Behind every successful team is a great coach who demands the players give their all in the hopes of a trip to the Super Bowl.
At the helm of every great team is a great head coach. They lay out their vision for the team to follow, hopefully all the way to a Super Bowl win. Coming up empty in the Super Bowl wins column doesn’t negate the need and value a head coach brings to a team. After looking at all the teams in the league, these are the top five head coaches which stand out above the others.
5. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
Sean Payton has won only one Super Bowl with the Saints and almost made it back to the big game this past season. His tenure with the Saints has given him a regular-season record of 118-74 with a .615 win-loss percentage, and their postseason record is 8-6 with a .571 win-loss percentage. The main issue facing Payton in the future is what will happen once Drew Brees is no longer the quarterback. Despite Brees’ age, he’s still a good quarterback, but as of right now there’s no apparent heir to him except for Teddy Bridgewater. Payton’s ability to get the team to succeed despite the inconsistency and questions about the future is what makes him a top head coach to always keep an eye on.
4. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks
Pete Carroll has a Super Bowl with the Seahawks under his belt. He’s been consistent with a regular-season record of 89-54 with a .622 win-loss percentage, and for the postseason he is 9-6 with a .600 win-loss percentage. Despite the Seahawks not being the great team they were at the beginning of Carroll’s tenure with them, they have made the postseason seven out of nine seasons. Six of those seven postseasons have had a .500 or better win-loss percentage. In order to bring the Seahawks back to the greatness they once were, Carroll needs to let his offense and defense do their job. He also needs to utilize each player’s ability to maximize their chance of making it back to being a Super Bowl contender.
3. Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay has had an impressive start to his head coaching career with the Rams. This season will be his third as head coach, and his current regular-season record is 24-8 with a .750 win-loss percentage. His postseason record is 2-2 with a .500 win-loss percentage. His tenure is impressive because he made it all the way to the Superbowl in only his second season. Even losing to Bill Belichick and the Patriots can’t put a damper on how the team and the fans are feeling right now. McVay has a long coaching career ahead of him, giving him plenty of time to gather experience and learn how to wield it. When looking at his record and the success of the team since he took the helm, fans can be assured that the Rams will continue to be successful and will eventually bring home the Super Bowl trophy.
2. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid has an impressive resume when it comes to being a head coach. Most will take exception to him being considered great due to a lack of a Super Bowl, but in the six years he’s had in Kansas City, his regular-season record is 65-31 with a .677 win-loss percentage. His postseason with the Chiefs is 2-5 with a .286 win-loss percentage — perhaps not great in the eyes of many, but since taking the helm, he’s created a noticeable difference in how the Chiefs are playing. There’s also a change in how the Chiefs are perceived by both fans and opponents. Now that Patrick Mahomes is firmly in place as the quarterback, it’s up to Reid to build a great team around him and get them to believe that their time is now and to forget about the past.
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
Bill Belichick is currently going into his 20th season as the head coach for the Patriots. His overall record with them is 225-79 with a .740 win-loss percentage in regular-season games, and his record for the postseason is 30-10 with a .750 win-loss percentage. He’s led the team to six Superbowl wins over the 19-year period, and under his guidance have made the postseason 16 of those 19 seasons. Love him or hate him, he’s certainly on top of his game. Ever since Tom Brady was put in the game for an injured Drew Bledsoe in 2001, Belichick has never looked back — only forward — and has done everything to ensure the Patriots remain relevant in the AFC and dominant in the NFL overall.
