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Wednesday, March 12
Updated: April 1, 4:05 PM ET
 
Wins, Respect, Game Plans make a coach great

ESPN.com

Who is the best coach of the Super Bowl era?


Mark Malone
Chuck Noll/Bill Walsh
Chuck Noll and Bill Walsh are at the top of my list because they not only turned franchises around but they created dynasties. Noll implemented the power-running game and was instrumental in drafting the perfect players for his system -- those players enabled the Steelers to win four Super Bowls in the 1970s. When I came into the league I saw the passing of the torch from the Steelers to the 49ers and watched the NFL go from a running league to a passing league. Walsh's three Super Bowl victories and use of the West Coast offense is responsible for that shift in thinking. These two coaches are defined not only by their success but by their individual style and ability to mold their teams into a distinct personality -- whether by throwing the ball in the West Coast offense or lining it up and running it down your throat with the trap and play-action.


Andrea Kremer
Bill Walsh
An argument could be made for any of the head coaches who have won multiple championships in the Super Bowl era: Noll, Bill Parcells, Joe Gibbs, Don Shula, Mike Shanahan but if forced to pick one, I pick Bill Walsh. If it's about winning one game, each of these men is a brilliant game planner and motivator, but take into consideration the overall impact that Walsh has had on the modern game of football. If you do "the six degrees of separation" with Bill Walsh, the majority of teams in the league run offshoots of the West Coast offense or have been influenced by Walsh in some way -- even if it's a defensive-minded coach who has altered the nature of his defense to counter the short passing game that Walsh perfected. Ask any of Walsh's proteges -- Mike Holmgren, Bill Billick, Jon Gruden, etc. and they will point to what they learned about how to run an entire organization, not just construct a game plan. Walsh's influence is felt on the practice field and even in the way players are motivated. While Walsh led with a sharp tongue and demanding personality, he also knew when to calm his players -- he dressed up as a hotel bellhop at the Niners' first Super Bowl to try and humor his players! Amongst players and peers, Walsh may not have made a ton of friends, but few commanded more respect.


Merril Hoge
Chuck Noll
It doesn't matter to me if you get to the Super Bowl, you have to win it. Chuck Noll is the only head coach to have coached in and won four Super Bowls. Regardless of how great those teams were --- offensively and defensively -- there still has to be a general, someone who directs, organizes, leads, fires and motivates. That person was Chuck Noll. The greatest challenge for a coach is having a wealth of talent and being able to get it to respond and come together to win championships. That's what Chuck did, he accomplished this by never straying from the simple principles of what he thought embodied football. It didn't matter what position you played or how great a talent you were, you still had to learn, practice and execute those principles. Based on that determination and the fact that he won four Super Bowls, he's the greatest coach.


Joe Theismann
Joe Gibbs
You have to look at coaches who've won multiple Super Bowls. I would narrow it down to Joe Gibbs with the Redskins and Bill Walsh with the 49ers (each won three). They maintained their respective systems successfully over 10-plus years. I won a Super Bowl with Gibbs, who earned his three championships with three different QBs, different running backs and different wide receivers. So when you talk about the best overall coaching job, I'd give the nod to Gibbs. He was tested more from a coaching standpoint. Walsh had the same quarterback for his three Super Bowl wins (a guy named Montana). Gibbs reached a fourth Super Bowl, too, but his quarterback played lousy in that one (I know, because I was the quarterback).


Mike Golic
Bill Walsh
My only concern with choosing Bill Walsh as the best NFL coach is the natural assumption to think that means the other coaches are in some way bad. Because in this case, it's really a matter of 1A, 1B, 1C etc.. But for his accomplishments, both on and off the field, Walsh tops my list. Walsh was integral in bringing the West Coast style of offense to the NFL -- a system that has since been duplicated all over the league. And in doing so, he led the 49ers to three Super Bowl victories. The overall atmosphere that Walsh created also played a large part in his success. While some of the credit goes to the owner, the head coach is ultimately responsible for how the players are treated. In all of my years in the league, players always boasted about what a joy it was to play in San Francisco and for Walsh. He was tough, but players wanted to be there. There is something to be said for treating people right and creating the right mentality and atmosphere for players to succeed. Walsh brought in the right players to fit that system, but even those past their prime had an additional year or two in San Fran; they seemed to last a little longer than most players. Current coaches are still trying to emulate Walsh's contributions to the game, and as they say, imitation is the best form of flattery.


Sean Salisbury
Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells is one of the best coaches to ever strap on a headset in the NFL. At every coaching stop, Parcells has re-awakened a moribund franchise and motivated players to play above their skill level for him. Whether it was the Giants who he helped build into a mini-dynasty with two Super Bowl titles, the Patriots who he took the Super Bowl or the long-suffering Jets, he's won big everywhere he's been. Parcells doesn't cater to the "star" system, he'll chew out a "star" player just as easily as he will a rookie; it's that type of fairness that earns him the respect of his players. Even guys who you'd think aren't fans of Parcells, jump at the chance to play for him again. Look at Terry "She" Glenn, he wanted to be reunited in Dallas with his former coach. Bill Parcells doesn't coach for you to like him -- he coaches to win.






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