As black Monday passed and six head coaches were shown the door in favour of change and a chance to rebuild a franchise, it is clear more than ever that stability at the head coaching position is paramount for success.
While each individual team had their reasons for letting go of their leaders, constant change has a negative effect on an NFL franchise.
With the constant roster turnover due to retirements, free agency and the draft every evolving NFL locker room needs a strong leadership and vision for the future.
The dynamic between the head coach, general manager and owner is a crucial relationship for a team’s success. These three relationships alone can determine whether a franchise flourishes or flounders as the years go on.
The ability of this dynamic to build a team through the draft and free agency based on the abilities and needs of the coach in place is the cornerstone for future success.
The defining characteristics in these dynamics are the ability for the relationships to weather the adversity that will surely be seen in any NFL tenure.
Looking at the Superbowl winners since 2000 the one thing that they all have in common is stability at the head coaching position and a strong front office to support the coach.
The winners include: St Louis Rams, New England Patriots (3), Pittsburgh Steelers’ (2), Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants (2) and the Baltimore Ravens (2).
These teams are all part of an elite club that have had little turnover at the head coaching position in the NFL since 2000.
The New England Patriots who have won the most Superbowls in that time span as well as appearing in two more have had Bill Belichick at the helm of the team since the year 2000.
During that span the Patriots have won 151/208 games for a .726 winning percentage, a staggering record considering the amount of roster turnover that occurs during a 13-year period.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ organisation have had a sterling record of head coaching stability with only three different head coaches in 43 years. Currently they are in sole possession of the most Superbowls won by any NFL franchise with six.
The epitome of stability the Steelers are a team that is always a contender and have a penchant for developing talent and getting the most out of them.
The Philadelphia Eagles have had only two coaches since 2000 being Andy Reid and their new coach Chip Kelly.
In a tough division the Eagles have been extremely successful over the last decade with two NFC Championship appearances and a lone Superbowl appearance.
These are three examples of team who have had long tenured coaches and been successful over the long run.
Other teams such as the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants are among this elite group of organisations who foster stability in the front office and the head coach.
Obviously there are many other intangibles that go into success for a team in the NFL but it is clear that strong leadership is vital.
On the flip side of the coin there are teams who have had a lot of turnover at the head coaching position and subsequently have had mixed success in the NFL.
With the news of the Cleveland Browns firing their head coach Rob Chudzinksi after just one season, when they hire their new coach it will have been the eighth head coach since 2000.
The Browns have won only 72/208 games for a low winning percentage of 34 percent. The Browns organisation has also had a lot of turnover in its front office as they have frantically looked for something to spark winnings ways.
Alongside the Browns with eight head coaches since 2000 are the Oakland Raiders who have also had little success over this span.
Since going to the Superbowl in 2002 the Raiders have been among the worst in the league winning only 55/208 games for a winning percentage of 26%.
Significant draft busts weigh heavy on the Raiders success in the NFL, as they have often invested poorly in college talent.
These are two of the more prominent examples of teams whose coaching turnover has amounted to poor performance in the NFL. They are not alone as only one head coaching change behind them is the Detroit Lions and the Washington Redskins with seven
There are many reasons why a team wins and loses in the NFL and as we have seen this season by the Kansas City Chiefs a coach can change the fortunes of a maligned team.
Going form having the worst record in the league last season to now being in the playoffs and at one point of the season were in position to grab the no.1 seed in the AFC.
The influence a coach has on a team is felt all throughout an organisation and the results of either a good or bad coach are seen in the win/loss ratio.
Good coaches in stable situations have an opportunity to build the team that they can coach and win with, whereas teams whose coaches are constantly are on the hot seat are overcome with a need to win fast and not build for sustained success.
While this is just a snapshot of team’s on both ends of the spectrum in the NFL it is clear that a strong front office and coaching stability are synonymous with success in the NFL.
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