There's a 10-year club among NFL head coaches, and currently there are only two members. Bill Belichick was hired by the New England Patriots in 2000, and Marvin Lewis by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2003. That's it.
Bill Belichick longest-tenured NFL head coach heading into 2013 season
With recent turnover among some veteran NFL head coaches, only two have ten seasons or more under their belt with their current team. There are 21 head coaches with three years or less. Let’s take a look under the hood...
Jim Rogash
The 2013 season will see Tom Coughlin added to that group, as he was hired by the New York Giants in 2004.
Belichick and Coughlin have led their teams to multiple Super Bowls, and Lewis has managed to hang by a thread for the better part of his tenure with the Bengals.
The 10-year club used to have a lot more members.
Jeff Fisher spent 17 years as head coach of the Houston Oilers/ Tennessee Titans (1994-2010), and Andy Reid spent 14 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2012).
Almost making it a decade were Jack Del Rio, who spent nine seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-2011), John Fox, nine with the Carolina Panthers (2002-2010) and Lovie Smith, who gave the Chicago Bears nine seasons (2004-2012).
On the flip side of things, there have been a LOT of head coaches turned over in recent years. Here is a breakdown of head coaches with new teams:
THREE YEARS (FROM 2010)
Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins
Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks
Leslie Frazier, Minnesota Vikings
Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
TWO YEARS (FROM 2011)
Mike Munchak, Tennessee Titans
Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers
John Fox, Denver Broncos
Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
ONE YEAR (FROM 2012)
Greg Schiano, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jeff Fisher, St. Louis Rams
Dennis Allen, Oakland Raiders
Joe Philbin, Miami Dolphins
Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
HIRED IN 2013
Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers
Chip Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles
Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Rod Chudzinski, Cleveland Browns
Marc Trestman, Chicago Bears
Doug Marrone, Buffalo Bills
Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals
Every team is different, as some owners and general managers are more reluctant to make changes than others, but when 21 head coaches have three years or less with their current club, the nickname Not For Long seems accurate. One-fourth of the entire NFL turned over the head coaching position this season alone, and recent history suggests there will be at least four or five more that does so after 2013.
Is anyone safe? There are probably a handful of coaches who have nothing to worry about, but for most of the league, owners and general managers are asking: What have you done for us lately? That’s not a question to be taken lightly in the NFL.
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