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Many college football head coaches have made the transition to the NFL over the years. Some have been successful, including Jimmy Johnson and Pete Carroll, but many have failed. Being a head coach in the NFL is not the same as being a head coach in college football. Here are five successful college head coaches who have failed to make the same impact in the NFL.
College football head coaches who failed in the NFL
#1 - Urban Meyer, Jacksonville Jaguars
Urban Meyer didn't even last a full season in Jacksonville before being fired. The record was bad at 2-11, but the off-the-field issues are what made his tenure a disaster. Hiring Chris Doyle was his first major mistake, but it never got any better from there, including viral videos from a bar, insulting his coaching staff, mismanaging his roster and even physically attacking his own kicker.
Also read: 5 most controversial moments of Urban Meyer's career
#2 - Bobby Petrino, Atlanta Falcons
Bobby Petrino signed a five-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons but quit during his very first season. After starting with a 3-10 record, Petrino resigned and accepted a head coaching job at the University of Arkansas.
To make things worse, he personally promised owner Arthur Blank the he would remain with the Falcons. One day later, he broke the promise and disappeared. He also never held a meeting with the team to announce his departure. Instead, he just left behind a basic letter and vanished.
College head coaches who failed in the NFL
College football head coaches who failed to make a successful transition to the NFL
#3 - Chip Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles
Chip Kelly was both the head coach and general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles at one point, giving him full control of personnel decisions. He made some questionable roster decisions, such as trading superstar running back LeSean McCoy for linebacker Kiko Alonso. On the coaching side, his "fast break" style of offense in college wasn't nearly as effective in the NFL.
Also read: How many NFL coaches have been fired mid-season?
#4 - Nick Saban, Miami Dolphins
Nick Saban is one of the most successful college football coaches of all time. Unfortunately, that same success didn't translate to the NFL. He coached to just a 15-17 career record across his two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After a short stint in the NFL, he was hired to be the head coach of the University of Alabama, where he has won six national championships in the last 15 years.
#5 - Steve Spurrier, Washington Football Team
Steve Spurrier was a disappointing head coach hire in Washington. He signed a five-year contract worth $25 million dollars, one of the largest deals ever at the time. He only made it through two seasons before resigning to head back to college football. He recorded a 12-20 career record in his failed experiment as the head coach in Washington.
