Who do you think were the top five coaches in NFL history?

[Mr. Matt]

Rank your top five...

[jimv]

Lombardi
Landry
Belicheck
Halas
Noll

[Mr. Matt]

Thanks for sharing Jim.

I've been trying to figure out the best I've seen. I think Belichick has established himself as the best. But after that, it gets tough.

I can't decide between Walsh, Parcells, and Gibbs. Recently I've been seeing Gibbs as underrated. With all the talk these days about needing a franchise QB to win, he won 3 Super Bowls over 10 years with three different guys, none of whom were anything special. He also didn't have any hall of famers on defense. Pretty impressive.

I have watched and read a lot about Noll, Landry, and Lombardi. They each were very fascinating personalities in addition to being great coaches. Particularly Noll, who interests me because apparently he had diverse interests. He wasn't the all-football, sleep-in-your-office type of today.

What do you think of Shula? Was Halas better than Paul Brown? Who do you think was the Giants' best head coach?

[jimv]

Well, Matt, I had a hard time listing Lombardi, Landry & Belicheck because I thought you might look at me as a "homer."  After all, they all started on the Giants.  I was on the tip of naming Stout Steve Owen; that would've completed the "homerism."  So, I named Halas instead.  To be perfectly honest, I didn't even think of Paul Brown.  Maybe I should've picked him over Noll.  In my lifetime as a Giant fan, I'd have to say the best HC was Jim Lee Howell; his Ass't Coaches were Lombardi & Landry & he let them do their thing.  After Howell, I'd say Parcells.

[LennG]

I know Lombardi is a legend and such, but overall, look at the team he had to play with. He had basically all stars at every position. He may be a legend, but I do not think he was the best coach ever.

It is really hard to rate coaches I have never seen.
IN my lifetime in no prticulat order
Parcels--to me he could be #1. He won every whrre he went. Yes, he never won another SB, but he came in to 4 different teams and bsically took every one to a championship game, ort improved that tream so much that they were a complete opposite from when he took over

Belechick==his recorde speaks for itself but I would love to see how he would rate without Brady


Shula== a much underated coach who was basically brilliant


Walsh== Just so inventive

Noll/Lombardi/Weeb Ewbanks/Halas/Cowher to m, all great coches, just not in the top 5.


Really, my idea of an all time great coach is one who has done it more than once. Many coaches are great when they have great players, but what happens when those players leae ot the coach goes to a different team. Coachs like Parcels, Shula, Even Ewbanks did it with several teams and still had great results.

[Ed Vette]

Any list needs to start with Bill Belichick. He

[LennG]

Any list needs to start with Bill Belichick. He

[jimv]

Do you really think so?

How would he be if he didn't have Brady? I understand he is a defensive genius and knows when to sign guys and when its time to move on from others. That is what makes him a great coach. But he always has had maybe the best QB ever to play the game. That helps.

Lenny, which came first, the chicken or the egg?

[LennG]

Lenny, which came first, the chicken or the egg?

In BBs case, Brady = SB wins = best coach ever

[Ed Vette]

In BBs case, Brady = SB wins = best coach ever

It

[LennG]

It

[TONKA56]

Belichick
Brown
Walsh-Parcells tie.
Madden
Lombardi




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[Ed Vette]

Do you really think so? Marino=Brady??

I fully agree BB has a solid football mind and knows when to bring in veterans, rejects et al and get production out of them and also when to release players when their time in NE is seemingly over. For that, yes, he may be a genius level, but winning still comes down to having the best QB to ever play the game. That makes average coaches great.

I do think so. I also think that without Tom Coughlin, the Giants never get into any of the two Super Bowls they won. His attention to detail and preparation got them in. Do you think Pat Shurmur could have done that?


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[Mr. Matt]

I see a lot of Walsh-Parcells, which seems to be the consensus regarding that era. My question is about Gibbs. What sets him on a second tier in most people's minds?

Gibbs...
...won three Super Bowls (equal to Walsh, one more than Parcells), and went to four.
...never coached a great QB. In fact, he won with three different guys, two I don't think you could even call good, period.
...never had an all-time great defense, or a hall of fame defensive player, right?
...was arguably as innovative within Coryell's lineage as Walsh was in Brown's.
...had record-breaking offenses, but his famous receiving and OL units actually had several different players come through them

[TONKA56]

I see a lot of Walsh-Parcells, which seems to be the consensus regarding that era. My question is about Gibbs. What sets him on a second tier in most people's minds?

Gibbs...
...won three Super Bowls (equal to Walsh, one more than Parcells), and went to four.
...never coached a great QB. In fact, he won with three different guys, two I don't think you could even call good, period.
...never had an all-time great defense, or a hall of fame defensive player, right?
...was arguably as innovative within Coryell's lineage as Walsh was in Brown's.
...had record-breaking offenses, but his famous receiving and OL units actually had several different players come through them

Darrell Green

I