Biggest mistake an NFL head coach has ever made?

[TDs3nOut]

I suppose there have been worse, but can anyone think of a more egregious mistake than Mike Shanahan having left a crippled RG3 in the playoff loss to Seattle last year?

 

[Wolvie]

Singletary pulling his pants down in front of his team at halftime to "make a point" is about the stupidest thing a coach has ever done but it didn't have too much impact in the grand scheme of things. All the other coaching decisions Singletary did on the other hand though...

 

[NinerSickness]

Wade Phillips playing Rob Johnson over Doug Flutie was pretty bad.

 

[RoboticDreams]

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I still can't figure out what Sam Ritigliano (Spelling) was thinking against the Raiders in the first round of the playoffs in 1980. All the Browns needed was a field goal & he sent his offense out instead. I realize his kicker had missed a couple during the game, but it would have been a chip shot. Brian Sipe threw an interception & the Browns season was over.

 

[JDM]

Any coach accepting a contract from Jerry jones.

 

[Davis_Mike]

Denny Green's post game presser rant after the Cardinals lost to the Bears.

 

[Midnightangel]

Well it was an owner and not a HC...but...

Paul Brown naming Tiger Johnson as his HC and letting Bill Walsh get away.

 

[NinerSickness]

Any coach accepting a contract from Jerry jones.

Heck I wish I could make that kind of mistake. $$$$$$

 

[JDM]

Heck I wish I could make that kind of mistake. $$$$$$

The money there isn't particularly better than anywhere else, and good luck finding another job after Jerry spits you out.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

The worst mistake an NFL coach has ever made is being named Jason Garrett.

 

[flaraider]

I suppose there have been worse, but can anyone think of a more egregious mistake than Mike Shanahan having left a crippled RG3 in the playoff loss to Seattle last year?

I thought it was a pretty big mistake, but at the time there were a bunch of folk who thought otherwise, I wonder if they still feel that way. The game has evolved since the '70s, no one should be out there playing on 1 leg anymore, way too dangerous.

Shanahan has been a RB killer his entire career, I guess he can include QB killer on his resume now.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I still can't figure out what Sam Ritigliano (Spelling) was thinking against the Raiders in the first round of the playoffs in 1980. All the Browns needed was a field goal & he sent his offense out instead. I realize his kicker had missed a couple during the game, but it would have been a chip shot. Brian Sipe threw an interception & the Browns season was over.

Good one. If I recall correctly, Ritigliano was recorded telling Sipe "I love you, Brian", when Sipe came off the field after that play.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

How about John Fox not allowing Peyton Manning to run the 2 minute drill at the end of the AFC Championship last year? It definitely bit him in the ass.

 

[Midnightangel]

The worst mistake an NFL coach has ever made is being named Jason Garrett.

I disagree. We don't know what kind of HC he really is because he has no power.

Jerruh decides who to draft, who's on the 53 man roster and at what depth they'll play.

It's a micromanagement style that caused HoFer nomenee Jimmy Johnson to leave town as well as HoFer Bill Parcells. It's the reason men like Bill Cowher or John Gruden wont even consider the job.

 

[NinerSickness]

The money there isn't particularly better than anywhere else, and good luck finding another job after Jerry spits you out.

Still beats coordinator money. And coaching contracts are guaranteed. I'd be fine with being canned by Jerry. I'd just soak in a tub full of hundreds in a house I own free & clear.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I thought it was a pretty big mistake, but at the time there were a bunch of folk who thought otherwise, I wonder if they still feel that way. The game has evolved since the '70s, no one should be out there playing on 1 leg anymore, way too dangerous.

Shanahan has been a RB killer his entire career, I guess he can include QB killer on his resume now.

Also known as a big time Raider Killer during his Denver years.

As far as the RG3 playoff game goes, I do remember people defending his decision to leave Griffin in the game. To me, that was probably the beginning of the end for Shanny in Washington.

 

[JDM]

I'm fine with leaving him in but not if you were going to force him to be on the run and take hits every play. That's where the line was crossed.

If you keep him in you have to protect him.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I'm fine with leaving him in but not if you were going to force him to be on the run and take hits every play. That's where the line was crossed.

If you keep him in you have to protect him.

Not really sure how one protects a QB who is dragging one leg.

 

[Wazmankg]

It's hard to beat The Miracle at The Meadowlands for stupidity, though I guess that was technically the OC who called the play.