Just because Bill Belichick couldn’t find a head coaching job this offseason doesn’t mean that his time around the league is coming to an end any time soon.
On top of being a regular guest on multiple ESPN shows this season, Belichick has recently agreed to a weekly role on the longstanding “Inside the NFL” show on the CW.
With Belichick’s emergence into the television analyst role, where will he rank among other coaches who have done the same? Today, we break down that list here.
Ranking the Best Coaches Turned Commentators
Believe it or not, it’s not just former players who can do a really good job in the broadcast booth.
Many head coaches throughout their careers have gone from the gridiron to commentary, whether as a color commentator or studio analyst. As the league continues to grow, former coaches have seemingly found a way to change how fans can watch the league they love.
Let’s break down the 10 best here today:
10) Rex Ryan
You can’t make a list of top coaches in broadcasting and not include Rex Ryan. The outspoken head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills has been an ESPN analyst since 2016 and has provided the kind of soundbites one would expect for someone who refused to “kiss the rings” of a division rival.
9) Brian Billick
Baltimore’s head coach for the 2000 Super Bowl has bounced around networks for quite some time now. Originally an analyst for Fox and ABC, the old coach has since been a guest analyst on “NFL Total Access” before it was canceled in May 2024 where he used a balanced approach to talk about some of the major moves made around the league. He’s an underrated analyst overall.
8) Mike Ditka
Passion. Passion. Passion. That’s how legendary Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka played, coached, and analyzed the game for over 40 years around the NFL. He was a part of broadcasting teams at NBC and CBS Sports but has since found a nice job with ESPN over the last few years where his growl continues to be a common theme while the Super Bowl winner speaks.
7. Bill Walsh
After a Hall-of-Fame career as the architect of the “West Coast offense,” Bill Walsh made his move to the broadcast booth as a color commentator with Dick Enberg. The Super Bowl-winning coach seamlessly replaced Merlin Olsen well and became well-respected among other media members. He’s one of the earliest coaches to succeed in the broadcasting world.
6. Jon Gruden
Outside of the controversial things he has said and done off the field, it’s pretty clear Jon Gruden was an objectively good analyst during his time with ESPN. For the better part of the 2010s, he was a great analyst in the booth, and “Jon Gruden QB Camp” was must-see television for the better part of that time as well.
5. Tony Dungy
You can flip Tony Dungy here with our choice for the fourth spot, but Dungy has always been an analytical and simplistic analyst — very similar to how he was as a head coach. His level-headed analysis makes for objective television and he is a joy to watch overall but misses some passion that the next person makes up for in droves.
4. Bill Cowher
Since his retirement in 2006, Bill Cowher has been a staple on CBS’ pre-game show for the NFL on Sundays. He provides the kind of passion and real-world application to a lot of the concepts players and other coaches bring.
It’s also clear how passionate the old coach is as it just completely comes out when talking about some of the top AFC teams in the league.
3. Bill Belichick
A lot of these coaches have had years as broadcasters to hone their craft. To know how good Bill Belichick is at this, one has to look at the NFL Network’s series “100 All-Time Team.”
Belichick won an Emmy for his studio analyst role, displaying the kind of analysis football fans begged for over the year. With additional guest appearances elsewhere, Belichick’s time in the studio is just getting started.
2. Steve Mariucci
Here’s a name that many may not think about right away, but Steve Marriucci’s work on “NFL GameDay” is among the best across the league both past and present. The former San Francisco 49ers head coach turned analyst is an excellent balance with Michael Irvin and Kurt Warner on the show and makes the NFL Network’s pregame show the best to watch.
1. John Madden
There’s no one else that can compare. John Madden is a Super Bowl-winning coach, but it’s fair to say his importance to the game came after he retired from the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1970s. His work as a broadcaster with Pat Sumerall and later Al Michaels (along with a video game to boot) makes him the best of the best when it comes to coaches turned broadcasters.
