The Final Four Coaches (1 Viewer)

[H.K.]

Very solid resumes for this group:Shanahan - 2 SB wins, knocking on the door againHolmgren - 1 SB win and a loss in GB, now he's built a winner in SeattleCowher - SB appearance and incredible longevity who always has his team in the huntFox - SB appearance and almost there again in a very short time spanThe next two games are really going to have a defining mark on the ultimate winner. Who do you think gets it done, who won't, and how do you think it will impact their legacy?

 

[Chase Stuart]

Cowher is the one most in need of this win IMO.Holmgren's been less successful than Cowher since '97, but he's always got that ring. Shanahan has the two rings, and Fox is still very young.Curiously, Fox has been to the SB much more recently than any of these other guys ('98 for Shanahan, '97 for Holmgren, '95 for Cowher).

 

[H.K.]

Cowher is the one most in need of this win IMO.

Holmgren's been less successful than Cowher since '97, but he's always got that ring. Shanahan has the two rings, and Fox is still very young.

Curiously, Fox has been to the SB much more recently than any of these other guys ('98 for Shanahan, '97 for Holmgren, '95 for Cowher).

I agree with you about Cowher, if either he or Fox can get their first it would be huge for them. However, if Shanny wins without Elway it would truly put him in an elite class, same with Holmgrn without Favre. Should be very interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[MarshallRob]

Cowher is the one most in need of this win IMO.

Holmgren's been less successful than Cowher since '97, but he's always got that ring. Shanahan has the two rings, and Fox is still very young.

Curiously, Fox has been to the SB much more recently than any of these other guys ('98 for Shanahan, '97 for Holmgren, '95 for Cowher).

Fox is two years older than Cowher and 78 wins behind. I can see Cowher ending his career with over 200 wins but without a Super Bowl he might ultimately not be seen as any better than Marty Schottenheimer is right now. So I agree Cowher really does need this. If Holmgren won it all, I think he'd be the first person to ever head coach 2 different teams to a Super Bowl title. (Weeb Ewbank won 2 NFL titles with the Colts before guiding the Jets to a win in Super Bowl III). So that would be a huge accomplishment, as a third and first post-Elway title would be for Shanahan. A title for Holmgren or Shanahan would probably make them Hall of Fame locks.

 

[stevec]

Fox is two years older than Cowher and 78 wins behind. I can see Cowher ending his career with over 200 wins but without a Super Bowl he might ultimately not be seen as any better than Marty Schottenheimer is right now.

Fox is one of the young up & coming coaches in the NFL, and I'd say he's pretty much arrived amongst the top guys. Cowher is perceived to be a lot older than he is based on his longevity, but he's under 50. Both of those guys seem to have time to get a ring, but sooner is better. Get used to the chin on the sidelines in Pittsburgh for a looong time. He's a threat to reach 300 wins.

 

[Steelers4Life]

Cowher definitely needs it the most, because his 10-9 career postseason record, 6 AFC Championship game appearances, and 1 Super Bowl appearance in only 14 years still leave him with big questions in the minds of some people. If the Steelers lose in Denver - and they're road underdogs - it'll somehow be spun that it's more proof that Cowher can't win the big game. He definitely has the most to gain.

 

[SSOG]

I think if Shanny wins the SB, he's the consensus "best coach in the NFL" again. He'd have as many rings as Belichick, but his would have come with two completely different teams, proving that not only can he build a championship team, he can blow it up and REBUILD a championship team.He'd also be the only QB other than Joe Gibbs to win the SB with two different starting QBs.I think Shanny, Cowher, and Holmgren "need" it more than Fox, because the public perceptions is that they've lost "it". It's completely untrue, but it's still perception. From a job security standpoint, Holmgren needs it the most, if he doesn't want the Seachickens to TonyDungy him. Fox is still young and came in without expectations, and Shanny/Cowher coach for the two most stable franchises in the NFL, so they've got very few security concerns at this point.

 

[MarshallRob]

I think if Shanny wins the SB, he's the consensus "best coach in the NFL" again. He'd have as many rings as Belichick, but his would have come with two completely different teams, proving that not only can he build a championship team, he can blow it up and REBUILD a championship team.

He'd also be the only QB other than Joe Gibbs to win the SB with two different starting QBs.

Parcells won one SB with Phil Simms and another with Jeff Hostetler as his starting QB.

 

[Pat Patriot]

Fox is two years older than Cowher and 78 wins behind.  I can see Cowher ending his career with over 200 wins but without a Super Bowl he might ultimately not be seen as any better than Marty Schottenheimer is right now.

Fox is one of the young up & coming coaches in the NFL, and I'd say he's pretty much arrived amongst the top guys. Cowher is perceived to be a lot older than he is based on his longevity, but he's under 50. Both of those guys seem to have time to get a ring, but sooner is better. Get used to the chin on the sidelines in Pittsburgh for a looong time. He's a threat to reach 300 wins.

This isnt college. You arent guaranteed 10 wins a year at a top flight school. 300 will be very tough to accomplish.

 

[SSOG]

I think if Shanny wins the SB, he's the consensus "best coach in the NFL" again. He'd have as many rings as Belichick, but his would have come with two completely different teams, proving that not only can he build a championship team, he can blow it up and REBUILD a championship team.

He'd also be the only QB other than Joe Gibbs to win the SB with two different starting QBs.

Parcells won one SB with Phil Simms and another with Jeff Hostetler as his starting QB.

Phil Simms was Parcells' starting QB both seasons, he just got injured and missed the SB.

 

[diesel7982]

Cowher is the one most in need of this win IMO.

Holmgren's been less successful than Cowher since '97, but he's always got that ring. Shanahan has the two rings, and Fox is still very young.

Curiously, Fox has been to the SB much more recently than any of these other guys ('98 for Shanahan, '97 for Holmgren, '95 for Cowher).

I agree with you about Cowher, if either he or Fox can get their first it would be huge for them. However, if Shanny wins without Elway it would truly put him in an elite class, same with Holmgrn without Favre. Should be very interesting to see how this plays out.

I hope you mean Terrell Davis. John Elway is my favorite player of all-time, but it was TD that was the star of that team.

 

[LHUCKS]

I like Holmgren's chances. If he wins he's on that short list of coaches that have won SBs with two different teams...which makes him an automatic HOF candidate.I can't see the Panthers winning as dinged up as they are...Fox is an upper echelon coach, but I can't see them reeling off two in a row here. Until he wins the big one he'll be second tier.Shanny has nothing to prove and will be in the HOF and has a great chance of going to another SB, further cementing him as an elite coach.Cowher, will always be a good, but not great coach IMHO. I don't see him ever winning a SB unless he's around when big Ben takes it to the next level...if he ever does.

 

[Chase Stuart]

I like Holmgren's chances. If he wins he's on that short list of coaches that have won SBs with two different teams...which makes him an automatic HOF candidate.

I can't see the Panthers winning as dinged up as they are...Fox is an upper echelon coach, but I can't see them reeling off two in a row here. Until he wins the big one he'll be second tier.

Shanny has nothing to prove and will be in the HOF and has a great chance of going to another SB, further cementing him as an elite coach.

Cowher, will always be a good, but not great coach IMHO. I don't see him ever winning a SB unless he's around when big Ben takes it to the next level...if he ever does.

I don't believe any coach has won SBs with 2 different teams.

 

[MarshallRob]

I think if Shanny wins the SB, he's the consensus "best coach in the NFL" again. He'd have as many rings as Belichick, but his would have come with two completely different teams, proving that not only can he build a championship team, he can blow it up and REBUILD a championship team.

He'd also be the only QB other than Joe Gibbs to win the SB with two different starting QBs.

Parcells won one SB with Phil Simms and another with Jeff Hostetler as his starting QB.

Phil Simms was Parcells' starting QB both seasons, he just got injured and missed the SB.

Well, Hostetler started the Giants' last 5 games, including the Super Bowl. If Simms is still counted as the starting QB for the season because he played the most games, then I would say Don Shula would have to get credit for winning Super Bowls with 2 different QB's. Griese QB'd both Super Bowl wins, but Earl Morrall started 12 of the 17 games in 1972.

 

[H.K.]

Update: Cowher vs. Holmgren.Holmgren can be the first to win it with two different teams. Always a big deal to be the first one to accomplish something of this magnitude in the NFL.Cowher can get his first SB victory and I think he may be the first 6 seed to win it all. IIRC he already has six AFC championship game appearances.IMHO the winner will make a strong case to be HOF worthy.