RECENT SUPER BOWL TRENDS
The league has changed a lot in the past 30 years. Fan bases have become less patient. Not entirely their fault given they now live in a culture that is built around instant gratification. If smart phones, fast food delivery and streaming can give them what they want then why not football? This hard truth has been particulary harsh on the head coaches. Men who used to have four or five seasons to get a team ready now are lucky if they get three.
Fox was almost fired this year after going 3-13 in his second season. Marc Trestman was fired after his second season. Sure, circumstances play a part in that but it’s clearer than ever teams are much quicker on the ax if they sense a coach losing his grip on a team. Just look at the recent trend of Super Bowl champions. Of the 10 winners since 2006, six of them featured a general manager who was on his second head coach.
That includes John Elway and Gary Kubiak who, wait for it, replaced Fox in Denver.
- 2015: John Elway with Gary Kubiak (2nd head coach)
- 2014: Bill Belichick doubles as coach and de facto GM
- 2013: John Schneider with Pete Carroll (1st head coach)
- 2012: Ozzie Newsome with John Harbaugh (2nd head coach)
- 2011: Jerry Reese with Tom Coughlin (1st head coach)
- 2010: Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy (2nd head coach)
- 2009: Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton (2nd head coach)
- 2008: Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin (2nd head coach)
- 2007: Jerry Reese with Tom Coughlin (1st head coach)
- 2006: Bill Polian with Tony Dungy (2nd head coach)
One other note to this? That number will become seven of the last 11 if the Atlanta Falcons defeat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Their GM Thomas Dimitroff is on his second head coach with Dan Quinn. If nothing else history shows that GMs have a tendency to get their second crack at hiring a coach right.
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