If it feels like Chicago sports teams are replacing coaches at an astonishing rate, it isn’t just your imagination.
In fact, the Chicago Blackhawks’ decision to fire Luke Richardson as head coach on Thursday marks the eighth time in just over a year that a Chicago professional sports team has replaced their bench boss.
As things stand, Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is now the longest-tenured coach in the city, as he is currently in his fifth season with the organization.
Here is a rundown of how quickly things have changed on the Chicago sports landscape.
Oct. 10, 2023: Red Stars announce Chris Petrucelli won’t return
The Red Stars made a coaching change at the tail end of the 2023 season, announcing that Chris Petrucelli wouldn’t return to the touch line for the club.
The Red Stars were the league’s runner-up in the 2019 and 2021 seasons, but were bounced from the NWSL playoffs in the first round and did not qualify for the postseason in 2023.
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Lorne Donaldson took over for the 2024 season, posting a record of 10-14-2.
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Nov. 6, 2023: Cubs fire David Ross, hire Craig Counsell
The Cubs, having missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season, announced that they had fired manager David Ross, replacing him with Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell.
Ross posted a record of 262-284 with the Cubs in four seasons, including an 83-79 mark in his final season with the club.
Counsell, who finished second in Manager of the Year voting in 2023, led the Cubs to an identical 83-79 mark in his first season on the North Side.
June 20, 2024: Wolves hire Cam Abbott
As the Chicago Wolves transitioned back to their status as a Carolina Hurricanes affiliate, the team announced that they would hire Cam Abbott to be their new head coach.
Abbott became the 14th coach in Wolves' history after his hiring, previously serving as the head coach of Rogle BK of the Swedish Hockey League.
Aug. 8, 2024: White Sox fire Pedro Grifol
The day after the White Sox snapped a 21-game losing streak, the team announced the firing of manager Pedro Grifol, who was ousted in his second season with the organization.
The White Sox, who would later name Will Venable as their permanent manager, set a record in the 2024 season for having the worst record in a 162-game season in MLB history, with a 41-121 mark.
The Sox have reached the postseason just twice in the last 16 seasons, winning a combined two playoff games during that time.
Sept. 27, 2024: Sky fire Teresa Weatherspoon
The Chicago Sky fired Teresa Weatherspoon after her first season with the team, with the coach finishing her tenure with a 13-27 record as the Sky missed the 2024 playoffs.
In early November, the Sky hired Tyler Marsh as their new head coach.
After winning the 2021 WNBA championship, the Sky reached the postseason in 2022 and 2023, losing to the Connecticut Sun in the semifinals and the Las Vegas Aces in the first round, respectively.
Oct. 8, 2024: Chicago Fire FC appoints Gregg Berhalter head coach
The Fire, after missing the MLS Cup playoffs again, announced that head coach Frank Klopas would move to a new role as the team’s Vice President of Football, and announced that former Team USA head coach Gregg Berhalter would take the helm.
Berhalter not only will be the team’s coach, but will also oversee “all aspects of the Fire’s sporting operations,” according to a press release.
The Fire have not qualified for the postseason since the 2017 season.
Nov. 29, 2024: Bears fire Matt Eberflus
For the first time in team history, the Chicago Bears made a midseason head coaching change, firing Matt Eberflus with five games remaining in the regular season.
Eberflus posted a record of 14-32 in his time as Bears head coach, and posted a 5-19 record in one-score games, the worst such mark in NFL history for any coach with at least 20 such games on their resume.
Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown was promoted as the team’s interim head coach to replace Eberflus.
Dec. 5, 2024: Blackhawks fire Luke Richardson
In his third season with the Blackhawks, head coach Luke Richardson was fired as the team is stuck in last place in the league with a record of 57-118-15.
The Blackhawks, who have picked in the top-two of each of the last two NHL Drafts, appear headed toward a similar result this season as Rockford IceHogs head coach Anders Sorensen takes the helm for the remainder of the regular season.
