The National Football League 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. [1] [2] [3] 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.
Bold | Denotes team won the Super Bowl/NFL Championship that season |
Italic | Denotes first year head coach of that team |
* | Denotes interim coach |
† | Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a head coach |
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Awarded for | Professional Coach of the Year |
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Country | United States |
Presented by | Maxwell Football Club |
History | |
First award | 1989 |
Most recent | Nick Sirianni |
Website | Earle "Greasy" Neale Award |
Created in 1989 and presented by the Maxwell Football Club, the award is officially titled the Earle "Greasy" Neale Award for "Professional Coach of the Year".
This award is officially called the Paul Brown Trophy.
Bold | Denotes team won the Super Bowl/AFL Championship that season |
Italic | Denotes first year head coach of that team |
* | Denotes interim coach |
† | Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a head coach or executive |
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Season | Coach | Team | Record |
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1961 | Wally Lemm* | Houston Oilers | 10–3–1 |
1962 | Jack Faulkner | Denver Broncos | 7–7 |
1963 | Al Davis † | Oakland Raiders | 10–4 |
1964 | Mike Holovak | Boston Patriots | 10–3–1 |
1965 | Lou Saban | Buffalo Bills | 10–3–1 |
1966 | Hank Stram † | Kansas City Chiefs | 11–2–1 |
1967 | John Rauch | Oakland Raiders | 13–1 |
1968 | Hank Stram † (2) | Kansas City Chiefs | 12–2 |
1969 | Paul Brown † | Cincinnati Bengals | 4–9–1 |
Richard Marvin Butkus was an American football linebacker, sports commentator, and actor. He played football for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973. He was invited to eight Pro Bowls in nine seasons, named a first-team All-Pro five times, and was twice recognized by his peers as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. Butkus was renowned as a fierce tackler and for the relentless effort with which he played. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in professional football history.
Daniel Francis Fouts is an American former professional football quarterback who played for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) throughout his 15-season career (1973–1987). After a relatively undistinguished first five seasons in the league, Fouts came to prominence as the on-field leader during the Chargers' Air Coryell period. He led the league in passing every year from 1979 to 1982, throwing for over 4,000 yards in the first three of these—no previous quarterback had posted consecutive 4,000-yard seasons. Fouts was voted a Pro Bowler six times, first-team All-Pro twice, and Offensive Player of the Year in 1982. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year of eligibility.
Gale Eugene Sayers was an American professional football halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). In a relatively brief but highly productive NFL career, Sayers spent seven seasons with the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1971, though multiple injuries effectively limited him to five seasons of play. He was known for his elusiveness and agility and was regarded by his peers as one of the most difficult players to tackle.
Kellen Boswell Winslow Sr. is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL). A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1995), he is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the league's history. Winslow played his entire NFL career (1979–1987) with the San Diego Chargers after being selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft. He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, earning consensus All-American honors in 1978. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
Charles B. Joiner Jr. is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. He played 11 seasons with the San Diego Chargers, with whom he earned all three of his Pro Bowl selections, and was named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press in 1980. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
Daniel Lee Dierdorf is an American sportscaster and former football player. He played 13 seasons (1971–1983) as an offensive tackle for the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL).
Clyde Douglas "Bulldog" Turner was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He was elected, as a player, to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1960 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966. He was also selected in 1969 to the NFL 1940s All-Decade Team.
Peter Louis Pihos was an American football player and coach.
The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is an award given by various entities to the American football player who is considered the most valuable in the National Football League (NFL) during the regular season. Organizations which issue an NFL MVP award include the Associated Press (AP) and the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). Since the 2011 season, the NFL has held the annual NFL Honors ceremony, which recognizes the winner of the Associated Press MVP award.
Charles Louis Trippi was an American professional football player for the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1947 to 1955. Although primarily a halfback, his versatility allowed him to fill a multitude of roles over his career, including quarterback, safety, punter, and return specialist. A "quintuple-threat", Trippi was adept at running, catching, passing, punting, and defense.
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach. He coached in high school, college, and the professional ranks; his most notable NCAA post was with the San Diego State Aztecs, then he moved on to the National Football League (NFL), first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978 to 1986. Well known for his innovations in football's passing game, in particular the Air Coryell offense he created with the Chargers, Coryell was the first head coach to win more than 100 games at both the collegiate and professional levels. He was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame in 1994, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Russell Eugene Washington was an American professional football offensive tackle who played for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1968 to 1982, playing his first two seasons as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the first round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft. He played college football for the Missouri Tigers.
Haven Christopher Moses is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).
The Kansas City Committee of 101 was founded by Jack Wheeler. The name was chosen because the membership was limited to 101 Kansas City Chiefs fans and cost $1,000 annually. The group began presenting its annual NFL awards in 1969, initially as NFL and AFL Awards. However, after the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the awards have been given to the top AFC and NFC players and coaches. The "Committee of 101" refers to a national media committee consisting of 101 sportswriters and sportscasters who cover the NFL. They are responsible for voting on the top offensive player, defensive player, and coach in each of the National Football League conferences, rather than for the entire NFL.
This is a list of players named as All-Pros based on their performance in the 1969 AFL and NFL season. These lists provide a perspective into how players were judged against their peers by critics of their time. Players representing both the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) are included.
This is a list of players named as All-Pros based on their performance in the 1968 AFL and NFL season. These lists provide a perspective into how players were judged against their peers by critics of their time. Players representing both the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) are included.
Several organizations give out NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards that are listed in the NFL Record and Fact Book and Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League. The Associated Press (AP) has been giving the award since 1972; Pro Football Writers of America/Pro Football Weekly since 1970; and Sporting News has announced winners since 2008. The Newspaper Enterprise Association was the originator of the award in 1966. However, it became defunct after 1997. Also going defunct was the United Press International (UPI) AFC-NFC Defensive Player of the Year Awards that began in 1975.
David M. Viti was an American professional football player who was an end for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Boston University Terriers and later professionally with the Tiger-Cats for eight seasons from 1962 to 1969. He helped Hamilton win three Grey Cup championships, in 1963, 1965 and 1967.
Coryell drew much praise from his peers this year by being named NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, the Sporting News, United Press International and Pro Football Weekly.
He has been named AFL coach of the year in 1966 (Associated Press and Washington Touchdown Club), 1968 (AP, Unit Press, Washington Touchdown Club, Pro Football Weekly), and 1969 (Washington Touchdown Club). The Rockne Football Club, picking from both the AFL and NFL, named him pro football coach of the year in 1961 and 1966.
He was named coach of the year by the AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, the Pro Football Writers Association and the Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C., among others.