Top 10 NFL Coaches on the Hottest Seat Going Into the 2026-27 NFL Season

Last year, there were a lot of coaching changes in the NFL. Here are some coaches that could possibly be in danger of losing their jobs if things go wrong. Do I think all these coaches will get fired this season? Probably not, but these are coaches to keep an eye on.

1. Zac Taylor

   

   Taylor is an overrated coach. The Bengals have fallen off since their last playoff appearance in 2022. Since then, it's been 9-8 seasons, and last year they went 6-11.

   To be clear, this team has talent. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are two of the best players in the league, and you can't make the playoffs? That's honestly unacceptable, especially with three straight years of no playoffs. You're wasting their prime seasons.

   Eventually, that can't sit well with the fanbase or front office. If there is a failure to make the playoffs again, I think he's out.

2. Todd Bowles

   

   Todd Bowles is not a good head coach. Even during his Jets coaching days, he sucked. He's better as a coordinator, not a head coach.

   His lone saving grace is that the NFC South has been horrible, so Tampa has basically won it by being the least bad team. His best season was 10-7. Last year, they saw a late-season collapse and missed the playoffs.

   Things in Tampa have grown stale, and I see a step-back year coming. It is one that'll lead to Bowles walking the plank.

3. Shane Steichen

   

   I haven't really been a fan of his. The Colts have been stuck in the middle of the road since he took over. They have been 8-9 or 9-8 every year. That is not good enough for the playoffs, but not bad enough to tank.

   Last season was a brutal one as they lost their last seven games. Of course, Daniel Jones got injured, which explains a lot, but still. His leash is getting shorter because eventually teams demand results, and not making the playoffs becomes inexcusable.

   I'd call his seat warm at the moment.

4. Aaron Glenn

   

   The Jets last season were a disaster. The defense was historically bad. They didn't record an interception, which is the first time since the 1930s an NFL team has done that. The offense wasn't much better.

   To be fair to Glenn, expectations were very low for the Jets last season. They really need to show some semblance of improvement, which I think their offseason moves will at least help them with, but the pressure is on to at least get more wins.

5. Brian Schottenheimer

   

   I never liked this hire for Dallas to begin with. In his first year, they went 7-9-1 and missed the playoffs. The Cowboys have become one of the biggest jokes in the league.

   On paper, they have the talent to make a deep run, but I question Schottenheimer's coaching abilities. If there is a failure to make the playoffs this season, I think it's not unreasonable to think that Jerry Jones would consider giving Schottenheimer the boot.

   The Cowboys are a big name brand with an underachieving roster, and impatience is growing.

6. Nick Sirianni

   

   I'm not a fan of him at all. Sure, he won a Super Bowl a couple of years ago, but then they had a home loss in the wild card and were genuinely disappointing. Plus, the general vibe in the locker room keeps deteriorating.

   I'd consider him safe for now, but Eagles fans are a crazy bunch who demand results every year. If there is a failure to make it past the wild card round this season, that seat will heat up.

7. Dan Quinn

   

   I questioned his hiring originally due to his subpar stint in Atlanta. But to be fair, his first season in Washington was great. They made the playoffs after a 12-5 season and made it to the NFC Championship Game.

   They were the likable underdogs, but then last season was a step back. Jayden Daniels got injured, and they had a disappointing 5-12 season.

   Expectations are high once again. They need to see a bounce back. Another down year could put Dan Quinn in jeopardy of losing his job.

8. Jesse Minter

   

   While not on the hottest seat as a first-year head coach, Minter is in a high-pressure situation. The Ravens have a good roster with one of the top quarterbacks in the league.

   They failed to make the playoffs last season. As a result, there is some tension in Baltimore at the moment, so he'll be under the microscope early.

   I actually think he'll do well here, but if the struggles continue, things could get ugly fast.

9. Kevin Stefanski

   

   To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of Stefanski. I just don't think he's that good of a coach.

   Atlanta hired him to fill their head coach role after firing Raheem Morris. Atlanta is desperate to get back to the playoffs after years of mediocre performances and disappointing results. They have the talent and potential on paper.

   It also helps that the NFC South is as wide open as ever, so he needs to come out of the gates strong.

10. Joe Brady

    

    I doubt Buffalo fires a first-year head coach, but I feel like they pulled the trigger on Sean McDermott a little too quickly and then made a panic play by promoting from within. Do I think Joe Brady will have success? In the long run, maybe, but I feel like there's a lot of pressure on him to do well this season.

    There's a lot of restlessness in Bills Mafia, as they're hungry for a Super Bowl. They need Joe Brady to rise to the occasion quickly, otherwise the fans will quickly turn on him.

The Contenders

11. Todd Monken

12. Mike McCarthy

    

    Michael John McCarthy, born on November 10, 1963, is an American football coach. He served as head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018 and led the team to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. McCarthy later served as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2020 through the... read more