As can be inferred by the eleven new coaches NFL teams will put out next season, there's a new theme among organizations: win now. Most coaches used to have at least three to four years to improve their teams and make them good. Now, however, if a coach struggles in his first two, or sometimes even first, season, they might be gone.
Why exactly
is this? Is it the example given off by teams like the Dolphins and Falcons that a purging of the coaching staff and front office can fix a team in just one offseason? Or, could it be the economy? Fans may not be willing, in these tough times, to dish out extreme amounts of money in order to watch a team without much change.
Take the Jets, for example. Although Eric Mangini had not exactly wowed many following his superb rookie season in New York, he still got a winning season out of a team obviously lacking in chemistry and a good quarterback. But, because owner Woody Johnson wanted to keep, or depending on some fans, get support, he fired him and hired a new head coach, Rex Ryan, one now creating much conversation and possibly renewal of season tickets among fans.
Then again, owners are having to pay a steep price in some instances for firing a coach, such as in Denver and Tampa Bay.
Whatever the reason, coaches are on the hot seat more than ever in today's NFL. Expect to see a lot of conversation and speculation next season regarding who will stick and who will take the heat for a poor, or sometimes just regular, season. Maybe it's a good thing; all of these rumors and head coaching hunts are certainly entertaining. But, by letting so many competent coaches go and hiring inexperienced and unknown ones (in terms of what they will do), organizations are also setting their selves up for a few wild season, erasing what they were trying to do in the first place.
Consider the Oakland Raiders. Each offseason, save the last, owner Al Davis goes through another head coaching search. And, almost every time, that coach gets the pink slip sooner or later, nullifying any chance of consistent success for the Raiders. Next January, no matter who Al picks, I'm willing to bet that the same thing happens again.
Although I do not necessarily always go against choices like the Broncos make in letting an experienced coach go and picking up the young, talented one, each time they do this, they're risking the chance of having a season or two of chaos, which would obviously make them regret their questionable choice to get rid of their reliable coach. Front offices can interview and scout and debate all they want; they'll still never know exactly how an assistant will be with the new title of “Head Coach”.
What do you all think about this? Is it good? Why is it happening? Would you rather have someone like Mike Shanahan, who struggled to get into to the Super Bowl or into the playoffs, or a young coach, like Josh McDaniels?