The success of the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans this season is a testimony to the value of patience regarding the job security of head coaches, something in short supply in the NFL.
The coaches of those teams – John Fox, Tom Coughlin and Jeff Fisher, respectively – each have been on the “hot seat” in recent seasons because their teams weren't flourishing.
The owners of those three teams deserve credit for not reacting too harshly and allowing three coaches who already had proven they were among the league's best to continue to work through problems.
The jobs of Fox and general manager Marty Hurney were said to be in extreme danger last season as the Panthers were en route to a 7-9 record, which followed an 8-8 record in '06 when the team was widely predicted to make it to the Super Bowl.
However, owner Jerry Richardson wisely gave them another chance. (Actually, 7-9 wasn't bad considering the Panthers lost quarterback Jake Delhomme in the third game and had to call Vinny Testaverde out of retirement.)
Given the opportunity to continue, Fox and Hurney made some bold offseason moves and, with Delhomme healthy again, now have the Panthers back in contention for the playoffs.
While the season is young and many things still could derail them, the Panthers clearly are headed in the right direction. They're 4-1 and leading the NFC South. There's fresh energy, the team is playing together and there appears to be a strong connection between Fox, his coaching staff and the players.
Giants' coach Tom Coughlin appeared very close to losing his job after the 2006 season, when his team finished 8-8 after a 6-2 start. The New York media hounded him unmercifully, but the team's ownership gave Coughlin an 11 {+t}{+h}-hour reprieve.
Result: The Giants won the Super Bowl last season, upsetting previously unbeaten New England, and now are off to an impressive 4-0 start.
The Giants rank first in the league in total offense, third in total defense and are averaging a mind-boggling 5.8 yards per rushing attempt as a team.
The only other unbeaten team is Tennessee (5-0). The Titans are doing it with a smothering defense that has given up the fewest points in the league and a running game featuring rookie Chris Johnson of East Carolina.
Just a few years ago, the Titans were going through a brutal rebuilding period. They had a combined 9-23 record in 2004 and '05, and Fisher's future with the team was in question.
Like Fox, Coughlin and Fisher already were established NFL winners when hard times hit. Fox and Fisher have coached their teams to Super Bowl appearances, and Coughlin routinely had the Jacksonville Jaguars in the playoffs before joining the Giants.
The three men are now proof that a team can successfully rebuild without making a coaching change, especially if the coach has a proven track record and still has the respect of his players.
The point here isn't that the St. Louis Rams didn't need to make a coaching change last week. Certainly, they did; there was almost a mutiny happening in that locker room.
But there are times when owners have to tune out the noise of fickle fans and influential supporters and ride through storms with the coaches already on board.
Charles Chandler: (704) 358-5123
