The Super Bowl is the biggest event in professional football and is the pinnacle of success for any coach. Taking your team to the Super Bowl and hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy is a dream. Unfortunately, not all coaches are able to experience the joy of winning a Super Bowl.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the top 10 best NFL coaches to never win a Super Bowl. We’ll explore why these great coaches have yet to win the big game. So let’s begin our journey as we look at the best coaches to never win a Super Bowl.
A Table of 10 Best Coaches to Never Win a Super Bowl
| Coach Name | Team | Carrier Year |
| Paul Brown | Severn School Massillon Washington High School Ohio State Great Lakes Navy Cleveland Browns Cincinnati Bengals | 1930–1931 1932–1940 1941–1943 1944–1945 1946–1962 1968–1975 1968–1975 |
| Jeff Fisher | Chicago Bears Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles Los Angeles Rams San Francisco 49ers Houston Oilers Houston/Tennessee Oilers /Titans St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams | 1985 1986–1988 1989–1990 1991 1992–1993 1994 1995–2010 2012–2016 |
| Bud Grant | Winnipeg Blue Bombers Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings | 1957–1966 1967–1983 1985 |
| Andy Reid | BYU San Francisco State Northern Arizona UTEP Missouri Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers Philadelphia Eagles Kansas City Chiefs | 1982 1983–1985 1986 1987–1988 1989–1991 1992–1996 1997–1998 1999–2012 2013–present |
| Sid Gillman | Michigan State Denison Ohio State Denison Miami (OH) Miami (OH) Army Cincinnati Los Angeles Rams Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers Houston Oilers Chicago Bears Philadelphia Eagles | 1934 1935–1937 1938–1940 1941 1942–1943 1944–1947 1948 1949–1954 1955–1959 1960–1969 1973–1974 1977 1979–1981 |
| Chuck Knox | New York Jets Detroit LionsLos Angeles Rams Buffalo Bills Seattle Seahawks Los Angeles Rams | 1963–1966 1967–1972 1973–1977 1978–1982 1983–1991 1992–1994 |
| Marv Levy | St. Louis Country Day School Coe New Mexico New Mexico California William & Mary Philadelphia Eagles Los Angeles Rams Washington Redskins Montreal Alouettes Kansas City Chiefs Chicago Blitz Buffalo Bills | 1951–1952 1953–19541954–19581958–19591960–19631964–1968196919701971–19721973–19771978–198219841986–1997 |
| Chuck Knox | New York Jets Detroit Lions Los Angeles Rams Buffalo Bills Seattle Seahawks Los Angeles Rams | 1963–1966 1967–1972 1973–1977 1978–1982 1983–1991 1992–1994 |
| Marty Schottenheimer | Portland Storm New York Giants New York Giants Detroit Lions Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Kansas City Chiefs Washington Redskins San Diego Chargers Virginia Destroyers | 19741975–197619771978–19791980–19841984–19881989–199820012002–20062011 |
| Dan Reeves | Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos New York Giants Atlanta Falcons | 1974–1980 1981–1992 1993–1996 1997–2003 |
10 Best NFL Coaches To Never Win a Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the biggest prize in professional football, and it’s no surprise that those who lead their teams to the Super Bowl are held in high regard. But what about the coaches who never got the chance to win the ultimate prize?
Here are the 10 best NFL coaches who never won a Super Bowl:
1. Paul Brown
When you think of the best NFL coach to win a Super Bowl, the first name that comes to mind is Paul Brown. He is considered by many to be the father of modern football and was the first coach to use a playbook.
He also helped develop the 12-man roster and was one of the first coaches to emphasize conditioning. Paul Brown has won seven championships, four in the AAFC and three in the NFL. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to win a Super Bowl. He lost his only appearance in 1968 when his team lost to the Jets.
Still, Brown left a lasting legacy on the game and is considered one of the most innovative coaches in NFL history. He finished his career with 213 wins and 104 losses.
2. Jeff Fisher
You could make the argument that, of all the coaches on this list, Jeff Fisher has had the most unlucky career. He’s come close—so close—to winning a Super Bowl on several occasions, but it just hasn’t happened for him.
He entered the NFL in 1994 as the defensive coordinator for the Houston Oilers and was promoted to Head Coach in 1995. In 1999, he led the Oilers (now known as the Tennessee Titans) to their first and only Super Bowl appearance. They ultimately lost to the Kurt Warner-led St. Louis Rams 23-16.
Since then, he’s made it to the playoffs six times but has never won a championship game. In fact, his teams have lost seven of those playoff games. In 2016, he was fired by the Los Angeles Rams after a 4-9 start to the season.
Fisher is a journeyman coach. He’s never been afraid of a new challenge and has always been willing to relocate and start fresh with a new team. He’s been criticized for his lack of offensive creativity, but he’s always been known as a great defensive mind.
3. Bud Grant
Bud Grant is one of the best NFL coaches to never win a Super Bowl. And while that’s a testament to his consistency and longevity, it’s a shame he never experienced ultimate success in the NFL.
What made Grant so successful was his ability to adapt. He was one of the first coaches to use video analysis to prepare for his opponents, and he was always willing to tinker with his team’s playbook and tactics. He was one of the first coaches to focus on conditioning and training, which helped him maintain a high level of success for a long time. Bud Grant spent 18 years with the Vikings, finishing with a 158-96 record. The Vikings played in four Super Bowls during Grant’s tenure. They did not win any of them.
Grant is still considered one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. And his legacy will live on as long as people talk about the best NFL coach to ever win a Super Bowl.
4. Andy Reid
Andy Reid has taken his team to the Super Bowl once, but they lost to the New England Patriots in 2004. And while that was a tough loss, Reid has had plenty of other chances to win it all—he just hasn’t been able to get over the hump.
In fact, Reid has coached in the playoffs 18 times and has a record of 12-6. But here’s the thing: he’s never been able to get past the conference championship game. And that’s got to be frustrating for a guy who’s otherwise had so much success.
So why can’t Reid get over the hump? It’s hard to say. Maybe his teams just don’t have that extra bit of magic that’s needed to win it all. Or maybe he’s just not as lucky as some of the other coaches who have won multiple Super Bowls.
Either way, Reid is one of the best coaches in the NFL, and it’s only a matter of time before he wins a Super Bowl—even if it is with another team.
5. Sid Gillman
You may not know the name Sid Gilman, but he is one of the most important figures in NFL history. He is credited with inventing the modern passing game, and his influence can still be seen today.
Gilman coached several teams during his career, including the San Diego Chargers, whom he led to an AFL championship in 1963. Sid Gilman won the AFL championship in 1963 but coached until 1974, but the Super Bowl eluded him. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983, but sadly, he never won a Super Bowl.
Sid Gilman won the AFL championship in 1963 but coached until 1974, but the Super Bowl eluded him.
6. Marv Levy
You might be wondering why we’re talking about NFL coaches who have never won a Super Bowl. And we’ll get to that. But first, let’s talk about Marv Levy.
You might know him as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills during their four-time Super Bowl run in the early 1990s. But what you might not know is that Levy is also the only head coach in NFL history to take two different teams to the Super Bowl.
He had a successful career with the Bills, but he never got over the hump and won that Super Bowl championship. In fact, he’s one of only six coaches in NFL history to make it to four or more Super Bowls without actually winning one.
7. Chuck Knox
Began his career with the Los Angeles Rams. He is one of the best NFL coaches to never win a Super Bowl. He started as a head coach in the NFL in 1973 with the Buffalo Bills. He had a successful run there, leading the Bills to the playoffs four times in five years.
In 1978, Knox moved to the Seattle Seahawks and led them to a winning team. He led the Seahawks to six playoff appearances in 10 years. In 1991, Knox retired from coaching in the NFL. If not for bad luck, he could have been a Super Bowl champion.
8. Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer is a coach who always came so close to winning big but never quite made it. He led five different NFL teams to the playoffs but never took home the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Some say his coaching style is dated and doesn’t reflect today’s pass-happy NFL. Others claim that he is simply not a good game manager and that his teams tend to self-destruct when under pressure.
What is undeniable, however, is Schottenheimer’s track record of success. He is one of eight coaches in NFL history to win more than 200 games and has a winning percentage of .618 – the highest of any coach who has not won a Super Bowl.
9. Sam Wyche
You might not know the name Sam Wyche, but he’s one of the best NFL coaches to never win a super bowl. He coached the Cincinnati Bengals from 1984 to 1991 and led them to two AFC Championships.
So why didn’t he win a super bowl? In part, it was because he was up against some stiff competition. In 1988, he lost to Bill Walsh and the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. And in 1989, he lost to Joe Gibbs and the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl.
Wyche was also known for being a bit of a rebel. He was fined for using an illegal two-point conversion play in a game against the Houston Oilers. And he was once suspended for four games for berating an official.
Despite all of that, Wyche was a great coach who had a lot of success. He just couldn’t quite get over the hump and win a super bowl.
10. Dan Reeves
You might be surprised to see Dan Reeves on this list. After all, he did take the Broncos to three Super Bowls in the ’80s. But alas, he never won the big game, coming up short each time.
Reeves is one of the most successful coaches in NFL history, but his Super Bowl record leaves something to be desired. In fact, he’s tied with Marty Schottenheimer for the most losses in Super Bowl history (three).
Reeves is also the only coach on this list to have coached two teams in the Super Bowl. He led the Denver Broncos to Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXII, both of which they lost. He then coached the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII, which they also lost.
So why didn’t Reeves ever win a Super Bowl? Some say it was because he was too loyal to quarterback John Elway, sticking with him even when he was past his prime. Others say Reeves was simply unlucky, being on the wrong side of some close games.
Whatever the reason, Reeves is one of the best coaches never to win a Super Bowl.
Conclusion
So, these are some of the best NFL coaches to never win a Super Bowl. While some of them may have come close, they all have something in common- an illustrious career that is still missing one important accolade. We hope one of these great coaches finally gets to hoist the Lombardi Trophy soon!
