Eleven head coaches of the 31 who have won Super Bowls have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Those Hall of Fame coaches have accounted for 22 Super Bowl titles
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick -- who's headed for the Hall of Fame eventually -- has a chance to get Super Bowl title No. 5 next Sunday in Super Bowl LI.
So where does Belichick rank among the coaches who have won Super Bowl titles? Not No. 1. I have him second -- for now. Check out my 1-31 ranking below.
A couple of notes about my ranking:
I'm only including coaches who have won Super Bowls, not AFL or NFL titles, though some of these coaches have won both.
Titles matter, but so does regular-season success.
How each coach impacted the sport and helped it evolve is also a big part of my ranking.
Here goes: No. 1 is ...
1. Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers
Overall record: 96-34-6 | Playoff record: 9-1
Super Bowl titles: I, II (also won NFL titles in 1961, 1962, 1965)
Lombardi set the standard for coaching in the NFL, winning the first and second Super Bowls. In the 1960s, the game was more about running and defense than the quarterback play, but he made everything work. He had a Hall of Fame quarterback in Bart Starr. Lombardi demanded perfection and received it.
2. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
Overall record: 237-115 | Playoff record: 25-10
Super Bowl titles: XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX
Belichick is closing in on overtaking Lombardi as the greatest coach in NFL history. In fact, if Belichick beats the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI and captures his fifth title, I'm ready to put him No. 1. That would put his record at 5-2 in Super Bowls, and he has been to 11 conference championship games in 16 years.
3. Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers
Overall record: 193-148-1 | Playoff record: 16-8
Super Bowl titles: IX, X, XIII, XIV
The franchise didn't win before his arrival, and he established perhaps the best dynasty in NFL history. The Steel Curtain zipped through four Super Bowls in six years and featured nine Hall of Fame players. His teams were the best prepared in the league, and he coached the Steelers for 23 seasons.
4. Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers
Overall record: 92-59-1 | Playoff record: 10-4
Super Bowl titles: XVI, XIX, XXIII
Walsh changed the game. He established a West Coast offense that advanced the NFL from a running-oriented league in the 1970s into the start of a passing league that featured routes that were run like basketball plays. He was perhaps the smartest and most innovative coach in NFL history.
5. Don Shula, Miami Dolphins
Overall record: 328-156-6 | Playoff record: 19-17
Super Bowl titles: VII, VIII (also won NFL title in 1968 with Baltimore Colts)
Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history, won championships in Baltimore and Miami. The Dolphins were in Super Bowl contention almost every year after he left the Colts. Plus, he had the league's only Super Bowl team that went undefeated (1972), creating his annual champagne celebration.
6. Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins
Overall record: 154-94 | Playoff record: 17-7
Super Bowl titles: XVII, XXII, XXVI
Gibbs won Super Bowl titles with three different starting quarterbacks. He also coached through a few years of labor disputes, showing that he could get teams focused in distracting times.
7. Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys
Overall record: 250-162-6 | Playoff record: 20-16
Super Bowl titles: VI, XII
Landry, who had a stoic look -- and signature hat -- along the sidelines, established the Cowboys as America's Team. Landry produced some great defenses, making five trips to the Super Bowl in his 29 seasons in charge.
8. Bill Parcells, New York Giants
Overall record: 172-130-1 | Playoff record: 11-8
Super Bowl titles: XXI, XXV
Parcells' vision as a defensive coach put Lawrence Taylor in position to be one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history. Parcells always seemed to be two steps ahead of the league defensively. He was a master of challenging his players to perform at a high level. Parcells also took the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI.
9. Jimmy Johnson, Dallas Cowboys
Overall record: 80-64 | Playoff record: 9-4
Super Bowl titles: XXVII, XXVIII
Johnson came out of college football and changed the way things were done in the NFL. He was one of the most aggressive traders in league history, and the Herschel Walker deal was one of the best ever. He knew how to put together fast, aggressive defenses. Had he not clashed with owner Jerry Jones, Johnson might have had a few more Super Bowl titles.
10. Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos
Overall record: 170-138 | Playoff record: 8-6
Super Bowl titles: XXXII, XXXIII
In Denver, Shanahan established a creative offense that eventually helped John Elway win two Super Bowl rings that were long overdue.
11. Mike Holmgren, Green Bay Packers
Overall record: 161-111 | Playoff record: 13-11
Super Bowl titles: XXXI
Holmgren came close to winning back-to-back Super Bowls with the Packers and took the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl. Holmgren, whose 13 playoff wins rank sixth, and general manager Ron Wolf revived the Packers into being one of the top franchises in the league.
12. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
Overall record: 170-150 | Playoff record: 12-7
Super Bowl titles: XLII, XLVI
Coughlin built the Jacksonville Jaguars from an expansion team into a championship contender in the AFC. But his greatest success was taking over the Giants and winning two Super Bowls.
13. John Madden, Oakland Raiders
Overall record: 103-32-7 | Playoff record: 9-7
Super Bowl titles: XI
Madden waited way too long to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but look at his incredible record and how well he kept the Raiders as a Super Bowl contender. He's second in regular-season winning percentage (.759). His only problem was the Steelers, who were tough to beat in the 1970s.
14. Hank Stram, Kansas City Chiefs
Overall record: 131-97-10 | Playoff record: 5-3
Super Bowl titles: IV (also won AFL titles in 1962, 1966)
Stram was creative and dynamic along the sidelines, and he put together great Chiefs teams that were at the top of the American Football League. Kansas City was able to compete and succeed against NFL teams when the AFL merged with the NFL.
15. Tom Flores, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Overall record: 97-87 | Playoff record: 8-3
Super Bowl titles: XV, XVIII
Hopefully, Flores will soon wear a long-overdue gold jacket and get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Flores had a lot of characters on his Raiders teams, but he was able to deal with them and give Al Davis two Super Bowl rings.
16. George Seifert, San Francisco 49ers
Overall record: 114-62 | Playoff record: 10-5
Super Bowl titles: XXIV, XXIX
Seifert didn't have the flash and style of his former boss, Bill Walsh, but his defensive mind and keen direction kept the 49ers at the top of the league to complete one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history.
17. Tony Dungy, Indianapolis Colts
Overall record: 139-69 | Playoff record: 9-10
Super Bowl titles: XLI
In Tampa Bay, Dungy established a historically great defense with Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks and John Lynch. In Indianapolis, he won a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning and could have had more rings if not for Belichick, Tom Brady and the Patriots.
18. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks
Overall record: 103-72-1| Playoff record: 10-7
Super Bowl titles: XLVIII
Carroll could make a big jump over the next couple of years if he's able to get the Seahawks back to the Super Bowl. He has been to five straight divisional rounds of the playoffs and was close to winning back-to-back Super Bowls.
19. Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh Steelers
Overall record: 149-90-1 | Playoff record: 12-9
Super Bowl titles: XL
The Rooneys, who own the Steelers, don't like change because change can only take away from the franchise's winning formula. Since 1969, Noll, Cowher and Mike Tomlin have been the only Steelers head coaches, and all they have done is win games and get into the playoffs. Cowher maintained a physical toughness on the team that befit the town and the franchise's history, and he took Pittsburgh to two Super Bowls.
20. Dick Vermeil, St. Louis Rams
Overall record: 120-109 | Playoff record: 6-5
Super Bowl titles: XXXIV
Vermeil gave everything and more to get the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl in 1980. Vermeil took off 15 years from coaching beginning after the 1982 season, only to return to lead one of the most exciting offensive teams in football with the St. Louis Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf." He left the Rams after their championship, then came back to coach the Chiefs for a few more years.
21. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
Overall record: 114-61-1 | Playoff record: 10-8
Super Bowl titles: XLV
During the Packers' 4-6 start this season, McCarthy had to defend his ability to coach, which was ridiculous. He has been able to get the Packers to the playoffs for eight straight seasons. He's this low because he has only one Super Bowl appearance with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback.
22. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Overall record: 103-57 | Playoff record: 8-6
Super Bowl titles: XLIII
Former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw called Tomlin a "cheerleader," neglecting to mention that Tomlin has made the Steelers an annual playoff contender -- with two Super Bowl appearances -- and one of the top teams in the AFC for more than a decade.
23. Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Overall record: 95-81 | Playoff record: 5-4
Super Bowl titles: XXXVII
Gruden built the Raiders into a contender and had them on the verge of going to the Super Bowl. Then Al Davis traded him -- yes, traded him -- to Tampa Bay, where he beat the Raiders in the Super Bowl with a great defense and Brad Johnson as his quarterback.
24. Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears
Overall record: 121-95 | Playoff record: 6-6
Super Bowl titles: XX
No coach fit the personality of his team and city better than Ditka. The no-nonsense Hall of Fame tight end created a friendly environment for one of the most colorful teams in Super Bowl history. When many from the '80s hear someone called "Coach," the first person they think about is Ditka. His three years in New Orleans did not go well, however.
25. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
Overall record: 94-66 | Playoff record: 6-4
Super Bowl titles: XLIV
Payton's aggressive playcalling and decision-making handed Drew Brees a Super Bowl ring. To do so, the Saints had to beat Brett Favre in the NFC Championship Game and Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl -- not easy assignments. Peyton and the Saints haven't been back to the playoffs since he was suspended for the 2012 season.
26. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Overall record: 85-59 | Playoff record: 10-5
Super Bowl titles: XLVII
Harbaugh was the perfect coach to work with general manager Ozzie Newsome. Newsome gets the players, and Harbaugh develops them. The only thing keeping down the Ravens on this list is playing in a tough AFC North. Harbaugh beat his brother, Jim, to get his Super Bowl ring.
27. Brian Billick, Baltimore Ravens
Overall record: 80-64 | Playoff record: 5-3
Super Bowl titles: XXXV
Billick studied offensive numbers. The former Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator came to Baltimore with a great offensive game plan, then won a Super Bowl with one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.
28. Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos
Overall record: 82-75| Playoff record: 5-2
Super Bowl titles: 50
Kubiak was the perfect hire for Broncos general manager John Elway in 2015. After losing Super Bowl XLVIII to the Seahawks, Elway put together a historically great defense with the help of free agency and needed his former backup quarterback and friend to get enough out of an offense that was led by 39-year-old Peyton Manning. Kubiak got Elway another Super Bowl ring.
29. Weeb Ewbank, New York Jets
Overall record: 130-129-7 | Playoff record: 4-1
Super Bowl titles: III (also won NFL titles in 1958, 1959 with Baltimore Colts)
Ewbanks' claim to fame was pulling off one of the biggest, most important wins in NFL history, when Joe Namath and the Jets pulled off the upset over Johnny Unitas and the Colts in Super Bowl III. Ewbanks made the playoffs only twice in 11 seasons in New York.
30. Don McCafferty, Baltimore Colts
Overall record: 28-17-2 | Playoff record: 4-1
Super Bowl titles: V
McCafferty had a tough act to follow, replacing Shula in 1970 after he went to the Dolphins. Shula left McCafferty a lot of talent, including Unitas at quarterback, and the Colts went to two conference championship games and a Super Bowl in his first two seasons as coach. McCafferty was fired after a 1-4 start in his third season, however.
31. Barry Switzer, Dallas Cowboys
Overall record: 40-24 | Playoff record: 5-2
Super Bowl titles: XXX
Switzer kept things together on the end of the Cowboys' great Super Bowl run, but this was the team Jimmy Johnson put together, and it could have been the top dynasty in NFL history.