Half of the NFL’s 32 franchises have replaced their head coach at least once in the last two years — the Las Vegas Raiders even made the change twice — so more firings seem likely in the coming 12 months.
With Week 1 of the 2026 season only seven months away, several head coaches already face intense scrutiny. Here are the names sitting in the hottest seats right now.
Jerry Jones has long been unusually patient with coaches — his last pre-McCarthy firing was Chan Gailey after the 1999 season — but he’s also accustomed to winning. The Cowboys just endured back-to-back losing campaigns (one under Mike McCarthy), their first consecutive sub-.500 years since the early 2000s under Dave Campo. If Dallas misses the playoffs again, it’s reasonable to wonder whether Jones will make a change; he turns 83 this year and believes he has assembled a Super Bowl-caliber roster. A shakeup could also open the door for someone like Mike Tomlin in 2027.
Matt LaFleur did receive a multi-year extension, but Green Bay’s new team president Ed Policy clearly put extra pressure on him last season. The Packers haven’t had a deep postseason run in five years, and while LaFleur’s 76-40-1 regular-season record and six playoff berths in seven years look strong on paper, the club has managed just three postseason wins since 2021. That extension might not be enough if the Packers fail to advance beyond the divisional round next season.
Dan Quinn’s spot in Washington also feels precarious, though it’s worth noting how much the 2025 campaign was disrupted by injuries — including to QB Jaden Daniels. Quinn did guide the Commanders to the NFC Championship in his first year (2024), yet he recently overhauled his staff, parting ways with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury even after Kingsbury helped Daniels put together an impressive rookie run. How Daniels responds to a new OC, and whether Quinn can fix a defense that’s struggled during his tenure, will be pivotal.
Kevin O’Connell remains well-regarded as a “quarterback whisperer” and has posted nearly twice as many wins as losses over five seasons, earning a lucrative extension. Still, owner Sigi Wilf’s dissatisfaction with a 9-8 season and some QB decisions prompted the firing of GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, signaling unrest at the top. O’Connell may have won the internal power struggle, but he now faces heightened expectations to develop JJ McCarthy and get Minnesota back into the playoffs — and Wilf’s patience may not be limitless.
Colts owner Carly Irsay Gordon cited the team’s encouraging first-half play when deciding to keep Chris Ballard in place through 2026, despite Indianapolis collapsing late after Daniel Jones’ season-ending injury. With Jones potentially a free agent and Anthony Richardson’s health uncertain, Indy must sort out its quarterback situation before next season. The owner also emphasized heightened urgency after a five-year playoff drought, which puts pressure on GM Shane Steichen as he enters his fourth season — continued mediocrity could trigger a broader overhaul.
Despite the toll of Joe Burrow’s injuries — not something you can blame the coach for — Zac Taylor remains under scrutiny in Cincinnati. The Bengals have invested heavily in their roster and should be playoff contenders if Burrow is healthy, so failing to reach the postseason or compete for the AFC North would be a disappointment. Burrow also appeared visibly frustrated late in the season; if losing and discontent persist, ownership might eventually consider pairing the franchise QB with a different leader on the sideline.
Dave Canales experienced a volatile 2025 campaign: he rose onto Coach of the Year watch lists and then saw his team finish 8-9 and exit in the playoffs after an up-and-down stretch. Entering his third year under an owner known for impulsive moves, Canales has limited margin for regression with a 13-21 overall record. He’s also tasked with turning Bryce Young into a consistent franchise QB — if Young doesn’t show clear progress by next January, Carolina could be searching for both a new coach and a new quarterback.
Todd Bowles’ tenure in Tampa Bay is under the microscope because his talented roster failed to dominate the weakest division in football. Over four seasons he’s 35-33 with three playoff appearances, but the Bucs’ late-season collapse — seven losses in the final nine games — exposed concerns beyond injuries. Given the resources at the team’s disposal, it’s hard to imagine the Glazer family tolerating more middling results.
Nick Sirianni has an overall 59-26 record with the Eagles, plus multiple division titles and a Super Bowl win, but owner Jeffrey Lurie’s standards are famously exacting. Disappointment over missed opportunities in 2023 and 2025, along with internal gripes about staff choices and locker-room management, have created unease. Philadelphia will likely win the NFC East again, but failing to make a meaningful playoff run could prompt change.
The Jets’ 3-14 season put their coach, Glenn, on thin ice — many expected him to be let go — yet owner Woody Johnson showed unusual patience, allowing Glenn to replace much of his staff in a last-ditch effort to save his job. With a rocky relationship with New York media, an unclear quarterback picture and a fanbase clamoring for results, Glenn’s short-term outlook looks bleak, especially with proven candidates like Mike Tomlin potentially available next offseason.
Fan Take: Coaching turnover matters because it directly affects player development, roster construction and competitive balance — constant change can stall young quarterbacks and undo progress. For fans, these job-site battles signal whether franchises are committed to long-term builds or chasing instant results, and that mindset will shape the league’s landscape in the coming years.
