Madden has a very lackluster coach career mode. I think many people would like the ability to have a true coach career mode. I have created a design document that you can follow to more closely emulate the rise and fall of going through the coaching ranks.
Obviously you create your character first. Next you must decide what sort of coach you want to be. Offensive or defensive.
You start out as either an offensive or defensive coordinator.
As the coordinator you only have control over that side of the ball. That includes roster moves, drafting, depth chart, etc.
All settings should be set to AUTO to allow the CPU "head coach" to handle everything except where noted below.
Scouting should be set to auto and delegate all scouting tasks as they come up.
The coaching talent tree should also be set to auto.
Player progression should be handled by the CPU except when it concerns your side of the ball where you are allowed to choose how players develop.
The coordinator can decide to sign free agents during the season but only on your side of the ball.
Coordinators can't make roster moves for the other side of the ball. The coordinator can set the depth chart for their side of the ball and all specialist positions.
While playing games the coordinator must only control his side of the ball. How they want to handle the other side of the ball is up to them in how they want to sim it.
For weekly training and focus players, the head coach sets the training regiment, however the user can decide which game plan to implement on their side of the ball. The coordinator also has the option to manually set one focus player on their side of the ball. The "head coach" CPU will handle the other 2. If the focus trainer slots are maxed out, coordinators may manually choose 2 focus players on their side of the ball.
At the end of the season, take note of any staff moves that may have occurred such as Teams that have had coaches or coordinators either retired or fired.
Depending on how the season went, there are several options available
Option 1: Team missed the playoffs
If your coordinator was in the top 10 on their side of the ball they may move to a new team that has their coordinator fired or retired.
If your coordinator was in the top 3 on their side of the ball they may take a head coaching job where a head coach was fired/retired
IF your coordinator was not in the top 15 then they must stay where they are.
Option 2: Team makes the playoff but does not make it past the conference championship round.
If your coordinator was in the top 15 on their side of the ball they may take a coordinator position from a team that has fired/retired coordinator.
If your coordinator was top 5 on their side of the ball they may take a head coach position where a head coach was fired/retired
They may choose to stay where they are as a coordinator
Option 3: Team makes the Super Bowl.
Top 15 on their side of the ball may take any coordinator or head coach position available.
Offseason
Coordinators may resign any player on their side of the ball. They must delegate all other resigning to the CPU
Free agency: The 1st round of free agency must be simmed. The CPU will sign free agents as long as free agency is set to auto. Once the 1st round of free agency is done coordinators may sign any player on their side of the ball. The system should be set to auto after the player puts offers on players so it will go after the other side of the ball in free agency.
The Draft: Coordinators may not select players in the 1st round. They may make all picks in rounds 2, 4, and 6 and only if they wish to select a player on their side of the ball.
If as a head coach, you miss the playoffs 2 years in a row, you are fired and must take a coordinator position where a vacant position exists.
Once the player is a head coach, it reverts back to normal madden coach mode. This is designed to extend the life of franchise mode. As it is, its too easy to build a powerhouse team. This system also encourages users to move around and change teams to prevent users from becoming a powerhouse in a few seasons.

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