Tracing a Path to Success for the 7 New NFL Head Coaches

The National Football League (NFL) is a league that a lot of executives watch with 20-20 vision. Another term would be a “Monday quarterback”, meaning that they judge something after the event has happened. 7 coaching changes were made by the end of the 2020 season. Each one is going into their own unique situation and they all present their respective challenges, some more than others. Which coaching hire will have the longest tenure with their current team? Which one will have the more success? Who will have the most successful first season? These are all questions that are asked every year but who will be the answer to them this coming year? Read about each coach and create your own opinion.

Arthur Smith, Atlanta Falcons

Arthur Smith and the Falcons look like a match made in heaven on paper. The last four years have been incredibly challenging for an Atlanta offense still trying to rediscover the high-flying identity it once enjoyed under Kyle Shanahan. 

Both in 2019 and 2020, the Falcons offense that Dirk Koetter called consisted mainly of a high volume but an inefficient passing attack that often produced next to nothing in the run game. The mismanagement and inconsistencies were especially egregious considering the level of offensive talent the Falcons have.

Enter Arthur Smith whose offense last season with the Tennessee Titans was the very antithesis of what Atlanta’s has become. The Titans were one of the most efficient and balanced offensive teams all season long and were also terrific at converting in the red zone. Smith constantly displayed his creativity, having his team in various sets of formations and using a substantial amount of pre-snap motion. 

Ryan Tannehill, someone who was largely an afterthought around the league two years ago, became a Pro Bowl quarterback with Smith’s coaching and adaptability. 

Imagine what Smith could do with Matt Ryan running his offense.  

Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions

Making one of the largest positional jumps in NFL history, Dan Campbell now finds himself making millions each year for the next 6 years trying to fix the flawed Detroit Lions franchise. Although his coaching credibility is questionable, there is no doubt he is a “football guy”.

Campbell spent 10 years as a player in the NFL with the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, and New Orleans Saints. His most significant NFL accolade is that in 2000, Campbell helped the Giants reach Super Bowl XXXV. 

Campbell’s coaching career started in Miami, where he was an NFL coaching intern in 2010. Fast-forward one year and Campbell was promoted to tight ends coach. Campbell held that position until about halfway through the 2015 season when he was promoted to interim head coach. He led the 2015 depleted Dolphins to 5-7… which is significantly better than anyone expected. The following year, Campbell left Miami for “The Big Easy”, where he served as the tight ends coach and assistant head coach from 2016 through 2020.

Campbell has always been underrated as a player and as a coach, but most people are still rightfully skeptical of his ability to lead a team as head coach. Clearly, his specialty as a coach is working with tight ends, and he is getting the opportunity to develop one of the best in the league with T.J. Hockensen. Additionally, he will have the chance to rejuvenate Jared Goff, potentially making him the Lions’ field general for years to come. Should he choose to go in another direction, he can develop a QB of his choosing in the next couple of drafts. Lastly, Campbell gets a completely new front office and coaching staff compiled of people of his choosing, ranging from Anthony Lynn to Brad Holmes. Campbell has all the tools to build Detroit a winner, he just needs to execute.

In his first Detroit Lions’ press conference, Campbell didn’t fail to mention the tenacity and intensity with which he wants his Lions’ team to play. He memorably talked about “biting off kneecaps”. He also made it crystal clear he wants to build a winner… and right now, the organization is trending in the right direction. 

When Matt Patricia was hired as the head coach of the Detroit Lions in 2018, he tried to implement harsh tactics known as the “Patriot Way”. Look how that turned out for him. He was handed a winning team and he dismantled it completely, losing the trust of the players. As a former player, Campbell understands them and can actually relate to them, which makes this hire truly unique. He has a fresh start to build the Lions’ franchise from the ground up, and he at least deserves a chance to do so. For the first time ever, the future looks bright for the Detroit Lions!

David Culley, Houston Texans

While the Texans ought to receive some semblance of praise for being the only NFL team to hire an African-American head coaching candidate this offseason, the developing dysfunctional situation leaves little hope for David Culley to succeed at age 65. 

The fractured relationship of Deshaun Watson with the team led to his ultimate demand to be traded out of Houston, meaning Culley could very well be stuck overseeing a multiyear build in his first opportunity as a head coach. This to say nothing of the skepticism around the league towards the football decisions being made thus far by new GM Nick Caserio and Executive VP of Football Operations Jack Easterby.

Culley’s coaching background also raises concerns with a large majority of his 27 years in the NFL spent as a wide receivers coach. He could just be another hidden gem at his age in waiting like Bruce Arians turned out to be, but no upwards mobility to even becoming an offensive coordinator at any stop begs some hard questions. 

By all accounts, Culley is a man of high character and a tremendous leader, but whether the turmoil in Houston anchors his success will loom large moving forward especially without Watson.   

Urban Meyer, Jacksonville Jaguars 

Urban Meyer retired following the 2018 season in which he led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a Rose Bowl victory. Meyer listed health as the main reason for his retirement. The three-time National Championship coach loves to coach, you can see it in the way he talked about football in his short time on Fox’s big noon kickoff. More than coaching Meyer might be even more passionate about developing young men. Helping them get the most out of their abilities. 

Meyer was frequently asked if he would ever come back to coaching. He always said that he thinks that he’s done, but he would never say never and that it would have to be the perfect situation.

The Jaguars are the perfect situation. The Jaguars have the most cap space in the NFL, along with 4 draft picks in the first 2 rounds of the 2021 NFL draft including the number 1 overall pick. 

Meyer can completely reconstruct the Jaguars in any way he pleases, and that bodes well for their future success. In his time at Ohio State Meyer won all seven games in which the Buckeyes were an underdog. Meyer is the ultimate motivator. No matter where he goes he has found great success. I don’t see why that would be any different in Jacksonville. The only thing stopping him has been his health. If he can get that under control, Urban Meyer will be an excellent head coach for the Jaguars.

Brandon Staley, Los Angeles Chargers

Brandon Staley got his first job in the NFL as a position coach for the Chicago Bears in 2017. Staley spent two years in Chicago until he followed Vic Fangio to the Broncos and was their outside linebacker coach in 2019. In 2020 Staley was hired by the Rams to be their defensive coordinator. Brandon Staley helped make the Rams the best defensive in the NFL. The Rams defense led the NFL in efficiency, yards allowed per game, and points allowed per game.  

Staley has a lot to work with. At quarterback, the Chargers have rookie of the year Justin Herbert who is the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for 30 touchdowns. If Staley can surround Herbert with some playmakers, and construct an offensive line to keep him upright, the Chargers’ offense should be good for the foreseeable future.

The Chargers defense ranked near the bottom of the league in 2020. Staley has the ability and the tools to make the Chargers one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Chargers have two of the best players in the NFL at their respective positions, all-pro safety Derwin James, and pro bowler Joey Bosa. 

Brandon Staley and the Los Angeles Chargers have all the ingredients to become a Super Bowl contender in the next couple of years.

Robert Saleh, New York Jets

Robert Saleh earned his first NFL gig in 2005, as a defensive quality control coach for the Houston Texans. He went on to serve as assistant coaches for various organizations including the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks. In 2017, Saleh was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as a defensive coordinator. 

While serving as the 49ers’ D.C., Saleh was phenomenal, consistently fielding a top defense. Of his defenses, the most impressive has to be the 2020 defense; the 49ers lost 3 vital defensive linemen in Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, and Solomon Thomas less than 4 weeks into the season… Saleh still managed to field a top-10 defense. 

Saleh was expected to get hired as a head coach somewhere, although no signs pointed towards him going to the Jets. Most rumors predicted Saleh to coach the Detroit Lions, because of his Michigan ties. 

With the New York Jets, Saleh isn’t filling very big shoes, as Adam Gase is generally categorized as a low-tier NFL coach who likely won’t see a head coaching position anytime soon. However, Saleh will need to show results within a couple of years since the Jets currently own the 2nd pick in the NFL Draft, with which they can draft their quarterback of the future. Additionally, Saleh will have the opportunity to build the defensive line (his specialty) around defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, should he choose to develop him further rather than trade him.

One of Saleh’s greatest attributes is his love for the game, which allows him to connect and empathize with the players, and effectively field a team. Of the 2021 new head coaching class, Saleh is clearly on the more complete and lower-risk ones. Saleh will get to build the New York Jets to his liking, and as of now, the Jets are in the preliminary stages of a rebuild, so only time will tell Saleh’s head coaching success.

Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Sirianni is the lucky one who gets to try and fix a dysfunctional franchise. We can all agree that Doug Pederson was not the main problem. Actually, no one on the field was the main problem, it was Howie Roseman, but anyway here we are with a first-time head coach at any level. Many call him Frank Reich 2.0, but in order for him to be successful at his new job he is going to have to be himself and do what got him the job in the first place. This city is hard nose, blue collar, and it’s extremely tough to work in but if he can right the ship, he will be supported like no other. 

No one knew who Nick Sirianni was until a week and a half before the Eagles hired him. As Eagles fans do, they immediately jump to conclusions as to things such as “he has never called plays” or “he stuttered at his opening press conference”. Let’s cut the guy some slack. He just got the biggest job of his life and if any of you had to talk to thousands of people on your first day at a new job, you would be nervous as heck too. As long as he is a good coach, none of the extra stuff matters. 

Sirianni is going to have to use all of his skills to work out this quarterback situation. Even with Carson Wentz now traded to the Indianapolis Colts, the quarterback situation is still not crystal clear. He still does not know if he will have Jalen Hurts, a veteran quarterback (for example Ryan Fitzpatrick), or even a rookie quarterback that they could possibly take at number 6 overall in this year’s upcoming draft. No one knows, but we do know that he has experience in the past with fixing quarterbacks such as Phillip Rivers, Andrew Luck, and Jacoby Brisset. All of these quarterbacks have worked with Nick after not-so-good seasons and Sirianni is credited with fixing them due to their better statistical years.

Just give Nick Sirianni a chance and have an open mind. He might surprise you and be better than you think.

Conclusion

Each year when a head coach is hired, they have a very difficult task of creating a culture, implementing their kind of style of coaching, and getting comfortable in their new setting. Each coach and each situation takes time in getting to that point to where it will result in wins. Some results you will see in the first year and some of them will be in years to come. For this class of coaching changes, we will not find out who was the best until 5 years down the line. Until then, NFL fans will debate over and over again until there is a clear winner. 

Written by: Jonathan Papp, Carlos Ramirez, Zachary McComas, Aarav Doshi