Why Gennaro picked the Jets: Why do teams change head coaches in the middle of a season? Specific reasons obviously vary, but the general hope is that a serious shock to the system provides an IMMEDIATE boost. Jets owner Woody Johnson plainly stated as much after firing Robert Saleh on Tuesday: “The change that we made today, that I made, I believe will bring new energy and positivity that will lead to more wins, starting now.”
In the business of sports prognostication, this promptly cultivates discussion of “the dead coach bounce,” a purported phenomenon that draws its macabre name from the dead cat bounce. But does that investing term actually apply to the gridiron? Do in-season coaching changes rally NFL teams? Well, I did some back-of-the-envelope research, narrowing the scope of my investigation to serve this particular blurb. My findings: When it comes to the game immediately following the firing, recent history says … YES!
Over the past decade, we’ve seen 23 midseason head-coaching changes. The interim’s record in his debut: 12-11! That’s quite a mark when you remember that teams taking this drastic measure are significantly flawed. The most recent franchise to win the interim’s first game? The 2023 Raiders, who responded to Josh McDaniels’ firing with a 30-6 win over the Giants in Antonio Pierce’s debut. Can Jeff Ulbrich follow suit in his first game as the Jets’ head man? I’ll play the trend!