Pros And Cons: A Look At Making A Coaching Change

With the NFL playoffs in full swing, the offseason has officially begun for teams who didn’t qualify for the postseason tournament — and because they didn’t make the playoffs, many teams are now looking for a new head coach.

Coaching changes happen frequently in the NFL, as they do in all sports, at all levels. A coach loses the locker room or their game plan becomes too predictable, so they’re fired and a new coach is hired. And the cycle continues.

No matter when a coaching change is made — be it mid-season, the Tuesday before the final game or once the team’s season is over — or why the change is made, there are pros and cons to every coaching change.

Pro: Change Is Exciting

Change is a good thing; and a new coach means new opportunities and a new feeling in the locker room. And that may be just the spark the team needs.

Players who were misused, underutilized or in the wrong game plan get a fresh start. The energy in the locker room goes from stale to an air of excitement, as anything seems possible with a new beginning.

Con: Change Is Scary

Change is a scary thing; and a new coach means new schemes, new game plans and, typically, new players.

Changing coaches has the ability to leave the team in disarray, as players become anxious about keeping their spots. New schemes and game plans may take players out of their comfort zone and make them less effective on the field, court or ice.

Pro: A Push Over The Hump

Sometimes you just need an extra push to get over the hump. If the team keeps stalling out in the playoffs or has a failing season or two, a change at the top could be enough to “right the ship.” Even if the departing coach is a long-tenured and highly regarded figurehead — similar to Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay — when things are going bad, a different voice may be just the trick.

Besides, when the trajectory of the team is on the downward slope and things are bad, a coaching change isn’t going to make things worse.

Con: Snap Decisions Are Risky

One bad game or season does not mean a coach is finished. Even consecutive losing seasons doesn’t mean a coach has lost it — just look at Andy Reid (still in the playoffs) and Tom Coughlin (still a hot coaching commodity).

Continuity and consistency are highly important in sports, so unless the locker room has clearly quit on the coach, they should be allowed to see what they’ve built though to the end. That’s particularly true for coaches with past success, who may have a track record for “righting the ship.”

Pro: Past Success Doesn’t Guarantee Anything

Just because a coach has been successful before doesn’t mean that success is going to continue. Think about it — no NFL coach has ever won a Super Bowl with two different teams. The drive and hunger are just different after you’ve achieved the ultimate goal.

It’s important to find that tipping point quickly and make the change before it’s too late and may still be advantageous to the team. Coaches who are inflexible about changing their schemes, game planning or coaching styles thanks to past success have the tendency to hold their teams back.

Con: Lack Of Leadership

While every team has player captains, the head coach is the true leader. And making a coaching change may shake up the leadership in detrimental ways.

When a coach is beloved as a leader and then replaced, it may be difficult for players to adjust to the new regime. They lost someone they trusted and fought for and looked up to, so naturally there is going to be a tough transition. And that may leave the team without a leader at all.

There are many pros and cons to making a coaching change, and arguments could be made for staying the course or making a drastic change. What do you think about coaching changes? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Make A Change