Every NFL season creates coaches who redefine what’s possible. Tonight at the 2026 NFL Honors, airing at 9 p.m. ET on Feb. 5, one of the biggest prizes on the line is the NFL Coach of the Year award. Will New England Patriots’ Mike Vrabel’s resilience, Mike McDaniel’s offensive surge, or someone unexpected take this year’s NFL coach of the year award home?
But before we debate who wins this year, let’s look at the bigger picture. Who has won the most NFL Coach of the Year awards in history and set the standard for coaching greatness?
Who Has Won the Most NFL Coach of the Year Awards?
Here’s a clear breakdown of the top Coach of the Year winners in NFL history based on the official AP NFL Coach of the Year winners list:
Don Shula (4 wins)
Legendary NFL coach Don Shula holds the record for the most AP Coach of the Year honors with four awards (1964, 1967, 1968, 1972), leading the Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins during dominant seasons, per Pro Football Reference.
Shula’s career is defined by rare accomplishments that set him apart in NFL history. He remains the all-time winningest head coach with 347 total victories. He is the only coach to guide a team through a perfect season, leading the 1972 Miami Dolphins to a 17–0 Super Bowl championship.
Shula has won Super Bowls with different quarterbacks and reached the Super Bowl with three, highlighting his adaptability across eras.
Bill Belichick and Chuck Knox (3 wins each)
The eight-time Super Bowl champion, Bill Belichick, won three Coach of the Year awards with the New England Patriots in 2003, 2007, and 2010. Whereas Chuck Knox also earned three honors, capturing the award in 1973, 1980, and 1984 across multiple teams.
Two-Time Winners (Multiple Coaches)
Several coaches have won the AP Coach of the Year twice:
• Allie Sherman (1961, 1962)
• George Halas (1963, 1965)
• George Allen (1967, 1971)
• Joe Gibbs (1982, 1983)
• Mike Ditka (1985, 1988)
• Bill Parcells (1986, 1994)
• Dan Reeves (1993, 1998)
• Bruce Arians (2012, 2014)
• Ron Rivera (2013, 2015)
• Kevin Stefanski (2020, 2023), who is now firmly in elite company as a two-time winner.
A large group of head coaches have earned a single AP Coach of the Year award, recognizing exceptional single-season performances.
Notable one-time winners include George Wilson (1957), Vince Lombardi (1959), Tom Landry (1966), Sean McVay (2017), John Harbaugh (2019), Jason Garrett (2016), and Kevin O’Connell (2024), among others.
To conclude, coach Shula sits atop the list with four Coach of the Year awards. Belichick and Knox follow with three each.
A group of nine coaches has captured the award twice, and dozens more have earned it once, highlighting the rich history of coaching excellence in the NFL.
