The National Football League (NFL) has officially tied the record for most head coaching changes in a season, with 10 coaches either being fired or stepping down.
One of the most talked about changes came when the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after their 30-6 playoff loss to the Houston Texans. The Steelers hired Tomlin in 2007 and in his 19-year career the Steelers went 193-114-2.
“With more talent coming into the league, coaches are expected to win now,” Alexander Martin, freshman football fan, said.
On Monday, Jan. 19, the Buffalo Bills fired their head coach Sean McDermott. McDermott led the Bills to the playoffs eight of the nine seasons he coached. The head coaching position at the Bills is a highly sought after position, with many coaches looking to take it.
It’s evident the expectations for coaches have changed over the years, with teams wanting to win quickly and when they don’t the coach is the recipient of the loss.
“I don’t think it’s very fair to judge a coach after one or two losing seasons. It’s not completely on the coach if the team is bad,” Zachary Barys, freshman football fan, said.
Kevin Stefanski was the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings for two years before signing with the Cleveland Browns in 2020. Stefanski helped lead the team to the eighth best points per game (average number of points a team scores in a game) in the league and a playoff win.
Stefanski found success in Cleveland, winning two Associated Press (AP) NFL Coach of the Year awards and leading the Browns to the playoffs twice. After a record of 8-26 in his final two seasons, the Browns quickly fired him.
“It’s not very fair to fire a coach so quickly… sometimes it’s not on them,” Martin said.
The Tennessee Titans fired their head coach, Brian Callahan, in week six of his second season. Callahan finished with a 4-19 record with the Titans.
“Some coaches have good traits but just aren’t fit for that specific position,” Barys said.
Callahan had built a strong reputation as a distinguished offensive coordinator with a good-natured personality, but his poor in-game management and lack of discipline led to his firing.
“We are not seeing enough growth from this football team. We are one and five and we have to be better,” Titans president Chad Brinker said in an interview with News Channel 5 Nashville following Callahan’s firing in week six.
Here is the full list of every coach that has been fired or has stepped down this season, according to an article from New York Times:
Buffalo Bills: Sean McDermott, nine seasons. The Bills are urgent to win a Super Bowl and they believed McDermott wouldn’t get them there.
Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski, six seasons. The Browns struggled on offense despite Stefanski’s offensive background and needed a new voice in the locker room.
Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon, three seasons. A poor overall record (15-36) with a failure of expectations led to his firing.
Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel, four seasons. Owner Stephen Ross wasn’t pleased with the improvement of his young, talented team and believed this was their best move. New coach: Jeff Hafley, former Green Bay Packer defensive coordinator.
Atlanta Falcons: Raheem Morris, two seasons. Despite late-season wins, the two disappointing seasons weren’t what the Falcons wanted in their head coach. New coach: Kevin Stefanski, former Cleveland Browns head coach.
New York Giants: Brian Daboll, three-plus seasons. Daboll was to blame for their many losses in close games and reports of poor sideline attitude led to his firing. New coach: John Harbaugh, former Baltimore Ravens head coach.
Las Vegas Raiders: Pete Carroll, one season. The Raiders finished as the worst team in the NFL and with Carroll at 74, the team decided a multi-year rebuild wouldn’t work.
Baltimore Ravens: John Harbaugh, 18 seasons. The Ravens missed the playoffs this season and tensions reportedly grew between Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Todd Monken and star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin, 19 seasons. Tomlin walked away on his own terms, taking time to focus on family. Tomlin plans to not coach in the near future, but might re-evaluate options. New coach: Mike McCarthy, head coach of Cowboys from 2020-2024.
Tennessee Titans: Brian Callahan, one-plus seasons. Callahan was fired due to a perceived lack of energy from his team, disciplinary issues and lack of offensive growth. New coach: Robert Saleh, former 49er’s defensive coordinator.
