Top 10 Head Coaches in the NFL (as voted by ESPN.com writers)

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killer_ewok

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May 3, 2011 10:03 PM
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
2. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles
4. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
5. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
6. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
7. Rex Ryan, New York Jets
8. Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears
9. Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons
10. M. Shanahan, Washington Redskins
10. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

http://espn.go.com/blog/AFCEast/post/_/id/27641/power-rankings-top-10-nfl-head-coaches
May 3, 2011 10:03pm
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

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May 3, 2011 10:04 PM
ITOTW.
May 3, 2011 10:04pm
killer_ewok's avatar

killer_ewok

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May 3, 2011 10:10 PM
Pretty good list. Although I'd have Harbaugh a little higher on there.
May 3, 2011 10:10pm
like_that's avatar

like_that

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May 3, 2011 10:16 PM
Same. I would put Lovie at 10, and even move Coughlin down to be honest.
May 3, 2011 10:16pm
Skyhook79's avatar

Skyhook79

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May 3, 2011 11:40 PM
SMH at Shanahan on the list.
May 3, 2011 11:40pm
killer_ewok's avatar

killer_ewok

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May 3, 2011 11:45 PM
Will Andy Reid win a Super Bowl before he calls it a career? No doubt about his consistency but the lack of a Lombardi Trophy is obviously a pretty big hole in his resume.

Also, if Jeff Fisher had a gig he'd be in the bottom half of the list IMO.
May 3, 2011 11:45pm
coyotes22's avatar

coyotes22

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May 4, 2011 5:23 AM
As an Eagles fan,,,,, Im kinda surprised Reid is that high. Like you said, no SB trophy. I like the guy, Im just surprised he got that much love.
May 4, 2011 5:23am
Y-Town Steelhound's avatar

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May 4, 2011 5:41 AM
Skyhook79;758950 wrote:SMH at Shanahan on the list.

His two Super Bowl rings disagree with you...
May 4, 2011 5:41am
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May 4, 2011 6:02 AM
Y-Town Steelhound;759140 wrote:His two Super Bowl rings disagree with you...
What has he accomplished since Elway left 13 years ago??
May 4, 2011 6:02am
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

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May 4, 2011 8:26 AM
Skyhook79;759144 wrote:What has he accomplished since Elway left 13 years ago??

SMH, 2 rings is 2 rings. You need good players to win SBs. You might as well bring Phil Jackson into this discussion with what has he done without Jordon/Kobe.
May 4, 2011 8:26am
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May 4, 2011 8:44 AM
Skyhook79;759144 wrote:What has he accomplished since Elway left 13 years ago??

Ok, Bill Belichick hasn't won a Super Bowl in 7 years yet he's number 1 on the list because of rings. What's to say the same thing wouldn't happen to Belichick if Brady retired? (we all saw his brilliance in Cleveland when he had Vinny Testaverde as his QB). A better question is what did Elway accomplish BEFORE Shanahan took over? Like COA said, 2 rings is 2 rings and it certainly merits him being ON the list if not ranked higher.
May 4, 2011 8:44am
Skyhook79's avatar

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May 4, 2011 9:24 AM
Since you didn't answer the question he is 97-79 in the regular season and 1-4 in the Playoffs and his teams have missed the Playoffs 7 times since Elway left.
And to answer your question Elway played in 3 Super Bowls before Shanahan got there, yeah they didn't win but don't act like Elway was bum before Shanahan got there.
Also who was the last Cleveland Brown Coach to win a Playoff game?
May 4, 2011 9:24am
coyotes22's avatar

coyotes22

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May 4, 2011 9:52 AM
Skyhook79;759247 wrote:Since you didn't answer the question he is 97-79 in the regular season and 1-4 in the Playoffs and his teams have missed the Playoffs 7 times since Elway left.
And to answer your question Elway played in 3 Super Bowls before Shanahan got there, yeah they didn't win but don't act like Elway was bum before Shanahan got there.
Also who was the last Cleveland Brown Coach to win a Playoff game?

Paul Brown?

:D
May 4, 2011 9:52am
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May 4, 2011 9:57 AM
Skyhook79;759247 wrote:Since you didn't answer the question he is 97-79 in the regular season and 1-4 in the Playoffs and his teams have missed the Playoffs 7 times since Elway left.
And to answer your question Elway played in 3 Super Bowls before Shanahan got there, yeah they didn't win but don't act like Elway was bum before Shanahan got there.
Also who was the last Cleveland Brown Coach to win a Playoff game?

His quarterbacks during that time include Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, and Jay Cutler....enough said. Since you don't think he should be on the list, where would you put him? Who would you put over him? Fact is that he still has 2 Superbowl rings (3 if you count the one he won in San Fran as offensive coordinator) which is more than anyone else on that list except for BB and that is how you're measured in the NFL. I never said Elway was a bum before Shanahan but he also wasn't a Super Bowl winning quarterback either. Shanahan's offense has also turned good running backs into great running backs (Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis), and mediocre running backs into good running backs (Reuben Droughns, Mike Anderson). Yea, BB was the last coach to win a playoff game with the Browns (not that that is a relevant statement since it's technically speaking about 2 different organizations), but he didn't win any Super Bowls either. Hell he didn't even win one with a very good quarterback in Drew Bledsoe. Again, I'd love to know who you'd put above Shanahan on this list....please list some names or GTFO
May 4, 2011 9:57am
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Hb31187

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May 4, 2011 10:12 AM
Coughlin is a joke
May 4, 2011 10:12am
Y-Town Steelhound's avatar

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May 4, 2011 10:23 AM
Hb31187;759285 wrote:Coughlin is a joke

His Super Bowl ring also disagrees with you....now I think he's worse than Shanahan but better than a lot of guys on that list.
May 4, 2011 10:23am
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Skyhook79

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May 4, 2011 10:50 AM
Y-Town Steelhound;759268 wrote:His quarterbacks during that time include Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, and Jay Cutler....enough said. Since you don't think he should be on the list, where would you put him? Who would you put over him? Fact is that he still has 2 Superbowl rings (3 if you count the one he won in San Fran as offensive coordinator) which is more than anyone else on that list except for BB and that is how you're measured in the NFL. I never said Elway was a bum before Shanahan but he also wasn't a Super Bowl winning quarterback either. Shanahan's offense has also turned good running backs into great running backs (Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis), and mediocre running backs into good running backs (Reuben Droughns, Mike Anderson). Yea, BB was the last coach to win a playoff game with the Browns (not that that is a relevant statement since it's technically speaking about 2 different organizations), but he didn't win any Super Bowls either. Hell he didn't even win one with a very good quarterback in Drew Bledsoe. Again, I'd love to know who you'd put above Shanahan on this list....please list some names or GTFO
Don't have to list anyone just take him off, there are 11 Coaches listed.
May 4, 2011 10:50am
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May 4, 2011 10:53 AM
So you would put say Mike Smith and John Harbaugh, two guys who have been coaches a couple seasons and have won nothing, over a guy who's won 2 Super Bowls? Yep, and that's all I and everyone else on here needs to know about your NFL knowledge....I think I'll be leaving now to go have a chuckle.
May 4, 2011 10:53am
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May 4, 2011 11:09 AM
Y-Town Steelhound;759346 wrote:So you would put say Mike Smith and John Harbaugh, two guys who have been coaches a couple seasons and have won nothing, over a guy who's won 2 Super Bowls? Yep, and that's all I and everyone else on here needs to know about your NFL knowledge....I think I'll be leaving now to go have a chuckle.

+1
May 4, 2011 11:09am
Skyhook79's avatar

Skyhook79

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May 4, 2011 11:15 AM
Y-Town Steelhound;759346 wrote:So you would put say Mike Smith and John Harbaugh, two guys who have been coaches a couple seasons and have won nothing, over a guy who's won 2 Super Bowls? Yep, and that's all I and everyone else on here needs to know about your NFL knowledge....I think I'll be leaving now to go have a chuckle.

Harbaugh has won 4 times as many Playoff games in 3 years of coaching than as Shanahan has the last 12 years.
Mike smith took over a post Vick torn apart Falcons team with a Rookie QB and turned them into contenders in 1 year.
I guess since Barry Switzer has a Super Bowl Coaching ring you think he is better than say Bud Grant or Marv Levy?
May 4, 2011 11:15am
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Automatik

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May 4, 2011 3:46 PM
Nice to see Tomlin getting the props he deserves. I remember a few years back he wasn't getting much credit because he "inherited Cowher's squad."
May 4, 2011 3:46pm
S

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May 4, 2011 4:11 PM
I think Sean Payton should be at least top 3.
May 4, 2011 4:11pm