RSS Feed2015 Coaching Carousel
By Chris Malumphy
The annual NFL coaching carousel is now in full motion. Not unexpectedly, but nevertheless astoundingly, the head coach with the best career record of all those coaching in the NFL in 2014 was the first to go. Jim Harbaugh with a lifetime record of 44-19-1 (.695) moves on from the 49ers to even greater challenges at the University of Michigan. Rex Ryan, 46-50 (.479), finally wore out his welcome in New York and looks to take his coaching prowess elsewhere, with the 49ers, Falcons, Bears and Raiders as potential destinations. Former Falcons Coach Mike Smith is out of a job, but shouldn't have to look for long with his lifetime mark of 66-46 (.589). At 13-19 (.406), Marc Trestman will probably need to return to the Canadian Football League if he wants another head coaching job in the near future after being done in by the erratic play of quarterback Jay Cutler and a woeful Chicago Bears defense. Dennis Allen met his demise early in the season after going 8-28 (.222) in Oakland, and his successor, Tony Sparano is hanging by a thread hoping that the Raiders don't come up with a seemingly better alternative than his 32-41 (.438) lifetime record. The current head coach with the worst career record is the Gus Bradley at 7-25 (.219) of the Jaguars. Bradley's job remains safe for now as Jacksonville recognizes that significant rebuilding remains to be done, so his offensive coordinator got the ax instead.
Doug Marrone's decision to opt-out of his contract in Buffalo creates an interesting opening with the Bills who went 9-7 in 2014 and have an outstanding defense. It also places another good coach in play for either the pro's or the collegiate ranks. Some have speculated that Marrone may be a good fit for the Jets but the Atlanta Falcons with a solid passing game already in place may be far more attractive. Don't count the Bears out, but Chicago needs some significant retooling.
| 2015 Coaching Carousel | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime | Current Team | 2014 | ||||||||||||
| Coach | W | L | T | Pct | Tenure | Team | W | L | T | Pct | W | L | T | Pct |
| Jim Harbaugh | 44 | 19 | 1 | 0.695 | 2011 | 49ers | 44 | 19 | 1 | 0.695 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Chuck Pagano | 33 | 15 | 0 | 0.688 | 2012 | Colts | 33 | 15 | 0 | 0.688 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0.688 |
| Bill Belichick | 223 | 113 | 0 | 0.664 | 2000 | Patriots | 187 | 69 | 0 | 0.730 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0.750 |
| Mike McCarthy | 94 | 49 | 1 | 0.656 | 2006 | Packers | 94 | 49 | 1 | 0.656 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0.750 |
| Bruce Arians | 21 | 11 | 0 | 0.656 | 2013 | Cardinals | 21 | 11 | 0 | 0.656 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0.688 |
| John Harbaugh | 72 | 40 | 0 | 0.643 | 2008 | Ravens | 72 | 40 | 0 | 0.643 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0.625 |
| Mike Tomlin | 82 | 46 | 0 | 0.641 | 2007 | Steelers | 82 | 46 | 0 | 0.641 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0.688 |
| Sean Payton | 80 | 48 | 0 | 0.625 | 2006 | Saints | 80 | 48 | 0 | 0.625 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0.438 |
| Chip Kelly | 20 | 12 | 0 | 0.625 | 2013 | Eagles | 20 | 12 | 0 | 0.625 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0.625 |
| Mike Smith | 66 | 46 | 0 | 0.589 | 2008 | Falcons | 66 | 46 | 0 | 0.589 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 |
| Andy Reid | 150 | 105 | 1 | 0.588 | 2013 | Chiefs | 20 | 12 | 0 | 0.625 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0.563 |
| Pete Carroll | 83 | 60 | 0 | 0.580 | 2010 | Seahawks | 50 | 30 | 0 | 0.625 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0.750 |
| Jim Caldwell | 37 | 27 | 0 | 0.578 | 2014 | Lions | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0.688 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0.688 |
| John Fox | 119 | 89 | 0 | 0.572 | 2011 | Broncos | 46 | 18 | 0 | 0.719 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0.750 |
| Jason Garrett | 41 | 31 | 0 | 0.569 | 2010 | Cowboys | 41 | 31 | 0 | 0.569 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0.750 |
| Mike McCoy | 18 | 14 | 0 | 0.563 | 2013 | Chargers | 18 | 14 | 0 | 0.563 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0.563 |
| Bill O'Brien | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0.563 | 2014 | Texans | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0.563 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0.563 |
| Tom Coughlin | 164 | 140 | 0 | 0.539 | 2004 | Giants | 96 | 80 | 0 | 0.545 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 |
| Marvin Lewis | 100 | 90 | 2 | 0.526 | 2003 | Bengals | 100 | 90 | 2 | 0.526 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0.656 |
| Jeff Fisher | 162 | 147 | 1 | 0.524 | 2012 | Rams | 20 | 27 | 1 | 0.427 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 |
| Lovie Smith | 83 | 77 | 0 | 0.519 | 2014 | Buccaneers | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0.125 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0.125 |
| Ron Rivera | 32 | 31 | 1 | 0.508 | 2011 | Panthers | 32 | 31 | 1 | 0.508 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 0.469 |
| Rex Ryan | 46 | 50 | 0 | 0.479 | 2009 | Jets | 46 | 50 | 0 | 0.479 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.250 |
| Joe Philbin | 23 | 25 | 0 | 0.479 | 2012 | Dolphins | 23 | 25 | 0 | 0.479 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Doug Marrone | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0.469 | 2013 | Bills | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0.469 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0.563 |
| Tony Sparano | 32 | 41 | 0 | 0.438 | 2014 | Raiders | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.250 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0.250 |
| Mike Zimmer | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0.438 | 2014 | Vikings | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0.438 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0.438 |
| Mike Pettine | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0.438 | 2014 | Browns | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0.438 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0.438 |
| Ken Whisenhunt | 47 | 65 | 0 | 0.420 | 2014 | Titans | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0.125 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0.125 |
| Marc Trestman | 13 | 19 | 0 | 0.406 | 2013 | Bears | 13 | 19 | 0 | 0.406 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0.313 |
| Jay Gruden | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.250 | 2014 | Redskins | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.250 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.250 |
| Dennis Allen | 8 | 28 | 0 | 0.222 | 2012 | Raiders | 8 | 28 | 0 | 0.222 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Gus Bradley | 7 | 25 | 0 | 0.219 | 2013 | Jaguars | 7 | 25 | 0 | 0.219 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0.188 |
| Total | 1942 | 1517 | 7 | 0.561 | 1277 | 931 | 6 | 0.555 | 255 | 255 | 2 | 0.500 | ||
