Winning an NFL championship is not the only measure of a great coach. Some of the sport’s most successful head coaches finished their careers without a Super Bowl, and a few never even reached one. Here are the best-known examples, with their records.
The Winningest Without a Title
Marty Schottenheimer. He won 200 regular-season games with the Browns, Chiefs, Washington and Chargers between 1984 and 2006, the most of any coach who never won a championship. He also posted a .613 winning percentage but went just 5-13 in the playoffs and never reached a Super Bowl. He remains outside the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Dan Reeves. He coached the Broncos, Giants and Falcons for 23 seasons, finishing with a 190-165 record and 11 playoff wins. He led teams to four Super Bowls, three with Denver and one with Atlanta, and lost all of them.
The Four-Time Losers
Marv Levy. He is the only coach to lead his team to four straight Super Bowls, doing it with the Bills from 1990 to 1993. He finished with 143 regular-season wins and a 11-8 playoff record, and he is in the Hall of Fame.
Bud Grant. He took the Minnesota Vikings to four Super Bowls and won none of them. He was the first coach to reach four, finished with a 158-96 record in 18 years with the Vikings, and is also in the Hall of Fame.
Other Notable Names
Chuck Knox won 186 games, the highest total among coaches between 189 and 200 wins, but never reached a Super Bowl. Jeff Fisher won 149 games and lost a Super Bowl with the Titans. Jim Mora (125 wins), Norv Turner (114) and Dennis Green (113) are also often cited among the best coaches without a ring, according to a historical Bleacher Report list.
A Current Name to Watch
Sean McDermott led the Bills to many winning seasons without a Super Bowl appearance before Buffalo fired him in January 2026. See our look at whether the Bills can finally win a Super Bowl under Joe Brady.
Win totals depend on the source and the era, and some lists count playoff games, so figures can differ slightly from list to list.
Sources: Wikipedia (Schottenheimer), Wikipedia (Reeves), BroBible, Bleacher Report, Yardbarker.