Some may be buying into the Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy reunion for a storybook ending to the future Hall of Famer’s career, but what does history say about quarterbacks reuniting with their head coaches for a second act?
Surprisingly, there aren’t many examples. The limited sample size paints a sobering picture.
Pete Carroll + Geno Smith
First Stint: 2020-2023 Seattle Seahawks (18-17 record)
Second Stint: 2025 Las Vegas Raiders (2-13 record)
Smith was one of the great comeback stories in his first stint with Carroll, passing for over 4,200 yards in 2022. He made the Pro Bowl twice, received MVP votes, and even won Comeback Player of the Year.
The second stint was a disaster. In one season, Smith threw a league high 17 INTs, won just two games, and got Carroll fired after just one season with the team. Smith also only lasted one season in Vegas, and the Raiders had to pay part of his salary to make it possible for the New York Jets to trade for him.
Bill Parcells + Vinny Testaverde
First Stint: 1998-1999 New York Jets (12-2 record)
Second Stint: 2004 Dallas Cowboys (5-10 record)
Testaverde was an NFL starter for a long time. In 21 years, he only had 10 or more wins twice, and Parcells got the most out of him with 12 wins in 1998. That was one of just two seasons where he was a Pro Bowler. His performance with Parcells made him go from a two-year, $8.7 million contract to a seven-year, $37.9 million contract.
Their success together led to Parcells bringing him back for a single season with the Dallas Cowboys, but they couldn’t recapture the magic six years after the stellar 1998 season. They won just five games together in Dallas and Testaverde led the league with 20 INTs along the way.
This reunion is also interesting for the fact that Testaverde was over 40 years old, just like Rodgers.
Bill Parcells + Drew Bledsoe
First Stint: 1993-1996 New England Patriots (32-27 record)
Second Stint: 2005-2006 Dallas Cowboys (12-10 record)
After Parcells’ reunion with Testaverde didn’t work out, he dipped back into the well of his former quarterbacks to bring back Bledsoe for a part two. This reunion was much more successful with a 12-10 overall record, but they still didn’t qualify for the playoffs. The 2006 season was the final year of both of their NFL careers.
Bledsoe and Parcells made the Super Bowl together in 1996, but their reunion yielded a completion percentage below 59 percent, 30 TDs and 25 INTs. For this being the most successful reunion, it was nothing to write home about.
Dennis Allen + Derek Carr
First Stint: 2014 Oakland Raiders (0-4 record)
Second Stint: 2023-2024 New Orleans Saints (11-12 record)
This was, by far, the most disastrous QB-HC pairing on this list. Allen was Carr’s first ever head coach in the NFL, but he got fired after an 0-4 start to Carr’s career. The duo gave it another go a decade later in New Orleans and got Allen fired midseason once again. Carr was hurt for part of it, but a 2-7 start to the 2024 season sent Allen packing early. Unless Carr makes a comeback, that was his final season in the league as well.
They found some success in 2023 with a 9-8 record and nearly 4,000 passing yards, but their multiple stints together will always be marred by a pair of midseason firings.
If there is one encouraging sign, it’s that both Carr and Bledsoe had solid first seasons of their QB-HC reunions. And none of the QBs on this list are anywhere in the same stratosphere as Aaron Rodgers.
In his age 43 season, Rodgers is already working against history to have a successful season. If he does, he will also be paving a new path for QB-HC reunions.