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Top Ten Greatest Quarterback/Coach Combos in NFL History

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Top Ten Greatest Quarterback/Coach Combos in NFL History

Tom Brady Bill Belichick New England Patriots
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Super Bowl 49 is upon us and the New England Patriots, led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have reached their unprecedented sixth Super Bowl together as head coach and quarterback. Where do Belichick and Brady rank among the greatest head coach/quarterback combos in NFL history? We take a look at the ten greatest combinations between head coach and quarterback.

Honorable Mention

Super Bowl XXXI Brett Favre Mike Holmgren Green Bay Packers
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Honorable Mention

Super Bowl XXXI Brett Favre Mike Holmgren Green Bay Packers
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It was quite difficult to narrow this list down to only ten. You won’t see Brett Favre and Mike Holmgren; Len Dawson and Hank Stram; Drew Brees and Sean Payton; Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin, or Dan Marino and Don Shula. All were considered but in the end came up short.

10. Johnny Unitas & Don Shula, Baltimore Colts

Johnny Unitas Don Shula Baltimore Colts
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10. Johnny Unitas & Don Shula, Baltimore Colts

Johnny Unitas Don Shula Baltimore Colts
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Almost two ships passing in the night. Shula didn’t become Unitas’ head coach until Unitas was a little older and he didn’t reach his prime as head coach until with the Dolphins in the early 70s. Still, when arguably the greatest QB of all time is paired up with the NFL’s winningest coach, it’s hard to ignore.

9. Peyton Manning & Tony Dungy, Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts v Oakland Raiders Tony Dungy Peyton Manning
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9. Peyton Manning & Tony Dungy, Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts v Oakland Raiders Tony Dungy Peyton Manning
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Manning hasn't had a slam dunk hall of fame head coach paired with him for most of his career. He had Dungy, who is a borderline hall of famer and a very good coach and the two won a Super Bowl together. But despite prolific regular seasons, their lack of success in the postseason hurts them on this list.

8. Troy Aikman & Jimmy Johnson, Dallas Cowboys

Troy Aikman Cowboys
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8. Troy Aikman & Jimmy Johnson, Dallas Cowboys

Troy Aikman Cowboys
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What could have been? Aikman and Johnson aren’t further up on the list due to lack of longevity. Johnson left after two Super Bowl titles due to differences with Jerry Jones and Aikman’s greatness was short-lived due to issues with concussions. Had Johnson stayed and Aikman stayed healthy, they might have won four or five Super Bowls together.

7. Sid Luckman and George Halas, Chicago Bears

George Halas Sid Luckman Chicago Bears
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7. Sid Luckman and George Halas, Chicago Bears

George Halas Sid Luckman Chicago Bears
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The orignal dynamic duo. The father of the NFL paired with one of the NFL’s first great QBs and they won three championships together including a 73-0 drubbing of the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship. This combination could be even higher, but Halas joined the Navy during World War II and was not the head coach on Luckman’s 1943 championship.

6. Roger Staubach & Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys

Tom Landry Roger Staubach Dallas Cowboys
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6. Roger Staubach & Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys

Tom Landry Roger Staubach Dallas Cowboys
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Landry was Staubach’s head coach for his entire career. Once Landry took over as the starter in 1971, the two went on to win four NFC Championships and two Super Bowls. The two led the Cowboys to dominate the NFC until Staubach’s retirement in 1979. It was then when the moniker “America’s Team” began, and it still holds today.

5. Otto Graham & Paul Brown, Cleveland Browns

Paul Brown Otto Graham Cleveland Browns
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5. Otto Graham & Paul Brown, Cleveland Browns

Paul Brown Otto Graham Cleveland Browns
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No legendary combination receives less credit and accolades than Graham and Brown. They started their dominance in the rival AAFC league winning four titles, and once the league merged with the NFL, they continued to dominate and won three more. Their seven championships together are unmatched, and if more than three came in the NFL, they would be even higher on the list.

4. Vince Lombardi & Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers

Vince Lombardi Bart Starr Green Bay Packers
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4. Vince Lombardi & Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers

Vince Lombardi Bart Starr Green Bay Packers
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The dynasty of the 1960s, the Packers won five NFL championships as well as the first two Super Bowls. Lombardi won his championships with a phenomenal defense and strong rushing attack. Starr did not have to do as much as other QBs on this list, but he still engineered the greatest game-winning drive in NFL history at the Ice Bowl in 1967. You could argue an even higher spot on this list for this combo.

3. Terry Bradshaw & Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers

Chuck Noll Terry Bradshaw Pittsburgh Steelers
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3. Terry Bradshaw & Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers

Chuck Noll Terry Bradshaw Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Pittsburgh Steelers were a laughingstock for decades in the NFL until Noll and Bradshaw arrived. The two went 4-0 in Super Bowls together and were the NFL’s dynasty of the 1970s. Although known for the Steel Curtain defense, the team's third and fourth Super Bowl titles were won with Bradshaw’s offense, and not on the defensive side of the ball.

2. Tom Brady & Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

New England Patriots v Green Bay Packers Tom Brady Bill Belichick
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2. Tom Brady & Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

New England Patriots v Green Bay Packers Tom Brady Bill Belichick
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Some may argue their methods, but no one can argue the results. Brady and Belichick have reached six Super Bowls and are going for their fourth Super Bowl title together. Since Brady and Belichick have teamed up, New England haven't had a losing record, have won 11 or more games in 10 different seasons and have gone to eight AFC Championship games.

1. Joe Montana & Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers

Joe Montana Bill Walsh San Francisco 49ers
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1. Joe Montana & Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers

Joe Montana Bill Walsh San Francisco 49ers
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No combination can define greatness better than these two. The greatest QB of all time and the Godfather of today’s NFL offenses, their success was incredible. They were 3-0 in Super Bowls together, and Montana was so perfect he never threw one interception. They gave us memorable moments like ‘The Catch’ and Montana’s game winning drive in Super Bowl XXIII. They may not have been as prolific as others, but none were better.

Bill Zimmerman is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.Com. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

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