Sometimes, the worst thing a coach can have is too much faith in someone. Whether it’s a quarterback with more confidence than accuracy, or a journeyman running back trying to turn back the clock, NFL history is filled with stories of coaches putting their trust in the absolute wrong dude.
Some of these decisions were driven by desperation. Others? Pure delusion. Either way, these moments proved that loyalty and gut instinct don’t always lead to wins.
20. Matt Nagy and Mitchell Trubisky
Nagy doubled down on Trubisky like he was holding pocket aces. Unfortunately, Mitch was bluffing the whole time.
19. Josh McDaniels and Jarrett Stidham
McDaniels hyped Stidham like he was the next Brady. Turns out he was more clipboard than comeback.
18. Adam Gase and Jay Cutler (Part 2)
Gase thought he could revive Cutler’s career like a sci-fi reboot. Instead, he got one season of bad reads and shoulder shrugs.
17. Mike McCarthy and Brett Hundley
When Rodgers went down, McCarthy handed the keys to Hundley with full confidence. The offense immediately turned into a go-kart.
16. Jeff Fisher and Nick Foles
Fisher brought Foles in like he was unlocking something special. He was—it was the door to a 7-9 season.
15. Jason Garrett and Kellen Moore (as QB)
Before Moore was the OC wonderboy, Garrett let him start actual NFL games. It was less “Football IQ” and more “Why is this happening?”
14. Urban Meyer and C.J. Beathard (in camp)
Meyer reportedly saw Beathard as a future QB1 option in Jacksonville. This was one of many, many signs he was not built for the NFL.
13. Hue Jackson and DeShone Kizer
Hue threw a raw rookie into the fire and then acted shocked when he got burned. Believing Kizer was ready was wishful thinking at best.
12. Mike Shanahan and Rex Grossman
Shanahan made Grossman his guy even after Washington fans begged for anything else. Predictably, the “Good Rex/Bad Rex” rollercoaster never made it to the station.
11. Lovie Smith and Mike Glennon
Smith gave Glennon the job and hyped him up like a franchise cornerstone. Four games later, it was rookie time.
10. Dennis Allen and Terrelle Pryor
Allen built a game plan around Pryor like he was Cam Newton-lite. Instead, he got a few highlight runs and a whole lot of missed reads.
9. Mike Tice and Daunte Culpepper (late version)
Tice thought he could squeeze another Pro Bowl season out of Culpepper post-injury. It was more “fumble and fall” than “fireworks.”
8. Dan Campbell and Tim Boyle
Campbell rode with Boyle as the fill-in starter and gave him a full vote of confidence. The result: a whole lot of grit and very few completions.
7. Bill O’Brien and Tom Savage
O’Brien gave Savage the starting job over Deshaun Watson. It lasted one half—total—but the commitment was real (and baffling).
6. Pat Shurmur and Case Keenum
Shurmur brought Keenum to New York expecting more Minneapolis Miracle magic. Instead, he got a season that felt like an extended preseason.
5. Jack Del Rio and Matt McGloin
Del Rio threw McGloin into a playoff game like he was the next man up. It played out more like “last man standing… barely.”
4. Brian Flores and Josh Rosen
Flores gave Rosen the chance to prove himself in Miami. All it proved was that Arizona had been right to move on.
Read More: 15 NFL Players Who Thought They Were Legends on Day One
3. John Fox and Jimmy Clausen
Fox gave Clausen a shot to run the offense. What followed looked like a live-action remake of a rookie playbook gone wrong.
Read More: 17 NFL Coaches Who Completely Lost Their Minds on the Sidelines
2. Nathaniel Hackett and Brett Rypien
Hackett trusted Rypien to steady the ship after Russell Wilson got hurt. The ship sank faster.
Read More: 19 QBs Who Got Way More Hype Than Their Play Deserved
1. Mike Singletary and Troy Smith
Singletary handed Smith the reins late in the year like he had found something nobody else saw. He hadn’t—and the 49ers offense looked totally lost because of it.
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