“The Top 32 Head Coaches in the NFL—In Order”

[rv581]

from www.laststory.com

1) Dick Vermiel (Kansas City Chiefs): He’s built Superbowl-worthy programs in Philadelphia, St. Louis, and now he’s assembled an offensive juggernaut in Kansas City that’s about a year away from title contention. What’s truly remarkable is how he finds undrafted players (Kurt Warner, Priest Holmes) and they somehow develop into league leaders.

2) Mike Shanahan (Denver Broncos): A shrewd coach with a pair of Superbowl rings, Shanahan is an underrated Xs and Os guy whose blocking schemes are tops in the NFL. His teams are almost always in the playoff hunt and often legitimate contenders for the Lombardi.

3) Brian Billick (Baltimore Ravens): With Minnesota, he designed the league’s top offense (and with a revolving door at QB, no less); with Baltimore, he designed the league’s top defense. His team was dismantled by the salary cap, but he’ll have the Ravens back in short time. He has an uncanny ability to mold a team in his image while also building around its strengths.

4) Bill Belichik (New England Patriots): His improved “people skills” and always-impressive tactical genius on defense deserves him a spot among coaching’s elite. The challenge for him is to prove that his championship season wasn’t a mere aberration due to NFL parity.

5) Andy Reid (Philadelphia Eagles): This round mound is no clown, and deserves the bulk of the credit for turning his franchise in Philly Town around. He believes in his system and handled the injury to Donovan McNabb amazingly well. Very similar to his mentor, Mike Holmgren.

6) Bill Cowher (Pittsburgh Steelers): A fine motivator and a true “player’s coach” who isn’t afraid to get in the ref’s face. Not as savvy as a Bill Parcells, but gets the most out of his players. Deserves the blame/credit in the Kordell Stewart rollercoaster.

7) Dan Reeves (Atlanta Falcons): He’s been to the Superbowl about half-a-dozen times as a player, assistant, and head coach, and consistently fields playoff-worthy teams. He’s older and less hands-on now, but deserves credit for the masterful development of Michael Vick—and for having the courage to trade for him.

8) Mike Holmgren (Seattle Seahawks): His ability to be an effective general manager is highly questionable, but his coaching ability isn’t in dispute. Arrogant and surly, he’d make a lousy next door neighbor, but he’s among the finest head coaches in the NFL.

9) Steve Mariucci (San Francisco 49ers): Under-appreciated by his organization, Mariucci has a wonderful offensive mind and masterfully handled the 49ers’ transition from a rebuilding team to a Superbowl contender. Almost never out-worked or out-coached by his competition.

10) Jon Gruden (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): His work ethic is already legendary, and in his young coaching career he’s shown an ability to consistently field winning teams. The challenge that will make-or-break his reputation will be turning the Buccaneers into Superbowl champions.

11) Tom Coughlin (Jacksonville Jaguars): Another under-appreciated head coach by the local media, Coughlin is a throwback to the days when coaches ran roughshod over their talent. With enough time, he’ll have any NFL team consistently in the playoffs.

12) Marty Schottenheimer (San Diego Chargers): Schotty is a classic close-but-no-cigar head coach who always avoids losing seasons, but never wins the ultimate prize. Still, he’s an upper-echelon coach who wins games and gets to the playoffs.

13) Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts): A quiet man who gets results. He resurrected the Buccaneers and now has the Colts back on track. Known primarily as a defensive wiz, his schemes are emulated league-wide.

14) Jeff Fisher (Tennessee Titans): Despite his improbably playoff run a few years back, Fisher hasn’t been able to consistently return to the postseason. Most of the problem is more due to the deterioration of Eddie George than his ability to coach the hell out of his players.

15) Dave Wannstedt (Miami Dolphins): He’s a difficult coach to grade, since he flamed-out in Chicago and inherited a playoff-caliber team in Miami and hasn’t gotten them over the hump. Still, he’s an expert on defense and consistent on offense. Could be a younger version of Marty Schottenheimer.

16) Jim Fassel (New York Giants): He’s never had overwhelming talent, yet somehow manages to consistently field quality teams. Often limited by his front office, Fassel is a good coach and would be an upgrade for many teams league wide.

17) Mike Sherman (Green Bay Packers): A feisty fellow who raised eyebrows with his confrontation of Warren Sapp. He steadied the ship in Wisconsin and returned Green Bay to the ranks of Superbowl contenders.

18) Jim Haslett (New Orleans Saints): Anyone who can win in New Orleans deserves accolades, although Haslett’s squads seem to fade down the stretch. Still, he’s a terrific motivator and wins more than he loses.

19) Dom Capers (Houston Texans): His team fell apart in Carolina, but that was largely due to faulty planning by the G.M. than incompetence by Capers. He seemingly has the Texans in the right direction and his 3-4 defense always gives the other team fits.

20) Herm Edwards (New York Jets): A smart, likable fellow whose team is in transition, yet still competed for a playoff berth until the final weeks of the season. Very up-and-down, but respected across the NFL.

21) Dick Jauron (Chicago Bears): Was the 13-3 season of a year ago a one-time only blip on the radar? Jauron is struggling in Chicago and could find himself unemployed by the end of the year. But he won’t stay out of work for long…

22) Butch Davis (Cleveland Browns): He won a Superbowl as a defensive coordinator, fielded a team that eventually won a college championship, but hasn’t been able to take the Browns over the hump.

23) Bill Callahan (Oakland Raiders): He took over a playoff-worthy team that was a fluke play away from advancing in the playoffs a season ago, but it looks like the Raiders have regressed under his watch. This may be more to do with team-age than coaching.

24) Dave Campo (Dallas Cowboys): Another under-appreciated head coach, Campo is a fine student of the game who won a Superbowl as a defensive coordinator. His teams have been horrendously lacking in talent, yet he somehow manages to occasionally beat better-stocked competitors and at least 90% of the time stays competitive late in the fourth quarter in losing efforts.

25) Greg Williams (Buffalo Bills): A fun coach to watch, Williams had the unenviable task of bringing the Bills back from the ashbin of mediocrity, and seems well on his way to respectability.

26) Jim Fox (Carolina Panthers): A tough coach without an abundance of talent, he’s taking his lumps with a lousy squad. Once he finds a quarterback and a dependable running back, his skills on the defensive side of the ball will resurrect the Carolina franchise.

27) Steve Spurrier (Washington Redskins): He’s still in shock from the college-to-NFL transition, but he’ll figure out what needs to be done. A smart, ****y leader, he still needs talent to make his system work. And unlike Mike Martz, Spurrier will follow alternate paths to be successful. Once he gets his offense clicking, the arrogant “ball coach” of old will start smirking again.

28) Dave McGinnis (Arizona Cardinals): Trying to win under the Bidwells is like going sailing with the Ancient Mariner. But McGinnis, who was also offered the head coaching position in Chicago, is a well respected man who understands the game of football.

29) Mike Tice (Minnesota Vikings): Tice took over a lousy team with some gaping holes and serious head-cases, and will need some time to turn the Vikings around. How much time he ultimately gets will depend on the team’s precarious ownership situation.

30) Dick LeBeau (Cincinnati Bengals): You can add LeBeau to the long list of coaching deaths in Cincinnati. LeBeau is still a solid coach who’ll find work as a coordinator at the end of this season.

31) Mike Martz (St. Louis Rams): Thoroughly exposed this season as a one dimensional trick-pony who can’t cope with adversity. He lacks good instincts and drove a championship-worthy program into the ground in record time.

32) Mike Mornhinweg (Detroit Lions): A bumbling mess with a lousy feel for the game, Detroit fans everywhere are anxiously awaiting his ouster. The debacle in overtime sealed his fate as the primary coaching punchline for 2002.

The Five Best Unemployed Head Coaches:

1) Bill Parcells

2) Jimmy Johnson

3) Joe Gibbs

4) Denny Green

5) George Seifert

[Burgold]

This is really a terrible list.

[gbear]

Seems like they aren't saying who is the best, but who has done the best this year on many of their rankings.

In looking at this year, Holmgren is rated way to high. Fisher is rated way too low.

I like Vermiel and would put him in the top 10, but number 1? my vote for number 1 this year would be Billick. I'm impressed that team has even been competitive. I'd be surprised if many of us picked them to win more than 4 games this year.

[redskin56]

Having Marz at #31 and Joe Gibbs as the third best retired coach shows me that there wasn't a lot of thought that went into this list.

[Yomar]

this isn't a list, its an excuse to take a shot at Martz and comment on the state of the Rams. Basically all these pundits are pissed that their consensus best team in the NFL has turned to sh!t right before their eyes and none of them saw it coming, so they want to make it about Vermiel and Martz, because certainly, their talent evaluation skills can never be wrong.

[Storm]

how did tom Coughlin and Marty Schottenheimer get rated higher than Jeff Fisher, Tony Dungee and Mike Sherman.

Who wrote this crap anyway?

[Riggo-toni]

How quickly they forget..

Vermeil was on his last leg and about to be fired in St. Louis when Martz came in. Martz had to prod him into abandoning Tony Banks:laugh: , who ol' Dick was certain was the QB of the future! Martz deserves the credit for Warner - not Vermeil. And didn't this a-hole notice how well the Rams did when another scrub castoff by the name of Bulger came in when Warner got hurt.

No way is Vermeil even top 5 material. And what about Mike Sherman? He's resurrected the Pack and, unlike Holmgren, has actually done well at GM also.

And no way is Billick better than Belichik. And Gibbs IS the best retired Coach, period! Maybe parcells could give him a run, since he's not as many years removed from the game, but c'mon...

Top Guys:

Belichik

Mike Martz

Andy Reid

Mike Sherman

Brian Billick

Mike Shanahan

Mariucci

Gruden

[Thinking Skins]

Why is JJ above Gibbs?

I can understand Parcells above Gibbs cause he rebuilt three different teams. But Gibbs won 3 superbowls with three different sets of players. That means he rebuilt it 3 times and won it each time. Thats a little more than taking the same uggernaut team 2 years in a row. And why is Seifert on this list and not Walsh? Walsh is the one who built the dynasty in SF, not Seifert. Seifert saw his "greatest winning percentage" getting shot to |-|E|_|_, when he was in Carolina. I think both lists are wack.

[SonnyJ]

Shanahan at #2 is pure crap.

This guy is the most overrated coach out there. Call me when he wins a playoff game w/o John Elway - much less actually make the playoffs.

BTW, "unemployed" head coaches makes it sound like they're waiting around to come back. Maybe this guy should pick up a paper and see that Gibbs is doing very well in his new profession. AND THAT HE LEFT THE GAME OVER 10 YEARS AGO! He's not "unemployed". He's not sitting by the phone waiting for a call from an NFL owner. He's retired from the game.