Who Is the Oldest NFL Coach Ever?

We all know that NFL coaches are some of the oldest people in the world. But who is the oldest NFL coach ever? We did some research and found out that the oldest NFL coach ever is Tom Landry, who was born in 1924.

George Halas- 1920

George Halas was the oldest NFL coach ever, coaching until the age of 74. He is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. He was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1895 and died in 1983.

Won 6 NFL Championships

George Stanley Halas Sr. (/ˈhɑːləs/; February 2, 1895 – October 31, 1983), nicknamed “Papa Bear” and “Mr. Everything”, was a player, coach, and owner involved with professional football in the United States for over 50 years. He was the founder and owner of the National Football League’s Chicago Bears, and the first Major League Baseball player to hit a home run over the outfield fence at Wrigley Field.

Halas was born in Chicago, into a family of Czech-Bohemian immigrants. He hated his given name of George Stanislaus Halas (Czech: Jiří Stanislav Hašek), later writing that it sounded like “a yapping lapdog.” When he was about to enter high school he wanted to become a writer like his favorite author, Jack London.[10] While attending Crane Tech High School he played football as an end and halfback but never considered himself either one as good enough for college play.[11] At 165 pounds (75 kg) he lacked the size to partner with football’s customary running backs who averaged nearly 190 pounds (86 kg). In his senior year halas ran for 6 touchdowns in an win against Lane Tech High School.[12][13][14]

He began his baseball career in 1914 with the company team of Western Electric, where he worked until he enlisted in the Navy during World War I where he served as a drill instructor at Great Lakes Naval Training Station. In 1919 sat out a year on military furlough returning to play baseball for Superior and//or Janesville in 1919 and 1920.[15] He also played semi-pro football for Marinette Celts when he wasn’t on baseball duty.

In December 1921, Halas represented Washburn University at two meetings that led to the formation of what would become the National Football League: one in Canton, Ohio with team representatives from four states;[17] and another in Chicago with team representatives from seven states.[18][19] The latter meeting resulted in the formation of the American Professional Football Conference (renamed National Football Conference in 1922), which consisted of 11 teams based in cities from Ohio to Iowa: Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians (not related to present-day MLB team), Columbus Panhandles,[20]Chicago Cardinals,[21][22] Decatur Staleys,[23][24] Racine Cardinals (not related properly called Thorobreds)[25] Hammond Pros,[26][27][28][29] Muncie Flyers,[30][31] Rock Island Independents[32], and Rochester Jeffersons.[33][34], Currently only two still exist today: Cardinals (now Arizona) & Decatur now known as Chicago Bears

Won 3 Super Bowls

George Stanley Halas Sr. (February 2, 1895 – October 31, 1983), nicknamed “Papa Bear” and “Mr. Everything”, was an American professional football player, coach, and team owner. He was one of the co-founders of the National Football League (NFL) and served as its president from 1934 to 1936. Halas was also the founder, owner and head coach of the Chicago Bears of the NFL for 51 seasons. He is credited with many innovations that transformed football: Live game radio broadcasts (1925); the T formation in 1938; uniform numbers (1952); and Indoor practice facilities (1964).

During his lengthy career as a head coach, Halas won 318 games, more than any other coach in NFL history until Don Shula broke his record in 1993. His only losing season as a head coach came during his final year with the Redskins. However, he did lead Washington to two playoff appearances in his four seasons as their head coach. In addition to coaching the Bears for 41 years, which remains an NFL record, he also recruited and coached future College Football Hall of Famers Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski while they were at the University of Illinois coached future Pro Football Hall of Famers Dick Butkus , Gale Sayers , Mike Ditka , Bill Hewitt , Bill George , Ed Sprinkle as members of professional teams he either owned or coached..

Tom Landry- 1960

Tom Landry was born on September 11, 1924, in Mission, Texas. He served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he played football for the Longhorns. Landry was drafted by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 1947 NFL Draft.

Won 2 Super Bowls

In his 29 years as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry won 250 games, lost 162, and tied 6. His teams won 2 Super Bowls, 5 NFC titles, and 13 Divisional championships. He was named Coach of the Year 3 times (1966, 1975, and 1977), and his 1969 team was named one of the 10 best teams in NFL history. Landry was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

Don Shula- 1970

Don Shula was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins for 26 seasons. He is the only head coach in NFL history to lead his team to a perfect season. He is also the only head coach to win two Super Bowls with the same team. Shula was born on January 4, 1930, in Grand River, Ohio. He played football at John Carroll University and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1951.

Won 2 Super Bowls

In his first year as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Don Shula led the team to a perfect season and a Super Bowl victory. He went on to win another Super Bowl in his second year as head coach. Shula is the only head coach in NFL history to achieve this feat.

Bill Belichick- 2000

As of the 2020 NFL season, the oldest coach ever is Bill Belichick, who was born on April 16, 1952. He is currently 68 years old and has been the head coach of the New England Patriots since 2000. Belichick has led the Patriots to six Super Bowl wins, making him the most successful NFL coach of all time.

Won 6 Super Bowls

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 16, 1952, Bill Belichick later attended Wesleyan University, where he played football and lacrosse. After graduating in 1975, Belichick began his NFL career as an assistant coach with the Baltimore Colts. He later served as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants (1985-90), a position that helped him develop a reputation as one of the league’s most innovative minds. In 1996, Belichick was named head coach of the struggling New England Patriots.

Under Belichick’s leadership, the Patriots became one of the most dominant teams in NFL history. They won six Super Bowls between 2001 and 2019, including three in a row from 2016 to 2018. Belichick also led New England to 17 AFC East titles and an undefeated 16-0 regular season record in 2007. He is widely considered one of the greatest coaches of all time.