The Mount Rushmore of NFL Head Coaches

[az jam]

My four would be:
Halas
Lombardi
Bill Walsh
Paul Brown

 

[kerouac9]

Imo Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith, and Kiffin all deserve credit for developing the Tampa 2 defense. Let's not forget that Tony Dungy turned around two football clubs that were a complete mess before he got there.

I'll agree with you that Dungy helped turn around the Bucs, but Schottenheimer helped turn around the Chargers, as well. But the Colts had made the playoffs 2 of the 3 previous seasons before Dungy arrived in Indy. The season when Mora got fired was when Edge went down after 5 weeks or whatever.

I agree that Dungy is a good coach. He's probably an even better person. But he's not better than Parcells, Gibbs (I'm not sure why he's not getting more credit here), Holmgren, etc.

 

[lobo]

I agree that Dungy is a good coach. He's probably an even better person. But he's not better than Parcells, Gibbs (I'm not sure why he's not getting more credit here), Holmgren, etc.[/quote]

Agree....lets see how many of us...no cheating.. can name the Presidents on Mr. Rushmore. It is quite a site to see by the way.

 

[Pariah]

1. Halas
2. Lombardi
3. Walsh
4. Landry

...I struggled with Knoll...I really wanted to get him on there. Same with Shula. But, in the end, these are my 4.

 

[slanidrac16]

I've got the modern wrapped up.

Denny Green
Dave McGinnis
Buddy Ryan
Joe Bugel

The only place these 4 guys belong is on a milk carton.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Tony Dungy hasn't done anything. He won a Super Bowl, but his success in Tampa was because of Kniffin's defense, and his success in Indy has been because of the offense.

I like Belichick and Parcells, but Shanhan hasn't shown the ability to be anything without Elway. I don't understand why you don't have Joe Gibbs, and probably Mike Holmgren.

Belichick, Gibbs, Parcells, Holmgren. It's hard to keep Cowher off the list, but those four are probably the best of the current era.

For anyone other than a "butt head"...

there's no "but" after winning a Super Bowl.

 

[kerouac9]

For anyone other than a "butt head"...

there's no "but" after winning a Super Bowl.

Really? Winning a Super Bowl automatically qualifies you for being one of the Top 5 head coaches in the Past 20 years? Mike Martz? Brian Billick?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Really? Winning a Super Bowl automatically qualifies you for being one of the Top 5 head coaches in the Past 20 years? Mike Martz? Brian Billick?

You're the one who opened by saying: "Tony Dungy hasn't done anything".

I think a Super Bowl is something.

However, as the self-proclaimed football genius on this board (the Bill Walsh of posters) you no doubt can explain how Dungy both did nothing and won a Super Bowl, right?

 

[BigRedRage]

You're the one who opened by saying: "Tony Dungy hasn't done anything".

I think a Super Bowl is something.

However, as the self-proclaimed football genius on this board (the Bill Walsh of posters) you no doubt can explain how Dungy both did nothing and won a Super Bowl, right?

Peyton did it all, Dungy had nothing, you should know better.

 

[Ronin]

K9:

I'll agree with you that Dungy helped turn around the Bucs, but Schottenheimer helped turn around the Chargers, as well.

That's a good comparsion.In Tampa Bay, Dungy took a team with a weak receiving corps. and a mediocre QB (Shaun King) to the NFC Title Game. Schottenheimer also turned around the Cleveland Browns and if Ernest Byner doesn't fumble in the 1987 AFC Championship game.....

I agree that Dungy is a good coach. He's probably an even better person. But he's not better than Parcells, Gibbs (I'm not sure why he's not getting more credit here), Holmgren, etc.

Didn't he win three championships, with each of those Championships being with different quarterbacks?

 

[red desert]

Vince Lombardi
Chuck Noll
Don Shula
Bill Walsh

 

[kerouac9]

K9:

That's a good comparsion.In Tampa Bay, Dungy took a team with a weak receiving corps. and a mediocre QB (Shaun King) to the NFC Title Game. Schottenheimer also turned around the Cleveland Browns and if Ernest Byner doesn't fumble in the 1987 AFC Championship game.....

Didn't he win three championships, with each of those Championships being with different quarterbacks?

Gibbs won three Super Bowls with 3 different QBs, yeah.

I actually like Schottenheimer as a coach. I would have liked to see him come here, despite everything. But I'm not going to put him on a Coaching Mount Rushmore, either. Dungy "lead" the 21st ranked defense in the NFL to a championship.

Honestly, I think that Lovie Smith is going to turn out to be a better coach than Dungy. I think he inspires the same loyalty in his players, but is a better Xs and Os coach.

 

[Lloydian]

Oh, yeah! How did I miss Joe Gibbs? Perhaps he would bump Landry from my list, but not Noll or Shula.

 

[ajcardfan]

Joe Gibbs is hurt by his return to the game probably.

I'd say:

Lombardi
Shula
Landry
Walsh

It's tough to leave out Brown, Halas and Noll. I have to put Landry and Walsh ahead of them because they were the two who truly developed the modern game.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Tony Dungy hasn't done anything. He won a Super Bowl, but his success in Tampa was because of Kniffin's defense, and his success in Indy has been because of the offense.

I like Belichick and Parcells, but Shanhan hasn't shown the ability to be anything without Elway. I don't understand why you don't have Joe Gibbs, and probably Mike Holmgren.

Belichick, Gibbs, Parcells, Holmgren. It's hard to keep Cowher off the list, but those four are probably the best of the current era.

wow - so Dungy was the architect of Minnesota's defense through the 90's which was always good, but his success in turning the Cardinal-like Bucs was all because of Kniffin? And he hasn't done ANYTHING? He basically turned a team like the Cardinals into a title contender and then won a Super Bowl with the Colts - how you can say that's nothing is beyond me.

And you rip Shanny also? The guy got Jake Plummer into the playoffs three times and once led the team to the AFC Title game, outcoaching Bellichik on the way there. If that doesn't speak volumes I don't know what does. And how many titles did Elway win without Shanny? Oh, that's right - none.

 

[kerouac9]

I'll revise my statement: Dungy hasn't done anything to be mentioned as one of the top coaches of the modern era, IMO. IMHO.

As for Shanhan--I think he's a great coach. I'd trade him for Whis in a heartbeat. I think that he's maybe the best offensive playcaller in the NFL right now--rivalled only by Norv Turner. But I think that the Broncos have an inherent advantage against the rest of the NFL at their home stadium, and I think that Shanhan's lack of success at grooming another QB after Elway speaks volumes as well. Maybe Elway didn't win any titles before Shanhan, but he'd gone to plenty of Super Bowls before him. How many title games has Shanahan played in since Elway retired? Oh, that's right - none. Homlgren at least went to a Super Bowl without Favre.

Gibbs's star has dimmed since his return, and I think that Parcells's has, as well--though maybe not as much. I stand by my list of the best coaches of the modern era.

 

[Renz]

And you rip Shanny also? The guy got Jake Plummer into the playoffs three times and once led the team to the AFC Title game, outcoaching Bellichik on the way there. If that doesn't speak volumes I don't know what does. And how many titles did Elway win without Shanny? Oh, that's right - none.

Shanahan is a "good" coach, IMO, but definitely not "great". He sure isn't the "genius" that many people make him out to be.

Maybe Elway didn't win it all w/out Shanahan, but he got to the Super Bowl multiple times w/out him. Without Elway Shanahan has won one playoff game in the last eight years! That's only one more playoff victory than the Cardinals during that time.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Shanahan is a "good" coach, IMO, but definitely not "great". He sure isn't the "genius" that many people make him out to be.

Maybe Elway didn't win it all w/out Shanahan, but he got to the Super Bowl multiple times w/out him.

Yeah, but the last team Elway got to the Super Bowl was six years previous to Shanny getting there. I don't know. I'd say he's a great HC - maybe not rushmore for the modern era, but he still took a Denver team that had fallen from grace with their 12-4 record in 1991 a long ways away from the 8-8 cum record over the next three years before he got there while people started wondering if Elway was washed up and then proceeded to win 13 games his second year and then won two titles the following two years. The guy totally revitalized Elway and gave him the first bona-fide rushing attack he ever had. That's pretty impressive in the span of two years once people had written the Broncos off IMO.

Without Elway Shanahan has won one playoff game in the last eight years! That's only one more playoff victory than the Cardinals during that time.

again though, considering what he had at QB - Griese and Plummer, I consider it coaching greatness to even get those teams to the playoffs period. I mean both of those guys completely suck ass as QBs in my opinion.

 

[kerouac9]

again though, considering what he had at QB - Griese and Plummer, I consider it coaching greatness to even get those teams to the playoffs period. I mean both of those guys completely suck ass as QBs in my opinion.

But he hand-picked both of those guys, and Bubby Brister.

 

[Cheesebeef]

But he hand-picked both of those guys, and Bubby Brister.

no one said anything about as a GM did they? I thought that this was just about coaching. He also picked Cutler who has the makings of a stud. I expect Denver to be VERY good this year.

 

[4Devil]

I have a couple of points to add:

First, a coaching name that I haven't seen mentioned yet is Sid Gillman. His effect on coaching football is mind boggling. There would have been no Don Coryell, or Bill Walsh or a whole lot of others, had they not learned from him.

Which brings me to a second point. I see that most here seem to place superbowls wins like at the top of the list for qualifying for "Mt. Rushmore".....Now I will agree with Crazy Canuck, superbowl wins are what defines success in the NFL. But neither do I think they are the only criteria. To me the truely great coaches not only were winners on the field, but contibuted innovative ideas to the game and played a role in the development of other great coaches.

Another modern era coach that seems conspicously missing is Dan Reeves. I'd rate him over some of the others I've seen mentioned.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Yeah, but the last team Elway got to the Super Bowl was six years previous to Shanny getting there. I don't know. I'd say he's a great HC - maybe not rushmore for the modern era, but he still took a Denver team that had fallen from grace with their 12-4 record in 1991 a long ways away from the 8-8 cum record over the next three years before he got there while people started wondering if Elway was washed up and then proceeded to win 13 games his second year and then won two titles the following two years. The guy totally revitalized Elway and gave him the first bona-fide rushing attack he ever had. That's pretty impressive in the span of two years once people had written the Broncos off IMO.



again though, considering what he had at QB - Griese and Plummer, I consider it coaching greatness to even get those teams to the playoffs period. I mean both of those guys completely suck ass as QBs in my opinion.[/QUOTE]

Clean up your language, please.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Really? Winning a Super Bowl automatically qualifies you for being one of the Top 5 head coaches in the Past 20 years? Mike Martz? Brian Billick?

I say give both of those guys some credit. Martz deloped possibly the most potent offense in the history of the game. Billick is easily one of the top 5 coaches in the game right now. He took over a putrid Raven's team in '99 and has since taken them to the playoffs 4 times, destroying the Giants in one Super Bowl. To go to the playoffs 4 times in 8 years when you played in the same division as the Steelers is a feat. The only thing I really fault him w/ is the fact that the Raven 's have never had a solid #1 reciever in their history. I think statistically Quadry Ismail tops their list.

Not saying either of them should make the list, but they are no Bill Callahans either.

 

[Bobcat]

What, no Vince Tobin???

No He was the "ANTI-BUDDY...!!!

BOBCAT

 

[lobo]

I have a couple of points to add:

First, a coaching name that I haven't seen mentioned yet is Sid Gillman. His effect on coaching football is mind boggling. There would have been no Don Coryell, or Bill Walsh or a whole lot of others, had they not learned from him.


Amen squared. I thought of him long after I made my points. You are so very right. He was one of the founding fathers of the modern passing game. Good catch!!