{"id":14517,"date":"2024-11-19T16:46:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-19T16:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=14517"},"modified":"2024-11-19T16:46:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T16:46:02","slug":"is-there-a-bias-toward-special-teams-coaches-in-nfl-head-coach-hiring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=14517","title":{"rendered":"Is There A Bias Toward Special Teams Coaches In NFL Head Coach Hiring?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When was the last time anyone saw an\u00a0NFL<\/a>\u00a0team hire a head coach who spent most of their career coaching special teams? Spoiler: It rarely happens. The bias against special teams coordinators is one of the most puzzling trends in NFL hiring, even though they often possess skills that translate well to leadership roles. Let\u2019s explain why this happens and what it says about the league\u2019s hiring practices.<\/p>\n

The Numbers Don\u2019t Lie<\/h2>\n

Special teams coordinators are the forgotten middle children of NFL coaching. From 2010 to 2024, teams hired 90 head coaches. Of those, 38% came from offensive coordinator roles, 26% from defensive coordinator roles, and 16% were former head coaches switching teams. Special teams coordinators? A paltry 1%. NFL teams have directly promoted only two coaches from special teams coordinator to head coach: Joe Judge (New York Giants, 2020) and Frank Gansz (Kansas City Chiefs, 1987). Both lasted just two seasons.<\/p>\n

\"Bias
Former Head Coach Joe Judge of the New York Giants (Image Credit: Getty Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since 2010, teams have interviewed only 12 out of 80 special teams coordinators for non-interim head coaching jobs. These numbers scream bias, but why?<\/p>\n

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Misconceptions and Lack of Visibility<\/h2>\n

One theory is that NFL owners don\u2019t fully understand the job of a special teams coach. Unlike offensive and defensive coordinators, whose schemes are flashy and sell tickets, special teams coordinators work in the shadows. Their success often goes unnoticed unless something goes horribly wrong. Former special teams coach Brian Polian summed it up:\u00a0\u201cWhen we do it well, people don\u2019t always notice. But when it goes bad, I show up on TV.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"Bias
Special Teams Coordinator Brian Polian (Image Credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/em>Special teams coordinators manage players from both sides of the ball, oversee situational football, and adapt to ever-changing rules like the NFL\u2019s recent kickoff modifications. Their unique skill set arguably makes them well-suited for the organizational demands of a head coach. Yet, the perception persists that they\u2019re not \u201chotshot\u201d candidates capable of winning over fans or owners.<\/p>\n

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A \u201cComfort Zone\u201d Problem<\/h2>\n

Baltimore Ravens head coach\u00a0John Harbaugh<\/a>\u00a0is an outlier. He spent nine years as a special teams coach in Philadelphia before switching to defensive backs coach for a season. Harbaugh believes this move was pivotal for his head coaching chances. His then-boss,\u00a0Andy Reid<\/a>, acknowledged the shift wasn\u2019t about capability but perception:\u00a0\u201cThe job of a special teams coordinator is probably closer to a head coaching position than people perceive.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Even so, Reid moved Harbaugh because he believed it would make him more hireable.<\/p>\n

\"Bias
Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens (Image Credit: Getty Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Harbaugh\u2019s success as a head coach\u2014he\u2019s the NFL\u2019s second-longest-tenured head coach\u2014didn\u2019t open the floodgates for other special teams coordinators. He admits he\u2019s disappointed:\u00a0\u201cI thought if I was able to be successful, it would open the door. It hasn\u2019t been the case.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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The reluctance boils down to comfort. Maurice Drayton, a former NFL special teams coordinator, says owners often default to traditional molds.\u00a0\u201cYou have to look at who\u2019s doing the hiring and their comfort level with doing something that hasn\u2019t necessarily been done before.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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The Peter Principle in NFL Hiring<\/h2>\n

The Peter Principle might explain the NFL\u2019s tendency to prioritize offensive and defensive coordinators over special teams coaches: teams promote people based on success in previous roles, even when those roles don\u2019t require the skills needed for the new job.<\/p>\n

Offensive coordinators, for example, excel at calling plays and working with quarterbacks. But head coaching demands leadership, game management, and situational adaptability\u2014skills that special teams coordinators hone daily. Despite their repeated failures, teams continue to hire offensive gurus like\u00a0Josh McDaniels<\/a>, Adam Gase, and Kliff Kingsbury, while they rarely interview special teams coaches.<\/p>\n

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When Success Still Isn\u2019t Enough<\/h2>\n

Even when special teams\u00a0coordinators<\/a>\u00a0excel in interim head coaching roles, they often get overlooked. Rich Bisaccia led the Raiders to the playoffs in 2021 as an interim head coach but didn\u2019t land the job permanently. Instead, the Raiders hired offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was fired less than two seasons later.<\/p>\n

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Harbaugh believes the obsession with\u00a0\u201cwinning the press conference\u201d<\/em>\u00a0plays a role. \u201cMaybe that has something to do with it,\u201d he said. Offensive coordinators bring hype and flashy stats; special teams coordinators, not so much.<\/p>\n

What Needs to Change?<\/h2>\n

The NFL needs to broaden its perspective on who can lead a team. As Harbaugh puts it, being a head coach isn\u2019t about having the right resume; it\u2019s about leadership. Special teams coordinators work with the entire roster, handle high-stakes moments, and adapt to the game\u2019s nuances. These qualities make them prime candidates for head coaching roles\u2014if only owners were willing to take the chance.<\/p>\n

The data shows that biases in NFL hiring aren\u2019t just about race or age but also about roles. Until owners step out of their comfort zones, special teams coaches will remain the most underappreciated candidates in the league.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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