My stance on an NFL Head Coach is that he needs to be a manager more than anything. The way I see it is that it is his job is to set the culture for the team, keep the expectations clearly defined, always have the big picture in mind and generally keep everyone pulling the rope in the same direction. I cringe whenever I see a Head Coach with the massive play-calling sheet in his hand during a game because I feel like he is in danger of losing sight of the aforementioned big picture.

 

So I started to wonder when was the last time that a Head Coach had play-calling duties and won the Superb Owl. Below is a list of recent title winning teams and their Head Coaches:

 

<p style="margin-left:80px;">Winner - Head Coach:

• New England - Belichik
  
• Seattle - Carroll
  
• Baltimore - Harbaugh (the other one)
  
• New York Giants - Coughlin
  
• Green Bay - McCarthy
  
• New Orleans - Payton
  
• Pittsburgh - Tomlin
  
• New York Giants - Coughlin
  
• Indianapolis - Dungy
  
• Pittsburgh - Tomlin
  
• New England - Belichik
  
• New England - Belichik
  
• Tampa Bay - Gruden
  

<p style="margin-left:40px;"> 

As near as I can tell, of those 13 different Champion squads only two of them had Head Coaches as play-callers; Payton with New Orleans and Tampa Bay with Gruden. I do find it odd that of the repeat teams on the list, Pittsburgh, New York and New England, none of those Head Coaches called their own plays.

 

EDIT: I've learned that McCarthy called his own plays for the Green Bay title but he has since given up those duties.

 

So what do you think? Is it good or bad?

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