Atlanta Falcons-Arthur Smith
Detroit Lions-Dan Campbell
Houston Texans-David Culley
Jacksonville Jaguars-Urban Meyer
Los Angeles Chargers-Brandon Staley
New York Jets-Robert Saleh
Philadelphia Eagles-Nick Sirianni
If I were to rank those hires from best to worst it might look something like this:
1. Jets-Saleh
2. Jaguars-Meyer
3. Texans-Culley
4. Falcons-Smith
5. Chargers-Staley
6. Eagles-Sirianni
7. Lions-Campbell
First of all, with Eric Bieniemy, Leslie Frazier, Todd Bowles, and Jim Caldwell part of this cycle I don’t get half of these hires. But what do I know? For all I know now, the above seven coaches could dominate the league for the next decade. I do know that the one hire I truly don’t get is the Lions hiring of Dan Campbell. There were rumors a few years ago that he was a contender for the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator job. If those rumors were true the Vikings dodged a bullet. Campbell reminds me of some of my past football coaches. All were in high school. All stayed in high school. These are coaches that are all bluster with little to no substance. Maybe there’s some substance to Campbell’s bluster. Right now, I have my doubts. As a Vikings fan, I’m happy that he’s in Detroit.
Age as a requirement?
Robert Saleh, 41
Urban Meyer, 56
Arthur Smith, 38
David Culley, 65
Nick Sirianni, 39
Brandon Staley, 38
Dan Campbell, 44
The league’s head coaches continue to get younger. The Texans hiring of David Culley to complete this hiring cycle threw a blow to that trend but youthful head coaches have become the norm. There was a time, not long ago, when a 30-year old head coach was a rarity. Now, it’s rare for a 50-year old coach to receive serious consideration. Culley, Urban Meyer, Jim Caldwell, and Marvin Lewis were lost among the dozens of kids standing in interview lines. Culley is older. And black. Another rarity in NFL head coach hires.
Owners will hire the coach that they like. They also won’t wait to hire a coach. Some of the best candidates are often coaching Super Bowl teams. This year, those candidates include Eric Bieniemy and Todd Bowles. I’d take either over most of the seven coaches that got jobs this year. It’s stunning to me that an owner won’t wait a couple of weeks for a coach that might be the best fit for his team. Too often, their settling for a coach that’s available now. Maybe that’s why their teams are often looking for their next head coach. If I was an owner looking for a leader, I’d wait until Super Bowl was in the books before I made a decision on my next head coach. Owners don’t like waiting. They also don’t like being told who to hire. The NFL can continue to incentivize teams to develop minority coaches and hire minority head coaches but it won’t work. Ultimately, rich, white men will make these decisions and rich white men will always do what they want. They’ll hire a coach that they like. Some will do so for sound reasons. Some will do so for racist reasons. Few will hire a coach that they feel that they are being told to hire. Many will even hire the coach that they like next-best if they have to wait to hire the one that they like best. It’s an often messed-up process being orchestrated by rich, entitled, white men.
Congratulations and best of luck to the new NFL head coaches.
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