The NFL head coaching position is one of the toughest jobs in professional sports. A coach must manage over 100 players, select about ten assistants and most importantly, take blame for the team’s woes. Coaches who stumble early in their first year most usually, hear whispers of job security shaky and getting the axe sometimes even before the season is over. This ongoing trend in the league must stop. Team executives should not fire head coaches so prematurely.

It’s becoming the rule of thumb that if a team fails to make the playoffs one year, the head coach’s job stability is in jeopardy. It is the team executive’s decision to either let the head coach get another chance to redeem himself or to begin searching for another man to get the job done.

Many league analysts believe that a team’s failures should be blamed on the coach and that every head coach should assume such heavy responsibility; however, they are not the ones who are out on the field. They are on the sidelines putting players in the best possible position to succeed, but not directly making the plays themselves.

In addition, there is also a growing trend in which head coaches who get fired and are re-hired after a couple of years on hiatus, tend to do much better in their second stint. One proven example is former Redskins head coach Norv Turner who was fired in 2001. He finished 8-8 in his first season with the team. In 2007, after two abysmal seasons with the Raiders, he was hired by the San Diego Chargers. As of now, he has won the division three times, gone to the AFC Championship, and has achieved a 32-16 record so far with the team. Also, he recently received a three year extension with the team and will remain head coach through 2012. All coaches need is a year or two to figure out if their system is working and is effective in bringing success to the team.

Another strong reason why team executives should not fire their head coach after one season is due to the fact that tenure is exceedingly important. Coaches with long tenures have also provided good results lately. Such coaches as Bill Cowher, Jeff Fisher, Mike Shanahan, Andy Reid, Tony Dungy and Bill Belichick, have all found success staying with one team for decades of seasons. Each coach has either reached the Super Bowl or has won it. Team executives should begin to realize that giving their head coach long tenure always provides a winning team with good team chemistry.

Cases with head coaches being fired after one season have become a major trend in the NFL, and have few benefits. It should stop as these coaches deserve another year for redemption. The owners should evaluate the players’ performances more and not the coaches as they are the ones who are out on the field.