Scott Linehan came in #7 on this list and Steve Spagnuolo came in #2. This article is only two years old and some additions have been made by me in italics. It just goes to show how quickly the musical chairs move in the NFL for coaches.
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http://www.complex.com/sports/2014/01/worst-nfl-coaches-past-decade/
The Worst NFL Coaches of the Past Decade
BY GUS TURNER
Managing Editor of Content Strategy
JAN 14, 2014
Even though the playoffs are still in session, it's been a busy off-season for theNFL. In the week following the last slate of regular season games, a staggering seven coaches were fired from their head coaching positions in the league, including former Cleveland Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski—a shocking move considering that he had only been with the team for a year. However, this type of trigger finger has been common-place in the NFL for awhile now. Now, more than ever, teams are demanding results, and if coaches are unable to deliver in at least three years (or less) then they can kiss their job goodbye.
However, we can't discount management's role in this process. Some of the hires that have been made over the past decade have been head-scratching, to say the least. Like, what were the Oakland Raiders thinking when they hired Lane Kiffinat just 31 years of age? Predictably enough, the move was a flop. But Kiffin isn't the only one. No, since 2003, there have been plenty of coaches to join him in the hunt for a new job. After all, what's Rod Marinelli doing these days? Or what will Greg Schiano be doing next year? Bad coaches like these are a dime a dozen, but these guys in particular are the Worst NFL Coaches of the Past Decade.
(Note: coaches who only lasted a year with a single franchise were excluded from the list. There were just too many coaches who sucked for longer for these guys to push them out. However, just so their ineptitude is recognized, let us not forget former Miami Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron (1-15 in his only season with the team) and definitely not the infamous Bobby Petrino.)
25. Tony Sparano
Years active: 2008-2011
Win-Loss record: 29-31
Team(s) coached: Miami Dolphins
It's hard to call Tony Sparano a terrible coach, as he engineered one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history in his first season with the Miami Dolphins, but the fact that he failed to make these changes stick is telling. After Cam Cameron had led the Dolphins to a 1-15 record in his only season with the team, Sparano righted the ship and took them to a 11-5 record the following year with most of the press gravitating toward his "Wildcat" offense. It was the franchise's first playoff appearance in seven seasons, and remains their only appearance since. However, Sparano failed to keep this momentum going, and the team had back-to-back 7-9 seasons before he was fired near the end of his fourth year.
Now an assistant head coach with the Raiders, Sparano has a better shot than most to end up with another head coaching gig someday, but we still wouldn't bet on it.
*
offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings*
24. Herman Edwards
Years active: 2001-2008
Win-Loss record: 54-74
Team(s) coached: New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs
Herman Edwards is a loud presence in a locker room and on the field, but when you look at his win-loss record, it's hard to know what the guy is crowing about. Yes, Edwards should be commended for his success in leading the New York Jets to the playoffs in multiple seasons, but his teams with the Kansas City Chiefs were particularly uninspired, and they finished 4-12 and 2-14 in his final two seasons with the team. Herm, wasn't it you who said something about
playing to win the game? He would've been better off following his own advice.
Edwards is now an analyst for ESPN, and hasn't come up in a coaching search in years. It's safe to say that his days as a head coach are likely over.
23. Jim Mora
Years active: 2004-2006, 2009
Win-Loss record: 31-33
Team(s) coached: Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks
The son of the former Saints and Colts head coach, Jim E. Mora, the younger Jim Mora was brought on to lead the Michael Vick-era Atlanta Falcons after Dan Reeves was let go in 2004. However, while his first year with the team would prove to be a successful one—leading the team to an 11-5 finish—Mora was unable to meet this same standard in the following seasons when the franchise ended up with 8-8 and 7-9 records. After his dismissal, Mora was brought on as the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks during Mike Holmgren's tenure, and was eventually named Holmgren's successor in 2009.
After a forgettable 5-11 finish in his first season leading the team, Mora was let go in favor of Pete Carroll, and left to go coach the UCLA Bruins shortly thereafter.
22. Brad Childress
Years active: 2006-2010
Win-Loss record: 39-35
Team(s) coached: Minnesota Vikings
Brad Childress is the only coach with a winning record on this list, so his inclusion may seem somewhat controversial. However, if you subtract the one full year that Childress was playing with Brett Favre, then Childress' overall win-loss records takes a dip to 27-31. Honestly, it's likely that Childress owes a lot more to Favre than Favre owes to Childress, and there's most certainly a reason that Childress hasn't gotten another head coaching job since he was let go by the Vikings. For the most part, the former Vikings coach was an unimaginative offensive mind who got lucky when Favre fell into his lap. Let's not confuse success for ability here.
* offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs*
21. Leslie Frazier
Years active: 2010-2013
Win-Loss record: 21-32-1
Team(s) coached: Minnesota Vikings
Having been a defensive coordinator for the Vikings after Mike Tomlin left the position to go coach the Pittsburgh Steelers, Leslie Frazier was chosen as the interim replacement for the embattled Brad Childress after he was let go in November of 2010. Leading the team to a 3-3 finish, Frazier was deemed worthy of the head coaching position by owner Zygi Wilf, and rewarded Wilf's trust by matching that win total in his first full season on the job. It should be noted that, after their 3-13 season in 2011, the Vikings were able to execute a turnaround and make it to the playoffs, but that was largely because Adrian Peterson literally carried them there.
This past season, with Peterson unable to reproduce his 2,000-plus yards rushing totals, and the quarterback situation still a fiasco, the Vikings went 5-10-1, costing Frazier his position in the process. However, Frazier was able to land back on his feet, joining Lovie Smith's team down in Tampa Bay as the defensive coordinator.
*secondary coach for the Baltimore Ravens*
20. Jim Schwartz
Years active: 2009-2013
Win-Loss record: 29-48
Team(s) coached: Detroit Lions
Jim Schwartz should certainly be given credit for doing what no Detroit Lions coach had been able to do in over a decade: lead the Lions to a winning record and the playoffs. However, that magical season in 2011 is the only highlight of his time in the D, as Schwartz failed to take further advantage of the talent that he had available with the Lions, and led them to a losing record in every other season during his five years with the team. Schwartz was known for his explosive personality throughout his tenure with Detroit (remember Handshake-gate?) and that lack of control trickled down to his players, as penalties and disciplinary issues abounded to keep them from ever reaching their full potential as a team.
Rumors have speculated that Schwartz could end up taking Mike Zimmer's job in Cincinnati should the defensive coordinator end up being hired by a team, but don't expect to see him in another head coaching gig any time soon.
* defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles*
19. Dennis Erickson
Years active: 2003-2004
Win-Loss record: 9 - 23
Team(s) coached: San Francisco 49ers
After letting go of Steve Mariucci in 2003, it took the 49ers years to find the right coach for their team before Jim Harbaugh. The first of this chase was Dennis Erickson, an old veteran coaching presence around the league and college ranks who had coached everyone from the Miami Hurricanes to the Seattle Seahawks. There's no doubt that, when it comes to establishing one's name in coaching football, Erickson is truly a rare breed. However, we also have to acknowledge that Erickson went just 7-9 and 2-14 in his two seasons with San Francisco, failing to make the playoffs in both years, thus signalling the beginning of a period of stress for the 49ers franchise. Erickson is now the running backs coach for the University of Utah.
18. Mike Singletary
Years active: 2008-2010
Win-Loss record: 18-22
Team(s) coached: San Francisco 49ers
An ordained minister and former All-Pro linebacker, Mike Singletary brought a preacher's passion and patience to the football field. Though he was a Hall of Fame talent on the field, his sideline prowess leaved much to be desired, as his motivational techniques ranged from strange (pulling down his pants) to overly intense (his tendency to rant). His results, however, were always fairly consistent: losses.
Now a linebackers coach for the Minnesota Vikings, Singletary looks to survive the chopping block in the wake of Leslie Frazier's departure. But it's unlikely that we'll ever see him as the leader of a franchise any time soon.
*motivational speaker and an ordained minister*
17. Mike Shanahan
Years active: 2010-2013
Win-Loss record: 24-40
Team(s) coached: Washington Redskins
Though Mike Shanahan will always be a legend in Denver, he was anything but with the Washington Redskins, instead proving himself to be a spiteful, arrogant and greedy presence with the team before the two sides messily divorced at the end of the 2013 regular season. Indeed, Shanahan may have even been passed over by the league in the face of the ever-changing offensive trends of the league, as his patented offensive line success failed to materialize with the Redskins, and his second year with Robert Griffin III proved to be a royal dud.
Having the final say on all personnel decisions, Shanahan showed little savvy in team-building, signing a washed-up Donovan McNabb and uncoachable Albert Haynesworth to lucrative contracts during his time, and—surprise, surprise—Washington had almost nothing to show in the win column because of the many, many moves like these. Don't expect to see Shanahan in head coaching gear again any time soon.
16. Lane Kiffin
Years active: 2007-2008
Win-Loss record: 5 - 15
Team(s) coached: Oakland Raiders
When Lane Kiffin memorably flopped with the Raiders back in 2007 and 2008, many chalked it up to the incompetent management of the late Al Davis, who had simply made Kiffin a scapegoat for the years of continued failure in Oakland. However, as Kiffin would prove to everyone in his lackluster stints with Tennessee and USC, he certainly wasn't without blame. Hired at 31 years old, Kiffin was the youngest head coach ever, but he only proved why more young guns like him are typically given some time to ripen. Kiffin had little to no control over the inept Raiders organization during his time with the team, and his subsequent turns with the Trojans and the Volunteers proved that Kiffin simply wasn't cut from the right cloth when it comes to head coaching.
Recently hired as the offensive coordinator for the Alabama Crimson Tide, it's up to Kiffin to prove that he still has the coaching talent and offensive genius that got him noticed for these jobs in the first place.
15. Nick Saban
Years active: 2005-2006
Win-Loss record: 15-17
Team(s) coached: Miami Dolphins
Sure, Nick Saban has had uncommon success as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers, but he certainly wasn't cut out for the NFL when he took over as the Miami Dolphins head coach in 2005. Saban experienced his first losing season as a head coach when the team ended up with a 6-10 regular season record in 2006, and fled for Bama shortly thereafter. However, as none of us have forgotten, Saban was famously evasive about the job, going so far as to say that he would not be the Alabama head coach just days before he left. However, in the end, it's safe to say that Saban got the better end of the deal on this one.
14. Romeo Crennel
Years active: 2005-2008, 2011-2012
Win-Loss record: 28-55
Team(s) coached: Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs
As a student of the legendary Bill Belichick, and the defensive coordinator for the championship-caliber Patriots defenses of the early 2000s, Romeo Crennel was seen as a tough-nosed football coach who knew how to get the most out of all his players. However, as a head coach, Crennel was never able to translate his successes with the Patriots to another franchise. The lead man for the Browns after the Patriots captured a third Super Bowl title in 2004, Crennel took over the ailing Cleveland franchise with only limited success, taking them to just one winning season in his four years with the team. And, of course, the Browns being the Browns, even when Crennel managed to shape a 10-6 team in Cleveland, they somehow managed to get kept out of the playoffs.
Crennel's next stop was Kansas City where, after taking over for the fired Todd Haley in 2011, he was named head coach for the following year. However, the decision would prove to be a wrong one, as the Chiefs would only go 2-14 in 2012, despite the fact that they had six Pro Bowl players on their roster. Since being fired by the Chiefs, Crennel has yet to find a job with any other team.
*defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans*
13. Mike Munchak
Years active: 2011-2013
Win-Loss record: 22-26
Team(s) coached: Tennessee Titans
A 10-time All-Pro selection with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise during his storied NFL career as an offensive lineman, Mike Munchak was seen as the hometown savior for a Titans franchise that had gone adrift under the once-beloved Jeff Fisher. Having been in charge of the offensive line for 14 seasons, Munchak was an in-house name that the Titans felt that they could trust. However, that didn't necessarily mean that he could win too. Munchak may have been loyal to the Titans organization but, unfortunately for him, that doesn't win football games. Munchak was able to post a winning record in his first season with the team, but would decline in the two following seasons, going 6-10 and 7-9.
Now a candidate for the Browns and Lions jobs, Munchak patiently waits to see if another team will be foolish enough to pick him up.
*offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers*
12. Pat Shurmur
Years active: 2011-2012
Win-Loss record: 9 - 23
Team(s) coached: Cleveland Browns
Will the Cleveland Browns ever get it right? Their record of coaching hires has been absolutely pathetic for the last decade, with the revolving door shuffling one loser in after another. Before Rob Chudzinski was unceremoniously dismissed after the 2013 season, Pat Shurmur was the latest on the chopping block for Cleveland, failing to produce any sort of inspired results in his two seasons with the team. Supposedly an offensive-minded coach, Shurmur's teams were unable to back up his experience, with his first-year squad only able to score above 20 points twice. However, it could've just been an issue with personnel. Now with the Philadelphia Eagles, Shurmur has once again been showing what he can do when he isn't stuck with a quarterback named Brandon Weeden.
*tight ends coach for the Minnesota Vikings*
11. Chan Gailey
Years active: 2010-2012
Win-Loss record: 16-32
Team(s) coached: Buffalo Bills
It's difficult to know what the Bills were thinking when they hired Chan Gailey or, for that matter, when they hire any head coach. An offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs just a year before he took the Bills job, Gailey had his play-calling duties stripped from him in Kansas City only three preseason games into his tenure, and was quickly fired after just one season. But, somehow, the Bills were supposed to trust this guy? Guess what: it didn't work out. Shocking, right? Gailey never managed more than six wins in a season and, after three years, was let go by the Bills in favor of Doug Marrone.
*offensive coordinator of the New York Jets*
10. Dennis Green
Years active: 2004-2006
Win-Loss record: 16-32
Team(s) coached: Arizona Cardinals
Dennis Green may have had a gang of success during his time with the Minnesota Vikings throughout the '90s and early 2000s, but even he was unable to revive an ailing Arizona Cardinals franchise that was stuck with the likes of Matt Leinart or worse at quarterback. The Cardinals were the doormat of the NFC West, continually run over by their higher-scoring counterparts in the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks. In fact, the only good thing that anyone really got out of Green's time with Arizona was his infamous rant that followed a come-from-behind loss to the Chicago Bears. Remember: they were who he thought they were!
* head coach for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League*
9. Steve Mariucci
Years active: 2003-2005
Win-Loss record: 15-28
Team(s) coached: Detroit Lions
The Lions have never been able to get it right with their head coaching selections, and even Steve Mariucci—a proven winner with the San Francisco 49ers—was no exception. Though Mariucci had made it to the playoffs in four of his six seasons with San Francisco, he wasn't able to work the same magic with Detroit, as the personnel decisions of former general manager Matt Millen left Mariucci with the likes of Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, and a whole cast of other nobodies and throwaways.
After a 27-7 Thanksgiving Day blowout loss against the Atlanta Falcons in 2005, Mooch was sent packing, and has yet to find another coaching position since, instead opting to serve as an announcer and analyst for the NFL Network.
8. Mike Mularkey
Years active: 2004-2005, 2012
Win-Loss record: 16-32
Team(s) coached: Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars
Seven years is a long time to go between head coaching jobs, and as Mike Mularkey proved, there may be a reason why more teams don't do it. After leading a dead-end Bills franchise into even further futility for the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Mularkey was re-entrusted with a head coaching role for the 2012 season when he was placed at the helm of the Jacksonville Jaguars. And, after having so much time to think about how he had messed up the Bills gig, how did Mularkey respond? By going 2-14 and getting fired after his first season on the job. Ouch. Don't expect any other teams to come calling anytime soon, Mike.
* head coach of the Tennessee Titans*
7. Scott Linehan
Years active: 2006-2008
Win-Loss record: 11 - 25
Team(s) coached: St. Louis Rams
Previously the head coach for the St. Louis Rams, Scott Linehan showed close to nothing when it came to head coaching ability, only able to lead the Rams to an 8-8 season in his best year. Linehan was a mere footnote for the Rams franchise, likely forgotten by most anyone who doesn't pay close attention to the team, and perhaps even swept under the rug by those who do like the Rams. Honestly, while he may have been an offensive mastermind with other teams around the league, Linehan never had the charisma necessary to successfully lead an NFL team.
Recently let go by the Detroit Lions—where he was the offensive coordinator—Linehan can only wonder what's next.
* offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys*
6. Mike Nolan
Years active: 2005-2008
Win-Loss record: 18-37
Team(s) coached: San Francisco 49ers
Though he coached the San Francisco 49ers for the better part of four seasons, probably the only noteworthy thing that ever happened during Mike Nolan's stint with the team was when he decided to wear a suit on the sideline. What a groundbreaker, right? Though he was the son of former Niners coach Dick Nolan, the younger Nolan proved to be anything but innovative during his time with the team. It's not difficult to see what the Niners were excited about when they hired him; Nolan had been the defensive coordinator for a punishing Baltimore Ravens squad the three years prior.
However, none of their dreams for him ever came to fruition as Nolan failed to post a winning record in any full season, and was fired midway through the 2008 year. Nolan now serves as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.
5. Raheem Morris
Years active: 2009-2011
Win-Loss record: 17-31
Team(s) coached: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Hired when he was just 33, Raheem Morris was supposed to be the young, up-and-comer who would take over for the fiery franchise savior, Jon Gruden. However, while Gruden—also a young coach—was able to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory, Morris was unable to even get them to the playoffs in his three seasons with the team. Yes, Morris led the Bucs to a 10-6 record in 2010, but an unfortunate tiebreaker within their division kept them on the outside looking in. Aside from that, Morris' stint with the Bucs was remarkably unmemorable, and ownership was quick to dump him after Tampa Bay ended the 2011 season on a 10-game losing streak.
Morris is now back as a coach, working with defensive backs in Washington.
*assistant head coach and wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons*
4. Greg Schiano
Years active: 2012-2013
Win-Loss record: 11 - 21
Team(s) coached: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Greg Schiano may have been able to work some miracles at Rutgers, leading the small, New Jersey football program to some rare heights, but his intense style of coaching was unable to fly in the NFL, where he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to two straight losing seasons. Even worse, his tenure was marred by a messy public relationship with quarterback Josh Freeman, and a nasty MRSA infection that spread amongst the team. Literally, Schiano's Tampa Bay squads were a disease, and their inability to win became more and more apparent with every passing week. Now unemployed, Schiano will likely return to the college ranks, but where remains to be seen.
*Defensive Coordinator and Associate Head Coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes*
3. Eric Mangini
Years active: 2006-2010
Win-Loss record: 33-47
Team(s) coached: New York Jets, Cleveland Browns
Dubbed the "Mangenius" during his time with the New York Jets, Eric Mangini was seen as the Jets' equivalent to Bill Belichick. Mangini was supposed to be a Patriots-slayer; the student of Belichick who would surpass his master. But, unfortunately for Jets fans, things didn't go quite according to plan. Though Mangini took the Jets to the playoffs in 2006, they ended up falling to the Patriots in the AFC Wild Card game that year. It would be Mangini's only playoff appearance as either a coach for the Jets or Cleveland Browns, with his latter tenure being even more unsuccessful than his time in New York. As a coach for the Browns, Mangini took Cleveland to consecutive 5-11 finishes before being dismissed after the 2010 season.
Since then, Mangini has been unable to find any coaching job in the league, and was only recently hired on as a senior offensive consultant for the 49ers.
*fired by the 49ers along with head coach Jim Tomsula*
2. Steve Spagnuolo
Years active: 2009-2011
Win-Loss record: 10-38
Team(s) coached: St. Louis Rams
Following in the footsteps of the offensive-minded Scott Linehan, Steve Spagnuolo was supposed to rejuvenate the St. Louis Rams by instilling the same hard-nosed defensive values that he had brought to the Super Bowl champion 2007 New York Giants. After the Rams had fallen so hard with Linehan, why not try and switch things up with Spags? An identity change seemed necessary. However, as his tenure unfolded, Spagnuolo also revealed himself to not be the right man for the job. The Rams went a pathetic 1-15 in his first season, and then 2-14 in his third, prompting a quick firing to make way for Jeff Fisher.
After leading a historically bad Saints defense in 2012 as the defensive coordinator, Spags now serves as a senior defensive assistant for the Ravens.
*defensive coordinator of the New York Giants*
1. Rod Marinelli
Years active: 2006-2008
Win-Loss record: 10-38
Team(s) coached: Detroit Lions
Who else could be No. 1 on this list than the man who guided one of the most hapless franchises in NFL history to the worst record in NFL history? Rod Marinelli—formerly a defensive line coach for the Buccaneers—was regarded as a "hot" prospect before the Lions hired him in 2006, having developed the likes of Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice for the vaunted Tampa 2 defense. However, when he eventually earned a head coaching spot with the Lions, he was discovered to be anything but an able presence as a head coach. Marinelli didn't do anything distinctly inept during his time with Detroit; he just couldn't win.
When you're the only coach to ever go 0-16 in a single season, then it's time to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you're in the right profession. Today, Marinelli is the d-line coach for the Chicago Bears.
*
defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys*
AP
