NFL Coaches Who Were Better Players

by Jeremy Block - 7/25/2025

In the NFL, coaching is often seen as a second act, a chance for former players to prove they’ve got brains as well as brawn. But let’s be honest: some coaches never quite matched their success they had on the field.

Coaching requires a different set of abilities than playing does. Managing personalities, breaking down film, designing game plans—it’s a whole other skill set that many athletes don’t naturally possess. So, when a former player’s coaching career doesn’t match their playing career, it’s not always a surprise. Here’s a look at six NFL coaches who were truly better with a helmet on than a clipboard.

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Mike Singletary

When the Bears needed someone to lead their defense in the 1980s, they got a linebacker who tackled hard and showed up every game. Mike Singletary made 10 Pro Bowls, won a Super Bowl and eventually landed a spot in the Hall of Fame. Known for his intensity on the field, Singletary was the last person any running back wanted to see going up the gap during that time.

However, Singletary’s coaching career didn’t follow the same script. He spent three seasons as head coach of the 49ers, posting just an 18-22 regular-season record without reaching the playoffs at all. The gap between his playing career and rocky coaching stint shows how not every great player makes a great coach.

Jim Harbaugh

When you look at his playing days, Jim Harbaugh was a solid NFL quarterback who knew his way around the pocket. With over 26,000 passing yards and a Pro Bowl appearance, he had a career most would envy. He started nearly 130 games, proving he wasn’t just a quick hype-up situation. But fast forward to his head coaching stints, and things don’t look nearly as impressive.

As a head coach in the NFL, Harbaugh has been ok, but nothing close to his success taking the snap. His 55–25 head coaching record is decent, but not great. He’s had a handful of playoff appearances and even an NFC Championship game, but that’s the peak. Since then, his teams have been patchy, barely skating their way into the playoffs. In short, Harbaugh’s coaching career just doesn’t hold a candle to the player he was.

Jim Zorn

Playing quarterback for over a decade, Jim Zorn threw more than 21,000 yards and had a few moments where he looked like he belonged. He was decent enough to stick around the league. But coaching? That was a whole different story. When Zorn took over as Washington’s head coach, things quickly went downhill.

His coaching record? A brutal 12-20 record with zero playoff appearances. His teams were bad, plain and simple, and he never got close to turning them around. Zorn proved that knowing how to play the game doesn’t mean you can teach it—or even run a team.

Mike Tice

Starting out as a tight end, Mike Tice actually had a pretty solid NFL career. He played in 177 games over 14 seasons, mostly with the Seahawks, and even caught 107 passes for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns. He wasn’t exactly a top-tier threat when running a route, but he was consistent, tough, and stuck around way longer than most. As a player, he did his job and did it well.

Then came the coaching experiment. Tice took over the Minnesota Vikings head coaching position from 2002 to 2005 and finished with a 32-33 record. Yes, that’s technically average, but the teams were messy and rarely lived up to the talent on the roster. Aside from two playoff wins in 2004, his tenure was filled with questionable decisions and underwhelming results.

Dick LeBeau

Defensive backs don’t come much better than Dick LeBeau in the 1960 and 70’s. With 63 interceptions over 17 NFL seasons, three Pro Bowls, and a Hall of Fame induction, it’s clear that LeBeau was a tough defensive backfield play.

As a coach, he wasn’t quite what he was on the field. LeBeau took over the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons from 2000 to 2002, and “winning” isn’t really the word you’d associate with that stretch. LeBeau finished with no playoff appearances, and a final record of 12-33 record in the regular season. Call it what you want, but there was never any sign he had the same control on the sidelines, like he did on the field

Art Shell

There was a time when nobody wanted to line up across from Art Shell in the 1970’s and 80’s. He racked up eight Pro Bowl selections, made it to the Hall of Fame, and helped the Raiders win two Super Bowls without making a big scene about it. He was the kind of offensive lineman who did his job and never made a scene about it.

Then came the headset. Shell coached the Raiders and finished with a 56–52 record across two stints, which is fine if you’re grading on a curve. But with only three playoff appearances and a 2-3 postseason record, there were no real runs—just a forgettable season and not much to hang his visor on. As a player, he was a legend. As a coach, he was just kind of... there.

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Start:	July 26, 2025 @ 9:30 PM
Expert:	Scott Spreitzer
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NFL Coaches Who Were Better Players

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