Current Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is about as synonymous with the organization as QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce -- he’s alongside them in many State Farm commercials. This is rare: many fans could hardly recognize their own head coach from a crowd.

Reid has won anything and everything in Kansas City. Who else has won as head coach of the Chiefs? Keep reading this Betway Insider top 10 to find out.

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

Who is the Kansas City Chiefs head coach for the 2023 NFL season?

The 2023 Chiefs head coach is Andy Reid, who’s been in the same role since 2013. Other members of his Chiefs coaching staff include offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach History

Two men have defined excellence like no other in the history of the organization: Hank Stram and Andy Reid. Stram was the team’s first coach in the AFL days (and won a handful of titles) and Reid is the current head coach (he’s also won a handful of titles).

Ranking the 10 Greatest Coaches in Kansas City Chiefs History

COORDINATORS:

  1. Steve Spagnuolo, 2019-Present

Position: Defensive Coordinator

Current Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has improved as his Chiefs tenure has gone on. He originally gained notoriety as a defensive guru after leading the 2007 New York Giants to an unlikely Super Bowl victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots, limiting QB Tom Brady and co to just 14 points.

Spagnuolo has guided Kansas City’s defense since 2019 and under his watch the Chiefs have reached three Super Bowls, winning two of them. The goal with QB Patrick Mahomes is simple: just have a league-average defense.

But as the Chiefs offense has stalled in 2023, Spagnuolo has kicked it up a notch on defense. His 2023 unit ranks fifth in total DVOA, fresh off a fourth-place finish in 2022. Fine work.

  1. Eric Bienemy, 2018-2022

Position: Offensive Coordinator

Former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy gets the slight nod over DC Steve Spagnuolo for one reason: the development of QB Patrick Mahomes. It’s been heavily discussed how much direct influence Bienemy has on Mahomes, who quite frankly is just a footballing supernova.

Bienemy left ahead of the 2023 season to take the same job with the Washington Commanders. Mahomes was quick to credit his former coach:

  • “He’s going to really try and get the best out of you every single day. He’s going to hold you accountable when you don’t want to hold yourself accountable…[His coaching] made me a better player.”

HEAD COACHES:

  1. Herm Edwards, 2006-2008

Former Chiefs coach Herm Edwards had to deal with a rotating cast of quarterbacks in Kansas City during his three seasons -- not a recipe for success with a defensive-minded head coach. An injury to incumbent starter Trent Green almost derailed the 2006 campaign, but backup Damon Huard stepped in admirably and Edwards rallied the team to the postseason.

The wheels fell off after that. Kansas City was bounced in the first round of the playoffs and Huard couldn’t hang as the starter in 2007. The team sunk to a 4-12 record before falling even further to 2-14 in 2008. Edwards was fired and hasn’t been a head coach in the NFL since. 

  1. Marv Levy, 1978-1982

Marv Levy is perhaps best remembered for his tenure as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, whom he led to four straight Super Bowls in the early 1990s.

Levy arrived in Kansas City smack dab in the middle of the Chiefs’ famous playoff drought from 1972 to 1985. Levy didn’t end that streak, but he was responsible for two of the four .500-or-better seasons during that stretch, The Pro Football Hall of Famer recorded the fifth most wins in franchise history.

  1. Todd Haley, 2009-2011

Todd Haley may be more recently remembered as the man having on-and-off vocal spats with the “Killer B’s” in Pittsburgh, as he served as the Steelers' offensive coordinator from 2012 to 2017.

Say what you want about Haley, but the man gets a lot of quarterbacks. As the HC in Kansas City, he transformed a moribund offense by trading for Patriots castoff QB Matt Cassel. Haley helped Cassel have the only Pro Bowl season of his career in 2010 as the team managed an unlikely AFC West victory.

The team was pummeled by the Ravens in the playoffs and struggled to a 5-8 start in 2011 before Haley was fired.

  1. John Mackovic, 1983-1986

Remember the Chiefs' lengthy postseason drought we discussed earlier? Former HC John Mackovic was the man to end the streak. He inherited a 3-6 squad from the 1982 strike-shortened season and slowly but surely improved them.

Mackovic turned incumbent starting QB Bill Kenney into a Pro Bowler in 1983 and generally improved the Kansas City offense. His patience was rewarded in 1986, as the Chiefs went 10-6 and snuck into the playoffs, the franchise’s first appearance since the 1971 season.

After a Wild Card shellacking at the hands of the New York Jets, Mackovic was surprisingly fired. According to reports, several notable Chiefs players went to owner Clark Hunt directly and asked for Mackovic to be removed.

  1. Dick Vermeil, 2001-2005

Dick Vermeil came out of retirement to take the Chiefs coaching job ahead of the 2001 campaign. His first two campaigns back weren’t tremendous successes, as KC and QB Trent Green toiled around .500.

The stars aligned in 2003. A supercharged offense led by Green, RB Priest Holmes, TE Tony Gonzalez, and WR Eddie Kennison stormed to a 13-3 record and the 1-seed in the AFC. Vermeil would go on to win NFL Coach of the Year.

The Chiefs were upset by QB Peyton Manning and the Colts in the divisional round before failing in the playoffs again under Vermeil. He left following the 2005 season with the fourth-most wins in franchise history.

  1. Marty Schottenheimer, 1989-1998

Before Marty Schottenheimer took charge, Kansas City was one of the worst franchises in the NFL. The Chiefs made just one playoff appearance between 1972 and 1988, never winning a postseason game and regularly finishing well below .500.

Enter Schottenheimer, who led the Chiefs to at least 8 wins in 9 of his 10 seasons in Kansas City. While the team never made the Super Bowl, he did have them on the cusp. The team acquired legendary QB Joe Montana ahead of the 1993 season and reached the AFC Championship. Waiting for them were the Buffalo Bills, led by old friend Marv Levy. Buffalo prevailed and KC’s Super Bowl drought would continue.

  1. Hank Stram, 1960-1974

Who was the first coach in Kansas City Chiefs history? That would be Hank Stram, who took over the franchise when they were called the Dallas Texans from 1960-1962 (back in the AFL days).

Stram won the AFL Championship in 1962 behind the strength of AFL MVP Len Dawson. Stram’s team would win the AFL Title again in 1966, which this time earned the team a berth in Super Bowl I against the Green Bay Packers.

Stram would bring his men back to the Super Bowl three years later after winning his third AFL Championship. This time Kansas City got the job done, as the Chiefs ousted the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 with Len Dawson claiming Super Bowl MVP.

  1. Andy Reid, 2013-Present

What makes current Kansas City HC Andy Reid the best coach in Chiefs history? Here’s a synopsis:

  • Most wins in Chiefs history: 117
  • Best winning percentage in Chiefs history: .722
  • 2 Super Bowl titles, 5 straight AFC Championship games
  • Widely popular amongst Chiefs fans

What more can the man do? Reid has Kansas City positioned to make another run in the 2023 NFL playoffs.

Parameters of Rankings

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

Related: 

Bet on NFL Odds at Betway

Find season-long NFL betting odds on the Betway. You'll find all the latest spreads, parlays, totals, NFL prop bets, moneylines, and NFL futures. Or call it how you see it with our live NFL betting in-play. All your NFL betting needs are covered at our online sportsbook.

Visit Betway’s NFL picks page for picks and predictions throughout the regular season.