There’s confidence, and then there’s full-blown delusion, the kind of blind belief that turns a coach into a legend, a laughingstock, or sometimes both. Across both the college and pro levels, plenty of coaches have strutted the sidelines with more swagger than their records could back up, insisting their schemes, slogans, and sideline antics were destined for greatness.
Some of them talked a big game and never backed it up. Others won a little and acted like they reinvented the sport. From bold guarantees to baffling play-calling, here are 20 football coaches who took confidence to an entirely new, and hilariously delusional, level.
20. Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan thought every season was the Jets’ year, no matter what the roster actually looked like. His bravado was unmatched, but those Super Bowl guarantees aged like milk.
19. Lane Kiffin (Early Years)
Young Lane Kiffin thought he was the next great coaching mastermind before he ever proved anything. From awkward NFL stints to early college chaos, his ego was way ahead of his results.
18. Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson once insisted he was the man to turn Cleveland around, then went 3-36-1. Even after back-to-back winless seasons, he somehow never lost his self-assured swagger.
17. Steve Spurrier (NFL Version)
![Florida Gators legendary head ball coach Steve Spurrier watches practice from a distance during the second open fall practice held at the Sanders Practice Fields on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, Fla., July 27, 2019. [Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun]](https://gamerkoala.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Steve-Spurrier-1-1024x576.jpg)
Spurrier’s college confidence didn’t exactly translate to the NFL, where he tried to win with college schemes and a golf-first work ethic. He acted like the league would bend to him, not the other way around.
16. Urban Meyer (NFL Edition)
Urban Meyer walked into the NFL acting like he was still king of the college castle. Between ignoring staff dynamics and that bar video, he was in over his head from day one.
15. Chip Kelly
Chip Kelly believed he could outsmart the entire league with smoothies and science. After gutting a solid Eagles roster, he learned the NFL doesn’t always vibe with your spreadsheets.
14. Freddie Kitchens
Freddie Kitchens looked like he won a contest to coach the Browns, and coached like it, too. He had the confidence of Vince Lombardi with the playbook of a middle school PE teacher.
13. Jerry Glanville
Glanville loved black uniforms, leaving tickets for Elvis, and pretending the Falcons were Super Bowl bound. His teams were fun, but his belief in their dominance was pure fantasy.
12. Les Miles
Les Miles once ate grass on the sideline and called it a ritual. He made some wild calls and talked like he was always ten steps ahead, even when he was actually three steps behind.
11. Mike Martz
Mike Martz thought he invented offense and that every QB could run the Greatest Show on Turf. His confidence never waned, even as defensive coordinators feasted on his stubbornness.
10. Herm Edwards (Arizona State Era)
Herm Edwards brought NFL energy to Arizona State and talked about building a powerhouse. The results didn’t exactly match the press conferences.
9. Jim Tomsula
Tomsula seemed like a great guy, but thought growling through pressers would make up for the lack of results. The 49ers’ experiment was doomed, but he always acted like he was in control.
8. Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher somehow convinced teams that 7-9 was an achievement. His refusal to evolve and his proud mediocrity made him the ultimate delusional sideline staple.
7. John L. Smith
John L. Smith’s pressers were a mix of chaos and cringe. He never lacked confidence, even as his teams fell apart in real time.
6. Bobby Petrino
Petrino thought he could ghost an NFL team mid-season and still be seen as a top-tier coach. That level of confidence takes some serious detachment from reality.
5. Joe Judge
Joe Judge brought a high school principal vibe to the NFL and thought laps and discipline alone would win games. The results were less Bill Belichick and more gym class hero.
4. Jason Garrett
Garrett clapped like everything was fine while mediocrity ruled the Cowboys for a decade. He coached like he was leading a dynasty, even when fans were begging for change.
3. Nathaniel Hackett
Hackett came in with big energy and looked completely overwhelmed from day one. His time in Denver was a masterclass in overconfidence meeting unpreparedness.
Read More: The 10 Most Overrated College Football Coaches
2. Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly jumped to LSU talking titles and acting like the program was already elite. Add in the fake accent and day-one arrogance, and it was peak coaching delusion.
Read More: The 15 Most Delusional NFL Stars of All Time
1. Adam Gase
Gase’s coffee-fueled stare at his Jets introduction said it all; he thought he was a genius, and no one could convince him otherwise. He kept getting jobs despite crashing every one he touched, which somehow only made him more confident.
Read More: 20 Head Coaches Who Never Lacked Confidence
