List of National Football League head coaches by playoff record
At the end of the 1932 NFL season, the Portsmouth Spartans and the Chicago Bears tied for first place ; under the rules at the time, standings were based on winning percentage, with ties excluded from the calculation. The Spartans and Bears had tied each other twice during the regular season, making the league's only tiebreaker useless. So the league had to make a rule change to allow another game. For the first time, the league played what amounted to a replay game to determine the NFL champion. Coach Ralph Jones led the Bears to a 9-0 victory over Coach Potsy Clark. The game is recorded as a regular season game for the teams' statistics. Three seasons later Coach Clark would lead his team to their first title, when they were the Detroit Lions.
Because it proved so popular, the 1932 NFL "Playoff Game", as it is unofficially called, started a new era for the National Football League. Beginning in the 1933 NFL season, the league was divided into divisions, and the winner of each division would meet in a playoff game to determine the champion.
The first NFL official playoff game was the 1933 NFL Championship Game between the Chicago Bears and New York Giants where Coach George "Papa Bear" Halas beat Hall of Fame Coach Steve Owen. The following list shows the career postseason records for each coach that has recorded a win in the NFL playoffs from 1933.
Champion coaches
Since playoffs began in the 1933 NFL season, the following 56 coaches have led their team to an NFL or AFL title.Super Bowls before the 1970 AFL–NFL merger are not included in total championship count.
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Sorting Team in ascending order will list all champion coaches for each team in the order they won the title game for their team.
† is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
| Bold denotes an active coach | ^ Won with 2 teams | ♦1921 champion coach before playoff games began | ♠1929, 1930, 1931 champion coach before playoff games began |
Winning Coaches
holds the current NFL record for most playoff games coached and most wins by a head coach. Vince Lombardi won 90% of his playoff appearances, the record for coaches with more than three games to their credit.While many coaches have won playoff games for 2 teams, only two have won a championship for different franchises. Weeb Ewbank won 1958 and 1959 NFL title with the Baltimore Colts, then won the 1968 AFL crown and Super Bowl with the New York Jets. The other coach to win a championship with two teams was Don Shula. Shula was the NFL champ in 1968 with the Baltimore Colts, but lost in Super Bowl III to the AFL champs coached by Weeb Ewbank. Coach Shula then led the Miami Dolphins to titles in 1972 and 1973. So far, Shula has coached the only no loss, no tie perfect season in NFL history.
This table lists every coach who has won a playoff game in the NFL or AFL.
If a coach has led multiple teams to the playoffs, the teams are listed in the order of his playoff appearances.
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Sorting 'Teams' in ascending order will list all champion coaches for each team first and in the order they won the title game for their team.
| Bold denotes an active coach | |
| Won 1 NFL Championship * | 1920-1969 |
| Won 2 or more NFL Championships ¤ | 1920-1969 |
| Won 1 AFL Championship ~ | 1960–1969 |
| Won 2 or more AFL Championships ‡ | 1960–1969 |
| Won a Super Bowl ^ | 1970– |
| Won 2 or more Super Bowls ** | 1970– |
From 1960–1969, NFL and AFL Champs are listed.
Super Bowls listed after the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.
†Coach is in the Hall of Fame as a player or a coach
Updated through the 2019 season.
| Rank | Coach | Wins | Losses | Percent | Team Listed in order coached | Championship Season | Ref |
| 1 | ' | 31 | 12 | Browns Patriots** | |||
| 2 | † | 20 | 16 | .556 | Cowboys** | ||
| 3 | † | 19 | 17 | Colts* | 1968 | ||
| 3 | † | 19 | 17 | Dolphins** | |||
| 4 | † | 17 | 7 | Redskins** | |||
| 5 | † | 16 | 8 | Steelers** | |||
| 6 | ' | 15 | 14 | Eagles Chiefs | 2019 | ||
| 7 | 13 | 11 | Packers ^ Seahawks | 1996 | |||
| 8 | 12 | 7 | Jaguars Giants** | ||||
| 9 | † | 12 | 9 | Steelers ^ | 2005 | ||
| 10 | † | 11 | 8 | Giants** Patriots Jets Cowboys | |||
| 10 | † | 11 | 8 | Bills | |||
| 12 | 11 | 9 | Broncos Giants Falcons | ||||
| 12 | ' | 11 | 9 | Patriots Seahawks ^ | 2013 | ||
| 14 | † | 10 | 4 | 49ers** | |||
| 15 | 10 | 5 | 49ers ** | ||||
| 16 | ' | 10 | 7 | Ravens ^ | 2012 | ||
| 17 | ' | 10 | 8 | Packers ^ | 2010 | ||
| 18 | † | 10 | 12 | Vikings * | 1969 | ||
| 19 | † | 9 | 1 | Packers § | |||
| 20 | † | 9 | 4 | Cowboys** Dolphins | |||
| 21 | † | 9 | 7 | Raiders ^ | 1976 | ||
| 22 | † | 9 | 10 | Buccaneers Colts ^ | 2006 | ||
| 23 | 8 | 3 | Raiders** | ||||
| 24 | 8 | 6 | Broncos** Redskins | ||||
| 25 | ' | 8 | 7 | Steelers ^ | 2008 | ||
| 25 | ' | 8 | 7 | Saints ^ | 2009 | ||
| 25 | 8 | 7 | Panthers Broncos | ||||
| 28 | 7 | 11 | Rams Bills Seahawks | ||||
| 29 | † | 6 | 3 | Bears § | |||
| 30 | 6 | 5 | Eagles Chiefs Rams ^ | 1999 | |||
| 31 | † | 6 | 6 | Bears ^ | 1985 | ||
| 32 | 5 | 2 | Cowboys ^ | 1995 | |||
| 32 | 5 | 2 | Texans Broncos ^ | 2015 | |||
| 34 | † | 5 | 3 | Dallas Texans / Chiefs ‡ | |||
| 34 | 5 | 3 | Ravens ^ | 2000 | |||
| 34 | 5 | 3 | 49ers | ||||
| 37 | ' | 5 | 4 | Raiders Buccaneers ^ | 2002 | ||
| 38 | 5 | 6 | |||||
| 39 | 5 | 13 | |||||
| 40 | † | 4 | 1 | Colts § | |||
| 40 | † | 4 | 1 | Jets~ | |||
| 40 | 4 | 1 | Colts ^ | 1970 | |||
| 42 | 4 | 2 | Cardinals | ||||
| 42 | 4 | 2 | Jets | ||||
| 42 | ' | 4 | 2 | Eagles ^ | 2017 | ||
| 45 | 4 | 3 | |||||
| 46 | 4 | 4 | Redskins Chargers | ||||
| 47 | 4 | 6 | Rams | ||||
| 48 | † | 4 | 8 | Browns § Bengals | |||
| 48 | 4 | 8 | Vikings | ||||
| 50 | † | 3 | 1 | Eagles § | |||
| 50 | 3 | 1 | Lions § | ||||
| 52 | † | 3 | 2 | Packers § | |||
| 52 | † | 3 | 2 | Patriots | |||
| 52 | 3 | 2 | Bengals | ||||
| 52 | ' | 3 | 2 | Falcons | |||
| 56 | 3 | 3 | Bears | ||||
| 56 | 3 | 3 | Vikings | ||||
| 56 | 3 | 3 | Rams | ||||
| 56 | 3 | 3 | Colts | ||||
| 60 | 3 | 4 | Browns * | 1964 | |||
| 60 | 3 | 4 | |||||
| 60 | 3 | 4 | 49ers | ||||
| 60 | 3 | 4 | Rams | ||||
| 60 | ' | 3 | 4 | Panthers | |||
| 65 | 3 | 5 | Chargers Lions | ||||
| 66 | 3 | 6 | Cardinals Chargers | ||||
| 67 | 2 | 0 | Lions * | 1957 | |||
| 68 | † | 2 | 1 | Rams * | 1951 | ||
| 68 | 2 | 1 | Raiders | ||||
| 68 | ' | 2 | 1 | Jaguars | |||
| 68 | Mike Vrabel | 2 | 1 | Titans | |||
| 68 | ' | 2 | 1 | 49ers | |||
| 73 | † | 2 | 2 | Redskins § | |||
| 73 | 2 | 2 | Bills ‡ | ||||
| 73 | 2 | 2 | Giants * | 1956 | |||
| 73 | 2 | 2 | Raiders ~ | ||||
| 73 | † | 2 | 2 | Bengals | |||
| 73 | 2 | 2 | Jets | ||||
| 73 | ' | 2 | 2 | Rams | |||
| 80 | 2 | 3 | Broncos | ||||
| 80 | 2 | 3 | 49ers | ||||
| 80 | † | 2 | 3 | Raiders | |||
| 80 | 2 | 3 | Giants | ||||
| 80 | 2 | 3 | Bears Dolphins | ||||
| 80 | 2 | 3 | Cowboys | ||||
| 80 | ' | 2 | 3 | Vikings | |||
| 87 | 2 | 4 | Colts | ||||
| 87 | 2 | 4 | Jets Chiefs | ||||
| 87 | 2 | 4 | Packers | ||||
| 87 | 2 | 4 | Colts Lions | ||||
| 87 | Bill O'Brien | 2 | 4 | Texans | |||
| 92 | † | 2 | 7 | Rams Redskins | |||
| 93 | † | 2 | 8 | Giants § | |||
| 94 | 1 | 0 | Lions * | 1935 | |||
| 94 | 1 | 0 | Rams * | 1945 | |||
| 94 | 1 | 0 | Eagles * | 1960 | |||
| 94 | 1 | 0 | Oilers ~ | ||||
| 98 | and co-coach Luke Johnsos | 1 | 1 | Bears * | 1943 | ||
| 98 | † | 1 | 1 | Cardinals * | 1947 | ||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Patriots | ||||
| 98 | † | 1 | 1 | Packers | |||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Panthers | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Saints | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Giants | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Eagles | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Vikings | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Falcons | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Cardinals | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Browns | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Redskins | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Chargers | ||||
| 98 | 1 | 1 | Titans | ||||
| 98 | ' | 1 | 1 | Colts | |||
| 98 | ' | 1 | 1 | Chargers | |||
| 98 | ' | 1 | 1 | Packers | |||
| 116 | 1 | 2 | Oilers ~ | ||||
| 116 | 1 | 2 | Vikings | ||||
| 116 | 1 | 2 | Eagles | ||||
| 116 | 1 | 2 | Jets | ||||
| 116 | 1 | 2 | Cardinals | ||||
| 121 | 1 | 3 | Falcons | ||||
| 121 | 1 | 3 | Buccaneers | ||||
| 121 | 1 | 3 | Jaguars Raiders | ||||
| 124 | 1 | 4 | Lions | ||||
| 124 | 1 | 4 | Falcons | ||||
| 126 | † | 1 | 5 | Rams Chargers ~ ''' | |||
| 126 | 1 | 5 | Bears Oilers | ||||
| 126 | 1 | 5 | Broncos Bills Cowboys | ||||
| Rank | Coach | Wins | Losses | Percent | Team Listed in order coached | Championship Season | Ref |
Remaining Coaches
All records can be verified at Pro Football reference.com.This is a list of all men that have coached in playoff games that have no wins.
Updated through the 2019 season.
| Bold denotes an active coach | |
| † | Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
| Team | Coach |
| 49ers | Frankie Albert |
| Bears | Neill Armstrong |
| Bears | Paddy Driscoll† |
| Bears | Dick Jauron |
| Bears | Matt Nagy |
| Bills | Joe Collier |
| Browns | Butch Davis |
| Cardinals | Jim Hanifan |
| Chiefs | Todd Haley |
| Chiefs | John Mackovic |
| Colts | Lindy Infante |
| Dolphins | Tony Sparano |
| Dolphins | Adam Gase |
| Eagles | Chip Kelly |
| Falcons | June Jones |
| Giants | Ben McAdoo |
| Jets | Bruce Coslet |
| Jets | Eric Mangini |
| Lions | Joe Schmidt† |
| Lions | Jim Schwartz |
| Packers | Dan Devine |
| Rams | Hamp Pool |
| Rams | Clark Shaughnessy |
| Redskins | Dudley DeGroot |
| Redskins | |
| Steelers | Jock Sutherland |
| Oilers | Pop Ivy |
| Vikings | Leslie Frazier |
| Sam Rutigliano | Browns |
| Nick Skorich | Browns |
| Sean McDermott | Bills |
| Chan Gailey | Cowboys |
| Monte Clark | Lions |
| Chuck Fairbanks | Patriots |
| Ron Meyer | Patriots Colts |
| Jim Mora | Saints Colts |