Analyzing the new list of longest-tenured NFL head coaches.
With the departure of Bill Belichick from the New England Patriots and the new role for Pete Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks, the list of longest-tenured NFL head coaches has drastically altered since the end of the 2023 regular season. Here are some numbers that show the churn that is the NFL head coaching ranks:
Two of longest-tenured coaches are both gone
Belichick was hired in 2000 (ironically) to replace Carroll as the coach of the Patriots. After a successful stint at USC, Carroll took over the Seahawks in 2010. Belichick was the longest-tenured coach in the NFL by a considerable margin while Carroll was fourth on the list.
25% of the NFL will have a new coach in 2024
At least eight of the 32 teams will have a new man on the sideline for the 2024 season opener. The number was only five in 2023. In 2022, it was nine coaches, seven in 2021, five in 2020, and eight in 2019. On average, the modern NFL turns over seven coaches per hiring cycle.
Few coaches get to see their second contract
Only six NFL head coaches have been with their current team for six seasons or more. With most head coach contracts being five years, that means the vast majority don’t get to sign on the dotted line twice. In fact, 75 percent of the league has at least one new coach since 2019 — and some have had more than that.
Super Bowl is the goal
Obviously in the NFL, the Lombardi trophy is the ultimate goal. Of those six coaches that have been around for more than six years, only Sean McDermott and Kyle Shanahan don’t have a Super Bowl victory and only McDermott doesn’t have a Super Bowl appearance. (In addition to one NFC Championship, Shanahan has two additional conference title game appearances while McDermott has just one conference championship appearance.)
NFL head coaches not even guaranteed a full season
The Carolina Panthers are hiring their second head coach in two offseasons after firing Frank Reich in late November. He coached only 11 games. The Denver Broncos hired Sean Payton in 2023 after firing Nathaniel Hackett 15 games into his tenure. Urban Meyer was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars after 13 games in 2021.
Belichick stands alone
Ironically, Belichick also has the shortest tenure of any NFL head coach. In 2000, he was hired by the New York Jets but resigned the next day to take over the Patriots. New England owner Bob Kraft would send a first-round pick to the Jets in exchange for Belichick, and it turned out to be a good move for the Patriots. Per ESPN, the other 31 NFL teams have hired 162 head coaches for 224 total stints since Belichick went to New England.
Full list of NFL coaching tenures
Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers | January 22, 2007
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens | January 19, 2008
Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs | January 7, 2013
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills | January 11, 2017
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams | January 12, 2017
Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers | February 6, 2017
Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers | January 8, 2019
Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals | February 9, 2019
Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys | January 8, 2020
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns | January 13, 2020
Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions | January 10, 2021
Robert Salaeh, New York Jets | January 14, 2021
Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles | January 24, 2021
Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears | January 27, 2022
Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars | February 3, 2022
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins | February 6, 2022
Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings | February 16, 2022
Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints | February 8, 2022
Brian Daboll, New York Giants | January 28, 2022
Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | March 30, 2022
DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans | January 31, 2023
Sean Payton, Denver Broncos | February 3, 2023
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals | February 14, 2023
Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts | February 14, 2023
Vacant: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders
