2006 Worst NFL Coaches

NFL 2006 Preview: The 5 Worst NFL Coaches

If any of you out there are looking for job security, the National Football League head coaching position may be the very last place that you will want to look. Of the 32 head coaches entering this NFL 2006 season, an astonishing 13 of them, or 41%, are either in their first year or have completed just one season. And if you believe this additional madness, five more head coaches, all with impressive credentials behind them, are entering just their third year with their teams: Lovie Smith of the Bears, Dennis Green of the Cardinals, Jim Mora of the Falcons, Tom Coughlin of the Giants… and the legendary Joe Gibbs of the Redskins, who returned in 2004 after more than a decade away from the team. Prior to his absence, he coached the ‘Skins from 1981-1992 and led them to 4 Super Bowls. He will not be displayed on this list of the worst coaches, I can tell you that.

The remaining 14 coaches are the who’s who of this position in the NFL - Belichick, Parcells, Cowher, Reid, Holmgren, Gruden, Lewis, Billick, Schottenheimer, Dungy, Fisher, Shanahan, Fox and Del Rio. It must be mentioned that even though Bill Parcells of the Cowboys and Marty Schottenheimer of the Chargers have only had mediocre records in their stints with these teams, their tenures with their prior teams, the Giants and the Chiefs respectively, need not be mentioned as they place these coaches among the best of all time.

Keeping all this in mind, there are two coaches on this list that have not even debuted as head coaches in the NFL. In these instances, they were based simply on their credentials that were used in selecting them as head coach… credentials that I feel were not worthy of the position, and that I believe will deservedly place them on this list come season end.

No. 5: Scott Linehan, St. Louis Rams

This cat was named head coach of the Rams after just one season as offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins last season. The Dolphins were a mere 9-7 last year, and missed the playoffs. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings from 2002-4, and the Vikings were 6-10 in 2002, 9-7 in 2003 and 8-8 in 2004, which happened to be the only year under his tutelage that they actually squeezed into the playoffs. How in the name of the higher above did he get this job?

No. 4: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers

Can someone please tell me how one of the most storied franchises in the National Football League can come to pick this guy with such coaches as Lambeau, Lombardi and Holmgren displayed in their halls. McCarthy spent last season as the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, and they were 4-12 and probably displayed one of the worst outings I have ever seen a quarterback have in Alex Smith. Prior to that, McCarthy was the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints for five years from 2000-4.

The Saints were excellent in those years, making the playoffs once. It is obvious that the one and only reason why he got this job is because he was Brett Favre’s coach in 1999.

No. 3: Dennis Green, Arizona Cardinals

I don’t like doing this, because this man had an outstanding record with the Minnesota Vikings, coaching them to an overall record of 97-62 in ten seasons and making the playoffs in eight. But since then, he has been 11-21 with the Cardinals.

If he does not lead this team to at least a 9-7 record and the playoffs this season, I guarantee you that he will lose his head coaching job.

No. 2: Herman Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs

I think that this cat is the best post-game interview probably in the history of the NFL. You just never know what this head coach is going to say when he gets up on the podium and speaks into the microphone… especially after an embarrassing loss. And every year, his players absolutely adore him. So someone needs to explain to me as to why he led the New York Jets to a 39-41 record over his five seasons as head coach.

And No.1: Dick Jauron, Buffalo Bills

Mr. Jauron will be entering his seventh year as head coach of an NFL team, and he had one outstanding year with the Chicago Bears in 2001 when he lead them to a 13-3 record, although they lost their playoff game. Take a guess at what his record was in the other five years… a brutal 23-45, which is far and away the worst record that any of the present head coaches have. That alone… makes Mr. Jauron the worst head coach in the NFL.

Anthony Oxley is a freelance columnist for BetUS. To email Anthony Oxley, send your comments to [email protected]

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