TruBlueCowboy
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#1
Before Lewis
Eleven out of twelve losing seasons.
Five straight seasons with no more than 6 wins.
Seven seasons out of the last twelve with no more than 4 wins.
55-137 during the previous twelve years.
After Lewis
Not one losing record in three seasons.
27-21 record during three seasons.
First Playoff appearance since 1990.
Comments
On paper, the most impressive turnaround this century. The Bengals had become the joke of the NFL under their misguided owner. Lewis was lucky to inherit the two Johnsons, Chad and Rudi, but it was his decision to bring in one of the most promising young QBS in the NFL, Carson Palmer. Better known for his defensive acumen, Lewis has turned the Bengals into one of the most feared NFL offenses.
The Future?
After saying all that, it's worth noting that much of Cincinnati's future success rides on whether or not Carson Palmer can come back from that devastating injury he suffered early in last year's Playoff game. Maybe the Bengals truly are cursed? Lewis has drafted defensively heavy in the early rounds. His future success also depends on how close he can come to giving his Baltimore Ravens defense an encore performance.
#2
Before Fox
Five straight seasons without a winning record.
A 1-15 season before taking over.
27-53 record during the previous five seasons.
After Fox
Two NFC Championship appearance.
One Super Bowl appearance.
36-28 record during four seasons.
Comments
Forced to rebuild a team that proved once and for all George Seifert is one of the most overrated coaches in NFL history, and an expansion franchise built with veterans that didn't have many young prospects left, Fox immediately upgraded the laughable Carolina defense into one of the most feared defenses in the league, in part because of his first draft pick as the Carolina coach, Julius Peppers. Fox was lucky enough to receive Seifert's last draft (Dan Morgan, Kris Jenkins and Steve Smith... 1,2,3... talk about an outstanding departing draft!) but he was one of the few coaches in the NFL that saw the hidden gem waiting inside of Jake Delhomme. He's had his share of losing seasons, but he's also had to deal with injuries to important players probably more than any coach on this list.
The Future?
With some solid free-agent picks, and steady drafts, the Panthers are still heavy favorites with many to win the NFC this year. As long as Carolina can avoid the aformentioned injury bug, Fox should go to at least one more NFC Championship game.
#3
Before Parcells
Three straight 5-11 seasons.
Five out of six seasons without a winning record.
39-57 during the previous six years.
After Parcells
Two out of three seasons with a winning record.
25-23 during three seasons.
Comments
Run into the ground after Jimmy Johnson's departure, even Bill Parcells admits the Cowboys are his toughest rebuilding project ever. Lack of quality drafts and mediocre coaches didn't give the Tuna much to work with. Roy Williams and Flozell Adams were the only cornerstones Parcells was able to use from previous regimes. While his record may look average compared to winning franchises, its important to remember the cards he was dealt.
The Future?
One of the best defenses in the league with young players at almost every position, the only weakness is the offense with several key veterans such as Bledsoe, Rivera, Owens, Glenn, and Adams all over 30. The future looks much better than when Parcells took over, but the defense may have to carry the team if Parcells can't draft some key offensive additions soon. Maybe the most important question is regardless of what talent he has on his roster, will Parcells continue to coach?
#4
Before Gibbs
8 out of the last 10 seasons without a winning record.
No winning record for the last four seasons.
Only one playoff apperance since Gibbs last coached the team in 1992.
74-101 record under his replacements.
After Gibbs
First Playoff appearance and win in six seasons.
16-16 record.
Comments
Dan Snyder couldn't sign his way to a Super Bowl (Anyone else notice the pattern with all the teams on this list? Owners have to learn before their team gets better.) and when Steve Spurrier transformed from college coaching genius to NFL schmuck, it looked bad for Skins fans. Enter Joe Gibbs, one of the most unlikely return stories, and although he suffered a shaky inaugural season, he looks like the Gibbs of old in his second season, outcoaching and outguessing other teams to victory. Pulled in players such as Moss and Portis that teams didn't want to pay long-term and made them the key players in his turnaround. Having only one winning season under his belt, it's hard to dub this a complete turnaround just yet, but Gibbs looks to have found his old self and set it on cruise control.
The Future?
Gibbs has had better drafts than most people think. Carlos Rogers, Sean Tayor, and Chris Cooley have all been solid high round picks, but perhaps his most critical choice -- 1st round pick Jason Campbell -- is still unproven, and a desperately needed player with Brunell quickly diminishing in skills and youth. The Skins are a team with several key players entering their prime now. Barring injury, Gibbs should have continued success.
#5
Before Schottenheimer
Five straight seasons and only one with more than 5 wins.
No playoff appearance in seven years.
31-65 record under the previous six seasons.
After Schottenheimer
Only one losing season in four years.
33-31 record.
Comments
Not one of the more glorious turnarounds, but a turnaround nonetheless. Schottenheimer rebuilt a franchise still trying to stay afloat after "The Great Ryan Leaf Disaster of '00." Schottenheimer has quietly built one of the best offenses and defenses in the league. It doesn't hurt that he inherited perhaps the best running back in the game in LaDainian Tomlinson, but give credit to Schotty for helping put a franchise back on its feet, after seemingly never coming back after that Super Bowl XXIX blowout.
The Future?
Schottenheimer is his best friend and best enemy. After blowing his first Chargers Playoff appearance, some were quietly whispering about "Marty Ball" all over again... the coach that kills himself being too conservative and usually chokes in the Playoffs. They have one of the best young rosters in the NFL, as long as Schottenheimer can recover from last year's relapse, and Philip Rivers proves an admirable replacement for Drew Brees, they should be in the Playoffs hunt for several season to come.
#6
Before Smith
Only one winning season in the last eight seasons.
55-78 record under the previous eight seasons.
After Smith
16-16 record.
NFC North title.
Comments
It's hard to put Smith high on this list because the Bears were a 13-3 team not too long ago and once looked to be in this exact same position under Dick Jauron in 2001. (They even had the #1 defense in points allowed that year as well.) Smith also had a Schottenheimer-esque choke job in his first Playoff appearance. What was thought to be the fiercest defense in the NFC rolled over to the Panthers led by the guy who is #2 on this list. Whatever the case, through inherited and new talent, Smith has built a powerhouse that needs to prove it will not suffer the same setbacks that hit the 2001 Bears.
The Future?
With several young players such as Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris, and Nathan Vasher to go with vets in their prime such as Urlacher, Ogunleye and Mike Brown, this defense's future should come closer to resembling the '85 Bears instead of the '01 Bears. Grossman vs. Orton vs. Griese may be the determining factor as to whether or not the Bears will have continued success. It's hard to say if the defense can carry the team no matter how bad the QB play is like they did last year.
Coaches trying to make this list:
Romeo Crennel and the Cleveland Browns.... Woe is me to be a loyal member of the Dawgpound. Only one winning season since the new Browns entered the NFL seven years ago, and even Bill Belichick couldn't bring much success to the old Browns franchise. Add another legend to the Parcells/Belichick coaching tree if he succeeds in Cleveland.
Denny Green and the Arizona Cardinals.... Not much to be happy about lately but Green has silently been building an offensive juggernaught in Arizona. It remains to be seen if Kurt Warner can rebound or Matt Leinart can shut his critics up. As much talent as he has at the skilled positions, he also needs a better line.
Gary Kubiak and the Houston Texans.... With Houston trying to do its best to replace Cleveland as the biggest expansion flop, Kubiak has a lot of work ahead of him. Just like his Texas counterpart, Bill Parcells, Kubiak didn't inherit many key players to build the franchise.
Rod Marinelli and the Detroit Lions.... Honest to goodness, the Lions have a lot more talent than people realize. They could be another '97 Jets just waiting for a quality coach to lift them out of the black hole of losing.
Art Shell and the Oakland Raiders.... Shell inherited a team with a 13-35 record and even though they were in the Super Bowl not too long ago, don't let it fool you because most of their key players were already receiving Social Security checks in the mail after they were knocked on their butts by Tampa Bay. If Shell can help the "Raidahs" back to glory, it will be another great comeback story, not only for the team, but for another NFL legend returning to the coaching ranks.
Mike Nolan and the San Francisco 49ers.... It wasn't that long ago that San Fran was the talk of the league and "Jeff Garcia to TO" was the new sensation. Oh how times change. A roster has never been dismantled any faster.
Coaches who won't make this list no matter how many Super Bowls they win:
Nick Saban and the Miami Dolphins.... Give props to Saban for helping to replace some of the key players leaving after the Jimmy Johnson & Dave Wannstedt years, but the fact is Miami has always been an underachieving, borderline Playoff team during the last ten years. They were in bad shape when Saban took over, but not nearly as bad as some of the other projects on this list.
Eric Mangini and the New York Jets.... He should be eligible to make this list, but he won't. Even though the Jets have only had one of the last three seasons with more than 6 wins, and Mangini inherits a team with several critical players either near retirement or facing career-ending injuries, everyone still remembers the post-Parcells & Herm Edwards Jets that racked up several Playoff appearances over the last ten years.
Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints.... It will be the feel good story of 2006 if the Saints make it to the Playoffs, but like the Dolphins, it won't surprise anyone. The Saints are another chronic underachieving team over the last few years. Maybe a better quarterback will fix some of their problems, and if Reggie Bush goes down as the next Gale Sayers, everyone will give the Texans' stupidity more credit than any of Payton's draft savvy.
Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants.... He probably should get more credit with so many of Fassel's losing records mixed in with his winning seasons. He's also the coach who made the decision to risk everything on Eli, if his young QB ends up as Peyton Manning Part II. But fact is, most people will still remember the Giants as a team that was only a few years removed from a Super Bowl appearance before Coughlin took over.
Before Lewis
Eleven out of twelve losing seasons.
Five straight seasons with no more than 6 wins.
Seven seasons out of the last twelve with no more than 4 wins.
55-137 during the previous twelve years.
After Lewis
Not one losing record in three seasons.
27-21 record during three seasons.
First Playoff appearance since 1990.
Comments
On paper, the most impressive turnaround this century. The Bengals had become the joke of the NFL under their misguided owner. Lewis was lucky to inherit the two Johnsons, Chad and Rudi, but it was his decision to bring in one of the most promising young QBS in the NFL, Carson Palmer. Better known for his defensive acumen, Lewis has turned the Bengals into one of the most feared NFL offenses.
The Future?
After saying all that, it's worth noting that much of Cincinnati's future success rides on whether or not Carson Palmer can come back from that devastating injury he suffered early in last year's Playoff game. Maybe the Bengals truly are cursed? Lewis has drafted defensively heavy in the early rounds. His future success also depends on how close he can come to giving his Baltimore Ravens defense an encore performance.
#2
Before Fox
Five straight seasons without a winning record.
A 1-15 season before taking over.
27-53 record during the previous five seasons.
After Fox
Two NFC Championship appearance.
One Super Bowl appearance.
36-28 record during four seasons.
Comments
Forced to rebuild a team that proved once and for all George Seifert is one of the most overrated coaches in NFL history, and an expansion franchise built with veterans that didn't have many young prospects left, Fox immediately upgraded the laughable Carolina defense into one of the most feared defenses in the league, in part because of his first draft pick as the Carolina coach, Julius Peppers. Fox was lucky enough to receive Seifert's last draft (Dan Morgan, Kris Jenkins and Steve Smith... 1,2,3... talk about an outstanding departing draft!) but he was one of the few coaches in the NFL that saw the hidden gem waiting inside of Jake Delhomme. He's had his share of losing seasons, but he's also had to deal with injuries to important players probably more than any coach on this list.
The Future?
With some solid free-agent picks, and steady drafts, the Panthers are still heavy favorites with many to win the NFC this year. As long as Carolina can avoid the aformentioned injury bug, Fox should go to at least one more NFC Championship game.
#3
Before Parcells
Three straight 5-11 seasons.
Five out of six seasons without a winning record.
39-57 during the previous six years.
After Parcells
Two out of three seasons with a winning record.
25-23 during three seasons.
Comments
Run into the ground after Jimmy Johnson's departure, even Bill Parcells admits the Cowboys are his toughest rebuilding project ever. Lack of quality drafts and mediocre coaches didn't give the Tuna much to work with. Roy Williams and Flozell Adams were the only cornerstones Parcells was able to use from previous regimes. While his record may look average compared to winning franchises, its important to remember the cards he was dealt.
The Future?
One of the best defenses in the league with young players at almost every position, the only weakness is the offense with several key veterans such as Bledsoe, Rivera, Owens, Glenn, and Adams all over 30. The future looks much better than when Parcells took over, but the defense may have to carry the team if Parcells can't draft some key offensive additions soon. Maybe the most important question is regardless of what talent he has on his roster, will Parcells continue to coach?
#4
Before Gibbs
8 out of the last 10 seasons without a winning record.
No winning record for the last four seasons.
Only one playoff apperance since Gibbs last coached the team in 1992.
74-101 record under his replacements.
After Gibbs
First Playoff appearance and win in six seasons.
16-16 record.
Comments
Dan Snyder couldn't sign his way to a Super Bowl (Anyone else notice the pattern with all the teams on this list? Owners have to learn before their team gets better.) and when Steve Spurrier transformed from college coaching genius to NFL schmuck, it looked bad for Skins fans. Enter Joe Gibbs, one of the most unlikely return stories, and although he suffered a shaky inaugural season, he looks like the Gibbs of old in his second season, outcoaching and outguessing other teams to victory. Pulled in players such as Moss and Portis that teams didn't want to pay long-term and made them the key players in his turnaround. Having only one winning season under his belt, it's hard to dub this a complete turnaround just yet, but Gibbs looks to have found his old self and set it on cruise control.
The Future?
Gibbs has had better drafts than most people think. Carlos Rogers, Sean Tayor, and Chris Cooley have all been solid high round picks, but perhaps his most critical choice -- 1st round pick Jason Campbell -- is still unproven, and a desperately needed player with Brunell quickly diminishing in skills and youth. The Skins are a team with several key players entering their prime now. Barring injury, Gibbs should have continued success.
#5
Before Schottenheimer
Five straight seasons and only one with more than 5 wins.
No playoff appearance in seven years.
31-65 record under the previous six seasons.
After Schottenheimer
Only one losing season in four years.
33-31 record.
Comments
Not one of the more glorious turnarounds, but a turnaround nonetheless. Schottenheimer rebuilt a franchise still trying to stay afloat after "The Great Ryan Leaf Disaster of '00." Schottenheimer has quietly built one of the best offenses and defenses in the league. It doesn't hurt that he inherited perhaps the best running back in the game in LaDainian Tomlinson, but give credit to Schotty for helping put a franchise back on its feet, after seemingly never coming back after that Super Bowl XXIX blowout.
The Future?
Schottenheimer is his best friend and best enemy. After blowing his first Chargers Playoff appearance, some were quietly whispering about "Marty Ball" all over again... the coach that kills himself being too conservative and usually chokes in the Playoffs. They have one of the best young rosters in the NFL, as long as Schottenheimer can recover from last year's relapse, and Philip Rivers proves an admirable replacement for Drew Brees, they should be in the Playoffs hunt for several season to come.
#6
Before Smith
Only one winning season in the last eight seasons.
55-78 record under the previous eight seasons.
After Smith
16-16 record.
NFC North title.
Comments
It's hard to put Smith high on this list because the Bears were a 13-3 team not too long ago and once looked to be in this exact same position under Dick Jauron in 2001. (They even had the #1 defense in points allowed that year as well.) Smith also had a Schottenheimer-esque choke job in his first Playoff appearance. What was thought to be the fiercest defense in the NFC rolled over to the Panthers led by the guy who is #2 on this list. Whatever the case, through inherited and new talent, Smith has built a powerhouse that needs to prove it will not suffer the same setbacks that hit the 2001 Bears.
The Future?
With several young players such as Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris, and Nathan Vasher to go with vets in their prime such as Urlacher, Ogunleye and Mike Brown, this defense's future should come closer to resembling the '85 Bears instead of the '01 Bears. Grossman vs. Orton vs. Griese may be the determining factor as to whether or not the Bears will have continued success. It's hard to say if the defense can carry the team no matter how bad the QB play is like they did last year.
Coaches trying to make this list:
Coaches who won't make this list no matter how many Super Bowls they win:
