The NFL Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the National Football League (NFL) head coach who has done the most outstanding job of working with the talent he has at his disposal. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the Associated Press (AP), although in the past several awards received press recognition. First presented in 1957, the AP award also gave out an award to coaches of the American Football League (AFL) from 1961 to 1969. The Sporting News has given a pro football coach of the year award since 1947 and in 1949 gave its award to a non-NFL coach, Paul Brown of the All-America Football Conference's Cleveland Browns. Other NFL Coach of the Year awards are presented by Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America and the Maxwell Football Club. The United Press International (UPI) NFL Coach of the Year award was first presented in 1955. From 1960 to 1969, before the AFL–NFL merger, an award was also given to the most outstanding coach from the AFL. When the leagues merged in 1970, separate awards were given to the best coaches from the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC). The UPI discontinued the awards after 1996.
AP NFL Coach of the Year
BoldDenotes team won the Super Bowl/NFL Championship that seasonItalicDenotes first year head coach of that team*Denotes interim coach Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a head coach
Season Coach Team Record1957George WilsonDetroit Lions8–41958Baltimore Colts9–31959Green Bay Packers7–51960Buck ShawPhiladelphia Eagles10–21961Allie ShermanNew York Giants10–3–11962Allie Sherman (2)New York Giants12–21963Chicago Bears11–1–21964Baltimore Colts12–21965(2)Chicago Bears9–51966Dallas Cowboys10–3–11967(2) (tie)Los Angeles RamsBaltimore Colts11–1–211–1–21968(3)Baltimore Colts13–11969Minnesota Vikings12–21970Cincinnati Bengals8–61971(2)Washington Redskins9–4–11972(4)Miami Dolphins14–01973Chuck KnoxLos Angeles Rams12–21974St. Louis Cardinals10–41975Ted MarchibrodaBaltimore Colts10–41976Forrest GreggCleveland Browns9–51977Red MillerDenver Broncos12–21978Jack PateraSeattle Seahawks9–71979Jack PardeeWashington Redskins10–61980Chuck Knox (2)Buffalo Bills11–51981San Francisco 49ers13–31982Washington Redskins8–11983(2)Washington Redskins14–21984Chuck Knox (3)Seattle Seahawks12–41985Mike DitkaChicago Bears15–11986New York Giants14–21987Jim MoraNew Orleans Saints12–31988Mike Ditka (2)Chicago Bears12–41989Lindy InfanteGreen Bay Packers10–61990Dallas Cowboys7–91991Wayne FontesDetroit Lions12–41992Pittsburgh Steelers11–51993Dan ReevesNew York Giants11–51994(2)New England Patriots10–61995Ray RhodesPhiladelphia Eagles10–61996Dom CapersCarolina Panthers12–41997Jim FasselNew York Giants10–5–11998Dan Reeves (2)Atlanta Falcons14–21999St. Louis Rams13–32000Jim HaslettNew Orleans Saints10–62001Dick JauronChicago Bears13–32002Andy ReidPhiladelphia Eagles12–42003Bill BelichickNew England Patriots14–22004Marty SchottenheimerSan Diego Chargers12–42005Lovie SmithChicago Bears11–52006Sean PaytonNew Orleans Saints10–62007Bill Belichick (2)New England Patriots16–02008Mike SmithAtlanta Falcons11–52009Marvin LewisCincinnati Bengals10–62010Bill Belichick (3)New England Patriots14–22011Jim HarbaughSan Francisco 49ers13–32012Bruce Arians*Indianapolis Colts11–52013Ron RiveraCarolina Panthers12–42014Bruce Arians (2)Arizona Cardinals11–52015Ron Rivera (2)Carolina Panthers15–12016Jason GarrettDallas Cowboys13–32017Sean McVayLos Angeles Rams11–52018Matt NagyChicago Bears12–42019John HarbaughBaltimore Ravens14–22020Kevin StefanskiCleveland Browns11–52021Mike VrabelTennessee Titans12–52022Brian DabollNew York Giants9–7–12023Kevin Stefanski (2)Cleveland Browns11–62024Kevin O'ConnellMinnesota Vikings14–32025Mike Vrabel (2)New England Patriots14–3
The Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year
YearNFL CoachTeam1947Jimmy ConzelmanChicago Cardinals1948Greasy NealePhiladelphia Eagles1949Paul BrownCleveland Browns1950Steve OwenNew York Giants1951Paul Brown (2)Cleveland Browns1952J. Hampton PoolLos Angeles Rams1953Paul Brown (3)Cleveland Browns19541955Joe KuharichWashington Redskins1956Jim Lee HowellNew York Giants19571958195919601961Vince LombardiGreen Bay Packers19621963George HalasChicago Bears1964Don ShulaBaltimore Colts1965George Halas (2)Chicago Bears1966Tom LandryDallas Cowboys1967George AllenLos Angeles Rams1968Don Shula (2)Baltimore Colts1969Bud GrantMinnesota Vikings1970Don Shula (3)Miami Dolphins1971George Allen (2)Washington Redskins1972Don Shula (4)Miami Dolphins1973Chuck KnoxLos Angeles Rams1974Don CoryellSt. Louis Cardinals1975Ted MarchibrodaBaltimore Colts1976Chuck FairbanksNew England Patriots1977Red MillerDenver Broncos1978Jack PateraSeattle Seahawks1979Dick VermeilPhiladelphia Eagles1980Chuck Knox (2)Buffalo Bills1981Bill WalshSan Francisco 49ers1982Joe GibbsWashington Redskins1983Joe Gibbs (2)Washington Redskins1984Chuck Knox (3)Seattle Seahawks1985Mike DitkaChicago Bears1986Bill ParcellsNew York Giants1987Jim MoraNew Orleans Saints1988Marv LevyBuffalo Bills1989Lindy InfanteGreen Bay Packers1990George SeifertSan Francisco 49ers1991Joe Gibbs (3)Washington Redskins1992Bill CowherPittsburgh Steelers1993Dan ReevesNew York Giants1994George Seifert (2)San Francisco 49ers1995Ray RhodesPhiladelphia Eagles1996Dom CapersCarolina Panthers1997Jim FasselNew York Giants1998Dan Reeves (2)Atlanta Falcons1999Dick Vermeil (2)St. Louis Rams2000Andy ReidPhiladelphia Eagles2001Dick JauronChicago Bears2002Andy Reid (2)Philadelphia Eagles2003Bill BelichickNew England Patriots2004Bill Cowher (2)Pittsburgh Steelers2005Tony DungyIndianapolis Colts2006Sean PaytonNew Orleans Saints2007Bill Belichick (2)New England Patriots2008Mike SmithAtlanta Falcons2009Sean Payton (2)New Orleans Saints2010Mike Smith (2)Atlanta Falcons2011Jim HarbaughSan Francisco 49ers2012Mike Smith (3)Atlanta Falcons2013Ron RiveraCarolina Panthers2014Bruce AriansArizona Cardinals2015Ron Rivera (2)Carolina Panthers2016Jason GarrettDallas Cowboys2017Sean McVayLos Angeles Rams2018Andy Reid (3)Kansas City Chiefs2019Kyle ShanahanSan Francisco 49ers2020Kevin StefanskiCleveland Browns2021Mike VrabelTennessee Titans2022Brian DabollNew York Giants2023Dan CampbellDetroit Lions2024Kevin O'ConnellMinnesota Vikings2025Mike Vrabel (2)New England Patriots
Pro Football Weekly NFL Coach of the Year
Year NFL Coach Team 1968 AFL – Hank Stram NFL – Don Shula Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore Colts 1969 AFL – John Madden NFL – Bud Grant Oakland Raiders Minnesota Vikings 1970 Don Shula (2) Miami Dolphins 1971 George Allen (2) Washington Redskins 1972 Don Shula (3) Miami Dolphins 1973 Chuck Knox Los Angeles Rams 1974 Don Coryell St. Louis Cardinals 1975 Ted Marchibroda Baltimore Colts 1976 Chuck Fairbanks New England Patriots 1977 Red Miller Denver Broncos 1978 Walt Michaels New York Jets 1979 Dick Vermeil Philadelphia Eagles 1980 Chuck Knox (2) Buffalo Bills 1981 Bill Walsh San Francisco 49ers 1982 Joe Gibbs Washington Redskins 1983 Joe Gibbs (2) Washington Redskins 1984 Dan Reeves Denver Broncos 1985 Mike Ditka Chicago Bears 1986 Bill Parcells New York Giants 1987 Jim Mora New Orleans Saints 1988 Mike Ditka Chicago Bears 1989 George Seifert San Francisco 49ers 1990 Art Shell Los Angeles Raiders 1991 Wayne Fontes Detroit Lions 1992 Bill Cowher Pittsburgh Steelers 1993 Dan Reeves (2) New York Giants 1994 Bill Parcells (2) New England Patriots 1995 Ray Rhodes Philadelphia Eagles 1996 Dom Capers Carolina Panthers 1997 Jim Fassel New York Giants 1998 Dan Reeves (3) Atlanta Falcons 1999 Dick Vermeil St. Louis Rams 2000 Jim Haslett New Orleans Saints 2001 Dick Jauron Chicago Bears 2002 Andy Reid Philadelphia Eagles 2003 Bill Belichick New England Patriots 2004 Marty Schottenheimer San Diego Chargers 2005 Lovie Smith Chicago Bears 2006 Sean Payton New Orleans Saints 2007 Bill Belichick (2) New England Patriots 2008 Tony Sparano Miami Dolphins
Greasy Neale Award (Maxwell Football Club)
The award, named after Earle "Greasy" Neale, was established in 1989 and is presented by the Maxwell Football Club to the top head coach in the NFL.
Year AFC/NFC Coach Team 1989 Chuck Noll Pittsburgh Steelers 1990 Art Shell Los Angeles Raiders 1991 Wayne Fontes Detroit Lions 1992 Bobby Ross San Diego Chargers 1993 Dan Reeves New York Giants 1994 Bill Parcells New England Patriots 1995 Ray Rhodes Philadelphia Eagles 1996 Dom Capers Carolina Panthers 1997 Tony Dungy Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1998 Dennis Green Minnesota Vikings 1999 Dick Vermeil St. Louis Rams 2000 Andy Reid Philadelphia Eagles 2001 Dick Jauron Chicago Bears 2002 Andy Reid (2) Philadelphia Eagles 2003 Dick Vermeil (2) Kansas City Chiefs 2004 Marty Schottenheimer San Diego Chargers 2005 Tony Dungy (2) Indianapolis Colts 2006 Sean Payton New Orleans Saints 2007 Bill Belichick New England Patriots 2008 Jeff Fisher Tennessee Titans 2009 Sean Payton (2) New Orleans Saints 2010 Andy Reid (3) Philadelphia Eagles 2011 Mike McCarthy Green Bay Packers 2012 Chuck Pagano/Bruce Arians Indianapolis Colts 2013 Chip Kelly Philadelphia Eagles 2014 Bruce Arians (2) Arizona Cardinals 2015 Ron Rivera Carolina Panthers 2016 Jack Del Rio Oakland Raiders2017 Doug Pederson Philadelphia Eagles2018 Andy Reid (4) Kansas City Chiefs2019 John Harbaugh Baltimore Ravens2020 Bruce Arians (3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers2021 Zac Taylor Cincinnati Bengals2022 Nick Sirianni Philadelphia Eagles2023 Dan Campbell Detroit Lions2024 Sean McDermott Buffalo Bills2025 Ben Johnson Chicago Bears
Touchdown Club of Columbus NFL Coach of the Year This award is officially called the Paul Brown Trophy.
Kansas City Committee of 101 AFC/NFC Coach of the Year Awards See: Kansas City Committee of 101 Awards#Coach of the Year Awards (NFC and AFC) (since 1969)
AP AFL Coach of the Year BoldDenotes team won the Super Bowl/AFL Championship that seasonItalicDenotes first year head coach of that team*Denotes interim coach Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a head coach or executive
Season Coach Team Record1961Wally Lemm*Houston Oilers10–3–11962Jack FaulknerDenver Broncos7–71963Oakland Raiders10–41964Mike HolovakBoston Patriots10–3–11965Lou SabanBuffalo Bills10–3–11966Kansas City Chiefs11–2–11967John RauchOakland Raiders13–11968 (2)Kansas City Chiefs12–21969Cincinnati Bengals4–9–1
UPI National Football League Coach of the Year