5 college head coaches who failed in the NFL ft. Urban Meyer, Nick Saban and more  

Head coaches Urban Meyer and Nick Saban
Head coaches Urban Meyer and Nick Saban

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

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly

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

Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban
Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban

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

Washington head coach Steve Spurrier
Washington head coach Steve Spurrier

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.

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