John Harbaugh, the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, finds it challenging to make sense of one of the strangest hiring trends in NFL history.

Why are special teams coordinators rarely chosen as head coaches in the NFL?

Recently, the New Orleans Saints elevated their special teams coordinator, Darren Rizzi, to the head coach position on an interim basis. Yet, only two special teams coordinators have been appointed as permanent head coaches in the league’s history, showcasing a possible oversight or bias in the hiring tendencies among NFL franchises.

According to data from YSL News Sports, NFL team owners typically prefer hiring head coaches who fit a particular profile — usually white and often viewed as dynamic play-callers. However, these characteristics do not necessarily correlate with success as head coaches.

“I thought it would change,” Harbaugh shared with YSL News Sports back in May. “I assumed my success would pave the way for others, and I believe many felt similarly. Unfortunately, that hasn’t occurred. No one has been hired primarily from a special teams background. Honestly, it’s disappointing.”

Despite Harbaugh’s experience, he is not one of the two special teams coaches who were directly promoted to head coach. After spending nine years as a special teams coach in Philadelphia, he transitioned to coaching defensive backs in 2007 before being hired as head coach by the Ravens in 2008. Similarly, several successful NFL head coaches began their careers in special teams but had to demonstrate their capabilities in other roles before securing head coaching positions. Notable figures include Bill Belichick, Marv Levy, Dick Vermeil, and Bill Cowher.

Despite their achievements, this trend persists, indicating that biases in hiring extend beyond race to other factors as well.

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‘Consider the hirers’

Data from YSL News Sports related to NFL coaches highlights how infrequently special teams coordinators are even considered for head coaching roles. Among the 80 NFL assistant coaches who held the title of special teams coordinator since 2010, only 12 have been interviewed for non-interim head coach positions, and just one, Joe Judge, was directly promoted, having served as the special teams coordinator for the New England Patriots before taking the Giants’ head coach job in 2020.

This bias appears to focus more on the role itself rather than race, as approximately 75% of special teams coordinators since 2010 have been white.

To gain insight into this trend and how perceptions affect head coaching decisions, YSL News Sports consulted with former NFL special teams coaches and analyzed relevant data and history. NFL executive Troy Vincent was not available for comment.

The reasons behind the lack of consideration for special teams coordinators in head coaching roles are varied: there may be misunderstandings regarding the position, it’s not the conventional path to head coaching, and these coaches often lack the visibility enjoyed by offensive or defensive coordinators.

However, special teams coaches manage players across both offensive and defensive lines and oversee a crucial aspect of the game, especially with new rules impacting kickoffs and important plays in the kicking game affecting teams weekly.

“You need to examine who’s doing the hiring and their willingness to undertake something unconventional that lacks substantial historical precedents beyond Coach Harbaugh,” noted Maurice Drayton, a former NFL special teams coach who now leads The Citadel’s football team in South Carolina.

Only 2 special teams coordinators have been hired as head coaches—ever

Since 2010, there have been 448 chances for special teams coordinators to move into head coaching roles — averaging 32 special teams coordinators per season over 14 hiring cycles. However, only one has transitioned directly from special teams coach to head coach: Joe Judge in 2020, when the New York Giants brought him on after he had previously been the special teams coordinator for the New England Patriots.

What explains the low number of promotions?

“I honestly don’t know,” Harbaugh remarked during a discussion at his family’s Harbaugh Coaching Academy. “Perhaps the focus is on ‘winning the press conference.’”

“Winning the press conference” refers to creating excitement among fans during the introduction of a new head coach, which often occurs when teams opt for a star offensive coordinator known for high-scoring success.

Points play a significant role in generating excitement.

In contrast, special teams coordinators often don’t get as much recognition from fans and media compared to the coaches leading the offense and defense. They typically only grab attention when things don’t go as planned.

“When we perform well, it often goes unnoticed, but if something goes wrong, that’s the only time I appear on TV,” Brian Polian, a former college special teams coach, shared in 2022.

Prior to Judge, only one special teams coordinator in NFL history was elevated to head coach permanently—Frank Gansz with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1987.

Gansz echoed similar sentiments before his passing in 2009.

“Offensive coordinators attract fans,” Gansz remarked in a 2001 interview with YSL News’ Brent Schrotenboer for American Football Monthly. “Special teams coordinators don’t.”

So, where do head coaches typically come from? Between 2010 and 2024, YSL News Sports tracked 90 head coach appointments: 34 were promoted from offensive coordinator roles (38%); 23 from defensive coordinators (26%); 14 were NFL head coaches making team switches (16%); nine were NCAA head coaches (10%); six came from offensive position coaching (7%); two from defensive position coaching (2%); one from a special teams coordinator role (1%); and one was a Canadian Football League head coach (1%).

Limited success rate

As the only special teams coordinators who ascended to head coach, Judge and Gansz didn’t enhance their prospects by only holding the job for two seasons each. Both were let go—Judge finished with a 10-23 record with the Giants, while Gansz had an 8-22-1 record with the Chiefs.

Additionally, the list doesn’t account for Jim Harbaugh, the NFL’s second-longest-serving head coach, who shifted from special teams coaching in 2007 to increase his chances of becoming a head coach, as noted by his former head coach, Andy Reid, in Philadelphia.

A year later, he was appointed by Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti.

“Steve told me when he hired me that he doesn’t hire based on resumes,” Harbaugh said. “He’s looking for leaders.”

It should also be noted that the list excludes special teams coordinators who served as interim head coaches, such as Rizzi with the Saints or Rich Bisaccia, who stepped in for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021. Bisaccia proved capable enough to lead the Raiders to a 7-6 record and their first playoff appearance since 2016, yet he did not receive the head coaching position permanently. The Raiders instead chose offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who had previously failed in his first head coaching role at Denver and was also dismissed from the Raiders in 2023.

The Peter Principle in NFL hiring trends?

Recent trends in the NFL are filled with head coaches who have been dismissed, many like McDaniels, who were brought on largely due to their reputations as offensive experts—Kliff Kingsbury, Frank Reich, Todd Haley, Adam Gase, Nathaniel Hackett, Mike McCoy, and Chip Kelly, to name a few.

Some have even been granted second chances as head coaches despite their earlier failures: McDaniels, Gase, Reich, Kelly.

This suggests that excelling as a play-caller or mentoring quarterbacks as an offensive coordinator does not guarantee success in a head coaching role. This discrepancy at least partly arises because the head coach’s role requires different skills than those of offensive or defensive coordinators, such as overseeing a larger team organization both on and off the field, rather than just strategizing for one unit.

“In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to their level of incompetence,” according to the late educator and author Laurence Peter.

This notion applies to the NFL as well. Known as the Peter Principle, it explains how employees are often promoted because they excel in their current roles, even if the new position demands a different skill set. Consequently, these individuals may “rise to the level of their own incompetence,” as their successful attributes in prior jobs may not be applicable to their new roles.

Are special teams coaches any different?

The competencies that make special teams coordinators effective seem to transfer well to head coaching positions. They work with players from various positions, including punters and placekickers.

“You engage with players from offense and defense in addition to your specialists,” stated Drayton, who has coached NFL special teams in Las Vegas, Green Bay, and Indianapolis. “During my time in Green Bay, I coached everyone except for Aaron Rodgers, who, let’s be honest, sometimes coaches us. Even with him, we’d discuss situational awareness and game scenarios. I had the opportunity to coach him, which gives you experience with the entire roster.”

This role also comes with significant stakes, overseeing multiple units where a single play can determine the outcome of games—whether it’s field goals, blocked punts, or kickoff strategies.

Additionally, situational awareness, game management, and flexibility are crucial. Consider the changes to kickoff rules in recent years.

“We analyze every kickoff play from every game weekly,” Arizona Cardinals special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers told reporters in September regarding the rule alterations. “Previously, we may not have studied every single scheme. For instance, you might be figuring out if it was an onside kick or a longer return.”

“Each week, our analysis brings new insights that we hope will aid our progress.”

Perception still plays a crucial role

Unfair biases can manifest in various forms, including those based on race, age, background, or professional roles. In this situation, the data suggests that team owners have narrowed their perspective on potential head coach candidates.

It’s intriguing how special teams coaches often feel they need to demonstrate their ability to coach other positions before they can be considered for a head coach role.

Take the case of Harbaugh, for example. In 2007, Andy Reid, the head coach of the Eagles, transitioned him from special teams coordinator—where he had worked for nine years—to the position of defensive backs coach. Reid commented that being a special teams coordinator is “probably closer to a head coaching position than what people perceive.”

Despite this, Reid believed that shifting Harbaugh to a different role would be beneficial for him in the long run.

“Harbaugh aims to be a head coach, and this role brings him a step closer to that goal,” Reid shared with reporters at the time.

In 1969, George Allen, coach of the Los Angeles Rams, made a historic move by hiring Dick Vermeil as the NFL’s first designated special teams coordinator. The following year, he was succeeded by Mary Levy. Both Vermeil and Levy later entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame as head coaches, but neither secured their initial NFL head coaching positions until they proved themselves in other roles.

Specifically, Vermeil didn’t become a head coach until after he had served as a quarterbacks coach in the NFL and head coach at UCLA. Likewise, Levy advanced from being the special teams coach for the Washington football team to head coach of the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League before landing an NFL head coaching position.

One contributing factor could be a general lack of understanding regarding the responsibilities of special teams coaches.

“There’s a considerable amount of coaching, skill, and strategy involved,” noted Drayton. “I believe the ignorance surrounding what special teams coordinators do has held them back.”

Is this issue prevalent among NFL owners?

“Yes, definitely among owners,” Drayton confirmed. “Absolutely.”