After less than one year in the head coaching position, a record of 2-11, and a string of controversy surrounding the team, the Jacksonville Jaguars have parted ways with coach Urban Meyer.
With the writing seemingly on the wall for quite some time, the franchise moving on from Meyer wasn’t super surprising, but it did get me thinking – what are some of the shortest turnarounds of head coaches in NFL history?
And to no surprise, a Detroit Lion made the list….
Nick Saban (Miami Dolphins)
Nick Saban is, without question, one of if not the greatest college coach there’s ever been, but if you focused solely on his time as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, you’d understandably point your thumb and ask, “This guy?”.
It only took two seasons coaching the Dolphins for Saban to come to the conclusion that the NFL wasn’t a good fit.
So what happened?
Well, he had running backs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, but even that wasn’t enough to call his first season with the team a success as they went 9-7 and didn’t make the playoffs.
2006 was even worse.
The Dolphins went 6-10 and finished last in the AFC East.
In 2007, Saban returned to coach the Alabama Crimson Tide, turning the team into one of the most dominant college dynasties of all time.
Rod Marinelli (Detroit Lions)
Don’t worry Lions fans, you made the list.
Let’s talk about former Lions head coach, Rod Marinelli.
Marinelli took the head coaching spot in 2006 with the Lions ending their season with a 3-13 record.
2007 began with traces of hope as the Lions were 6-2 midway through the season, but ultimately the “same old Lions” did what they do best – disappoint. They finished their season 7-9.
2008 saw Detroit finish with a solid 0-16 record, much to the dismay of the Lions faithful. By this time, Marinelli’s defense had allowed 517 points – an NFL worst.
His departure from Detroit aligned with the end of the disastrous run of GM Matt Millen, a tumultuous period that saw the oft-playoff bound Lions of the 90s dragged into the depths of mediocrity.
Marinelli would go on to find success assembling defenses for Chicago and Dallas in the 2010s.
David Shula (Cincinnati Bengals)
It’s a classic case of the apple falling far from the family tree.
You’d think the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach, Don Shula would carry over the success of his bloodline, but you’d be wrong.
In 1992, after spending one year as the wide receiver coach for the Bengals, Dave Shula was promoted to the head coach position and went on a… well, not exactly a tear.
His biggest accomplishment for the Bengals was a 19-52 record spanning 1992-1996.
That’s quite a generous amount of time to prove you’re just not the guy for the job.
This was Dave Shula’s first and last head coaching gig in the NFL.
Bobby Petrino (Atlanta Falcons)
Lest we forget Bobby Petrino.
Petrino left his coaching position in Louisville in 2006, fresh off an Orange Bowl win.
His destination?
Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons.
The pairing of Petrino at the helm and superstar QB Michael Vick was, on paper, a no brainer success.
Well…
See, Petrino had the misfortune of arriving to Atlanta right around the time Michael Vick was being indicted on a federal level.
Life handed Petrino lemons and instead of making lemonade, he chucked the lemons and bailed only 13 games into the season.
The Falcons were 3-10 at the time.
He left a note in the locker room telling his players he was skipping town for Arkansas.
Needless to say, Petrino’s reputation in the NFL remains soiled to this day.
Lane Kiffin (Oakland Raiders)
Ahh the Lane Kiffin era in Oakland.
Kiffin was hired in early 2007 by then owner, Al Davis to be the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
Coming off his run as offensive coordinator for USC, Kiffin was to become the youngest head coach in the NFL.
After an ugly 4-12 first season, Kiffin wasn’t exactly endearing himself to Raiders ownership.
A public feud with the Raiders front office along with a 1-3 start to the 2008 season sealed Lane’s fate as he was fired by ownership after just four games.