Sometimes a head coach’s fate comes down to one decision: which quarterback they decide to ride with. And when that decision turns out to be the wrong one, it can tank a coaching tenure faster than a three-and-out in overtime.
These are the coaches who bet big on the wrong signal-caller—and paid the price with their jobs.
15. Jeff Fisher and Jared Goff
Fisher handpicked Goff as his franchise quarterback, then completely whiffed on developing him. By the time Goff found his footing, Fisher was already out the door.
14. Marc Trestman and Jay Cutler
Trestman believed he could turn Cutler into an elite passer. Instead, he got turnovers, eye rolls, and a short-lived run in Chicago.
13. Nathaniel Hackett and Russell Wilson
Hackett came in hoping Wilson would unlock a new era for Denver. What he got was a mess of miscommunication and a pink slip before the season even ended.
12. Josh Rosen and Steve Wilks
Wilks was a one-and-done in Arizona, and Rosen’s brutal rookie season didn’t help. The Cardinals bailed on both after just one year.
11. Hue Jackson and DeShone Kizer
Jackson doubled down on Kizer despite overwhelming evidence he wasn’t ready. The result was a winless season and a coaching reputation that never recovered.
10. Matt Patricia and Matthew Stafford
Patricia tried to reinvent the Lions in his image, with Stafford as his centerpiece. The result was friction, regression, and a fast track back to the assistant ranks.
9. Joe Philbin and Ryan Tannehill
Philbin stuck with Tannehill longer than most coaches would’ve. Unfortunately, Tannehill didn’t blossom until long after Philbin was gone.
8. Mike Singletary and Alex Smith
Singletary never figured out how to get the best out of Smith. Once Jim Harbaugh came in, Smith suddenly looked like a competent starter.
7. Chip Kelly and Sam Bradford
Kelly staked his NFL reboot on Bradford’s arm. It went about as well as you’d expect from someone who was constantly rehabbing something.
6. Mike Nolan and Alex Smith
Nolan made Smith the face of the franchise but gave him zero support. The instability doomed both of them before things ever got off the ground.
5. Pat Shurmur and Daniel Jones
Shurmur hitched his Giants future to a quarterback who couldn’t stop turning the ball over. Two years later, both were labeled busts—for very different reasons.
4. Dennis Allen and Terrelle Pryor
Allen handed the keys to Pryor in a desperate attempt to spark Oakland’s offense. It was a swing and a miss that helped usher him out of the building.
3. Mike Mularkey and Blaine Gabbert
Mularkey got stuck trying to build around a raw Gabbert in Jacksonville. It was like trying to fix a leaky boat with duct tape—he didn’t stand a chance.
Read more: 20 Times NFL Coaches Believed in the Wrong Guy
2. Adam Gase and Sam Darnold
Gase was supposed to be the quarterback whisperer who could save Darnold’s career. Instead, both of them ended up as punchlines in New York.
Read more: 10 NFL Quarterbacks Who Needed Literally Any Other Coach
1. Josh McDaniels and Jimmy Garoppolo
McDaniels bet his second shot at being a head coach on Garoppolo staying healthy and productive. Instead, it became the latest reminder that bad QB bets kill good coaching dreams.
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