That's partly why Zorn (2-5) remains on the job, though with severely diminished authority. It helps explain Buffalo's continued support of Dick Jauron (3-5, one winning record in nine seasons as a head coach) and Cleveland's unwillingness to shed Eric Mangini (1-7), despite indications he annoys 90 percent of those around him.
Yet it is evident that Browns owner Randy Lerner wants to take action; on Monday he fired general manager George Kokinis, who was halfway through his first season and had been recruited by his former roommate, Mangini. Kokinis is the second front-office official to get tossed, following Erin O'Brien, Mangini's hand-picked director of team operations.
Why is Mangini safe? Partly because he is good at rubbing Lerner's ego, but mostly because he is in the first year of a four-year deal worth almost $10 million.
It's not that Lerner accepts losing. It's that his checkbook hand won't let him fire the coach. It is rumored that Lerner is pursuing a "for cause" case for firing Kokinis.
So first-year coaches such as Mangini, Tampa Bay's Raheem Morris (0-7), Kansas City's Todd Haley (1-6), Detroit's Jim Schwartz (1-6) and St. Louis' Steve Spagnuolo (1-7) should consider themselves safe. As long as they don't break rules or commit crimes or violate policy or a character clause, it's too costly to cut them, no matter the record.