Which coach in their prime? Tom Landry or Jimmy Johnson?

[DogFace]

I loved Tom, but Jimmy was a master of psychology and drafting. Two major keys imo.

 

[khiladi]

Tom was a better dresser no question about that .

jimmy had way better hair though

 

[nyc-cowboy]

No one but no one gave Coach Landry a Gatorade drenching to my knowledge.

It wasn't a thing back then, I believe the first time it was done was the giants and Bill Parcells.

But yes I can't see anyone dunking a whole cooler of Gatoraid on Laundry.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

jimmy, of course!

 

[Runwildboys]

Landry was an innovator on both side of the ball, called plays and set the game plans. Jimmy was a walk around coach and motivator.....I'll take Coach Landry all day long....he stuck around about 3 years to long, but he still belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of coaches.

The question isn't "Who was the better coach?" It's "Who would be better today?"...At least that's how I read it. I loved Landry more than Jimmy, but I think Jimmy would be better equipped to coach in today's NFL, with today's 'all about me' players.

 

[Ranching]

The question isn't "Who was the better coach?" It's "Who would be better today?"...At least that's how I read it. I loved Landry more than Jimmy, but I think Jimmy would be better equipped to coach in today's NFL, with today's 'all about me' players.

I don't think so....Jimmy couldn't handle not being able to cut players to prove a point because of today's salary cap. Tom would be able to work with players because he had a heart. He looked stone cold on the sidelines, but he never threw a player away without trying to help him. That'd him I see it....but, we'll never know.

 

[plasticman]

The question shuld be which coach would you want to win one game for all the marbles.......id have to go with Jimmy.

But that's not the question.

The question is which one would you want in their prime.

Well, seeing that Landry's prime lasted for 20 consecutive seasons, I'm going with the 10 NFC championship games, 5 Super Bowls and 2 rings over the 2 NFC championship games, two Super Bowls and two rings.

What's that? Jimmy should get credited for three? Well, then, give Landry a piece too because half that offense was there before Jimmy showed up including Tuinei, Newton, Gogan, Irvin, Martin.....

Many defensive peices too like Norton, Jeffcoat, Bates.....

 

[cowboybish]

Tough tough decision. I'd have to go with Jimmy but Landry was great too.

Landry had an owner that stayed out of the way and Jimmy of course didn’t so long-term Landry was the better coach. With a different owner Jimmy may have been the better coach in the long run but we’ll never know

 

[Einstein]

Landry... he invented a defense, The Flex, and his innovation and forward thinking were equaled by few others.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I’ve always heard Landry was a a smart football mind. When it comes to Jimmy……all I hear about is he held players and cut fringe players to make a point. I honestly don’t remember what Jimmy as a coach offered I was too young to remember.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Landry had an owner that stayed out of the way and Jimmy of course didn’t so long-term Landry was the better coach. With a different owner Jimmy may have been the better coach in the long run but we’ll never know

Jimmy went to Miami. Was the owner in the way there too?

 

[MyFairLady]

Sophie's choice.

 

[Blast From The Past]

70s and 80s. Landry may be the better guy for the job but the 90s, definitely Jimmy. Landry's methods were dated by the time Jimmy came to town.

I vaguely seem to remember watching a video of coach Landry at the end of his tenure in which he laid out his plan for the future had he been given a chance to go forward. It seemed pretty solid to me and very doable. I am gonna hunt for that video as it was enlightening as to the fact Tom wasn't really ready to retire yet. Had the game passed him by? Who knows but we do know what Jimmy and his staff brought to the Cowboys. They were each great for the times that they arrived to coach the Dallas Cowboys. I can't pick one over the other but will say coach Landry started with almost nothing and built a sustained championship environment over a longer period of time than Jimmy did. Jimmy had at least a few pieces to work with and the Walker trade blockbuster was one for the ages that really got Jimmy over the hump.

 

[Doomsday101]

Tough tough decision. I'd have to go with Jimmy but Landry was great too.

Tom Landry, I like Jimmy but he was not an innovator of the game, Landry was. Jimmy understood how to manage players and get through to them, he had Norv Turner run his offense and Wannstead then Davis run defense. Tom ran both sides of the ball and was the ultimate x's and o HC. Again I loved seeing both but Tom Landry is the man

 

[Whirlwin]

The way players are today, they wouldn't have put up with Tom's stoicism, and he wouldn't have put up with their selfishness and showboating.

The last Giants head coach. That won a Super Bowl. Was old-school Landry. I think Tom could do well with today’s players.

 

[quickccc]

Imo, It's the Man in the Funny Hat - Tom Landry “ the Man in the Funny Hat” was the better of the two Head Coaches.
Why ?

- Landry was iconic in what he brought to the NFL.(not just the Cowboys) as he was a true innovator on what he did on BOTH offense and defense
- He was the master genius in creating the 4-3 defense.- and then further re-innovating it as his " Flex 'scheme.
- He made the shotgun formation more frequent of a weapon for the duration of his career while adding more shifts, pre-snap motion
- He was instrumental in developing and emphasizing HOF'e Bullet Bob Hayes
- The Landry " shift" with the idea of having the OL coruch and stand up with idea of momentarily distracting opposing defenses.

 

[gimmesix]

Tough tough decision. I'd have to go with Jimmy but Landry was great too.

Jimmy was great, but Landry changed the game.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/landry/jaworski.html

 

[conner01]

I'd say Landry.
I don't think Jimmy was capable of coaching the same group of players for 10 years. He was struggling with motivating the Cowboys in 1993 even though they won a Super Bowl. He was the better coach, but not the better long term coach.

Good points
The different eras of football is so dramatically different
A in his prime Landry today is not the same as an in his prime Landry then
The game, the rules and most of all the players are not close to the same

 

[GMO415]

The Hat.

As Roger said "the funny little hat"

 

[Doomsday101]

Landry had an owner that stayed out of the way and Jimmy of course didn’t so long-term Landry was the better coach. With a different owner Jimmy may have been the better coach in the long run but we’ll never know

Yeah Tex was not an owner but Tex had say just as Jerry does.