As the 2026 NFL coaching reshuffle begins, we looked back at the last major NFL coaching carousel and how badly things turned out.
With Mike Tomlin's departure as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, there are now nine head coaching vacancies in the NFL. The last time there were nearly this many was in 2022, and that didn't go well for the new coaches taking those roles.
Of the ten coaches hired that offseason, eight have already been let go — a sharp reminder of how little patience teams have these days.
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
Andrew Siciliano noted on X that while there are currently nine head-coaching vacancies across the league, there were ten just two years ago.
Of those ten hires, only two — Todd Bowles and Kevin O'Connell — are still in their roles. Here's a full look at the 2022 class, listed in order of when they were sacked:
Mike McDaniel – Miami Dolphins — fired January 2026
Brian Daboll – New York Giants — fired November 2025
Doug Pederson – Jacksonville Jaguars — fired January 2025
Matt Eberflus – Chicago Bears — fired November 2024
Dennis Allen – New Orleans Saints — fired November 2024
Josh McDaniels – Las Vegas Raiders — fired October 2023
Lovie Smith – Houston Texans — fired January 2023
Nathaniel Hackett – Denver Broncos — fired December 2022
Todd Bowles – Tampa Bay Buccaneers — still head coach
Kevin O'Connell – Minnesota Vikings — still head coach
Todd Bowles and Kevin O'Connell are now the last two coaches from that group still in charge of their teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Minnesota Vikings, respectively.
Every other coach hired that year has been let go — a reflection of how short the window is for new coaches to show progress.
The 2022 class was a mix of first-timers and returning veterans, including Doug Pederson, Josh McDaniels, and Lovie Smith.
Despite a range of backgrounds, most didn't make it through two full seasons — highlighting just how little time teams are willing to give for rebuilding projects these days.
This fact could give current head coach prospects, many of whom have already begun interviews, if not already accepted their new jobs, some food for thought about the pressure they face.
Read More: Mike Tomlin is 100% convinced his one NFL record can 'never be duplicated'
