20 of the worst coaching hires in NFL history
Decisions that didn't work out
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The NFL coaching carousel has become infamous for its never-ending changes. Sometimes a team makes a great call. While other times they don’t turn out as well
With that in mind, let’s take a look at 20 of the more memorable coaching hires that backfired…
Miami Dolphins: Cam Cameron
The Miami Dolphins were looking for a new leader after Nick Saban decided to return to the college football ranks. So, they tapped Cam Cameron, who was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. The move had disastrous results. Cameron and the Fish went 1-15 in his lone season, 2007.
Cleveland Browns: Hue Jackson
Speaking of 1-15 and, um, 0-16, the Cleveland Browns hired Hue Jackson in 2016, and to say things went awry would be the mother of all understatements. Jackson was 3-36-1 before being dispatched in the middle of the 2018 season.
New York Giants: Ray Handley
Some situations are more challenging to step into than others. Such was the situation the New York Giants found themselves in when Bill Parcells exited. Ray Handley wasn’t awful. He lasted two seasons and went 14-18. He just wasn’t the guy to be coaching a team in the Big Apple. After being let go following the 1992 season, Handley fell off the face of the earth.
New York Jets: Rick Kotite
The Jets were looking for a coach after firing Pete Carroll — yes, that Pete Carroll — following a 6-10 season in 1994. They settled on Rich Kotite, and things regressed. In his two seasons with Gang Green, Kotite compiled a mark of 4-28.
New York Jets: Adam Gase
Adam Gase’s two-year Jets tenure is fresh in our memory for the flubs and media mishaps. No one seemed to understand why he was hired after a moderate record in Miami. And the results were worse at MetLife as Gase went 9-23 and made few friends.
New York Jets: Lou Holtz
Speaking of a coach who wasn’t cut out for the Big Apple or the NFL, the Jets hired Lou Holtz, who didn’t last one full season. Holtz didn’t quite fit in New York—and, to his credit, he knew it. He left before the 1976 season ended with a 3-10 mark.
Atlanta Falcons: Bobby Petrino
Another college coach who was lost in the NFL: Bobby Petrino. He went 3-10 in 2007 before resigning and going back to school.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Leeman Bennett
All Leeman Bennett had to do with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was follow the legendary John McKay and his 44-88-1 mark in the NFL. Bennett lasted two seasons in Tampa Bay and went 4-28.
New Orleans Saints: Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka was great with the Chicago Bears. So it was natural for the New Orleans Saints to think Dikta would succeed in the Big Easy. Not quite, however, as he went 15-33 in three seasons. A second coach with a Super Bowl ring that did not pan out in New Orleans.
New Orleans Saints: Hank Stram
About 20 years earlier, the Saint had hired Kansas City Chiefs legendary coach Hank Stram. The plan was for Stram to fix all that ailed New Orleans. But the plan failed. He was 7-21 in two seasons and gone.
Denver Broncos: Josh McDaniels
It wasn’t so much the overall record of 11-17 that puts Josh McDaniels on this list—it was just how misplaced he turned out to be as head coach of the Denver Broncos before he returned home to the safety of Foxboro.
Detroit Lions: Rod Marinelli
Rod Marinelli took over in Detroit in 2006 and lasted three seasons, going 10-38, including the infamous 0-16 season in 2008. Don’t blame the successful longtime assistant, though, as everyone has found winning in Detroit an impossibility.
Detroit Lions: Matt Patricia
Matt Patricia spent more time in Detroit than Josh McDaniels did in Denver. but it was the same old song and dance. He was 13-28-1 before being shown the door last season.
Washington Football Team: Steve Spurrier
Another college legend who was not cut out to coach in the NFL: Steve Spurrier. Washington hired the great one from Florida in hopes he would see similar success on Sundays as he did on Saturdays. But that didn’t happen. He was doused after a 12-20 record.
Washington Football Team: Jim Zorn
Another former quarterback that Washington turned to was Jim Zorn. And the results were the same as they were with Spurrier. He compiled an identical 12-20 mark to the Ol’ Head Ball Coach in his two seasons.
Arizona Cardinals: Steve Wilks
The Cardinals brought Steve Wilks to the desert and their desire to keep him was deserted after a 3-13 season. A tough spot, as he had to follow Bruce Arians, who had done well with Arizona.
Dallas Cowboys: Dave Campo
Dave Campo is the only coach of the Dallas Cowboys to have lasted more than one year and wound up with record of less than .500. He was 15-33 from 2000-02. Mike McCarthy needs to do 10-6 or better to avoid joining Campo.
Kansas City Chiefs: Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel turned an interim slot into a permanent gig in Kansas City. It didn’t pan out as he went 4-15 over part of 2001 and all of 2002.
New England Patriots: Rod Rust
Rod Rust stepped into New England after the exit of Raymond Berry following the 1989 season. He went 1-15 and was gone after the 1990 campaign, setting the stage for …
New England Patriots: Dick McPherson
Dick McPherson had become pretty much a legend as coach of the Syracuse Orange. But he turned out to be another college guy who tried to graduate to the NFL with little success. He was 8-24 before being handed his papers. He was replaced by Bill Parcells, who was 32-32 over four seasons in Foxboro.
Related:
The 10 winningest head coaches in NFL history.
