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NFL players who retire sometimes open their own academies or become head coaches. They want to guide new NFL teams or build a strong team to play in tournaments.
It is very common that many NFL players to want to be part of the game as a coach post-retirement. The main reason behind this is their love and dedication to the game. Also, the head coaches play an important role in NFL predictions as they are the main person who builds or trains the team.
Here is the list of the top five NFL players who became successful head coaches. Take a look!
Raymond Berry
Raymond Berry was head coach of the NFL from 1968 to 1992. His last post was with the Denver Broncos as their quarterbacks’ coach. Over his enriching 19 years of coaching experience, his teams made a 163-124-2 cumulative loss/win record. Moreover, he led the New England Patriots, which went 44-35-0 from 1985 to 1989.
Raymond Berry got an opportunity to be the head coach for five NFL seasons. Before becoming the head coach, Raymond was an assistant coach for Wayne Fontes, Tom Landry, Forrest Greg, and many more. Consider checking the sports briefing for more details on Raymond Berry.
Norm Van Brocklin
Veterans call Norm a strict but fair and smart football player. Post-retirement he became the head coach in the 13th NFL season for the Vikings and Falcons. He is fondly known as an authoritarian, who believed in giving 100% in every game. He was born in 1926 in South Dakota. Van once threw a record 554 yards against the New York Yanks in 1951.
No one can break this record to date. Norm Van Brocklin is known for his perfect planning and eye for detail. He doesn’t like players messing around on the field. Van concluded his coaching career with a massive 66-100-7 record.
Art Shell
A popular Raider, Art Shell, needs no introduction. For 16 long years, Shell participated in more than 200 contests, as an offensive tackle. Later, to everyone's surprise, he was hired as the head coach of the Raiders.
He was one of the most successful head coaches who worked for 7 years and made a 54-38 record. That's not all. He was re-appointed as the head coach for the Raiders after 12 years of his initial tenure. However, he managed to have a 2-14 record and was successful for one NFL season only.
Bart Starr
Do you know that Bart Starr has been recognized as the first NFL star who became a legend worldwide? Moreover, he was among the rarest players named the MVP in the first two Super Bowls in NFL history. He also assisted the Green Bay Packers in both victories. Interestingly, throughout his Hall of Fame journey, he guided his team to win five NFL championships.
Bart still ranks among the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. Unfortunately, his tenure as a head coach in the NFL was underwhelming. He was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers for nine years. He finished with a 52-76-3 total record, which may not be great but commendable.
Dick LeBeau
The most popular and greatest cornerback of Detroit, Dick LeBeau was head coach in the NFL from 1973 to 2917. His career concluded as Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator. His teams have combined a cumulative loss/win record of 353-347-2 over his 45 years of coaching. He leads the Lions in career interceptions with 62, ranking among the ten highest in NFL history.
He made a name for himself as one of the all-time greats at the position while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he also created the zone blitzing tactic. He also handled the position of head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons, but his overall performance there was much worse at 12-33.
Bottom Line
So, these are the top NFL players who later became head coaches of different teams. Experts believe that young and aspiring players can learn a lot from them. All these names are truly an inspiration for the upcoming generation of footballers. Moreover, all football lovers eagerly await how their favorite players will coach teams to reach the pinnacle of success. Are you also one of them?