Can NFL Stars be good Head Coaches?

Fake News Alert: Peyton Manning to be the next head coach of the Indianapolis Colts (not impossible, but unlikely)

I was asked by fellow TWIT, Chris ‘Titletown’ Shaw, to do a report on whether good NFL players can make good NFL coaches. I’ve done some research and the simple answer is….No !!!

That concludes the report (only joking of course)

What I’ve done is look at the top coaches in the league today, and the top coaches of all time, then looked at their playing careers (as outlined below). I’ve also looked at some notable players who have tried their hand at coaching to see if they have been successful.

The simple truth is that a lot of the top players in the game, now and historically, are unlikely to even try to be head coaches let alone get the opportunity to do so. They’ll either find a job as a TV/Radio analyst or they’ll move in to an executive role for their respective teams (see John Elway, John Lynch, Dan Marino etc). If they are to coach, their worth seems to be as position coaches rather than the top job or a coordinator role (Kevin Greene for example).

Some top players, after retirement, will only reach the dizzy heights of high school coach or, more likely, disappear from the game altogether.

2018 Top Coaches (in no particular order)

Bill Belichick

• Played Tight End & Center in College

• No NFL playing career

• Father was a football coach for US Navy

• Part of the Bill Parcells coaching tree

• Coaching career – 1975 to present

• 5 x Superbowl Champion

• Patriots HC since 2000

• Former Browns HC

Mike Tomlin

• Wide Receiver in college

• No NFL playing career

• Coached under Tony Dungy & Jon Gruden

• Coaching career 1995 to present

• 1 x Superbowl Champion

• Steelers HC since 2007

Pete Carroll

• Played defensive back in college

• No NFL playing career

• Tried out for World Football League but was unsuccessful

• Coached under George Seifert in San Francisco & Carolina

• Coaching career – 1973 to present

• 1 x Superbowl Champion

• Seahawks HC since 2010

• Former Jets and Patriots HC

• Successful college coach at USC

Andy Reid

• Played Offensive Tackle in college ’78-‘80

• No NFL playing career

• From Mike Holmgren coaching tree

• Coach career – 1982 to present

• 1 x Superbowl Champion

• Chiefs HC since 2013

• Former Eagles HC

Mike McCarthy

• Played Tight End in college

• No NFL playing career

• Coached under Marty Schottenheimer at Kansas City

• Coach career – 1987 to present

• 1 x Superbowl Champion

• Packers HC since 2006

Mike Zimmer

• Played QB and LB at Illionois State University

• Suffered neck injury which derailed playing career

• No NFL playing career

• Coached under Bill Parcells

• Coach career – 1979 to present

• SB champ as Dallas DB coach

• Vikings HC since 2014

Sean Payton

• Played QB in Arena Football League

• Played QB for Chicago Bears as replacement in strike season 1987

• Played for Leicester Panthers 1988

• Coached under Bill Parcells

• Coach career – 1988 to present

• 1 x Superbowl Champion

• Saints HC since 2006

John Harbaugh

• Graduated from Miami University – no playing career of note

• Father was assistant coach at Michigan University

• Coached under Andy Reid in Philadelphia ’99-‘07

• Brother is former NFL QB (Jim) and current coach of Michigan (mentioned later)

• Coach career – 1984 to present

• 1 x Superbowl Champion

• Ravens HC since 2008

Jon Gruden

• Quarterback in college

• No NFL playing career

• From Mike Holmgren coaching tree

• Coach career – 1986 to present

• 1 x Superbowl Champion

• Raiders HC in 2018, former Buccs Head coach

Ron Rivera

• Played Linebacker in college

• Drafted in 2nd round by Chicago in 1984

• Played 9 seasons in NFL with Chicago

• Defensive Coordinator with Chicago ‘04-‘06 and San Diego Chargers ‘08-‘10

• Coach career – 1997 to present

• 1 x Superbowl Champion (as player)

• Panthers HC since 2011

Doug Pedersen

• Quarterback in College (North East Louisiana)

• Rookie FA signing in 1991 – Miami Dolphins

• Played in the NFL for 5 teams including 1996 Packers as back up to Brett Favre

• Offensive Coordinator with KC Chiefs 2013-2015 under Andy Reid

• Coach Career – 2005 to present

• 2 x Superbowl Champion, once as a player and once as a HC

• Eagles HC since 2016

Doug Marrone

• Offensive Lineman in College (Syracuse)

• Played fleetingly in the NFL (Dolphins & Saints)

• Played for London Monarchs in 1991

• Coached under Herm Edwards and Sean Payton

• Coach Career – 1992 to present

• Jags HC since 2017

• Former Bills HC

Greatest Coaches of all time (no particular order)

Don Shula

• Defensive Back in College

• Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 9th round in 1951

• Recorded 21 interceptions as a pro

• Coach career – 1960 to 1995

• 2 x Superbowl Champion as coach

• Former Baltimore Colts HC 1963-1969

Tom Landry

• Played full back and Defensive Back in College

• Drafted in the 7th round of the 1946 draft by New York Giants

• Played for NY Giants 1950-1955 with reasonable production

• Played multiple positions including Punter

• Coach career – 1954 to 1988

• 2 x Superbowl Champion with Dallas

• Cowboys HC from 1960-1988

Bill Walsh

• Played Tight End and Defensive End for San Jose State

• No NFL playing career

• Has an impressive coaching tree including Holmgren, Reid, Wyche

• Coach career – 1960 to 1994

• 3 x Superbowl Champion with 49ers

• 49ers HC from 1979-1988

Vince Lombardi

• Played Tackle and Guard at Fordham University

• Played semi pro football for Wilmington Clippers and Brooklyn Eagles

• No NFL playing career

• Offensive Coordinator for Giants ’54-‘58

• Coach career – 1939 to 1969

• 2 x Superbowl Champion, 6 x NFL Champion

• Packers HC from 1959-1967

• Redskins HC 1969

Bill Parcells

• Played Linebacker in college

• Drafted by Detroit Lions in 7th round but didn’t play a game in the NFL

• Has produced coaches such as Belichick, Payton, Zimmer

• Coach career – 1964 to 2006

• 2 x Superbowl Champion with Giants

• Giants HC 1983-1990

• Also HC of Jets, Patriots and Cowboys

Notable Players who became Head Coaches

Mike Ditka

• NFL Tight End from 1961 to 1972

• All Pro Player

• Won Superbowl VI with Cowboys

• Coach career – 1973 to 1999

• Hall of Fame Coach

• Won Superbowl XX with Bears

• Saints HC ’97-‘99

Jack Del Rio

• NFL Linebacker from 1985 to 1996

• Pro Bowl Player

• Coach career – 1997 to 2017

• Jaguars HC from 2003 to 2011

• Raiders HC from 2015-2017

Tony Dungy

• NFL Defensive Back from 1977 to 1980

• Won Superbowl XIII with Steelers

• OK player but never great

• Coach career – 1981 to 2008

• Hall of Fame Coach

• Buccaneers HC ’96-‘01

• Colts HC ’02-’08 – Superbowl Champion in 2007

Mike Singletary

• NFL Linebacker from 1981 to 1992

• Hall of Fame player

• Won Superbowl XX with Chicago

• Coach career – 2003 to 2016

• 49ers HC from 2009-2010 with minimal success

Art Shell

• NFL Offensive Lineman from 1968 to 1982

• Hall of Fame Player

• 8 x Pro Bowl Selection

• 2 x Superbowl Champion with Raiders

• Coach career – 1983 to 2006

• Raiders HC from 1989 to 1994

Marty Schottenheimer

• NFL Linebacker 1965 to 1970

• OK player, not great

• Coach career – 1974 to 2011

• HC of Browns, Chiefs, Redskins, Chargers

• Achieved great coaching success but not a Superbowl win

• Surely a future HOF Coach

Herm Edwards

• NFL Defensive Back from 1977 to 1986

• Played all 9 seasons with Eagles and was a plus starter

• Coach career – 1987 to Present

• Former Jets and Chiefs HC

• Multiple Playoff appearances as coach

Gary Kubiak

• NFL Quarterback from 1983 to 1991

• 3 x Superbowl Champion as back up to John Elway on Denver

• Coach career – 1992 to 2016

• Texans HC from 2006 to 2013

• Broncos HC 2015-2016

• Superbowl Champion as Broncos HC in SB 50

Jeff Fisher

• NFL Defensive Back from 1981 to 1985

• Superbowl Champion with ’85 Bears

• Bit part player, career ended early through injury

• Coach career – 1985 to 2016

• Oilers/Titans HC from 1995 to 2010

• Rams HC from 2012 to 2016

Norm Van Brocklin

• Pro Quarterback from 1949 to 1960

• Hall of Fame player

• 2 x NFL Champion in ’51 and ‘60

• Coach career – 1961 to 1974

• Vikings HC from 1961 to 1966

• Falcons HC from 1968 to 1974

• Minimal success as coach

Bill Cowher

• NFL Linebacker from 1979 to 1984

• OK player but mainly played as reserve

• Coach career – 1985 to 2006

• Steelers HC from 1992 to 2006

• 1 x Superbowl Champion with Steelers in 2005

• Now respected TV analyst

Mike Munchak

• NFL Guard from 1982 to 1993

• Hall of Fame player

• 9 x Pro Bowl selection

• Coach career – 1994 to present

• Titans HC 2011 to 2013

• Disappointing time as Titans coach

• Current Steelers’ O-line Coach

Jim Harbaugh

• NFL Quarterback from 1987 to 2001

• 1 x Pro Bowl selection

• Coach career – 2002 to present

• 49ers HC from 2011 to 2014

• NFC Champs and Superbowl losers in 2012

• Highly regarded college coach

• Current Michigan HC

#headcoaches #nflcoaches #nflexplayers