Let’s be honest—every NFL franchise has, at some point, made a head coaching hire so bad that fans are still traumatized. Whether it was a guy who lasted one miserable season or someone who inexplicably kept his job long after he should’ve been sent packing, bad coaching hires are a rite of passage in the NFL.
So, let’s take a trip down nightmare lane and rank every team’s most regrettable head coaching hire. Brace yourselves—it’s going to get ugly.
Denver Broncos – Nathaniel Hackett (2022)
The man was hired to help lure Aaron Rodgers to Denver. Instead, he got Russell Wilson, forgot how to manage the play clock, and was fired before finishing his first season. Broncos Country… let’s not ride.
Miami Dolphins – Cam Cameron (2007)
1-15. Enough said. But if we must elaborate, this was a coaching tenure so catastrophic that Miami fans still shudder at the memory.
New York Giants – Ben McAdoo (2016-2017)
McAdoo benched Eli Manning for Geno Smith, which immediately tanked his credibility. He also showed up to press conferences looking like a 1980s used car salesman, and somehow made Giants fans long for the Tom Coughlin days again.
Minnesota Vikings – Les Steckel (1984)
The Vikings wanted a disciplinarian, but they got a guy who turned training camp into a Marine boot camp. The result? A disastrous 3-13 record and a locker room that probably wanted to mutiny.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Urban Meyer (2021)
An unmitigated disaster from start to finish. From skipping team flights to questionable off-field behavior, to literally not knowing who played for his own team, Meyer was fired before the season ended.
Cleveland Browns – Hue Jackson (2016-2018)
Three seasons. Three wins. That’s a level of futility even the Browns hadn’t seen before, which says a lot.
Seattle Seahawks – Jim Mora Jr. (2009)
He got one year, trashed his own kicker, and was immediately replaced by Pete Carroll. That pretty much sums up how bad it was.
Green Bay Packers – Ray Rhodes (1999)
One season. 8-8. Fired. The Packers don’t mess around, and they knew they had made a mistake instantly.
Las Vegas Raiders – Lane Kiffin (2007-2008)
He got fired via overhead projector by Al Davis, which is both legendary and hilarious. That’s all you need to know, but his 5-15 record certainly didn’t help.
Chicago Bears – Marc Trestman (2013-2014)
Brought in to be an offensive genius, but the Bears collapsed under his leadership. Jay Cutler looked even more miserable than usual, and the team was a dysfunctional mess.
New Orleans Saints – Mike Ditka (1997-1999)
Ditka traded an entire draft class for Ricky Williams, which remains one of the worst moves in NFL history. He then took a weird wedding-style magazine cover photo with him, which was just bizarre. The Saints went 15-33 under his watch, making this tenure a complete disaster.
Buffalo Bills – Gregg Williams (2001-2003)
Before Sean McDermott, Bills fans had to suffer through this guy. He went 17-31, and the Bills were an afterthought in the AFC East for years.
Cincinnati Bengals – Dave Shula (1992-1996)
Hired because of his last name, not his coaching ability. His 19-52 record proves that nepotism doesn’t always pay off in the NFL.
Arizona Cardinals – Steve Wilks (2018)
Poor guy never had a chance with a talent-starved roster. One year, three wins, and kicked to the curb—he barely had time to unpack.
Philadelphia Eagles – Rich Kotite (1991-1994)
Philly fans have high standards, and Kotite did not meet them. He finished his last season 7-9 before heading to ruin the Jets.
Dallas Cowboys – Dave Campo (2000-2002)
Three straight 5-11 seasons in Big D is simply unacceptable. Cowboys fans still cringe when his name is mentioned.
New England Patriots – Rod Rust (1990)
One season, 1-15. If Bill Belichick is heaven, Rust was hell. Patriots fans would rather forget he ever existed.
Atlanta Falcons – Bobby Petrino (2007)
Quit after 13 games by leaving a note in the players’ lockers. Never even told them in person, which is a legendary coward move.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Bill Austin (1966-1968)
The Steelers don’t make bad hires often, but Austin’s 11-28-3 record is hard to ignore. Thankfully, Chuck Noll came along and erased this mistake from history.
Detroit Lions – Matt Patricia (2018-2020)
He showed up to Detroit acting like a genius, turned the franchise into a disaster, and alienated his players in the process. It was a masterclass in how not to run a team.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Leeman Bennett (1985-1986)
4-28 in two seasons. Even the Creamsicle uniforms deserved better than that level of incompetence.
Houston Texans – David Culley (2021)
Hired just to be fired a year later in the middle of the Deshaun Watson mess. The poor guy never had a chance, and the Texans clearly had no long-term plan.
Kansas City Chiefs – Herm Edwards (2006-2008)
You play to win the game, but Herm simply did not win enough of them. His 15-33 record speaks for itself.
Tennessee Titans – Ken Whisenhunt (2014-2015)
5-27 in Tennessee is somehow worse than his Arizona stint. He never got things going and was out the door quickly.
Carolina Panthers – Frank Reich (2023)
The shortest coaching tenure in NFL history is never a good look. Safe to say this did not go as planned.
Baltimore Ravens – Ted Marchibroda (1996-1998)
Marchibroda’s old-school coaching style failed to develop the young franchise, and his inability to build a competitive defense or maximize offensive talent led to his departure before the Ravens found success under Brian Billick.
Washington Commanders – Jim Zorn (2008-2009)
He started 6-2 and then completely fell apart, finishing 12-20. He also once ran a swinging gate fake field goal, which was as disastrous as it sounds.
San Francisco 49ers – Dennis Erickson (2003-2004)
The 49ers learned the hard way that not all college coaches can translate to the NFL. Erickson’s tenure was proof of that.
Los Angeles Chargers – Mike Riley (1999-2001)
He was too nice for the job, and the Chargers lost—a lot. The NFL is no place for a coach without an edge.
Indianapolis Colts – Jeff Saturday (2022)
Hired off his couch to be the interim head coach with zero experience. Won his first game, then lost the next seven. Not exactly a success story and not surprising he wasn’t hired to be a full-time head coach.
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New York Jets – Adam Gase (2019-2020)
The eye press conference was just the beginning. Jets fans are still in therapy after this hire.
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Los Angeles Rams – Scott Linehan (2006-2008)
He coached like a guy who knew he was in over his head. Because he was. His teams never looked competitive.
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