With the trade deadline coming on Nov. 10, there is a lot of buzz surrounding NFL general managers as they consider whether to add players for a playoff push this season or trade away players to stack up draft capital for a future season. General managers play a key role in deciding the makeup of a roster. They have to identify talent and make high-pressure decisions every year for the NFL draft.
The best general managers have to look at the big picture, locking in valuable players on deals that are favorable for the organization and athlete to make sure their team can contend for the postseason consistently. Hiring the right head coach and making sure the roster aligns with their scheme is another important part of the gig. More news: Exclusive: Breakout NFL Executives Who Could Become Future General Managers More news: 4 QBs Generating Serious Trade Buzz Weeks Before NFL Regular Season Starts After talking to several sources in and around the league, here are the top four general managers of all time in the modern era (1994 and beyond) and four general managers who could eventually get on that list. (Note: The names are in alphabetical order by first name).
In addition to being the head coach, Belichick served as the de facto GM for the Cleveland Browns from 1992 to 1995. The Browns won a playoff game in 1994. He served as the head coach and de facto GM for the New England Patriots from 2000 to 2023, winning six Super Bowls and appearing in three more.
In his 28 years as an executive, Belichick had a 296–155 record in the regular season and went 31–13 in the postseason. His six Super Bowls as an executive are tied with Dan Rooney, Art Rooney Jr. and Bill Nunn for the second-most in league history, only behind Neal Dahlen, who won seven Super Bowls in total with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos in a non-GM role. Belichick won eight Super Bowls in total, with two coming as a defensive coordinator with the New York Giants.
Belichick had an eye for finding talent that would fit his scheme and the culture he wanted to set for the locker room. Roseman started as a front office intern with the Philadelphia Eagles before working his way to becoming the general manager in 2010. During his time as an Eagles executive, Philadelphia won Super Bowl LII and LIX (as well as appeared in Super Bowl LVII).
Those Super Bowls came with different head coaches (Doug Pederson, Nick Sirianni) and different quarterbacks (Nick Foles, Jalen Hurts). Roseman has a 152-116-1 record in the regular season and a 10-8 record in the postseason with the Eagles since 2010. Roseman is highly praised for his ability to manage the salary cap and make aggressive trades to keep Philadelphia a consistent playoff competitor.
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