Success is rare second time around
Coaches haven’t done as well after taking time off
Jon Gruden will be introduced as head coach of the Oakland Raiders at a news conference Tuesday, marking his return to the NFL after a nine-year hiatus. He is not the first coach to return to the sidelines after several years out of coaching — nor the first who opted to work as a television analyst between coaching stints.
With Gruden’s comeback in mind, here’s a look at some of the other notable names who returned to coaching after several years off and how they fared the second time around. Mike Ditka Chicago Bears (1982-92): 112-68 (.622) New Orleans Saints (1997-99): 15-33 (.313)
After being fired by the Bears following the 1992 season, Ditka spent four years as a studio analyst for NBC and also made plans to open a restaurant. Then, in 1997, he decided to return to the sidelines as coach of the Saints. By November, Ditka was already publicly proclaiming he was “probably the wrong guy for this job” and the Saints would be better off hiring somebody else. New Orleans never finished better than 6-10 in Ditka’s three seasons. Herm Edwards
Kansas City Chiefs (2006-08): 15-34 (.306)
Arizona State (present): ? Edwards spent eight seasons as an NFL head coach, including five with the New York Jets before his last stint with the Chiefs, but he was fired in early 2009. He quickly landed with ESPN, which made him an NFL analyst, and he remained there until last month, when he was hired by his former agent, Arizona State athletics director Ray Anderson, as the head coach in Tempe. Joe Gibbs
Washington Redskins (1981-92): 140-65 (.683) Washington Redskins (2004-07):
31-36 (.463)
The most successful coach in Washington history abruptly retired after the
1992 season to spend more time with his family. He worked as an analyst on NBC for a few years, founded a NASCAR team and was even elected to the Hall of Fame. Then, 11 seasons after he left the Redskins, owner Daniel Snyder successfully wooed him back. Gibbs took Washington to the playoffs twice in four seasons before retiring again — this time for good — in early 2008. Dennis Green Minnesota Vikings (1992-2001): 10170 (.591)
Arizona Cardinals (2004-06): 16-32
(.333)
The Vikings bought out the remainder of Green’s contract in early 2002, after the team finished below .500 for the first time in his tenure. He spent two years as an analyst at ESPN, then rejoined the coaching ranks with the Cardinals, who never finished better than 6
10 in his three seasons. Bill Parcells New York Giants (1983-90): 85-52-1 (.616)
New England Patriots/New York Jets (1993-99): 64-54 (.542)
Dallas Cowboys (2003-06): 34-32 (.515)
The Big Tuna returned to coaching after a multiyear hiatus not once, but twice. Parcells retired for the first time in 1991 after winning Super Bowl XXV with the Giants, spent two years as a commentator for NBC before returning in 1993. Then, in 1999, he retired a second time, claiming his coaching days were over. He was back on the sidelines three seasons later, coaching the Cowboys for four seasons before retiring a third (and final?) time in 2007. Marty Schottenheimer
Cleveland Browns/Kansas City Chiefs (1984-98): 148-92-1 (.616)
Washington Redskins/San Diego
Chargers (2001-06): 55-43 (.561) Schottenheimer resigned in early
1999 after a decade as head coach of the Chiefs, including six seasons with double-figure wins, and five years with the Browns, with two AFC title game appearances. After a two-year stint with ESPN, he was back in the league, first with the Redskins for one season, then the Chargers. He was fired after the
2006 season, when he guided San Diego to a 14-2 record but lost to New England in the divisional round. George Seifert San Francisco 49ers (1989-96): 10835 (.755) Carolina Panthers (1999-2001): 1632 (.333)
Seifert led the 49ers to a pair of Super Bowl titles but resigned in 1996 after failing to reach the NFC title game for the second consecutive season. A brief stint with CBS followed. By 1999, he was back on the field, coaching the Panthers in just their fifth season of existence. Dick Vermeil Philadelphia Eagles (1976-82): 57-51 (.528) St. Louis Rams (1997-99): 25-26 (.490) Kansas City Chiefs (2001-05): 44-36 (.550)
Vermeil retired after the 1982 season, describing himself as “emotionally burned out,” and took a job in television. Fifteen years later, the Rams nudged him out of retirement with a contract that paid him more than $1.6 million per year. Vermeil led St. Louis to a Super Bowl championship in 1999. He retired (again) before re-emerging as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001.