The NFL loves the newest, hottest offensive coordinators, and these guys know they have to strike while the iron’s hot, so they often take head coaching jobs well before they’re ready.
Anthony Lynn, Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan are going from 2016 offensive coordinators to becoming 2017 NFL head coaches. It remains to be seen whether any of them will become Hall of Famers, like Bill Belichick and Don Shula, middle-of-the-road fellas, like Norv Turner and Jack Del Rio, or bottom-of-the-barrel guys – like the ones we’re going to be talking about here.
With about one-quarter of all the NFL teams changing out their head coaching positions from one year to the next, there are always some good hires and bad hires.
But we’re going to look at the really bad hires that helped set some franchises back a few years.
7 Great Offensive Coordinators Who Became 7 Crappy NFL Head Coaches
We only chose guys from the past 50 years, as there were some pretty bad ones in the first part of the 20th century, too. Later this week, we’ll look at the great defensive coordinators that became bad NFL head coaches (there are more than seven!).
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1/7
Kevin Gilbride, San Diego Chargers
While many might remember Gilbride more for being Buddy Ryan’s punching bag on the Houston Oilers’ sideline, he has actually turned in some great seasons as an offensive coordinator, including two Super Bowl rings with Tom Coughlin’s Giants.
But his only two seasons as an NFL head coach made us wish Buddy would’ve punched him a few more times.. In 1997 and 1998, Gilbride coached the San Diego Chargers to two completely unspectacular seasons. He replaced Bobby Ross, who hadn’t allowed the Chargers to go below 8-8 in his five years at the helm.
In 1997, they were bad enough (4-12) to earn the second overall pick (26th offensively in the NFL), where they took QB Ryan Leaf. Then, in 1998, the team started off 2-4 and he got the shoe, finishing with a 6-16 NFL coaching record.
Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw, Getty Images
2/7
Richie Petitbon, Washington Redskins
After serving as the Washington Redskins’ defensive coordinator for 12 seasons and three Super Bowl wins, he finally got a chance to drive the truck himself when Joe Gibbs finally retired. That Redskins team was just two seasons from their 1991 Super Bowl win, and they had lost in the playoffs the year before Petitbon took over.
How bad were the Redskins after he took over? They went 4-12, after he threatened to bench Super Bowl-winning QB Mark Rypien and forced Hall-of-Fame WR Art Monk into a backup role. Needless to say, after that season, Petitbon never got a job in the NFL again.
Photo Credit: Rick Stewart, Getty Images
3/7
Cam Cameron, Miami Dolphins
Before we dump on Cameron and his only year as an NFL head coach with the Dolphins in 2007, let’s first remember that he was mostly playing with the dumpster fire that dirtbag Nick Saban left for him.
Cameron was a successful offensive coordinator with the Chargers before arriving in South Florida (Cameron was named Offensive Assistant of the Year in 2004 by Sports Illustrated that year!). But he left South Florida just one year later after a dismal 1-15 record. It was evident he no longer had Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates in his locker room.
One of my favorite little ironies is that the only team to lose Cameron’s Dolphins that year was Baltimore … who promptly hired Cameron to be their offensive coordinator the next season, and he stayed there from 2008 to 2012.
Photo Credit: Miami Herald, Getty Images
4/7
Marty Mornhinweg, Detroit Lions
Matt Millen is widely considered to be one of the worst NFL General Managers in league history, and hiring Mornhinweg as his head coach couldn’t help his reputation.
“Eminem” -- that’s my nickname for him – was a solid offensive coordinator with the 49ers for three years before getting this gig. But now, in hindsight, it’s tough not to be an awesome OC when you have Steve Young and Jeff Garcia under center, and Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens catching passes.
It’s rare to see a 2-14 head coach come back for a second season, but give Mornhinweg credit – he improved his wins by 50 percent! He went 3-13 the next season and was promptly handed his walking papers. At least he wasn’t around for the Lions’ 0-16 season.
Marty rebounded! He’s the offensive coordinator for the Ravens – they ranked 21st in scoring offense in 2016, by the way. (We’ll give him some credit, though, for being Andy Reid’s offensive coordinator from 2006-2012, helping the Eagles post top-10 scoring teams in five of his seven seasons there.
Photo Credit: Tom Pidgeon, Getty Images
5/7
June Jones, Atlanta Falcons
After working with Mouse Davis in Detroit and serving as the QB/WR coach during the team’s Run ‘n Shoot era, he became the Falcons’ offensive coordinator under Jerry Glanville. The Falcons had the highest scoring offense in 1993, averaging 24.1 points per game.
Jones replaced Glanville in the head coach’s seat in 1994, and despite improving their record a bit, Jones proved to be a poor head coach – for the NFL at least. Once he took his wares to the college game, he’d win several coaching awards, including the CNN/SI National Coach of the Year Award with Hawaii in 1999.
We can’t even say Mouse Davis was the reason Jones saw success initially, since Jones hired Davis as his OC in Atlanta.
Photo Credit: Scott Halleran, Getty Images
6/7
Bruce Coslet, N.Y. Jets and Cincinnati Bengals
This one might be relatively controversial, considering two NFL teams hired Coslet to be their head coach, and he totaled nine NFL seasons as a team skipper, so how bad can he really be? But then again, it takes someone special to post eight non-winning regular seasons in nine years, with just one playoff appearance (a loss in 1991).
Coslet might not have been Bill Walsh, but as an offensive coordinator with the Bengals from 1986 to 1989, helping Boomer Esiason and his Bengals offense to top-five finishes in three of Coslet’s four years of calling plays.
Coslet’s time as the Jets’ head coach was unremarkable, as were his five years with the Bengals. Although, when David Shula after he resigned midway through the 1996 season (after a 1-6 start), Coslet led the Bengals to a 7-2 record to finish the year strong. But in his four seasons as Bengals head coach after that, he would never win more than seven games in any one year, including an 0-3 start to his final season in 2000.
Photo Credit: Joe Robbins, Getty Images
7/7
Les Steckel, Minnesota Vikings
While he might not be a familiar name to most NFL fans, Steckel did coach with seven different NFL teams, including the 49ers, Bills, Broncos, Buccaneers, Patriots, Titans, and, of course, the Minnesota Vikings, who he would serve as head coach for in the 1984 season. The former military mind replaced longtime coaching legend Bud Grant at the front of the Vikings ship.
His military ways just weren’t meshing with his players, and he got the shoe after just one NFL season, with a 3-13 record. Interestingly, he’s the only guy on this list to get replaced by the very guy he originally replaced, as Grant came out of retirement to take back his team.
Later on, Steckel would serve as the offensive coordinator in Tennessee from 1997-99, helping Steve McNair and his Titans get within one yard of winning Super Bowl XXXIV against the Rams.
Photo Credit: Jim Preston, Getty Images
1/7
Kevin Gilbride, San Diego Chargers
While many might remember Gilbride more for being Buddy Ryan’s punching bag on the Houston Oilers’ sideline, he has actually turned in some great seasons as an offensive coordinator, including two Super Bowl rings with Tom Coughlin’s Giants.
But his only two seasons as an NFL head coach made us wish Buddy would’ve punched him a few more times.. In 1997 and 1998, Gilbride coached the San Diego Chargers to two completely unspectacular seasons. He replaced Bobby Ross, who hadn’t allowed the Chargers to go below 8-8 in his five years at the helm.
In 1997, they were bad enough (4-12) to earn the second overall pick (26th offensively in the NFL), where they took QB Ryan Leaf. Then, in 1998, the team started off 2-4 and he got the shoe, finishing with a 6-16 NFL coaching record.
Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw, Getty Images
2/7
Richie Petitbon, Washington Redskins
After serving as the Washington Redskins’ defensive coordinator for 12 seasons and three Super Bowl wins, he finally got a chance to drive the truck himself when Joe Gibbs finally retired. That Redskins team was just two seasons from their 1991 Super Bowl win, and they had lost in the playoffs the year before Petitbon took over.
How bad were the Redskins after he took over? They went 4-12, after he threatened to bench Super Bowl-winning QB Mark Rypien and forced Hall-of-Fame WR Art Monk into a backup role. Needless to say, after that season, Petitbon never got a job in the NFL again.
Photo Credit: Rick Stewart, Getty Images
3/7
Cam Cameron, Miami Dolphins
Before we dump on Cameron and his only year as an NFL head coach with the Dolphins in 2007, let’s first remember that he was mostly playing with the dumpster fire that dirtbag Nick Saban left for him.
Cameron was a successful offensive coordinator with the Chargers before arriving in South Florida (Cameron was named Offensive Assistant of the Year in 2004 by Sports Illustrated that year!). But he left South Florida just one year later after a dismal 1-15 record. It was evident he no longer had Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates in his locker room.
One of my favorite little ironies is that the only team to lose Cameron’s Dolphins that year was Baltimore … who promptly hired Cameron to be their offensive coordinator the next season, and he stayed there from 2008 to 2012.
Photo Credit: Miami Herald, Getty Images
4/7
Marty Mornhinweg, Detroit Lions
Matt Millen is widely considered to be one of the worst NFL General Managers in league history, and hiring Mornhinweg as his head coach couldn’t help his reputation.
“Eminem” -- that’s my nickname for him – was a solid offensive coordinator with the 49ers for three years before getting this gig. But now, in hindsight, it’s tough not to be an awesome OC when you have Steve Young and Jeff Garcia under center, and Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens catching passes.
It’s rare to see a 2-14 head coach come back for a second season, but give Mornhinweg credit – he improved his wins by 50 percent! He went 3-13 the next season and was promptly handed his walking papers. At least he wasn’t around for the Lions’ 0-16 season.
Marty rebounded! He’s the offensive coordinator for the Ravens – they ranked 21st in scoring offense in 2016, by the way. (We’ll give him some credit, though, for being Andy Reid’s offensive coordinator from 2006-2012, helping the Eagles post top-10 scoring teams in five of his seven seasons there.
Photo Credit: Tom Pidgeon, Getty Images
5/7
June Jones, Atlanta Falcons
After working with Mouse Davis in Detroit and serving as the QB/WR coach during the team’s Run ‘n Shoot era, he became the Falcons’ offensive coordinator under Jerry Glanville. The Falcons had the highest scoring offense in 1993, averaging 24.1 points per game.
Jones replaced Glanville in the head coach’s seat in 1994, and despite improving their record a bit, Jones proved to be a poor head coach – for the NFL at least. Once he took his wares to the college game, he’d win several coaching awards, including the CNN/SI National Coach of the Year Award with Hawaii in 1999.
We can’t even say Mouse Davis was the reason Jones saw success initially, since Jones hired Davis as his OC in Atlanta.
Photo Credit: Scott Halleran, Getty Images
6/7
Bruce Coslet, N.Y. Jets and Cincinnati Bengals
This one might be relatively controversial, considering two NFL teams hired Coslet to be their head coach, and he totaled nine NFL seasons as a team skipper, so how bad can he really be? But then again, it takes someone special to post eight non-winning regular seasons in nine years, with just one playoff appearance (a loss in 1991).
Coslet might not have been Bill Walsh, but as an offensive coordinator with the Bengals from 1986 to 1989, helping Boomer Esiason and his Bengals offense to top-five finishes in three of Coslet’s four years of calling plays.
Coslet’s time as the Jets’ head coach was unremarkable, as were his five years with the Bengals. Although, when David Shula after he resigned midway through the 1996 season (after a 1-6 start), Coslet led the Bengals to a 7-2 record to finish the year strong. But in his four seasons as Bengals head coach after that, he would never win more than seven games in any one year, including an 0-3 start to his final season in 2000.
Photo Credit: Joe Robbins, Getty Images
7/7
Les Steckel, Minnesota Vikings
While he might not be a familiar name to most NFL fans, Steckel did coach with seven different NFL teams, including the 49ers, Bills, Broncos, Buccaneers, Patriots, Titans, and, of course, the Minnesota Vikings, who he would serve as head coach for in the 1984 season. The former military mind replaced longtime coaching legend Bud Grant at the front of the Vikings ship.
His military ways just weren’t meshing with his players, and he got the shoe after just one NFL season, with a 3-13 record. Interestingly, he’s the only guy on this list to get replaced by the very guy he originally replaced, as Grant came out of retirement to take back his team.
Later on, Steckel would serve as the offensive coordinator in Tennessee from 1997-99, helping Steve McNair and his Titans get within one yard of winning Super Bowl XXXIV against the Rams.
Photo Credit: Jim Preston, Getty Images
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Photo Credit: George Gojkovich, Getty Images