AFC wild-card predictions: Which teams will advance to divisional round
USA TODAY Sports Chris Bumbaca and Joe Rivera share who they think will make it out of the AFC Wild Card round.
Sports Seriously
There’s an old saying about what NFL means for players and coaches who fail to meet expectations – Not For Long.
While there’s a short list of coaches with real staying power, the ranks of longest-tenured NFL head coaches is being rearranged this week, most notably after the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 6 fired John Harbaugh, ending the Super Bowl-winning coach’s 18-year run with the franchise.
Harbaugh’s tenure was second-longest among active NFL coaches, behind only Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tomlin is preparing the Steelers for an AFC wild-card showdown against the Houston Texans on Jan. 12 after Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed the potential game-winning kick in the Steelers’ 26-24 win over the Ravens that clinched the AFC North title on Jan. 4.
Tomlin hasn’t been immune to calls for the Steelers to part ways with their longtime coach this season, but that conversation will be shelved as long as the Steelers remain Super Bowl contenders.
For now, here’s a look at the longest-tenured NFL coaches, which aside from Harbaugh was also changed by the Cleveland Browns’ firing of Kevin Stefanski (six years in Cleveland) on Jan. 5, this year’s “Black Monday.”
For those wondering, Curly Lambeau in Green Bay (1921-49) and Tom Landry in Dallas (1960-88) are tied for the longest tenure leading one team at 29 seasons.
1. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh SteelersAge: 51Number of seasons: 9Record with Bills: 98-50 (.662)Playoff berths: 8T3. Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ersT6. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay PackersAge: 46Number of seasons: 7Record with Packers: 76-40-1 (.654)Playoff berths: 6Age: 42Number of seasons: 7Record with Bengals: 52-63-1 (.453Playoff berths (Super Bowls): 2 (1; lost Super Bowl 56)Age: 49Number of seasons: 5Record with Lions: 48-36-1 (.571)Playoff berths: 2T10. Mike McDaniel, Miami DolphinsAge: 42Number of seasons: 4Record with Dolphins: 35-33 (.515)Playoff berths: 2Age: 62Number of seasons: 4Record with Buccaneers: 35-33 (.515)Playoff berths: 3