Winning a Super Bowl is the ultimate achievement for an NFL head coach, a defining moment that cements their legacy in football history. Several legendary coaches have reached the big stage of the sport with different franchises, but none have managed to win the Lombardi Trophy with two separate organizations. This remarkable feat remains elusive, but one coach stands out in the conversation: Andy Reid.
Perhaps the closest to breaking this barrier in recent years has been Reid. The long-tenured head coach first took the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2004, a season in which Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens powered the team to an NFC Championship. However, their journey ended in heartbreak with a 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots. This defeat was a tough pill to swallow for Reid and the Eagles, but it did not deter him from pursuing greatness.
With the Kansas City Chiefs, Reid transformed a talented roster into a perennial contender, led by the generational talent of Patrick Mahomes. After years of playoff disappointments in Philadelphia, he finally reached the pinnacle of success in 2019, securing his first Super Bowl victory. Since then, he has continued to add to his legacy, making multiple Super Bowl appearances and establishing the Chiefs as a modern dynasty. Can anyone else match his success in the coming years?
The elusive double win
Other head coaches who have reached the Super Bowl with two different teams don’t come close to Reid’s number of appearances, most of which were with the Chiefs. Don Shula only made four appearances—one with Baltimore and three with the Dolphins between 1971 and 1984. This highlights how rare it is for coaches to achieve such a level of success across multiple franchises.
None have been able to win the Super Bowl twice with different teams, but at least the list of head coaches who have reached the big game under these circumstances is very short. Therefore, it can be considered an exclusive list, but it could change at any moment since there are active head coaches like Sean Payton, who have won the trophy and are currently working with other teams. The competition is fierce, and the NFL landscape is always shifting.
List of coaches that have won with different teams
The following table showcases the coaches who have made it to the Super Bowl with different franchises:
| Coach | Teams & Super Bowl Appearances |
|---|---|
| Don Shula | Baltimore (1968), Miami (1971-73, 1982, 1984) |
| Bill Parcells | N.Y. Giants (1986, 1990), New England (1996) |
| Dan Reeves | Denver (1986-87, 1989), Atlanta (1998) |
| Dick Vermeil | Philadelphia (1980), St. Louis (1999) |
| Mike Holmgren | Green Bay (1996-97), Seattle (2005) |
| John Fox | Carolina (2003), Denver (2013) |
| Andy Reid | Philadelphia (2004), Kansas City (2019-2024) |
Coaches with the most Super Bowl wins
Although Reid leads the previously mentioned list, he still doesn’t come close to Bill Belichick’s numbers. Belichick holds the record for the head coach with the most Super Bowl victories, totaling six, which is double that of the Chiefs’ head coach. It’s worth noting that only Reid is currently active in the NFL, while Belichick is now a college football coach.
The following table highlights the coaches with the most Super Bowl wins:
| Coach | Super Bowl Wins | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Belichick | 6 | Patriots |
| Chuck Noll | 4 | Steelers |
| Bill Walsh | 3 | 49ers |
| Joe Gibbs | 3 | Redskins |
| Andy Reid | 3 | Chiefs |
As the NFL continues to evolve, the quest for a coach to win the Super Bowl with two different teams remains a tantalizing possibility. Will Andy Reid be the one to achieve this feat, or will another coach rise to the occasion? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the pursuit of greatness in the NFL is an ever-unfolding story filled with passion, drama, and unforgettable moments.
