Coaches deserving a closer look from the NFL Hall Of Fame

This was the ninth time in the past 11 years that no coaches earned enshrinement. Seventy-three of 75 inductees over that span were not coaches, and with Don Coryell falling short as a finalist 31 years after coaching his final game, the guys responsible for motivating grown men could use a pep talk themselves.

There is hope. John Madden waited 28 years, Hank Stram waited 26 and George Allen waited 25, which reflects the process as much as anything. Coaches compete in the same category as players on the theory both made their marks at field level, unlike contributors. It's a debatable premise and a problem for coaches whose candidacies require some deliberation.

Marty SchottenheimerRegular season: 200-126-1 (.613)
Playoffs: 5-13 (.278)
Super Bowls: none as a head coach

Coach Schottenheimer's failures during playoff games has certainly haunted him, despite not having an exceptional QB such as a Joe Montana to work with. His teams routinely turned the ball either by interception or fumble at the most inopportune times.

Schottenheimer wasn't just a compiler. He's also one of seven coaches with 300 games coached and a winning percentage of at least .600 (Andy Reid, who is becoming the Schottenheimer of this era unless he wins a title, has a chance to join the list this season).

Chuck KnoxRegular season: 186-147-1 (.558)
Playoffs: 7-11 (.389)
Super Bowls: none as a head coach

Knox was a four-time coach of the year who twice took over losing teams and brought them to the playoffs in his first season on the job.

Bill CowherRegular season: 149-90-1 (.623)
Playoffs: 12-9
Super Bowls: 1-1 as a head coach

Ben Roethlisberger became a top-tier quarterback, but he was not one when Cowher was coaching him. That means Cowher took the Steelers to two Super Bowls with two different below-top-tier quarterbacks. Cowher also took two very different teams to the biggest stage, with nine years in between those Super Bowl runs. His Steelers reached six AFC title games during his 15-year run as head coach.

George Seifert
Regular Season: 114-62 (.648)
Playoffs: 15-10
SuperBowls: 2-0 as a head coach

Seifert enjoyed his best success as head coach while coaching the San Francisco 49ers, where he accumulated a 98-30 coaching record, along with winning 2 SuperBowls with 2 Hall of Fame QBs, Joe Montana in 1989, Steve Young in 1994. His 3 year stint with the Carolina Panthers, where his coaching record was 16-32, may be the specific factor he's not in the hall of fame.
Other Coaches deserving honorable mention:

Don Coryell:
Career regular-season won-loss record of 111-83-1 (42-27-1 in St. Louis and 69-56 in San Diego)
Six seasons with 10 or more regular-season wins

Two-time NFC East Champion (St. Louis, 1974-75) and three-time AFC West Champion (San Diego, 1979-81)

Led NFL in total yards per game in 1980 (413.8), 1981 (429.9), 1982 (460.2) and 1985 (427.5)

Led NFL in total touchdowns scored in 1981 (60), 1982 (34) and 1985 (57)

Second in NFL in total yards per game in 1983 (401.7) and third in 1984 (411.4)

Led NFL in scrimmage yards per game (398.4) and touchdowns (416) during tenure in San Diego (1978-86)

Led NFL in passing yards per game (287.4) and second in touchdown passes (243) during tenure in San Diego

Led NFL in points per game (25.6) during tenure in San Diego

As an offensive innovator Don Coryell would deserve induction into Pro Football's Hall of Fame for making the passing game what it is today. Many former players and coaches are in the hall of fame because of Don Coryell. SuperBowl wins seem to be the standard whether or not a head coach gets inducted, George Allen, Bud Grant, Marv Levy are all inducted despite not winning a Super Bowl.

Tom Flores
Regular Season 97-87 (.527)
Playoffs 8-3 (.727)
SuperBowls 2-0 as a head coach

Greatest success as head coach came while coaching the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders from 1979- 1987, where his record was 83-53, along with 2 SuperBowl wins. The Oakland Raiders became the first team in NFL history to win the SuperBowl as a wild card team during the 1980 season. His coaching stint with the Seattle Seahawks from 1992-1994 proved to be miserable for him, his 14-34 record may have hindered his chances for induction.

Coaches with .600 and above winning percentages are all inducted, though Chuck Noll, Hank Stram, Bill Parcells, Marv Levy, Mike Ditka, Sid Gillman, all have winning percentages below .574 for their respective coaching careers.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame voters seem to have varying criteria for each former player or head coach.