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There have been countless exceptional NFL head coaches throughout the history of the league, but like quarterbacks, their overall perception and careers and highly dependent on postseason success. Shot-callers like longtime Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has 131 wins to his name over 16 seasons with the franchise, but unfortunately, he finished his career there with zero playoff wins in seven tries. That will keep him from entering the "elite coach" discussion.
Only ten head coaches have won at least 12 playoff games in their careers as of January 23, 2024, but two men could continue to add "Ws" in the win-loss column during this year's playoffs.
Who are the winningest head coaches in NFL playoff history? Where do Andy Reid and John Harbaugh rank on the all-time list? Let's dive in.
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T-8.) John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens - 12 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 16 (so far)
Super Bowl Wins: One
Harbaugh moved into a three-way tie for eighth place on the all-time playoff wins list with a victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday. With a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, he can take sole possession of eighth. A Super Bowl LVIII victory would put him ahead of Mike Holmgren for the seventh-most postseason wins. He would also become just the 15th coach with multiple Super Bowl wins.
The 61-year-old could continue to lead the franchise for several more seasons, so it'll be interesting to see where he ends up when his career is done.
T-8). Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh Steelers - 12 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 15
Super Bowl Wins: One
Cowher led the Steelers to six playoff appearances in his first six seasons at the helm, winning five playoff games during that stretch. However, it took him 14 seasons to finally win a Super Bowl. The organization was patient with him, which is rare in today's NFL.
Either way, he finished his career among the most successful head coaches in the playoffs, and he was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in large part because of that success.
Bill Cowher, Alan Faneca, Bill Nunn, Troy Polamalu and Donnie Shell became a part of football immortality with their enshrinement into the Hall of Fame, and tonight four of them will receive their Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence.
📝: https://t.co/DibrTgYkkJ pic.twitter.com/8AmAMIMdng
— Teresa Varley (@Teresa_Varley) October 18, 2021
T-8). Tom Coughlin, New York Giants; Jacksonville Jaguars - 12 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 20
Super Bowl Wins: Two
Coughlin won four playoff games in his eight seasons as the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach, but he's most known for his two improbable Super Bowl runs with the New York Giants. The Eli Manning-led 2007 Giants won three playoff games on the road to qualify for Super Bowl XLII. Their opponent - the 18-0 New England Patriots featuring Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Junior Seau, Mike Vrabel, Teddy Bruschi, Richard Seymour, Rodney Harrison, and Asante Samuel.
New York was a 12-point underdog in that matchup, which proved to be a good thing for Coughlin and Manning during their most successful seasons. He led the Giants to another Super Bowl title against the Patriots in 2011, this time as a 9-7 regular season team.
We take a look back at the journey of two-time Super Bowl champion head coach Tom Coughlin 🏆🏆
Watch: https://t.co/8F802bE5nf pic.twitter.com/6qQJKQbv0z
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 6, 2021
7.) Mike Holmgren, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks - 13 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 17
Super Bowl Wins: One
Holmgren won nine playoff games in seven seasons with Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers before winning four more postseason contests in ten seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He led both organizations to the Super Bowl, winning one with the Packers and losing one with Seattle.
He only missed the playoffs in five of his 17 years on the sideline, and he's one of the most underrated coaches in the history of the game.
6.) Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers - 16 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 23
Super Bowl Wins: Four
Noll was the Steelers' head coach from 1969 to 1991, an incredible 23-year run. He won four Super Bowls from 1974 to 1979, which accounted for 12 of his 16 playoff wins. While he missed the postseason 11 times, he usually made his playoff trips count, and he's solidly in sole possession of 6th place on the all-time playoff list.
He's another coach who benefited from patience from the Pittsburgh front office.
5.) Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins - 17 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 16
Super Bowl Wins: Three
In Gibbs' first stint with the Washington Redskins (1981-1992), he led the organization to 16 playoff wins and three Super Bowl titles. He's the only head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with three different starting quarterbacks and three different starting running backs. He stepped down citing health problems following the 1992 season, or he could have added a ton of playoff wins to his resume. However, his lasting impact on the once-dominant organization will be felt forever.
The offensive-minded Gibbs returned to coach Washington from 2004-2007, adding two more playoff trips and one more playoff win to his ledger to get to 17. If he had coached 20-25 years like some of the other names on this list, he could be sitting a little closer to the top in 2024.
4.) Don Shula, Miami Dolphins; Baltimore Colts - 19 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 33
Super Bowl Wins: Two
Shula led the Baltimore Colts to two playoff wins and an NFL Championship in six seasons with the organization. He compiled a 71-23-4 regular season record with the Colts, but his relationship with ownership soured after the Super Bowl III loss to the New York Jets.
Then, he took over the Miami Dolphins organization and the rest is history. Shula's career is highlighted by 16 playoff appearances, 19 playoff wins, and a 14-0 season in 1972. The '72 Dolphins are just one of two teams to go undefeated in the regular season, and they're the only group to win the Super Bowl after going undefeated. He died in 2020 at the age of 90, but his legacy as one of the greatest coaches of all time lives on.
Most head coaching wins all-time
(incl. playoffs)Don Shula 347
Bill Belichick 333
George Halas 324
Andy Reid 279
Tom Landry 270 pic.twitter.com/CtIjwcMmCt— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 11, 2024
3.) Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys - 20 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 29
Super Bowl Wins: Two
Landry failed to lead the Cowboys to the playoffs during his first six seasons as head coach, but Dallas would go on to qualify for the postseason in 18 of the next 20 years. During that run, Landry racked up a whopping 20 playoff wins and two Super Bowl rings.
The former New York Giants punter put Dallas on the map, as he was the coach when the Cowboys were unofficially coined "American's Team" in 1979.
2.) Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs; Philadelphia Eagles - 24 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 25
Super Bowl Wins: Two
Reid won ten playoff games in 14 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, including four straight trips to the NFC Championship Game and one trip to the Super Bowl. He lost Super Bowl XXXIX to the New England Patriots in 2005 and never got back to the big game with the organization. He was eventually let go in 2012 after four straight seasons without a playoff win, which turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to him.
Now in Kansas City, he's already churned out 14 postseason "dubs" and two Super Bowl victories in 11 years. He continues to add to his resume as he and Patrick Mahomes have been the perfect pairing. Reid can only get to 26 playoff wins this year if he takes the Chiefs to their third title in five seasons, but he has a real shot at catching Bill Belichick if he wants to keep coaching for a few more years.
Andy Reid in 11 years as the head coach in Kansas City:
-11 winning seasons
-10 playoff appearances
-8 division titles
-5 AFCCG appearances
-3 Super Bowl Appearances
-2 ringsOne of the GOAT’s & the best coach in Chiefs history. Don’t take it for granted pic.twitter.com/LZtnk2OySv
— Braiden Turner (@bturner23) January 2, 2024
1.) Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns - 31 Wins
Years As Head Coach: 29
Super Bowl Wins: Six
The only head coach-quarterback duo that is undisputably ahead of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes is Belichick and Tom Brady. From 2001-2018, the Patriots compiled 30 playoff wins. 30 wins is already a ridiculous amount, but when you consider the fact that the 30 wins came in just 18 years, it makes the feat even more incredible.
Love this flex by Bill Belichick pic.twitter.com/toHPT2hlR9
— Kevin Boilard (@KevinBoilard) February 2, 2020
After 24 seasons with New England, Belichick is out the door and is trending toward becoming a head coach for another organization. The 71-year-old has a chance to add more playoff wins to his resume, but he wasn't able to do it in four seasons without the greatest quarterback of all time. He has just one such victory without Brady, and that came in 1994 with the Cleveland Browns.
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