Mike McCarthy’s coaching career will now enter a third act. In the NFL, many head coaches get a second chance. Few receive a third. A year out of football, McCarthy has been given the opportunity with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Discounting interim head coaches, McCarthy becomes the 15th coach to ever have a head coaching job on three separate occasions. How did the first 13 fare?
History is just that. It can’t perfectly predict the future. But it’s a question worth investigating. Is the third time the charm? Or does it just lead to diminishing returns? Let’s study it.