10 Most Decorated Coaches in Sports History [Ranked]

In sports, ‘together everybody achieves more’, but at the forefront of a successful sports team is a coach who transcends the norm and whose motivational skills, enthusiasm, adaptability, and communication take their players to another level. Take, for example, Sir Alex Ferguson, who arrived at Manchester United in 1986, and it wasn’t always plane sailing for the iconic Scot who was under pressure in the early stages of his career. He showed resilience and spent 26 trophy-laden seasons at Old Trafford coaching some of the greatest teams in sporting history.
Sir Alex is just one of many coaches whose trophy cabinets are full of glistening gold and accomplishments that have made history. The job requires a certain mentality to deal with high-profile stars and big-pressure moments. There’s nothing like leading a team to Super Bowl glory or reigning supreme with your nation at the Rugby World Cup.
That said, we rank the top 10 most decorated coaches in sports history based on their accomplishments, longevity, and legacy. We take into account the variety of sports coached by the NFL, NBA, and cricket coaches making the list.
Related Ranking the 8 Managers With the Most Trophies in History Some managers could not stop winning trophies in their career from Sir Alex Ferguson to Luiz Felipe Scolari to Valeriy Lobanovskyi.
10 Scotty Bowman (NHL)
Career span: 1956–2002
Scotty Bowman is undoubtedly one of the greatest coaches in National Hockey League history, winning a record of nine Stanley Cup championships from the bench. Five of those came with the Montreal Canadiens (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979), one with the Penguins (1992) and three with the Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998 and 2002). If you look up consistency in the dictionary, you’ll likely see a picture of the ‘Rain Man’.
The Penguins nicknamed Bowman the Rain Man because of his use of statistics, knowledge of the game, and players’ abilities. He possessed a winning mentality that made its way into his players’ mindsets, making for record-breaking success. He was the first coach in NHL history to use videotapes to study the opposition, coaching a record 13 All-Star games during his illustrious career. He’s been inducted into three Hall of Fames and won the Jack Adams Award for Outstanding Coach twice.
Scotty Bowman’s Teams and Major Honors Teams St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadians, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings Major Honors Stanley Cup 9x
Related Guardiola, Ferguson, Cruyff: Ranking the greatest coaches in sporting history Who is the greatest coach of all time? There are so many contenders, but GiveMeSport has attempted to put every possibility into a trusty Tiermaker.
9 John Buchanan (Cricket)
Career span: 1999-2009
John Buchanan wrote his name in Australian cricket history with unprecedented success during his eight-year spell coaching the Aussies during their golden era of the 2000s. He managed a 100% winning track record from the start, with 15 wins in as many games played, and coached his nation to three consecutive World Cups and a world record of sixteen consecutive test match victories. His former captain, Ricky Ponting, attributes that World Cup hat-trick success to the Queensland-born coach, who retired in May 2007.
Buchanan took a different approach to coaching than those of his generation, using computer analysis and implementing ideas from other sports to elevate his abilities. Some, including the late Shane Warne, questioned his methods and whether he took over an Australian team that was bound to be successful. However, coaching one of history’s most successful cricket teams deserves recognition.
John Buchanan’s Teams and Major Honors Teams Australia, Kolkata Knight Riders Major Honors Cricket World Cup 2x, ICC Champions Trophy, Ashes Series 3x
8 Pat Summitt (Women’s College Basketball)
Career span: 1974-2012
Pat Summitt was one of the most successful women coaches in any sport. She left her mark on college basketball as the winningest coach in NCAA history. When she retired in April 2012, she boasted an overall record of 1,098-208; her longevity was astounding, and her passion for the game changed the perception of women’s basketball in the United States. She never missed an NCAA Tournament and never encountered a losing season.
Summitt spent her coaching career with the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team, leading them to eight NCAA Championships and 32 combined south-eastern Conference titles. Sports journalist Clay Travis branded Trish ‘the most important women’s basketball coach in history’ when she passed away in June 2016. Her influence on the sport cannot be understated, as 18 of her assistant coaches became head coaches, speaking volumes of the magnitude of her coaching career. Former US President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012 to acknowledge her success.
Pat Summitt’s Teams and Major Honors Teams Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball Major Honors NCAA Division I tournament 8x, NCAA Regional-Final Four 18x, SEC Regular Season 16x
Related ‘One of One’: Candace Parker’s Lasting Legacy on the WNBA The WNBA legend announced her retirement after a career which spanned over 16 seasons, in which she won three titles with three separate teams.
7 Vince Lombardi (NFL)
Career span: 1942-1969
Vince Lombardi embodied all the characteristics of a great coach. He placed particular emphasis on motivating his players, which resulted in huge success, none more so than leading the Green Bay Packers to three consecutive and five total National Football League Championships in seven years. He put the Packers on the map while also being the coach to mastermind the first two Super Bowl triumphs, in 1966 and 1967.
The sheer scale of Lombardi’s success is remarkable. He never had a losing season as a head coach in the NFL, achieving an overall record of 105 wins, 35 defeats, and six ties. He was deservedly inducted into the NFL’s Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971. He was a motivator whose words of wisdom not only inspired his players but also captured the hearts of fans. As he famously said,