The best coaches not only pull their teams over the line to victory, but also leave a lasting legacy on their sport.
Best Sports Coaching Records
Unlike our list of the worst coaching records in history, these leaders were able to pull their teams over the line more often than not.
1. Phil Jackson – NBA
- Chicago Bulls (1989-1998): 545-193 (.738) regular season, 111-41 (.730) playoffs, 6 NBA championships
- Los Angeles Lakers (1999-2011): 610-292 (.676) regular season, 118-63 (.652) playoffs, 5 NBA championships
Phil Jackson is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history.
Over his career, Jackson led the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to a combined 11 NBA championships.
2. Vince Lombardi – NFL
- Green Bay Packers (1959-1967): 98-30-4 (.767) regular season, 9-1 (.900) playoffs, 5 NFL championships
Vince Lombardi’s name is synonymous with success in the NFL.
As head coach of the Green Bay Packers, Lombardi led his team to five NFL championships in seven years, including the first two Super Bowls.
3. Scotty Bowman – NHL
- Montreal Canadiens (1971-1979): 419-110-105 (.744) regular season, 70-23 (.753) playoffs, 5 Stanley Cups
- Pittsburgh Penguins (1991-1993): 95-53-16 (.625) regular season, 23-12 (.657) playoffs, 1 Stanley Cup
- Detroit Red Wings (1993-2002): 410-193-88 (.657) regular season, 83-42 (.664) playoffs, 3 Stanley Cups
Scotty Bowman is the most successful coach in NHL history, with nine Stanley Cup victories to his name.
Bowman achieved these with three different teams: the Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings.
4. Sir Alex Ferguson – Soccer
- Manchester United (1986-2013): 895-338-267 (.606) record, 13 Premier League titles, 2 UEFA Champions League titles
Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure as manager of Manchester United is legendary.
He led the club to 13 Premier League championships and 2 UEFA Champions League titles.
5. Bill Belichick – NFL
- New England Patriots (2000-present): 262-108 (.708) regular season, 31-13 (.705) playoffs, 6 Super Bowl titles
Bill Belichick is one of the most successful coaches in NFL history, leading the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles.
His strategic genius and adaptability kept the Patriots at the top of the league for two decades.
6. Pat Summitt – NCAA Women’s Basketball
- Tennessee Lady Volunteers (1974-2012): 1,098-208 (.841) record, 8 NCAA championships
Pat Summitt is a legendary figure in women’s basketball, coaching the Tennessee Lady Volunteers to eight NCAA championships.
7. Gregg Popovich – NBA
- San Antonio Spurs (1996-present): 1,335-693 (.658) regular season, 170-114 (.599) playoffs, 5 NBA championships
Gregg Popovich has led the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA championships, earning a reputation as one of the best coaches in basketball history.
8. Red Auerbach – NBA
- Boston Celtics (1950-1966): 938-479 (.662) record, 99-69 (.589) playoffs, 9 NBA championships
Red Auerbach is a legendary coach in NBA history, leading the Boston Celtics to nine championships during his tenure.
Auerbach was a pioneer in team strategy and player management.
9. John Wooden – NCAA Men’s Basketball
- UCLA Bruins (1948-1975): 664-162 (.804) record, 10 NCAA championships
John Wooden is widely considered the greatest coach in college basketball history. He led UCLA to 10 NCAA championships in 12 years, including seven consecutive titles.
10. Joe Gibbs – NFL
- Washington Redskins (1981-1992, 2004-2007): 154-94 (.621) regular season, 17-7 (.708) playoffs, 3 Super Bowl titles
Joe Gibbs achieved remarkable success in the NFL, winning three Super Bowl titles with the Washington Redskins. His ability to win with different quarterbacks and rosters is a reason for his amazing coaching record.
Check outour list of sports recrds that will never be broken.
