Reference Desk
Playoff coaches threw many red flags this season
2015 replay statistics
After a precipitous drop in replay challenges last year, coaches were able to improve their reversal rate in 2015. The success of the red flag cratered at 39.4% last year, after being over 50% the year before — the difference between those two seasons being the use of centralized replay in New York, a system where the officiating department technically only confers with the referee, but ultimately decides the replay outcome.
Although coaches have not moved the reversal rate above 50% on average, about half of the coaches were 50% or better. Playoff teams are scattered across the table, when many playoff teams did poorly two years ago. Panthers coach Ron Rivera improved his replay record, even though he still treats his challenge flag like a hand grenade, leading all coaches with 14 challenges. Pete Carroll and Bruce Arians also have double-digit challenges, with each of them making the playoffs this year.
| Â | Coach | Â | Â | Reversals | Challenges | Success % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Campbell | †Â¹ | MIA | 3 | 3 | 1.000 |
|  | Ken Whisenhunt | †| TEN | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| 3 | Mike McCarthy | * | GB | 5 | 6 | .833 |
| 4 | Rex Ryan | Â | BUF | 6 | 9 | .667 |
| Â | Marvin Lewis | * | CIN | 6 | 9 | .667 |
| 6 | Ron Rivera | * | CAR | 9 | 14 | .643 |
| 7 | Jim Caldwell | Â | DET | 4 | 7 | .571 |
|  | Lovie Smith | †| TB | 4 | 7 | .571 |
| 9 | Bill O’Brien | * | HOU | 5 | 9 | .556 |
| 10 | Jeff Fisher | Â | STL | 4 | 8 | .500 |
| Â | Andy Reid | * | KC | 3 | 6 | .500 |
| Â | Sean Peyton | Â | NO | 3 | 6 | .500 |
|  | Dan Quinn | ¹ | ATL | 2 | 4 | .500 |
| Â | Jay Gruden | * | WAS | 2 | 4 | .500 |
| Â | Bill Belichick | * | NE | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| Â | Mike Mularkey | Â | TEN | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| 17 | Jason Garrett | Â | DAL | 3 | 7 | .429 |
| 18 | Pete Carroll | * | SEA | 4 | 10 | .400 |
| Â | Gary Kubiak | * | DEN | 2 | 5 | .400 |
| Â | Gus Bradley | Â | JAX | 2 | 5 | .400 |
| Â | Jack Del Rio | Â | OAK | 2 | 5 | .400 |
| Â | Mike Tomlin | * | PIT | 2 | 5 | .400 |
| — | Replay Booth |  | NFL | 84 | 214 | .393 |
| 23 | John Harbaugh | Â | BAL | 3 | 8 | .375 |
|  | Mike Pettine | †| CLE | 3 | 8 | .375 |
| 25 | Mike Zimmer | * | MIN | 2 | 6 | .333 |
| 26 | Bruce Arians | * | AZ | 3 | 10 | .300 |
| 27 | Jim Tomsula | †¹ | SF | 2 | 8 | .250 |
| Â | John Fox | Â | CHI | 1 | 4 | .250 |
|  | Tom Coughlin | †| NYG | 1 | 4 | .250 |
|  | Chip Kelly | †‡ | PHI | 1 | 4 | .250 |
| 31 | Todd Bowles | ¹ | NYJ | 1 | 5 | .200 |
| 32 | Joe Philbin | †| MIA | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 33 | Mike McCoy | Â | SD | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| 34 | Chuck Pagano | Â | IND | 0 | 6 | .000 |
| — | Coaches’ total |  |  | 92 | 201 | .458 |
(2014 final replay statistics)
Totals including the replay official: 176/406, .433
*Playoff team.
†Coach is no longer with team.
‡Pat Shurmer did not officially challenge a call in one game as interim coach for PHI.
¹First year as NFL head coach, not including interim assignments.
Source: NFL game statistics, regular season only.
