5 NFL players who became head coaches

It's a difficult task to transition from an NFL player to a head coach. There have been many former players who have become coordinators or positional coaches, but not many of them have been able to elevate themselves to head coaches. Here are five players in NFL history who were able to complete this rare accomplishment.

#1 - Mike Ditka

Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka

The most famous example of a former NFL player becoming a head coach is Mike Ditka. He spent the prime of his playing career with the Chicago Bears as a tight end, but also played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. With the Bears, he was selected to five Pro Bowls and two first-team All Pros on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

After his playing career, Mike Ditka was hired by the Dallas Cowboys as an assistant coach to legendary head coach Tom Landry. Ditka was later hired by the Bears as their head coach and led them to a Super Bowl title. He also spent time as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, but he remains a Chicago Bears legend.

#2 - Art Shell

Oakland Raiders head coach Art Shell

Art Shell is a Raiders legend. He played for them for 16 years as an offensive tackle, featuring in over 200 games on his way to the Hall of Fame. He was then hired to be the Raiders head coach where he found more success, achieving a 54-38 record across seven consecutive years.

Twelve years after his run ended as the head coach of the Raiders, Art Shell was hired for the same job again. The second spell didn't work out. Shell lasted just one season and had a 2-14 record.

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#3 - Mike Singletary

San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary

Mike Singletary is one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history. He was the centerpiece of the famous "Monsters of the Midway" defense for the Chicago Bears in the 1980s. He helped the Bears win a Super Bowl and was eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Mike Singletary was not as successful as a head coach as he was as a linebacker. He was hired to be the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers after spending time as a linebackers coach. Across three years as head coach, Singletary finished with an 18-22 record.

#4 - Dick LeBeau

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau

Dick LeBeau played 14 seasons with the Detroit Lions and is still one of the best cornerbacks in franchise history. He is the Lions' all-time career interceptions leader with 62, which is in the top ten for most in NFL history.

Dick LeBeau, who holds a spot in the NFL Hall of Fame, was an excellent player but an even better defensive coordinator. He established himself as one of the best of all time in the position with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he invented the zone blitzing scheme. He also spent three years as the head coach for the Cincinnati Bengals, where he had much less success, totaling only a 12-33 record.

#5 - Bart Starr

Green Bay Packers legend Bart Starr

Bart Starr is credited with being the first legendary NFL player since the merger. He helped the Green Bay Packers win both of the first two Super Bowls in NFL history and was named the MVP in both games. He won a total of five NFL championships during his Hall of Fame career.

He is one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history. Unfortunately, his career as a head coach was disappointing. Starr was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers for nine years and finished with an overall 52-76-3 record.