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Twelve individuals in the Coach category have moved one step closer to election as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 presented by Visual Edge IT.
The Hall of Fame’s Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee narrowed a list of 15 nominees to Bill Arnsparger, Bill Belichick, Tom Coughlin, Alex Gibbs, Mike Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan and Clark Shaughnessy.
Hall of Fame bylaws stipulated that Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee members vote for 12 individuals each at this stage of the selection process. Each committee person will cast an additional ballot later this month to reduce the list to nine semifinalists, with those results to be announced in early November.
The Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee will meet virtually in mid-November and through a sequence of reduction votes will select one (1) Finalist for the Class of 2026. Comprising the committee are nine individuals — seven who also are members of the full Selection Committee and two others who hold voting rights for this subcommittee only.
Bylaws stipulate that candidates in the Coach category be retired from professional football for one full season after a Hall of Fame election cycle has begun. Individuals who last coached in the 2024 season are eligible for the Class of 2026.
Here are short bios on each of the coaches who remain in consideration for the Class of 2026:
Bill Arnsparger: Longtime defensive coordinator in the NFL. Won two Super Bowl titles with the Miami Dolphins and appeared in two other Super Bowls (Miami and San Diego). Also head coach of New York Giants.
Bill Belichick: NFL coach from 1975-2023 with head coaching jobs with Cleveland Browns (1991-95) and New England Patriots (2000-2023). Career record: 333-178 (including playoffs) with six Super Bowl titles.
Tom Coughlin: Spent 20 years as an NFL head coach with Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2002) and New York Giants (2004-2015). Won 182 games (including playoffs) and led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles.
Alex Gibbs: Assistant head coach and/or offensive line coach for 27 seasons with seven different NFL Clubs.
Mike Holmgren: Head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992-98 and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999-2008. Won a Super Bowl ring with Packers and appeared in another as head coach of Seahawks. Career record: 174-122 (including postseason).
Chuck Knox: NFL Coach of the Year in 1973, 1980 and 1984. He went 193-158-1 during 22 seasons (including playoffs) as head coach of the Rams, Bills and Seahawks.
Buddy Parker: Head coach of the Chicago Cardinals in 1949, Detroit Lions from 1951-56 and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1957-1964. Two-time NFL champion who posted a career record, including playoffs, of 107-76-9.
Dan Reeves: Head coach of the Denver Broncos from 1981-1992, New York Giants from 1993-96 and Atlanta Falcons from 1997-2003. Career record: 201-174-2 (including postseason).
Marty Schottenheimer: Head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1984-88, Kansas City Chiefs from 1989-1998, Washington Redskins in 2001 and San Diego Chargers from 2002-06. Career record: 205-139-1 (including postseason).
George Seifert: Two-time Super Bowl champion head coach with the San Francisco 49ers. In 11 seasons with the 49ers and Carolina Panthers he posted a career record (including playoffs) of 124-67.
Mike Shanahan: Head coach of the Los Angeles Raiders from 1988-89, Denver Broncos from 1995-2008 and Washington Redskins from 2010-13. Won two Super Bowls with the Broncos while compiling a 178-144 career record (including playoffs).
Clark Shaughnessy: Head coach of the Los Angeles Rams from 1948-49 and assistant coach for the Washington Redskins from 1944-47 and Chicago Bears from 1951-1962. Credited with modernizing the T-formation and other offensive and defensive innovations.
Results from reduction votes in three other categories for the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 — Modern-Era Players, Seniors and Contributor — also will be announced this week. This year’s voting will be completed with oversight from the firm Ernst & Young LLP, a Hall partner since 2019. EY’s Agreed-Upon Procedures include validating the completeness of the ballots and tabulating the ballots in accordance with the bylaws established by the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, which can be composed of a minimum of 4 individuals to as many as eight, will be enshrined next August in Canton.
