The Bloody Season
by Rebecca Rollett on Dec 9, 2010 3:14 AM EST
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Although you might assume I'm talking about the Ravens-Steelers game, I'm not. Instead, I'm talking about the loss of head coaches around the league during the past 3 weeks or so. It feels a bit like the French revolution, except that the owners are operating the guillotine instead of the peasants. As I was basking in the glow of "3 head coaches in 41 years" I began to wonder whether any other team has a comparable record. Here's what I discovered, after the jump:
Sure enough, the Steelers are a complete outlier. The other teams that come closest are the Cowboys and the Dolphins, with 7 head coaches each since 1970. The average tenure of a head coach is less than four seasons, and this is actually exaggerated, as every team has at least one coach that was there for considerably more years, and that tends to skew the average. Essentially every team besides the Steelers had at least a few coaches that were on staff for 2 years or less.
The Dolphin and the Cowboys are also the only teams that had a coach that led the team for longer than Chuck Noll's 23 years (including 1969, when he was hired.) Don Shula coached the Dolphins for 26 years, and Tom Landry the Cowboys for 29 years (counting his 10 pre-1970 seasons.) I believe that the Steelers are the only team never to have fired a head coach during the past 41 years, including the expansion teams in a considerably shorter span in most cases.
Obviously it might be necessary to fire a head coach under certain circumstances. However, I suspect that a string of short-term coaches either indicates poor judgment in the hiring process or insufficient patience after it. I think that a great deal of the unprecedented success of the Steelers over the years has to do with the fact that the Rooneys hire someone and then stick by them through thick and thin. And honestly, there hasn't been a lot of 'thin,' at least if you're content with a winning season, even if we don't make the playoffs. (Not that Steeler Nation is ever happy about that!) The Steelers have only 9 seasons out of 41 in which they didn't win at least as many games as they lost.
The Steelers have the most Lombardi trophies, as we all know. But I didn't know until now that since 1970 the Steelers have won the most total games, the most division titles, have the best winning percentage, and the most All-Pro nominations. They are tied with the Dolphins for regular-season wins and second overall in playoff wins. The Rooneys must be doing something right.
Below is a bit of information on each team, with the expansion teams last. I've indicated who the longest-tenured coach for each team was/is, why they left, and occasionally some little nuggets of interesting information. Enjoy...
49ers
- 11 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 10 years - Bill Walsh, 1979-88; Retired after Super Bowl XXIII
- Current Head Coach: Mike Singletary, 2008
Bears
- 8 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 11 years - Mike Ditka, 1982-1992; Fired after an 5-11 season
- Current Head Coach: Lovie Smith, 2004
Bengals
- 8 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 8 years - Marvin Lewis, 2003-present
- Current Head Coach:: Marvin Lewis, 2003
Bills
- 14 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 12 years - Marv Levy, 1986-1997
- Current Head Coach: Chan Gailey, 2010
Broncos
- 9 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 12 years - Dan Reeves, 1981-92
- Current Head Coach: Eric Studesville, since 3 days ago
Cardinals (St. Louis, Phoenix, Arizona)
- 14 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 6 years - Jim Hanifan, 1980-85; Finished 5-11 in 1985; Hanifan was fired that year by having the locks to his office changed during halftime of a game against the Redskins
- Current Head Coach: Ken Whisenhunt, 2007
Chargers
- 13 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 8+ years - Don Coryell, 1978-86; Resigned in middle of 1986 season
- Current Head Coach: Norv Turner, 2007
Chiefs
- 11 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970:: 10 years - Marty Shottenheimer, 1989-1998; He holds the peculiar distinction of being the NFL coach with the most wins since 1966 to never coach a team in a Super Bowl; after going 7-9 he resigned.
- Current Head Coach: Todd Haley, 2009
Colts (Baltimore, Indianapolis)
- 15 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 7 years - Tony Dungy, 2002-08; Retired at the end of 2008 season
- Current Head Coach: Jim Caldwell, 2009
Cowboys
- 7 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970:: 19 years - Tom Landry, 1970- 88(actually Landry started coaching in 1960); Landry left when Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989
- Current Head Coach: Jason Garret, since November 14th
Dolphins
- 7 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 26 years - Don Shula, 1970-1995; Retired
- Current Head Coach: Tony Sparano, 2008
Eagles
- 10 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 11+ years - Andy Reid, 1999-present
- Current Head Coach: Andy Reid, 1999
Falcons
- 15 coaches since 1970.
- Longest tenure since 1970:: 7 years - Dan Reeves, 1997-2003; Requested released after going 3-10
- Current Head Coach:: Mike Smith, 2008
Giants
- 9 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970:: 8 years - Bill Parcells, 1983-90; Retired after Super Bowl XXV
- Current Head Coach: Tom Coughlin, 2004
Jets
- 15 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 7 years - Joe Walton, 1983-89
- Current Head Coach: Rex Ryan, 2009
Lions
- 14 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 9 years - Wayne Fontes, 1988-96; Fired after 5-11 season in '96
- Current Head Coach: Jim Schwartz, 2009
Packers
- 9 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 9 years - Bart Starr, 1975-1983; Retired, for a while at least...
- Current Head Coach: Mike McCarthy, 2006
Patriots
- 11 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 10 years Bill Belichick, 2000-present
- Current Head Coach: Bill Belichick, 2000
Raiders (Oakland, Los Angeles, Oakland)
- 12 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 9 years - Tom Flores, 1979-87; Moved into the front office after 5-10 finish in '87; First minority coach to win a Super Bowl
- Current Head Coach: Tom Cable, 2008
Rams (Cleveland, Los Angeles, St. Louis)
- 13 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 9 years - John Robinson, 1983-91; Either resigned or fired...
- Current Head Coach: Steve Spagnuolo, 2009
Redskins
- 12 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 12 years - Joe Gibbs, 1981-92; Retired after Super Bowl XXVII; Returned to coach 'Skins from '04-'07
- Current Head Coach: Mike Shanahan, 2010
Saints
- 13 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 10+ years - Jim Mora, 1986-96; Resigned partway through the season when the team was 2-6
- Current Head Coach: Sean Payton, 2006
Steelers
- 3 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970:: 22 [23] years - Chuck Noll, 1970 [69] - 1991; Retired
- Current Head Coach: Mike Tomlin, 2007
Titans (Tennessee Titans, Houston Oilers)
- 11 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970: 16+ years -Jeff Fisher, 1994-present
- Current Head Coach: Jeff Fisher, 1994
Vikings
- 8 head coaches since 1970
- Longest tenure since 1970:: 14 years - Bud Grant (actually since 1967) 1970-1983; Retired in 83, returned for a year in 85 and retired again
- Current Head Coach: Leslie Frazier (as of November 22nd)
Expansion teams
Browns
- 5 head coaches since 1999
- Longest tenure since 1970: 4 years - Romeo Crennel, 2005-08
- Current Head Coach: Eric Mangini, 2009
Buccaneers
- 8 head coaches since 1976
- Longest tenure since 1970: 9 years - John McKay, 1976-1984; Stepped down after a 6-win season
- Current Head Coach:Raheem Morris, 2009
Jaguars
- 2 head coaches since 1995
- Longest tenure since 1970: 8 years - Tom Coughlin, 1995-2002; Fired after going 6-10
- Current Head Coach: Jack Del Rio, 2003
Panthers
- 3 head coaches since 1995
- Longest tenure since 1995: 8+ years - John Fox, 2002-present
- Current Head Coach: John Fox, 2002
Ravens
- 3 head coaches since 1996
- Longest tenure since 1970:: 6 1/2 years - 1999 - 2007; Billick was fired on December 31 of 07
- Current Head Coach: John Harbaugh, 2007
Seahawks
- 8 head coaches since 1976
- Longest tenure since 1970:: 10 years - Mike Homgren, 1999-2008; Retired in 2008
- Current Head Coach: Pete Carroll, 2010
Texans
- 2 head coaches since 2002
- Longest tenure since 1970: 5 years - Gary Kubiak, 2005 - present
- Current Head Coach: Gary Kubiak, 2005
Special Category:
Old Cleveland Browns
- 9 head coaches from 1970-1995
- Longest tenure since 1970: 6+ years - Sam Rutigliano, 1978-84: Fired after starting season 1-7
- Current Head Coach: N/A
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So I guess Tomlin
has about 20 years to win four more Super Bowls and beat Chuck Noll?
Life's a journey, not a destination.
check this out
there is one great stat line which I really liked. Here it is:
Largest toxic differentials since 2000
Team Turnover diff. Big-play diff. Toxic diff.
1. Steelers +43 +170 +213
2. Eagles +58 +138 +196
3. Colts +46 +129 +175
4. Chargers +17 +131 +148
5. Patriots +75 +34 +109
6. Bucs +62 +15 +77
6. Packers +29 +48 +77
8. Broncos +17 +42 +59
9. Jets +28 +29 +57
10. Cowboys -57 +95 +38
11. Ravens +39 -3 +36
12. Jaguars +17 +9 +26
I notice we are leading this year as well
"I don't mind being a symbol but I don't want to become a monument. There are monuments all over the Parliament Buildings and I've seen what the pigeons do to them."
"Canada is like an old cow. The West feeds it. Ontario and Quebec milk it. And you can well imagine what it's doing in the Maritimes."
Tommy Douglas
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Dec 9, 2010 10:29 AM EST up reply actions
thank you mr wallace
"I don't mind being a symbol but I don't want to become a monument. There are monuments all over the Parliament Buildings and I've seen what the pigeons do to them."
"Canada is like an old cow. The West feeds it. Ontario and Quebec milk it. And you can well imagine what it's doing in the Maritimes."
Tommy Douglas
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Dec 9, 2010 11:10 AM EST up reply actions
Saw that
fascinating stat….
just another way in which the chargers are statistically dominant and kind of lame at the same time…
by SteelerBuddha on Dec 9, 2010 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
Thanks for catching that -
they’re bad, but they don’t deserve to be completely eliminated!
I was finishing this up around 3 in the morning, and not paying attention. It’s corrected.
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Dec 9, 2010 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
Interesting article, but where is the info on the original Browns franchise?
If you list the “new Browns” as an expansion team shouldn’t you have listed the “old Browns” info with the Ravens, similar to what you did with the Colts?
Sorry if I missed it somewhere in there, but the old Browns francise had been releatively stable before it was stolen. Kind of sad to just ignore that francise all together.
Good call
I thought the same thing. They moved, but changed names too. Is that considered a move of the same team or an expansion. Seems more similar to Titans/Oilers
Again, thanks for catch
I wasn’t quite sure how to deal with it, because the Ravens are considered an expansion team rather than a continuation of the Browns, and the “Browns” had a three year period where no team of that name was playing (from 1995-98.) In the end I put them in a special category. And they had 9 coaches over the 25 years between 1970 and 1995, so they weren’t all that stable.
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Dec 9, 2010 11:33 AM EST up reply actions
Thanks man, just hated to see the good part of my team’s history obliterated on this article just like it was in real life. Made me sad all over again.
As far as the 9 coaches go, it is not stable compared to the Steelers of course, but if you put it in the group with the rest of the non expansion teams it looks pretty good. Would have looked awesome if they had not been taken and Belicheck (last coach before they left) continued to coach there today.
By the way, I’m not sure if your date of 1970 was arbitrary or not, but Cleveland had only 2 coaches (Paul Brown and Blanton Collier) from 1946-1970 so I gues it is how you arranage your stats. It is safe to say that the new Browns have had a real coaching travesty.
1970 was chosen
as the date of the AFL NFL merger – I guess I could have gone with 1966 as the first super bowl year, but that particular four years wouldn’t have made a lot of difference. I was trying to go with the “modern” era of the NFL, I suppose you could say.
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Dec 9, 2010 4:03 PM EST up reply actions
Our secret sauce
The Steelers have been successful for a number of reasons. I’ll just list a few for starters:
1. We do not look for someone who has BEEN a head coach; we look for someone who can BE a head coach. This creates a bond of loyalty between the head coach and the front office. And the coach is not bigger than the Pittsburgh Steelers.
2. We hire them young. This allows the front office to help mold both the coach and the environment he operates in. So they create the possibility of a longer tenure.
3. Dan Rooney. Our success in this area all traces back to the US Ambassdor to Ireland.
4. After a poor season (i.e. non-playoff) more attention is given to fixing the problem than assessing blame. This lays the groundwork for future success.
5. ??? (Add your own perspective here…)
Gerela's Gorillas are here for the show
and so is Franco's Army
It's been many years in coming
let's keep that Steeler machinery humming!
by GoldMetalDefense on Dec 9, 2010 9:48 AM EST reply actions
I like #4 best
It is a major component in the recipe for long term success on or off the football field.
"I don't mind being a symbol but I don't want to become a monument. There are monuments all over the Parliament Buildings and I've seen what the pigeons do to them."
"Canada is like an old cow. The West feeds it. Ontario and Quebec milk it. And you can well imagine what it's doing in the Maritimes."
Tommy Douglas
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Dec 9, 2010 10:30 AM EST up reply actions
#3
is key.
We all attribute this to the whole Family but under the Chief things weren’t that stable until Dan started managing the orgainization.
by Steely McSmash on Dec 9, 2010 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
Great read
Amazing how stable this organization has been. You really feel it in all aspects….. We are rather lucky as fans….
I chaulk this up to The Rooney's taking more of a hands off approach to running the team
They will step in when need be, but for the most part they allow the FO to make personnel decisions and let the coaches coach. The Day the Rooney’s start acting like Jerry Jones we will be in trouble, much like the Cowboys are.
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Jack Butler, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"Its too bad that NHL is taken because the National Football League has become the National Hypocrite League" Mark Schlereth
Canal Street Chronicles resident Steelers Fan
Good Article
Not to change the subject but I hope someone from our D can put a big hit on TO this Sunday. I can hear hear his Jawjackin out hear on the west coast, it sickens me.Go Stillers from the California Steeler Nation !!
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