NFL: Who was your team's worst coach?

[KenJennings]

In your opinion who was your team's worst coach? It doesn't have to go back through all of history. You can just consider the guys who you've actively watched. But during your time as a fan, which coach do you feel least helped your favorite franchise?

 

As a Vikings fan, there are three coaches that I will often hear argued as our worst; Leslie Frazier, Brad Childress and Mike Tice.

 

Les Frazier was a great defensive coach and was respected by the locker room, but often acted like Adrian Peterson could be our whole offense. He just never constructed an offense that could compete, and we relied on our defense to generate points too much. There's no doubt he's better suited to be a defensive coordinator, but I don't think he was the worst coach.

 

Brad Childress was a bit of a clown and had so many personality conflicts with the team that he wasn't ever going to be a long term solution. But he kept a creative playbook and had a great eye for personnel. The 2009 Vikings punched above their weight in no small part because of Chilly. But it was clear he didn't command respect from his players, and things unraveled badly in 2010.

 

Mike Tice was liked by the locker room, but only managed a .500 record and never won the division in four full seasons; despite inheriting a solid team. We also foolishly lost Randy Moss under his leadership. Worse were the discipline issues that arose in that era. The Vikings were constantly penalized on and off the field; and that whole love boat incident happened under his watch. It was an embarrassing time to be a Vikings fan.

 

So Mike Tice takes the cake for worst Vikings coach since I started watching football in the 90s. Who is your team's worst?

Edited June 28, 2021 by KenJennings

[Maverick]

For the Washington Redskins/Football Team, I'd have to say that the two worst head coaches I observed were Ritchie Pettibon and Jim Zorn. Maybe throw in Steve Spurrier for good measure.

[ST3V]

Hue Jackson.

[pjbear05]

For my birthplace Lions, Harry Gilmer during the mid 60's. Not only inept, he was known for wearing a white 10 gallon cowboy hat on the field, making himself a target for angry fans at the old Briggs (Tiger's) Stadium, who pelted him with snowballs.

 

For my current Dolphins, Nick Satan Saban, no contest. "What what what?" (His answer to a question about leaving Miami for 'Bama. He was subsequently filmed stepping off a private jet at an airstrip near Tuscaloosa.)

[laughedatbytime]

For my birthplace Lions, Harry Gilmer during the mid 60's. Not only inept, he was known for wearing a white 10 gallon cowboy hat on the field, making himself a target for angry fans at the old Briggs (Tiger's) Stadium, who pelted him with snowballs.

 

For my current Dolphins, Nick Satan Saban, no contest. "What what what?" (His answer to a question about leaving Miami for 'Bama. He was subsequently filmed stepping off a private jet at an airstrip near Tuscaloosa.)

 

Interesting that you'd choose Gilmer from the pantheon of putridity that is Lions football history. I would have thought that either Marty Morninweg (probably misspelled) who kicked off, in a dome, before the OT rule changes to start OT, or maybe Rod (0-16) Marinelli would have been the choice.

 

For the Dolphins while Saban was the worst and sleaziest human being to coach the Dolphins, for sheet ineptitude it's hard to beat his successor, Cam (1-15 and a goal line stand and inexplicable Brian Billick decision away from 0-16) Cameron.

 

It's interesting, as much of a punchline as Adam Gase is he's coached in two different places and NOT been the worst coach in either (at least IMO). It would be hard to beat Rich Kotite for the Jets

[Rick N. Backer]

Rod Rust. In fairness, Chuck Fairbanks is the first one I remember, and it's just vaguely with him.

[Nova Carmina]

It may be recency bias, but it's gotta be Jason Garrett. Unimaginative, predictable, inflexible, mediocre, and his negative score is increased by how long he stuck around; it just went on and on and on.

[laughedatbytime]

It may be recency bias, but it's gotta be Jason Garrett. Unimaginative, predictable, inflexible, mediocre, and his negative score is increased by how long he stuck around; it just went on and on and on.

not Dave Campo?

[laughedatbytime]

In your opinion who was your team's worst coach? It doesn't have to go back through all of history. You can just consider the guys who you've actively watched. But during your time as a fan, which coach do you feel least helped your favorite franchise?

 

As a Vikings fan, there are three coaches that I will often hear argued as our worst; Leslie Frazier, Brad Childress and Mike Tice.

 

Les Frazier was a great defensive coach and was respected by the locker room, but often acted like Adrian Peterson could be our whole offense. He just never constructed an offense that could compete, and we relied on our defense to generate points too much. There's no doubt he's better suited to be a defensive coordinator, but I don't think he was the worst coach.

 

Brad Childress was a bit of a clown and had so many personality conflicts with the team that he wasn't ever going to be a long term solution. But he kept a creative playbook and had a great eye for personnel. The 2009 Vikings punched above their weight in no small part because of Chilly. But it was clear he didn't command respect from his players, and things unraveled badly in 2010.

 

Mike Tice was liked by the locker room, but only managed a .500 record and never won the division in four full seasons; despite inheriting a solid team. We also foolishly lost Randy Moss under his leadership. Worse were the discipline issues that arose in that era. The Vikings were constantly penalized on and off the field; and that whole love boat incident happened under his watch. It was an embarrassing time to be a Vikings fan.

 

So Mike Tice takes the cake for worst Vikings coach since I started watching football in the 90s. Who is your team's worst?

You're lucky you don't remember Les Steckel 3-13 and his team quit on him, along their last six by an average of 27 points. And if anything they were worse than that.

[Turbine Freight]

Chip Kelly

[driventotheedge]

Tom Flores. 1992 team went 2-14 and averaged 8.8 PPG. That's right, didn't even average 9 per game. He was a Raider and had no business coaching the Seahawks.

[invisible airwave]

Steve Spagnuolo and Jim Haslett Edited June 28, 2021 by invisible airwave

[pjbear05]

For my birthplace Lions, Harry Gilmer during the mid 60's. Not only inept, he was known for wearing a white 10 gallon cowboy hat on the field, making himself a target for angry fans at the old Briggs (Tiger's) Stadium, who pelted him with snowballs.

 

For my current Dolphins, Nick Satan Saban, no contest. "What what what?" (His answer to a question about leaving Miami for 'Bama. He was subsequently filmed stepping off a private jet at an airstrip near Tuscaloosa.)

 

Interesting that you'd choose Gilmer from the pantheon of putridity that is Lions football history. I would have thought that either Marty Morninweg (probably misspelled) who kicked off, in a dome, before the OT rule changes to start OT, or maybe Rod (0-16) Marinelli would have been the choice.

 

For the Dolphins while Saban was the worst and sleaziest human being to coach the Dolphins, for sheet ineptitude it's hard to beat his successor, Cam (1-15 and a goal line stand and inexplicable Brian Billick decision away from 0-16) Cameron.

 

It's interesting, as much of a punchline as Adam Gase is he's coached in two different places and NOT been the worst coach in either (at least IMO). It would be hard to beat Rich Kotite for the Jets

The more recent coaches for the Lions, as well as the earlier ones for the Dolphins, are off my radar because of the timeframe. Besides whether your team is good or shit, anyone can be inept. But to be inept and be a real asse houle, ya gotta work at it. Imho Gilmer and Satan performed most admirably.

[laughedatbytime]

Chip Kelly

Worse than the Eagles version of Rich Kotite? If Kelly "wins" for the Eagles and the 49ers, he would be a two-time winner (which I would consider Kotitean, or perhaps Cosletian).

[treeduck]

http://media.cleveland.com/browns_impact/photo/williams-ditka-99-ap-horizjpg-303e67ef68fc1ba0.jpg

[laughedatbytime]

How'd we get this far without anyone mentioning Norv Turner?

[Nova Carmina]

It may be recency bias, but it's gotta be Jason Garrett. Unimaginative, predictable, inflexible, mediocre, and his negative score is increased by how long he stuck around; it just went on and on and on.

not Dave Campo?

 

He was bad, no question, but those teams weren't very good and it only lasted three years.

[edhunter]

Bill Belichick is being exposed for the fraud he always has been.

[driventotheedge]

Bill Belichick is being exposed for the fraud he always has been.

Well it certainly IS possible he rode Tawmmmy's coattails all these years. We're gonna see how good he really is in the the next few years. In the meantime, I will say it bugs me no end when he's considered (by too many) greater than Lombardi. Blasphemy (and recency bias).

[laughedatbytime]

Bill Belichick is being exposed for the fraud he always has been.

Well it certainly IS possible he rode Tawmmmy's coattails all these years. We're gonna see how good he really is in the the next few years. In the meantime, I will say it bugs me no end when he's considered (by too many) greater than Lombardi. Blasphemy (and recency bias).

Out of curiosity, how well do you think the Packers would have done if Lombardi had stayed healthy and coached them til, say 1973? There's only so long you can perpetuate a dynasty, even more so, in the cap era.

[The Analog Cub]

Marc Trestman in recent memory.

[laughedatbytime]

Marc Trestman in recent memory.

For the Bears it has to be Abe Gibron in my lifetime, which is a lot longer than yours, to be sure. Watching the Abe Gibron show was hilarious. The Bears would lose 40-7 (not a rare occurrence) but Gibson would be at the point of orgasm showing compilations of all the hard hits the Bears made in the game. For Abe, you don't PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!

[Rick N. Backer]

Bill Belichick is being exposed for the fraud he always has been.

 

Before last season, you have to go back to 2000, his first year with the Patriots, to find a losing season. The fact that Brady won the Super Bowl last year without him certainly increases the pressure on him to be sure, but let's not lose our heads here.

[driventotheedge]

Bill Belichick is being exposed for the fraud he always has been.

Well it certainly IS possible he rode Tawmmmy's coattails all these years. We're gonna see how good he really is in the the next few years. In the meantime, I will say it bugs me no end when he's considered (by too many) greater than Lombardi. Blasphemy (and recency bias).

Out of curiosity, how well do you think the Packers would have done if Lombardi had stayed healthy and coached them til, say 1973? There's only so long you can perpetuate a dynasty, even more so, in the cap era.

I truly believe he would've found a way to win one more anyway, but probably with Washington. He took that woeful Redskins team and turned them into a winner in one year after leavinbg Green Bay. Had he stayed in GB, not so sure because it was an aging team. However, underestimating Lombardi is a fool's pursuit so who knows.

[laughedatbytime]

Bill Belichick is being exposed for the fraud he always has been.

Well it certainly IS possible he rode Tawmmmy's coattails all these years. We're gonna see how good he really is in the the next few years. In the meantime, I will say it bugs me no end when he's considered (by too many) greater than Lombardi. Blasphemy (and recency bias).

Out of curiosity, how well do you think the Packers would have done if Lombardi had stayed healthy and coached them til, say 1973? There's only so long you can perpetuate a dynasty, even more so, in the cap era.

I truly believe he would've found a way to win one more anyway, but probably with Washington. He took that woeful Redskins team and turned them into a winner in one year after leavinbg Green Bay. Had he stayed in GB, not so sure because it was an aging team. However, underestimating Lombardi is a fool's pursuit so who knows.

 

Good thoughts. Can't argue with this, though obviously it's speculative.