How many years should a new head coach get?

[Rain Man]

Assume that it's a typical new coaching situation where the team was maybe 5-11 for the previous couple of years.

Should any coach get five years to put his stamp on the organization? Four years? Three years? Are there reasonable scenarios where a new coach should get axed the first year?

If you were an owner and the new coach wasn't some sort of pedophilac ogre, how long would you guarantee him a job?

[MichaelH]

I think it depends on the way the team responds. If the team doesn't respond after the second year, he should be fired. On the other hand, look at guys like Bill Cowher or Jeff Fisher. They've been through some tough seasons but always seem to bring the team back the next year.

[ChiTown]

When it costs you draft picks? Not many.....

[HC_Chief]

With FA, three years tops. That's more than enough time to turn over the roster... to bring in guys that fit your system and get everyone on the same page. If by the third season they can't get it done (at least a conference championship appearance), it's time to move on. Caveat being strong indications of future success; i.e., not needing to completely retool an area of the team.

[Rain Man]

I'd give a guy four years as long as I'm seeing progress. At three positions a year, he could turn over more than half the starters in that time.

The more I think about it, though, maybe I'm wrong. If he hasn't hit .500 by Year 3, I'd be putting plastic down on the carpet.