How successful coaches fared in their next coaching gig - ESPN

Whether it's a head coach firing or someone stepping down, coach turnover in sports is inevitable.

The end of the 2025 NFL season saw the firing of John Harbaugh, who went 180-113 with a Super Bowl win with the Baltimore Ravens. Harbaugh wasn't out of work for long, however, as the New York Giants just signed him to a five-year deal.

Harbaugh has been an excellent coach in the NFL, but just because he has been successful before doesn't mean he'll win with the Giants. Things change, situations are fluid, and even the greatest coaches don't always win in their next gig. Here's a cross-sport look at how some notable names fared in their first stop after leaving their iconic teams.

Belichick's tenure as New England Patriots head coach ended with a whimper, with neither Cam Newton nor Mac Jones able to replace the Tom Brady-sized hole in Foxborough. Belichick and the team mutually agreed to part ways after a 4-13 2023 season.

After a year off, Belichick took a job as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, establishing «Chapel Bill» as potentially the next center of college football greatness. It didn't quite go that way in Year 1, with the Tar Heels losing 48-14 to TCU to start the season. UNC finished 2025 with a 4-8 record, and it remains to be seen whether Belichick can turn things around in 2026.

In 14 years with the Seattle Seahawks, Pete Carroll went 137-89-1, winning a Super Bowl and an NFC Championship Game. After going 25-26 in his final three seasons, however, Carroll and the team mutually agreed to part ways.

A year later, Carroll signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, and initially things went well, with a 20-13 win over the New England Patriots in Week 1. The Raiders lost their next four games, however, and