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The coaching hot seat doesn’t feel as crowded as usual heading into this season. Last year, we all knew teams like the Patriots, Jets, Raiders and Bears would likely be shopping for new head coaches – and they were.
This year? It’s much harder to predict. Sure, there’s one obvious candidate who’s been hanging by a thread for a while now, but beyond that, coaches might need truly disastrous seasons to lose their jobs.
That said – this is the NFL we’re talking about! Things can go south in a hurry. Remember Doug Pederson in Jacksonville? Nobody saw that firing coming before last season, but the wheels came off and he was shown the door.
Let’s break down six coaches who might find themselves in trouble. Some are in far more danger than others, so I’ll outline what would need to happen for each to be cleaning out their office.
Zac Taylor – Cincinnati Bengals
Yes, he’s helped build one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses – but his overall record sits at a mediocre 46-52-1. At some point, having Joe Burrow put up video game numbers doesn’t matter if you can’t consistently win games.
The Bengals made that Super Bowl run in 2021, which bought Taylor plenty of goodwill. But they’ve gone 9-8 in consecutive seasons since then. Last year was particularly concerning – Burrow led the league in both passing yards and touchdowns, yet Cincinnati still missed the playoffs.
The team switched defensive coordinators this offseason hoping to fix that side of the ball. But if the Bengals miss the postseason for a third straight year? It might be time to find someone who can maximize this roster while Burrow’s in his prime.
Kevin Stefanski – Cleveland Browns
You’ve gotta feel for Stefanski. The disastrous Deshaun Watson trade completely derailed the momentum he’d built, and the team cratered to 3-14 last season.
Cleveland should give him some runway here – he’s dealing with an impossible quarterback situation that wasn’t his doing. That said, if the Browns have another season like 2024, ownership might decide to wipe the slate clean.
Personally, I’d give Stefanski a chance with whatever rookie QB they’ll likely draft next year. He deserves that opportunity. But the NFL is a brutal business. If the Browns win just six total games over a two-year span, Stefanski will probably be looking for work elsewhere.
Brian Schottenheimer – Dallas Cowboys
The Schottenheimer hire felt like the Cowboys just threw up their hands and settled.
Moving on from McCarthy made sense – he clearly wasn’t getting Dallas over the hump. But promoting his offensive coordinator after the Cowboys finished 26th in points scored last season? That’s a head-scratcher, though Jerry Jones has never been afraid of unconventional moves.
The Cowboys need major offensive improvement to justify this hire. They should be able to accomplish that with a healthy Dak Prescott, but nothing’s guaranteed in this league.
Shane Steichen – Indianapolis Colts
Steichen’s Colts are exactly .500 (17-17) through two seasons – a significant improvement over Frank Reich’s final days. But there’s a real possibility this year looks more like Reich’s 4-12-1 disaster that got him fired than Steichen’s first two campaigns.
The quarterback carousel that Steichen has navigated so far might finally become unsustainable. Choosing Daniel Jones over Anthony Richardson is essentially a desperate play to compete for a playoff spot now. If everything collapses and the Colts win just five games, would they consider starting fresh with a new coach and rookie QB next year?
Probably not.
Steichen has proven he can squeeze wins out of mediocre quarterback play. One rough season shouldn’t end his tenure, but if 2025 turns truly ugly, all bets are off.
Brian Daboll – New York Giants
This is easily the most likely firing on our list. It’s honestly surprising Daboll survived this long – his Giants teams have regressed each season, bottoming out at 3-14 last year.
Daboll needs to show he can win with Russell Wilson at quarterback. If he manages that, he’ll likely get to stick around and develop Jaxson Dart in 2026 when the rookie takes over.
But if the Giants stumble out of the gate and have to turn to Dart early? Daboll might not even make it to December. Don’t be shocked if there’s a midseason coaching change in New York.
Brian Callahan – Tennessee Titans
The 2025 season in Tennessee should be all about developing Cam Ward. The Titans must decide if Callahan is the right coach for that job.
His time as Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator suggested he might be – but was that just Joe Burrow making him look good? In five seasons as OC, the Bengals finished top 10 in passing yards twice, and those happened to be the only two years Burrow played a full season under Callahan.
Even more telling – after Callahan left, Burrow immediately led the league in both passing yards and touchdowns while Callahan’s Titans managed just three wins.
There’s legitimate reason to wonder if Callahan can unlock Ward’s potential. If the Titans reach that conclusion quickly, he could be looking for work come January.
