Every NFL offseason, there’s always a coach who gets tagged as “the next big thing.” Maybe it’s because they once held a clipboard for Sean McVay or delivered a fiery press conference that sent the internet into a frenzy. But football is a results business, and eventually the scoreboard tells the truth.
Some of these coaches were hailed as schematic masterminds, quarterback whisperers, or culture-builders sent from the football gods. Then reality hit, and those genius labels got tossed out like last year’s playbook. Let’s look back at 15 NFL coaches who were supposed to be brilliant—until they weren’t.
15. Josh McDaniels
He was supposed to be Belichick’s second coming, armed with a playbook and a stare that could melt steel. Instead, he left two franchises scratching their heads and wondering how it all went so wrong.
14. Adam Gase
People thought he was an offensive guru after riding Peyton Manning’s coattails in Denver. Then he showed up in New York with wild eyes and even wilder play calls.
13. Chip Kelly
The NFL wasn’t ready for his warp-speed offense—or so we thought. Turns out the league caught up quickly, and Kelly couldn’t adapt when the magic wore off.
12. Matt Patricia
He brought a pencil and a laminated play sheet, which felt symbolic in hindsight. The Lions never got the Patriot-level defense they were promised, just a whole lot of frustration.
11. Joe Brady
Everyone was buzzing about the young LSU mastermind who helped Burrow dominate college football. But in the NFL, his schemes fizzled and the genius hype went quiet.
10. Mike Martz
He orchestrated The Greatest Show on Turf and looked like the next offensive prophet. But once the show ended, he never quite found the sequel.
9. Nathaniel Hackett
He was supposed to unlock a new level of Aaron Rodgers and bring sophistication to the Broncos. Instead, he looked lost from day one and didn’t even make it a full season.
8. Steve Spurrier
![Florida Gators legendary head ball coach Steve Spurrier watches practice from a distance during the second open fall practice held at the Sanders Practice Fields on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, Fla., July 27, 2019. [Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun]](https://thequickreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Untitled-design-2025-06-27T161300.459-1024x658.png)
A college legend who thought his fun ‘n gun offense would translate easily to Sundays. Spoiler alert: NFL defenders aren’t SEC walk-ons.
7. Kevin Gilbride
Hyped as a revolutionary offensive mind in the ’90s, especially with the Oilers’ run-and-shoot. But his genius faded as defenses figured him out and results lagged behind the reputation.
6. Lane Kiffin
He got a head coaching gig before turning 35 and was treated like the boy wonder of football. But his Raiders run was a mess, and his departure was just as dramatic as his arrival.
5. Norv Turner
Everyone respected his offensive acumen and quarterback development. But as a head coach, he kept falling short of the genius expectations people pinned on him.
4. Mike Nolan
He wore suits on the sideline and was praised as an X’s and O’s guy with pedigree. But the wins never came, and neither did the next chapter in his head coaching story.
3. Marc Trestman
He was called “the quarterback whisperer” when he arrived in Chicago. Then Bears fans quickly learned whispers don’t fix broken offenses.
Read more: 10 NFL Coaches We Wish Never Retired
2. Eric Mangini
Nicknamed “Mangenius” after a hot start with the Jets, his star burned bright—and then immediately flamed out. The hoodie never quite fit the same way it did for Belichick.
Read more: 15 Old-School NFL Coaches Who’d Dominate Modern Offenses
1. Urban Meyer
He dominated the college ranks and came to the NFL with sky-high expectations. But his NFL tenure was so chaotic, it made people forget he was ever considered a genius at all.
Read more: 20 NBA Point Guards Who Loved the Sound of Their Own Voice
