Coaches for the Packers live in the shadow of one man: Vince Lombardi. Lombardi is arguably the most famous coach in American sports history -- he isn’t just another past coach of the Packers.

Lombardi set the precedent of success: which head coaches followed in his footsteps? See which other HCs crack our Betway Insider top 10 of the best Packers coaches of all time.

As usual, all stats are courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and are updated through the end of the 2023 NFL regular season.

Who is the Green Bay Packers head coach in the NFL 2023-24 season?

The Packers' 2023 head coach is Matt LaFleur, in charge of the team since 2019. Members of his Packers coaching staff include offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich and defensive coordinator Joe Barry.

Green Bay Packers Head Coach History

Head Coaches for the Packers are not just chasing the aforementioned Lombardi, but also the literal founder of the franchise. Curly Lambeau, the namesake of where the Packers play, not only founded the franchise but coached there for 30 seasons.

Ranking the 10 Greatest Head Coaches in Green Bay Packers History

  1. Phil Bengston, 1968-1970

Former Packers HC Phil Bengston had an impossible task: follow Vince Lombardi as the head coach in Green Bay. Previously, he was the team’s spectacular defensive coordinator from 1959-1967, turning a large swath of unheralded players into Hall of Famers.

Despite taking over a team fresh off consecutive Super Bowl titles, Bengston couldn’t replicate the success of his predecessor. He went a respectable 20-21-1 in three seasons and failed to reach the playoffs.

  1. Lindy Infante, 1988-1991

Along with Phil Bengston, former Packers coach Lindy Infante is the only other former Green Bay coach on this list to not make the playoffs. However, Infante does have a shiny 1989 NFL Coach of the Year award on his mantle.

After going a disappointing 4-12 in his first campaign, Infante turned around the franchise in 1989, getting a Pro Bowl season out of veteran QB Don Majkowski and leading the team to 10 wins for the first time since 1972.

The Packers sunk to 6-10 in 1991 and Infante was let go.

  1. Dan Devine, 1971-1974

Former Packers HC Dan Devine is likely most remembered for his time with Notre Dame, where his success earned him a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame. The college stalwart looked to be a great NFL coach too when he guided the Packers to the playoffs in 1972, winning 10 games and earning NFL Coach of the Year honors.

That was as good as it got for Devine in Green Bay. The Packers were bounced from the playoffs by the Redskins and went three-straight seasons under .500. He returned to college coaching after the 1974 campaign.

  1. Bart Starr, 1975-1983

Legendary Packers QB Bart Starr took his hand at coaching his old team following the dismal of Dan Devine after the 1974 season. Starr had a long leash: he lasted nine seasons despite reaching the playoffs just once.

That lone appearance came during the strike-shortened 1982 campaign, as the Packers went 5-3-1 and earned a first-round matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Starr guided Green Bay to their first playoff victory since the Lombardi era, but they fell flat on the road the following week against the Cowboys.

Starr has the seventh most wins of any Packers coach.

  1. Mike Sherman, 2000-2005

The first Mike to appear on this list is Mike Sherman, who guided the QB Brett Favre-led Packers at the turn of the century. He led Green Bay to the playoffs in four of his six seasons, but the team could never quite reach the NFC Championship Game.

Sherman went 2-4 in postseason games, including an agonizing road overtime playoff defeat in Philadelphia in 2003. His 57 wins are the fifth most in franchise history.

  1. Matt LaFleur, 2019-Present

Current Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has had to balance multiple eras in Green Bay. First, he turned a Packers team that stunningly missed the postseason three consecutive seasons into a powerhouse, winning 13 games each season from 2019 to 2021. QB Aaron Rodgers won two more MVPs, but the team fell short in the playoffs.

Following Rodgers’s trade to the New York Jets, LaFleur led one of the youngest teams in NFL history -- led by QB Jordan Love -- back to the playoffs in 2023. There, they upset the Dallas Cowboys on the road before pushing the #1 seed 49ers to the limit in San Francisco.

  1. Mike McCarthy, 2006-2018

One key season separates Matt LaFleaur and former Packers HC Mike McCarthy: 2010. McCarthy and a young QB Aaron Rodgers won three road playoff games before edging the Pittsburgh Steelers to give the Packers a coveted Super Bowl title.

Outside of those playoffs, McCarthy went a disappointing 6-8 in postseason action. He did accumulate the second-most wins in franchise history (125) and won six NFC North crowns.

  1. Mike Holmgren, 1992-1998

Former Packers head coach Mike Holmgren earned the HC gig after a successful stint as the offensive coordinator for QB Joe Montana in San Francisco. He posted an impressive 75-37 record in Green Bay and turned QB Brett Favre into a star.

Favre’s first MVP season ended in heartbreak with a NFC Championship loss to the Cowboys in 1995. The QB won the MVP again in 1996 and the team stormed to the Super Bowl, winning each playoff game by 14 points or more. Their repeat bid fell short with a Super Bowl loss to John Elway and the Broncos the following season.

  1. Curly Lambeau, 1920-1949

The winningest head coach in Green Bay Packers history is not Vince Lombardi: it’s Curly Lambeau. The Pro Football Hall of Famer led the franchise for 30 years, winning a stunning six NFL titles along the way.

Before he coached the Packers, Lambeau helped found the Packers in 1919. He played for the team for 11 seasons, earning a spot on the NFL’s 1920s All-Decade team.

Lambeau owns a career 332-209 record in Green Bay and will forever live in the memory of Packers fans for one key reason. What is that? Think about where the Packers play their home games.

  1. Vince Lombardi, 1959-1967

Why is former Green Bay HC Vince Lombardi the best head coach in Green Bay Packers history?

Lombardi accomplished something rare: his name is in the zeitgeist of American folklore. He transcended the NFL to become part of the tapestry of modern American lore.

Parameters of Rankings

Rankings are made based on a combination of 1) individual accomplishments, 2) team success, 3) franchise legacy, and 4) personal accolades.

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