NFL coaches to beat all 32 teams: Cowboys' Mike McCarthy on cusp of joining elite company with win vs. Packers

Edward Sutelan

NFL coaches to beat all 32 teams: Cowboys' Mike McCarthy on cusp of joining elite company with win vs. Packers image

Mike McCarthy has logged a lot of time on NFL sidelines. He has been a head coach in the league for all but one season since 2006.

On Sunday, his Cowboys will take on the Packers, a team with which McCarthy logged 204 games as head coach. Should Dallas prevail, McCarthy would become just the eighth coach in NFL history to record a win against all 32 active teams in the league.

McCarthy would join Bill Belichick, Tony Dungy, John Fox, Mike Holmgren, Bill Parcells, Andy Reid and Mike Shanahan in achieving the feat.

"Wow, that's interesting," McCarthy said, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "I haven’t thought about it, but, yeah, I’m all for it."

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Here's a look at how McCarthy accomplished the feat, and how each other coach racked up his wins (including postseason).

NFL coaches to beat all 32 teams

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Tony Dungy

Before arriving in Indianapolis, where Dungy enjoyed his most notable stint while coaching Peyton Manning, he was the Buccaneers' head coach. He collected most of the wins needed for the milestone while he was in Tampa.

From 1996 to 2001, Dungy's Bucs took down all but Tampa Bay (obviously), the Browns, Jets, Jaguars, Titans and Texans (again, obviously).

When Dungy joined the Colts in 2002, it was easy for him to pick up wins against three of those teams as the Jaguars, Titans and Texans were all in his division. That first year, the Colts beat both the Jaguars and the expansion Texans, as well as the Browns. The next season, he finished off the Tour de NFL, picking up wins against the Titans, Buccaneers and, lastly, the Jets, on Nov. 16, 2003.

Franchise Wins First Win
Texans 13 9/22/02
Jaguars 10 9/8/02
Bears 9 12/22/96
Titans 9 9/14/03
Vikings 8 10/13/96
Lions 8 9/7/97
Ravens 7 12/29/01
Bengals 6 12/27/98
Patriots 6 11/16/97
Broncos 6 9/26/99
Saints 5 11/24/96
Packers 5 12/7/98
Falcons 5 11/9/97
Browns 4 12/15/02
Dolphins 4 9/21/97
Chiefs 4 11/14/99
Rams 3 12/18/00
Giants 3 11/30/97
Bills 3 11/26/00
Eagles 3 9/19/99
Steelers 3 12/13/98
Chargers 3 11/17/96
Cowboys 3 12/3/00
Commanders 3 12/8/96
Raiders 3 11/10/96
49ers 2 8/31/97
Cardinals 2 9/28/97
Jets 2 11/16/03
Buccaneers 2 10/6/03
Panthers 2 10/18/98
Colts 1 11/2/97
Seahawks 1 11/28/99
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Mike Shanahan

Shanahan is best known for his time with the Broncos and Washington, but he began his career with a brief stint in Los Angeles with the Raiders. He coached all of the 1988 season and was fired after four games in 1989. With the Raiders, he defeated just the Chargers, 49ers, Broncos and Chiefs.

It was a good thing he took over the Broncos when he had the chance, because his run in Denver from 1995 to 2008 cleared everyone else. On Dec. 25, 2004, the Broncos beat the Titans 37-16 to give Shanahan a win against all 32 franchises.

He added a few more wins during his time in Washington from 2010-13, but he never again beat the Broncos. Washington lost to Denver 45-21 on Oct. 27, 2013.

Franchise Wins First Win
Raiders 22 10/16/95
Chargers 21 9/4/88
Chiefs 17 10/16/88
Seahawks 12 9/8/96
Patriots 9 10/8/95
Cowboys 6 9/13/98
Bills 5 9/3/95
Bengals 5 9/29/96
Eagles 5 10/4/98
Browns 5 10/15/00
Cardinals 5 11/5/95
Jets 5 9/1/96
Jaguars 5 12/3/95
Giants 4 9/10/01
Steelers 4 1/11/98
Saints 4 12/3/00
Falcons 4 9/28/97
Buccaneers 4 9/15/96
Ravens 4 10/20/96
Rams 3 9/14/97
Packers 3 1/25/98
Vikings 3 11/24/96
49ers 3 11/13/88
Bears 3 11/10/96
Commanders 3 9/17/95
Titans 3 12/25/04
Lions 2 12/25/99
Broncos 2 9/26/88
Colts 2 12/21/03
Dolphins 2 1/9/99
Panthers 2 11/9/97
Texans 1 11/7/04
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Mike Holmgren

Another coach with multiple stops on his resume, Holmgren began his head coaching career with the Packers in 1992 and coached them through the 1998 season. During that time, he made good progress in marking names on his 32-team bingo card.

By the time Holmgren was finished in Green Bay, he had beaten all but the Packers, Cardinals, Colts, Washington, Chiefs and Texans (who, again, did not exist at that point).

Holmgren didn't have to wait long to get his next opportunity. He was hired by the Seahawks in 1999 and spent the next 10 years with Seattle. He beat each of the remaining teams, including his former team on Nov. 1, 1999, and the final team — Washington — on Jan. 14, 2006, in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Franchise Wins First Win
Rams 15 12/20/92
Bears 15 11/22/92
Buccaneers 15 11/29/92
49ers 14 1/6/96
Lions 13 11/1/92
Cardinals 8 11/10/02
Chargers 7 12/12/93
Vikings 7 9/4/94
Falcons 6 12/18/94
Bengals 5 9/20/92
Eagles 5 11/15/92
Saints 5 11/14/93
Cowboys 5 11/23/97
Broncos 5 10/10/93
Raiders 5 12/26/93
Panthers 5 1/12/97
Giants 4 9/17/95
Steelers 4 9/27/92
Chiefs 4 11/21/99
Bills 3 12/20/97
Browns 3 11/19/95
Jaguars 3 9/24/95
Titans 3 12/13/92
Patriots 2 1/26/97
Packers 2 11/1/99
Dolphins 2 9/14/97
Jets 2 11/13/94
Commanders 2 1/14/06
Ravens 2 10/25/98
Colts 1 12/24/05
Seahawks 1 9/29/96
Texans 1 10/16/05
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Bill Parcells

Parcells' several stops in his coaching career allowed him to claim wins against all 32 teams. He was at the helm of the Giants for eight years before coaching the Patriots for four, the Jets for three and the Cowboys for four.

With the Giants from 1983-90, Parcells' teams defeated 25 different teams, with the only missing franchises being the Giants, Bengals, Browns, Jaguars, Panthers, Ravens and Texans. Of course, the Jaguars, Panthers, Ravens and Texans didn't exist at the time.

Parcells coached the Patriots from 1993-96. There, he added wins against the Giants, Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Jaguars, leaving only the Texans. From 1997-99, while leading the Jets, he did not have a chance to beat Houston, which debuted in 2002. It was during his stint with the Cowboys from 2003-06 that Parcells beat team No. 32, when the Cowboys stomped the Texans 34-6 on Oct. 15, 2006.

Franchise Wins First Win
Cardinals 17 11/18/84
Commanders 16 10/28/84
Eagles 12 11/20/83
Cowboys 10 9/9/84
Bills 9 1/27/91
Colts 9 11/5/90
Lions 8 10/16/88
Dolphins 8 9/23/90
Jets 8 12/2/84
Patriots 6 11/8/87
Giants 5 12/21/96
Chargers 5 9/14/86
Vikings 5 11/16/86
49ers 5 12/29/85
Falcons 5 9/11/83
Seahawks 5 11/19/89
Packers 4 9/26/83
Bears 4 1/13/91
Broncos 4 11/23/86
Chiefs 4 11/25/84
Buccaneers 4 9/23/84
Panthers 4 11/29/98
Rams 3 12/23/84
Bengals 3 12/12/93
Saints 3 10/27/85
Browns 3 12/19/93
Raiders 3 9/21/86
Jaguars 3 9/22/96
Titans 3 12/8/85
Steelers 2 12/21/85
Ravens 2 10/6/96
Texans 1 10/15/06
Bill-Belichick-122621-GETTY-FTR

Bill Belichick

Like Shanahan, it was a good thing Belichick's second coaching spot bcame his long-term home. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had the chance to accomplish the feat.

Belichick began his coaching career with the Browns in 1991 and held the position until 1995. When the team was moved to Baltimore, he was not brought over; instead, he resumed working under Parcells in New England. Belichick made good progress in clearing the field while in Cleveland, leaving only the Browns, Giants, Bills, Vikings, Lions, Broncos, Dolphins, Falcons, Washington, Jaguars, Panthers, Ravens and Texans. Of course, the Ravens were the team the Browns became before Cleveland returned to the league in 1999, and the Texans wouldn't start play until 2002.

Belichick cleared the field when he became New England's head coach. By the end of the 2003 season, he had beaten all but one team. It wasn't until Oct. 28, 2007, when the Patriots beat Washington 52-7, that Belichick reached the milestone.

Franchise Wins First Win
Jets 37 10/2/94
Bills 36 12/17/00
Dolphins 26 12/22/01
Colts 19 12/1/91
Bengals 16 9/15/91
Steelers 16 10/27/91
Chargers 12 10/20/91
Titans 12 11/8/92
Texans 11 11/23/03
Broncos 10 10/1/00
Chiefs 10 11/24/91
Browns 9 12/9/01
Raiders 9 9/20/92
Jaguars 9 12/14/03
Ravens 9 11/28/04
Rams 7 12/26/93
Falcons 7 11/4/01
Eagles 6 11/13/94
Bears 6 11/29/92
Cowboys 6 12/10/94
Saints 5 12/5/93
Vikings 5 11/24/02
Lions 5 11/28/02
Cardinals 5 9/18/94
Buccaneers 5 9/10/95
Giants 4 10/12/03
Packers 4 10/18/92
49ers 4 9/13/93
Commanders 4 10/28/07
Seahawks 4 12/24/94
Panthers 4 1/6/02
Patriots 3 9/8/91
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Andy Reid

Like several other coaches on this list, Reid completed most of the list before he joined the franchise for which he will be most remembered. He was the coach of the Eagles from 1999 to 2012, and during that time he beat 30 teams. The only exceptions? The Eagles and Titans.

Reid was hired by the Chiefs in 2013 immediately after his run in Philadelphia ended, and he wasted no time finishing up his conquest. In Week 3, the Chiefs beat his former team 26-16. Two weeks later, Kansas City took down the Titans 26-17 as part of a 9-0 run to open the '13 season.

Reid is one of only two coaches on this list to have beaten every team in the league at least twice.

Franchise Wins First Win
Commanders 20 11/14/99
Giants 19 10/22/01
Cowboys 19 10/10/99
Raiders 17 9/25/05
Chargers 16 12/9/01
Broncos 14 12/27/09
Falcons 10 10/1/00
49ers 9 11/25/02
Browns 9 12/10/00
Texans 9 9/29/02
Bills 8 9/28/03
Buccaneers 8 12/31/00
Bears 7 10/17/99
Cardinals 7 10/15/00
Rams 6 1/2/00
Steelers 6 11/12/00
Packers 6 11/10/03
Vikings 6 11/11/01
Dolphins 6 12/15/03
Jets 6 10/26/03
Panthers 6 11/30/03
Ravens 6 10/31/04
Patriots 5 12/19/99
Saints 5 9/24/00
Lions 5 9/26/04
Jaguars 5 9/26/10
Seahawks 4 9/23/01
Eagles 3 9/19/13
Colts 3 11/7/10
Chiefs 3 11/29/01
Titans 3 10/6/13
Bengals 2 12/24/00
John Fox

John Fox

The most recent coach to join the list, Fox got off to a strong start with the Panthers, but he still had a few teams left after his stint there ended. Fox was at the helm from 2002-10, during which time he beat every team in the NFC — except Carolina — and had only the Steelers, Dolphins, Titans and Texans left in the AFC.

He cleared everyone after he was hired by the Broncos in 2011. By the end of the 2013 season, Fox had beaten all 32, checking off the Titans on Dec. 8, 2013, and the Texans on Dec. 22, 2013.

Fox added to his overall win total as the head coach of the Bears from 2015-17.

Franchise Wins First Win
Buccaneers 13 9/14/03
Saints 12 12/29/02
Chiefs 10 9/19/04
Chargers 9 9/7/08
Raiders 9 11/9/08
Cardinals 8 12/14/03
Falcons 7 9/28/03
Rams 5 1/10/04
Vikings 5 9/22/02
49ers 5 11/14/04
Lions 5 9/15/02
Ravens 5 9/8/02
Giants 4 12/28/03
Bengals 4 12/8/02
Browns 4 12/1/02
Bears 4 12/22/02
Steelers 3 1/8/12
Packers 3 10/3/05
Jets 3 11/13/05
Commanders 3 11/16/03
Bills 2 11/27/05
Eagles 2 1/18/04
Patriots 2 9/18/05
Cowboys 2 1/3/04
Colts 2 10/12/03
Dolphins 2 10/23/11
Jaguars 2 9/7/03
Panthers 2 11/11/12
Broncos 1 12/14/08
Seahawks 1 12/16/07
Titans 1 12/8/13
Texans 1 12/22/13
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Mike McCarthy?

To accomplish the feat in Week 10 of the 2022 season, McCarthy needs to keep the Packers from snapping their five-game losing streak. Most of his coaching victories have come as Green Bay's head coach. He went 125-77-2 with the Packers from 2006-18 and is 24-17 in three years (2002-22) with the Cowboys.

While with the Packers, he beat everyone except Green Bay (obviously). His only defeat of the Steelers came in Super Bowl 45, wich Green Bay won 31-25.

Franchise Wins First Win
Bears 20 12/31/06
Lions 20 9/24/06
Vikings 18 11/12/06
Giants 11 9/16/07
Eagles 9 9/9/07
Cowboys 7 11/15/09
Rams 7 12/16/07
Commanders 7 10/14/07
Falcons 6 1/15/11
Seahawks 6 1/12/08
49ers 6 12/10/06
Chargers 4 9/23/07
Dolphins 4 10/22/06
Panthers 4 11/18/07
Browns 3 10/25/09
Raiders 3 12/9/07
Buccaneers 3 11/20/11
Cardinals 3 10/29/06
Saints 3 9/8/11
Bengals 3 9/24/17
Jets 2 10/31/10
Bills 2 9/19/10
Broncos 2 10/29/07
Chiefs 2 11/4/07
Jaguars 2 10/28/12
Ravens 2 12/7/09
Texans 2 10/14/12
Patriots 2 11/30/14
Steelers 1 2/6/11
Colts 1 10/19/08
Titans 1 12/23/12

Edward Sutelan

Edward Sutelan Photo

Edward Sutelan joined The Sporting News in 2021 after covering high school sports for PennLive. Edward graduated from The Ohio State University in 2019, where he gained experience covering the baseball, football and basketball teams. Edward also spent time working for The Columbus Dispatch and Cape Cod Times.