When Sean McDermott received a pink slip following the Buffalo Bills’ loss to the Denver Broncos, he joined one of the rarest clubs in professional sports: coaches fired after winning a playoff game.
That list is shockingly small. Over the past half-century, it includes only three other names: Mike Mularkey in Tennessee, George Seifert in San Francisco, and Steve Mariucci in San Francisco.
The list of coaches fired simply for making the playoffs is a bit longer, but still remarkably short. In nearly every case, ownership believed a coaching change would be the final push needed to reach the Super Bowl. That is where Buffalo finds itself now, as McDermott consistently got the Bills close, but never all the way there.
More often than not, teams making this move have been wrong. Still, there have been a few notable exceptions. Here’s a look at some of the most prominent cases..
Tony Dungy, Tampa Bay
This is the dream scenario Bills fans will point to. Tampa Bay fired Dungy after two straight playoff losses to the Philadelphia Eagles, believing the roster needed a different voice. Jon Gruden arrived and immediately did what Dungy could not, beating the Eagles in Philadelphia to reach the Super Bowl.
Gruden then defeated the Oakland Raiders, his former team, to deliver Tampa Bay its first championship. In this case, the gamble clearly paid off.
John Fox, Denver
Fox is another example of a coach who was dismissed only to watch his team win a title under his replacement. That replacement was Gary Kubiak, who wisely understood that his primary responsibility was staying out of Peyton Manning’s way.
Manning carried much of the load, and Denver won the Super Bowl the following season. Kubiak stepped away a year later due to health concerns, but he accomplished exactly what he was hired to do.
Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland and San Diego
Schottenheimer never reached a Super Bowl, but he consistently kept his teams competitive. His successors, however, struggled to sustain that success.
In Cleveland, Bud Carson led the Browns to the AFC Championship Game, only to be blown out by the same Denver team that had twice eliminated Schottenheimer. Carson started the following season 2-7 and was quickly fired.
In San Diego, Schottenheimer earned the No. 1 seed in back-to-back seasons but lost to the Jets and Patriots. Norv Turner replaced him and reached the AFC Championship Game, but that success was fleeting. Turner lost that game, stumbled through two more postseason exits, and missed the playoffs entirely in his final three seasons. The Chargers still have not returned to the Super Bowl since 1995.
Mike Mularkey, Tennessee
Mularkey was never a popular hire in Tennessee, but he posted winning records in two full seasons. His downfall came when he refused to make changes to his coaching staff, leading the Titans to believe a new voice was needed to develop Marcus Mariota.
The move failed on both fronts. Mike Vrabel enjoyed modest success as Mularkey’s replacement, but it came with Ryan Tannehill under center. Mariota was gone the following year, making the decision feel short-sighted in hindsight.
George Seifert, San Francisco
Technically, Seifert resigned, but only after being told his contract would not be renewed. The 49ers gave their winningest coach the option to return for one final season with no chance of retention. Seifert chose to walk away following a postseason loss to Green Bay.
The decision was puzzling given Seifert’s two Super Bowl titles. Even stranger, San Francisco hired Cal head coach Steve Mariucci, who had gone 6-6 in his only season at Berkeley. Mariucci lasted one round longer in the playoffs, but his first season ended the same way Seifert’s final two had: a loss to Green Bay.
Steve Mariucci, San Francisco
Mariucci would eventually experience a similar fate. After leading a stunning comeback from a 38-14 deficit against the New York Giants, the 49ers were routed by eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay.
General manager Terry Donahue won a power struggle and forced Mariucci out. The aftermath was disastrous. San Francisco failed to post a winning record from 2003 through 2011, including a 2-14 season two years later. Mariucci also struggled after leaving, lasting fewer than three seasons as head coach of the Detroit Lions.
Chan Gailey, Dallas
Chan Gailey holds a unique place in Cowboys history. He is the only Dallas coach to make the playoffs in every season he coached the team. Gailey went 10-6 in 1998 and 8-8 in 1999, losing quickly in the wild card round both times.
Owner Jerry Jones decided to move on, replacing Gailey with defensive coordinator Dave Campo. Campo became the only Cowboys coach to never post a winning season or coach a playoff game. Jones later admitted firing Gailey was a mistake, though it took years to fully acknowledge it. None of Jones’ first six head coaches in Dallas lasted more than five seasons.
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