Hall of Fame in 1977. Starr has the highest postseason passer rating (104.8) of any quarterback in NFL history and a postseason record of 9–1. His career completion percentage of 57.4 was an NFL best when he retired in 1972. Starr also held the Packers' franchise record for games played (196) for 32 years, through the 2003 season.