What NFL Coaches Are on the Hot Seat?

With the NFL regular season now underway, we take a look at which coaches are under the most pressure to perform.

Coaches on the Hot Seat

These are the NFL coaches who are currently on the hot seat. This list includes coaches who are likely to be fired at the end of the season, as well as coaches who could be fired if their team doesn’t meet expectations.

Hue Jackson- Cleveland Browns

Hue Jackson is in his second season as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, and he has yet to win a game. The Browns are 0-5 this season, and 1-20 since Jackson took over as head coach in 2016.

Jackson was hired by the Browns after spending one season as the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals. He has also served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, and was an assistant coach for several NFL teams before that.

The Browns have not been a good team in recent years, but Jackson was expected to help turn things around. Unfortunately, Jackson has not been able to do that. The Browns are still a losing team, and Jackson is on the hot seat.

If the Browns do not start winning games soon, Jackson could be fired.

Marvin Lewis- Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off of yet another disappointing season, and head coach Marvin Lewis is once again feeling the heat. The Bengals have not won a playoff game since the 1990 season, and Lewis has been at the helm for 14 of those years. Despite Lewis’ lengthy tenure with the team, Cincinnati has only made the playoffs seven times under his watch. The Bengals have also never made it to the Super Bowl.

Lewis has come close to being fired on several occasions, but he has always managed to hang on to his job. This year, however, it seems like his days in Cincinnati may be numbered. The Bengals have already begun preparing for life after Lewis, and it looks like they will be making a change at head coach after the season.

Vance Joseph- Denver Broncos

Entering his second season as head coach of the Broncos, Vance Joseph is very much on the hot seat. Despite having a talented roster, the Broncos finished 5-11 last season and failed to make the playoffs. If Joseph can’t turn things around in 2018, he could be out of a job.

Coaches Who Could Be on the Hot Seat

NFL Coaches are under a lot of pressure to win. If they don’t, they could be fired. We’ve seen it happen time and time again. This year, there are a few coaches who could be on the hot seat. Let’s take a look at who they are.

Jason Garrett- Dallas Cowboys

He’s been the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys since 2010, but his contract is up at the end of the 2019 season. Garrett has led the Cowboys to a record of 85-67 during his time as head coach, but the team has only made the playoffs three times and has never made it past the divisional round. The Cowboys have also missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.

With owner Jerry Jones wanting to make a Super Bowl run sooner rather than later, Garrett could be on the hot seat if the Cowboys don’t make a deep playoff run this season.

Adam Gase- Miami Dolphins

In just three short seasons, Gase has managed to alienate just about everyone in the Miami Dolphins organization. He’s gone through three different starting quarterbacks, and the team has only gotten worse each year. Gase also has a history of being difficult to work with, and that’s something that owner Stephen Ross is not going to tolerate much longer. If the Dolphins don’t show some significant improvement this season, Gase will almost certainly be looking for a new job.

Dirk Koetter- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dirk Koetter is in his third season as the Buccaneers’ head coach, and he has compiled a 19-29 record in that time. That includes a 9-7 mark in 2016, which was good enough for second place in the NFC South. But the team took a step back last season, finishing 5-11 and missing the playoffs.

Now, with another losing season looming, Koetter could be on his way out in Tampa Bay. If the Buccaneers don’t show significant improvement this season, it’s hard to imagine Koetter keeping his job.

Coaches Who Have Been Fired

So far this NFL season, three head coaches have been fired: Hue Jackson of the Cleveland Browns, Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Adam Gase of the Miami Dolphins. This may not seem like a lot, but it’s actually the most head coaches fired in a single season since the 2012 season when six coaches were ousted. Who else could be next? Let’s take a look at some other coaches who are on the hot seat.

Todd Bowles- New York Jets

Todd Bowles is in his fourth season as head of the Jets, and despite having a 10-6 record in his first season, he has not been able to duplicate that success. The Jets are currently 4-10 and will miss the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year.

Bowles has come under fire for his lack of player development, especially on offense. The Jets have used three different starting quarterbacks during his tenure, and their leading receiver, Jermaine Kearse, was just traded to the Lions.

Another area of concern is special teams. The Jets have had several key special teams errors this season, including a missed field goal that would have won their Week 1 game against the Lions.

Bowles’ contract runs through 2020, but it is unlikely he will finish it out if the Jets continue to struggle.

Steve Wilks- Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have had a tough season, and head coach Steve Wilks is feeling the heat. With a record of 3-9, Arizona has one of the worst records in the NFL. Wilks is in his first year as head coach, and it’s looking like he could be one-and-done. The Cardinals have been plagued by poor quarterback play and a lack of offensive production. If things don’t turn around quickly, Wilks could be looking for a new job at the end of the season.

Vance Joseph- Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are placed third in the AFC West with a 5-11 record and will be looking for a new head coach next season after firing Vance Joseph on Monday. Joseph finishes his two-year tenure with an 11-21 record.

The Broncos made the playoffs in Joseph’s first season, but they missed out this year after going 9-7 in 2017. Quarterback play was a major issue for Denver this season as the team went through three different starters due to injuries and ineffectiveness.

Joseph was hired by the Broncos in 2017 after previously serving as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins. He will now be replaced by former Chicago Bears head coach John Fox.