9 Pro Sports Franchises With The Least Number Of Head Coaches Over The Last 20 Years

Coaching turnover in professional sports is inevitable. No one can stay on top forever. Even the longest tenured head coaches must step away from the sidelines at some point in time, no matter their success.

Some franchises are more patient with their leaders than others. They are willing to stay the course through short-term struggles in order to achieve a larger goal.

Here, we’ll take a look at a few of those teams in each of the four major US sports leagues.

Pro teams with the fewest head coaches in the last 20 years.

This list will identify the teams in the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA that have hired the fewest coaches over the last two decades.

We’ll start with football, where a pair of organizations recently parted ways with two of the longest tenured leaders in league history.

NFL

Pittsburgh Steelers (2)

The Steelers may be the most loyal franchise in all of pro sports when it comes to head coaches. They’ve had two coaches at the helm across the last 20 years, and just three since 1969. Each won at least one Super Bowl championship.

Chuck Noll had a 23-year stint, followed by Bill Cowher’s 15-year run. Mike Tomlin replaced Cowher to begin his 19-year head coaching career, which ended after the 2025 season.

For the first time since 2006, Pittsburgh will be on the market for a new leader.

Baltimore Ravens (2)

The Baltimore Ravens find themselves in a similar situation to that of the division rival Steelers. John Harbaugh was fired in 2026 after 18 seasons with the franchise.

He’s one of just two coaches to roam the sidelines in Baltimore over the last 20 years.

Harbaugh won 61% of his games with the Ravens and secured a championship ring. Prior to is hiring in 2008, Brian Billick had a nine-year run that also included a Super Bowl win.

MLB

Atlanta Braves (3)

The Braves have had three coaches over the last 20 seasons. Those leaders helped the franchise secure a pair of World Series titles.

Brian Snitker coached for 10 seasons after taking over for Fredi Gonzalez in 2016. Prior to Gonzalez, legendary manager Bobby Cox led the club for two decades.

A new leader will be in the dugout next year, which will soon remove Atlanta from this list. Snitker will be replaced by former player Walt Weiss after a 76-win season.

New York Yankees (3)

The Yankees are tied for the fewest number of managers in the MLB over the last two decades with three. Current coach Aaron Boone has been at the helm since 2018.

Prior to Boone’s arrival, Joe Girardi had a 10-year stint which was preceded by Joe Torre’s 12-year run.

Each has seen MLB success. Torre won four World Series in the Big Apple while Girardi secured one. Boone has yet to bring home a title, though he has appeared in one World Series.

Minnesota Twins (3)

The Twins are a bit of a surprise given a lack of postseason success across the last 20 years. Minnesota has not appeared in a World Series during that time. They have made the playoffs in just 35% of those seasons.

That has not stopped the franchise from showing loyalty. They’ve had just three coaches across the last two decades to match the Braves and Yankees.

Manager Rocco Baldelli had been at the helm since 2019, though he was fired after the 2025 campaign. Paul Molitor coached the four seasons prior, taking over for Ron Gardenhire after a 13-year run.

Like Atlanta, however, they’ll be removed from this list at the start of the 2026 season. Baldelli will be replaced by Derek Shelton.

NHL

Nashville Predators (4)

The NHL is a bit different than the leagues mentioned before them on this list. Technically, there are three franchises that have had three coaches or less in their entire histories.

Those organizations have not been active for the 20-year requirement, however, keeping them off this list. Utah has had one coach in two years. Seattle and Vegas have both had three coaches in relatively short lifespans.

That puts Nashville in a two-way tie for fewest coaches across the last two decades with four. The Predators’ current leader, Andrew Brunette, has been with the team for three years.

His predecessor, John Hynes, led the organization the three seasons prior after taking over for Peter Laviolette. Much of the heavy lifting, in this case, is done by Barry Trotz, who was in charge for 15 years up through 2014.

Detroit Red Wings (4)

The Red Wings are one of the NHL’s most historic franchises. They’ve been more loyal to their head coaches of late than most others around the league.

Detroit has had just four coaches across the last 20 seasons. That is true despite having a new coach take over midway through the last campaign.

Todd McLellan is in his first full season leading the team. He took over for Derek Lalonde, who was head coach for three years.

Jeff Blashill led the Red Wings for seven seasons prior to Lalonde’s run, taking the reins after Mike Babcock’s 10-year stint.

NBA

San Antonio Spurs (2)

The Spurs topped this list up until 2024 when Gregg Popovich was replaced by Mitch Johnson. Johnson is in his first full season leading the franchise.

Popovich was at the helm for the 29 years prior, initially taking over in 1996. Over that time, he won 63% of his games headlined by five NBA championships.

Popovich’s run with the Spurs was one of the longest in league history. As a result, the team has only had two coaches across the last two seasons.

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat, too, are tied for fewest NBA head coaches over the last 20 seasons with two. Much of that is due to a long run by the current leader.

Erik Spoelstra took over for the Heat in 2008. He’s in his 18th season as head coach following a lengthy stay in Miami as an assistant.

Prior to his tenure, the franchise was led by Pat Riley, who coached for two seasons in his second stint leading the organization.