The NFL’s Interim Coaches Since 2000

This century’s 25th season has already brought three firings. The Jets booted Robert Saleh after five games, closing a three-plus-season tenure, and the Saints ended Dennis Allen‘s third HC season after nine. Matt Eberflus has since been dismissed from his Bears post on Black Friday. Dozens of similar decisions have been made this century.

While interim coaches generally do not make it past partial seasons with their respective teams, a handful have done so in modern NFL history. Since 2000, 12 interim HCs have transitioned to a full-time role with their respective franchises. The Raiders ended a seven-year drought by elevating Antonio Pierce to the full-time HC post this year. Here are the league’s 21st-century interim coaches:

2000

• Dick LeBeau, Cincinnati Bengals; replaced Bruce Coslet on Sept. 25, 2000
• Dave McGinnis, Arizona Cardinals; replaced Vince Tobin on Oct. 23, 2000
• Gary Moeller, Detroit Lions; replaced Bobby Ross on Nov. 6, 2000
• Terry Robiskie, Washington; replaced Norv Turner on Dec. 4, 2000

LeBeau and McGinnis were promoted to head coaches. LeBeau coached the Bengals through the 2002 season; McGinnis was with the Cardinals through 2003.

2001

• Mike Tice, Minnesota Vikings; replaced Dennis Green on Jan. 4, 2002

Minnesota named Tice, who took over with one game to play during the postponed 2001 season, its full-time head coach in 2002; he stayed in that post through the 2005 season.

2003

• Wade Phillips, Atlanta Falcons; replaced Dan Reeves on Dec. 10, 2003

2004

• Jim Bates, Miami Dolphins; replaced Dave Wannstedt on Nov. 9, 2004
• Terry Robiskie, Cleveland Browns; replaced Butch Davis on Nov. 30, 2004

2005

• Dick Jauron, Detroit Lions; replaced Steve Mariucci on Nov. 28, 2005

2007

• Emmitt Thomas, Atlanta Falcons; replaced Bobby Petrino on Dec. 12, 2007

2008

• Jim Haslett, St. Louis Rams; replaced Scott Linehan on Sept. 29, 2008
• Tom Cable, Oakland Raiders; replaced Lane Kiffin on Sept. 30, 2008
• Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers; replaced Mike Nolan on Oct. 20, 2008

The Raiders elevated Cable to full-time status; he coached the team through the 2010 season. Singletary rose to San Francisco’s full-time HC post and was in place through 2010, when he was fired in-season.

2009

• Perry Fewell, Buffalo Bills; replaced Dick Jauron on Nov. 17, 2009

2010

• Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys; replaced Wade Phillips on Nov. 8, 2010
• Leslie Frazier, Minnesota Vikings; replaced Brad Childress on Nov. 22, 2010
• Eric Studesville, Denver Broncos; replaced Josh McDaniels on Dec. 6, 2010
• Jim Tomsula, San Francisco 49ers; replaced Mike Singletary on Dec. 26, 2010

Frazier landed the Vikings gig and held that role through the 2013 season. The Cowboys’ change marks the outlier on this list. Garrett remained Dallas’ head coach through the 2019 campaign. Tomsula technically counts toward the 12 interim HCs who became head coaches for that team, but he did not receive that opportunity for several years. Tomsula moved back to his 49ers D-line coach position and later took over as their head coach for one season in 2015.

2011

• Mel Tucker, Jacksonville Jaguars; replaced Jack Del Rio on Nov. 29, 2011
• Todd Bowles, Miami Dolphins; replaced Tony Sparano on Dec. 12, 2011
• Romeo Crennel, Kansas City Chiefs; replaced Todd Haley on Dec. 12, 2011

Crennel received his second head-coaching opportunity in 2012 but was fired following that season, a 2-14 Chiefs campaign.

2012

• Aaron Kromer, Joe Vitt, New Orleans Saints

Each served as a Saints interim HC during Sean Payton‘s suspension.

2013

• Wade Phillips, Houston Texans; replaced Gary Kubiak on Dec. 6, 2013

2014

• Tony Sparano, Oakland Raiders; replaced Dennis Allen on Sept. 29, 2014

2015

• Dan Campbell, Miami Dolphins; replaced Joe Philbin on Oct. 5, 2015
• Mike Mularkey, Tennessee Titans; replaced Ken Whisenhunt on Nov. 3, 2015
• Pat Shurmur, Philadelphia Eagles; replaced Chip Kelly on Dec. 29, 2015

The Titans handed the reins to Mularkey in 2016. Despite a 2017 playoff berth, Mularkey was axed after his second full-time season.

2016

• John Fassel, Los Angeles Rams; replaced Jeff Fisher on Dec. 12, 2016
• Doug Marrone, Jacksonville Jaguars; replaced Gus Bradley on Dec. 18, 2016
• Anthony Lynn, Buffalo Bills; replaced Rex Ryan on Dec. 27, 2016

Marrone moved up to the Jags’ full-time HC position and remained in that role through the 2020 season.

2017

• Steve Spagnuolo, New York Giants; replaced Ben McAdoo on Dec. 4, 2017

2018

• Gregg Williams, Cleveland Browns; replaced Hue Jackson on Oct. 29, 2018
• Joe Philbin, Green Bay Packers; replaced Mike McCarthy on Dec. 2, 2018

2019

• Bill Callahan, Washington; replaced Jay Gruden on Oct. 7, 2019
• Perry Fewell, Carolina Panthers; replaced Ron Rivera on Dec. 3, 2019

2020

• Romeo Crennel, Houston Texans; replaced Bill O’Brien on Oct. 5, 2020
• Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons; replaced Dan Quinn on Oct. 11, 2020
• Darrell Bevell, Detroit Lions; replaced Matt Patricia on Nov. 28, 2020

2021

• Rich Bisaccia, Las Vegas Raiders; replaced Jon Gruden on Oct. 11, 2021
• Darrell Bevell, Jacksonville Jaguars; replaced Urban Meyer on Dec. 16, 2021

2022

• Steve Wilks, Carolina Panthers; replaced Matt Rhule on Oct. 10, 2022
• Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis Colts; replaced Frank Reich on Nov. 7, 2022
• Jerry Rosburg, Denver Broncos; replaced Nathaniel Hackett on Dec. 26, 2022

2023

• Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders; replaced Josh McDaniels on Nov. 1, 2023
• Chris Tabor, Carolina Panthers; replaced Frank Reich on Nov. 27, 2023
• Giff Smith, Los Angeles Chargers; replaced Brandon Staley on Dec. 15, 2023

The Raiders hired Pierce to be their full-time head coach.

2024

• Jeff Ulbrich, New York Jets; replaced Robert Saleh on Oct. 8, 2024
• Darren Rizzi, New Orleans Saints; replaced Dennis Allen on Nov. 4, 2024
• Thomas Brown, Chicago Bears; replaced Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29, 2024