“Alignment versatility” rolls off the tongue as a distinctly 2025 football player portrayal. Not too many years ago, NFL scouts would have just led reports with, “Good athlete who can play anywhere.”
In the analytics age, this is “alignment versatility.”
Tyler Warren, the Atlee High grad and former Penn State star who the Indianapolis Colts selected with the 14th pick in April’s NFL draft, features this “alignment versatility,” according to NFL talent evaluators, and anybody else who followed his amateur career.
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Atlee High grad Tyler Warren caught just 49 passes in his first four years as a Penn State tight end before making 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season. BARRY REEGER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The 6-foot-5 256-pounder played quarterback at Atlee and starred as Penn State’s tight end. However, he moved around in the Nittany Lions’ offense. He ran the ball. The lefty passed the ball. And he made a reputation as a punishing blocker.
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Warren became the 10th player who grew up in the Richmond area to be chosen in the first round of the NFL draft, at least since 1965. When his football career closes, how might Warren, the son of former University of Richmond football player Terry Warren, measure up to the other nine? Might that “alignment versatility” distinguish Warren?
Here’s a list of those other nine greats whose football formative years were spent in and around RVA, as entries in a highly subjective list that ranks their NFL careers.
Being drafted in the first round neither guarantees a notable NFL career, nor does non-first-round status preclude a notable NFL career. Ex-linebacker Willie Lanier, from Maggie Walker High, is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was not a first-rounder.
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As an offensive lineman, Hermitage High graduate Duane Brown was a Pro-Bowl pick for the Houston Texans and the Seattle Seahawks. STEPHEN BRASHEAR, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Duane Brown, OT, Hermitage High, 2008 first-round pick of the Houston Texans: Offensive tackle? Not the flashiest or most noticeable position, but Brown (Virginia Tech) played it well in the NFL for 16 seasons. Five times he was named to the Pro Bowl and his career was spent with the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets.
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Ken Willard, from Varina High, spent a decade in the NFL and four times was named to the Pro Bowl. He starred for the San Francisco 49ers. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS IMAGE
Ken Willard, RB, Varina High, 1965 first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers: Underrated running back spent a decade in the NFL and four times was named to the Pro Bowl. After starring at North Carolina, Willard gained 6,105 yards and scored 45 rushing touchdowns, with 17 more as a pass-catcher, for the 49ers (nine seasons) and St. Louis Cardinals (one). Elected not to sign a baseball contract with the Boston Red Sox out of Varina.
James Farrior, LB, Matoaca High, 1997 first-round pick of the New York Jets: Twice Farrior was named to the Pro Bowl. The former Virginia star played 15 NFL seasons and made 197 starts. After his time with the Jets (five seasons), Farrior also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His best years were with Pittsburgh.
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James Farrior, a graduate of Matoaca High, played 15 years in the NFL as a linebacker and made 197 starts for the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. DON WRIGHT, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Damien Woody, OL, Patrick Henry High, 1999 first-round pick of the New England Patriots: Woody played at Boston College, an interesting choice for a player from Ashland. He was named to the Pro Bowl once, as a 25-year-old with the Patriots. Woody later played for the Detroit Lions and the New York Jets during a 12-year career (166 starts).
Atlee alum Tyler Warren’s remarkable college football career ends at Orange Bowl
Barty Smith, RB, Douglas Freeman High, 1974 first-round pick of the Green Bay Packers: Knee problems limited Smith’s impact as an NFL runner after his highly impressive time at the University of Richmond. The 6-3 240-pounder still played seven seasons with Green Bay and gained 1,942 yards. In addition to his power running, Smith was also known as a high-caliber blocker.
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Former Douglas Freeman High and University of Richmond fullback Barty Smith played with the Green Bay Packers for seven seasons starting in 1974. GREEN BAY PACKERS IMAGE
Ricky Hunley, LB, Petersburg High, 1984 first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals: Hunley was named an All-American twice while at the University of Arizona, about as far away from Petersburg that he could have gone. Drafted by the Bengals but soon after traded to the Broncos, he played seven NFL seasons (91 games, 30 starts) for Denver, the Phoenix Cardinals and the Los Angeles Raiders.
Mekhi Becton, OT, Highland Springs High, 2020 first-round pick of the New York Jets: The 6-7, 363-pounder, who attended Louisville, switched from tackle to guard last season for Philadelphia and helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl. "The Big Ticket," now with the Los Angeles Chargers, suffered a knee injury early in his NFL career that cost him a couple of seasons. He has made 45 NFL starts.
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Clelin Ferrell, DL, Benedictine, 2019 first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders: Distinguished himself at Clemson after Benedictine days. Ferrell (57 NFL starts) is known for his edge-rushing talent as a Washington Commander. Four years with the Raiders were followed by one in San Francisco before Ferrell came to D.C.
David Terrell, WR, Huguenot High, 2001 first-round pick of the Chicago Bears: Played some defensive back at Michigan before settling in at receiver. At 6-3 and 212 pounds, Terrell had uncommon size for a wideout. He played four seasons with the Bears (29 starts) with 128 receptions for 1,602 yards.
Who rules the sidelines? A look at the 10 winningest NFL coaches
#10. Dan Reeves
#10. Dan Reeves
- Seasons coached: 23
- Years active: 1981-2003
- Record: 190-165-2
- Winning percentage: .535
- Championships: 0
Dan Reeves reached the Super Bowl four times—thrice with the Denver Broncos and once with the Atlanta Falcons—but never won the NFL's crown jewel. Still, he racked up nearly 200 wins across his 23-year career, including a stint in charge of the New York Giants, with whom he won Coach of the Year in 1993.
In all his tenures, he quickly built contenders—the three clubs he coached were a combined 17-31 the year before Reeves joined and 28-20 in his first year. However, his career ended on a sour note as he was fired from a 3-10 Falcons team after Week 14 in 2003. Bettmann/Contributor // Getty Images
#9. Chuck Noll
#9. Chuck Noll
- Seasons coached: 23
- Years active: 1969-91
- Record: 193-148-1
- Winning percentage: .566
- Championships: 4
Chuck Noll's Pittsburgh Steelers were synonymous with success in the 1970s. Behind his defense, known as the Steel Curtain, and offensive stars, including Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and Lynn Swann, Noll led the squad to four Super Bowl victories from 1974 to 1979. Noll's Steelers remain the lone team to win four Super Bowls in six years, though Andy Reid and Kansas City could equal that mark if they win the Lombardi Trophy this season.
Noll was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, two years after retiring. His legacy of coaching success has carried on in Pittsburgh—the club has had only two coaches (Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin) since Noll retired. Focus on Sport // Getty Images
#8. Marty Schottenheimer
#8. Marty Schottenheimer
- Seasons coached: 21
- Years active: 1984-98, 2001-06
- Record: 200-126-1
- Winning percentage: .613
- Championships: 0
As head coach of Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington, and San Diego, Marty Schottenheimer proved a successful leader during the regular season. Notably, he was named Coach of the Year after turning around his 4-12 Chargers team to a 12-4 record in 2004.
His teams, however, struggled during the playoffs. Schottheimer went 5-13 in the postseason, and he never made it past the conference championship round. As such, the Pennsylvania-born skipper is the winningest NFL coach never to win a league championship. Focus on Sport // Getty Images
#6. Curly Lambeau
#6. Curly Lambeau
- Seasons coached: 33
- Years active: 1921-53
- Record: 226-132-22
- Winning percentage: .631
- Championships: 6
An early stalwart of the NFL, Curly Lambeau spent 29 years helming the Green Bay Packers before wrapping up his coaching career with two-year stints with the Chicago Cardinals and Washington. His Packers won titles across three decades, including the league's first three-peat from 1929-31. Notably, he experienced only one losing season during his first 27 years with Green Bay, cementing his legacy of consistent success.
Born in Green Bay, Lambeau co-founded the Packers and played halfback on the team from 1919-29. He was elected to the Hall of Fame as a coach and owner in 1963, two years before his death.
You may also like: Countries with the most active NFL players Bettmann/Contributor // Getty Images
#5. Tom Landry
#5. Tom Landry
- Seasons coached: 29
- Years active: 1960-88
- Record: 250-162-6
- Winning percentage: .607
- Championships: 2
The first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry held the position for his entire 29-year tenure as an NFL coach. The Cowboys were especially dominant in the 1970s when they made five Super Bowls and won the big game twice. Landry was known for coaching strong all-around squads and a unit that earned the nickname the "Doomsday Defense."
Between 1966 and 1985, Landry and his Cowboys enjoyed 20 straight seasons with a winning record. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990. Focus on Sport // Getty Images
#3. Bill Belichick
#3. Bill Belichick
- Seasons coached: 29
- Years active: 1991-95, 2000-23
- Record: 302-165
- Winning percentage: .647
- Championships: 6
The most successful head coach of the 21st century, Bill Belichick first coached the Cleveland Browns before taking over the New England Patriots in 2000. With the Pats, Belichick combined with quarterback Tom Brady to win six Super Bowls in 18 years.
Belichick and New England split after last season when the Patriots went 4-13—the worst record of Belichick's career. His name has swirled around potential coaching openings, but nothing has come of it. Belichick has remained in the media spotlight with his regular slot on the "Monday Night Football" ManningCast. Tom Pennington // Getty Images
#2. George Halas
#2. George Halas
- Seasons coached: 40
- Years active: 1920-29, '33-42, '46-55, '58-67
- Record: 318-148-31
- Winning percentage: .682
- Championships: 6
George Halas was the founder and longtime owner of the Chicago Bears and coached the team across four separate stints. Nicknamed "Papa Bear," he built the ballclub into one of the NFL's premier franchises behind players such as Bronko Nagurski and Sid Luckman.
Halas also played for the team, competing as a player-coach in the 1920s. The first coach to study opponents via game film, he was once a baseball player and even made 12 appearances as a member of the New York Yankees in 1919. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963 as both a coach and owner. Bettmann/Contributor // Getty Images
#1. Don Shula
#1. Don Shula
- Seasons coached: 33
- Years active: 1963-95
- Record: 328-156-6
- Winning percentage: .677
- Championships: 2
The winningest head coach in NFL history is Don Shula, who first coached the Baltimore Colts (losing Super Bowl III to Joe Namath and the New York Jets) for seven years before leading the Miami Dolphins for 26 seasons. With the Fins, Shula won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1972 and 1973, a run that included a 17-0 season—the only perfect campaign in NFL history.
He also coached quarterback great Dan Marino in the 1980s and '90s, but the pair made it to a Super Bowl just once. Shula was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Story editing by Mike Taylor. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
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Who rules the sidelines? A look at the 10 winningest NFL coaches
Who rules the sidelines? A look at the 10 winningest NFL coaches
Before the 2023 National Football League season started, it seemed inevitable that Bill Belichick would end his career as the winningest head coach in league history.
He had won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and 298 regular-season games, plus 31 playoff games, across his career. Then the 2023 season happened.
Belichick's Patriots finished 4-13, the franchise's worst record since 1992. At the end of the year, Belichick and New England owner Robert Kraft agreed to part ways.
And now, during the 2024 season, Belichick is on the sideline. He's 26 wins from the #1 spot, a mark he'd reach in little more than two seasons if he maintained his .647 career winning percentage.
Will he ascend the summit? It's hard to tell. Belichick would be 73 if he graced the sidelines next season—meaning he'd need to coach until at least 75 to break the all-time mark. Only one other NFL coach has ever helmed a team at age 73: Romeo Crennel in 2020 for the Houston Texans.
With Belichick's pursuit of history stalled, it's worth glancing at the legends who have reached the pinnacle of coaching success. Who else stands among the 10 winningest coaches in NFL history?
Stacker ranked the coaches with the most all-time regular-season wins using data from Pro Football Reference. These coaches have combined for 36 league championships, which represents 31.6% of all championships won throughout the history of pro football. To learn who made the list, keep reading.
You may also like: Ranking the biggest NFL Draft busts of the last 30 years
Bettmann/Contributor // Getty Images
#7. Paul Brown
#7. Paul Brown
- Seasons coached: 25
- Years active: 1946-62, '68-75
- Record: 213-104-9
- Winning percentage: .672
- Championships: 7
The only coach on this list to pilot a college team, Paul Brown, reached the pro ranks after a three-year stint at Ohio State and two years with the Navy during World War II. He guided the Cleveland Browns—named after Brown, their first coach—to four straight titles in the fledgling All-America Football Conference. After the league folded, the ballclub moved to the NFL in 1950, and Cleveland continued its winning ways, with Brown leading the team to championships in '50, '54, and '55.
He was fired in 1963 but returned in 1968 as the co-founder and coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. His other notable accomplishments include helping to invent the face mask and breaking pro football's color barrier. Bettmann/Contributor // Getty Images
#4. Andy Reid
#4. Andy Reid
- Seasons coached: 26
- Years active: 1999-present
- Record: 267-145-1
- Winning percentage: .648
- Championships: 3
The only active coach in the top 10, Andy Reid has posted successful runs with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City. After reaching the Super Bowl once in 14 years with the Eagles, Reid ratcheted things up with K.C., winning three titles since 2019.
As back-to-back defending champions, Reid and Co. are looking this season to become the first franchise to three-peat in the Super Bowl era and the third to do so in NFL history after the Packers of 1929-31 and '65-67. Time will tell if Reid and his offensive wizardry can lead Kansas City to that feat. Jamie Squire // Getty Images
John O’Connor (804) 649-6233
joconnor@timesdispatch.com
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