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Who were the best NFL coaches to never be a head coach?


scar988

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Just trying to think of guys who fit this mold. Someone like Tom Moore who only ever was an offensive coordinator his entire life. Or Alex Gibbs, who was only ever an OL coach. Anyone have any others that fit this?

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Jeff Stoutland has been one of if not the best OL coach in the NFL for almost a decade. Despite 3 separate coaching changes with the Eagles.

While other OL coaches have become HC, I have no idea if he would succeed at micromanaging an entire staff/team but honestly believe he probably could.

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2 minutes ago, Nabbs4u said:

Jeff Stoutland has been one of if not the best OL coach in the NFL for almost a decade. Despite 3 separate coaching changes with the Eagles.

While other OL coaches have become HC, I have no idea if he would succeed at micromanaging an entire staff/team but honestly believe he probably could.

Jim Johnson was another one of the Eagles long line of coaches who was a DC for years despite being a good HC candidate.

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15 minutes ago, scar988 said:

Jim Johnson was another one of the Eagles long line of coaches who was a DC for years despite being a good HC candidate.

I started to mention JJ 1st but for some reason thought he was a HC in AZ at some point. Brain fart.

 

Yes Jim Johnson  🥃

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12 hours ago, scar988 said:

Just trying to think of guys who fit this mold. Someone like Tom Moore who only ever was an offensive coordinator his entire life. Or Alex Gibbs, who was only ever an OL coach. Anyone have any others that fit this?

My favorite Tom Moore quote was when he was asked about why Peyton Manning takes all the practice snaps and Jim Sorgi doesn’t get any, in case of injury. Moore said ‘Fellas, if 18 goes down we're (expletive), and we don't practice (expletive).’ 
 

I’d like to add former Colts OL coach Howard Mudd to the list of great coaches who never became a head coach. He was an OL coach in the league from 1974-2012 with a brief retirement in 2010 before retiring for good in 2012 

San Diego Chargers (1974–1976) (OL)

San Francisco 49ers (1977) (OL)

Seattle Seahawks (1978–1982) (OL)

Cleveland Browns (1983–1988) (OL)

Kansas City Chiefs (1989–1992) (OL)

Seattle Seahawks (1993–1997) (OL)

Indianapolis Colts (1998–2009) (OL)

Philadelphia Eagles (2011–2012) (OL)

 

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On 6/24/2023 at 11:01 PM, Jakuvious said:

Monte Kiffin.

And Jim Johnson are the two guys who I think of as lifer DCs. Also it's not NFL, but Bud Foster is on that path, dude's been the DC at Virginia Tech for like 20 years now.

 

On offense, Pete Carmichael's run with the Saints is nuts, and Eric Bieniemy deserves a nod until next year when he drops off the list.

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On 6/24/2023 at 1:46 PM, scar988 said:

Just trying to think of guys who fit this mold. Someone like Tom Moore who only ever was an offensive coordinator his entire life. Or Alex Gibbs, who was only ever an OL coach. Anyone have any others that fit this?

I had Tom Moore in my mind before opening this thread, and welp he is the first named mentioned by the first post lol. 

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1 hour ago, NeptunePenguins said:

I had Tom Moore in my mind before opening this thread, and welp he is the first named mentioned by the first post lol. 

Yeah. For me, he’s the ultimate OC who never became a HC but probably could have easily with his track record. 

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