It’s not easy coaching in the NFL, and on occasion, we’ve seen coaches fail in spectacular fashion. Other times, they choose to leave of their own volition. With Urban Meyer being the latest coach to be a complete and utter failure as an NFL head coach, it got us thinking about the shortest coaching tenures in the NFL. Let’s take a look back at the coaches who failed thoroughly and failed quickly, leading to the shortest coaching tenures in NFL history.
Bobby Petrino, 13 Games
In 2006, Petrino signed a 10-year contract to stay at Louisville, but less than six months later, he decided he wanted to try his hand at being an NFL head coach. The Falcons wanted him to work with Michael Vick, although that plan changed when Vick was arrested for his dog fighting operation.
That left Petrino to work with the likes of Joey Harrington and Chris Redman, going 3-10 in the process. However, Petrino did promise owner Arthur Blank that he would stay in Atlanta, only to resign less than 24 hours later to return to college and take the job at Arkansas.
Lou Holtz, 13 Games
Holtz was one of those coaches who was perfect for college. Alas, he made the jump to the NFL in 1976 as coach of the Jets. After going 3-10, Holtz resigned with one game left in the season.
Ironically, he went back to college to coach Arkansas, just like Petrino would many years later. Eventually, Holtz would make his way to Notre Dame, where he won the 1988 national championship.
Urban Meyer, 13 Games
What was Meyer thinking when he agreed to coach the Jaguars? He retired as a college coach twice because of health reasons but suddenly wanted to coach an NFL team one day.
It was a disaster from the start both on and off the field. Between the team’s 2-11 record and accusations of physical abuse, Meyer was unceremoniously fired.
Pete McCulley, 9 Games
In no way was McCulley set up to succeed with the 49ers, so his brief tenure shouldn’t be a surprise. He was San Francisco’s fourth head coach in as many years and had no previous experience as a head coach. He was fired after going 1-8 with Fred O’Connor going 1-6 the rest of the way on a team that committed 63 turnovers in 16 games. Of course, Bill Walsh took over the next year and eventually led the 49ers to three Super Bowl wins.
George Allen, 2 Preseason Games
In five seasons as the team’s head coach from 1966 to 1970, Allen was 49-17-4. But when they brought him back in 1978, he was fired after two disappointing preseason games. It was an odd course to take for a coach who already had a Hall of Fame resume. In fairness, the Rams were 12-4 that year and went to the Super Bowl the following season under Ray Malavasi.
Bill Belichick, 1 Day
This will always be one of the weirdest coaching stories in NFL history. Belichick had been groomed to succeed Bill Parcells as the Jets’ head coach. But when the Jets introduced him as their head coach, Belichick announced his resignation. The move made more sense when the Patriots fired Pete Carroll and soon hired Belichick as his replacement.
The Patriots ultimately had to give the Jets a first-round pick. Of course, less than two years later, Belichick led the Patriots to their first of six Super Bowl wins.