Top 5 All-Time Head Coaches?

[Football Man]

1. Bill Belichick
2. Vince Lombardi
3. Bill Walsh
4. Paul Brown
5. Don Shula

Belichick has revolutionized franchise leadership -- in both coaching and personnel management -- in the salary cap era. Unlike the other coaches on this list (and Gibbs, etc.), he can't benefit from a payroll gap between rich and poor franchises.

The current system was designed to create parity, but Belichick has gamed it via value-based player evaluation, a focus on position flexibility, and phenomenal game planning. He's the best coach in NFL history, bar none.

Of course, as we all remember, Belichick also turned the Giants' defense into a powerhouse, winning two Super Bowls as a coordinator during the '80s. . . . A lot has been said about his lack of success in Cleveland. I disagree with that assessment. Belichick inherited a 3-13, then led them to consecutive seasons of 6-10, 7-9, 7-9, and 10-6 (plus a playoff victory over Parcells' Patriots). This steady improvement only abated in his final season, which Art Modell wrecked by his pre-season decision to move to Baltimore, throwing the season (and fan base) into the sewer.