By Stephen Juza,
February 17th, 2026
Each September, the NFL season kicks off with all 32 franchises brimming with hope of the season to come. With only 17 games in the current schedule, it’s imperative to start strong. Since 2000, there are 104 coaches who have at least 10 September games to their record. So which coaches have been best at setting up a great season to come with September Success?
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Tony Dungy - 79% (23-6)
When it comes to starting the season strong, no one since 2000 has done it better than Tony Dungy. The former coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Indianapolis Colts had a remarkable four seasons with undefeated Septembers, and at one point the Colts had one 12 consecutive September games.
His success continued outside of September as well. The Colts during his tenure had a run of five straight AFC South titles (2023-2027), and one Super Bowl title (2006). Dungy’s 79% win percentage in the month of September is good for more than 13 wins a season if they could maintain that pace throughout the entire season.
Nick Sirianni- 76% (13-4)
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has established himself as one of the top coaches in the league today, and one constant theme throughout his career is a fast start to the season. Sirianni has the second highest win percentage in the month of September since 2000, sitting just over 76% in his five Septembers as a head coach.
The Eagles fast starts have allowed them to win three NFC East titles in his five seasons with the team. Beyond the titles, he’s also brought one Super Bowl championship (2024) and one other NFC championship (2022). However, for every fast start, the Eagles have been plagued by late season stumbles. For example, despite starting the season 4-0, the Eagles finished the season on a 3-5 run with a loss in the Wildcard round to the San Francisco 49ers.
Matt Nagy - 71% (10-4)
I think NFL fans will be surprised to learn that former Bears head coach Matt Nagy comes in third with a 71% winning percentage in the month of September. Nagy may not have had much success during his time in Chicago, but he led the Bears to several fast starts in his four seasons as a head coach.
Nagy’s success wouldn’t translate to future months however. For all the success in September, he would win only a third of the games in October to give up any favorable division standing. Nagy only lasted four seasons before he was fired and returned to life as an offensive coordinator.
Sean McDermott - 71% (22-9)
The former Buffalo Bills’ coach comes in fourth on our list with a 71% winning percentage for the month of September. McDermott led the Bills for nine seasons, from 2017 until last month. During this time, the Bills only missed the playoffs one time, and had a streak of five consecutive AFC East, starting in 2020.
However, the Bills patience ran out this offseason. After another playoff without a Super Bowl, the Bills fired McDermott. This season represented one of their best opportunities with former MVP Josh Allen, as injuries took many of the top contenders out of the running without facing the Bills.
Wade Phillips - 70% (12-5)
Rounding out the list of top five coaches is another surprise. Wade Philips, the former head coach of the Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys, coached his teams to a 70% winning percentage through the first month of the season. But like Nagy, there was a steep drop in winning percentage as the calendar page turned. In October, Phillips’ teams only managed to win 42% of their games.
Phillips was a three-time head coach (and three-time interim head coach), but his teams never had much success. In the nine seasons as a head coach, he won two division titles (2007 and 2009 with Dallas) and he only won a single playoff game. His mark on the game was made far more through his prowess as a defensive coordinator compared to his head coaching tenures.