Most Decorated Coaches In American Sports History

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jun 7, 2010

Most Decorated Coaches In American Sports History

John Wooden

The Wizard of Westwood won 10 national championships -- the most in college basketball history -- in the span of just 12 years. He guided the Bruins to four perfect 30-0 seasons, logging an NCAA record 88 straight wins along the way.

Vince Lombardi

As the namesake of the Super Bowl trophy, Lombardi obviously made his mark on the NFL. Lombardi immediately transformed the Green Bay Packers into a powerhouse, winning five NFL titles and the first two Super Bowl crowns in nine seasons at the helm.

Phil Jackson

Following a productive playing career in which he logged two rings, the Zen Master has corralled an NBA record 10 championships on the bench (six with the Bulls, four with the Lakers). Jackson has never missed the playoffs as a coach, compiling a 1,098-460 record in the regular season and a 222-95 mark in the postseason.

Bear Bryant

In 38 years at Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Alabama, Bryant compiled a 323-85-17 record, with just one losing season along the way. The iconic coach with the trademark houndstooth fedora enjoyed the most success with the Crimson Tide, leading 'Bama to six national championships, 14 conference titles and three undefeated seasons. Bryant died 28 days after coaching his last game.

Red Auerbach

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach began his career coaching the Washington Capitals for three seasons and the Tri-Cities Blackhawks for one, but he truly took, but everything changed when he took over the Boston Celtics in 1950. Auerbach immediately turned around the cash-strapped franchise, making it competitive on an annual basis. Beginning with the 1956-57 season, Auerbach led the Celtics to nine NBA titles in 10 seasons.

Knute Rockne

His biography at the College Football Hall of Fame calls him "American football's most-renowned coach" -- and for good reason. During his 13-year tenure, Rockne lifted Notre Dame to national prominence, compiling an amazing 105-12-5 record (an astounding 88.1 winning percentage) and five national championships. Rockne won the last 19 games he coached before dying in a plane crash in 1931.

Casey Stengel

Stengel led the Yankees to five straight World Series titles from 1949-1953, winning seven overall. "The Old Perfessor" had his No. 37 retired by both the Yankees and the Mets, despite the fact that he posted just a 175-404 record with the latter (Stengel was a highly popular figure due to his unique charm).

Scotty Bowman

Bowman holds the distinction of being the only coach in the four American team sports to lead three different teams to championship titles, winning a record nine Stanley Cups with the Canadiens (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979), Penguins (1992) and Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002). Bowman holds the NHL record for most wins in a regular season (1,244) and most wins in the playoffs (223).

Pat Summitt

Summitt's 36-year run as Tennessee's head coach has been nothing short of remarkable. She owns a mind-boggling 1,034-195 career mark, leading the Lady Vols to eight national championships and 15 SEC titles.

Joe McCarthy

McCarthy managed the Cubs, Yankees and Red Sox from 1926-50, but his most notable achievements came during his 16 seasons in charge of the Bronx Bombers. McCarthy won seven World Series titles with the Yankees, including four in a row from 1936-1939. His career winning percentages during the regular (.615) and postseason (.698, all in the World Series) are both MLB records.

Adolph Rupp

Over the course of 41 seasons as Kentucky's head man, Rupp posted a record of 876-190, winning the NCAA tournament four times (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958) and the NIT once (1946). Rupp was chosen as the national coach of the year four times.

Paul Brown

Considered "the father of the modern offense," Brown was a winner at every level and one of the major figures in the development of the NFL. After dominating as a coach at the high school level in Ohio, brown led Ohio State to a national championship in 1942. As head man of the upstart Cleveland Browns (named after the legendary coach), Brown led the team to four AAFC titles and three NFL crowns.

Pat Riley

This slick-haired legend piled up a 1,210-694 record (171-111 in the postseason) in 24 seasons as head coach of the Lakers, Knicks and Heat. Riley won four NBA titles (and seven Western Conference championships) in a nine-year run in Los Angeles. In 2006, Riley guided the Heat to the franchise's only NBA title.

Mike Krzyzewski

Coach K has transformed Duke into a national powerhouse since taking over in 1980. Averaging more than 25 wins per season, Krzyzewski has brought home four national titles while posting an overall record of 868-279 (.757). he also coached the Team USA to a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Don Shula

Shula holds the NFL record for career wins with 347, posting just two sub-.500 seasons in his 32-year career. As the head coach of the Dolphins, Shula won two Super Bowl titles and five AFC championships. He led the 1972 Dolphins to the NFL's only perfect season ever.

Bob Knight

The fiery task master holds the men's record for most wins with 902. Under Knight, Indiana won three national titles (1976, 1981 and 1987). He was named national coach of the year four times and Big Ten coach of the year six times. And in 1984, he coached Team USA to a gold medal.