Head Coaching: What's the Importance?

How important is head coaching? Everyone states it’s important, but how important is it? Some say it’s the most important aspect of a team while others say it’s the front office. Others argue that the head coach is important but the players make or break a team, thus the players are the most important. I personally believe the head coach is the most important position in a NFL team’s entire franchise. If you don’t believe this is true then just look at some facts I am about to present.

Bill Parcells has turned around four franchises by being a head coach. He head coached two super bowl champion New York Giants teams (1986 & 1990); built the New England Patriots franchise and took them to a super bowl; turned the New York Jets franchise around and took them to an AFC championship game for the first time since God knows when and even built the foundation for the current Dallas Cowboys (even though they stink). Other head coaches get hired at the right place at the right time. Jon Gruden (fired yesterday-WOW) won a super bowl championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers his first season coaching the team. That team choked every year under Tony Dungy’s helm but Gruden was the perfect fit for them. Dungy on the other hand won a super bowl head coaching the Indianapolis Colts after previously being fired by the Buccaneers. All this proves is that coaching is extremely important. Great coaches (Bill Parcells) will be successful anywhere they go while good coaches (Gruden & Dungy) can be perfect for certain teams who have the personnel to match their coaching philosophies.

This year’s playoffs have four unique head coaches that are still left. Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid has brought his team to five NFC championship games over the past eight seasons. The other three head coaches combined have just five years head coaching experience (including this year). Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has sustained a winning attitude at Pittsburgh while Baltimore Ravens first year head coach John Harbaugh has revived an organization that won just five games last season. Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt has done a superb job turning an organization around that has never done anything right! If you don’t think these four men are the most important pieces of their organizations, you’re lost!