OT: track record of Head Coaches with no success in their first stint becoming successful in their second stint.

[Joey007]

I’ve been thinking about this, seeing some of the candidates getting interviewed in this coaching cycle. One that sticks out to me is the Cardinals being heavily connected to Vance Joseph.

I would absolutely hate the move if I was a Cards fan. Guy went 11-21 in his first coaching stint. Which also got me thinking, have their been any recent examples of a coach that had no seasons with a winning record in their first stint that ended up being successful in their second?

Usually you see some signs of success in your first term, if you end up being a better coach the second time around, like what we’re seeing now from Vrabel. But I can’t think of any examples over the last 20 years where a retread that did a poor job during his first stint ended up being a good hire the second time around.

It doesn’t cease to amaze me how lazy some owners are with hiring decisions.

 

[PatsFan2]

I’ve been thinking about this, seeing some of the candidates getting interviewed in this coaching cycle. One that sticks out to me is the Cardinals being heavily connected to Vance Joseph.

I would absolutely hate the move if I was a Cards fan. Guy went 11-21 in his first coaching stint. Which also got me thinking, have their been any recent examples of a coach that had no seasons with a winning record in their first stint that ended up being successful in their second?

Usually you see some signs of success in your first term, if you end up being a better coach the second time around, like what we’re seeing now from Vrabel. But I can’t think of any examples over the last 20 years where a retread that did a poor job during his first stint ended up being a good hire the second time around.

It doesn’t cease to amaze me how lazy some owners are with hiring decisions.

The Cardinals will be looking for another HC in Three years: Their becoming the Jets of the NFC: the little engines that couldn't.

 

[borg]

I’ve been thinking about this, seeing some of the candidates getting interviewed in this coaching cycle. One that sticks out to me is the Cardinals being heavily connected to Vance Joseph.

I would absolutely hate the move if I was a Cards fan. Guy went 11-21 in his first coaching stint. Which also got me thinking, have their been any recent examples of a coach that had no seasons with a winning record in their first stint that ended up being successful in their second?

Usually you see some signs of success in your first term, if you end up being a better coach the second time around, like what we’re seeing now from Vrabel. But I can’t think of any examples over the last 20 years where a retread that did a poor job during his first stint ended up being a good hire the second time around.

It doesn’t cease to amaze me how lazy some owners are with hiring decisions.

Must factor in the garbage QBs these newbies almost always get saddled with 1st and 2nd go around.

 

[stinkypete]

Off the top of my head, the examples I can think of are the old timers - Belichick, Carrol.

You could say Dan Campbell, but he was only an interim at Miami.

 

[moosekill]

Bellichick wasn’t bad his first go around.

 

[mnpatfan]

People think Mayo gets another shot?

 

[farn]

People think Mayo gets another shot?

This would be the biggest stunner, IMO. At BEST, someone kicks the tires as a LB coach and even that seems like a remote possibility at this point…

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

This would be the biggest stunner, IMO. At BEST, someone kicks the tires as a LB coach and even that seems like a remote possibility at this point…

I agree, but maybe as a LB coach.

Covington got a job with the Packers and an interview for the DC position with the Cowboys, although it might be a Rooney Rule interview.

 

[gobesmug]

Off the top of my head, the examples I can think of are the old timers - Belichick, Carrol.

You could say Dan Campbell, but he was only an interim at Miami.

Carrol in his 3 years with the Pats went to the playoffs twice and went 8-8 his last year. He was a winning HC.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't know if Vrabel should be in this category. He did get a team with a game manager QB to the AFCCG. I don't know if he is better now or he just has a real QB and personnel he wants other than personnel handed to him.

 

[Rob0729]

Carrol in his 3 years with the Pats went to the playoffs twice and went 8-8 his last year. He was a winning HC.

The Pats was his second job. He failed as the Jets head coach.

 

[Rob0729]

Do we count Bruce Arians? Or was he just along for the ride with Brady in Tampa? He did get a Super Bowl ring his second time around as a head coach.

 

[Huckleberry1]

People think Mayo gets another shot?

Nope. He's going to have to become an assistant, and then stand out big time to ever get another chance.

 

[DC Patriots]

To paraphrase The Princess Bride “There’s mostly dead and totally dead.” Kind of depends on exactly what you mean by “no sucess”

I think there are a fair number of coaches who underperformed their first time, either due to bad luck or a bad situation. Belichick being a fine example.

I don’t know there’s anyone who was a total 0/10 Jerod Mayo train wreck who went on to be a great coach.

 

[Gumby]

Off the top of my head, the examples I can think of are the old timers - Belichick, Carrol.

You could say Dan Campbell, but he was only an interim at Miami.

How were either of them unsuccessful in first go?

Or are you counting BB-jesters as his first one?

[posted before I saw Rob0 response above. So Carroll ok. But BB took browns to playoffs]

 

[gobesmug]

The Pats was his second job. He failed as the Jets head coach.

To be fair, should we even consider the Jets a real HC job?

 

[p8ryts]

I don't know if Vrabel should be in this category. He did get a team with a game manager QB to the AFCCG. I don't know if he is better now or he just has a real QB and personnel he wants other than personnel handed to him.

Real QB. Don't mean to disrespect him but it's the truth.

 

[Pape]

Coaches moving from one franchise to another is really hit or miss... really depends on the stability of the team they are heading to... Going to a team with poor front office/ownership usually leads to a mediocre follow-up record... Then you get the guys who end up at a stable environment, then they can do well...

Bill Belichick, Andy Reid, Tony Dungy (though calling the late owner of the clots stable is wildly inaccurate), Sean Payton are some names that come to mind...

But more often than not, they tend to tread water or fail outright...

Here's to hoping that in the long term Vrabel bucks that trend...

 

[Ross12]

It depends on how you frame the question. If you mean - what coaches did not have a winning record and/or playoff berth at any point in their first HC stint and then went on to be a successful head coach in their second/third/etc stint? - I can't think of anyone off the top of my head.

Edit: After some more research this is what I've got:

Pete Carroll - losing record w/ Jets, fired after one year. Went on to be reasonably successful w/ Pats, fired after a few years. Then went on to big success w/ Seahawks
Mike Shanahan - no success w/ LA Raiders, fired after 1.5 seasons. Went on to massive success w/ Broncos
Marv Levy - though he did go 9-7 once, he generally just spun his tires with KC Chiefs for several years. Went on to go to 4 Super Bowl appearances w/ Bills

That's about it. Maybe there are some more edge cases.

 

[p8ryts]

It depends on how you frame the question. If you mean - what coaches did not have a winning record and/or playoff berth at any point in their first HC stint and then went on to be a successful head coach in their second/third/etc stint? The answer is - I can't think of anyone.

Didn't Bill beat the Pats in a playoff game in 94?