The NFL has different levels of head coaching failure. Missing the playoffs almost every year is one kind of a failure. Making the playoffs every year and being one and done is another kind of failure (see Marvin Lewis) , however fans of the teams who miss the playoffs every year think Lewis is a success. Winning playoff games but never winning the big one is third kind of failure (see Mary Shottenheimer, Dan Quinn) . Fans of the first two types failures think these coaches are a success. The next type of failure is not winning enough super bowls recently (see Tom Landry, Mike McCarthy). Its a rare few coaches who aren't ultimately fired to end their head coaching career.