As the NFL regular season is right around the corner, plenty of teams know they have a make-or-break season on their hands. Some coaches look to be coaching for their jobs, with a poor season giving their owners enough reason to pull the plug.
Here are six coaches who are on the hot seat the most.
- Ron Rivera
Ron Rivera is a legend who will forever be remembered as a great coach, but more importantly, a great man, but his time seems to be running out. Simply put, it’s not working in Washington. Under Dan Snyder’s reign, Rivera did a great job in holding up the organization’s leadership, but with a new ownership regime at the helm, a poor season could have them looking to bring in “their guy.” Well, in a crowded NFC East with Sam Howell being the quarterback, a poor season feels likely.
- Mike McCarthy
Jerry Jones continues to express faith in Mike McCarthy as his head coach, but we’re talking about the Dallas Cowboys. If McCarthy looks wholly lost as he is now taking on play-calling duties, the pressure from the national media to fire McCarthy would be too much to ignore. After all, McCarthy has a talented roster, and if they ultimately fall short of the playoffs or are an early exit once again, Jerry Jones could and should be looking to move on.
- Jonathan Gannon
Putting Jonathan Gannon on the hot seat in only his first season feels like a stretch, but I’m pretty confident that the Arizona Cardinals will be so bad that they almost have no choice but to clean house. As a defensive-minded head coach, I imagine Kyler Murray continuing to regress with Caleb Williams becoming the new face of the organization, prompting the front office to bring in an offensive-minded head coach to mentor Williams.
- Todd Bowles
Watching the 2022 Buccaneers, they often didn’t appear prepared enough and lacked creativity. That falls on Todd Bowles. Now, sitting without Tom Brady, the pressure is mounting for Bowles to keep a talented Buccaneers roster relevant in a wide-open NFC South. The only issue is a gaping hole at the quarterback spot, but regardless, Bowles has one shot to make the most out of this roster. If he falls short, the Bucs will look for a new quarterback and coach this offseason.
- Kevin Stefanski
Luckily for the Browns, Kevin Stefanski pulled them out of complete irrelevancy over his past few seasons in charge. They’ve not been a dumpster fire, won some games, and have some pieces on their roster that can excite the Dawg Pound. However, with an entire season of Deshaun Watson expected, Stefanski is out the door if he cannot maximize this team’s talent. A loaded AFC playoff picture and division could make that difficult, but Stefanski has his back against the wall.
- Brandon Staley
Plenty of questions surrounded Brandon Staley’s coaching style and decisions last season, making his 2023 campaign much more important. With another season of development for Justin Herbert, added offensive pieces, and higher expectations, Staley is amidst a make-or-break season. It’s playoff or bust for Staley, more likely a playoff win or bust, with Kellen Moore ready to take the reign even if the Chargers get off to a slow start.
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