Would Joe Gibbs Be Considered The Greatest Coach If He Won SB 18?

[JoeRedskin]

The best? As with quarterbacks, these "TBE" discussions are really kind of pointless b/c it is so subjective and so many variables come into play.

Curly Lambeau. Coached for 27 years and won 6 championships between 1929 - 1944

George Halas. He revolutionized pro ball and, when the Packers weren't winning championships in the 30's & 40's, Halas was. Four between 1932 - 1941 and another, after a coaching hiatus, in '46.

Paul Brown. Many would say that any "Best Ever" coaching discussion begins and ends with him. Three championships between 1950 -1962 (Plus 4 straight in the AAFC). Also, not just a winner but an innovator whose methods still are in play today.

Lombardi. When your the best, you win the trophy named after him. I mean, come on, they named the damn trophy after him.

Don Shula. Most wins ever. A perfect season (accomplished with his starting QB out for a significant part of the season), 2 SB Championships and 5 SB appearances (4 w/ Miami, 1 w/ Baltimore).

Chuck Noll. 4 for 4 in the SB and a decade of dominance.

(Choking as I say this) Landry. 28 years of coaching including making the playoffs 18 of 20 times between 1966 -1985. Innovator on offense & defense, 2 SB wins in 4 appearances.

Bill Walsh. Brown's disciple also both a winner and innovator. He and Gibbs are clearly the 1A and 1B as to the "best coach of the 80's" (and addressing the initial question, had Gibbs beaten the Raiders, I think Gibbs would have been the clear "Best Coach of the 80's" with Walsh a very, very close 2nd).

In the 90's who stands out? Nobody to me really, maybe Parcells. He may be in the discussion for "Top Ten" coaches, not sure he is part of the "Best Ever" discussion.

Belichick. Learned at Parcells feet and upped the ante.

Really after Walsh and Gibbs in the 80's and now Belichick, is there anyone really able to be in this discussion? Coaching careers seem much shorter. Fewer and fewer repeat SB champs as coach. In the 70's Shula, Noll & Landry repeated as SB Champs. In the 80's Walsh, Gibbs repeated.

In the 90's, Johnson repeated but only coached 5 years. Shanahan won two and has longevity and a good record but seems to be lacking that certain
something that would put him in the "Best Ever" category. I would have to say that, after the Gibbs/Walsh era, the only coach entering the "Best Ever" discussion would be Belichick.

Still, that leaves quite a few who could easily qualify as "Best Ever".

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I think Belichick is an absolutely amazing coach. Best of this era without question.

Probably true, but his will always be tainted....even if the cheating didn't directly contribute to the wins...there's always that cloud hanging over them.

He'll be respected as a coach for sure. As a human? Not so much.


Coach Gibbs is one of the best coaches as well as one of the best men period ever associated with the NFL.

There's an easy classless vs. classy comparison with Bellichick/Gibbs.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by WilbursHomie

Joe Gibbs is the greatest coach/human being in any profession ever.

Thank you for checking in, Coy Gibbs.

[Monkeydad]

Don't be such a curmudgeon.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

X 2. However having a QB that can throw the ball like Brady doesn't hurt. But no question Hoodie is a great coach.

Sure. I mean who is Bill Walsh without Young and Montana? Who is Chuck Knoll without Bradshaw? Jimmy Johnson without Aikman? Ummm, Shanahan without Elway?

All the coaching legends have great players. I think one thing that really stands out about Gibbs is winning three Super Bowls with three totally unspectacular quarterbacks.

There's just something about the Patriot way. I mean, how often in today's pro sports world do you see guys taking less money to play somewhere? And the way everyone buys into his system, the way he brings along young players year after year... I love coach Gibbs, but in the free agent era, Belichick is far and away the best coach we've seen. IMO it's not even close. He's amazing. I don't care if he's a douche. All the haters can kiss his rings.

I've always been a Tom Brady fan (doesn't hurt that I can't stand the Jets), and I'm pulling for them down the stretch. My mom is from right outside of Pittsburgh, so a big slice of my extended family are big Steelers fans. It would be great to see another Pats-Steelers AFC championship game.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Sure. I mean who is Bill Walsh without Young and Montana? Who is Chuck Knoll without Bradshaw? Jimmy Johnson without Aikman? Ummm, Shanahan without Elway?

All the coaching legends have great players. I think one thing that really stands out about Gibbs is winning three Super Bowls with three totally unspectacular quarterbacks.

There's just something about the Patriot way. I mean, how often in today's pro sports world do you see guys taking less money to play somewhere? And the way everyone buys into his system, the way he brings along young players year after year... I love coach Gibbs, but in the free agent era, Belichick is far and away the best coach we've seen. IMO it's not even close. He's amazing. I don't care if he's a douche. All the haters can kiss his rings.

I've always been a Tom Brady fan (doesn't hurt that I can't stand the Jets), and I'm pulling for them down the stretch. My mom is from right outside of Pittsburgh, so a big slice of my extended family are big Steelers fans. It would be great to see another Pats-Steelers AFC championship game.

That's the difference between them and us. People go there to win and people come here to get paid.

[SmootSmack]

ESPN.com - E-ticket: Under The Hoodie

I think many people, myself included, thought Belichick was a decent coach with Cleveland and performed admirably under adverse conditions but that he was probably destined for a solid yet unspectacular NFL head coaching career, if that.

What's he done is simply remarkable

[NYCSkin]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Sure. I mean who is Bill Walsh without Young and Montana? Who is Chuck Knoll without Bradshaw? Jimmy Johnson without Aikman? Ummm, Shanahan without Elway?

All the coaching legends have great players. I think one thing that really stands out about Gibbs is winning three Super Bowls with three totally unspectacular quarterbacks.

There's just something about the Patriot way. I mean, how often in today's pro sports world do you see guys taking less money to play somewhere? And the way everyone buys into his system, the way he brings along young players year after year... I love coach Gibbs, but in the free agent era, Belichick is far and away the best coach we've seen. IMO it's not even close. He's amazing. I don't care if he's a douche. All the haters can kiss his rings.

I've always been a Tom Brady fan (doesn't hurt that I can't stand the Jets), and I'm pulling for them down the stretch. My mom is from right outside of Pittsburgh, so a big slice of my extended family are big Steelers fans. It would be great to see another Pats-Steelers AFC championship game.

That's the key point. All of the other great coaches, including Belichek, had HOF QBs. Even the great "SB loser" coaches like Bud Grant and Marv Levy had Tarkenton and Kelly who were awesome QBs for the duration of their long careers. It's either Gibbs or Shula IMO. And Shula should have won more having 2 HOF QBs during his career!

Just imagine if Casserly had picked Brett Favre instead of Bobby Wilson in 91...

[SouperMeister]

I think that Lombardi will always be the ultimate measuring stick for NFL coaches. Gibbs would have been a small notch below with a victory in Super Bowl XVIII. That was such a great Redskins team, but everything that could have gone wrong did that game - blocked punt for a TD, Rocket Screen intercepted for a TD, Marcus Allen reversing field for a long TD run on a broken play. A complete nightmare.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

That's the difference between them and us. People go there to win and people come here to get paid.

Touché!

[Shadowbyte]

My vote goes to Gibbs, for the very reason that many others have stated. 3 SB's, with 3 different starting QB's. And to top it off, he did that in a 10 year span. That's unthinkable.

[MTK]

Just saw a great special on Lombardi on HBO the other night, highly recommend it

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Just saw a great special on Lombardi on HBO the other night, highly recommend it

In that vein, I highly recommend reading When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi (by David Maraniss). Just a fascinating read for old-school NFL fans.

[saden1]

Joe Gibbs has 3 SB rings and is in the Hall of Fame...that's all that matters.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

The best? As with quarterbacks, these "TBE" discussions are really kind of pointless b/c it is so subjective and so many variables come into play.

Curly Lambeau. Coached for 27 years and won 6 championships between 1929 - 1944

George Halas. He revolutionized pro ball and, when the Packers weren't winning championships in the 30's & 40's, Halas was. Four between 1932 - 1941 and another, after a coaching hiatus, in '46.

Paul Brown. Many would say that any "Best Ever" coaching discussion begins and ends with him. Three championships between 1950 -1962 (Plus 4 straight in the AAFC). Also, not just a winner but an innovator whose methods still are in play today.

Lombardi. When your the best, you win the trophy named after him. I mean, come on, they named the damn trophy after him.

Don Shula. Most wins ever. A perfect season (accomplished with his starting QB out for a significant part of the season), 2 SB Championships and 5 SB appearances (4 w/ Miami, 1 w/ Baltimore).

Chuck Noll. 4 for 4 in the SB and a decade of dominance.

(Choking as I say this) Landry. 28 years of coaching including making the playoffs 18 of 20 times between 1966 -1985. Innovator on offense & defense, 2 SB wins in 4 appearances.

Bill Walsh. Brown's disciple also both a winner and innovator. He and Gibbs are clearly the 1A and 1B as to the "best coach of the 80's" (and addressing the initial question, had Gibbs beaten the Raiders, I think Gibbs would have been the clear "Best Coach of the 80's" with Walsh a very, very close 2nd).

In the 90's who stands out? Nobody to me really, maybe Parcells. He may be in the discussion for "Top Ten" coaches, not sure he is part of the "Best Ever" discussion.

Belichick. Learned at Parcells feet and upped the ante.

Really after Walsh and Gibbs in the 80's and now Belichick, is there anyone really able to be in this discussion? Coaching careers seem much shorter. Fewer and fewer repeat SB champs as coach. In the 70's Shula, Noll & Landry repeated as SB Champs. In the 80's Walsh, Gibbs repeated.

In the 90's, Johnson repeated but only coached 5 years. Shanahan won two and has longevity and a good record but seems to be lacking that certain
something that would put him in the "Best Ever" category. I would have to say that, after the Gibbs/Walsh era, the only coach entering the "Best Ever" discussion would be Belichick.

Still, that leaves quite a few who could easily qualify as "Best Ever".

Amazing how most people act as if the NFL didn't exist before they were born. Nobody's worse at that than Mike Greenberg. If it didn't happen in his lifetime, it never happened.