We have compiled the longest-tenured coaches in the history of the North American BIG FIVE games namely the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and Major League Soccer (MLS).
Longest Tenured Coaches
Longest Tenured NFL Coaches
Bill Belichick
William Stephen Belichick is the longest-tenured NFL head coach with 21 seasons. He currently serves as the head coach and general manager of the New England Patriots since 27th January 2000. Belichick is known for taking extensive authority to produce the best team. Bill was named after his Godfather Bill Edwards, a famous football coach.
Bill’s coaching career began assisting Ted Marchibroda, the head coach of Baltimore Colts back in 1975. From there, Belichick has served as assistant and head coach for famous teams like Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and New England Patriots.
Who Is the Oldest Coach in Sports?
- A. Peter Vermes
- B. Bill Belichick
- C. Jon Cooper
- D. Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
If you don’t want to go by the number of seasons, go by age because Carroll just turned 70, making the oldest head coach in the NFL.
Longest Tenured MLB Coaches
Connie Mack
Cornelius McGillicuddy is the longest-tenured MLB head coach. Apart from coaching, he is also known for being a manager, professional ball catcher, and team owner. He holds the record for the most wins (3,731) and losses (3,948) in MLB history.
He managed the first 50 seasons of the Philadelphia Athletics and retired in 1950 when he was 87 years. He also became the first manager to win the World Series thrice. He began playing in 1886 and returned as manager in 1894.
Longest Tenured NBA Coaches
Gregg Popovich
Gregg Charles Popovich is the longest-tenured NBA head coach. He is famously known as ‘Coach Pop’ and is the greatest NBA coach of all time and also has the most wins in NBA history. Popovich’s NBA career began in 1996 with the Spurs. He had 22 full seasons with them and was also awarded the most consecutive wins in the NBA.
Popovich played for the Armed Forces Team while serving the required 5 years of active duty in the Air Force. He also participated in the 1972 Olympics Trials after this. Do you know that he is a serious wine collector?
Longest Tenured NHL Coaches
Jon Cooper
Jonathan D. Cooper is the longest-serving NHL head coach of all time. He has been a coach since 2001 and the head coach of Tampa Bay Lightning since 2013. The team won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. His coaching career began assisting the head coach of Capital Centre Pride, a junior hockey league in NAHL.
Did you know that the Tampa Bay Lightning had their best season in their history in 2013 after making Cooper the 8th head coach?
Longest Tenured MLS Coaches
Peter Vermes
Peter Joseph Vermes is the longest-serving MLS coach. He has won four major trophies and has been coaching Sporting Kansas City since 2009. He is the second most active coach of all time. He began playing for Hungary’s Rába ETO FC. His coaching career began with Kansas City Wizards in 2006 November.
What Professional Sport Has the Longest Season?
MLB, Major League baseball has 162 games making it top the list of the oldest and longest American sports. There are only 152 days of off-season before players are back on the field.