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NFL teams seemingly aren’t the least bit afraid to move on from coaches and executives when they feel like things aren’t working out—and that has led to organizations paying people who no longer work for them a lot of money.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL reported to its owners that the 32 teams have combined to pay fired coaches and executives at least $800 million over the past five years.
The league’s intent in this message is to remind teams of the cost of making significant changes ahead of firing season, Schefter reports. The league even sent individual reports informing teams of their specific firing costs over this span.
NFL teams fire coaches and general managers relatively frequently, but the last three to make significant changes illustrate how expensive this practice has become. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, Colts head coach Frank Reich and Titans general manager Jon Robinson were fired with a combined 12 years remaining on their deals. Rhule was in year three of a seven-year deal, while Reich and Robinson both had signed extensions since last season.
The NFL is hoping that teams act in a more patient manner regarding potential firings as they approach the offseason. Of the 32 head coaches in the league, 23 were hired in 2019 or later. The league averages seven new head coaches each year, per Schefter, and it had 10 new head coaches entering the 2022 season.
As teams decide whether to make a change at an important position, it appears as if the league is watching.
