Coaching requiring strategy, leadership, and the ability to inspire players, many coaches in the list below possessed none of these.
Here’s a look at some of the worst coaching records in sports history, spanning various leagues and sports.
Unlike their contemporarys with the best sports coaching records ever, they just couldn’t get it done.
Sport’s Worst Coaching Records
Pour out a drink for some of the poor souls below, who just couldn’t manage to get their teams over the line.
Cetainly there would be some terrible records at the lower levels of sport, but we’ll stick to the professional leagues for this one.
1. Marty Mornhinweg – NFL
- Record: 5-27
Marty Mornhinweg’s tenure as the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2001 to 2002 is one of the most infamous in NFL history.
In his two seasons with the Lions, Mornhinweg notched a dismal record of 5-27.
His time in Detroit is often remembered for questionable decisions, including choosing to kick off in overtime after winning the coin toss in a 2002 game against the Chicago Bears, which the Lions subsequently lost.
2. Hugh Jackson – NFL
- Record with Browns: 3-36
- Overall Record: 11-44-1
Hugh Jackson’s coaching stint with the Cleveland Browns is another low point in NFL history. From 2016 to 2018, Jackson’s Browns won just three games while losing 36, including a winless 0-16 season in 2017.
Despite his team’s struggles, Jackson remained head coach until midway through the 2018 season, when he was finally relieved of his duties.
His overall record as a head coach, including a previous stint with the Oakland Raiders, stands at 11-44-1.
3. Tim Floyd – NBA
- Record: 49-190
Tim Floyd’s time as head coach of the Chicago Bulls was marked by a profound struggle.
After the departure of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and head coach Phil Jackson, Floyd took over a team in the midst of a rebuild. From 1998 to 2001, Floyd’s Bulls won just 49 games while losing 190, culminating in a .205 winning percentage.
Despite his previous success at the collegiate level, Floyd’s NBA coaching career never recovered.
4. Eddie Firmani – MLS
- Record: 3-14-2
Eddie Firmani’s tenure with the New York MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) in Major League Soccer was brief and unsuccessful.
Hired in 1996, Firmani lasted just 19 games, winning only three, drawing two, and losing 14.
Firmani, a successful coach in the North American Soccer League (NASL), couldn’t translate his success to MLS, leading to his early departure from the league.
5. Cam Cameron – NFL
- Record: 1-15
Cam Cameron’s 2007 season with the Miami Dolphins is one of the worst single-season coaching performances in NFL history. Cameron’s Dolphins went 1-15, with their lone victory coming in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens.
Despite a solid reputation as an offensive coordinator, Cameron’s head coaching career was cut short, and he was fired after just one season.
6. John McKay – NFL
- Record: 44-88-1
John McKay is a legendary figure in college football, but his transition to the NFL with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers was disastrous.
From 1976 to 1984, McKay’s Buccaneers went 44-88-1.
The team infamously lost its first 26 games, and McKay’s tenure is often remembered for his humorous and often biting remarks about his team’s performance.
7. Rod Marinelli – NFL
- Record: 10-38
Rod Marinelli’s time as head coach of the Detroit Lions is infamous for the team’s winless 0-16 season in 2008. Marinelli’s overall record with the Lions from 2006 to 2008 was 10-38.
Despite a respectable career as a defensive coordinator, Marinelli’s head coaching stint in Detroit is remembered as one of the worst in NFL history.
Check out some of the worst losses in sports history.
