In January, legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots mutually agreed to part ways. Shockingly, the eight-time Super Bowl winner didn’t get a head coaching job during the hiring cycle last offseason, so one of the winningest head coaches in NFL history spent the 2024 season broadcasting instead of being on the sideline. Even more shockingly, Belichick decided to pursue a college head coaching position and signed with North Carolina on a three-year deal.
Which head coach has the most wins in NFL history? Which active coach has racked up the most victories? Where does Belichick rank all-time? Let’s examine the head coaches with the most wins in NFL history across the regular season and playoffs combined.
This list is accurate as of Week 16 of the 2024 NFL season. Active head coaches are denoted in italics.
Most Wins By an NFL Head Coach
1. Don Shula – 347
2. Bill Belichick – 333
3. George Halas – 324
4. Andy Reid – 298
5. Tom Landry – 270
6. Curly Lambeau – 229
7. Paul Brown – 222
8. Chuck Noll – 209
9. Marty Schottenheimer – 205
10. Dan Reeves – 201
11-20
11. Chuck Knox – 193
12. Mike Tomlin – 191
13 Mike McCarthy – 185
14. Bill Parcells – 183
15. Tom Coughlin – 182
16. Pete Carroll – 181
17. John Harbaugh – 182
T-18. Mike Shanahan – 178
T-18. Jeff Fisher – 178
19. Sean Payton – 178
20. Mike Holmgren – 174
22-30
22. Joe Gibbs – 171
23. Bud Grant – 168
24. Bill Cowher – 161
25. Steve Owen – 155
26. Marv Levy – 154
27. Tony Dungy – 148
28. John Fox – 141
29. Hank Stram – 136
30. Weeb Ewbank – 134
31-40
31. Marvin Lewis – 131
32. Mike Ditka – 127
33. Dick Vermeil – 126
34. Jim Mora – 125
35. George Seifert – 124
36. Sid Gillman – 123
37. Jon Gruden – 122
38. George Allen – 118
39. Norv Turner – 118
40. Dennis Green – 117
41-50
41. Don Coryell – 114
42. John Madden – 112
43. Buddy Parker – 107
44. Tom Flores – 105
45. Vince Lombardi – 105
46. Ron Rivera – 105
47. Bill Walsh – 102
48. Lou Saban – 97
49. Lovie Smith – 95
50. Jack Del Rio – 94
Don Shula Has the Most Wins in NFL History
Shula’s storied NFL career spanned 33 seasons (from 1963 to 1995), spending seven seasons coaching the Baltimore Colts before leading the Miami Dolphins for 26 seasons.
Shula’s time in Baltimore is overlooked, but it was incredibly impressive. He finished with a 71-23 regular-season record (.755 winning percentage), and he went 2-3 in the playoffs to finish 73-26 overall. Unfortunately, he was unable to win a Super Bowl in Baltimore, suffering a shocking loss to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III.
MORE: Ranking the Greatest Coaches in NFL History
In 1970, he was hired by Miami, and within the span of four seasons, he coached the Dolphins to three Super Bowls, winning two. In 1972, he led the Dolphins to a perfect 14-0 record as they won their first Super Bowl. They repeated as champions in 1973, going 12-2.
Shula would remain in Miami for another 22 years. While he would lead them to two more Super Bowls, they lost in both. He retired in 1995 with a 257-133 regular-season record (.659 winning percentage). His playoff record in Miami was 17-14 for a 274-147 overall record (.651 winning percentage).
Which Active Coaches Could Finish Top 10 in Wins?
There are currently four active head coaches who sit in the top 20.
The highest is Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who has the fourth-most career wins (285) in NFL history. With Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s loaded roster, he should continue to add to that total in the coming years. With that said, Reid will need to coach for several more years to crack the top three.
As of now, Belichick is the second-winningest coach in NFL history with 333 wins. Also, he holds the NFL record for most postseason wins, with 31. The runner-up is Reid, with 26 playoff victories. Belichick recently decided to go back to the college ranks, signing with North Carolina to be their next head coach. His 3-year deal keeps him tied to the program for some time, but there is always the possibility he returns to the NFL to continue chasing Shula’s record.