Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose: TV’s 9 Best Coaches, Ranked

TV Shows

Everyone has an educator who made a deep impact on their lives. Oftentimes, that person is a coach.

TV and movies are replete with their own coaches, from characters based on true stories to fictional ones that end up inspiring (though there is the occasional villain we adore).

Currently, some of TV’s most beloved shows feature a string of memorable coaches. Ted Lasso, with its coaches and players in ample supply, is the sports show of the moment. The addition of club owners, publicists, and other administrative staff also adds a fun dynamic not often seen in the genre.

The Emmy-winning Apple TV+ comedy may be one of the best of the genre, but it’s far from the first. Stories about the trials and tribulations of athletes will likely never grow old. The bond between coaches and their teams, the emotional metaphors behind a team coming together to beat the odds, and the joy of a Cinderella story are just too universally ripe for the TV-narrative picking. But what makes a good TV coach?

Sometimes, it’s simply that they’re hilarious. But when you really dig deep, it’s how they impact the players they lead, both on and off the field (which, depending on how you spin it, can make for comedy gold or dramatic intrigue).

As Ted Lasso would tell you, coaching is a way of life, not just a vocation. A true leader is one who continues the work after the clock runs out. And sometimes, a coach is called to keep leading through dire straits — Coach Ben Scott (Steven Krueger) of Yellowjackets knows that more than most (hang in there, Ben).

Here, we rank our favorite TV coaches of all time, explaining why they’ve made their mark on the fictional players and viewers alike.

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