Nathaniel Hackett fired: Who are the shortest-tenured head coaches in NFL history?

The Denver Broncos have fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett after a disastrous Christmas Day 51-14 blowout by the Los Angeles Rams. He has only been with the team for 15 games, which puts him in seventh place on the list of shortest-tenured head coaches in the history of the league. The 43-year-old went 4-11 during his stint with the Broncos.

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Here are the six other coaches with even shorter tenures with their teams.

Urban Meyer, Jacksonville Jaguars, 13 games

Urban Meyer had a history of success as a college football coach, and was hired by the Jaguars at the start of last year. However, he became mired in controversy during his stay with the team, including incurring an NFL fine for violating practice rules, engaging in inappropriate behavior with a woman, and facing a player’s accusations of physical abuse. Meyer was fired before 2021 ended.

Bobby Petrino, Atlanta Falcons, 13 games

The Falcons hired Bobby Petrino in 2007 largely to develop quarterback Michael Vick, but when the player was convicted of involvement in a dog-fighting ring, the coach was forced to play with backup QBs. After Atlanta slid to the bottom of the NFC South with a 3-10 tally, Petrino quit his post to return to college football and head the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Lou Holtz, New York Jets, 13 games

Lou Holtz made it to the College Football Hall of Fame, but his stay with the NFL was not as remarkable. He was hired by the Jets in February 1976, and handed in his resignation ten months later after going 3-10. Holtz admitted he was not cut out to coach the pros, and went back to a successful college football career.

Pete McCulley, San Francisco 49ers, 9 games

Pete McCulley signed a three-year contract in 1978 to be the 49ers’ head coach, but only lasted all of nine games. He was released after he recorded a 1-8 start.

George Allen, Los Angeles Rams, 2 preseason games

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George Allen is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and a two-time NFL Coach of the Year. However, he holds the second-shortest tenure as a head coach in league history. His return to the Rams in 1978 turned out to be a disappointment, and he was released after losing two preseason games amid conflicts with players regarding his coaching style.

Bill Belichick, New York Jets, 1 day

The record for the shortest stint ever is likely to go unchallenged for a while. Bill Belichick was the New York Jets’ assistant head coach and was slated to replace Bill Parcells who was stepping down as head coach in 2000. But when Belichick was introduced to the press as Parcells’ replacement, he suddenly turned the event into a surprise announcement of his resignation. He eventually moved on to the New England Patriots, and the rest is football history.