The NFL coaching carousel is a fascinating spectacle. Some brilliant minds get one shot and are never heard from again, while others keep popping up like that one song on your playlist you forgot to delete. Some coaches have an uncanny ability to land job after job despite uninspiring results.
From questionable in-game decisions to teams that never quite took the next step, these guys had a knack for staying employed. Let’s count down 10 NFL coaches who, despite their mediocrity, kept getting hired.
10. Jim Caldwell
Jim Caldwell’s career is a paradox. He’s been to a Super Bowl, led teams to the playoffs multiple times, and even had winning records with the Lions (which is an accomplishment in itself). But let’s be honest—Caldwell was never the mastermind behind any of those teams. He inherited a loaded Colts squad from Tony Dungy, rode Peyton Manning to a 14-2 record, and then completely collapsed once Manning got hurt, finishing 2-14.
9. Jason Garrett
The clapping. The sideline clapping. Jason Garrett spent a decade as the Cowboys’ head coach, somehow convincing Jerry Jones that this was the year they’d break through. Spoiler: They never did. Garrett’s teams were perpetually stuck in 8-8 mediocrity, yet he lasted 10 seasons in Dallas. After that, the Giants hired him as offensive coordinator, where he helped tank Daniel Jones’ development. Despite all this, he was still rumored for head coaching jobs for years.
8. Adam Gase
Imagine getting multiple head coaching jobs because Peyton Manning once said something nice about you. That was essentially Adam Gase’s entire résumé.
After one playoff appearance with the Dolphins, Gase somehow convinced the Jets that he was an offensive genius. He proceeded to completely destroy Sam Darnold’s career, alienate his players, and make the most painful press conference debut in recent memory.
7. Hue Jackson
If there’s a Hall of Fame for bad coaching records, Hue Jackson is a first-ballot inductee. The man went 3-36-1 in Cleveland, including a legendary 1-31 stretch over two seasons. Despite all this, he kept getting gigs. Cincinnati brought him back, and he even got a head coaching job at Grambling State in college football, where he—shocker—went 8-14 before being let go.
6. Jeff Fisher
If 7-9 had a human form, it would be Jeff Fisher. Fisher had a long tenure with the Titans, where he was decent but never spectacular. Then he somehow convinced the Rams to hire him, where he turned a young, talented roster into a wasteland of mediocrity. Despite his inability to develop a quarterback or run a modern offense, Fisher remained a hot name for jobs well after his coaching days were done.
5. Norv Turner
Norv Turner was one of those coaches who always seemed to have a job somewhere. Head coach? Sure. Offensive coordinator? You got it. Somehow running another team? Why not? Turner’s Chargers were always on the cusp but never broke through. His offenses were decent, but his teams often underachieved. Despite that, he kept bouncing from team to team for decades.
4. Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith’s career is one of the strangest on this list. He took the Bears to a Super Bowl in 2006 but never could find sustained success. After fizzling out in Chicago, he got another shot with Tampa Bay… and went 8-24 before getting fired. That should have been it, right? Nope. He landed at Illinois in college football (where he was bad) and somehow resurfaced with the Houston Texans in 2022. Predictably, he lasted just one season.
3. Josh McDaniels
Some guys are just meant to be coordinators, and Josh McDaniels is at the top of that list. His first head coaching stint with the Broncos was a disaster—he ran Jay Cutler out of town, drafted Tim Tebow in the first round, and was fired before finishing his second season. After crawling back to New England, McDaniels conned the Raiders into hiring him in 2022… and, again, he was an absolute disaster. And yet, he will still probably get another chance someday.
2. Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis had the Bengals job for 16 seasons despite winning exactly zero playoff games. How? No one knows. He was the king of “good, but not great.” His teams were always just good enough to make the playoffs but never good enough to do anything when they got there. And yet, every time the Bengals underachieved, they just brought him back for another try.
Related: The 10 Most Overrated College Football Coaches
1. Matt Millen (as an Executive)
Okay, so technically, Matt Millen wasn’t a coach, but his hiring record is so atrocious that he earns the top spot. As the Lions’ general manager, Millen presided over one of the worst stretches in NFL history—a complete disaster that culminated in an 0-16 season. And yet, after being run out of Detroit, he still found work as an analyst and football executive.
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