NFL head coaches on the hot seat could include Browns’ Kevin Stefanski and Eagles’ Nick Sirianni
The New York Jets stunned NFL followers by firing head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday, two days after his team lost 23-17 to the Minnesota Vikings in London.
A respected defensive mind, Saleh was in his fourth season with the Jets. He had a 20-36 record and went 4-13 in 2021, followed by two 7-10 campaigns. Hope wasn’t lost for the Jets this year, though, especially after playing all but four snaps last season without quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But team owner Woody Johnson believed a Week 6 change was necessary to save the season and named defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich interim coach.
It’s unlikely Saleh will be the only coach ever fired this season. So who could be next? Here’s a look at six coaches who could also be on the hot seat.
Pederson, who guided the Philadelphia Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history in February 2018, would lead Jacksonville to similar success. And he had to help quarterback Trevor Lawrence reach his full potential as a game-changing quarterback. But Lawrence, like the rest of the Jaguars, has severely underperformed since the middle of last season. Pederson’s side are no closer to contention than when he took over in 2022.
Jacksonville needed a win in the worst way and got it on Sunday, snapping a four-game losing streak by beating the Indianapolis Colts 37-34. Now the Jags head to their home away from home, London, to take on the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots in back-to-back weeks. The postponement of the victory over the Colts won’t last long. Jacksonville needs a victorious trip abroad. If the Jaguars have an embarrassing matchup in London, Pederson isn’t an option to stay at the helm when they return to Florida.
GO DEEPER
Jets’ Saleh third NFL coach fired after loss in London
It’s certainly not Stefanski’s fault that Cleveland’s brass sold their souls for a no-good Deshaun Watson. And it’s not his fault that injuries have decimated the Browns’ offensive line, while also hitting some key defensive players hard. But at some point, something has to give for this 1-4 team.
Stefanski is sticking with Watson, though it’s unclear whether that’s due to an edict from above or because he truly believes the quarterback still has some magic left in him from his Houston Texans days. So for now, Stefanski has to figure out how to make this work. He showed flexibility and creativity while positioning Joe Flacco for success during last year’s playoffs. Now he must do the same to ease the pressure on Watson on the field to increase productivity. A healthier run-pass balance could help, even if it means using Watson on some designed runs. Speeding up Watson’s pace with more short passes could also help.
But if Stefanski can’t recognize the need for change and make the necessary adjustments, his bosses may look elsewhere for answers.
Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)
After last year’s decline from a 10-1 start to an 11-6 finish, the Eagles seemed to rebound authoritatively this season. Instead, Sirianni still has to figure out how to get things back on track. Injuries to top wide receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith and right tackle Lane Johnson have certainly hampered the Eagles’ efforts. But quarterback Jalen Hurts has failed to rediscover the consistency and dominance he showed during his team’s march to the Super Bowl in the 2022 season.
Sirianni has switched offensive and defensive coordinators this season, but so far the Eagles have disappointed on both sides of the ball. After an embarrassing loss to Tampa Bay two weeks ago, Sirianni blamed himself for not preparing his team enough. The Eagles hope the once highly regarded Sirianni, who is 43, can figure out how to turn things around quickly. He cannot afford a second disappointing season in a row.
If GM Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie fire Pederson just three seasons after his Super Bowl victoryHow much wiggle room is there for Sirianni, whose team blew a third-quarter lead and lost 38-35 to the Chiefs in its Super Bowl appearance?
Brian Daboll may need more wins like Sunday’s over the Seahawks to keep his job. (Luke Johnson/Imagn Images)
The Giants used the sixth pick of the 2019 draft on quarterback Daniel Jones, but saw him flounder. Three years later, they hired Daboll, hoping he could work the same magic with Jones that they did with Josh Allen as the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator.
Three seasons later, however, Jones remains significantly limited and the Giants are among the bottom teams in the league. Daboll’s team exceeded expectations in Year 1, going 9-7-1 and sneaking into the playoffs. But the Giants regressed after that, going 6-11 last season, and that struggle has continued this season. Talent shortages are partly to blame for this. But Jones’ lack of progress, and a lack of improvement along the offensive line that the front office has tried to improve, are among the damning strikes against Daboll.
New York upset the Seattle Seahawks last week, but the prospects for a dramatic turnaround seem unlikely, and it could cost the coach dearly.
Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears (3-2)
For now, the Bears of Eberflus are showing some life. They have won back-to-back games (against the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers) and now head to London to take on the Jaguars. It appears Caleb Williams’ coaches are finally figuring out how to better support him by using more balance to lighten his load and keep defenses off balance.
However, after going 10-24 in his first two seasons, Eberflus remains on shaky ground.
Due to a tough stretch from Weeks 11 through 16, which includes five divisional games, Chicago must continue to build momentum while picking up some wins against Jacksonville, Washington, Arizona and New England. If the signs of improvement don’t continue, Bears officials may opt for a change this season.
Free, daily NFL updates delivered straight to your inbox.
Free, daily NFL updates delivered straight to your inbox.
To register
Sunday night’s 20-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was much-needed for the Cowboys and coach Mike McCarthy. Jerry Jones thinks he has a Super Bowl contender on his hands, but he doesn’t seem nearly as confident about his head coach, who is out of contract after this season.
At 3-2, the Cowboys remain in the middle. But if the offense continues to sputter, and if Dallas can’t survive this tough upcoming stretch against Detroit, San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Houston and Washington, the temperature of McCarthy’s seat will surely rise. Jones should not pull the plug halfway through the season because that is not his style. However, poor performance during this stretch could hurt McCarthy’s chances of getting an extension this offseason.
(Top photos of Kevin Stefanski and Nick Sirianni: Patrick Smith and Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)
