The practice of acquiring a head coach from another team in the National Football League, mirroring player trades, involves compensation exchanged between franchises. This compensation typically takes the form of draft picks, though occasionally players or other considerations may be included. A notable instance involved the Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquiring Jon Gruden from the Oakland Raiders in 2002, a move requiring significant draft capital as remuneration.
Facilitating this personnel movement allows teams to secure desired leadership without waiting for contracts to expire or coaches to be released. It provides an opportunity to accelerate rebuilding efforts or immediately enhance competitiveness. Historically, such agreements were less frequent, but increasing value placed on coaching acumen and the strategic advantage it can provide has led to greater consideration of this option.